Filming horror movies can be emotionally challenging for actors and can keep them busy even after work. This was the case for the lead actress in 50 Shades of Grey, who took part in the remake of a horror film classic.
Which actress is it about? Many of you probably know Dakota Johnson from 50 Shades of Grey and the subsequent films. If you have ignored the series so far and are interested in superheroes, you may have seen Johnson in Madame Web. This year’s Marvel film was a critical flop and has an average rating of just 11% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Dakota Johnson has also made a number of other, quite remarkable films. For example, the remake of an Italian horror film that has long been considered a classic and cult film. And as is often the case with horror films, working on it can have lasting effects.
Eerie atmosphere in the trailer for “Suspiria” (2018)
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The lead role in the remake of a genre classic
What movie is it about? Suspiria from 2018 is a loose remake of an Italian horror film of the same name from 1977. The original was directed by Dario Argento, arguably the most important representative of Italian “giallo” cinema, a subgenre of thriller that is very close to horror films due to its brutal murder scenes.
The remake of Suspiria was directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call me by your name, Challengers). In it, Dakota Johnson plays an aspiring dancer named Susie who wants to join a dance school in Berlin. She quickly celebrates her first small successes and becomes an important figure within the school. But as is the case with horror films, appearances are deceptive and the dark side of the story soon emerges.
The film is certainly not for every viewer, partly because of the main character’s strong emotions and also the horror elements. Shooting a film like this can also be challenging for the actors in front of the camera.
For some, it even pushed them to their physical and psychological limits – just think of Shelley Duvall in The Shining. In other cases, the people on set are the cause of stress, as in Mad Max: Fury Road, when the main actor tends to be exhausting.
How did Dakota Johnson experience the filming? The work itself was great fun, the actress says today. On set, it was very funny, even cheerful.
However, she absorbed a lot of emotions through her role and was unable to shake them off without help after filming:
When I’m working on a project, I sometimes find that I’m – I’m not ashamed of this – a very porous person and I pick up on a lot of people’s emotions. Sometimes when you’re working on dark things, it can stay with you, and talking to someone who’s really nice afterwards is a really good way to move on. My therapist is a very nice lady.
Dakota Johnson via jeuxvideo.com
Johnson was not traumatized after filming, but she still sought professional help in the form of therapy to process her strong emotions.
Suspiria received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a critics rating of 65%.
Whether you like the remake or the much more comic-like original better is a matter of taste. Both are scary in their own way and very atmospherically staged. Have you seen one of the two films, or even both? Which one do you like better? Let us know in the comments! If you are looking for horror recommendations, take a look at MeinMMO – for example at a list of 5 WTF films.