trumpeterny
New member
I adore Suspiria, the atmosphere and mood is top-notch. And like others have said, the bad acting and clunky dialogue just add to its offbeat charm.
Suspiria
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Son of Heaven
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Unless Film4 have updated their print, they use an absolutely awful one that would make anyone think 'what the eRAB so special about this'. Blurred to the point of smudge, and also with much of the original soundtrack either missing or otherwise corrupted.
tucsonsunapt
New member
Caveat emptor - The UK AB DVD did a complete botch-job on the soundtrack, muting the dialogue and ambient sound effects, and even omitting some passages of score in certain places. I don't know for certain but I'd assume the same master was used for both transfers.
No probs dude. I was just teasing! 
I find the soundtrack a bit hit and miss in this film tbh. I quite like the movie, but I think the director tried to use the music to unsettle the audience, when the film was doing a fine job of it's own. He seems to ramp up the volume on it unnecessarily for me. Good movie though. I need to pick up the sequels.
That's how I saw it the first time, on F4 with a terrible picture, and no I wasn't impressed. Luckily I decided to give it another go when the DVD was (fairly) recently re-released, and I loved it.
I find the soundtrack a bit hit and miss in this film tbh. I quite like the movie, but I think the director tried to use the music to unsettle the audience, when the film was doing a fine job of it's own. He seems to ramp up the volume on it unnecessarily for me. Good movie though. I need to pick up the sequels.
That's how I saw it the first time, on F4 with a terrible picture, and no I wasn't impressed. Luckily I decided to give it another go when the DVD was (fairly) recently re-released, and I loved it.
Dulcina Jinx
New member
I did watch this movie again yesterday on V+, I did enjoy it a lot more than my first watch, but still prefer Inferno.
I suggest the others that enjoyed Suspiria check that one out too although according to the BBFC it has been cut by 30 seconRAB for animal cruelty.
I suggest the others that enjoyed Suspiria check that one out too although according to the BBFC it has been cut by 30 seconRAB for animal cruelty.
iirc, regarding the soundtrack issue, when Suspiria was first available on video tape, the stereo soundtrack was a strip of the tape itself which wore off over time so copies made from the masters always ended up in mono after a few years.
I'm not sure how digital remastering would affect things though, but any newer version I've seen has always been too quiet in dialogue and too loud in music.
I'm not sure how digital remastering would affect things though, but any newer version I've seen has always been too quiet in dialogue and too loud in music.
The US AB dvd of Deep Red was released in 2000- years before their UK edition.
The US disc was a transfer from the original negative
Strangely - Anchor Bay UK had no connection to the US company except in name.
They never owned joint rights or accessed the same materials and often didnt even release the same films
The US disc was a transfer from the original negative
Strangely - Anchor Bay UK had no connection to the US company except in name.
They never owned joint rights or accessed the same materials and often didnt even release the same films
Film4 always seem to show Argento films from dreadful sources and with an Italian soundtrack - even on the films not recorded entirely in Italian.
Suspiria not showing as HD so I guess its their regular inferior copy.
In 1977 the soundtrack to Suspiria was a revelation.
At that point soundtracks like it were unknown which is why it stood out so much.
You are right that Argento felt the music was important .
In fact it was so important on this film that he actually had the music playing while scenes were being shot so the actors could hear it .
If you listen to Suspiria on a full 5.1 setup the opening 5 minutes should blow you away with the combination of the music and the pounding rain which should be at the front of the track and unfortunately the dvd versions remixed the rain into the background so those familiar with the opening were very annoyed.
You might like Inferno then as the Keith Emerson music is much lighter although its by no means just background.
I would leave Mother of Tears as long as you can.
It's an awful film.
Tenebrae is another good film with a good soundtrack too
Suspiria not showing as HD so I guess its their regular inferior copy.
In 1977 the soundtrack to Suspiria was a revelation.
At that point soundtracks like it were unknown which is why it stood out so much.
You are right that Argento felt the music was important .
In fact it was so important on this film that he actually had the music playing while scenes were being shot so the actors could hear it .
If you listen to Suspiria on a full 5.1 setup the opening 5 minutes should blow you away with the combination of the music and the pounding rain which should be at the front of the track and unfortunately the dvd versions remixed the rain into the background so those familiar with the opening were very annoyed.
