Review of Suspiria (1977) by Ethan A — 26 Jun 2011

I've never seen a film that was so worth seeing yet so worth avoiding.

Suspiria is the acclaimed gaillo horror classic about a newcomer to a academy for ballet that is run by a coven of witches.

There are many reasons to avoid this film. The acting is terrible, and has some inane dialogue, plus this film's overall weirdness is enough to turn some off...but behind this is a beautiful film. Gaillo is a form of filmmaking that takes violence to an art form, not trying to grotesque, but beautiful in an artistic sense...and you couldn't find a better example of that art. The death scenes alone are worth seeing. The deaths are so graphically beautiful, so disgustingly vibrant, you could make an Oscar worthy short of just the deaths. The film's use of color is just breathtaking, and the sound of the film is sometimes the most terrifying thing.

This is a masterpiece for all the reasons I never thought a film could be a masterpiece for. One of the violent movies I have ever seen, and also one of the most beautiful.