Curious Stories, Crooked Symbols

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Curious Stories, Crooked Symbols

May 18th 2010 23:40

The Eyes of Edward James short film poster

Curious Stories, Crooked Symbols (2009) is the name given to an anthology of the short films of Rodrigo Gudiño, the founder and publisher of the brilliant Canadian “horror in entertainment and culture” publication Rue Morgue. There are three twisted tales of murder, madness, and deception that have picked up a plethora of international prizes; The Eyes of Edward James (2006), The Demonology of Desire (2007), and The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow (2008).

The Eyes of Edward James is told through the point of view of a disturbed man, Edward James, undergoing hypnotherapy, who is being led through the events that led up to the grisly murder of his wife Sarah (Shahla Kareen) in their home, by his doctor. It seems that what James remembers that he saw is not what he wants to remember. The doctor takes him back through the last moments of that horrible evening. Something is not quite right. Someone else was definitely in the house apart from James and his wife. It’s not until the final image that the true level of deception is revealed like a flash of premonition.

This was a most creepy exercise in suspense. It felt like a Dario Argento giallo. Fantastic location shooting (all three levels of the home interior), moody lighting, and the voice-over exchange between James (Richard Underhill) and the doctor (Tal Zimerman) added further tension. A terror-ific first film.

The Demonology of Desire short film poster

The Demonology of Desire is a very weird account of a teenage girls disturbed fantasy, her perverted, demented concept of love; essentially that it must involve all manner of psychological and physical suffering, otherwise it isn’t true. Ramona (Bianca Rusu) makes a pray at movie’s start for the man of her (fucked-up) dreams, a dark prince charming to rescue her and make her feel what love is meant to feel like (in her depraved adolescent mind).

The Demonology of Desire Jewelia Fisico, Tudor Plopeanu, Bianca Rusu

Next day young Eric (Tudor Plopeanu) follows her home from school professing his love, which Ramona takes as her cue to put the poor boy through her gauntlet of desire. She introduces her friend Sarah (Jewelia Fisico) and the three of them end up in a dilapidated house where Ramona plays out her grand scheme, much to the detriment of Sarah and Eric … and a goblin in the basement.

Utterly original, deeply black in its comedy, and with a superb, stand-out performance from Bianca Rusu, this is one provocative nightmare. I didn’t quite understand all of Gudiño’s symbolic references, but I certainly enjoyed the short and sickly sweet journey. The longest of the three shorts at around 20 minutes, and sporting a fantastic credit sequence too!

The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow short film poster

I first saw The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow when it screened before The Broken (2008) at the third annual A Night of Horror international film festival. I was very impressed. This was one of the most unusual, striking, and brilliantly novel short films I’d ever seen. Over the course of five minutes a 1930s Gothic-style photograph of four suspicious-looking figures gathered in a forest is scrutinized, as if by magnifying glass, to reveal far more sinister and nightmarish detail.

The animation by Tomasz Dysinski is clever and stunning. The art direction (by Vincent Marcone) of the tableau is beautifully rendered, and the way the camera moves in and around the objects of the photo is stylish and disquieting, just the way a good bad dream operates. Think David Lynch meets Sergio Leone.

Rodrigo Gudiño wrote and directed all three shorts (with the exception of Mister Hollow which was co-directed with Vincent Marcone). Currently Gudiño is working on his first feature, Cut Throats Nine, a horror Western that follows the plight of a sergeant, his daughter, and seven murderous convicts over a mountain trail. With the wealth of inspiration his three short films throw up, I can’t wait to see what nightmare he delivers with his feature debut, set to be released next year.

Here's the trailer for The Eyes of Edward James:

Here's the trailer for The Demonology of Desire:

And here's the trailer for The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

6 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by JohnDoe

May 18th 2010 23:53

Film & TV on DVD

Sound like quality nightmare instigators Bryn,

I do love a good anthology, and as sub-genre the anthologies generally deliver more fright food for your buck.

I hadn't heard of these till now and review has enticed me.

Comment by Bryn

May 19th 2010 03:17

Horrorphile

JD, you'll love these. You can buy it on Amazon or through Rue Morgue website.

Comment by Bryn

May 19th 2010 23:08

Horrorphile

Anon, you're absolutely right! I'm not usually that absent-minded! Thanks for the heads up! How embarrassing!

Comment by Rob (Anonymous)

May 22nd 2010 19:42

Yeah, you're usually spot on. I wouldn't of known myself only I was trying to find it on Amazon UK. I can't find it however.

I always read your blog and watch the movies you recommend. My favorite recently is 'The Horseman'

Keep up the good work