Preheat the oven to 450° F. Form Ground Sausage into small patties. Sauté the sausage in a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan for 4 minutes a side on Medium-High heat.
Drain oil from sausage and allow to cool. Blend sausage in a food processor (using the pulse function 8-10 times should be enough).
Flatten cooked sausage evenly on a non-greased baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 Minutes (Sausage should turn a darker-brown).
Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a rubber spatula. Place dip in a small ceramic baking dish or metal pan and bake at 450° F for 15-17 minutes.
Top with grated Fresh Parmesan and Fresh Parsley.Serve with toasted Pita Bread or toasted French Bread.
With permission from the owner of Basil’s Restaurant, Jeremy Spengeman, I’m posting some of Basil’s most popular recipes.
These recipes have been scaled down for the home chef.
The first recipe, Basil’s Sausage Dip, is an old favorite. In 2005, the kitchen prepared the dip with a mixture of red and yellow tomatoes.
You’re welcome to do the same. You can also add more Diced Jalapenos if you like it Caliente. Hope you enjoy it!
“Hey, one of the Huns came out of the cave.” Bruce Dern
“In Southeast Asia, we’d call this type of thing Bad Karma.” Bruce Dern
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. A week in Jonestown.” Carrie Fisher
The ‘Burbs is an underappreciated classic. The director, Joe Dante, managed to pull off a rare feat in Hollywood. He made a comedy/horror movie that’s not terrible. It’s not violent or gory but has the feel of an old-fashioned horror film.
Ray(Tom
Hanks) fears that his new neighbors, the Klopeks, are up to no good. At the
opening of the film, he wakes up and walks to the edge of his yard to
investigate the strange noises coming from the Klopek’s house.
He turns and
sees his militant neighbor, Rumsfield(Bruce Dern), watching him and lighting a
cigar in the darkness. The theme from Patton
quietly plays in the background. When Ray steps into his neighbor’s yard, a
heavy wind picks up and nearly knocks him down. When he steps back into his
yard, the wind stops.
The Neighborhood
The ‘Burbs never leaves its suburban setting. It’s a typical, American neighborhood(for the upper-middle class) filled with green lawns, healthy trees, and dogs that run to the neighbor’s yard to do their business.
The Klopek’s house is a decrepit, gothic mess with dying trees and a brown lawn. It is the sore eye of the neighborhood; many of you have likely experienced your own Klopek house. Hopefully, none of you are unfortunate enough to have neighbors like the Klopeks.
The Klopeks
The Klopeks are Dr. Werner(Henry Gibson of Laugh-In fame), Hans(Courtney Gains), and Uncle Reuben(Brother Theodore). Hans is the young, skittish Klopek who’s seen driving his garbage out to the curb and beating it with a shovel.
He has beady
eyes, inconsistent facial hair, and a penchant for Pinocchio fashion. His uncle
Reuben is a gruff man of few words and probably the scariest of the Klopeks.
He
represents the horror stereotype of the scary
German, but he does it well. Dr. Werner appears amiable and witty and tries
to show his neighbors that his family isn’t completely crazy. Henry Gibson is
perfect as the friendly, demented doctor.
Ray’s
obnoxious neighbor Art(Rick Ducommun) presses Ray to confront the Klopeks. Art
is a fast-talking, heavy eating, goofball who, along with Rumsfield, tries to
convince the skeptical Ray that the Klopeks are pure evil.
Although Tom
Hanks is the star of the film, the supporting characters steal the show. Hanks
is believable as an average family man who dislikes confrontation, but he can
be whiney and overly dramatic when faced with the crisis.
I like Hanks
best as a comedic actor, and in 1989, his Oscar-winning reputation had yet to
materialize. He was known for Splash,
Bachelor Party, Turner and Hooch, and Big, but his dramatic roles in the
late 80’s received less praise or attention.
Bruce Dern
plays a slightly, crazed veteran who helps Ray and Art investigate their
strange, new neighbors.