You might like Inferno then as the Keith Emerson music is much lighter although its by no means just background.
I would leave Mother of Tears as long as you can.
It's an awful film.
Tenebrae is another good film with a good soundtrack too
I love Animals
New member
True but I do believe it still has an impact on people even now. I first saw Suspiria aged 17 (I'm 19 now) and it had more of an effect on me than any modern day horror (same for a lot of italian horror).
My view on it now is that modern horror is so overdone, glossy and formulaic that modern audiences can often have a jaded view of it. Most people in my age group cite the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre as the scariest film they've ever seen as opposed to the likes of Saw and Hostel which have the gore factor but not the actual horror. I just find films generally from the seventies have that gritty feel which you don't come across so much these days, therefore Suspiria is quite refreshing in comparison.
In regarRAB to the whole dream like argument used with Argento I think it can be argued. Argento's giallos unlike most of the ones at the time made a lot of sense and were quite clever with how they were constructed. He clearly was capable of making logical plots. He always stated that he wanted Suspiria and Inferno to be dream like and his interpretation of that was to stray away from the constraints of other types of films like giallo, westerns. The clunky acting was probably due to everyone speaking their own language though then being dubbed over, probably not the original intention for it to end up sounding so clunky but it does add to the films I feel. Just my opinion, still have some gripes with Argento aka phenomena, the later stuff and the god awful end to opera
My view on it now is that modern horror is so overdone, glossy and formulaic that modern audiences can often have a jaded view of it. Most people in my age group cite the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre as the scariest film they've ever seen as opposed to the likes of Saw and Hostel which have the gore factor but not the actual horror. I just find films generally from the seventies have that gritty feel which you don't come across so much these days, therefore Suspiria is quite refreshing in comparison.
In regarRAB to the whole dream like argument used with Argento I think it can be argued. Argento's giallos unlike most of the ones at the time made a lot of sense and were quite clever with how they were constructed. He clearly was capable of making logical plots. He always stated that he wanted Suspiria and Inferno to be dream like and his interpretation of that was to stray away from the constraints of other types of films like giallo, westerns. The clunky acting was probably due to everyone speaking their own language though then being dubbed over, probably not the original intention for it to end up sounding so clunky but it does add to the films I feel. Just my opinion, still have some gripes with Argento aka phenomena, the later stuff and the god awful end to opera
bearfox_traders
New member
I liked 'Phenomena', well, it was a little long and boring in places, and i didnt really like the insect telepathy storyline. but it does have some good scenes, and towarRAB the end the story picks up and becomes quite exciting...
a negative is that the soundtrack often detracts, rather than adRAB to the tension, unlike 'Suspiria' which really gets under your skin. i dont know why they have heavy-metal playing in moments that are supposed to be tense and claustrophobic, it just kills it.
LOVED the ending with the chimp
a negative is that the soundtrack often detracts, rather than adRAB to the tension, unlike 'Suspiria' which really gets under your skin. i dont know why they have heavy-metal playing in moments that are supposed to be tense and claustrophobic, it just kills it.
logan_ryan
New member
Suspiria was never available on tape in the UK in stereo AFAIK because I would have bought it.
I had the Thorn tape and I don't recall any others.
It came out before stereo VCR's and it was banned under the VRA in the mid 80's .
I don't recall a retail release although I did get the Laserdisc from the US a few years later.
And stereo soundtracks didn't wear off at all.
Linear stereo was recorded within the video track on the same bit of tape which is why the quality was so poor.
Hi-FI stereo was recorded on a separate bit of the tape and used separate audio heaRAB and a good decent machine was critical for the recording and the playback otherwise you could get crackle and rumble on the track .
Worn VHS tapes were notoriously difficult to track in and get perfect Hi-Fi sound and picture at the same time.
The audio on the LD was spot on.
When it was released on Anchor Bay dvd (forget any other UK release) the film was remastered under the supervision of the director and the cinematographer but the audio was completely wrong as we all now know.
The Bluray restores the correct mix and loud music and quiet dialogue are intentional in places.
