Suspiria (2018): A voiceless terror

When you remake a movie that is already established as a cult classic, you are walking on a wire. You’d better make it to the end without hurting yourself. In this case, the legacy of Luca Guadagnino whose last film “Call me by your name” was a crowning achievement. Luca’s supposedly remake of Dario Argento’s legendary horror classic isn’t exactly a remake. It feels more like an outstanding cover of a song by an admired listener.

The new reimagining of Suspiria walks on a different plane. The story is set in 1977 Berlin, the same year in which the original film came out. But it takes a whole different direction in every aspect of the film. The core story remains the same, in which a coven of witches running a dance company in disguise is taken over by a newcomer who has just joined the company as a young dancer.

This is not a normal witch film. No hocus pocus. The witches are blended into reality. By that I mean they are more menacing as they come. Tilda Swinton delivers the best performance in three roles out of which two are totally unrecognizable. Throughout the film, her eyes talk more than her. And it makes the entire watching experience more immersive.

The way in which Luca has used Dance as a language in itself is wildly creative. The dance moves beautifully performed by Dakota Johnson seems physically impossible and seems gravitated towards her and the story as well. In one of the most visionary death scenes, the way dance plays a part is truly horrifying. It certainly made me very uncomfortable as should any art do to its observer.

Unlike the original which has a strongly saturated color palette, the new film creates a different sense of alienation and terrifying moments with muted colors. The landscapes reflect a cold-war era of Berlin and still makes the aesthetics timeless.

Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke! He is yet another reason why everything about this film works. His background score adds a new dimension to the film. In contrast to the original’s rock tone of the music, Thom’s score is more melancholic and psychedelic.

The climax of the film differs from the original and to me, that is a brilliant creative decision. It is more vile, more terrifying, more conclusive. Suspiria is definitely destined to be a classic once again.