He wears military fatigues throughout the course of the film and carries a night vision scope, but he’s more comical than dangerous. In one scene, while standing guard with his rifle, he falls off the roof and shoots out a car window. As a goofy Rambo, he’s hilarious in every scene.
Carol(Carrie
Fisher) tries to discourage her husband from spending his vacation in the
‘burbs, and she’s the sarcastic voice of reason in the film. She loves her
husband but doesn’t hesitate to point out the absurdity of his actions. Carrie
Fisher is charming and funny, and although her role in the film is small, she
deserves more recognition for her talent.
The ‘Burbs
is a silly film, but it’s what I consider “good” silly. The camera
moves around in a grander fashion than most comedy/horror movies.
When the
tension builds, the camera captures the reactions of the neighbors in extreme
close-ups. After cutting between these stunned reactions, the camera falls on a
close-up of Queenie the poodle. Joe Dante doesn’t take his horror too serious,
and that’s good.
The
slapstick, dark humor, and above-average acting help create an extremely
entertaining film. There is a fair amount of 80’s cheese, mostly supplied by
Corey Feldman, but it doesn’t detract from the fun.
By: Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan
Becker, John Becker, and Megan Scott
If you only have room on your shelf for one cookbook,
purchase The Joy of Cooking. The new 2019 edition includes 600 new recipes
and 4000 updated favorites.
Most online reviews are positive for the latest edition,
but some people complain that the small print is hard to read. I own the 1997
edition, and this synopsis will focus on it.
I’ve used the 1962 and 1975 versions which I also recommend. The Joy of Cooking is a cooking manual for anyone interested in cooking.
In addition to the recipes, the book includes metric conversions, menu suggestions, and detailed instructions on cooking methods.
Each recipe includes an introduction of the dish and simple instructions. Its first publication was in 1931, but subsequent editions have modified versions of the classic recipes.
The recipes are updated to reflect present-day trends such as gluten-free dishes, keto, and vegan diets.
At the beginning of each chapter, the authors include a lengthy section on cooking techniques and essential tools. If you’re curious about the correct way to cut a whole chicken, the JOC explains how with clear illustrations and easy instructions.
I learned how to make Chicken Gumbo, Shrimp Étouffée, Negi Maki, Banana Bread, Cacciatore, and many others.
Bread Illustrated by America’s Test Kitchen
The bread recipes in Bread Illustrated are excellent. The recipes have step-by-step instructions illustrated with color photos. A long introduction explains the methods and reasons for using specific tools and techniques.
It is one of the few books I’ve used that requires little modification of the ingredients or cooking times. However, it’s not a book for a lazy cook. The more complicated recipes require a lot of time and effort. Some of the best bread takes 18 to 22 hours to complete.
My favorite recipes include Pita Bread, Pane Francese, Monkey Bread, Cheddar and Black Pepper Bread, and Pretzels. If you love tasty bread and have plenty of time on your hands, Bread Illustrated is for you.
The Professional Chef by The Culinary Institute of America
*You will need a digital scale to use this cookbook*
The authors of this cookbook/textbook designed it for both aspiring cooks and professional chefs. The edition I own is the 7th edition from 2002.
It includes several chapters on cooking instruction and proper equipment use before you see a single recipe. It contains handy guidelines for food safety including the proper techniques for preventing cross-contamination and food-borne illnesses.
Its full-color illustrations are helpful when you attempt a complicated process for the first time. Although it is more technical than The Joy of Cooking, it won’t overwhelm an amateur cook.
But beware, it’s a huge book. The book has 1036 pages and weighs nearly seven pounds( I weighed it). The hefty brute can serve as a weapon against home invaders if you leave a copy near every window and door of your home. That will only cost you around $1200.
Larousse Gastronomique by the Gastronomic Committee, President Joël Robuchon
The classic, French reference book/cookbook has been around since Prosper Montagné wrote the original text in 1938. The book isn’t divided into chapters containing appetizers, desserts, or entrées.
