The meaning of the movie Suspiria (2018) directed by Luca Guadagnino, which managed to make a lot of noise, is a remake of one of the most famous films of those years, which also became famous in its time, like its little sister, Dario Argento’s 1977 Suspiria.
The plot of the movie Suspiria
The plot revolves around a young girl, Susie Bannion, who came to Berlin to attend the Tanz dance school. Literally at the same time when Susie arrives, a student of this school, Patricia, disappears. Throughout the thriller, choreographers play a crucial role in the plot. It is they who are accused by the friend of the missing girl Olga when it comes to the disappearance. It is she who carries Olga’s body away when Susie telepathically injures her, performing the part of the prima ballerina in her place. It turns out that the witches chose the school for their gatherings and covens. The ritual of the witches that takes place at the end of the film affects not only them, but also the innocent and unwilling Patricia, Olga (yes, that’s right; it turns out she survived) and Sarah. Bewitched, Sarah dies by cutting out her insides. Unexpectedly for everyone, Susie (the personification / incarnation of Death) summons a mysterious creature of demonic power, called herself the Mother of Sighs, in order to take revenge on the offenders. Eventually Susie painlessly kills Patricia and Olga.
The meaning of the movie Suspiria
What is the meaning and main idea of such an extraordinary, strange and very confusing thriller? And how does it relate to the first film in 1977? It is very difficult to judge the film without seeing the original version of this story, but if you look at the previously conceived story with an independent eye, you can see a number of important details hidden from the eyes of the audience. This picture rather introduces viewers into a state of incomprehension and some shock, rather than scares him, as the established genre promises. In fact, this film can only be called a remake by 50%, because, indeed, the idea was borrowed from the 1977 film, but the further development of the plot is completely different from the old version. In the center is the concept of “Three Mothers”: inspired by the director of the first picture, Guadagnino took this idea and introduced into the plot of his film Mother Suspiriorum / Mother of Sighs (Elena Markos), Mother Tenebrarum (Mother of Darkness) and Mother Lacrimorum (Mother of Tears).
The director skillfully conveyed all shades of darkness, exploring all its sides and being in search of something beautiful in pitch darkness. The whole film is very gloomy, dark and ominous, which is clearly conveyed in every frame of the film. The key theme of the whole picture is the neglect of the underclass and the abuse of power. The metaphor in this film is even the secret gathering place of witches and their coven – the basement. The ritual of the awakening of dark forces, which takes place there, symbolizes the awakening of some secret affairs in the world legal order and power in general.
Another, no less important idea encoded in this thriller is that even the most beautiful art, but rather, especially beautiful art, requires incredible sacrifices, manifestations of true evil and the release of various kinds of malice into the world. The whole performance of the dancers fascinates and makes the viewer fall in love with their every movement and every bend of their body, but the costumes of the girls represent the real price that a person of art has to pay – jets of blood pour all over the body of the ballerinas. At the very end of the film, we no longer see the naive and shy girl who came to Berlin with the dream of studying at the most famous school for ballerinas: we see a completely different, previously hidden from us, picture. Being the true embodiment of Death, Susie shows all her strength and power at the final ceremony, carrying out a kind of cleaning of the place from Marcos and all the individuals who followed her and her ideas.
After these terrible events, Sarah, Patricia and Olga, being in an extremely serious condition, do not want to put up with life and want to die. Susie, the reincarnation of Mother Suspiriorum, fulfills their request in cold blood, but with great care.
The original film and its remake ended up with completely different, dissimilar endings, which definitely allows Luca Guadagnino’s film to be called a separate, independent film with a real psychological bias. This film does not show the victory of good and a happy ending – it demonstrates the triumph of the forces of evil.
Write in the comments your meaning of the film Suspiria. We look forward to waiting!
