Suspiria (1977 Film Review)

1977 International Classics/Produzioni Atlas Consorziate
Directed by: Dario Argento; Written by: Dario Argento and Daria Nicolodi
Starring: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci, Miguel Bosé, Barbara Magnolfi, Susanna Javicoli, Eva Axén, Alida Valli, and Joan Bennett
MPAA Rating; Running Time: 99 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 6/10

American ballet student, Suzy Bannion, shows up at her new dance school in Germany during a late night downpour, and no one will let her in. She comes back the next day, and is asked why she didn't come the night before. Things only get more strange from there. First, there's a maggot infestation. Then the teachers start stomping around the hallways in the middle of the night. Finally, Suzy's closest friend goes missing, has perhaps been murdered...and witchcraft may be involved.
I've put off watching 1977's Suspiria for a long time. I've heard how much of an influence it's been on artists in many different fields for the majority of my life, but for some reason never felt the impulse to see it for myself until a few days ago. As a film, it's not great. The acting isn't wonderful. The writing isn't great. Essentially every scene where someone has to interact with someone else is as clumsy as hell. It's not really scary, either.
Suspiria is an influential film because its visuals are incredible, and the soundtrack is...not typical. Director, Dario Argento, can light and frame a shot. Impressionistic, rich lighting rules the day...and night. Frames are full of shafts of red, shimmering blue curtains, trees that look like impressionistic pagan towers in the night. The visuals are like a warm, bloody bath for your eyes. As far as the film's music, Italian prog-rockers, Goblin, provide a chugging, howling auditory backdrop. It certainly sets a mood, but at the same time, it doesn't feel like it always fits the scene--rather unsurprisingly, research shows it was composed before the film was shot.
If it sounds like I'm being too hard on this movie, I feel like I should make my opinion clear: I do not think Suspiria is a good movie. However, the visuals are so incredible, and the witchcraft bent in the second half is so fun, I didn't really care. I still enjoyed it, in spite of itself.