April 14, 2006

Profondo Guidos

Suspiria warped me. I was an adolescent watching primitive cable television when I stumbled across this bizarre movie that scared the poop out of me. For years after, I asked anyone who seemed cool if they’d ever seen it, but this was well before internet movie databases and DVD special editions and such, so it remained my secret nightmare. I gotta say, if you like a good horror movie and aren’t too literal-minded, then you have to see it. With the lights off. That’s an order, chief.

Later, I learned that this relentlessly dreamlike, color-drenched exploitation film was directed by Italian horrormeister Dario Argento, who selected a score composed by his frequent collaborators Goblin, a jazzy-rock combo who’ve done more than their share of beautifully nasty soundtrack work. Some have described Goblin’s sound and approach as an evil version of krautrockers Tangerine Dream. The premiere issue of Fangoria magazine contains a letter-to-the-editor by yours truly, begging for information about “Dario Argento & the Goblins” (as they were credited in the American release).

The movie also stars the ever-humorous Udo Kier, as well as gorgeous Stefania Casini who was so hilarious in Andy Warhol’s Bad the same year.

Suspiria the film is visually and viscerally incredible, but what really makes it work is Goblin’s driving, eerie, throbbing Italia-prog-disco soundtrack and especially its demonic nursery-song theme. A lot of reviewers describe the score as “loud” – which seems like an odd way to put it – but it’s certainly bombastic, with plenty of pumping sequencers and thumping bass, reverberating percussion and dark vocals. Argento’s previous Profondo Rosso a.k.a. Deep Red has a spooky synth theme with a gloomy virtuoso bass line and churchy organ solo. The boys scored many other Argento movies as well as, notably, George Romero’s Martin (1977) and Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Lucio Fulci’s Zombie (1979). Argento freaks should also possess the excellent organ-driven Keith Emerson score to Inferno (1980), the followup to Suspiria and second in Argento’s “Three Mothers” trilogy. Its knockout track is the pseudo-operatic “Mater Tenebrarum”.

My favorite dago wop, Steve Cattani, recently gave me a collection of Italian police-thriller music which contains the theme to La Via Della Droga a.k.a. Drug Street. It’s great, but I can’t vouch for the film, not having seen it. Goblin are still cooking up cruel music for films. They even contributed a tune to the Shaun of the Dead soundtrack!

Over time, Suspiria has inspired a cult of devotees from all over the civilized world and, judging from google, some really unoriginal goth bands and metal albums. So enjoy this slice of artful Italian sleaze, and when in Rome, be sure to visit Dario’s museum/bookstore!

Goblin – “Suspiria (Main Title)” from Suspiria (1977)

Goblin – “Witch” from Suspiria (1977)

Goblin – “Profondo Rosso (Main Title)” from Deep Red (1975)

Goblin – “La Via Della Droga” from La Via Della Droga (1977)

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that apparently Hollywood was threatening, once again, to wipe its fat ass on history by remaking Suspiria. Until last year, when somebody realized that Scream fans wouldn’t understand it. So justice prevails. This time…

Rick at 2:57 am

Comments (10)

10 CommentsÈ

ah rick…that suspiria tape you made for me years ago was the soundtrack for many a fine mind bending trip…so much so that when i finally saw the movie years afterward i was almost disappointed that the horror was a bit different than that through which i had passed. but both dario argento and the goblins are dependable quantities with health giving effects in large dosages… speaking of herr kier – i was trying to get a meal in a noodle bar here in berlin a couple of years back and was dismayed to find the place too crowded to get a seat – and when scanning the floor i looked over in the corner – there was udo kier regaling his entourage with some noodle based tale…

Comment by wi11iam13 Ñ April 14, 2006 @ 9:07 am
Rick, Im-a make dis a nice Spaghetti Western-a Cd for you. You gonna like it. Also, I put somea linguine and clams in the ice-a-box for you for later. We can havea somea wine and linguine anda play dis nicea music.
Ciao, Stelvio

Comment by Steve Cattani Ñ April 14, 2006 @ 1:12 pm
Rick, you’re batting 1.000!

But they are intending to remake De Palma’s Sisters—one of my faves, but according to some dreadfully derivative,—but I don’t care: it’s a mad, FUBAR flick with an AWESOME Bernard Herrmann score—like Goblin’s soundtrack for Suspiria, almost “too good” for the movie it’s attached with, but also somehow perfect for that movie—and a key element toward that flick’s cult status. See also Ennio Morricone’s outrageous disco soundtrack for John Boorman’s “Exorcist 2: The Heretic,” Jerry Goldsmith’s bombastic ode to Satan with his soundtrack for “Damien: Omen 2,” or Tangerine Dream (w/ Keith Jarrett’s organ playing) for Friedkin’s underrated “Sorcerer” (called “Four Doomed Men” around Chez Ivan).

Now I will listen to The Stooge’s “We Must Fall,” and try to imagine what sort of warped 1970s action/horror movie it could be the soundtrack to…

Comment by Ivan Lerner Ñ April 17, 2006 @ 6:28 pm
Now I want Sfumato’s take on soundtracks!

Comment by Ivan Lerner Ñ April 17, 2006 @ 6:30 pm
OK OK, let’s everybody just calm down… i like a good soundtrack as much as the next geek, in fact i was just sorting through my collection of soundtracks to JILL CLAYBURGH movies, such as I’M DANCING AS FAST AS I CAN but as to the weird/horror vein, i would mention an interesting track for Jess Franco’s VENUS IN FURS (1969) by MANFRED MANN. or how about the track to Herzog’s NOSFERATU, by POPUL VU?—70s krautrock minimalism at its best!

Comment by Ennio Sfumato Ñ April 18, 2006 @ 3:27 am
Have you seen the shitty metal band’s shitty cover video of the theme song on the latest DVD release of Suspiria? It made me vomit into the back of my mouth, but then I swallowed it.

Comment by michelle Ñ April 18, 2006 @ 6:44 am
obscured by clouds…

Comment by wi11iam13 Ñ April 18, 2006 @ 7:31 am
I’ve never seen SUSPIRIA, but I remember being scared witless by the TV ads for it back…oh…without Googling, I’d say it was around the same time Bruno Sammartino was the wrestling champ.

Comment by Mr. Jim Goad Ñ April 18, 2006 @ 12:47 pm
I remember going to the theater ALONE in the late 70’s to see this…from the moment it started, I was asking myself what the HELL I was doing here…it scared the living shit out of me (I was 16 at the time!). Definitely the scariest movie I saw as a teenager (the theater was completely empty other than me too, so a VERY intense experience). Thanks for the flashback!
pp23

Comment by perkypat23 Ñ June 9, 2006 @ 6:12 am
I only saw the TV COMMERCIAL for this movie and it SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME. It was broadcast late at night, but still, I was only ten! You see the back of a woman’s head. She’s combing her hair with a brush. A creepy female voice reads a creepy poem. The woman turns around and IT’S A FUCKING SKULL ! GET ME OUTTA HERE!

Later on I happened to be going through Times Square, (must have been with my parents) where the movie was playing, with scary posters, displays, and a TV monitor showing frightening scenes from the movie. I freaking RAN past the theatre, out of breath, my chest heaving. Good times.

Comment by Scott Mercer Ñ August 13, 2006 @ 10:49 pm