As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....
Horror films have evolved a LOT in the past decade or so. It used to be that they were stuffed in the corner of the theaters and movie rental places, relinquished to the shadows for only those who are looked upon as the 'freaks' of society. However, with the 'Deathwave' movement and bigger names taking ownership of their love of the genre, we're seeing something new. Horror that is earning honors from the mainstream. Now, this isn't something any of us were looking or asking for. We were happy to have them all to ourselves, but with films like 'Get Out' winning academy awards and directors like Eli Roth making family friendly fright fests, the tide has turned a bit. That's what brings us to 2017's 'A Ghost Story' written and directed by David Lowery. A film that isn't your traditional haunting horror and may even be a borderline entry into the genre. This is a more of a beautiful story about love, longing and loss with an element of the supernatural. Where as Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead's 'Spring' (2014) was a bit more traditional with it's use of a monster and blood while still being a love story, this film is light on the scares and more focused on the central core of the story. I, personally, still feels like it should be included in the horror lexicon, despite those missing elements. Horror doesn't have to be all about the scare factor or how many gallons of blood are used. Sometimes the horror is hidden in the meaning behind the film. In this case, finding that someone you want to always be with and having them taken from you, swiftly and violently. Only for the viewer to find out that they've never really gone. It's a meditation on the things that go bump in the night and what they may truly be. Perhaps it's someone you cared about that just doesn't know how to let go yet. This film takes a tried and true tradition of the white sheet ghost and turns it into something else. Not something sinister and out to kill you, but something that just doesn't realize that their time is over. It's a haunting story that will leave you with a lingering sense of wonder and maybe even a sense of calm, knowing that the noise you hear may not have been something to be afraid of. Rather, that noise may have been something else. The truest representation of undying love.
The story begins with our main characters 'C' (played by Casey Affleck) and 'M' (played by Rooney Mara). A young couple who have their problems, but are still in love. We find them in the beginning, living their lives and representing the day to day of a young married couple. While in bed one night, they hear a sound and crash on the piano in their living room. After investigating the noise, they come to find nothing. As the story moves ahead, 'C' is eventually killed in an auto accident. While still in the morgue, we see his body rise from the table, covered in the sheet that was draped over him, but with black eye holes where his eyes would have been. He makes his way back to his home and begins to watch over 'M'. As the transition of time occurs, we slowly see her move on with her life and eventually leaves their home. Resigned to stay behind, the ghost watches as others move in and out and time marches on. All the while, he keeps scratching at the dividing wall between the kitchen and the living room, but for reasons unknown until the end. Soon, the house is torn down and replaced with a building and the ghost still lingers there. He finally takes a plunge off of the top of it, only to be transported back to before the house was built. Back to when the land was first settled. Time begins to move forward again and eventually the house where he begins, is built again. Soon, he sees 'M' and 'C move in for the first time. Frustrated by the circular turn that his life has taken, he ends up being the sound that was heard at the beginning of the film. What happens from there, you will just need to see on your own. It's a moment of pure sadness and relief and one that left an impression with me, that hasn't left since I first saw it happen.
There are several moments in this film that raise questions on the afterlife and what happens to us when we die. There is also very little dialogue or the use of a traditional narrative structure. While the story has a beginning, middle and an end, it's not in the sense of what your average film would provide. Also, so much of it relies on the characters actions or lack there of. It's simple and quite beautiful. In one scene, 'C' sees another ghost in the house next door. It seems to be doing the same thing he is and is waiting for the resident to come back. They communicate, but only in silence. The audience is provided subtitles to know what their conversation is. It's a couple of simple moments, but it makes your heart hurt, none the less. There is also a scene that I'm sure many people may find off putting or unnecessary, but it made perfect sense to me, in regard to the tone that David was going for with the entire piece. The scene I'm referring to, is when 'M' comes home from the funeral. A relative or friend has come by and left a pie for her, as you do with people who have lost loved ones. 'M' comes home to find it on the counter and proceeds to eat the entire thing. For the duration of her eating the pie, the ghost stands in the next room watching. The entire act takes about 10 minutes or so of time, with no cuts and nothing but the ambient sounds of the room. Neither actor flinches throughout the scene and it's all in one take. I don't know how he came to the conclusion to include that in the film or why a studio would let that fly, but it works. Everyone else be damned, it works.
'A Ghost Story' is not a film for everyone. It's challenging, slow moving and pretty far from center. However, with what little dialogue there is, the story speaks volumes to the human condition and what it means to love someone beyond the grave. I was literally speechless myself, while watching it for the first time. It was unlike anything I'd seen up to this point and it gave me hope that there would be more things like it to come. While most of you may think of me as a horror fanatic, which I am, I also am a romantic and a man who loves a good love story. The difference with me though, is that I don't think that every love story has to be the same cookie cutter version we've seen a hundred times before. I find beauty in the mundane and even the ugly. The things that people might look at with disdain, I tend to find something else within it. It's not unlike the tattoos on my arm, 'Pain' and 'Beauty'. Pain makes you beautiful and beauty causes pain. It's my artistic philosophy and something that seems to hold true in the day to day that we all experience. This film seemed to get that. I can not say enough good things about 'A Ghost Story' and despite it's fringe elements that may not quantify it as a true horror film, it still retains the echos of what I think it should and could be. Every genre has it's sub genre and there's always going to be wiggle room within those confines to squeeze some other elements into the mix and create something new. This film was the epitome of that. If you have an open mind and an open heart, then I do highly recommend this one to you. It's already made my 'Top 13' list for this year and it's one that may even surpass that and move into my ever growing list of favorite films ever, horror or not. Unquestionably 5 out of 5 stars. Turn the lights off, get your surround sound going and turn off your phone. This is a film that is to be experienced and not just merely seen. Kudos to you, David Lowery and I look forward to what you have to offer us in the future.
If you like this kind of thinking man's horror, check out: 'Eraserhead' (1977), 'Spring' (2014) and 'Carnival of Souls' (1962)
