MovieChat Forums > Suspiria (1977) Discussion > Visually stunning, great soundtrack, ter...

Visually stunning, great soundtrack, terrible acting and dubbing. 8 out of 10

posted 6 years ago by mitzibishi (1629)
18 replies | jump to latest

Take a still of every single frame and it looks gorgeous, so much so that you could hang any frame on your wall as art, while the bad actresses were dubbing their way through the script.

Man, I wish I found this when I could get hold of some good LSD or MDMA.

Terrible acting, but every frame is busy, the visuals keep moving even if I was slightly bored by the dialogue and the weird slow moving plot it was the visuals and soundscape alone that kept me going and that's what I appreciated the most.

Only watch if you like art on screen and have the patience to sit and take in the whole thing forgiving its downsides.

If not you will probably hate it.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (73023) 6 years ago

Ive seen it 4 times, no drugs involved
I can forgive the acting/dubbing in older foreign films...i dont see that as a dealbreaker

The score (by Goblin) is fantastic
The color scheme is brilliant
The sets are deeply immersing
The story scared the hell out of me
The gore and deaths were horrific

I think this is Argento's best or very close to his best work
Every horror fan should see this at least once...Suspiria is amazing

[–] mitzibishi (1629) 6 years ago

So im a long time horror fan, but im missing the Giallos apart from some Italian Zombie films, Demoni and Demons 2, what do you recommend for me next?

[–] ShogunofYonkers (73023) 6 years ago

Pleased to meet a fellow horror fan...not too many of us here;)

Have you checked out the Italian cannibal films?
Deodato, Lenzi, Franco etc directed some really sickening, scary ones...those are some creepy movies and ALL are worth checkimg out

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I don't think the acting would be so bad if it wasn't dubbed.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (73023) 6 years ago

Agreed
Dubbing screws everything up imo...
Watch little Bob in Lucio Fulci's 'The House by the Cemetary' for an amazing example of dubbing gone wrong

This movie was a fun, scary slice of Italian horror until that little bob-haired brat opened his mouth and the dubbing started...i saw it at a horror marathon on the big screen, original 35 mm print...Whenever the kid Bob talked the entire audience roared with laughter
He sounded like a middle aged woman trying to sound like a boy lol
Really takes you out of the moment!

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

You should watch the eye gouge scene from Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" aka "Zombi 2". Also, Argento's best movie is "Deep Red"!!!?

pickin' boogers

EDIT: You should also watch "Nights of Terror" directed by Andrea Bianchi. If you think Bob sounds like an old woman just wait. In "Nights" a little boy is played by a grown midget. The oedipal part was too scandalous for an actual child. Mommy, this cloth smells of death!

By the way, that movie also features a knife throwing zombie.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (73023) 6 years ago

Saw both...cant really argue with you
I prefer Suspiria but to each their own Moose

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I made an edit you should read it.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (73023) 6 years ago

Oh boy did i see 'Burial Ground:Night of Terror'!!

I caught it at an old theater nearby that shows older horror movies sometimes ...scary film and quite good but that 'little kid' was so creepy and goofy we were rolling in our seats LOL!!!
Fun time at the old dilapidated theater (we sneak beers in for these oldies and the owners dont seem to care!)

Hell, always liked you Moose but now that i see you enjoy the obscure old horror movies your stock just soared through the roof Amigo👍

An offer for fun...on General Discussion there is a guy named Stonekeeper and every week he starts a 'what will you watch this week' thread
Its really fun and most of it is horror, sci fi, action...
Check it out sometime
Its good fun and then we share our opinions after viewing the movies

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

No offense but you do realize that all Italian movies back in the day were recorded without sound. the dialogue was looped in during the editing process. This was not a stylistic procedure for Argento, it was standard practice in the Italian film industry.

[–] mitzibishi (1629) 4 years ago

That fact changes nothing. It is a downside, whether it was standard practice or not. Sergio Leone's Westerns were the same. The dubbing got better as the films went on, where you could barely notice. Yet the performances were pretty stellar in those westerns.

The dubbing and acting in Suspiria were pretty poor, yet I loved the film because it upsides far outshone the downsides, in my opinion. Others may hate it.

[–] OldG (628) 5 years ago

I agree that it is visually stunning... But to me the soundtrack was so annoying and as you mention the acting was atrocious... I understand that it is interesting to see because of the visual style... but it is not a good movie... I haven't seen the remake yet... but they should be able to make a much better film than the original...

[–] TribalFunkster (62) 5 years ago

This movie makes no fucking sense but it's filmed so gorgeously. Definitely the film that's all style and no substance. Fuck it I'd drop and watch.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TribalFunkster (62) 5 years ago

I respect the comparison. Not a big fan of QT either, but I appreciate his influences.

[–] Mrmojo4700 (20675) 4 years ago

One thing to remember about Suspiria is it’s story was originally told from the viewpoint of a child. Argento figured it would be easier on the audience if he replaced kids being killed with adults. That’s why the story and dialogue seem strange at times.

[–] bobbydallas (8164) 4 years ago

the beautifully shot scene @ Königsplatz (Munich) is the one thing that stood out to me. The lack of color just emphasized the brutal murder.. hard to beat the overbearing architecture as the only witness.

[–] mitzibishi (1629) 4 years ago

That same square in Munich where they filmed the killing of the the blind guy chased by a dog was the same square Hitler did his "I have a dream......to extinguish Jews and take over the world" Komplete Ragenhausen Rantenhoffen!

Maybe Argento was going for metaphor and you could say the blind guy in the square is the whole nation, who were blind to the actual wtf craziness then eventually the nation got bit in the ass