Suspiria

This highly anticipated remake of the classic 1977 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Dario Argento is not your conventional horror film and may prove to be a disappointment for ardent fans of the horror genre.

Set in Berlin the story centres on a young American dancer who enrols at a reputable dance academy which is plagued by sinister occurrences.

Stylishly filmed and highly crafted, director Luca Guadagnino has perfectly recaptured the atmosphere and mystique of the original, delivering a film with highly effective performances from a talented ensemble cast which includes Dakota Johnson, Mia Goth and notably Tilda Swinton as Madame Blanc.

However, the film’s downfall may result in that it’s too artistic for a horror flick – an extremely intellectual production which may prove to be unsuccessful in reaching its target audience. This is a thinking audience’s film with a pervading perverse strangeness and many incomprehensibly bizarre segments evident which may initially tantalise but ultimately bemuse.

At a running time of 152 minutes and with detracting sub-titles throughout restlessness may set in, as the film substantially works on suspense with only spasmodic horror sequences.

This film may resonate with older discerning movie-goers who expect quality in their film-going experiences, but there’s not enough to maintain younger viewer’s interest throughout. For a more coherent understanding of this perplexing movie, multiple viewings are recommended. (MMo)

★★★