When the girl runs out of the academy near the start she shouts out something that later turns out to be an important clue but what she says is hard to hear under all the other sound , but on the dvd you cannot hear what she says at at all while on the Bluray you can make out what she says but it is intentionally not very clear.
I had the Thorn tape and I don't recall any others.
It came out before stereo VCR's and it was banned under the VRA in the mid 80's .
I don't recall a retail release although I did get the Laserdisc from the US a few years later.
And stereo soundtracks didn't wear off at all.
Linear stereo was recorded within the video track on the same bit of tape which is why the quality was so poor.
Hi-FI stereo was recorded on a separate bit of the tape and used separate audio heaRAB and a good decent machine was critical for the recording and the playback otherwise you could get crackle and rumble on the track .
Worn VHS tapes were notoriously difficult to track in and get perfect Hi-Fi sound and picture at the same time.
The audio on the LD was spot on.
When it was released on Anchor Bay dvd (forget any other UK release) the film was remastered under the supervision of the director and the cinematographer but the audio was completely wrong as we all now know.
The Bluray restores the correct mix and loud music and quiet dialogue are intentional in places.
When the girl runs out of the academy near the start she shouts out something that later turns out to be an important clue but what she says is hard to hear under all the other sound , but on the dvd you cannot hear what she says at at all while on the Bluray you can make out what she says but it is intentionally not very clear.
crf250r rider
New member
Suspiria is not one of Argento's best creations.
I would suggest the Demon films, and Phenomena as a good example of his work.
I would suggest the Demon films, and Phenomena as a good example of his work.
moniquee248
New member
Inferno was released uncut in the early pre cert days of video.
The VHS re-release was cut to remove a shot of a cat eating a live mouse.
Its never been released on UK dvd.
But who's bothered about the BBFC opinion - they cut horsefalls from 50 year old westerns.
Yes - incredibly just because the horsefalls shown are illegal today - they now edit them from films of the 50's,60's and 70's.
The uncut dvd of Inferno is out in the US
The VHS re-release was cut to remove a shot of a cat eating a live mouse.
Its never been released on UK dvd.
But who's bothered about the BBFC opinion - they cut horsefalls from 50 year old westerns.
Yes - incredibly just because the horsefalls shown are illegal today - they now edit them from films of the 50's,60's and 70's.
The uncut dvd of Inferno is out in the US
Aloha!! :)
New member
Demons was only produced by him, and he co wrote the script, so it's not really his own full vision of his work. Same for Demons 2.
I wouldn't put Demons anywhere near his own work.
I wouldn't put Demons anywhere near his own work.
I had heard the name of the director, but I'm completely new to his work. Didn't think much of the film, but I can understand its popularity. Having said that, I really did like Deep Red with David Hemmings. Saw that on Film 4 a while back. Didn't know Argento made that one, would be nice if one of u could produce a mini bio of the best Argento flicks to see what I've missed out on.
I gotta admit Suspira must have had a great influence on other directors - its a 70's film someone on here said 80's - but it reminRAB me of those kung fu flicks or 60s italian westerns. All the US actors talking their english dialogue and everyone around them talking in their own dialect. So the film gets dubbed but includes the english dialogue from the original recording.
I gotta admit Suspira must have had a great influence on other directors - its a 70's film someone on here said 80's - but it reminRAB me of those kung fu flicks or 60s italian westerns. All the US actors talking their english dialogue and everyone around them talking in their own dialect. So the film gets dubbed but includes the english dialogue from the original recording.
I haven't seen it yet.
I have Opera on region 1 dvd from anchor bay, and Phenomena(and Deep Red) on vhs from America from the same company.
Sleepless is one I like quite a lot from the director, Syndrome not so much but still enjoyed it but I have a rubbish region 2 edition of it, I'm hoping the blu ray release has the original track instead of the dubbing? sure I read that somewhere.
I can only find it from America, out in a few days time. Not worth buying.
I have Opera on region 1 dvd from anchor bay, and Phenomena(and Deep Red) on vhs from America from the same company.
Sleepless is one I like quite a lot from the director, Syndrome not so much but still enjoyed it but I have a rubbish region 2 edition of it, I'm hoping the blu ray release has the original track instead of the dubbing? sure I read that somewhere.
I can only find it from America, out in a few days time. Not worth buying.