Today marks the first day of October and also kicks off this
year’s 31 Days of Horror. Last year I
regaled you with 31 of my favorite horror movies of all times and I had so much
fun that I wanted to relive it again this year.
As I was pondering a new list of 31 films I thought that I would take a
different approach this year and see what my moods bring about as we all count
down to my favorite holiday of the year: Halloween!
For my first pick many of you may be thinking “The Cell?..Really?” But let me assure you that horror is not just
about gore and the omnipresent slasher film but also the ever present thriller
sub-genre that delves into the creepy “there’s a serial killer living next door”
mentality. The subtle “this could happen
to you” fear that will stay with you at the end of the day as you lock your
doors and turn off the lights before bedtime.
The Cell takes it one step beyond and enters into the
mystical dream world and presents a science fiction element. What if you could go inside the mind of a
serial killer and see what he sees, dream what he dreams, and unlock the
reasons why? The psychology alone makes
my mind wander while the artist and writer in me finds the beauty in the
imagery and mystery this idea presents.
The Cell merely touches the possibility and leaves me wanting more.
Jennifer Lopez stars as Catherine Deane, a child
psychologist who is working on an experimental procedure to enter the dreams of
a patient and interact with them on a different level. Vince Vaughn and Jake Weber star as FBI
agents tracking down a serial killer who first kidnaps and then tortures his
victims before killing them. After his
most recent victim is kidnapped, they find the perpetrator comatose on his
kitchen floor. Vincent D’Onofrio stars
as Carl Stargher, said serial killer and truly twisted individual. With the clock ticking and a life hanging in the balance
they recruit the assistance of Catherine Deane to enter Carl’s mind to find
clues to the victim’s whereabouts.
Perhaps the primary reason this movie speaks to me is the
beautiful yet disturbing imagery within.
As Catherine struggles to gain the trust of Carl in a short time period
to find answers she journeys from one surreal landscape to the next derived
from many artists and filmmakers. One
cannot simply explain a dream, nor can the images in this movie be explained;
one has to see it and live it to understand it.
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