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| Umbrella Entertainment (Australia). All Regions, PAL. 2.35:1 (16:9 enhanced). English DD 2.0 English DD 5.1. 95 minutes |
| The Movie |
| Cover Art |
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| Credits |
Director: Dario Argento
Starring: Jessica Harper,
Udo Kier, Joan Bennett
Screenplay:Dario Argento
and Daria Nicoldi
Music: Goblin
Tagline: "The
only thing more terrifying than the last 12 minutes
of the film… are the first 83."
Country: Italy |
Suspiria holds a special place
in the hearts of most horror fans. It will be cited
by most as the film that introduced them to the
work of maestro Dario Argento and the joys of Italian
horror films. There isn't much more you can
say about the film, the story of Susie Banyon will
be familiar to most terroraustralis readers and
the film has already been reviewed on this site
in one of its previous disc incarnations (here).
The combination of Argento's visual flair,
Goblins awesome soundtrack, the ultra vicious
murders and Jessica Harpers wide eyed innocence
create a grand guignol epic that blows away the
conventions of the horror film creating an ethereal
experience that is in turn gut wrenching and beautifully
visualised. The criticisms often discussed about
Argento's work are all present; yes he is
more interested in the gothic architecture than
he is the characters being murdered in front of
it, yes the dialogue and performance often leave
a lot to be desired, yes the film loses its momentum
in between the set pieces.
The thing is you don't watch a film like Suspiria or its sequel Inferno for any of these reasons. The
film is a complete cinematic experience like no
other. The films opening sequence as Banyon arrives
at the airport is a fine example. The soundtrack
hisses "witch" as she enters a strange
new world, even the sliding doors seem to have
a sinister agenda, her cab ride to the school
is a myriad of colours as the rain cascades down
the taxi's windows, in Argento's world
everyday experiences become sinister happenings,
the witch's influence is everywhere, horror
surrounds us and a sense of foreboding is created
for the rest of the movie. Saying that no film
could ever hope to follow the movie's opening
double murder and Suspiria doesn't
quite manage it and does suffer as a result.
Overall Suspiria is one of the
benchmark films of the Italian horror genre. It
displays Argento's technical virtuosity
to the fore and when it is great it is one of
the most astonishing films you are ever likely
to see. |
| Video |
| The picture is a revelation, the vibrant colour
scheme is stable and bright, the picture is sharp
and full of detail. It looks glorious compared with
any version I have seen before on video or laser
disc. |
| Audio |
| The
original film's score was a cacophony of sound
that very few cinemas could handle in 1977. After
years of dodgy video copies the Anchor Bay disc in the
US was the first to try to replicate the experience
with its multiple audio tracks: English (THX Surround
EX), English (DTS 6.1 ES), Italian (Dolby Digital
2.0 Surround), and French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround).
Umbrella's disc omits the DTS track (as well as the French and Italian options) but does give us 2.0 and 5.1 audio options, although the 5.1 track isn't listed on the slick. Also, you'll have to use the "Audio" button on your remote to listen to it as the stereo track is the default option and there is no audio selection menu anywhere ont he disc. A 5.1 channel easter egg perhaps? Even with these options there is still unrest in the
Argento camp to get the film released with its original
four track stereo mix intact. |
| Extra Features |
| The packaging is very cool, especially the
embossed veins on the title. They are a few typos
which is unfortunate but Umbrella has supplied
a fine selection of extras.
The 25th Anniversary 52 minute documentary is
an excellent look at the making of the film, its
origins and its influences. Featuring interviews
with Argento, Nicoldi, Kier and Harper it's
an excellent watch with enough anecdotes to please
the most hardened Argentophile. This documentary
is also featured on the US disc but we do get
a few extras of our own.
An Eye for Horror will have seen by most readers
as it has featured on all of Umbrella's
Argento titles. An exclusive interview with the
director is excellent, he discusses the making
of the film, dealing with Fox, his actors and
editing the film in 10 days! We also get a selection
of photo's set to the music of Goblin, radio
and TV spots and a collection of vintage Argento
trailers. |
| The Verdict |
The film is an absolute classic; the much-vaunted
opening double murder, the soundtrack, the awe-inspiring
visuals, Suspiria is still an amazing
watch. Yes some of the performances are stilted
and the dialogue is frankly awful but the set pieces
are astonishing and Argento's eye for the
baroque is exquisite. The film looks amazing and
this disc does the film a great service. Once again
the US disc is a superior more expensive option
but for those who want a cheaper locally produced
alternative this excellently packaged disc does
the job well.
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