It’s the last of October, and we all know what that means: It’s not really my last chance to write about horror movies! (I’ll never stop!)
I wracked my brains for AT LEAST five minutes to think of this double feature, especially for youuuuuuuuu!
With that in mind, here are a couple of horror movies with LOVE at the center.
CRIMSON PEAK (2015)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Written by Guillermo del Toro/Matthew Robbins
From the moment that Crimson Peak started, I pretty much knew what was going to happen.
I knew that Edith (Mia Wasikowska) was going to fall for the wrong guy. I knew that Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) wasn’t all he seemed. I knew that Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain) was nearly pure evil. I knew that their brother/sister relationship would be interesting. And I knew that Alan (Charlie Hunnam) would be the “right” guy.
All credit goes to Guillermo del Toro and his crew for being able to keep my interest even after I knew every twist and turn that their film would make. I really didn’t care about any of that because the ride was SO DAMN GOOD!
Edith is a head strong young woman somewhere around the turn of the century. After her rich father dies in what appears to be a freak accident, she runs to the new guy in town, Thomas…much to the chagrin of Alan, who has been in love with her since childhood. (Of course.) She marries Thomas and moves into his dilapidated house, Crimson Peak. Lucille lives there, too…and she hates Edith.
And, when I say dilapidated, I mean there’s actually a huge, gaping hole in the ceiling where the outside comes in. There’s no way anyone would be allowed to live in this today. But it sure does make for an amazing setting for this story.
Like most of del Toro’s horror films, the supernatural is only a backdrop to the greed and corruption of man. It’s an important part of the story, sure. And it makes the film beautiful in a way that it might not be without those Doug Jones-played ghosts. But the story doesn’t revolve around them. They are co-stars to the drama between the four still-human (sort of) principles.
I didn’t love Crimson Peak in the same way that I love Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone or Pan’s Labyrinth.
Those three films are masterpieces in their own ways. But Crimson Peak is still a beautiful film in a lot of ways and is absolutely worth seeing on the big screen. It’s the kind of film that Hammer should be making these days. I don’t understand why you’re not watching it right now.
GOWONGIT!
SPRING (2014)
Directed by Justin Benson/Aaron Moorhead
Written by Justin Benson
Evan (Lou Taylor Pucci) is in all kinds of trouble. His life is awful and things are just getting worse. Instead of wallowing in the US, he decides to head to Italy to try to get away from everything.
There, he meets Louise (Nadia Hilker), a young lady who blows him off every chance she gets. Evan tries and tries, but gets nowhere…or does he? Eventually, she succumbs to his charms and they become friends…and something more.
But Louise has a secret. A very dark, foreboding secret. He asks her why she won’t allow herself to be with him, even though she obviously has feelings for him. She just won’t answer him. She just says that she can’t do it.
I don’t want to say too much about this movie because the slow reveal is half the fun. I will say, however, that Evan and Louise drew me into this film in ways that I never thought they would. This is a romantic movie above all, even with the darkness surrounding that love. See it and fall in love in Italy…against everyone’s advice.
