Its funny how horror seems to age like wine. for example, when i saw this movie was from 2015-2016 my first thought was
2016 hmmm... not a great year...
Darling is a 2015 American psychological horror film written and directed by Mickey Keating ans starring Lauren Ashley Carter . In need of a full-time caretaker to look after her house, an elegant and enigmatic Madame hires a lonely young woman; however, this is not an ordinary place. Indeed, this silent residence is the oldest building in the city, riddled with unpleasant stories of forbidden occult practices, and terrible rumor's of morbid hauntings. With such a reputation, most people would turn down the Madame's lucrative offer; nevertheless, this lovely caretaker is up to the task, even though, right from the start, peculiar occurrences and blood-curdling sounds that permeate the empty mansion's long corridors foretell an ominous fate. Under those circumstances, why is that room at the end of the hallway off-limits? Can the tormented keeper rid herself of the ever-growing voices inside her head?
After watching 1960s horror films while writing Darling, Keating said it felt "right and necessary" to shoot in monochrome and i am beyond glad that she did. this would be a very different film in full color, and black and white has a fabulous way of turning everyday objects and settings into pure fantasy via perspective. the whole movie takes place in a single apartment, and New York was very quickly chosen as a location to emphasize the alienation and detachment felt by Carter's character. Even though we are in a massive city it often feels like Carter is the only person in the world, and even before the spooks set in things feel dream like and bizarre. a lot like The Shinning The layout is intentionally confusing, the walls are mostly void of any pictures or paintings, and most of the time nothing feels real. the shots of New York in black and white make the whole thing feel like some elaborately constructed set or miniature, and those shots are some of the strongest in the whole movie.
The whole "Don't go in that room" thing creates a fair bit of suspense as well, but this mostly a simple tale of anxiety, paranoia, and good old fashion insanity or maybe legit ghosts either way this lady do be crazy. it does a hell of a lot to manipulate you emotionally with very little dialogue at all, and i love a movie that shows you what's happening and leaves it up to you to figure out what it all means. Is the homeowner some kind of witch who is fucking with her? is all of the horror in her own head? What motivates her murder? are those voices she is hearing the voice of somebody specific?
its quiet, in your face loud, meditative, gorgeously directed, violent as fuck, sexually frustrated, and does a great job of capturing how the total panic of anxiety can lead to extremely dangerous thought spirals that make you want to... well... throw yourself off of a building or go all Julia Cotton on some dude from the bar.
9/10
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