Category: Film

Haunt-Tober 2023 Day 4: Storm of the Century

Posted on by Kstrouse

While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.

So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!

Storm of the Century is a captivating film that stands out in Stephen King‘s body of work. While not based on a book, King himself wrote the teleplay, showcasing his exceptional storytelling abilities. Presented as a miniseries, this production masterfully explores themes of isolation, the supernatural, and psychological introspection, leaving viewers with thought-provoking questions.

Set on Little Tall Island, Maine, the residents harbor deep secrets, guarding them with utmost care. However, this year, they face a snowstorm of unprecedented magnitude, with origins that extend beyond mere meteorology. As the storm rages on, an insidious evil emerges, ensnaring the community in a perilous and life-threatening situation.

source: ABC

At the center of this gripping tale is Mike Anderson, the island’s constable, portrayed brilliantly by Tim Daly. When a mysterious stranger arrives at the town hall, seeking something ominous, the stage is set for a harrowing sequence of events. Days pass, and the weather worsens, while the community becomes plagued by inexplicable occurrences and tragic deaths. The stranger possesses intimate knowledge of their darkest secrets, using it as a weapon to sow chaos and despair.

Storm of the Century unfolds within a claustrophobic and bone-chilling atmosphere, immersing the audience in a world of relentless dread. One of the standout performances comes from Colm Feore as the creatively menacing André Linoge, the villain of the story. Feore’s portrayal is wickedly devilish, and the dynamic between him and Mike Anderson is nothing short of captivating. It’s one of my favorite villains in any of King’s work.

Some of the supporting roles include Mike’s wife Molly Anderson (Debrah Farentino)and son Ralph Emerick “Ralphie” Anderson (Dyllan Christopher). There is also Robert Beals (Jeffrey DeMunn) the town manager and Alton Hatcher (Casey Siemaszko) as Mike’s best friend.

Beneath the surface, the story delves into profound questions of morality and the nature of evil itself. It challenges viewers to ponder what truly defines it, as Linoge’s horrifying request reveals the depths of human depravity. “Give me what I want and I will go away.”

Storm of the Century is a mesmerizing horror experience that combines atmospheric tension, compelling characters, and unsettling philosophical inquiries. It is a testament to Stephen King‘s storytelling prowess and shows the power of the human psyche when confronted with darkness.

It’s worth seeking out and remains one of the lesser seen of King’s resume. Don’t sleep on this one!

Today’s winner:

https://filminquiry.com/humix/video/05DFaaOJBi2

Haunt-tober 2023 Day 3: Psycho (1960)

Posted on by Kstrouse

While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.

So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-tober time!

Haunt-Tober offers a perfect opportunity to revisit and marvel at the brilliance of the iconic Hitchcock classic, Psycho.

It’s time to check in.

From the shocking early scene that removes our leading lady from the picture, to the jaw-dropping twists and Hitchcock’s signature style, this film never fails to astound.

When Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) arrives at the Bates Motel with $40,000 she has stolen from her boss, she has no idea the horror that awaits her. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), the proprietor of the motel, harbors his own dark secrets and desires, ready to be unleashed.

Janet Leigh, one of the original scream queens, is a true gem on screen. Her portrayal is a delicate balance of innocence and mystery, captivating the audience with every scene.

Hitchcock, the master of suspense, expertly weaves together elements such as lighting, production design, and camera angles to create an unparalleled sense of tension. Psycho seamlessly blends elements of slasher and psychological horror, delving deep into themes of identity and mental illness. Its cultural impact cannot be overstated, forever altering the course of horror history.

Absolutely, the screenplay by Robert Bloch and Joseph Stefano is a crucial element that shouldn’t be overlooked. Their writing and story creation are stellar, serving as the backbone of the project and allowing the talents of the actors and director to shine. The screenplay sets the stage for the suspense and psychological depth that Psycho is renowned for, making it a truly memorable and impactful film.

Anthony Perkins delivers an exquisitely creepy portrayal of Norman Bates, his shy smile hiding layers of depth and deception. The impeccable direction and skillfully crafted suspense are magnificently complemented by spine-tingling moments that will be always remembered.

Is Psycho worth the continued hype? Absolutely.

Stay tuned for more Haunt-Tober articles (one a day in fact) and more giveaways!

Today’s Winner:

Haunt-Tober 2023 Day 2: When Evil Lurks (2023)

Posted on by Kstrouse

While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.

