This week’s film was Dazed and Confused written and directed by Robert Linklater. This 1993 film starred Jason London, Matthew McConaughey, and Wiley Wiggins. These adventures of high schoolers on the last day of school in 1976 are crazy. From hazing freshman, to parties, to knocking down mailboxes, and to “stealing” beer. This intense coming of age story follows rowdy teenagers in a Texas town. We watch as the seniors phase out and the incoming freshman are initiated in. The entire thing feels like a sorority/fraternity house initiation, which is kinda cool and makes me really glad I never joined one.

Watching some of these older films really makes me question fashion of the decade. I watch different patterns and styles dance across the screen and I compare them to today’s fashion. The drastic difference and similarities in just wardrobes is phenomenal. If you compare that to the change in ideals and society’s rules you see the progression of our culture and some changes are better than others. In everything going on today with the pandemic raging though our country it was nice to watch a group of teenagers with no cares in the world. I was even a little jealous. But all in all, their journey, albeit not the one I expected to see, was an interesting one.

Now, my favorite part of this film. The soundtrack. Just a few examples of the amazing hits they played in this film are “School’s Out,” “Low Rider,” and “Sweet Emotion.” There are very few films I have been able to witness that had such a great variety of songs that I grew up listening to and loved. I’ve also played all of them on Guitar Hero on a loop, just as an example of how embedded these songs are into my life. I could go on for hours about “Slow Ride” by Foghat and “Hurricane” by Bob Dylan, but I will save you all from more appraisal on Jeff Charbonneau, Eeda Kitto, Art Ford, and Harry Garfield’s work in the music department for this film.

This week we had a great selection of readings. The one I am going to talk about is by Donna de Ville. Her piece, “Cultivating the Cult Experience at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema,” shows the essence beyond just a simple cinematic screening. She brings in the audience participation and exhibitionism that the Alamo portrays in several different ways. This “full immersion” that the Alamo Drafthouse tries to do, and succeeds in doing is amazing. Everything from the retro gimmicks of a drive in theater to some great food make the Alamo successful. However, the part that really stuck out to me was the owners involvement. They work so hard to make the Alamo Drafthouse a unique and amazing experience to bring people coming back for more. The Alamo gives a variety of cult followings a place to call home, keeping its doors open to just about anyone. “in the case of the Alamo, a contingent of fans embrace an exhibition site and viewing experiences counter to, and even in resistance against, popular mainstream culture.” In every way the Alamo exhibits its own little world. They don’t conform it to what’s most popular, and they don’t let the world dictate how they run their cinema and that in itself is worthy of praise.

Alright, alright, alright lets jump in! This week was a lot of fun and honestly a great break from the cult abundant horror genre. We got to watch Dazed and Confused and read some pretty great articles on nostalgia and the Alamo Drafthouse.

I first want to talk about Dazed and Confused. While its not even my favorite Richard Linklater film, more on that later, its presence as a cultural meteor is undeniable and the crater it left on American society is huge. Not only did it introduce the world to Matthew McConaughey and is infamous catchphrase it was also the first movie for big names such as Ben Affleck, Parker Posey and many other young actors who went on to great things.

This was also Richard Linklater’s first studio film, and even though he might not be a household name many of his later films are *cough* School of Rock *cough*. I have included a great 45 minute documentary from youtube about the behind the scenes of Dazed and Confused that I highly recommend checking out. It really goes into the tight constraints the producers placed on Linklater during the filming of this movie and how he still did what he wanted to do in the end and really had to fight for the movie he wanted to make.

Another thing that I found really interesting in this documentary that I think really plays into our reading Outsider Nostalgia in Dazed and Confused and Detroit Rock City is how Linklater prepared his novice actors for their roles. The reading talks a lot about how the music and the soundtrack of the films is what hits the nail on the head with the nostalgia factor and evokes the feel of the 70s time period. This wasn’t something that the Dazed director took for granted and the documentary describes how after the final casting Linklater sent everyone a packet with how he thought their character would behave, a mix tape of the kind of music he thought the character listened to, along with a note saying “if the finish product of the movie is as written it will be a massive underachievement” to really get the actors into the vibe of the film. I thought this was really trusting for director of such an inexperienced cast.

