Suspiria: I Should Like This

I've been bad. I've been so so so bad by not making a post for February and March, as well as generally being neglectful of Consume + Consume in 2015 and early 2016. There were plenty of films I watched that were inspiring. Instead I just sat dumbfounded in front of my computer going ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ over pieces of art that should have gotten me writing.

I feel guilty about taking breaks in blogging and writing. I think about the people that do this as their job, who have to pump out words everyday; people who truly make writing their passion. I have to remind myself, that though I can write, and sometimes I have fun things to say, ultimately writing is not my true calling. Missing some time on my blog is disappointing, but I'm not ruining my life because of it. What is my true calling you ask? That's a story for another day...

Before I get to a real, actually thought-out post about Suspiria, (a film I have been recommend for years, and procrastinated in watching because...¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) here is a list of some documentaries and films that I loved but couldn't muster a discussion over:

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
Nightcrawler
Making A Murderer

And now for our feature presentation: 
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I have many feelings about 70's Italian horror film Suspiria that are difficult to organize. There are two roads I've narrowed it down to, and those roads are pretty disparate.

One road is to praise the visual aspects of the film - as many do - posting film still after film still. It would ultimately be a dream-board of images I thought were cool; trying to impress others with my visual insight.

I'd convince readers to see the film so that they too can feast their eyes on the same colors and shapes. I would also go on about the use of Art Nouveau style that is repeatedly used in the set design.

The second road would be a complete dissection of the film's script, which I have nothing positive to say about. I would put on my EWW hat, (you can read that as "Eww, gross." or the popular YouTube series Everything Wrong With) and point out all of the many plot holes. What Suspiria has in visuals, it lacks in story line, plot, and sense.

What I can do to bond these two roads together is my theory that the project was conceived by a thirteen year-old girl. (The film was actually written by a then thirty seven year-old  Dario Argento, and twenty seven year-old Daria Nicolodi, but indulge me for a moment). 

On the one hand she doesn't have the know-how to make a coherent script, and her fantasies take precedence over reason. On the other hand her love for bright colors, newly found obsession with Art Nouveau, and her burgeoning dark side, make the film a perfect indulgence of horror and glamour.

If you don't believe that this is the work of a tween girl, read the IMDB plot summary of Suspiria,

A newcomer to a fancy ballet academy gradually comes to realize that the school is a front for something far more sinister and supernatural amidst a series of grisly murders. 

Joan Bennett of Dark Shadows fame keeping it elegant and supernatural as Madame Blanc.

It's got everything: ballet, Europe, a fancy school that's for students of indeterminate age (It's for  young people, like college or something. But I think I could go in a couple years when I'm fifteen because I'm so mature and good at dancing), Joan Bennett in one of her last film roles, grisly murder, a romantic mansion, witches, hot pink, a pool (!!), and one hot guy that you think might do something for the plot, but then does nothing for the plot.

The girls spend a lot of time looking pretty in pretty hallways, being drugged, and whispering. All of the actors in this international cast each spoke their native languages when delivering their lines. The entire film is dubbed over in English. Even the English speaking actors had their lines done over through ADR (additional dialogue replacement), thus leveling the playing filed and making everyone look sufficiently awkward when they speak. Knowing this fact makes ballet student, Sarah's whispering to Suzy (our main heroin) that much more hilarious, knowing that the actress was telling her secrets in Italian.

When you can't understand the person whispering to you, so you feign concern instead. 

Suspiria is an Art Nouveau explosion. In Madame Blanc's office, the illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley, leader of the Aesthetic movement, are framed on a partition. However, they do appear to be altered - possibly because of copyright issues. Below are comparisons of the movie stills with the original artwork.

#1

#2

#3

#4

All of the images have two subjects in their original versions, (even if one of them is just a disembodied head) but those in the background of Suspiria all only have one.

Beardsley's influence can be felt throughout the film. Especially in this above screen shot, the character named Olga even looks like she could be one of Beardsley's subjects. 

This aggressive black and white patterned wallpaper in Olga's apartment is reminiscent of Beardsley's exclusively black and white illustrations. It is also extremely 70's.

Scariest room in the movie?

Well...

Razor Wire Room might take the cake.

Ultimately Suspiria was delightful and inspiring. It reminded me of the colorful optimism of youthful creativity. The plot doesn't make any sense because it's a frame for frame remake of a young girl's bad dream, mixed with her aspirations, budding sexuality, and interior decorating sense.