So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!

This was an intriguingly twisted little indulgence. In the most unsettling way, it had me captivated, unable to tear my eyes away from the screen while wearing a visible grimace. Once When Evil Lurks establishes its rhythm, there’s no turning back; it devours characters without a hint of mercy, all in a brilliantly strange (and chillingly morbid) manner.

In the film, two brothers, Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón), make a startling discovery in the nearby woods, setting off a thrilling chain of events. From its gripping opening to its stunning conclusion, the movie maintains an electrifying and suspenseful atmosphere throughout.

Soon, a small group of townspeople must grapple with the challenge of disposing of the “rotten ”, a demon that is afoot, and it must be cleansed to prevent danger to them all, but following the necessary rules for this task proves to be no easy feat.

This rotten is like a festering wound, gruesome and queasy. There are several unforgettable sequences and images that will burrow deep into your psyche. This isn’t a film for the faint of heart by any means. 

Pedro emerges as the driving force, desperately striving to rescue his children and his ex-wife as things take a dark turn. What unfolds is a tangled web of distressing and emotionally harrowing events.

source: IFC Films

Directed by Demián Rugna, this film has the potential to be profoundly terrifying. Its tension is established early and its palpable ferocity never wanes. The supporting cast, including Luis Ziembrowski, Silvia Sabater, and Marcelo Michinaux, are all terrific. Each scene builds dread and enhances the eerie vibe.

This possession movie successfully breathes new life into the subgenre of horror, daring to take risks and delivering the kind of audacious and innovative experience that we crave.

When Evil Lurks doesn’t shy away from the horrific, keeping viewers on edge with a surplus of discomforting moments. It’s a film where you never truly feel anyone is safe. It’s bold and intensely bleak, and it is one of my favorite horror films of the year.

Stay tuned for more Haunt-Tober articles (one a day in fact) and more giveaways!

Today’s winner:

Haunt-Tober 2023 Day 1: In the Mouth of Madness

Posted on by Kstrouse

While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird. So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-tober time!

It seemed fitting to kick off Haunt-Tober and the month of Halloween by taking a look at one of the master’s works. And of course, I mean, Mr. John Carpenter.

John Carpenter undeniably stands out as one of the most influential and talented directors in the genre. His body of work is a treasure trove of unique experiences, often leaving audiences puzzled and astounded, all while ensuring a healthy dose of chills.

One of my personal favorites in his repertoire is the lovingly bizarre and aptly titled In the Mouth of Madness. The film revolves around a central mystery: the disappearance of horror novelist Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow), along with his unreleased manuscript. Insurance investigator John Trent (Sam Neill), prompted by Cane’s publisher Jackson Harglow (Charlton Heston), embarks on a quest to find him.

source: New Line Cinema

As John Trent embarks on his quest, he heads to a small town in New Hampshire accompanied by Linda Styles (Julie Carmen), Cane’s editor. In this quaint town, they encounter some truly peculiar townsfolk, and their journey is plagued by harrowing nightmares influenced by the author’s previous work.

Sam Neill’s portrayal of protagonist John Trent is pitch-perfect, and the film unfolds through his narrative while he resides in a mental institution regaling his story. It plays out like an unraveling of his psyche, and perhaps, in a way, ours too.

Reality <—-> Fiction

In the Mouth of Madness seamlessly shifts between comedy and horror in mere seconds, delivering some astonishingly random yet amazing scenes. It constructs a wonderfully weird atmosphere that effectively oscillates between spine-tingling creepiness and uproarious hilarity.

Is it a flawless masterpiece? Not quite, but somehow, its imperfections add to its charm. The film’s occasional messiness seems to align with the narrative’s unreliable nature, drawing us deeper into its enigmatic storytelling. Written by Michael De Luca and scored by Carpenter, there’s a symmetry in the combination of talent, making for a wild but fascinating experience.

Lovecraftian Insanity

In the Mouth of Madness is a film that defies expectations and promises to be an unsettling journey, leading us deep down a rabbit hole filled with haunting imagery and culminating in an unforgettable final shot. Imaginative and distinct, it’s a treat for all horror fans to embrace with plenty of tricks along the way.

Stay tuned for more Haunt-Tober articles (one a day in fact) and more giveaways!