I said I would touch on one of my favorite Linklater films later because I was really happy it got mentioned in class. I stumbled upon Everybody Wants Some when it came out in 2016 in my just general quest to leave very little teen movies/rom coms unwatched. At first I just wrote it off as just another one of those before I did further research and found out it was from Richard Linklater! Not only was it written and directed by him, it was his follow up to Dazed! I watched again after that with the new information and it was a whole new experience I highly recommend it as its a great follow up to the first film.

The last thing I want to talk about is the Alamo Draft house because I just thought that sounded like the coolest place in the world. I wouldn’t necessarily want to attend its nude screenings thought and was momentarily turned off by that. However, one of my best friends in high-school and I watched all of Trapped in a Closet and constantly quoted it to each other so we would’ve been over the moon to be in a whole theater singing along to it. I also have a mother who refuses to go into the deep end of pools let alone the ocean because of the movie Jaws so I thought the screening of the film on the river with scuba divers under the water grabbing peoples legs was hilarious and I would have loved to try and dragged her to that one.

Dazed and Confused has been one of my favorite movies since I was able to relate to it, so since about freshman year in high school. My now-best friends and I saw it together and immediatley were envious of how laid-back and free their high school experience was. We were in love with the long-haired open-shirt boys and the PANTS good god the pants that the senior girls wore. I remember watching my best friend Dalia give the entire “George Washington, man, he was in a cult” speech to some guy at a party who was zonked out of his mind, to which he only responded “wow, I can’t move my body”. Needless to say, I have very good memories associated with this film. It was Linklater’s intention to invoke a sense of nostalgia for people my parent’s age, but the genuine depiction of youth and impertinence can be relatable for anyone with that teenage drive to be free. Linklater does an amazing job of characterizing the young teens, though briefly, with starkly differing personalities that are just beginning to form a sense of independence.There was such a great importance put on the individuality of each character, and in the time of which it took place they really had no thought about the reality of the world they were growing into but more about their own personhood.  Given that stores would sell any teenager beer at the time if they said they were 18, and there was no longer any war for teens with no direction to be drafted in, the world was these kid’s oyster. 

Linklater sent this letter to his cast with a few tapes of who he believed their characters favorite musicians would be. He used music to emphasize their individuality as realistically as it was experienced by teens in the 70s. Music was extremely polarizing for teens and their persona’s, who they wanted to embody and rebel against. Rock was a huge form of rebellion in its beginning, and hard rock only amplified that through the 70s. Carey Martin writes about how the heavy metal genre was basically ignored by critics in its time, which reinforced its somewhat cult following in the time, furthering the narrative of its rebellious nature. My dad was definitely into disco but also an avid “funk” fan, so the Dr. John and War really spoke to his experience, while the hard rock reminded him of all the trouble makers he knew in his day. The 70s is considered the best decade for rock n roll, having taken all the experimental cues from the 60s and right before the “sellout decade” of the 80s. It also emerged because of monumental cultural shifts such as the civil rights movements and Vietnam war protests, that changed the climate for creativity and made they hardcore works of Aerosmith and KISS revolutionary. It’s ironic that near the end of the film, Cynthia talks about how the 70s “obviously suck” when in retrospect it’s considered the golden era for music, and spawned the sentimental reflection of said music aka “Dad rock” that some would argue is what inspires the current wave of indie rock, founded by the new generations nostalgia of what their parents once listened to. 

Now for my breakdown of the best outfits in the movie.

We start with Pickford. Everything about Pickford. The Open chest shirts, the necklace, the long middle part, the joint, UGH. He’s everything you’d want in a high school boyfriend that you’d probably never see or hear from again after graduation. 10/10

Then there’s Carl. A sissy? Yes, but if my mom had a shotgun and was willing to pull it out like that I’d probably have a little to compensate for as well. However, those striped-pants make me envious. A time before men thought it was emasculating to wear cool, figure-flattering pants. sigh.

