Review of Suspiria (1977) by Vincent Z — 21 Sep 2009

In the first of Dario Argento's "Three Mothers" trilogy (followed by "Inferno" and "Mother of Tears"), a young American woman attends a European Ballet school that is a front for things far more sinister.

Let's start with the bad. The sound in this movie is unbelievably annoying. It sound like scary jazz music over top of wailing, screaming, and whispering. Plus it's poorly dubbed ? I would have rather watched it subtitled.

Secondly, dude? Argento? seriously? not every shot has to be 45 seconds long. I understand you want to build suspense, but come on and get with it already!

Now for the good. Argento makes some wonderfully stylish and atmospheric movies, and this is no exception. The opening double murder sequence is brilliantly shot and edited and completely like nothing I've seen before. The best of the trilogy.