31 Days of Horror: Don't Look Now
Horror isn’t just a genre; it’s an amalgamation of pop culture, cozy traditions, and things that go bump in the night. This year, we're taking our 31 Days of Horror across the entire cultural spectrum. We’ll be taking a look at movies that scare us, games that kept us paranoid, scary books we cozy up with under blankets, music that sets that spooky tone and seasonal food we’re craving–or strange food you’d have to tie us up and force feed us. Whether you’re looking for something truly terrifying or a cozy autumn haunt, come back every day this month for a new bite-sized review or spooky adjacent list.
Horror isn't all jump scares, scary monsters, or disturbing imagery. While these motifs are the ones most associated with the genre, and lets be honest are the most fun, not everything falls into those visceral experiences. Sometimes a more nuanced story, with out all these easy to detect scares, are more indicative of the genre. Sometimes horror is just sitting in a pile of grief for the majority of its 110 minute runtime.. That is what Don't Look Now is.
Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie star as John and Laura Baxter, two parents grieving the accidental drowning of their daughter. Don't Look Now is as depressing and depressing gets. Some undiscovered time after the incident, the couple move to Venice as John has taken on the task of restoring a church. Soon after an encounter with a psychic leads them down a path of hazy premonitions, mysterious sightings, and serial killer running around the streets of Venice.
I will attest, Don't Look Now moves at a pace slower than even the thickest of molasses. For some this is a big downside especially considering how devastatingly melancholic the film is. But as the elements of the occult pile on top of each other, the editing of the film becomes even more distressed, and visions of a small red hooded figure become more and more revealing, you can't help but get sucked in.
The film's mood is the true focal point of the film as Sutherland and Christie embody the multifaceted emotions the such a terrible accident brings. From both characters drifting apart and together again in one very memorable scene to the utter torment of seeing signs of their daughter from the afterlife, Don't Look Now plops you down into their misery. It's a gothic masterpiece, mirroring the locale perfectly and sending you careening into the film's honestly shocking ending.
Comments