Today’s winner:

Blood daughter: The Indie of Indies

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

When you have a deep love for the novel Dracula by Bram Stroker the obvious thing to do is to make a trilogy of films (started over thirty years ago) dedicated to a modern retelling of the tale. That’s exactly what writer and director Bryan Enk has done, starting with his first two titles from when he was still in college, 1993’s Dracula and 1994’s Dracula Returns. Of course both of these were made on a budget thinner than any thread known to humanity and shot on VHS using camcorders. When you have a love for storytelling, it doesn’t matter.

That brings us to this year and the film we are here to talk about, Blood Daughter, in a way a legacy sequel to Enk’s own films from the 90’s. The movie takes a few minutes to get going but once it does we learn that there is a cult that has been routinely recruiting people to be sent to the tower and become food for Dracula and the titular Blood Daughter (played by Alexandria Johnson). That’s just one of the many plots and subplots the film introduces us to, slowly bringing them all together at the end.

I Am All In A Sea Of Wonders

The film takes ideas and themes directly from Bram Stoker’s Dracula in order to inform the narrative of the piece, often taking lines directly off the page. At times the film had a very campy feel for everything that was happening until it hit me what I was watching. If you just let go and allow things to unfold (while reserving judgment) the movie is very much a stage-play. Sure, it’s filmed and the camera moves inform what it is that we are to be paying attention to but at the heart of Blood Daughter, it’s very much a play. An over the top one that didn’t take itself too seriously at times, but a play none the less. In a way, that’s what ended up making it fun for me.

The cast is extensive (all friends or favors that were called in by Enk) and included almost everyone that was involved in the original VHS epics from the 90’s. Returning for the conclusion of the tale were; Aaron Sinclair (Harker), John Klump (Renfield), Chuck Johnson (Van Helsing), and David Jarrell (Lord Henry). Whether you enjoyed the varying levels of acting talent from those involved or not, the one thing that you cannot argue with is, they were having a blast. It was like watching one of the home movies that we all made when we were younger but made by adults who haven’t yet forgotten how to have fun. We should all make at least one of these films if we truly love cinema.

Conclusion

Blood Daughter won’t win any awards, and it certainly won’t change the landscape of Hollywood for better or for worse, but that’s kind of the point. Enk rounded up the people he wanted to work with and went out and made the film that he wanted to make. It was a pure passion project by everyone involved and when you have art like that it doesn’t deserve to be ignored or ran into the ground, it should be seen and enjoyed for what it is. Someone’s hard work, finished and put on screen. It takes a lot to see something through from start to finish so for that alone it’s worth a view.

I will say that despite the fact that I wasn’t completely on board with the acting or the camera moves (or lack of camera moves) or the sound design and effects, the movie did exactly what it set out to do. It made a campy little conclusion to the films Enk made in college and even expanded on the lore a little. It had a definite beginning, middle, and end, and it was entertaining.

I do like stumbling upon movies like this, they’re like little secrets that only a handful of people are in on. In this case I think if you have just under two hours to kill, you should seek Blood Daughter out and give it a watch. Supporting Indie filmmakers is always important and this film can use the word of mouth. They all put in their time, you can give them a little of yours.

TIFF 2023: Sleep

Posted on by Kstrouse

Sleep is a riveting, haunting, and thought-provoking delight. It’s one of my favorite films thus far during this year’s Toronto Film Festival and was quite a surprise.

I’m still thinking about it now, wondering what I believe truly occurred. The staying power alone makes me recommend this one to the masses.

Sleep follows the lives of Soo-jin (Jung Yu-mi) and Hyun-su (Lee Sun-kyun), a blissful couple awaiting the arrival of their first child.

Their serene life takes an eerie turn when Hyun-su, in the middle of the night, whispers the chilling phrase, “someone’s inside.” This sets the stage for a sequence of events, each escalating in intensity and creepiness.

Under the expert direction of Jason Yu, the film exudes an unnerving discomfort that is both immediate and relentless. The plot oscillates between Hyun-su’s perceived paranoia and the potential of a supernatural occurrence, suggesting that he might be possessed. However, as he begins to see a doctor and take medication, his condition shows signs of improvement, infusing the narrative with a gripping uncertainty.

This element of unpredictability fuels the intrigue of this psychological thriller, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting a catharsis. It slowly irks toward the finale and while the ending may not pack the sort of punch one might hope for, it’s still effective.

The fragility of new parents, distrust of spouse, especially with a new mother potentially dealing with postpartum depression and the question of one’s own sanity, are powerful thematic elements.