It takes the alphabetical approach. It will define a subject like chocolate in a small paragraph, and then it provides numerous recipes with C-grade instructions. The instructions are short, vague, and sometimes unclear.
The descriptive paragraphs, however, are well written and informative. The publishers likely used separate authors for the recipes and subject descriptions. It includes an exhaustive supply of cooking instructions and culinary history, but it is not well suited for beginners.
The Professional Chef is more accessible to beginners and pros. LG has simple recipes for Mustard Sauce and complicated(and disgusting) recipes for calf’s brains. I’m sorry Gastronomic Committee, I’m not fond of brain matter.
If you enjoy cooking calf or lamb brains in court-bouillon, you’ll love this book. It includes 13 recipes of brainy delights. Bon appétit!
The How Can it Be Gluten-Free Cookbook by America’s Test
Kitchen
This is the best gluten-free cookbook on the market today. The recipes produce delicious, gluten-free dishes and will actually impress gluten lovers.
I don’t have an allergy to gluten or wheat, but I really like this book. My favorite recipe is Brazilian Cheese Bread Rolls. The rolls are cheesy, fluffy, and somehow mostly composed of tapioca flour.
Their all-purpose flour blend recipe is superior to the premixed blends you can purchase at the grocery store, and the dessert recipes are incredibly satisfying to someone like me who sleeps with a Give me Gluten or Give me Death pillowcase. I also own a Flour Power bathrobe and an autographed ’45 of Wheat Christmas by Weird Al Yankovic. Ok, I’ll stop now. Wheat to Victory!
Dear Santa, I want a Salad Shooter. When I was a kid in 1989, you broke my heart. I wrote to you and begged for the white beauty.
With the body of an electric cheese-grater and the soul of a wood chipper, the pearl princess was what I desired.
I won’t need a knife to cut vegetables or a grater for my cheese. I’ll shove small quantities of the food I love into one orifice. I dislike saving time by using a knife to cut cucumbers and carrots.
I’ll cram half of a cucumber and a carrot into my Salad Shooter. Then, I’ll watch as the veggies slowly cascade off of that sleek, cheap, beautiful, plastic spout.
Why did a kitchen appliance company name their gem the SaladShooter? Is it a weapon used to dissuade Americans from eating tasty greens? Is it an assassin who took out a distinguished head of romaine lettuce?
No, it is a modified cheese grater that needed a catchy name
and a memorable theme song. I recommend viewing the commercial from 1989.
It looks like a Saturday Night Live sketch for a ridiculous
product that doesn’t exist, but it does. The electric topping chucker still
exists today.
Shoot some slices—Salad Shooter.
Shoot some shreds—Salad Shooter.
Shoot some salad, shoot it best,
Shootit pretty—Salad Shooter. Lyrics by Bob Dylan.
Some kitchen appliances are useful and worth purchasing. Others will hide in the darkness of your kitchen cabinet next to your rice cooker. Every kitchen has mini storage.
It could be a cabinet or small closet that you only use to
store comical appliances. An egg cooker, a Yoda waffle iron, an electric pasta
maker, a juicer, and an electric carving knife can be crammed into a tight
space.
It’s a zone in your kitchen that defies the laws of Physics.
It’s your kitchen’s clown car that spews Cuisinarts
when you reach for something useful.
I have one. Why don’t I sell all of the plastic rubbish in
my dark zone? It’s probably for the same reason you haven’t sold any of your
dusty goods.
Someone you love or care about gave you one of those useless
appliances. If they happen to stop by and notice that their gift isn’t located
somewhere in your kitchen, you’re in trouble.
During the holiday season, if your cabinet is at full capacity like mine, tell everyone that you’re running low on socks.
Socks are the answer. If Uncle Ricky, who planned to send you a pineapple massager, hears that you need socks, you’ll get ugly socks.
