(2000)
6-4-03 |
Directed by: Jeremy Kasten Starring: Andras Jones, Jeffrey Combs, Seth Green, Ted Raimi |
For a straight-to-video movie, The Attic Expeditions is refreshingly good (and strange). Originally written as the fourth installment of the Witchcraft series, Expeditions was seen as too good to be thrown away on the franchise, and was reworked into a stand-alone movie. The end result is a very entertaining film reminiscent of Lost Highway, a David Lynch freak-out. Halfway through the movie Trevor wakes up from his coma all over again, remembering everything about the House of Love, and the murders. The already strange events get even stranger, and the end leaves you burrowing into your own skull with your index finger (or a suitable replacement if you lack said appendage). In the end everything does make a kind of sense if you make a few assumptions of your own. (And somewhere an English teacher cries at such flagrant use of the word "you" in this review) This kind of a story relies on suitable atmosphere determined by the direction, set design, and acting. Jeremy Kasten does a very good job directing; the film moves along very well, and is occasionally accentuated with an amazingly framed shot. Also, the set design really works for the story. The House of Love looks as if the Fruit Stripes Zebra had exploded inside it (you do remember Fruit Stripes Gum...). We get to see what blood looks like on many different colors. The only thing that slightly compromises the mood is the fact that Jones, for the first few scenes, is not very convincing. He does get over it, though, and acts much better later on. The Attic Expeditions is a great film, especially since it's not afraid to confuse the crap out of you. This is a low-budget (somewhat) indie movie done well, a rarity in our experience. Watch it before you answer that knocking in the attic... |
