Suspiria
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An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.
What critics thought
Suspiria divided contemporary critics sharply between those who found Argento's visual delirium hypnotic and those who dismissed it as gore without substance, but retrospective critical opinion has swung decisively toward the film, placing it among the canonical works of horror cinema. The central tension — style versus story — never fully disappears, and even admirers tend to concede that plot and character are secondary concerns to sensory assault.
“consistently suspenseful and diverting”
Kevin Thomas·Los Angeles Times
“Suspiria is mostly gore, with little plot or intrigue.”
John Stark·The San Francisco Examiner
“a fitful, uneven piece of work too often more uncontrolled than the hysteria it's trying to create.”
Bruce McCabe·The Boston Globe
“Argento works so hard for his effects—throwing around shock cuts, colored lights and peculiar camera angles—that it would be impolite not to be a little frightened”
Dave Kehr·Chicago Reader
“a movie that makes sense only to the eye”
J. Hoberman·The Village Voice
Accolades
Genres
Horror
Cast & Crew
Dario ArgentoDirector
Jessica HarperSuzy Bannion
Stefania CasiniSara
Flavio BucciDaniel
Miguel BoséMark
Barbara MagnolfiOlga
Susanna JavicoliSonia
Eva AxénPat Hingle
Rudolf SchündlerProf. Milius
Udo KierDr. Frank Mandel
Alida ValliMiss Tanner
Joan BennettMadame Blanc
Margherita HorowitzTeacherDario ArgentoComposer
Agostino MarangoloComposer
Claudio SimonettiComposer
Daria NicolodiWriter
Luciano TovoliCinematographySuspiria
An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.
What critics thought
Suspiria divided contemporary critics sharply between those who found Argento's visual delirium hypnotic and those who dismissed it as gore without substance, but retrospective critical opinion has swung decisively toward the film, placing it among the canonical works of horror cinema. The central tension — style versus story — never fully disappears, and even admirers tend to concede that plot and character are secondary concerns to sensory assault.
“consistently suspenseful and diverting”
Kevin Thomas·Los Angeles Times
“Suspiria is mostly gore, with little plot or intrigue.”
John Stark·The San Francisco Examiner
“a fitful, uneven piece of work too often more uncontrolled than the hysteria it's trying to create.”
Bruce McCabe·The Boston Globe
“Argento works so hard for his effects—throwing around shock cuts, colored lights and peculiar camera angles—that it would be impolite not to be a little frightened”
Dave Kehr·Chicago Reader
“a movie that makes sense only to the eye”
J. Hoberman·The Village Voice
Accolades
Genres
Horror
Cast & Crew
Dario ArgentoDirectorJessica HarperSuzy BannionStefania CasiniSaraFlavio BucciDanielMiguel BoséMarkBarbara MagnolfiOlgaSusanna JavicoliSoniaEva AxénPat HingleRudolf SchündlerProf. MiliusUdo KierDr. Frank MandelAlida ValliMiss TannerJoan BennettMadame BlancMargherita HorowitzTeacherDario ArgentoComposerAgostino MarangoloComposerClaudio SimonettiComposerDaria NicolodiWriterLuciano TovoliCinematographyStream
Rent & Buy