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 orror
films, especially those which deal with the
supernatural or demonic, are by their very nature
surreal, though they generally try to derive their
chills by being convincingly set in the real
world. Dante Tomaselli's aptly named
"Horror" goes another route, being
instead an attempt to commit to celluloid the
experience and atmosphere of an actual nightmare.
As such, "Horror"
follows a series of lyrical narrative threads
rather than any kind of coherent central plot,
with only the briefest of nods towards logic or
reason. This is the kind of film where strange,
ghoulish things simply happen, and although
Tomaselli hints at explanations in the form of
excessive drug use and Satanism, the viewer is
generally expected to simply go with the flow. As
such, "Horror" is a film not likely to
be enjoyed by viewers expecting a conventional
genre effort, or indeed one which makes sense or
builds towards an attainable conclusion. Though
for those open minded souls hankering for
something a little different, "Horror"
offers an absorbing experience which at times
verges on the hallucinatory.
The film basically follows a
group of youths who make a bloody escape from a
drug rehabilitation clinic, heading for sanctuary
with the obviously less than holy Reverend Salo
Jr. (Vincent Lamberti, also in the director's
"Desecration"). The good Reverend and
his equally crazed wife (Christie Sandford,
another Tomaselli regular) turn out to be
psychotic Satanists who keep their own daughter
hooked on drugs for some sinister purpose, and who
are hiding any number of dark secrets. After the
fugitives arrive, already high on mind altering
mushrooms, bloodshed ensues and the characters
find themselves being pulled into an insane acid
trip of diabolic possession, uncontrollable
violence, and of course, horror.
Tomaselli is a director
dedicated not only to the genre, but to creating
films which are genuinely terrifying and which
assault not only the senses, but more insidiously,
the subconscious, creeping under the skin and
whispering dark secrets into the ear. As such,
"Horror", building on the themes and
techniques shown in the director's debut film,
"Desecration", is a perfect
representation of Tomaselli's ambitions and
intentions -- it is an unconventional yet
determined attempt to immerse the viewer in fear.
The main challenge for Tomaselli is the budget, which
was obviously low, and though this does show at
times, particularly in some cheap looking makeup
effects, he directs with great imagination and
visual ingenuity. As with the early films of Dario
Argento, Tomaselli bathes every scene of
"Horror" in eerie colours and keeps the
viewer on edge with a disturbing, at times jarring
soundtrack that serves as a perfect accompaniment
to the unfolding chaos. All of this makes for a
marvelously creepy atmosphere, and one which does
indeed reflect the unpredictable and essential
dread of a terrifying dream. Right from the start,
the viewer is made aware that literally anything
can happen, and this liberation from the orthodox
genre form is instantly engaging, leaving the
viewer wondering what will be thrown at them next.
The
downside to this, and indeed the whole film is
that the characters themselves are little more
than sketches or ciphers, and there is very little
effort made to develop them or their motivations
beyond the obvious desire to escape and survive.
This gives the film a certain feeling of
aloofness, and although it does serve to underline
its abstract nature, it also means that the
sections free of bizarre happenings are rather
dull and filled with pointless dialogue, which
Tomaselli himself seems unsure how to handle.
Tomaselli is quite obviously less comfortable with
these scenes, and they do at times come off as
rather amateurish, making for an odd mix with the
skilfully handled scares.
Thankfully, Tomaselli keeps things moving fast enough
that the film's failings are easily overlooked,
and with a wisely short running time, they never
really interrupt the overall experience being
created. This really is the bottom line, as
ultimately it is difficult to judge
"Horror" as a proper film, as it is a
genuine attempt to shake off the chains of the
form. With this, the director certainly succeeds,
as "Horror" makes for mesmerising,
discomforting viewing that relies on effect and
instinctive fear rather than simple narrative
drama or cheap emotional manipulation. Tomaselli
is to be praised for this brave, highly
individualistic effort, and it is hoped that in
the future he will be given the chance and budget
to develop his ideas on a larger canvas. |