Then, Darla. Obviously the power of being a high school senior has gone to her head a bit, but who doesn’t love a stereotypical bitch that smacks gum like that? The SENIOR shirts are iconic, but the striped shorts and knee-high socks are such a monument to the 70s. More so than that, Parker Posey wears it with that crazy-ass smile like no one else could ever.

SHAVONNE. I think about this outfit often. The pink flowy shirt and lace-up high-waisted denim is so damn feminine and flouncy in itself it only makes sense to be rocked by a tanned, blond sweetheart like herself. Watching her girlfriends pull up her pants zipper with a pair of pliers? We all suffer for fashion, especially to look that good.

Pickford’s dad. The short sleeved “going on vacation” jacket could quite literally, only be overshadowed by a collar that damn big. These patterns rock, even though he’s technically “the man”.

Last, but not least, Wooderson. He’s sleazy, but goddamn is he smooth. A Ted Nugent shirt and tight pink denim flare pants are actually the least notable thing about this outfit, but surely appreciated. His cigarette-sleeve and pervy mustache are everything to tell you this guy is too old to be hanging with these kids. Matthew McConaughey was appearing in his first feature film, and damn did he make an impression in those COWBOY BOOTS!! 

I’ve greatly enjoyed making this post, it’s certainly made me nostalgic about my own high school experience. I had a great time presenting this week as well as watching Mia’s presentation of the inner workings of Stanley Kubrick’s mind. I hope this movie was as much a joy to everyone else as it was for me!

 

One of the key components to cult films is nostalgia; the wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition. To me nostalgia is the most important element when it comes to evaluating not just cult films, but some of my favorite films in general. The older I get, the more I reflect on my past experiences. While I have never ‘yearned’ to got back to my high school years, Dazed and Confused grabbed my attention in other way; in the nostalgic rock music, relatable characters, and realistic portrayals of the last day of school.

Before I start, quick shout out to our presenters this week. Even with the technical difficulties it was clear that you both loved the films you presented on. Way to push through!

I got to redeem myself this week by presenting our reading of Outsider Nostalgia in “Dazed and Confused” and “Detroit Rock City”. One of the most fascinating things I read was the wave of 70’s themed movies that were popularized in the 1990s. And not just any 70s movies—disco fever films. David Shumway, an English professor at Carnegie Mellon University stated “Commodified nostalgia involves the revival by the culture industry of certain fashions and styles of a particular past era.” However, everyone experiences youth differently. Dazed and Confused and Detroit Rock City standout amongst these 70s films in how they portray the outsider’s perspective of that era.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Music is key in nostalgia films. What better way to invoke feelings of the past than to play the hits of that time? And yet, Dazed and Confused does not have a single disco song on record. Instead, the film opens with “Sweet Emotion” by rock band Aerosmith (and if you don’t know who they are then we have had very different childhoods) as a muscle car drives into the high school parking lot. The following shot is a close up of a girl rolling a joint, before cutting to a wide frame of a bunch of students smoking outside the closed school doors. The guys sport long wavy hair, while the girls wear bell bottoms and long dangling jewelry.  From the first shot of the film, we are transported back to the summer of 1976 thanks to brilliant combination of music and mise-en-scene.

• 

• 

• 

I finished the reading before watching Dazed and Confused, and as well written as the paper’s were in their analysis, I greatly underestimated Dazed and Confused. I will be honest—the film failed to catch my attention at all times. I watched it on and off for most of Wednesday, coming back to it between assignments. I find that I enjoy stories that focus on 1-3 characters at a time, and so was a bit overwhelmed with the huge cast initially. There are no ‘main’ or central characters in Dazed in Confused. Rather, the entire senior and freshmen classes of 1976 are focus. However, there are a few characters who pop up more often than others, like Pink and his new freshmen counterpart, Mitch. The longer I watched the film, the more I began to appreciate its large cast. Every line a character had, every scene, captured their personality. I think the brilliant thing about Dazed and Confused is its accessibility and relatability to multiple generations. Regardless of when you experienced high school, or how you spent your last day of school, you can relate to at least one character in this film. Personally, I related most with the three ‘philosophers’, the red-haired girl, the blonde glassed guy, and their friend who losses the fight he starts. Their continued analyzes of the stupidity of traditional freshmen hazing, while also taking part in it, was both amusingly hypocritical but realistic. Everyone in the film seems to be an outcast in some way. And I found that to be a very honest portrayal of high school life.