Socks are cheap, easy to find, and strangely appreciated by
elder relatives.
Beware of kitchen appliances that perform one specific task. A chef’s knife, a cutting board, and a simple cheese grater can often perform the same tasks.
These tools are simple to clean and easier to store than a small appliance with five attachments.
It’s fine if you enjoy purchasing comical appliances. If you have a kitchen that has 1500 square feet, go nuts.
You can own a walnut chopper, filbert shredder, peanut grinder, and a pecan pounder. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Business for celebrity chefs is booming. In the past, great chefs had to rely on the quality of their food to build a reputation.
Unfortunately, restaurant owners don’t immediately pay high wages to someone with a culinary degree.
After struggling to pay off loans from their prestigious culinary schools, many chefs were surprised when they couldn’t land the top position at a restaurant.
I worked with a talented chef who admitted that his first job after graduating involved peeling shrimp for ten hours a day at a seafood restaurant.
He spent over $30,000 on culinary school, but he was only making eight dollars an hour.
He worked at several restaurants before he found a position with a high salary. This experience is not uncommon among aspiring chefs.
If you don’t have the connections to help you land the perfect job, you’ll have to work your way up. However, some people decide to choose a different option to further their culinary career.
Professional and amateur cooks can become celebrity chefs. In the last twenty years, the demand for cooking networks and online videos has exploded. Nearly everyone in the country loves to watch people cook.
I am one of those people, but I have issues with some of the chefs I’ve seen online and on television.
Food Safety
Every state follows the federal code for food safety, but like all federal laws, each state develops its own laws to interpret the code. Chefs on cooking shows and online videos are not always bound by this code.
If they aren’t preparing food for people to consume, they won’t be inspected by the health department. Cooking networks and online videos are entertainment.
They are valuable tools, but they are not the words of God. How often do you see chefs wash their hands on television? Who wants to see that?
A half-hour cooking show can take several hours to film. It takes even longer to edit. Filming an incredible, hand-washing scene is not a top priority.
Sometimes, the chefs wash their hands but not very often.
Celebrity chefs don’t wear gloves when they’re preparing or plating food. Gloves, as well as hair restraints, are not photogenic or pleasing to viewers.
You can cook food with a complete disregard for personal hygiene. You might not make anyone sick, but why take the risk?
Wiping your hands on your apron after handling raw chicken instead of washing your hands is a bad idea, but I’ve seen it occur on television and YouTube.
If you’re cooking for people you care about, wash your hands after handling raw meat or using the bathroom. If you make a huge batch of stew for your extended family to eat the next day, cool it down in an ice bath before placing it in the frig.
I’ll include a more detailed list of food safety rules later, but remember to keep your kitchen clean and frequently wash your hands. Some people worry about the damaging effects of washing their hands too much.
That is an irrational fear disputed by health care professionals and restaurant workers. Unless you have a psychiatric condition that involves scrubbing your hands 300 times a day, you’re unlikely to experience anything other than dry skin.
Hand Waving
I respect most of the famous chefs on television and admire some of the amateur cooks online. I like learning new recipes and techniques, but I don’t like annoying catch-phrases or irritating hand movements.
The nose wave is one of those movements. When you feel the need to wave your hand to your nose, hoping that it will propel the scent of your food at rapid speed to your brain, resist the urge.
If your nose is in perfect working order, the scent of good food(or bad/burnt food) will reach you and your guests. When I see people performing the nose wave on television, I wonder how many nose hairs have accidentally fallen into their masterpieces.
Thank you, chef! Your presentation of this blackened Red Snapper is incredible. I love the risotto, the vegetable curry, and the nose hair garnish.
Your guests will thank you when you don’t include a piece of yourself in their food.
I know that I sound paranoid, but when you’re cooking for guests, hair-free food is the way to go. The importance of food safety is briefly mentioned in the film I’m reviewing tonight:
Invasion of the Body Snatchers ꙳꙳꙳꙳
Philip Kaufman’s 1978 film, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, is the best adaptation of the Jack Finney novel. The original 1956 classic, starring Kevin McCarthy as the hero, is a terrific film.
