Luca Guadagnino's 2018 Suspiria is less of a remake and more of an homage to the 1977 original horror classic. Guadagnino's version almost completely changes the story of the original, leaving only the setting and general premise the same.
Because of these differences, both films are great, but opposite in everything but genre. Nowadays, when remakes are a dime a dozen, fans of the original were right to feel a bit apprehensive about the prospect of another remake. Hollywood's obsessive revival of already-told stories can be tedious, but luckily this is not one of those cases.
Original: Jessica Harper
With the strength of this one performance alone, Jessica Harper cemented herself as an iconic scream queen. She was so great, she was asked back for the remake, where she played a small role as the dead wife of Dr. Klemperer. Being a scream queen is no easy thing, but Jessica Harper fit the role perfectly. She balanced fear with bravery, which made her both believable and entertaining.
Remake: Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson continued to show her range with her role as Suzy Bannion in Luca Guadagnino's 2018 re-imagined Supiria. She brought a combination of naïveté, excitement, shyness, passion, and mystery to the role, which was changed rather significantly from the original and cannot truly be compared. Her performance here is rather hypnotic, as she draws viewers in and keeps them guessing at times. By the end of the film, viewers realize that her shyness is not a sign of insecurity, but rather a quiet confidence that is masking a terrible truth.
Original: Colors
Part of what made director Dario Argento's original Suspiria so iconic was the use of color. The bright technicolor palette made the nightmarish nature of the story all the more unsettling and fun to watch. Even the fake blood in the gorier scenes is so bright a red as to look pink. Because of this, the original stands out and is a really mesmerizing watch.
Remake: Supporting Cast
Not only is Dakota Johnson great in the lead role in the remake, but the newest version also boasts a pretty stellar supporting cast. One cool thing about the remake is that it has an entirely female cast. Even the one male character is played by a woman (Tilda Swinton in her second role in the film). There's the incredible Tilda Swinton, who plays three roles here. Then there's Angela Winker, who people might recognize from the hit Netflix series Dark. Mia Goth is also great as Sara.
Original: The Score
Fans of the original often point out the score as a standout component of the film. It was done by the band Goblin, and is an often-referenced classic among film scores, with how unique it is and how well it helps set the tone. The score is totally bizarre, but in a good way, perfectly fitting the highly-stylized film.
Remake: The Story
The original Suspiria stands out more for its visually stunning aesthetics than the story, which is rather straightforward and nothing particularly new. The remake, however, makes many changes to the story that make for a much more interesting watch. Suzy is still a dancer who comes to join a company in Germany, but that's about all that is the same.
There's a mythology that's expanded upon in the new version; the witches are looking for a body to use in order to carry on the life of Mother Markos, and Suzy appears to be a pride candidate. Of course the ending is the most marked change of all, which reveals that Suzy is not at all the girl from the original.
Original: Simpler Story
While the newer version boasts a more complex, and, some might say more interesting plot, the original is easier to follow. It's a simple, straightforward horror plot, with the main character, a young woman named Suzy Bannion, attending a ballet academy in Germany. When she gets there, she realizes that something sinister is going on. She then has to work to escape with her life from a bunch of witches. It's a pretty straightforward horror story about a young woman who must survive and escape evil.
Remake: Costumes
An often-overlooked virtue of the new version is the gorgeous costume design. Guilia Piersanti designed the costumes for Guadagnino's adaptation, and the result was an array of beautiful pieces that took the film to new heights. With the drab color scheme of the film, red is utilized in very intentional ways, in sequences of danger and violence, and increasingly towards the end of the film.
Original: Influence On Genre
The original is considered a masterpiece for a reason. All of the aforementioned elements- the color scheme, the score, Jessica Harper's performance- make it stand out in 1977 and today. This sort of take on the genre that focuses not just on scares, but on creating an atmosphere, is influential to this day. The 1977 Suspiria is a classic, and deservedly so.
Remake: The Score
Thom Yorke, leading man of Radiohead, created the score for the 2018 Suspiria. The score he created is at once creepy, beautiful, and sad. His score also accommodates for dance numbers, of which take up much more focus in the remake than in the original. It's a gorgeously haunting score that fits the film perfectly.