I honestly really enjoyed this movie. We were able to see different groups of high schoolers and how they act and how they are treated. I like how everything and everyone is connected some way or somehow which made the movie smooth to watch. The opening scenes reveal the inner conflicts common to teens: party or hang with friends? We get a view of  life portrait of high school’s last day, the school hallways, freshmen harassment, a haze of a lot of weed, parents and coaches trying to teach kids right from wrong, vandalism, and hookups and lots of drinking and weed smoking. Then we have scenes of kids just having an identity crisis. They are unaware of what they want to do after school is done or if they want to continue on the same path for their senior year or even how will freshmens’ fit in with the older kids and also sexual desire. One of my favorite scenes is when Mike said he didn’t want to go to law school anymore because he doesn’t like people and that he just wants to dance and I felt him on that then he decided it was a good idea to pick a fight with the guy he was picking on him. The freshman was having the time of his life hanging with the older guy and I really respect how Pink was looking out for Mitch and advising him throughout the night.  They portrayed the weed smoking kid as slow and talkative and if I didn’t know what weed does I would have believed that is what weed does to people.

The reading Cultivating Alamo Draft house talks about types of cinema scenes and the different hierarchy and caste system when it comes to how passionate people are about the movies and the set up of the place where the movie is being screened. In suburban areas they would screen films in areas and design it to match the movie scene and would have food, drinks and props for people. That seems like an interesting time for movie lovers and I wish they would do that now. I heard that they will bring back drive in theaters due to the Coronavirus but people need to stay indoors but people don’t listen and that would motivate people to leave their homes. In Pam Cook’s reading we are told about Feminism and how Women were not recognized the way that they should have been for the work that they’ve done but also some where not granted the opportunity to show what they can do. In the reading Dazed and Confused: Detroit rock City we read about the nostalgic aspects of the two films. Detroit Rock City is the next movie and I can’t wait to watch it. From the soundtrack to the different characters presented to remind us of these times in our lives. The soundtrack to Dazed and Confused was perfect and went well with the movie and I can’t wait to hear it from the next film. I commend the people that are in charge with the soundtrack and music placement.

Let’s get talking about Dazed and Confused, and how great this movie is. I am going to talk about a few of my favorite parts of this film and what I liked best about it. I laughed watching this film, mainly because all my roommates who joined us for the screen wished they all could have grown up in the 70s. I am not sure if I would want the, but I would not mind having some of these cars or freedom they had.

Lets first talk about the hazing that we see throughout the movie. The idea of this hazing is no longer allowed in our society. I think some of these things should be allowed. Not the paddling or the pouring the condiments on the girls. I think some hazing is helpful, but it is interesting how times have changed. I did find it funny how the upper classmen were waiting at the baseball game or the mom answering the door with a shotgun

Now let’s talk about the best part of the movie, the music and the cars. The soundtrack to this film was awesome and had so many great hits. I mean they played just one hit after another. I will let you go through this playlist and try to find one song that was not a top 100 hit.