It’s not as creepy as Kaufman’s version, but it’s superior to the awful 1993 and 2007 versions.
Kevin McCarthy makes a brief appearance in the 1978 film as the same character. He runs up to Matthew(Donald Sutherland) and Elizabeth(Brooke Adams) and screams, “They’re coming! They’re coming!”.
McCarthy
displays the same hysterical and paranoid demeanor as he did in the first film.
It makes sense that McCarthy is upset. It has taken him 22 years to travel from Santa Mira(the setting of the first film) to San Francisco. People on the street ignore his rants about an alien invasion just as they did near the end of the original.
Alien Invasion
The alien invasion of Body Snatchers doesn’t resemble the invasions portrayed in previous Science Fiction films.
There aren’t any flying saucers or rockets. Green men and poorly-constructed robots don’t dominate the human race. Tiny tubes invade the Earth.
The translucent, obscene-looking tubes come from a distant planet. A bubbling pond of alien funk ejects the tubes into the sky.
The tubes, carried by solar winds, travel to Earth. They rain down on San Francisco and begin the invasion.
San Francisco’s rain allows the alien spores to develop into tiny alien avocados or pods. The pods quickly sprout flowers that resemble the immature fruit of a pomegranate tree.
A group of schoolchildren, led by their teacher, walk around the park and pick the alien flowers. A creepy priest on a swingset, played by Robert Duvall(unbilled), stares at the teacher and the kids.
The camera takes his point of view and swings back and forth as the kids innocently assist in ending the human race.
The central plot revolves around Elizabeth and her fear that her boyfriend Jeffrey has turned into someone else. She works with Matthew for the Department of Health.
Matthew is a health inspector who inspects a shady restaurant at the beginning of the film. He argues with the owner, after pulling a small dark morsel from a bubbling pot, that the capers are not capers. They are rat turds.
The scene is funny, but I’m sure the caper exporters of Italy were not thrilled when Americans refused to eat a product that they associated with rodent excrement.
Mud Bath
When Elizabeth follows her boyfriend around town, she notices that he delivers large packages to strangers. She also sees the change in the city. People in the street seem to know each other, but they’re quiet. They all stare her down when she’s traveling through the city.
Her concerns lead her and Matthew to Dr. David Kibner(Leonard Nimoy). Kibner is a respected psychiatrist and author who tries to convince Elizabeth that her fears are irrational.
Although he’s seen an increase in patients who suspect their loved ones are being replaced, he assures her that her problems are the result of a broken society.
Nimoy portrays Kibner as an intelligent and intense character who doesn’t believe anything the protagonists are saying. The suspense of the film increases with the appearance of the Bellicec Mud Baths.
Jack(Jeff Goldblum) and Nancy(Veronica Cartwright) own the Bellicec Mud Baths. After helping some large men out of their mud baths, Nancy screams when she finds an unformed human body laying on a table.
Her husband, awakened by her screams, runs to help her. They call Matthew to witness their horrible discovery. He points out that the body is the same size and weight as Jack’s. The group concludes that the alien duplicates them when the humans fall asleep.
Matthew and Elizabeth try to leave the city, but they’re frequently chased by the hordes of aliens who have taken over the city. The last half of the movie is like a chaotic, extended chase sequence.
San Francisco’s bleak and chilly weather help establish the hopeless mood of the picture. The decision to move the setting from the fictional Santa Mira to San Francisco was an intelligent one.
This film is dark and scary, and the city plays a large role in maintaining the creepiness. The acting is exceptional, but the atmosphere can get to you.
The mood and music become so dark that Body Snatchers can seem like a real downer. I would give it five stars if I didn’t feel slightly depressed by the end.