While there are some terrific jump scares it is the additional inertia of certainty combined with an overwhelming desire for such answers, that makes this a potent psychological cocktail.

This feature debut exudes an undeniable prowess, leaving me eagerly anticipating future projects. The cinematic framing is executed with remarkable finesse, and the performances are nothing short of mesmerizing. I challenge anyone to identify another film from this year that demonstrates the same audaciousness and daring originality that this film so boldly exhibits.

The meticulously crafted screenplay, combined with the exceptional acting performances and the masterfully set mood, elevates Sleep as one of the best horror films of the year.

Sleep had its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF 2023: Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Posted on by Kstrouse

Under the direction of Ariane Louis-Seize, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person interrogates a novel premise: What if a vampire harbors an inherent distaste for consuming human blood? This unique narrative is wonderfully woven with elements of compassion, humor, and ingenuity.

The narrative orbits around the adolescent vampire, Sasha (Sara Montpetit), who finds herself wrestling with the morbid expectations of her lineage. Her vampiric pedigree necessitates a diet of human blood, yet she finds herself at odds with this gruesome reality. Especially when it comes to taking a life.

From the first frame, I was instantly drawn in by the film’s quirky introduction. Sasha forms an unexpected emotional connection with a clown at her birthday party, oblivious to the fact that he was intended to be her inaugural feast, a tradition anticipated by her vampire kin.

The film deftly navigates the tumultuous waters of emotional trauma and compassion. Sasha’s father (Steve Laplante) exhibits empathy for her quandary, while her mother (Sophie Cadieux) insists on adherence to their vampiric tradition. Sasha’s refusal to succumb to her nature threatens her existence, leading her to find solace in meetings for individuals coping with depression. Upon crossing paths with the suicidal teenager, Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard), Sasha perceives a potential resolution.

Their relationship evolves into an unconventional alliance, with Sasha striving to circumvent the necessity of ending his life. She posits the fulfillment of a final wish – to retaliate against his oppressor, Henry.

Despite some of the macabre elements, it exudes an endearing sweetness, effortlessly dismantling the barriers of societal norms. It encapsulates the essence of adolescent romanticism and life’s tribulations through a lens of humor and poignant commentary.

source: Toronto International Film Festival

The film’s subdued color palette aligns with its tonal subtleties, while the remarkable performances of the young leads imbue the narrative with a sense of depth.

This melancholic dark comedy breathes new life into the vampire subgenre and emerged as an unexpected gem at this year’s festival, which I found utterly captivating.

Christine Doyon‘s script is a triumphant display of wit and deadpan humor. Sophie Cadieu delivers a stellar performance, her stoic resolve gradually unveiling a captivating expressiveness.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person intertwines elements of romance and a profound exploration of humanity. The film is a heartwarming and inventive cinematic experience that offers a refreshing deviation from conventional vampire narratives, proving both enthralling and unforeseen.

Simultaneously presenting a tale of supernatural creatures and an exploration of the human psyche, it leaves a lasting impression.

With an artful blend of dark comedy, fantasy, romance, and humanistic exploration, it’s a beacon of inventive filmmaking and is certain to delight discerning viewers.

Let’s breathe new life into familiar tropes or rather… get some fresh blood.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person had its premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Tribeca Film Festival: One Night With Adela

Posted on by Kstrouse

The midnight section of the Tribeca Film Festival is always a place for adventure. It’s one I escape to fondly and with open arms as it frequently allows for some interesting creative dives, and showcases genre-bending curiosities.

It also gives first-time directors such as Hugo Ruíz, the opportunity to present a bold vision, as with his film on this year’s slate: One Night With Adela. It’s got bravado in its positioning and angered temperament that will prove to be wholly divisive among viewers.

Set in Madrid in real time and edited as one shot, we ride with street sweeper Adela (Laura Galán) as she releases a vengeful pursuit of the city. She calls into a nightly radio show as Ariel, where she admits to the host that she intends to inflict pain, but how and why is yet to be seen.

Her motives or backstory aren’t clear in the beginning, but her rage is palpable. What culminates is a mix of drugs, violence, and sex that tests the viewer’s patience and constitution.

Laura Galán is fantastic. Coming off of another similarly paced, (but much clearer in its intentions) film, Piggy, the actress again commits and truly embodies Adela. She captivates as much as she infuriates but she never lets her command of the camera falter.

“A Human Wreck.”