On to the cars with the students driving a GTO judge, Chevrolet Chevelle SS, Trans Am and many more. I am not sure if this film was trying to be a car flick, but it could have been. Every car I saw for the most part is collectible today and worth a good amount of money restored to look like the ones in this film. I personally love the Chevrolet SS, or their super sport line and the GTO Judge is one hell of a cool car. Most of these cars are worth a pretty penny, for example the GTO when it was release for sale in 1970 cost about $6,000 from the factory, now you can find it on some dealers for close to $70,000. It is awesome because these cars a dream for many people who like the muscle cars and to find them in this condition is not cheap. https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/pontiac/gto-judge/2346587.html

• 

• 

• 

• 

I think this would be a fun introduction to high school and getting taken under the wing to show the ropes. I know I had a few upper classmen who I would hangout with and learn the ways. Those were some fun, but long nights I can relate to in the movie. Just wish we had a car with a trunk full of beer like they did. I mean these times seem so simple, for anyone 18 can go buy beer. I laugh about that, but that’s how it used to be and for many other countries it is like that. Also, the fact that the delivery guy showed up too early with the kegs was just funny. The dad was not having that for one second and knew right away what was happening. Better than that was him answering the door and all the kids run away when he opens the door.

In “class” we got to hear and learn more about peoples movie choices for cult films. Let star with “The Shining”. This is a great horror film that is so quotable and one that draws you in so well. I have never known that a movie that was more creepy and odd could keep me so focused. I am not sure why I like this more, whether it is the idea behind it or the fact that it has Jack Nicholas in it. This is such a great movie and I am would never known that it was not well liked at first . Who doesn’t love making the joke about “here’s Johnny”, I mean many people said it in class.

Next up, was Jennifer’s Body and this was a film I have never seen. I know we talked about how it played to the male fantasy by using Megan Fox, but for me; I think every kid my age knew of and had a middle school or high school or even both crush on her. She was part of why I saw the Transformers movie series and that I do enjoy cars, if you could not tell by the earlier section. I am not sure that I will ever see this film, but it was cool to learn about and hear the opinions on why it is a cult film. I did enjoy learning about it and how even by blasting Megan Fox’s image everywhere, it still could not help this movie to succeed. I guess a pretty face isn’t the only thing a film need. I mean depending upon the film, sometimes that might work.

Then we ended with “Everybody Wants some” which is a college version of Dazed and Confused. I think this will be a film I will enjoy again just like the one we watched. I can already see some cool cars and even some very funny parts. Went from the 70s, so now we move onto the 80s. It is only natural to do so.

**Posted late with permission from instructor**

Suspiria is a movie that I’ve been meaning to watch for a while now, when I saw it on the syllabus I was delighted that I wouldn’t have to go through the trouble of finding it myself. Dr. Schlegel mentioned his hope that it would appeal to the art students in this course, it’s no surprise that this film was suggested to me by an art professor for its use of light and color. Speaking of light and color, Suspiria wouldn’t be the film it is without it’s technicolor sets. The entire film is a colorful nightmare, the vivid colors matching vivid deaths. I actually found myself gasping aloud in shock during a few of them, they really caught me off guard. Despite the paint-like blood and close-up shots of internal organs, they were quite gory and convincing (I’m thinking specifically of Patricia’s glass ceiling and Daniel’s dog eating him). I enjoyed Suspiria both for its plot, who doesn’t love a witchy theme, and for its set design, okay, mostly for its set design.

I love the vibrancy of the shots and the grandeur of the ballet academy; the high ceilings and geometric/symmetric layout were so pleasing. You can really see how much thought was put into it, the reading “Dario Argento’s Suspiria” discusses how the German setting influenced the film. Multiple times throughout the film Argento nods to the abstract artist M.C. Escher though wall paintings and a street name, while also pulling from German Expressionism for inspiration. As for lighting, the reading “Expressionist Use of Color Palette and Set Design in Dario Argento’s Suspiria” gives great insight into how the shifts in color reflect the feelings of the film, “While the realistic spaces, such as the airport and convention centre where Suzy and Dr. Mendel meet, are shot in naturalistic light, the gothic spaces are the ones dealing with black magic and showing the abundance of diegetic and non-diegetic use of IB stock with the result of identifying such stock with the presence of some kind of danger.” Scenes that do not have any imminent danger are shot in more naturalistic light, but when scenes take place at night or during the witching hour per say, they become illuminated in vibrant and harsh colors. Much different than the traditional trope for witchcraft where we usually see dark colors, but I think this could possibly relate back to the time this movie was made in (i.e. post-psychedelic new-age spiritualism).

