Suspiria

Summoning all my courage and pouring a stiff drink, I finally took a reluctant step into the world of Giallo horror this week. The entry point: Dario Argento’s tale of a coven of murderous witches at a German ballet school, Suspiria (Disc/Download). Having already watched and enjoyed the 2018 remake by Luca Guadagnino, I felt comfortable with the subject matter, but fearful about the level of horror awaiting me. Were things a lot more gruesome in 1977? I was about to find out.

Starring Jessica Harper as the naïve dancer who unknowingly steps into the coven’s lair, Suspiria is visually stunning from the very first frame. It’s like if Wes Anderson teamed up with Gianni Versace to make a picture that’s all symmetry, color, and gold leaf. The rooms have intense red lighting, garish murals, and neoclassical styles mingling with baroque, but the way it’s shot is very controlled. The school is both scary and beautiful, and the same could be said about the movie itself. Yes, there are grisly scenes, such as a girl being trapped in razor wire while her throat is slashed, a rain of maggots falling from the ceiling, and a truly horrifying bat attack, but with the arresting soundtrack by prog-rock band Goblin and the otherworldly set designs, you just deal with the gore because it’s all part of the experience.

Speaking of gore, I’m still mulling over the sticky red drink served at the school, which looks suspiciously like blood. Maybe it’s Campari, but… maybe not???  While you’re watching Suspiria, aim for something more appetizing with this Serpent’s Eye cocktail.

Serpent’s Eye

1 ½ oz Apple Brandy

1 ½ oz Dark Rum

½ oz Campari

1 oz Lime Juice

½ oz Grenadine

2 oz Blood Orange Juice

Blood orange slice (Garnish)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a blood orange slice.

In addition to its impressive visuals, Suspiria also offers an interesting commentary on power. The only way to eliminate the coven is to remove its leader, which is akin to cutting off the head of a snake. One wonders if it works that way in real life with other dangerous cults and movements, or if history is always doomed to repeat itself with new snakes and new heads. By the end of this movie, I was cheering for the world of Argento: a world where evil can be defeated by a powerful American woman. That’s the world I want to live in, maggots and bats and all. Cheers!