| Errors | Missing | Unverified | Supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
Counts based on original analysis categories (not yet classified).
Errors = Critical Errors + Imprecisions
Missing = Critical Omissions + Notable Gaps
The significance of the title Suspiria (1977) lies in its Latin translation and its connection to a 19th-century literary mythology that serves as the foundation for director Dario Argento’s "Three Mothers" trilogy.
The word Suspiria is Latin for "Sighs" (plural). The title is a shortened reference to Thomas De Quincey’s 1845 collection of psychological essays and prose-poems titled Suspiria de Profundis (Sighs from the Depths).
In a specific section of De Quincey's work titled "Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow," the author describes a trio of personified "Sorrows" or goddesses who represent different aspects of human suffering:
In the context of the film's plot, the antagonist Helena Markos is the cinematic incarnation of Mater Suspiriorum. She is the oldest and wisest of the three ancient sisters, a powerful witch who founded the Tanz Akademie in Freiburg as a front for her coven. The "sighs" in the title represent the labored, rasping breathing of the ancient, decaying Markos, which can be heard throughout the school before she is physically revealed.
Interestingly, despite the film being named after her title, no character in the 1977 film directly says the word "Suspiria" or "Mother of Sighs."
Instead, the characters use other titles for the primary antagonist:
While the name is never spoken, the concept of sighing is woven into the film’s soundscape. The iconic progressive rock score by the band Goblin features whispers, gasps, and heavy breathing that simulate the "sighs" of the Mother.
The explicit naming of the "Three Mothers" was saved for the film’s sequels:
No oversights detected.
The title Suspiria (Latin for "Sighs") is derived from Thomas De Quincey's 1845 work Suspiria de Profundis, specifically the section "Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow," which outlines three personified sorrows: Mater Lacrymarum (Tears), Mater Tenebrarum (Darkness), and Mater Suspiriorum (Sighs). In the 1977 film, the antagonist Helena Markos is the cinematic incarnation of Mater Suspiriorum (Mother of Sighs). However, this specific Latin title is never spoken by any character in the 1977 film. Instead, characters refer to her as "Helena Markos", "The Directress", or "The Black Queen" (a term used by Professor Milius). The concept of "sighs" is instead conveyed through the film's sound design, specifically the rasping, labored breathing of the witch that is audible throughout the film. The explicit "Three Mothers" mythology was retroactively established in the sequel Inferno (1980).