Janet Maslin of "The New York Times" wrote a mixed review, saying the film had "slender charms, though they will most assuredly be lost on viewers who are squeamish." The "Los Angeles Times"s Kevin Thomas wrote that the film was "consistently suspenseful and diverting" despite being "marred by stilted, poorly dubbed English dialogue." John Stark of "The San Francisco Examiner" was critical, writing: ""Suspiria" is mostly gore, with little plot or intrigue." Gene Siskel of the "Chicago Tribune" expressed similar sentiments, criticizing Harper's role to being "reduced to cowering in corners" and "costumed to look much younger than her years"; while praising Argento's "visually stylish" direction, he felt that "Suspiria" was inferior to his directorial debut "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" (1970) and "plays like a weak imitation of "The Exorcist" (1973)".