Evengyny
Thanks for the memories!
FeistyUpper
If you don't like this, we can't be friends.
Geraldine
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Caryl
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.
Molly Celaschi (carlykristen)
Lincoln and Sara move into a new home in London and his wife's behavior begins to grow erratic. After opening a grave in their basement, she becomes more sexual, more violent, and begins to forget things. A nanny is brought in to help around the house, but only adds to the tension. Eventually, Lincoln finds him in a fight for his wife's soul with a spirit of a voodoo priestess.The film works on different levels mainly because it keeps you guessing and never completely gives away all the answers. As you watch the scenes unfold, you wonder if the Sara is possessed, just going crazy like her mother had, or that the crazy nanny is out to get her. In the end, it is a weird combo of all of the above, which makes the storytelling top notch.Each character is very detailed with their own share of problems. The husband is overloaded at work, deals with a jerky boss, and is put on a tight deadline that challenges his sleep schedule. The wife suffers from a loss of identity and is bored with her new life as a homemaker. The babysitter is plain nutty and comes off as caring and sadistic at the same time.Overall, I think the film is symbolic of a couple growing apart and their marriage crumbling. Her changes are similar to what any woman would go through if forced to sit in a house all day especially when competing with another, more younger woman. The husband struggling to save the soul of his wife is really an attempt to save their marriage. He must repent and they start anew.Released by Heretic Films in 2004, it clocks in at 99 minutes. While it was shot on video, the story doesn't suffer from it. Also, the Winner of the 2004 Fearless Tales Genre Fest and Boston Int. Film Fest. Composer Steven Severin adds much atmosphere to the already creepy scenes with his pulsating background music.The SFX was great with a few good bloody scenes such as a scalping, a nose bitten half off, slit wrists, and a man fatally hit by a car. There is also weird imagery such as a pissing in a pot scene, lipstick drawn over an eye, and honey dripping off of fishhooks. The most trippy scene though was when Lincoln goes through his "cleansing" in the nude and is swatted with sticks and dances around in a daze with the voodoo followers. There is great insight given here on the religion of voodoo and its history in the UK.DVD Extras: 10 Deleted Scenes, the trailer, Making of Documentary, and Interview with Voodoo Priest, which covers some of the voodoo lore.Bottom Line: Top shelf voodoo film with a good story to boot. Highly recommended for fans of The Skeleton Key.Rating: 7.5/10 by Molly Celaschi www.HorrorYearbook.com
encguano
Well, I make it short: Don't watch the German version of the movie... the people who did the dubbing should rather be doing other things in their sparetime. The whole audio part seems to be messed up... non-credible voices, and unintentional strange noises and sound.Besides that the plot seems to be very much constructed and you never really get to know the characters, everything seems to be very superficial.The only thing I liked about the movie are the significant pictures and some weird disturbing images.Sorry, that's not enough to make it a good movie. :o(
rosana-4
Whilst Rob Pratten has to be commended for making a truly independent british horror film, the end result, like most British independent horror films is a mixed bag in which the film makers undeniable talent and ambition is compromised by a lack of resources and self restraint. Lifting several cliched ideas from The Omen and Amityville Horror, London Voodoo tells the tale of an unlikely American couple who move to London in an attempt to salvage their relationship, but whose fortunes take a turn for the worse when they discover that their new home is haunted by a voodoo spirit. Whilst you can see the commercial logic in writing american characters into the lead roles, the unknown, ex-pat actors that Pratten cast, both deliver uncharismatic leaden performances and their characters are written in such a heavy handed, unsympathetic way that unfortunately this debut effort falls at the first hurdle. Once you get over this initial disappointment, there are moments and contributions that suggest what could have been, particularly Trisha Mortimer as the 'love-keeper' who manages to breath life into Prattens inconsistant dialogue and Voda Barnes who although over-written is suitably sexy as the Au-Pair. Comic relief is provided by the two decorators and supporting afro-carribean cast add flavour to otherwise dull proceedings. Also worthy of note are the businessmen in the office scenes, which demonstrate that when Pratten is not trying to make a load of spookery convince, he's actually quite a good writer/director. Shot hand held on 16mm with basic lighting the film has the look of a television special, the locations are functional as opposed to aesthetic and the synthesised score home-spun and cliched. The best production values can be found in the voodoo paraphanalia which suggest authenticity and a great deal of research. At 98 minutes the film is too long and would benefit tremendously from a ten minute trim, particularly the scenes where various voodoo practioners stop the narrative dead to deliver pages of expository mumbo jumbo in an attempt to give some kind of spiritual context to the proceedings. I gave this film 4 out of 10, shows promise but must try harder.
moviechic_Carrie
Tagline : True love is only possible with sacrifice.Synopsis : When a young man relocates his family from New York to London his wife discovers a new power that threatens to tear the family apart. As his wife's behavior becomes more violent and erratic, our hero accepts that to save the woman he married he must take a leap of faith.Plot/Story : From the beginning you get the vibe of a "Rosemary's Baby" type of film. A simple couple moving to a new town but mysterious things are lurking about. This one was more in your face on showing you the bad things that were happening, no mystery on what was in the cellar and what it held.
Pace : No dull moments, no choppy story line. It grabs you from the beginning taking you for a ride and doesn't let up until the very end.Cast/Characters : Performances well done by all, was impressed with the acting skills of main characters involved. They gave variety to their parts to make each character stand alone.F/X : I have to say even though the film was well done I was a bit disappointed in the effects in the movie, or rather, just the lack thereof. I was expecting more of a demonic transformation of the possessed woman, hoping for a little bit more gore thrown in. Yes, I know it can be better to leave things to your imagination but on occasion you just need the blood thrown in your face.Jekyll's Final Thoughts : An enjoyable movie that will make you think twice before moving into a new home. I look forward to whatever Robert Pratten has in store for us down the line. This movie gets a 4 star rating from me.