Search - Suspiria [Limited Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Not For Children, Gore Movie Release: 1977 DVD Release: 09/11/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French, Italian Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 3 Number of Discs: 3 Run Time: 1 hrs 38 mins Studio: Anchor Bay Members Wishing: 14 Genres: Horror, Supernatural Horror, Gothic Film See Also: Suspiria [Widescreen], Suspiria

A candy-colored nightmare from Italian terror maestro Dario Argento, Suspiria weaves a menacing tale of witchcraft as a fairy tale gone horribly awry. From the moment she arrives in Freiberg, Germany, to attend the prestigious Tans Academy, American ballet-dancer Suzy Banyon (Jessica Harper) senses that something horribly evil lurks within the walls of the age-old institution. Ill at ease as the result of her fellow student's peculiar behavior and increasingly terrified following a series of gruesome and spectacular murders, Suzy slowly begins to unravel the dark history of the academy. Convinced that the occult roots of the school and the horrific tale of its founding mother may hold an unthinkable secret, she begins a hallucinatory journey into the black heart of one of the most powerful witches ever known to exist. As Suzy edges ever closer to a secret that may hold the answers to all of her nightmares, the coven's grip on her soul begins to tighten until there is seemingly no escape. Will Suzy solve the mystery of the cursed academy before the fearsome Black Queen consumes her, or will she finally reveal the secret that has forever haunted the lavish corridors of the academy and bring an end to the Black Queen's terrifying reign? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Jessica Harper - Suzy Bannion
Joan Bennett - Madame Blanc
Alida Valli - Ballet Mistress
Stefania Casini - Sara

For many, Dario Argento's phantasmagoric Suspiria is what a horror film was meant to be -- violent, disturbing, unhinged, and scary. Very scary. Influenced by the great Italian genre director Mario Bava, Argento let loose a volley of cinematic shots which have seldom been equaled since. It may not be as famous or well-known as some bigger-budgeted Hollywood horror films, but Suspiria nevertheless burns with a sinister power all its own. Anchor Bay Entertainment's limited edition three-disc set is a veritable satanic bounty for fans of the film. Disc one contains the widescreen presentation of the film with the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, and boy, does it look amazing. Granted, the home video format may never accurately reproduce the brilliantly saturated Technicolor theatrical prints (the film was the last to utilize the original Technicolor film stock), but this disc sure does get as close as possible. The rich primary colors never seem to bleed excessively or bloom beyond their intended effect. Previously released on laserdisc as well as videotape, this DVD without a doubt puts the other formats to shame. The image is never soft, and the clarity of many of the shots is fabulous. Argento perfectly utilizes the widescreen image, so this version thankfully lays all other previous pan-and-scan copies to rest. The film's garish and not-so-subtle soundtrack has also been given a boost and is available in numerous versions: English Dolby Digital Surround, English 6.1 DTS-ES, Italian Dolby Surround 2.0, and French Dolby Surround 2.0. Disc one also includes a daft "Daemonia" music video (the band features original Goblin member Claudio Simonetti), theatrical trailers (both North America and International), TV spots, a poster and still gallery, and the requisite talent bios. There is also an easter egg awaiting you in the special features menu. Once you are in the menu, press the right arrow key on your remote and one of the peacock's feathers will light up. Press enter on your remote and you will then be shown an amusing message from actor Udo Kier, who has a very brief role in the film. But the best supplement awaits you on the second disc. "Suspiria 25th Anniversary" is a great 52-minute documentary featuring interviews with Argento himself; his ex-wife and co-screenwriter Daria Nicolodi, who has also starred in many of Argento's films; stars Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, and the above-mentioned Kier; cinematographer Luciano Tovoli; and the men from the prog-rock band Goblin, who worked numerous times with Argento on other films. The film offers up some interesting anecdotes on the making of the film (including some great ones from Casini and Harper about the perils of working with maggots among other things), the origins of the story (not surprisingly the director and his ex-wife give entirely different answers as to who originated the story), and the great skill and expertise it took to pull off the film's mesmerizing color scheme. The documentary is really a must for all fans of the film. Disc three is actually a CD containing the hard-to-find original soundtrack of the film. The music's not for everyone, but fans of Goblin are sure to love it. ~ Derek Hill, All Movie Guide