HONEST FILM REVIEWS
HORROR FILMS
THE CAT & THE CANARY (USA 1927) Directed by Paul Leni
Two decades after Cyrus West passes, his surviving relatives are called together at his old mansion for the reading of his last will and testament. They soon find out that everything has been left to his niece Annabelle, although only if she can be judged as legally sane. So when the family reluctantly settle down for the night and word reaches them that a murdered known as The Cat has escaped the local asylum, tensions rise and imaginations run wild triggering a host of horrifying events that terrorise them all – leading to the jealous family members questioning the very sanity of the innocent Annabelle!
A classic slice of Hollywood cinema gets a stunning 4K restoration in this new Blu-ray release from Eureka Video as part of their Masters Of Cinema series. Coming up on its 100th birthday, Paul Leni's horror masterpiece, The Cat & The Canary, is still as entertaining and as beautifully impressive today as it was upon release. Released as part of their Masters Of Cinema series, the packed Blu-ray delivers a stunning restoration that highlights the incredible work of Leni – from his inspiration of German expressionism to his inventive cinematography, its surreal set pieces and camera trickery to its beautiful art direction. Setting the mark for Hollywood horror movies of the 1930s, The Cat & The Canary is the first film adaptation of the popular John Willard stage play from 1922 offering viewers a wonderful blend of horror and comedy that became a staple part of classic film-making.
Although it is slowly creeping up on its 100th birthday, The Cat & The Canary is still hailed by many today as the definitive haunted-house movie – and it most definitely holds up. Starring a wonderful cast of its time including Laura La Plante, Creighton Hale, Forrest Stanley, Tully Marshall, and Gertrude Astor, it has seen many remakes over the decades that followed, yet none have ever really bettered what Paul Leni and his team brought to the screen. For its first-ever Blu-ray release, Eureka offer fans a host of wonderful extra features including two very fun and very informative audio commentaries – the first from film critic Kim Newman and author Stephen Jones, and the second with Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby respectively. The featurette titled Mysteries Mean Dark Corners is an interesting 29 minute video essay from David Cairns and Fiona Watson on the film and those it inspired, with film critic Pamela Hutchinson delivering an insightful 13 minute piece on the classic and film critic Phuong Le delivering a similar piece that runs for just under 10 minutes. There's two short extracts from John Willard's play voiced over shots from the film based on which characters are speaking. These run for just over 5 minutes in length and, while they aren't the most suited voices to what's on screen, certainly make for a fun watch. The final piece is a newly voiced piece over an old add for Lucky Strike cigarettes that featured director Paul Leni in his promotion for the product and how it got him through filming. It's an interesting addition that completes an enjoyable array of extras alongside this classic piece of cinema.
All in all, The Cat & The Canary 4K restored Blu-ray release from Eureka is a must for any true cinephile and those keen to know where the haunted-house movie really began. Released on April 22nd, the first run of the Blu-ray is limited to 2000 copies and comes with a limited edition slipcase. (4/5) George @invincibleasia
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STRANGE DARLING (USA 2024) Directed by JT Mollner
Shot entirely on 35mm (as it's opening title card states), Strange Darling is an independent feature told over 6 chapters in non-chronological order – just to make your brain work a little harder and help shake off any predictability that may be lurking in this, otherwise, serial killer-thriller. Based on a supposed true story taken from many interviews, police reports and other data, the film plays like a cat and mouse chase between a victim and a killer who will stop at nothing – or let no-one stop them along the way!
The second feature from director JT Mollner; a commercial and music video director who made his debut with the Western-thriller Outlaws & Angels in 2016 that starred Chad Michael Murray, Luke Wilson and Teri Polo – Strange Darling is a slickly made and intense piece that keeps you watching from the get-go, with Mollner doing a fantastic job in the directors chair. Interestingly, the film was beautifully captured by Avatar (2009) and Boiler Room (2000) actor Giovanni Ribisi, who also served as one of the films' producers, and makes his debut here as a feature film cinematographer (after shooting a few music videos beforehand). Complimented by some stunning lighting and scenic beauty, Ribisi delivers a gorgeously shot film that makes Strange Darling stand tall as one of the most beautiful independent productions of recent years.
Aside from its great direction and stunning visuals, the film is carried by it's two main stars – victim and killer – played brilliantly by Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. Having enjoyed her performances in the Scream (2015) television series and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), I was keen to see how Willa would deliver her role here as The Lady; a smart-talking street girl with a passion for rough sex; absolutely miles away from her role as the law abiding sheriff in the fantastic Amazon Prime series, Reacher (2022). Without divulging too much, it goes without saying that she did an amazing job here and really proved herself as a no-nonsense performer. Equally, the handsome Kyle Gallner is fantastic as The Demon – a man pulled into a bizarre night of sex games with The Lady whose actions lead to even more madness (although I certainly don't want to give too much away). Previously impressing in the Veronica Mars (2004) television series and it's follow-up, Play It Again Dick (2014), along with films such as The Haunting in Connecticut (2009), Red State (2011), Scream (2022) and Smile (2022), Gallner – much like his co-star – proves once again that he should be acting in much bigger studio projects.
As it's non-linear story unfolds, viewers are brought to the edge of their seat more than once as twist after twist unfolds (which keeps me from making this review as in-depth as I want to), and just when you think it's about to come to an end – it surprises us once again! And while I'm quite a bit late in getting round to reviewing this electrifying and clever thriller, I'm still quite happy to state that it is indeed one of the best films of it's genre released in 2024. Recently released by Icon Film Distribution in stunning 4K UHD here in the UK and Ireland, Strange Darling is a film worth going into blind to gain the full effect of it's intense and surprising storyline. Beautifully done, gripping, and violent, with a dash of black humour, this is one twisted experience you won't forget too quickly! (4/5) George @invincibleasia
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