Livid. (2011).
The second film from French co-directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury. I was really looking forward to this after the assault and battery on the senses and nerves that was their debut Inside. Now, Inside is perhaps my favourite horror film from the 21st century so expectations were high even though i felt Livid could never live up to the brilliance of that film.
Fortunately i was right. Livid can't live (ahem) with Inside but it is a mighty fine piece of horror in its own right. Essentially the film is a vampire film with a difference, but it also encompasses Gothic horror with its haunted house style first half and psychological horror as well. Although a highly original film in its own right i felt the film makers gave a big nod to classic Italian horror especially Dario Argento and his seminal Suspiria.
The film wouldn't seem perfect without some nasty stuff after seeing Inside , so Bustillo and Maury again deliver with some genuinely gruesome scenes which jolt you out of your seat and offer nice juxtaposition against some of the more beautiful examples of their art with the wonderful cinematography on offer.
Highly recommended.
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