Chicken and Roasted Pepper Stew and Rosemary Focaccia, Perfect for Cold Winter Nights
I’ve included three delicious recipes tonight: Rosemary Focaccia Bread, Chickenand Roasted Pepper Stew, and Low Country Cookies. Rosemary Focaccia Bread is a variation of the famous Italian bread. There are several recipes for Focaccia online, but this one is simple and tasty. When you use Fresh Rosemary, it makes a huge difference.
It doesn’t take very long
to make. You can finish it in a little over two hours. For yeast bread, that’s
pretty fast. The recipe instructions
seem long, but I’ve learned that it’s important to be more descriptive with
bread recipes.
It’s frustrating when you
carefully follow instructions from a bread recipe, and it turns out looking
like baked dung. I don’t know what that looks
like, but there are reasons why recipes don’t always turn out the way they
should.
Ye Ol’ Crockpot from the 1970s, Built to Last
Measuring Techniques
One reason is that we
generally rely on volume measurement rather than weight measurement for
recipes. There are countless variations
and sizes of measuring cups. Yes, a cup should equal 8oz(6oz for coffee pots),
but measuring cups can come in 1 cup, 4 cups, 8 cups. . .etc.
When you dump 2 cups of
flour in an 8-cup measuring cup, you use your eyes to judge whether the flour
is perfectly level with the 2 cup line. Someone else, using the same recipe,
may decide to use a ½ cup to scoop out the flour.
They may not sift the flour
like the 8-cup cook, and they may not level off the flour the same way. Some
people shake the cup slightly, and some use their hand to scrape the flour
level.
This difference in
measuring tools and techniques plays a role, often only a minor one, in how
results can differ in recipes. Another reason is that some people tend to
shorten or skip an important process described in the recipe.
The Importance of the Process
For instance, some of the more complicated bread recipes require you to knead and fold the dough every 30 minutes. If you wait an hour each time to knead and fold the bread, the results will differ from the author’s.
With bread recipes,following the process closely is often more important than precisely following the ingredient measurement.
This also applies to recipes in general. The process is more important to follow in more complicated and time-consuming recipes. If you don’t marinate the pork loin for the same 12 hours that Frankie Barbecue marinated his, it may not turn out the same.
The fault of recipe confusion cannot always fall on the consumer. The author of the recipe can often forget to include an important part of the process. Even a famous chef and author can forget to write something down.
Maybe, after draining ten bottles of wine, a celebrated chef may forget to mention pounding the filets before breading them.
The differences in
measuring techniques and recipe processes may make cooking seem more daunting.
Challenges and possible disappointment may not appeal to everyone. The thought
of an important dinner party being ruined by an imperfect recipe scares the
hell of many amateur cooks.
One important tip, when
attempting a new recipe, is to taste it and modify it before serving it to
other people. If you want to change an ingredient to suit your needs, do it. I
usually change something from the recipes I’ve read, and I make a note of the
changes.
When a recipe attempt
leads to disaster, don’t worry. If it didn’t work, try something else. You can
spend time backtracking to find out what went wrong, but that’s crazy.
No one needs to waste time
investigating what happened, just move on. You can rip that recipe out of the
cookbook and set fire to it. Then you can turn on your exhaust fan, grab the
fire extinguisher, and move on to the next recipe.
I spend a lot of time in
the kitchen. Creating recipes and cooking is a profession and a hobby. When I’m finished in the kitchen, I like to
dissolve into the couch to watch a good movie.
My film reviews will not
include the SPOILER ALERT heading
above a potential spoiler. I hate that. I try not to include spoilers in my
reviews, but if I do I will use the simple heading, Further Reading May Ruin the Movie for You, Don’t Read No Mo!
Today’s Film Review: Suspiria ꙳꙳꙳꙳꙳
The Original 1977 Classic, I also recommend the remake
Dario Argento’s Suspiria premiered in 1977 and changed the nature of horror films forever. Suspiria is visually stunning, extremely violent, suspenseful, and hard to get out of your head once you’ve seen it.
