Entertainment

The New ‘Suspiria’ Is Even More Terrifying Than The Horror Classic It’s Based On

Amazon Studios

Reboots are all the rage lately, but more often than not, a new take on a movie fails to inspire fans quite like the original. That's not been the case with the new Suspiria. The horror movie, ostensibly a remake of the 1977 Italian film of the same name, follows the same basic story as its predecessor but adds a lot of its own unique style and twists. And the result is leaving audiences terrified. So just how scary is Suspiria?

The movie follows a German dance company that is, in fact, a coven of witches. That might not seem all that terrifying on the surface for a couple of reasons. First off, horror movies involving witchcraft have pretty much been done to death, so it may seem like Suspiria has nothing new to offer. And secondly, films that center on witches have in recent years taken on more emphatic themes of female empowerment than horror, resulting in plots that tend to be more inspiring than scary. But Suspiria isn't out here looking to inspire people, it's looking to terrify them, and the film accomplishes this feat through a number of tried and true methods that have been utilized by horror filmmakers for years.

One technique that Suspiria employs to great effect is its use of body horror. The film features a number of scenes that feature absolutely grotesque and horrific things being done to the human body; things that have disturbed many viewers. When the movie premiered footage at this year's CinemaCon, one scene depicting a dancer being torn apart until all that remains is a jumble of body parts was cited by many in attendance as being one of the most disturbing things they'd ever seen on screen, according to IndieWire.

If you scoff at body horror, then perhaps the movie's use of psychological horror will do you in. Suspiria is not your average horror movie, it's more of an arthouse film, which means you can expect some of the horror to strike you on a deeper level than just what you see on the screen. The movie keeps you guessing until the end, and it's hard to say just where certain characters' allegiances lie until all the cards are out on the table. This creates a sense of unease that builds throughout the movie, and will likely keep you feeling tense well after the credits roll.

The film's style also goes a long way toward making the film terrifying. It features a haunting score by Radiohead's Thom Yorke, and much has been made of director Luca Guadagnino's haunting use of color and light in creating the film's dreary setting of Cold War-era Berlin. The movie's chilling atmosphere even managed to frighten those involved on screen. Original Suspiria star Jessica Harper, who cameos in the new movie, called it "the most brilliantly scary film I have ever seen," according to Bloody Disgusting. Meanwhile, Dakota Johnson, the remake's main star, told Elle that working on the film "f—ked me up so much that I had to go to therapy."

The new Suspiria is clearly not for the faint of heart, and even if you consider yourself a horror movie aficionado, you may find yourself disturbed by this gory and haunting remake.