Directed by: Christophe Gans
Starring: Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Laurie Holden, Deborah Kara Unger, Alice Krige
Having seen Christophe Gans’ Silent Hill (2006) a few more times since its release, I’m no longer much bothered by its somewhat clunky opening (though it still is clunky), but I still dislike its pointless final scene intensely. That said, I definitely believe this is one of the best horror films of the 21st century—certainly, it’s one of the creepiest. It also proves that—despite most evidence to the contrary—that it is indeed possible to make a good film out of a video game. More, it makes it clear that you can make a film out of a video game that requires no familiarity with the game. The premise of the film—a little girl is mysteriously connected and drawn to a supposedly deserted town where a coal fire has been burning beneath the surface for 30 years—is strong, but the execution of the horrors hidden in that town (or, more to the point, the alternate reality of that town) are among the most effective imaginable. The explanation of it all—or parts of it—are pretty obvious, but the things we see are nothing short of nightmarish. It’s a nightmare with the advantage of a sense of solidity, since the film eschews CGI work whenever possible, using it only as a last resort, or in intelligent conjunction with more traditional effects work. If you’ve never seen this modern gem of horror, you should. If you have, you should give it another look.
The Thursday Horror Picture Show will screen Silent Hill Thursday, June 30, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.
Commenters email addresses are never displayed. Do not insert HTML code.
To create a live link, simply type the URL (without http://) and it will be active.
|
Some of the most haunting images I’ve ever seen are in this film. |
 Jul 04, 2011 at 2:18 PM |
|
Did you come revisit them last Thursday? If not, why not? |
Jul 04, 2011 |
|
Sorry Ken. I really enjoyed the one time we made it out there. 3rd time we’d been out in the evening since March of ‘06. It’s been a while since we’ve had a babysitter we trust. |
Jul 04, 2011 at 3:11 PM |
|
Not yet old enough for Silent Hill? |
Jul 04, 2011 |
|
3 years ago, I found him awake one night watching Kubrick’s Shining. Long hallways and tricycles are fascinating when you are two. So are breasts. “No green lady in my bath tonight!” |
Jul 04, 2011 at 5:31 PM |
|
Some guys never get past two. |
Jul 05, 2011 |
