Moving Through Colors in Dario Argento's 'Suspiria'

In 1977, director Dario Argento captured fear and horror and stuffed it into the kaleidoscopic “Suspiria.” Over the decades, the film, with its bright colors, and hauntingly chiming score, has grown into a cult classic within the film community, especially horror. Now, with Lucca Guadagnino‘s interpretation of the film making its way to theaters this weekend in limited release, let’s revisit the colors and sound of Argento’s resplendent film.

Set to the eerie, unsettling original music by Goblin, YouTuber Miss Beedie, walks us through the sites of “Suspiria.” The color palette is richly vivid and an iconic part of Argento’s masterpiece. Sharp hues of blue, red, and green flash on the screen while the set design, itself, feels otherworldly. In Argento’s horror film, the director uses color to his advantage. The genre already keeps audiences on edge, but to make matters far more unsettling is the unfamiliarity presented in the diegetic space. Nothing is normal; what we’re used to. So anything can, and does, happen in “Suspiria.”

Throughout the film, the conformity of color use is thrown by the wayside. Argento uses bright reds in place of the deep maroon of blood, and blues drape the hallways and rooms acting as shadow cover for something evil. It’s a frightening and fascinating trip of a film.

While Argento’s work is remembered for its lively color palette, Guadagnino has opted for a subdued, sinister interpretation. Harnessing a Gothic energy, 2018’s “Suspiria” is bound to hold a macabre series of images. There’s a stark difference between the horror, candy shop vibe of Argento’s film and what Guadagnino has in store for audiences. Lurid colors and hues may be employed this time around, but don’t expect the blood to seem unrealistic, and brightly toned.

Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” is remembered for its stylized horror; cursing convention and creating a lurid concoction for audiences. Moviegoers will see soon what spell Guadagnino can cast this time around.