"The Others" -- A Mesmerizing Bump in the Night by Homer Yen (c) 2001
During the carefree school days of the 5th grade, we had a gothic teacher named Mr. Hunt. I secretly called him "Mr. Haunt" because he had skin that made him look somewhat charred, a box-like head and a hairstyle that made him look like a distant cousin of Frankenstein, and a gaze that might make you shiver. While his presence occasionally gave me (and some of the other classmates) a few goose bumps, he was beloved by all. He knew how to keep us entertained. But most of all, he really knew how to tell a good ghost story.
He would dim the lights, draw the curtains, bring out a set of eerie noisemakers, and direct a flashlight unto his face from under his chin to give himself a spectral glow. As he told his story, I would sometimes cover my ears just to calm myself down.
That kind of spine-tingling sensation has been resurrected in "The Others," a wonderfully tense, thoroughly haunting, old-fashioned ghost story. The film literally starts off with a scream. Set just after WWII, Grace (icy Nicole Kidman) lives in a palatial yet isolated English mansion where eerie things start to happen. Enshrouded by fog and a moribund stillness, this imposing estate would howl itself if it could.
Grace is already a tormented soul who negotiates an almost unbearable existence. Her two children, Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley), who look to be lifted from an Edgar Allen Poe tale, suffer from a rare condition that renders them fatally allergic to the light. As such, the curtains must be drawn to keep out the warmth of the sun. She's also waiting for the return of her husband (Christopher Eccleston) from the war front. Likely, however, he is already dead. She would easily succumb to insanity if not for her devout faith.
She relies on her religious grounding to combat the unexplained and spooky things that eventually happen. For example, Anne claims to have conversations with an unseen boy; strange noises emanate from a never-used room; voices can be heard in the distance. While Grace doesn't believe in the supernatural, doubt and fear slowly and creep in. The chill of the unknown not only eventually affects the stoic mother, but slowly envelops the audience as well.
Writer-director Alejandro Amenabar ably plays upon our inherent fear of the dark to create an edgy and moody atmosphere that's sure to increase your heartbeat. He utilizes unsettling caterwaul-like music, shadows in corridors, white sheets draped over furniture, and a particularly effective camera trick -- whenever Grace would slowly open a door, the camera would be positioned behind our tragic heroine. Like a child who hides behind her mother when frightened, we also want to hide, but agonize over what's behind that door. So chilling at times is this tale that the scariest scene actually happens in broad daylight!
I can go on lauding Kidman's steely performance and the tone of unbridled fear established by the wonderful child actors. But I scare easily anyway. So, what did the audience think? Throughout the film, there was mostly dead silence and the occasional scream from the intimidated. Where did all the popcorn munchers go? Perhaps there were only 20 people in the audience. Surprisingly, when the lights went up, there were 200! They were all riveted by what they saw, too afraid to move, completely entranced by "The Others."
Grade: B+
S: 0 out of 3 L: 0 out of 3 V: 1 out of 3
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