Return of The Zombie
This week I want to talk about the film ‘The Lords Of Salem’, the latest film from writer/director/ rock god. The film is the third release from the Haunted Movies production company, the first two being ‘Paranormal Activity’ and ‘Insidious’.
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It is the story of rock DJ, Heidi (, in her best role to date) who lives and works in Salem. 400 years earlier her ancestors, along with many other in the town, were responsible for the deaths of a coven of witches. Now the witches are back for a gloriously grisly revenge. Heidi, who is also a recovering drug addict, is sent a mysterious record, which she ends up playing on air. The record contains ominous, atonal music, that send many of the women who listen to the broadcast into strange trances.
Can local historian Frances, and Heidi’s fellow Dj, ‘Whitey’ save her from the clutches of an evil modern day coven, or will they succeed in resurrecting the long dead witches, and usher in the anti christ.
That is the plot of this film, many have complained online that it is a very thin plot, but by the standards of some horror films I think it is a strong enough plot. I was shocked that with the big name director, and big name production company, that this film didn’t receive a cinema release here in the UK, instead I stumbled upon it in ASDA’s DVD section, when I was expecting to see it at the cinema. This however is a sad trend in horror in the UK, great recent films like ‘VHS’ and ‘The Bay’ have bypassed the multiplexes entirely.
People who are fans of Zombie’s earlier films like ‘House of 1000 Corpses’, ‘The Devil’s Rejects’ and his two ‘Halloween’ movies, might very well go into this film expecting more of the same. The sort of in your face, brutal, action packed horror we have come to expect from Mr Zombie. ‘The Lords OF Salem’ however, is a very different beast. It is a slow burner, that gradually builds up the tension. Zombie’s visual style is still apparent in many of the scenes and design choices, but this film is not like his homages to 70’s horror by the likes of Wes Craven and John Carpenter. This film is much more akin to a different breed of seventies horror. Zombie excels in showing where his influences lie, without ever copying them. I saw hints of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ by Polanski, ‘The Exorcist’ by Freidkin and most notably ‘The Shining’ by Kubrick, these films were woven into the fabric of Zombie’s own visual style.
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However it is Dario Argento’s supernatural masterpiece ‘Suspiria’ that most springs tom mind when watching ‘The Lords Of Salem’. They are both films about witchcraft, about vulnerable women falling prey to covens, and about dark secrets from the past. The most striking similarity between the two films though is the feeling of unease that both create whilst watching them (and late at night after watching them). There are jump scares in ‘Lords’, but they are more subtle than in many films. There is gore, but it is not as disturbing as the acts that create it. Like the first time I watched ‘Suspiria’ I felt an unsettling feeling of unreality, and unpredicatbility whilst watching ‘Lords’. There are many bizarre, and disturbing sequences in the film. Some of these are Heidi’s nightmares, but as the film progresses the line between reality and dreams seems to blur, and become unclear. Some would argue that it is style over substance in these scenes, but I disagree with that. Yes they overtly stylised, but they serve a purpose of creating unease, which they do very successfully.
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If you like your horror, fast and action packed, and neatly resolved, with a clear delineation between good and evil, then ‘Lords’ is not for you. However, if you enjoy a slow burn of tension, and genuinely unsettling films, that ask more questions of you than they answer, then you will really enjoy this film. I am a fan of ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ and his ‘Halloween’ movies, but in my opinion this is Rob Zombie’s greatest movie to date. It shows a real skill for creating atmosphere, and hypnotically disturbing visuals. I am going to give this film 10/10.
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