Monday, August 15, 2011
Edohotep
Cast: Andrew Gough, Nik Spencer, Layla Randle Conde, Sarah Dunn, Dap C. Corjan, Simon Dulay, and Wes Dolan.
*A screener of this film was provided by Gravitas Ventures.
Word is spreading about the real paranormal activities that occurred during the making of The Stone: No Soul Unturned. Publicity stunt or not, when words like “Most Haunted” are being tossed about and cellphones are doing strange things, the question of whether or not Annesley Hall is truly haunted depends on who is being asked. And viewers will get a chance to find out for themselves when the DVD releases on August 23. There will be plenty of bonus material that explores the real history of this building and offer music videos at the same time.
At least for the production team involved with the making this film, they truly believe there is something evil that exists there. They conducted their own séance and made contact with some kind of supernatural force. It may have tried to make their presence known during filming. At least for the living audience, this film gets etheric with the sound of music. That’s part of this movie’s charm than the quality of the acting going on, which is nothing spectacular. The instrumentals and music video-like vignettes make this film than the actual narrative. Corjan’s “Haunting me Down” is a book song—a tune that helps push the story forward by explaining what is going on–and if listeners are not careful, they will miss the story that’s contained in the tune.
Instead of a by-the-book-style introduction, no one really knows who or why these five spirit seekers are visiting Annesley Hall. Eventually, the explanations come out, but for the rest of the time, the sequences are simple visual montages of these individuals exploring the haunted grounds. If they’re supposed to be paranormal investigators, they are definitely the spiritualist type than scientific.
As they traverse the grounds, another musical score, Druidicca’s “Beltine,” plays melodically and establishes a possible timeframe for this tale. This song further narrates this film, and if that's the case the group's purpose is clear. They are attempting to purify Annesley Hall so it can be a safe place to visit. Instead, only the eeriness gets personified. Even though this tune is a feisty Celtic Rock tune, the sense of displacing the viewer feels appropriate.
Even the historical reveal adds to the spirit of this film. Lord Byron is said to have fallen deep in love with Mary Chaworth here in Annesley, but their courtship would never happen. "Had I married Miss Chaworth perhaps the whole tenor of my life would have been different," wrote the poet.
Byron’s spirit is said to still linger the ground because of this unrequited love. To say he’s mad is an overstatement. The haunting romanticism found here is that the feelings Byron had felt was that “Death [represented the] purest affection and tenderest attachment [of the heart].” There’s nothing evil about that, nor about Byron. Some people may call him mad, but Romanticists regard him as pure genius. The poetry he constructed is as inviting as Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime" of the "Ancient Mariner."
Perhaps what is truly mysterious and associated with the history of Annesley Hall is the murder of a servant girl. She became pregnant after a lustful encounter with another Lord of this manor. She is said to have hung herself in the laundry room, but sources do not clearly state if this was the same girl or if it was someone else. Other remains have been found within this estate.
During the 14th century, the Bubonic Plague ravaged the countryside, and the bodies were buried right next door. These deaths no doubt add to the intrigue and mystic encounters that can happen in this hall.
As for why this film is called Stone, the reasons don’t come to light until the gang discovers a black stone—a meteorite with mystical properties. The introduction at the beginning of the film from noted ufologists and thespians finally makes sense. However far-fetched those theories given in this film are, the question of whether of not a tektite can be used for good or evil really depends on the individuals actions than with how well versed these people are in their crystal lore. Some rocks that originated from outer space can be used for extraterrestrial communication than annihilation.
But as for these spirit seekers Aleister, Charlotte, Tony and Helena, do they even know their occult lore? Aleister certainly should, but he makes a fundamental mistake; they did not fully protect themselves or perform a cleansing ceremony on the items they have discovered. Occultists may note other minor problems with the screenplay.
That is most likely the reason in why Aleister's group soon become haunted. Whether or not they are simply druids or some other cultish force visiting this place at night, the candid group soon has to face their own inner demons. Aleister does a good impression of Derek Acorah ("Most Haunted") when he gets possessed, and that is when the camaraderie these people have with one another takes a dive. Their stubbornness gets them into trouble in between themselves and the occult world that exists around Annesley Hall.
There was a potential subplot where the group met another individual exploring the grounds. When he meets a dire end nothing more is said. When days have passed, there should be a nauseating smell that would have lingered. But it is missed in favour of seeing Aleister, Charlotte, Tony and Helen do their own rituals.
As a movie that explores the occult, there are some moments which just makes audiences wonder about how some spiritualists treat the forces that exist within the supernatural world. There is very little explanation as to why the spirits of the Hall must be cleared, and Aleister seems to believe that his divine mission is to make them move on. What if they do not want to? Evil is not evil unless harm is caused unfairly. What harm has the spirit done other than to say, "Hi, how are you?" and all of a sudden the living bolts from the room. Maybe it is best to leave the spirit world alone. That is perhaps what the ghosts tried to say to the production team when this movie was filming.
The hills are alive with the spirits of history. Some energies are not meant to cross over.
Overall: 6.5 out of 10.
Notes on the series at Horror Movies:
The Stone at Horror Movies
Notes on the Annesley Hall:
Annesley Hall at Not History
On DVD:
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Posted in: 2011,2011 release,gravitas ventures,movie poster,movie review,supernatural,supernatural horror movie review
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