Sublimation from the previous work: A brief analysis of the clues and metaphors buried in "The Storm"

Orland 2022-03-30 09:01:05

It's entirely because after watching the new version of "The Storm", I couldn't calm down the excitement in my heart, and I read the original version with curiosity. However, I found that the new version only used the framework of the original version, but made an intriguing sublimation of the story, themes, ideas....

The red background that always appears in the original
The new version of the final ceremony also uses a red background

The original story is very simple: Susie, a student who came to Germany from the United States to study dance, discovered a long-hidden secret through a series of bizarre phenomena at the school. The administrator of the school was actually a group of witches. In a synod-like process, Susie killed Markos, the head witch, and the school was reduced to ashes in flames.

The heroine of the original work, guest Anke in the new version

It seems that they are not satisfied with the pattern of the original film. The director and screenwriter can be said to have completed a reckless adaptation, so in the new version, we have seen the background of the times (Berlin in 1977), religious elements, and political metaphors and poignant love. Either deliberately or unintentionally, but some plots in the film really make me feel worthy of aftertaste.

The final ritual is very much like an Italian cult film in the 1970s and 1980s

1. Political metaphors:

In the dialogue between Jozef and Patricia in the opening film, it is reflected that this religious witch group has been active after World War II, and then through Sara's mouth, she explained that during the war, it was completely maintained by Ms. Blanc. Just like in an interest group, which has an absolute core Markos, but a new individual Blanc with a high level of power has emerged, and internal differences are inevitable.

Conversation between Patrcia and Josef

An election at the beginning of the second act also showed the process of so-called siding in politics, explaining the other members of the core Markos party. This scene buried two important mysteries, one is Tanner who presided over the election (it can be inferred by accent and exclusion), she is actually a party of Markos, but in the final ceremony, the mother of sighs is not like other people. She was executed like everyone else, and the specific reasons will be analyzed later; secondly, Griffith, who hesitated in the election, seems to represent the conscience faction in the struggle for interests. The witch, as you can see from her tears of pity for Olga, still retains her humanity and emotions, but in the context of the bipartisanship, that ends up being her weakness as well.

Griffith cry for Olga

It can be seen from Paricia's diary that Blanc in the dream is a white-haired witch, and she is a servant; in fact, it reflects from the side that Blanc is cultivating his own new force: including the French that Sara blurted out, it can be shown that she is also Blanc's focus on training object. And Blanc's purpose is actually just to use them to bring down Markos (using their impiety to prevent Markos from getting a new life). The final ceremony itself was actually a coup that Blanc wanted to launch.

The two also belonged to the same lineage

2. Religious metaphors

As soon as the painting style changed, the camera suddenly came to the American countryside, and the dying mother was about to receive the priest's prayer and anointing; at the end, it was explained that this was Susie's mother (or her biological mother, or her godmother, I prefer the latter because of its Dressed like a nun), the seemingly abrupt switch reveals an important scene: a warning is hung on the wall at home: A mother is a woman who can take the place of all others who cannot take her place. I would like to mention a bold assumption: from the following story, it can be seen that in the ceremony of the witch looking for a new host, the new host must be absolutely voluntary, and Susie received the education that "mother can replace everything" since she was a child, So when the Mother of Sighs chose her as her new body, she was also absolutely obedient.

The slogan on the wall in Susie's house

The Mother of Sighs finally kills Susie's godmother

After Sara discovers the religious group's secret shrine, she finds Jozef again, and talks about the legend of the "three mothers" that existed even before Christianity and faded over time. Its themes are darkness, tears and sighs, which represent the sins of the world. Here the director should want to express that although the darkness is mostly unknown, it has always existed, even before the beginning of human civilization.

First mention of three mothers and Markos' mother in Patricia's diary

and the content of the dream that Blanc gave her

The doctor's subsequent words, I personally think that the director expressed his understanding of religion and politics through Jozef's mouth: You can tell others about your fantasy, then it becomes a religion, just like the German Empire... What is fantasy? Dr. Jozef has said before that fantasy is a lie that tells the truth. It's like being wrapped in a real coat. When you show it, it's religion. When you reveal your inner essence, it becomes politics. Therefore, there is no essential difference between politics and religion, and their essence is the means by which the interest groups behind them pursue their own power and desires.

