Suspiria

Directed by Dario Argento, Suspiria follows Jessica Harper’s Suzy Bannion as she arrives at an elite German dance academy and subsequently discovers that strange things are afoot behind closed doors. Filmmaker Argento, working from a screenplay written with Daria Nicolodi, admittedly does an effective job of initially luring the viewer into the deliberately-paced proceedings, as Suspiria kicks off with a striking opening stretch that certainly seems to be setting the stage for a larger-than-life, almost operatic endeavor – with the compelling vibe enhanced by Luciano Tovoli’s eye-catching cinematography and Goblin’s justifiably celebrated score. It’s distressing to note, then, that Suspiria eventually segues into an uninvolving (and downright tedious) midsection that contains little in the way of forward momentum or compelling attributes, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that the absence of engaging elements, coupled with a growing emphasis on Suzy’s tedious investigation into the oddball goings on, paves the way for a second half that’s nothing short of interminable – which is disappointing, to say the least, given the perpetually stylish atmosphere and smattering of admittedly absorbing sequences. The final result is a woefully erratic endeavor that often feels much, much longer than its 99 minutes, with the viewer forced to wonder just what it is about the picture that’s transformed it into an inexplicable cult classic in the years since its original release.

* out of ****