Suspiria (2018)

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“A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.”

I was absolutely fascinated by the notion of Amazon remaking this Argento classic. There were actors I recognized and four decades of new cinematic technology to be applied. Turns out there were a few other significant changes.

The first change is that rather than a ballet academy, we are introduced to the Markos Dance Company, a world renowned troop performing worldwide. The main protagonist of Suzie Bannion is not a practiced dance student but rather a girl from Ohio who’s fascination with the company moves her to uproot herself to Berlin.

Another major difference is adding more of the social and political struggles of Germany in the 70’s. This helps to mirror Suzie’s journey.

While the original relied on a lot of striking color and sharp musical changes, this version tries to pull you in by adding more realizm. There is a lot of subtitles since they speak a lot of German when they are not addressing the dancers.

The dance takes focus in this version as the matrons of the company speak of needing someone for Markos.

SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT

The end ritual, or rather the end bloodbath, reveals that Suzie in fact was never an inexperienced dancer, but rather the actual Mother Suspiriorum. This is the first real show of the mysterious Mother.

The very ending is also different in that it shows a softer side to this “Mother of Sighs.” She cleanses the mind of the a man who had unfortunately been caught up in the Markos drama. It helps to lend to the possibility that the three Mothers are not inherently evil.

Does this mean that “Inferno” and “Mother of Tears” will also be redone as well to complete the trilogy?