1977 – Jessica Harper – Suspiria

Still considered one of the 10 best horror movies of all time and director Dario Argento’s best work ever, Suspiria doesn’t seem to age one bit. The contribution of American cult actress Jessica Harper is part of its appeal, as she played wide-eyed ballet student Suzy Bannion, poor soul trapped in an intimidating and foreign place. Suzy comes from the United States to enroll in a famous dancing academy in Germany, the Tanz Akademie. Upon her arrival, murder and mystery is afoot and the reception is quite cold, from her fellow students as from the officials. Suzy’s suspicions of strange going-ons will soon found reality, as this prestigious house of learning is probably a coven of witches, led by one of the Three Mothers, cruel and powerful diabolical entities! Everyone on your knees and beg forgiveness!

Argento first offered the main lead to Tina Aumont, who couldn’t do it. Then he saw Phantom of the Paradise and the rest is history. Born in 1949 in Chicago, Jessica Harper had only just an handful of previous movie credits before this project, including Phantom of the Paradise and Love and Death. From Brian De Palma to Woody Allen to Dario Argento… quite a spectacular run. But oddly after 1982’s My Favorite Year, Jessica gradually disappeared from high-profile projects to guest-star here and there in quieter roles, mainly on television. Maybe directors didn’t quite know what to do with her, as she was not a sex-symbol but a more modest presence. So on her way to stardom, it seemed she got derailed by her own personality, her own projected aura. But Jessica found a second wind in writing children’s book and music (sometimes performing with her two daughters). She even have an official site, more geared towards her creations towards the young.

Her big round eyes and innocent looks couldn’t be more adequate for this character, who will eventually display inner steel. Looking quite fragile and almost melancholy, Jessica Harper seemed to pop out of a fairy tale, and what better way to play an endangered waif than in the home country of the world’s best known Fairy Tales, Germany? We effortlessly share her feeling of alienation in a strange place, with danger all around. That was the natural acting gift of Jessica at work, creating a sympathetic young character amongst all these annoying, self-possessed or hysterical female dance students.

Suzy Bannion’s last shot in the movie finds her apparently laughing in the rain, finally relieved to escape this insane inferno (wait… isn’t Inferno the more or less sequel/companion to Suspiria? sure is). This is quite a refreshing image after being assaulted by terrifying scenes in the previous 95 minutes. When was the last time that a horror film heroine has come out smiling at the end of her ordeal?

Next: An horror icon who was then-companion of another horror icon, being directed by a legendary horror icon (as she was a new mother of a future horror icon)… in her best performance ever.