My favorite scene in this movie was the maggot scene for its shock value. I hate the thought of maggots; they gross me out. The shots of them writhing in old meat and in the girls’ hair sent shivers down my spine.

A film that came to mind after watching this is The Love Witch. While the plots of these movies differ greatly, they both center around an occult theme and have similar vibrant color palettes. Even though the Love Witch was filmed in 2016, it is easy to mistake it as a film from the 60’s or 70’s (unless you’re looking for the occasional iphone or modern vehicle).

 This week screening of “Susperia” was something new for me as I am not a huge fan of the horror genera. For me, I did not see it as a horror film we know today. The feel of the movie was more suspenseful than anything else and didn’t have the jump scares we relate to this type of movie. It was not one of my favorite movies, but it was not the worst. My scale is from “Pink Flamingos” as the lowest currently and up to “The Warriors” as one of the top films we have seen so far. As Dave Portnoy would do his pizza reviews, I will do a movie score of 6.2 for this film. Here’s why.

• 

The movie gets off to start with a huge storm and loud music throughout the whole film. The music at times seemed so overpowering and it was hard to watch. I also found it funny how concerned everyone at the school was over money. It just seemed so out of place and odd. I mean she asked to borrow shoes, and everyone is looking for a quick buck. Next, is the part where they all had to sleep in a common area due to the maggot problem. The one girl was so worried about the women with the oddest snoring I have every heard. After a few years with some of my roommates I can say I am an expert in snoring. If you found that snoring so odd, why not just get up and look behind the sheet. This is the part of horror that makes me go crazy, if they just went and investigate. Then we could save so much time and the old witch would be discovered.

Let’s next talk about the death of Sarah in the barbed wire. First, I feel we need to speak about the man and his many attempts to open the latch. This drove me crazy; it could not be that hard to lift the knife just a little more to get the door open. He was very determined to get that latch because he didn’t stop once until Sarah fell in. Next, who just jumps down onto a floor and not even look once at it. I mean, it seems pretty obvious that you could see that much wire down there. On top of that, why does she keep thrashing around like it will help her get out. No, it is only going to cut her more. After all of that, the guy was standing there ready to cut her throat. This part also bothered me because I have watched a lot of movies and television shows to know that these should be a lot more blood. I mean it was obvious that it was a piece of meat and not some sort of fake neck with blood pouring out.

Now let’s talk about Grease 2. I grew up and have seen Grease so many times and used to love watching the film. I mean I still like to watch the film and really enjoy the songs to sing along to. Now we move on top grease 2, a film that I could say is a part of the Hollywood movie method. That is what I think of this film. The first one was so well and had a lot of popularity that they made a second one. Now I don’t think of the second one as much as the first one. Mainly due to the fact that I don’t think it is nearly as good. That is my opinion, but this is what I love about the class. I get to hear people fight for their movie and see what makes it so great to them. So, I guess I need to give it one more watch.

It was another great week apart from graduation being moved to December, and my late post; that will bother me well into my 30’s.

This week’s screening of “Susperia” was a little less scary than I thought it was going to be. However, it did not leave anything left unsaid when it came to goriness. Every “throat-slice” or glass stabbing was enough to make you turn away until you were certain the image was no longer there. That being said, the dancing color changes were enough to real me back in every time.

One of the biggest things that puzzled me throughout this entire film was the aspect of setting. Most of the movie was centered in on the dance school / ancient witch whereabouts. However, the setting of each scene always seemed to change. We were never given very many shots that looked the same, and it made the landscape of the film seem much larger than it was. One minute we were in a dance studio looking at the class, the next we were in an attic looking at spoiled meat covered with maggots. to me, this seemed to remind me a lot of “Valerie and her Week of Wonders.” It was as if the film wanted us to remain in the grasps of ever changing scenery within a very small world.