The choice to film Adela as one long shot over the course of a whirlwind of a night is a stylistic choice that mostly pays off. Aesthetically, the movie strives to match the woe of our lead with the backdrop of a sullen and desperate city in the throes of late night.

source: Tribeca Film Festival

There are some intriguing moments and clever vehicles for tension building such as a scene where the camera stays fixed on a television set while a nature show talks about cuckoo birds, and Adela moves around off-screen. Unsure of what she is up to, unease permeates.

Each encounter speaks a warning, and when a shocking reveal occurs it effectively lives in your stomach.

The final sequence becomes too much of a monologue and while it provides some insight that shows her actions aren’t random but premeditated, it removes some of the previous, slowly built agony that we join her for. It adds some distinction, but it doesn’t necessarily add a lot of depth. In a way, I preferred the uncertainty.

I felt conflicted throughout the movie, often wondering if I admired or admonished some of the choices. In the end, it was both. By no means a perfect film, laden with miscalculations, I couldn’t get Galán out of my mind. Something tells me that’s exactly what Adela would want.

An ambitious project and dizzying bewilderment of excess and impulsivity, One Night With Adela may not have an entirely winning hand, but it goes all in.

One Night With Adela premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

Cinematic Nightmare Candy: Becky & Evil Dead Rise

Posted on by Kstrouse

Welcome to Cinematic Nightmare Candy. Providing your horror sweet tooth its (hopefully) terrifying fix.

For this Cinematic Nightmare Candy, I catch up with two films with festival origins, one from 2020 and one from this year. Each are fairly short, with their own flair and full of savage delights.

Becky (Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion)

source: Quiver Distribution

With the sequel coming out soon, it seemed time to dig into this violent foray!

Becky (Lulu Wilson) is a stubborn, grieving teen who doesn’t make it easy for her father (Joel Mchale) when he takes her and their two dogs to a remote cabin to spend some quality time.

To make things worse, he doesn’t let Becky know when he invites his girlfriend Kayla (Amanda Brugel) and Kayla’s young son Ty (Isaiah Rockcliffe). What starts off as an awkward familial situation quickly turns dire, when the worst situation imaginable becomes a nightmare.

While relationship discord spikes, escaped convicts and white supremacists Dominick (Kevin James), Apex (Robert Maillet), Cole (Ryan McDonald), and Hammond (James McDougall), show up in search of a mysterious key. What the Key is or does remains a secret, but this group is willing to do whatever it takes to find it.

They take the family hostage, but Becky, having retreated to her childhood hideout, is on the loose. When she realizes what’s happening, the anger that she’s carefully held deep down is released in a fury of blood and vengeance.

In other words: don’t fuck with Becky.

The Key to Carnage

They underestimate the scrappy 13-year-old at every brutal turn, and she makes their mistakes, fatal.

Kevin James is quite convincing as the menacing lead villain. It’s a funny, vicious turn for the commonly portrayed family man. Their rapport makes for some interesting comedic moments and biting scenes of disarray. One in particular, with the cutting off of a dislocated eyeball, will have you squirm.

For its simple premise, Becky has a lot of meat on its bones. With elaborate kills and resourceful survival skills, this young badass doesn’t shy away from a cumulation of assaults. The fast pace bodes well as this home invasion premise becomes an intelligently written and vicious tale of vengeance.

Becky is by no means a horror/thriller that lives in reality or seems entirely original, but the revelry imbued in its core makes it a worthy watch. With a terrific lead performance and an overall energetic mood, there’s more than meets the eye.

Evil Dead Rises (Lee Cronin)

source: Warner Bros. Pictures

Evil Dead Rise, the newest of the franchise, hopes to connect a built-in fan base with new horror lovers. While it doesn’t quite reach the epic commune of horror and comedy as its predecessors, it has some fun and deliciously twisted shocks.

I admire what the film set out to do. It aims to carry the torch, but also add some new, gory flames.

This focuses more on family. Facing an upcoming eviction, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and her three children are visited by her younger sister Beth (Lily Sullivan). Beth is a music technician who, after discovering she’s pregnant decides to visit.

Evil Dead Rise teases a cabin-lake story but instead settles into an apartment building that’s on the verge of being destroyed. The inhabitants come across a vault that contains some ancient, insidious text.

“I gotta kill the creepy crawlies that I got inside my tummy.”

