Suspiria (1977)
The most cinematic slasher of all time?
Presentation:
For those that love cinematography, this is a must watch. Suspiria is a one of a kind slasher with unique visuals leaning hard into dramatic colored lighting. Maybe some will find it outdated or harsh, but I think the jarring implementation is what makes it stylistically bold. There’s something about vintage films that allow it to get away with this kind of freakiness that just wouldn’t work today. The soundtrack and audio design would also be pretty immersive if it weren’t for the fact that it was poorly dubbed, a hallmark of Italian films. The original audio is English, but I can’t say which version is better. Italian provides a more foreign bizarreness that covers up some of the weaker acting, as this is somewhat of a B horror film. But since this is a visual experience, you probably don’t want to be distracted by subtitles. The color in this film is fantastic, the horror is quite surprising, and the gore has that campy indie ridiculousness that makes this experience a lot of fun.
Conclusion:
Now if you are more into plot and character driven plots, just pass on this. Characters are one dimensional and the story is disappointingly simplistic. The mystery suspense leading up to it was a delightful walk into a hall of mirrors. I haven’t felt this excited by horror in forever. I think the closest experiences would be Possession in terms of tone, or Neon Demon in terms of modern visuals. If you love horror and cinematography, this is a must watch.
Recommendations
The most cinematic slasher of all time?