Suspiria (2018)

In 1977, Susie Bannion travels from her Mennonite family in Ohio to West Berlin with practically nothing to audition for the Markos Dance Academy. The teachers are initially dubious since she's untrained and unknown, but she impresses Madame Blanc enough to be admitted to the company. The other dancers are still reeling from the sudden disappearancing of one of their own, Patricia, only to have Olga seemingly walk out as well. Dr. Klemperer, Patricia's therapist, investigates into the dance school after the police find nothing untoward. Patricia's notes detail the supposed mythology and powers of the women who run the school, but it could be the ravings of an unstable mind.

The original Suspiria film has grown on me with its striking visuals, neon colors, and wonderful soundtrack. This new Suspiria doesn't retread the same territory and is more of a reimagining of the same basic storyline. It has more of a sense of its time and cultural climate than the original as well on a focus on the witchcraft and dancing of the school, a different visual style, and an overall different story. Their world is in chaos in West Berlin as the RAF instigates bombings, hostage situations, and kidnappings. The dance school is never directly affected by the violence, but the stories are all over the news, newspapers, and bombings occur as close as a block away. The women in the school never talk of evacuation and they are never without resources. Dr. Klemperer's storyline of his missing wife also keeps the recent history of the Holocaust close at hand. I enjoyed this dose of a realism to such a fantastical story.

The Markos Dance Academy focuses on modern dance instead of the ballet of the original. Ballet is restrictive and fairly uniform while modern dance allows for more expressions of emotion and varied visuals that go outside of conventional beauty. There are long sequences of rehearsals, lessons, and performances as well as discussions on the theory, meaning, and intent behind the dance throughout the film. I absolutely loved this aspect because it captures the lives of women who live, eat, and breathe dance. The dance aspects are also completely entwined with witchcraft. The first scene like this has Susie trying a solo with Madame Blanc's "help." Every one of her movements hurts Olga in another room, twisting her body and breaking bones but not killing her. Another case is how Blanc steals a another woman's ability to jump, causing her to have a seizure. These events aren't explicitly explained, but happen with little comment from the characters. It feels like the audience is watching things they shouldn't and perhaps don't completely understand.

Despite the violence of the school, the women have a sense of sisterhood with each other. It feels like a family with their own conflicts and dark secrets. The dancers don't have competitive rivalries or try to cut each other down. Everyone is very welcoming to Susie with the only outlier being Olga. They all support each other and only ask for roles if they feel they are ready. The focus on their own journey and support of other dancers is such a departure from the usual narrative of dance films. The dance teachers also have a familial bond along with their witchcraft. Madame Blanc does challenge Markos' leadership, but when she loses the vote, life goes on as usual. Blanc doesn't seem to harbor hard feelings and only oversteps when she feels students are unnecessarily being put in danger. She is also a nurturing teacher to her students, not afraid to debate with them and talk out ideas. Seeing all of this female camraderie was wonderful despite the more insidious secrets the teachers hold. Those dark secrets victimize their students with injury and even death if they step out of line or defy the teachers. This proves to be the toxic element that undermines the otherwise positive relationship between teacher and students.

* spoilers ahead *

The truly surprisingly thing to me is the fate of Susie Bannion. Instead of the shrinking violet of the original who manages to kill the aged witch, this Susie is Mother Suspiriorum, one of the three mothers that predate Christianity, who has come to reclaim the coven as her own. It's so gratifying to see her rise in the ranks, discover who she really is, and ascend to essentially godhood. Markos falsely called herself one of the Mothers and only saw the students as a resource for her to stave off death. Susie summarily destroys the grotesque Markos, grown diseased and old yet unwilling to give power to a newer generation, and all of her followers. Klemperer is spared and given closure on his wife's disapppearance, showing how Susie can be compassionate as well as deadly. Blanc somehow survives a partial beheading, implying that she, Susie, and the remaining witches will rebuild the coven without the toxic influence of Markos.

Suspiria feels like an epic that delves deeply into both the real and fantasy world of the film. If it has any flaws, it's in Klemperer's storyline and in the music. It takes time that bloats the film and slows down the tempo. The casting of Tilda Swinton as the character is a bit distracting, but she acts it well. I like the symmetry of all the people trying to exert power over the coven being played by Swinton (in Markos, Klemperer, and Blanc) and having all the main characters played by women. However, lessening his role might have made the film move a bit better. Thom Yorke's music is good for mmost of the film except in the otherwise silent sequence at the end, where it seems too insubstantial for what's going onscreen. Otherwise, Suspiria gave me so much of what I wanted from the original film with a completely different style and more muted colors. It's one of the most unique horror films of the last few years. Some may find it too pretentious, but I found it delightful.

My rating: 4.5/5 fishmuffins