Suspiria [2018]

I’m not sure why filmmakers insist on remaking films that were already great. The original Suspiria is one of my favorite movies, but perhaps there is room for improvement. Like almost every Italian horror movie, the plot is a mess. Is that reason enough for a remake? This new version is pretty good, and I’d prefer this to Mother of Tears any day. Wisely, there really wasn’t much of an attempt to match the colorful visual mastery of the original. The artistry is mostly in the performances and choreography. Dance plays a vital part in the story, which makes the the idea of a coven using a dance company as a front seem almost sensible. Where the movie falls flat is that it tries to cram too much in the story and runs on too long. The movie is never scary, so when we reach the insane ending the viewer is jarred in a way that I don’t think was intended.