The Others

I don't think I've reviewed this film before. After so many years, (and so many reviews) it's hard to tell. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but when I say, I'm a huge fan of horror movies, what I really mean is, I'm a huge fan of Ghost Stories. I suppose it says something about my belief in other worlds (and, worlds after this one) that I believe in ghosts. I've never seen one, but I think I'm the type that would try to speak to one if I did. There's a great character in the novel I'm currently working on (I am? Damn! I haven't written any on that novel in many months. Slacking!) who believes in the possibility of everything. And he likes to try to reason with ghosts. But, ghosts can be pretty unreasonable.

As I said in my review for 'The Invasion,' I'm a huge fan of Nicole Kidman. She's always stunning and a great actor. While watching 'The Others' last night (with Bean! Bean is back! Hooray!), I said, she'd make a great Narrator for 'The Yellow Wallpaper.' That's one of my favorite short stories. I like all stories about people going insane. The mind is fascinating. Scary sometimes, but still fascinating.

But as to 'The Others..'

Set in a classicly Gothic bazillion-room mansion, complete with surrounding fog, curtains which must be closed at all times (the children are photosensitive!), and doors which must be locked (We cannot let any light in! What??), this story was a success in theaters due to the twist ending. In case you haven't seen this film, I won't spoil the ending.

Grace Stewart (Kidman) and her two children live in a huge mansion, around the time of World War I. Her husband has gone off to war, and has never returned. Believing her children to have adverse reactions to sunlight, she has closed every curtain in the place, keeps it in total darkness at all times (except for candlelight), and feels she must lock doors behind her as she goes from room to room. The servants have 'disappeared,' and conveniently, three travelers show up, who just happen to be former servants of the house (before Grace's time).

So, Grace hires these new servants, who consist of an older woman, an older man, and a younger, mute woman. Grace struggles with the discipline of her daughter, Anne, who tells her mother she sees people in the house, specifically a boy named Victor. Grace doesn't believe in ghosts; after all, her religious upbringing has taught her that we won't see spirits until the End of Days. And so Anne is admonished, her brother Nicholas is terrified of Victor and other people he hears, and Grace remains oblivious to it all, trying to keep herself together.

After hearing furniture moving upstairs, when no one is there, and other odd coincidences, Grace finally realizes something might have to be done, and she says she'll go get the local priest, so that he can exorcise whatever's there. She makes it as far as woods, where she meets her husband. Is all well now that he's back? Not quite. He seems odd and distracted, and he stays for a short while, then leaves again.

Grace begins to suspect the housekeepers of this foul play and the maddening things that begin to happen. When she confronts them, gun drawn, well, it's a great moment in horror-moviedom, and a great moment in this ghost story.

I can't go into what happens next, but it was the best part of the film, as Grace begins to understand what's happening in her house. And the child actors who portray Anne and Nicholas were fabulous! The mood was so 'Bronte' that I had to love it. All it needed was a moor and it might have been another Bronte novel, without the romance.

I loved this film, because it had that mood that gave me a genuinely uneasy feeling, yet there was nothing gross or disgusting about it. This is what I mean when I say, I love horror films. Because at the core, you felt horrified at the situation these characters were in, and the mood carried over into your subsconscious. I'm sure most of us remember the spoof of Michael Jackson under a white communion dress, yelling his head off in fright? That was a spoof of a famous scene from this film. Except here, it wasn't Michael Jackson that Grace found under her daughter's communion dress; it was something much more disturbing. If that's possible. haha

Grade: A+

In other news, Bean gave 'Georgia Rule' an A+. I think Bean may have lost her mind whilst she was gone. haha 'Georgia Rule' was ok; I'd give it a C at best. Kind of generic in plot but the actors were all good.

Have a good Monday!