Witches!

As both Archel and Maddie have already posted today (as was when I started writing this, humour me, please), it may be time to bring you up to date with my weekend. Those not Sinister may as well look away now, otherwise you'll grumble about in-jokes about people you've never met. If you are Sinister, prepare for a rollercoaster ride into the dark subconscious of the list...

On the subject of dark subconsciouses, last night, on the suggestion of the swoonsome Marianna, a number of us decided to revert to 13-year-oldness and watch horror films while eating curry and drinking shady cocktails from Miss Daplyn's Drinking for Debutantes and Dilettantes. Two titles were chosen after much debate: The Omen and Suspiria. Most of you will be familiar with the former, though if you aren't, leave work, the dinner table or your lover and go and rent it immediately. It gets better on every viewing.

Suspiria is a very different kettle of fish. When we took it to the counter in the video shop, the chap who served us immediately pronounced it a classic. He seemed rather excited. Having already watched The Omen by this point, Suspiria was under pressure to impress. I'm not sure if "impress" it quite the right word, but it did... something.

Firstly, the soundtrack. Many scary movies build up the major scenes (or "breath-catching gorefests") with subtle use of sound effects and music. Not Suspiria. Oh no. A good ten minutes before something nasty is about to happen, soundtrackers The Goblins kick in with effects that are a cross between an unpleasant schoolboy imitating the knifing in Psycho, a washboard (?) and the unpleasant's schoolboy's friend whispering a heavily reverbed "witches!". This gets louder and louder until some duly horrific piece of action causes screams around the room - stand up Ms Longmire and Mr Chu.

However, even this pales in comparison with the, um, stunning visuals. While the plot, the acting, the timing, and anything which requires anything resembling subtlety are pretty much written off, the sheer saturation of COLOUR is a marvel to behold. Everything in the ballet school, where the action takes place, is red. Everything. Where things really get weird is the lighting. As the movie progresses, and realism is left flapping forlornly in the first draft of the script, you realise at times the only action worth its name is the use of different gels by the overworked lighting ops. Mainly red, of course, but, uncharacteristically, green lights start appearing, to satisfyingly spooky effect. Woooooo...

To discuss any more about the film would involve giving the plot (hoho) away, so I'll leave it to your curiosity. But it was certainly an experience, and Marianna was practically applauding with delight, so I guess it was a night well spent :)

Posted by biondino at September 02, 2002 01:02 PM