"The only thing more terrifying than the last ten minutes of this film are the first 90". The tagline for Suspiria, one of the most acclaimed films of cult Italian director Dario Argento, is no idle claim, as it's one of the scariest films you are likely to see. The story, for what it's worth, deals with Suzy Bannion (the doe-eyed Jessica Harper), an American who travels to study at the celebrated Freiburg Dance Academy in Germany, only to find that something evil lurks behind it's walls. Argento sets his film deep in the heart of Europe, the world of Dracula & Frankenstein, & he draws on old-fashioned horror tales like these for a full-on slice of Grand-Guignol mayhem. It's Hansel & Gretel on acid. Argento & cinematographer Luciano Tovoli bathe the startlingly designed sets with a ravishing succession of deep reds & blues, creating a hallucinatory atmosphere like a twisted nightmare world. Adding to this feel is the maniacally screaming score by Argento & rock group Goblin (pleasingly dubbed in VERY loud), with it's weird moans, load thrashes, distorted cries of `Witch!', & habit of starting & stopping suddenly.

We see the hairy arms of a killer (Argento himself), but his identity is irrelevant, & Argento also uses animal attacks (including maggots, & a bat) to supreme effect. Ultimately, the fear is not of a mere slasher, but some nameless dread, a sense of all-pervading evil. This is the closest anyone has got yet to a filmed nightmare.

But what of the flaws, then. Those wanting realism, strong plotting & strong characterisation will be disappointed, although the lack of these actually adds to the unique feel of the film. To not let yourself be drawn into Argento's nightmare world is like laughing, an easy way out for the weak & cowardly. It could be accused of misogyny, but Argento merely places in danger those (teenage girls, a blind man) that society traditionally tells us are more in need of protection. He seems to be asking us more to be shocked & horrified by what happens than to enjoy their pain. There's no identification with the killer. The biggest flaw is the climax. At the end of some of the most nerve-wracking suspense sequences ever filmed, the final face-off is over too quickly & is slightly unsatisfying. However, the rest of the film is so strong, it barely matters. Afraid? You will be.