SUSPIRIA (18)
ITALIAN director Luca Guadagnino follows the Oscar-winning swoon of Call Me By Your Name with a physical and emotionally draining remake of Dario Argento’s 1977 supernatural horror set at a dance academy, which is home to a coven of witches.
While the original film was a blood-soaked exercise in brevity and hallucinogenic visuals, enhanced with a creepy score courtesy of Italian prog-rock outfit Goblin, the new Suspiria runs almost one hour longer and indulges the theme of motherhood to woozy excess.
An opening title card, which teases the film as Six Acts And An Epilogue In A Divided Berlin, is a clear indication of scriptwriter David Kajganich’s laborious intentions and a dire warning to anyone who anticipates full motion and sensation in their buttocks when the end credits roll.
American student Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) arrives at the prestigious Markos Dance Academy in West Berlin in autumn 1977, shortly after the disappearance of student Patricia Hingle (Chloe Grace Moretz).
The missing girl made outlandish claims to psychotherapist Dr Josef Klemperer (Tilda Swinton, under heavy make-up) and he wonders if there might be a germ of truth to her ravings.
“There’s more in that building than what you can see,” Patricia warned him.
While Klemperer investigates, Susie rises to the challenge of tutelage under the formidable Madame Blanc (Swinton again), whose unconventional practices raise the eyebrows of fellow teachers Miss Tanner (Angela Winkler) and Miss Vendegast (Ingrid Caven).
Susie usurps rival Olga (Elena Fokina) from a principal role in a forthcoming showcase and befriends another girl, Sara (Mia Goth), who is desperate to track down Patricia and agrees to meet Klemperer to discuss his suspicions about the staff.
“They are professional performers,” he warns. “Illusion is their craft.”
Suspiria bludgeons us into admiration and weary submission with a blitzkrieg of violence, profanity and full-frontal nudity.
While Swinton’s performances in multiple guises are a source of constant delight, they do bloat the picture’s excessive running time.