Okay, now I’ll admit it: Juno should have never been made! Fresh from getting mainstreamed in Diablo Cody’s lil’ indie that did, news arrives today that indie director David Gordon Green (George Washington, Pineapple Express) is set on remaking Dario Argento’s Italo-horror classic Suspiria. Greene has been loosely attached for a few months but he recently chatted up a couple outlets about his (re-en)vision, referring to his new take as “classy shiiat“…
“Supriria is a classic to me. I want to be scared. I want to be afraid,” he said to MTV. …”It’s an opportunity to take all artistic excellence and be inspired by what was a low budget Italian 70’s gore movie. Where the art world meets the violent and supernatural. I would love to get every geek that loves torture porn and every old lady in line to see ‘Phantom of the Opera’ to come and have this insane experience.”
With its enchanting candy colors and surreal lighting, Argento’s 1977 original, widely cited as his best work, rivals Jean-Luc Godard’s Pierrot Le Fou for sheer trippy cinematic bliss. The plot dips into nightmare-logic as it follows an American gal who enrolled in an elite European dance school only to find that it’s a cover for a twisted witch coven. Inventive visual horror is nearly outmatched by the ethereally harrowing soundtrack by the band Goblin. While it’s not exactly a perfect film, it’s beyond a cult film, and to crib from Dennis Hopper’s description of Thailand, Suspiria “just is, man. It just is.” Green doesn’t specify why his version would be more “ambitious” or “amazing”…
“These Italian producers came to me about it, wanting to do a pretty amazing, ambitious, artistic (version),” Greene told STYD. “It could be pretty wild.”
Earlier this week we reported that Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes is remaking Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby. There’s no shame over there, and there’s not much any moviegoer can do about it, but when our young phenom directors are getting in on the remake trend instead of crafting their own original horror films…for Platinum Dunes to remake in 10 years…it should ring an alarm. Green’s a cool dude. Let’s hope he reconsiders remaking this one and chooses to continue his own trail blazing.
Discuss: Can you think of a good reason why Suspiria should be remade?
March 5th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
this could be cool, i’d like more people to know about the original, but maybe im getting remake burnout. also, im totally down for some juno bashing, but i think this joke went over my head, what gives?
March 6th, 2008 at 12:14 am
@ OC
Juno/Diablo, like, really loves Suspiria and even says so in the film!
March 6th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Yeah as far as I’m concerned, David Gordon Green can do whatever the hell he wants. Suspiria is a classic in its own right, but I wouldn’t hesitate to call the guy visionary. If a remake is gonna happen at least its in capable hands.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:46 am
As much as I’m not big on remakes, I’d give David Gordon Green more than the benefit of the doubt. You could probably tell me he wanted to remake The Godfather and I’d be willing to at least wait until seeing the final product to make any judgment.
I’ve never seen Suspiria (and I’ve seen Juno twice and didn’t get the reference), but it might get added to my netflix queue now. And if he does end up making it, I’ll definitely see the original beforehand.
So, if DGG gets some more mainstream notice with Pineapple Express and can parley that into a revived interest in an obscure classic cinema, then good for him.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:56 am
@ Mke
No beef with David Gordon Green remaking The Godfather, eh? That is a bold statement dude. Lulz.
I wouldn’t refer to Suspiria as “obscure cinema,” and I say that without a drop of “video store guy” snobbishness. The flick is pretty well known and even more so post-Juno (the movie’s title is said aloud and it’s discussed for a second in Juno by Juno), but moreover, it’s Argento’s most signature film.
On one hand, yeah, a remake is a compliment, because Green is a cool director.
On the other, I’m of the belief that you shouldn’t touch directors’ signature films, especially if you’re young. And if anyone is wondering, Suspiria is in English, so this wouldn’t be a remake for “dumb Americans” (don’t like the term either) like Funny Games.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:07 am
As for reasons it SHOULD be remade:
It’s a 30+ year old film that 98.5% of Americans have never and will never see.
So if a capable and visionary director thinks he has something to bring to the film, can add a unique take to it and can make it relevent for a modern audience, why not?
As opposed to say, the remake of Rosemary’s Baby, which is a cultural icon that is much better known. (And, aside from the production company, we know nothing of what creative talent would be involved)
March 6th, 2008 at 1:41 am
Well, I’d never heard of Argento. Though, thinking on Juno, I know exactly the scene it was mentioned/discussed, but, as much as I loved the film, I didn’t really take note of all the cultural references in it.
Then again, ‘horror’ really isn’t my genre, so for me it is definitely an ‘obscure cinema’.
I do see the point against remaking a director’s signature work. Having rewatched Truffaut’s The 400 Blows the other night, I would find it a touch presumptuous of any young director to attempt to remake it.
Though, I think, ultimately, the problem is that the sheer number of bad remakes poisons the well for the actual good remakes that occur. I greatly enjoyed 3:10 to Yuma last year, even having seen the original. We need more remakes like that and Scarface, and less like Psycho and The Italian Job. And if DGG does get around to a Suspiria remake, hopefully it’ll end up in the category of the former.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:52 am
the more i think about this the more im gonna side against it. after reading hunter & mike’s comments, the mindset of remaking a directors signature flick - even in the hands of a capable director - only opens the floodgates. “suspria did great, lets see what we can do with (fill in classic title)”
so where do we draw the line? suspria is in english for fucks sake! whats next? clockwork orange? jaws? on the waterfront? annie hall? psycho was a mess, the shining tv thing happened, now rosemary’s baby & suspria…im not dissing green, and i understand that suspria is not as well known as the others ive mentioned, but maybe this is one of the main reasons why there’s such a decline in box-office sales - lack of original solid ideas.
then again a solid remake of a great film like suspria could do well, and yes it could turn a new generation onto a classic, inspiring them to check out the original - but who other than us film junkies is gonna actually do that? aww dammit this is a tough topic!!! both sides have legitimate claims!!!