It is a great film and one
of the creepiest ever made. The first fourteen minutes are an endurance test
for the viewer. If you can tolerate the tension and horror established in the
opening, you may be able to make it to the end.
The story involves a young American woman, played by Jessica Harper, who travels to Germany to join a famous dance academy. If you dislike films that focus on ballet dancing, that’s OK. Dance plays only a small role in this film.
Two of the dancers notice
strange things occurring at the academy and wonder if witchcraft is involved.
The actors deliver strong performances, but they are outshined by Argento’s
nightmare world.
The atmosphere of Suspiria relies on the director’s
experiments with color and sound. Unlike
most horror films, bright, primary colors stand out in nearly every frame.
Color, most notably a red
glow, is used to make the ordinary seem a little strange. From the opening
scene of the picture, the airport passengers and the airport itself, at first
glance, appear normal.
The Airport
A sinister, red light
greets the passengers as they depart the plane.
Most of the passengers
wear grey or black, but some, walking behind Suzy( Jessica Harper) look like
Crayola models- if there is such a thing.
A woman in a bright red
suit, a father with a bright green tie that matches his young son’s bright
green purse, and a woman with a blinding, red blouse and yellow pants contrast
Suzy’s look of innocence.
Suzy, in white, looks out
of place compared to the rest of the colorful fools around her. As she walks
toward the airport’s exit, she becomes uneasy and seems frightened by an
unknown presence surrounding her.
I mention the airport
because it’s important to notice how quickly the tension and suspense are
established during the first five minutes of the film. The slightly-off set
design and insane music soundtrack act as separate characters themselves.
The soundtrack, by Goblin,
is a pounding, rhythmic, and sometimes repetitive force that drives the
narrative along. It increases in intensity and volume when something nefarious
is about to happen.
It is not easy to listen
to, but it complements the film’s frantic nature. If you want to scare the neighborhood kids at
Halloween, play the Goblin soundtrack and you’ll have plenty of leftover candy.
The Taxi Ride and Red Building
Suzy takes a colorful cab
ride to the academy when she leaves the airport. Her cab coasts through the
city and enters the forest while the lightning casts strange shadows on the
barren trees.
One shadow resembles a
hand holding a curved blade. Although this was intentionally created by the
filmmakers, you can miss it if you’re not focused on the film.
As Suzy approaches the
academy, a bright red building comes into view. It is one of the most haunting
and beautiful shots of the movie.
Argento has a talent for creating a scene that can be both disturbing
and attractive.
The building has ornate,
gold trim around the entrance. Its red paint seems to glow under the pounding
rain and lightning flashes. It is
pretty, but not inviting.
An unknown voice behind
the academy’s front door instructs Suzy to leave. She reluctantly returns to
her cab and drives away. The events that follow lead to the film’s first, gory
murder.
The Violence
The murder sequences in Suspiria are brutal. Argento forces the
viewer to witness every action that the killer performs. Every stab of the
knife, slice from a razor, and bite to the neck are on display.
I haven’t mentioned,
besides Suzy, any of the character’s names in this review. I don’t want you to
know who was murdered before you watch the film. However, I can mention some of
the violent sequences. You should know what you’re getting into.
Some of the ghastly
highlights include:
– A close-up of an exposed
beating heart with a knife plunging into it
– A victim falling through
stained glass while being hanged
– Maggots raining from the ceiling
– A witch snoring
– A victim falls into a
room filled with barbed wire
– An animal attacks at a
city square formerly occupied by Nazis
The violence is not for
the faint of heart. However, it never feels like a B-movie slasher. The
violence is stylish and exaggerated, but it’s never gratuitous.
The dubbed English in the
dialogue may irritate some viewers, but it’s overshadowed by the psychedelic
imagery and deafening soundtrack.
If possible, turn off the
lights before you watch this film. Enjoy it, if you can!
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