This wasn’t your typical “haunted house” everyone will perish who is tagged as “prying eyes,” but it came close, and I am glad that it ended up being the film that it was. The one question that will stay with me for this movie and for every other movie like it, is “Why didn’t she just leave?” The point where I would have left was the maggots. I would have left whatever items I had brought to that school with me and headed out the front door once I caught wind of an invasion of maggots. this surprised me even more as I began to wonder why a building full of women were more brave to stick it out than I would have been.

The presenters this week were phenomenal. I enjoy learning from my peers a lot, and I am glad that this class is structured like that. I particularly enjoyed Leon Hunt’s reading, and his description of how horror is a great way to tell how good a movie is. I feel that I share his view of better movies actual show less horror and gore as apposed to “bad” movies who load up on the stuff and leave you semi-scarred.

As for the cult movie presentations this week, the road of excellence in film understanding and proving of cult status continues to be paved. “Grease 2” was my favorite movie that was presented this week, but both presenters did awesome! I’ve always loved Grease, and still find the soundtrack to be able to lift any spirit no matter the time. I enjoyed “Grease 2” just as much as the first one because the concepts, cool cars, and leather jackets were still pretty much intact. But I still love the first installation the best.

I’m one of those people who, when watching movies, relishes in the visual aesthetics more than any other element. Suspiria (1977) was a feast, I devoured every inch of the screen. Universally regarded as one of Argento’s greatest accomplishments, Suspiria is a hyper-stylized masterpiece—a gory, visual and colorful one at that. 

Suspiria is the first in a trilogy (Le Tre madri) of supernatural horror films by Italian film director Dario Argento. When seeking a new creative direction, Argento decided to draw inspiration from the macabre lore of Old Europe. The other two films in the trilogy are Inferno (1980) and Mother of Tears (2007). Simply put, each film deals with one of the titular “Mothers”, a trio of ancient witches. Suspiria deals with the Mother of Sighs, hence the latin title “breathlessness.”

The film is a “giallo” film, which is essentially an Italian exploitation film. Italian for mystery fiction, a giallo is a hyper-stylized that often includes gory murders and erotic themes. Giallo is defined by “outrageous design, bold close-ups, intense color, memorable scores filled with sighs and shards of sound, and strange, gruesome murders performed by a very particular type of villain.” They’re often lush, colorful and make for great midnight movies. While it may seem like Suspiria perfectly ticks off each criteria, it’s another Argento film that takes the cake for arguably the ultimate giallo movie: Deep Red (1975). 

Suspiria is a visual assault, from the moment Suzy reaches the exterior of the Tanz Dance Academy. The lighting and the film sets paint the screen with beautiful, vivid colors that are captivating and unsettling. The vast majority of the shots in the film are painted with a singular color that dominates the screen, a chromatic journey.

“We were trying to reproduce the colour of Walt Disney’s Snow White; it has been said from the beginning that Technicolor lacked subdued shades, [and] was without nuances—like cut-out cartoons.”

Argento on the colors of Suspiria

These few stills from the film really showcase the magnificent use of colors throughout the film:

What struck me the most in the film was remarkable architecture and décor. Designer Giuseppe Bassan was instructed, by Argento, to recreate some pieces of furniture based on the German Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles, which shines through throughout the entire film. The academy is adorned with features of Art Nouveau, most noticeably the feminine arches of the doors and windows. Other rooms in the academy are as Art Deco as can be, which is extremely noticeable during Patricia’s death. 

Lastly, the score of the film is something of wonders, a synth masterpiece. This Goblin chef-d’œuvre shot straight up to my favorite horror soundtrack of all time. Argento wanted Goblin’s score to set Suspiria apart from his other films. Not only has Suspiria gained a huge, unwavering cult following, the soundtrack also helped Goblin pick up a cult following. In the ’70s, it was still pretty rare to hear a synth in film scores.

“You would never use a synth to do soundtracks [then]. Normally it would be made with an orchestra, or with a band. No one was using a synthesizer for that. I think we were maybe one of the first using [the synthesiser], then in the ‘80s the synthesizer and drum machine became more famous and it became more usual.”

Claudio Simonetti 

I know I say this practically every week, but I loved every second of Suspiria, and it will stick with me for a while.