Dario Argento’s Suspiria premiered in 1977. Thomas De Quincey’s Suspiria de Profundis essay collection loosely inspired this supernatural horror movie. It would attain cult status, spawning a film series that spanned three decades and influenced the horror genre for years to come. Viewers interested in the influential film series can use our guide to find out where and how to watch all Suspiria movies in order.
Suspiria is the first movie in Argento’s trilogy, The Three Mothers. The film follows Suzy (Jessica Harper), an American ballet student who moves to Germany to attend a prestigious dance school. As grisly deaths and supernatural phenomena plague the school, Suzy realizes powerful witchcraft is at play. Despite mixed initial views, critics now regard Suspiria as a cinematic masterpiece. It stood apart from other supernatural horror films with its genre-bending, excessive gore, vibrant colors, and extravagant set designs, as if transporting viewers into a truly garish nightmare.
In 1980, Suspiria’s sequel, Inferno, premiered. The film observes Mark Elliot (Leigh McCloskey) as he travels to New York City to investigate the disappearance of his sister, Rose (Irene Miracle), who went missing after reading a book called The Three Mothers. Inferno capitalizes on Suspiria’s flashiness and grandeur and officially establishes the lore of the series, revealing that the witch in the first film was part of a triumvirate of powerful witches, The Three Mothers, who manipulated events around them to attain world domination.
After Inferno, Argento took a long break from The Three Mothers trilogy while working on other projects. The final film in the series, Mother of Tears, finally arrived in 2007. The last installment occurs in Rome, where museum worker Sarah (Asia Argento) accidentally unleashes the witch Mater Lachrymarum (Moran Atias). It was a bloody, exhilarating, and excessive conclusion to the trilogy. However, Suspiria’s legacy wouldn’t end there.
A remake of Suspiria was announced a year after Mother of Tears premiered. By 2015, Luca Guadagnino announced he would direct the movie. However, he would later classify Suspiria (2018) as a tribute to the original rather than a proper remake. The film follows Susie Bannon (Dakota Johnson), a ballet student who begins training at Helen Markos’ (Tilda Swinton) ballet academy. Shortly after her arrival, the school faces accusations of witchcraft.
Similar to the original Suspiria movie, Guadagnino’s tribute received mixed reactions. Some critics hailed it as a masterpiece for its complex themes and daring attempt to match the original's innovative cinematography, but others criticized the narrative. While Suspiria’s poor box office performance makes a sequel unlikely, the influence of the original and remake will likely continue impacting and inspiring the horror genre.
Where to watch the Suspiria movies streaming online
Check out our list below to find out where to stream the Suspiria movies in release date order online in the U.S.!
