The opening of Dario Argento’s 1977 masterpiece, Suspiria, is about as perfect an opening as one could hope for.  American ballet student Suzy Banyon (Jessica Harper) arrives in Freiburg, Germany.  Both Argento and Harper perfectly capture Suzy’s confusion as she makes her way through the airport and, as torrential rain drenches her, attempts to hail a taxi and get a ride to the dance academy.  (What Suzy doesn’t know, of course, is that the dance academy is home to the ancient witch known as The Mother of Sighs.)

With this opening scene, Argento both immediately establishes the off-center, nightmarish atmosphere of Suspiria and establishes Suzy as a character who we, as the audience, relate to and care about.  Suspiria is a great film and it all begins with this brilliant opening.

(And just as Suzy is starting her  journey to the school, we are just starting Horrothon!  Get ready for the best 31 days of the year!)