March 6th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Just say no to remakes.
I love how excited Green sounds to make the film and how he says he has a great vision for a type of film… great.. i’d love to see it.. JUST DON’T REMAKE SUSPERIA! You have a new vision for an old flick? Why not just make a new flick and leave susperia alone! I’m sure he could easily get away with make a Susperia-esque film and even make Susperia look better since it will be such an obvious influence.
REMAKES ARE A CRIME!!!!!!!
March 6th, 2008 at 4:05 am
I dislike that! I think only those who do not see the original would expect for it. I have seen the original, the film is perhaps the best example of his use of color filtering to provide an almost “acid trip” voyagethrough a young dancer’s nightmare experience at school that is home to acoven of witches. I think SUSPIRIA is a must-see. Here is the movie that I found, I think after you see it, you will change your mind: dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=88724&ru=279
March 6th, 2008 at 4:43 am
“Can you think of a good reason why Suspiria should be remade?”
So, that the Giallos Flame can have a crack at the soundtrack.
I think the only person I would be excited to see do a suspiria remake is Edgar wright.
Remind what the hell has David Gordon Green done again?
- spidey
March 6th, 2008 at 6:25 am
Seriously, Why does it need remade? The movie is just as amazing today as its ever been.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:53 am
No No No! Please somebody say that this isn’t coming up just because that irritable bowel obstruction known as Diablo Cody thought she’d hip herself to the horror crowd and drop a light SUSPIRIA reference into JUNO. SUSPIRIA cannot be remade. It just can’t. Any attempt at such would result in epic, monumental FAIL. Just take a page out of Rob Zombie’s resume and learn from the travesty that was the HALLOWEEN remake. Now that I think of it, quit remaking genre films! Has Hollywood really become so creatively bankrupt??? Actually, the output from the last couple of years has pretty much answered that question hasn’t it?
March 6th, 2008 at 7:46 am
The arrogance of these people is pretty astounding. I’ll never understand the logic of praising a film for it’s merits, talking about how much you admire it’s qualities and the work of those who created it, and then turn around decide that it needs to be remade. As if they are going to add something or bring something new to it besides more gore. And tits. That’s all that ever happens. Fucking Rob Zombie obviously didn’t have a clue what made Halloween work in the first place. So he proceeds to remake it “his own” way and reverses everything that made the fucking thing good in the first place. All this is, ALL this is arrogance. Someone thinks they can raise their own standing and earn a few cool points by attaching their fucking name to something with genuine quality and authenticity as if by osmosis those qualities will seep into their vapid, vacuous souls. These are worthless human beings in my estimation.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:29 am
The obvious and most demanding reason to remake Suspiria:
Use a lead actress with actual boobs and missing the caterpillar eyebrows.
I’m joking. Kind of.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Here is another idea for free: The aged director of a classic horror film that is getting the remake treatment secretly lands an extra role in the film, and then begins to undermine the film and torture the hip, fresh young director by forcing him to deal with unforeseen situations, such as a few actual murders, that alter the course of the filming, and ends in the “old” director forcing the “new” director to realize he doesn’t really know shit beyond recreating superficial style elements “borrowed” from more creative individuals. (a confrontation scene occurs and is secretly filmed by the “old” director) After which he is also murdered and his footage stolen and edited by the “old” director who releases it as his triumphant comeback film featuring both the real (secretly filmed) and fake deaths. After which he also dies and receives posthumous award for his last great horror film. Filmed in a style reminiscent of Suspiria.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:39 am
@ Robert
I think De Palma already made that movie, like, eight times. ;)
Great comments everyone. I’m glad and relieved that Suspiria is getting its “no remake” due here. Like I said, Argento’s flick is only gaining popularity by the year. It’s a slow mover, but the film has inspired several generations of creative types. Green should pay smart homage to the film and make his own Italo-horror/giallo.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:57 am
LOL! I’ll have to check out this, “De Palma” character.
March 6th, 2008 at 11:02 am
@ Robert
Haha. Check out Blow Out with John Travolta. And Body Double is cool too.
March 6th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Oooh! This “Scarface” sounds good. Kidding.
I was just looking on Netflix. I’m surprised how few of his movies I have actually seen. I seem to remember staying up late to catch Body Double on Showtime as a kid. In hope of boobs. Or was that Body Heat? Probably both.
March 6th, 2008 at 11:33 am
@ Robert
Yeah, prob both. Lol. Showtime as a kid? That was sort of like having a Neo Geo instead of a Nintendo (HBO).
March 6th, 2008 at 11:42 am
There is absolutely no good reason why one of the greatest horror films of all time remade. That being said, there are much worse choices for remaking this than David Gordon Green.
March 6th, 2008 at 11:51 am
I’m not sure if HBO existed at the time. Or maybe we just couldn’t afford it. Showtime and Cinemax were the shit. I’ll put it this way, I remember the day Mtv started.
March 12th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
wow ! suspiria remake ! this is one movie i was hoping was going to be remade, what a cool classic ! better be good , seems to me there have been alot of poor remakes lately , i’m hoping this will be different , same with alot of sequels ! i would really love to see john carpenter do a sequal to “the thing” in my books that is ONE of the goriest scariest alien movies made !
June 13th, 2008 at 1:59 am
Why anyone would want to “re-make” such a classic is beyond me!you just cant top the visual feast of the original.This really was dario at his best and i think that these so called “new” director’s could do with coming up with thier own original films.Take note platinum dunes!!!!!!!!