Fans Debate Which 'Suspiria' Is Better — And It’s Not So Obvious
Classic vs. remake: two versions of the same nightmare.
When Luca Guadagnino reimagined Suspiria in 2018, he wasn’t just updating a horror classic — he was stepping into the neon-shadowed legacy of Dario Argento’s 1977 cult masterpiece. While both films explore the unsettling world of witches, dance, and death, their approaches to horror could not be further apart. Thread on Reddit’s r/movies revealed a fanbase deeply divided — but also remarkably thoughtful in their praise.
A tale of two Suspirias
At their core, both films follow the same skeletal story: a young dancer arrives at a prestigious European ballet academy, only to discover it’s a front for something far darker. But from that shared starting point, the films go in wildly different directions.
Argento’s 1977 original is a riot of colour, style, and surrealism. The film is known for its bold use of lighting, elaborate sets, and the iconic score by Goblin. For many fans, it’s a masterpiece of mood. As redditor HipsterImpostor puts it: "The art direction & sound are some of the best I've seen… full of suspense & tension the whole way through."
But not everyone finds the original easy to connect with. Its fragmented plot and dreamlike pacing have drawn mixed responses. Another user commented: "The story was not really hitting for me, the pacing was not great ...the director focused on a lot of the wrong things.”
In contrast, Guadagnino’s 2018 reimagining trades neon expressionism for cold, muted realism. Set in divided Berlin, it dives deeper into themes like guilt, control, and the legacy of war — all wrapped in a slow-building dread. Puzzleheaded_Walk_28 explained their preference simply:
"Suspiria 2018 is great. I’ll never forget seeing that scene in the mirrored room for the first time in the theater."
Two visions, no clear winner
What becomes clear reading through the thread is that Suspiria isn't just a film — it’s a matter of personal taste. Do you favour mood and madness? Or story and structure? In the end, Redditor TotalyNotJoeImCereal captured the overall feeling best:
"Watch both, they are equally good films for very very different reasons."
So if you haven’t watched either version yet, you’re in for a treat — or two. One film will rattle your nerves with colour and sound. The other will get under your skin with silence and sorrow. The question is, what kind of horror haunts you more?
