Not only ghostly and suggestive, the last film of Italian director Luca Guadagnino, who, after the great success of Call Me by Your Name is back with the remake of Suspiria, the 1977 movie by one of the most influential Italian directors still alive: Dario Argento. Perhaps more than a remake, the director himself defines it as a real tribute to the one who made him move as a teenager and a dreamer. But then is it true that dreams can come true?
From the first scenes the fans of the “Argentinian” horror will recognize a difference in styles. The environment is always stormy, but, unlike the dark Friborg, this time we find ourselves in a cold Berlin, the Berlin of the wall and the bombings, precisely in 1977 (not by chance the year of the release of the original Suspiria).
40 years have passed since the first Suspiria, technology has meanwhile made progress also in the field of cinema, but Guadagnino has had the sensitivity to catapult the viewer from the first to the last second, gluing him to the seat, in a dimension chilling and dark. This thanks to camera movements and sharp and disarming compositions that go directly to the unconscious mind of the viewer, a small and fundamental detail that certainly makes the difference and that a good director should always have handy.
The role of Madame Blanche is played by Tilda Swinton, again in an antagonistic role, but, even here, perfectly at ease in a part that seems to have been sewn on her and that no other actress could have snatched from her. For this impeccable interpretation she certainly also has to thank the chemistry with the protagonist, played by Dakota Johnosn, in the role of the young and naive Susie. She’s also great, even if her interpretation of the red-haired dancer won’t certainly make Jessica Harper, the Susie in the original version, jealous. She also does a cameo in the new version, playing the role of Anke, alongside Swinton.
In conclusion, this movie is an example of how the seventh art can be handed down and adapted to the current context. Remaking or working again on movies that are considered classics is not a simple task, we have seen it with the remake of Ben Hur and with the sequel to Blade Runner, to name a couple. What is neededto make these operations successful, is something that goes beyond the cash grabbind desire of a studio by exploiting a known property. In order to get to the emotions of the viewer and make a good movie it’s necessary that behind the project there is genuine passion and here Guadagnino proves that behind the new Suspiria there’s a lot of it.