The director uses the doctor's mouth to express the world view

3. Dance and Desire Metaphors

Mapping of the dance "Volk"

MME Blanc once asked Susie: How do you feel when you are dancing Volk (people in German)? Susie's answer was fuck, like an animal. This actually represents the most primitive instinct and desire of human beings. The exquisite statues in the secret room represent the desire for money; the police who molest the visiting police represent sexual desire; factional differences, the desire to get the top spot represents the desire for power; the desire to use her human body to obtain a second youth represents greed... Instinct is to satisfy desire, without desire there would be no "people".

Two poor cops stuck by the wall

Find the location of the secret room by remembering the steps, restore the original

Porcelain with strong hints in the secret room

4. Metaphors of war and love

After adding so many dark elements, the director finally interspersed a positive story line: Anke and Jozef's love, although the witch gave Jozef a beautiful ending about his wife (the wife did not die, but lived in another place happy life), but this is actually a tragedy in the face of faithful love. Even when the truth is bleak (Anke was arrested on the way to reconcile with Jozef and froze to death in a concentration camp), even when life ends, love transcends life and death and lives on. Even if all the memories disappear, even if the villa has long been a different person, the trace of love can never be erased; the director told the audience through the last shot that the so-called witchcraft, religion, politics, war... are nothing more than the fantasy of others Or the fruit of evil brought about by primitive desire, and love should be the real theme of civilized human society!

Jozef's wife Anke, the original Susie

Finally, I would like to mention a few doubts about the film:

1. Regarding language, German and English appear quite reasonable, the story takes place in Berlin, and the protagonist is an American. What does French stand for? I personally think it is the symbol of the faction (Blanc is French white): There are three French dialogues in the whole film. The first time is the French that Sara blurted out when she met Susie, which shows that she has been trained by Blanc. The second time It was the spiritual communication between Susie and Blanc, Susie spoke out Blanc's inner world in French; the last time was at the end of the film, a school teacher announced in French that Ms. Blanc had left the dance group, proving that the current school has been replaced by the original Blanc. Party in power. But the weirdest thing is that one of the students actually said good morning to the teacher in Arabic! I don't know if the director did it on purpose?

In French: You don't want me to choose because you love me (ignore English subtitles)

Last occurrence in French (ignore English subtitles)

2. Why didn't Tanner die in the end? Clearly, she's the one most loyal to Markos, and she's still using the title Mother even when everyone is changing their name to Markos. So to her, Mother Markos is everything to her, and when Markos falls, she loses everything, even Markos has become her curse (Markos vomited the last blood on her face before he died). So it's not that the Mother of Sighs didn't kill her, but that her soul was already dead, and there was only a pair of skins left. She also represents a type of person in a power struggle, someone who has no opinion and turns himself into a tool to serve the boss.

Exaggerated expressions used in Italian cult films

Tanner's bloody face and godless eyes

3. The last one is really confusing. You can see that Blanc's eyes were still moving when Vendegast held up Blanc's head, and Banner's surprised expression showed that, in fact, Blanc was not dead. What is the director's intention? Did Susie save her? Is it announcing the victory of Blanc Group to the audience? I once thought about whether the two forces of the dance troupe mirrored East Germany and West Germany at that time, but due to the lack of obvious basis, I dared not make guesses.

The last day of the film, the traces of love have not been erased

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Extended Reading
  • Adrienne 2022-04-20 09:01:59

    In the scene of the final ceremony, I thought I was watching "Darkness Invasion". The role of the old man was a bit awkward, and I couldn't understand the movement of some scenes. production design is ok

  • Adrienne 2022-04-21 09:02:46

    Since the main content of the foothold and performance has been transferred to the newly added background and characters, why not change it to a psychiatrist as the leading story? ? ? ★★

Suspiria quotes

  • Susie Bannion: Dance everyone, dance. It's so beautiful.

  • Mother Suspiriorum: What do you ask?

    Olga: To die.

    [Mother Suspiriorum kisses Olga's cheek and Olga collapses]

    Patricia: Mother... Mother, we're so tired.

    Mother Suspiriorum: What do you ask?

    Patricia: To die. I want to die.

    [Mother Suspiriorum kisses Patricia's cheek and Patricia collapses; Sara knees down]

    Mother Suspiriorum: Sweet girl, what do you ask?

    Sara: Die.

    [Mother Suspiriorum leans down and cradles Sara]