Suspiria (2018)
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An American woman enrolling in a prestigious Berlin dance academy uncovers a terrifying secret involving a coven of witches.
The story
During the German Autumn of 1977, Susie Bannion, an American from a Mennonite family in Ohio, is admitted at the Markos Dance Academy in West Berlin. The academy is reeling from the disappearance of a student, Patricia Hingle, who vanished after telling her psychotherapist, Josef Klemperer, that the academy is controlled by a coven of witches. Journals left by Patricia in Klemperer's office detail The Three Mothers, a trio of witches who predate Christianity. Klemperer, initially dismissive of Patricia's claims, becomes suspicious of the academy after her disappearance. Susie begins her training, unaware of the dark forces lurking within the institution's walls.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1977 West Berlin, Susie Bannion joins the Markos Dance Academy, which is secretly run by a coven of witches. After the disappearance of student Patricia Hingle, psychotherapist Josef Klemperer begins to suspect the academy's true nature. During rehearsals, Susie's movements cause physical trauma to a fellow student, Olga, who is then removed by the academy's matrons. Susie rises in the academy's ranks while her peer Sara discovers hidden corridors and relics. During a performance, Sara is physically broken by the matrons' intervention. Klemperer eventually discovers his wife, Anke, is actually a matron named Miss Huller, and he is lured to the academy to witness a witches' sabbath. At a final gathering, it is revealed that Susie is actually the witch Mother Suspiriorum. She eliminates the rival leader, Mother Markos, and grants the broken students a 'gentle death.' In the aftermath, Susie visits Klemperer, who suffers a memory-erasing seizure. The film concludes with Susie looking out from the academy, while the academy resumes its operations as if nothing happened.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 152
- Production countries
- Italy; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Luca Guadagnino
- Writers
- David Kajganich · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Dakota Johnson · Susie Bannion; Tilda Swinton · Madame Blanc, Helena Markos, and Dr. Josef Klemperer; Mia Goth · Sara; Elena Fokina · Olga; Chloë Grace Moretz · Patricia Hingle; Angela Winkler · matron; Ingrid Caven · matron; Sylvie Testud · matron; Renée Soutendijk · matron; Christine LeBoutte · matron; Jessica Harper · Anke Meier
- Genres
- supernatural horror; dance; body horror
- Themes
- motherhood; evil; matriarchies; generational guilt; women's autonomy
- Tone and mood
- winterish; bleak; haunting; disturbing
- Premise and plot tags
- supernatural horror; dance academy; witchcraft; historical fiction; body horror
- Source material / true-story basis
- Dario Argento's 1977 Italian film of the same name
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 65% · scale: percentage · review count: 335; Metacritic · score: 64 · scale: 100 · review count: 56
- Production trivia
- The score was composed by Radiohead singer Thom Yorke.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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