Lee Cronin brings some new context to the story but doesn’t utilize it as much I had hoped. What transpires is an adrenaline rush, to be sure, and will undoubtedly please most looking for an onslaught of deaths and disturbing visuals. I admire the decision to shift the locale and I think it has shining elements that showcase creativity. If I separate myself from my love for the previous entries, I can appreciate this horror for its disturbing take.

Alyssa Sutherland‘s Ellie and her performance as the misery-loving deadite is one of my favorite aspects. She has some killer lines and distorted moves, which are increased by the limited space and isolated apartment floor.

There’s no shortage of chaos or kills, or blood. Some characters seem like fodder and don’t have much depth. While others garner more screen time, but still aren’t as fully fleshed out as one would hope. Flesh though, there’s plenty. It also features some throwbacks to the originals, including a voice cameo from Bruce Campbell and a showing of the versatility of a chainsaw.

If you have a weak stomach or are faint at heart, most likely you won’t be tuning in. It veers into disgusting as often as it can. While sadistic and amusing, pacing issues stifle some of the enjoyment of watching one of the worst family reunions on screen.

After an opening that effectively sets the tone, the film takes a few plotted steps back. The creepiness is shelved for gory exploits. A real misstep was the lack of the campy humor that the originals had in spades. There are moments of humor entwined with entrails and special effects, but it feels at odds with the other serious tones. The camera work is impressive, but even that is eventually ratcheted up to a frenzy.

Evil Dead Rises is a formidable yuck-fest which some tricks up its bloody sleeves, but it doesn’t quite nail the groovy nature of its predecessors.

Both are available digitally.

A Woman Kills (1968)

Posted on by Kstrouse

Restored by Radiance films, written and directed by Jean-Denis Bonan, and emerging over 40 years later, A Woman Kills is a stylish and gritty French new wave noir that taunts and disturbs in equal measure.

The city is at unease as prostitutes are being found murdered in a similar fashion to crimes already seen. But, serial killer Hélène Picard has already been caught and executed. Is it a copycat?

source: Radiance Films

It follows investigating officer Solange (Solange Pradel) who is having a relationship with the strange, executioner Louis Guilbeau (Claude Merlin). With his regaling of executions, mysterious Louis gives off a twisted vibe from the onset, but as the film unfolds, we see how far that goes.

A Woman Kills feels psychological, social and political. It encapsulates the era and the strife of the time. The film feels unencumbered by one defined genre, instead burgeoning into a unique hybrid that feels procedural and experimental simultaneously.

The Psyche of a Killer

With narration (Bernard Letrou) that feels calculated and indifferent, and camerawork that aims for claustrophobic and dizzying, one of the most memorable elements of A Woman Kills is its unyielding presence. Monochromic filming and genre blending make it a unique presence in cinematic history.

The unsettling songs written by Daniel Leloux add an intriguing layer to an already unnerving jazzy score. With a temperament that’s Avant Garde yet borders on imperceptible at times, the film carries itself boldly and confident which makes the feat admirable, especially for 1968.

source: Radiance Films

Any disconnected or disjointedness that it suffers from further invokes curiosity. The film’s format, which is odd to say the least, plays like a series of distorted snapshots that infuriates and unbalances the audience.

As a surreal portrait it still holds onto a tangible embodiment, simmering with the strife of the May 68 movement. The historical discord is felt in each step, while the music and narration orchestrate a discomforting journey. Visually and sonically, A Women Kills is masterful. It’s got wry commentary that marries words and images to alluring effect.

The work of cinematographer Gérard de Battista is playfully bleak, following the victims through the street like a documentary. It pairs well with the 68 minute runtime and never over stays its welcome. A Woman Kills chooses visual prowess over narrative substance, with the mystery weak in comparison to the presence of its visage.

While it draws comparisons to other French New Wave films of the time, as well as masters of psychological horrors like Hitchcock, A Woman Kills paves its own path.

I would have loved to have seen more of Solange Pradel, who was compelling but didn’t get enough screen time. Otherwise, the acting works, even if some of the plot points don’t always click as some of the choices, including the “reveal” haven’t aged well.

Despite any narrative concerns, a perceived lack of confidence in the script, and perhaps a product of the controversy and dismay of the time, I was hooked. A Woman Kills was tucked away for many decades and in ways, it has become crystallized.

There’s a beauty in the madness that makes this bizarre piece resonate. A Woman Kills is a bold undertaking, and it’s worth discovering.