The Moth Diaries (2011)
The Moth Diaries is unlike any vampire film i can think of from recent memory. Harking back to the days of Hammer and Le Fanu's classic Carmilla novel, American Psycho director Mary Harron has produced a film perhaps more suited to 1961 than 2011. The film features little in the way of gore, or crash bang boom soundtracks and cheap jump scares. What we have here is actually a good old fashioned Gothic horror, albeit set in the present day. Very much influenced by classic fayre such as Lust For a Vampire with it's finishing school setting and Dracula has Risen From the Grave with it's night time roof top wanderings, i found The Moth Diaries to be a very pleasant viewing experience.
The only thing that makes the film relevant to modern audiences is a bit of an angsty suicide sub plot, there are no Twilight style romances to be seen.
The direction is flawless, allowing the viewer to get to know the various girls, whilst avoiding cliched stereotypes that normally infest American high school productions. Lily Cole, whose looks are unusual in their porcelain beauty but are perfect for Gothic horror, is excellent, as are the other two stars Sarah Bolger and Sarah Gadon, keeping the viewer on side with subtle yet strong performances. However it's the photography and lush Gothic visuals that catch the eye, not to mention a raining blood sequence that really impressed.
This film, i'm sure won't be for all. It's subtlety will pass some by, others may think it just boring, however those with an interest in Gothic horror would do well to have a look at it as it really is in the "They do make them like they used to" bracket.
|