‘Suspiria’ 2017 39x55 Italian re-release poster

No less than three years in the making, Synapse Films’ deluxe edition of Suspiria—available on Blu-Ray in North America for the first time ever—is hitting the streets on December 31 in a lavish steelbook edition featuring an exclusive 4K restoration of the original uncut 35mm camera negative, with color correction by cinematographer Luciano Tovoli.  The 3-disc set (with two 50GB Blu-Rays and a remastered CD soundtrack by Goblin, with additional tracks not included on the previous US release) is crammed with a huge amount of extras and promises to be the definitive home video version of Dario Argento’s most celebrated film.  Significantly, it features the original 4.0 LCRS English-language sound mix (in DTS-HD Master Audio) not heard since its theatrical release in 1977.

Those of us who experienced it on the big screen back then—released by 20th Century-Fox’s International Classics in a slightly trimmed R-rated version—will never forget its eye-popping, ear-blasting, brain-frying impact.  This very dark fairytale, the last film to be shot on classic 3-perf Technicolor film-stock a la Hollywood’s Golden Age, follows the terrifying adventures of aspiring American ballerina Suzy Banyon (cult queen Jessica Harper) who arrives at Bavaria’s most prestigious dance academy on a dark and stormy night, only to discover it’s the home of a diabolical coven of witches… and a surreal, nightmarish funhouse of grotesque shocks.  It had the same impact on fans of ultraviolent splatter, the luridly macabre and the gleefully fucked-up as the same year’s Star Wars did on normal people.

When the Synapse release, coming hot on the heels of their other Argento steelbook editions for Phenomena and Tenebrae, showed up for preorder on Amazon for a steep $89.95, the blogosphere ignited with the indignation of those who’d neglected to pre-purchase a copy through synapse-films.com for under $50 late this summer.  As of today, Synapse has announced a near sell-out of their introductory-priced stock, but orders for the few remaining steelbooks may still be placeable by calling them at (734) 494-3502.  Peerless online DVD and Blu-ray store diabolikdvd.com has it for $52.99.

All posters available for 30% off now at WestgateGallery.com

 

‘Suspiria’ 1989 23x40 Original US VHS release poster
 

‘Suspiria’ 1977 27x41 Original US 1-sheet poster
 

‘Tenebrae’ 1982 20x29 Original Japanese B2 poster Style B
 

‘Tenebrae’ 1982 27x39 Original Spanish poster