Sinister - DVD, Digital Copy

Even with its modern setting and use of current technology, Sinister is a motion picture that is a throw-back to the horror films of the 1920’s – 1940’s. We can even see the roots of the film in some of the work of H. P. Lovecraft’s such as The Dunwich Horror or The Call of Cthulhu. The protagonist, Ellison Oswalt is searching for a rational explanation of the horrific events only to discover, in the denouement, that there is a demonic, extra dimensional, or supernatural cause. But his tragic flaw can be traced back to Greek Tragedy, such as Oedipus Rex. Once he has made a decision to investigate this case solo, his course is set and nothing he does will changes that course.Ten years ago, Ellison had a best-selling true-crime book called Kentucky Blood. In that book, he discovered evidence that the local police had overlooked which lead to the case being solved. As a result, he had much fame and fortune. Since then, his fortunes have declined. His second two books were failures. He even acknowledges that due to the one book a true killer went free. His method of writing involves spending a lot of time at the crime scenes, trying to get into the killer’s head. To write one book, he actually moved his family into a house a few doors down from the murder house, a decision that still does not sit well with his wife. His family members feel the brunt of his investigations from the locals. While his wife is harassed by local police and his children are harassed at school, he can stay at home and do his work with little disturbance or local conflict.Ellison could readily support his family by teaching college and editing text books but his hubris stands in his way. He begins to investigate an unsolved crime in an unnamed Pennsylvania town. A family of four was murdered using a very Rube Goldberg device, and the youngest child, a girl about his own daughter’s age is missing presumed dead. In his arrogance, he moves his family of four into the very house where nine months ago the murder occurred.While his family is tight and loving, they all find his chosen profession to be a bit unsettling. Despite this his wife, Tracy, does not question him strenuously. She accepts his lie of, “I promise you I did not move us into a house a few doors down from where the murders occurred”, with only slight unease. This type of semantic lie should be well known to most of us. He seems on several occasions to be about to confess to this, but he never does and when she finds out by accident, events have gone too far.Scenes of moving into the house show the viewer that both children are extremely upset at having their lives disrupted. The son, Trevor, might be on the edge of being Emotionally Disturbed, or is going through a difficult adolescence. He has a history of night terrors, a condition that often dissipates at puberty. The daughter, Ashley, is quite fey and has been given permission to paint on the walls of her room. Both children have been given strict orders to stay out of his office.Ellison is moving items into the attic when he discovers both a scorpion and a banker’s box with an 8mm projector and several movies with titles such as “Hanging Out” and “Family Barbeque”. He brings the box into his office and that very night after the family has gone to bed, he sits to watch these films. The first film that he watches is “Family Barbeque” and he realizes that the family playing near the tree in the back yard is the very family that owned his new home. They sit to eat lunch and the film suddenly shifts to the murder filmed around the same tree they were just playing around. His decision to not turn the films over to the authorities leads to his descent. Trevor’s night terrors have returned even worse than before. Both children are acting out both at home and socially. The fracture lines between Ellison and Tracy widen. Finally, Ellison begins to see the creature that he saw in the home movies in real life.If you like horror that gets under your skin and moves in, this film is one you will enjoy very much. The images are quiet disturbing but there is little gore for an R-rated film. The acting is superb and it is obvious that all involved with the production are highly invested in making a superlative film. Despite the lurid cover art, this motion picture is not “torture porn”. The bloodiest scene in the film is reflected in Ellison’s glasses as he watches the murders in “Sleepy Time”. If you enjoy a horror films that is a journey of discovery, top notch acting, and continually unfolding shocks, you will consider this to be one of the best horror films out there. In some ways this is a meta-film, a horror film about the effects of watching horror films on the protagonist. If you need the relentless gore and acting chops are not something you regard highly, you will probably feel ripped off by this film.The extras on the DVD were quite good. The director's commentaries both as director and as co-writer were extremely interesting. There is a documentary on true-crime writers and another one about properties where horrific murders have occurred.While my review has some spoilers, I reveal nothing that the trailer put out by the production company does not reveal.

This is a film about madness. Evil. Which crept its way into the lives of a family. Into their minds. Their souls. Long before we meet them. Worse. A trusted family member paved the way for the corruption of innocence. For that possession.Nietzsche wrote stare into the abyss, it stares back at you. Here we see that. Literally.This film creeps up on you and never lets you go. From the beginning frames. With rare exception the film unfolds from Ellison Oswalt, the main character's point of view. What he sees or does. Or more to the point, what he doesn't see or do. What he should have recognized, should have done, etc.Having Ethan Hawke as the main character was a great choice for one reason. For me he has a long history of playing deeply troubled characters who undergo some transformation. He excels at being malign, unsympathetic, destructive. Here Ellison Oswalt is not uncaring. He is deeply flawed. Multiple deep flaws. Starting with classic Greek myth hubris. To regain that last shot at fame and notoriety. Along with that comes blindness. A dismissal of anything that interferes. Reality can be denied only so long. So far. A blindness to what an already troubled daughter paints on walls. Unicorns in black storm clouds.And that long-haired son who oozes screaming out of a cardboard box due to night terrors? Distortions of truth to his wife.Then add obsessional curiosity. He HAS to look. The warnings are there. A classic three: scorpion, snake, black dog. The progressive worsening of his reactions, increased maladaptive coping.We never see the Oswalt family before they are damaged. We see others, unaware, of their horrific fate, through a medium once benign, commonplace. Home movies. That hideous twist is the hallmark of great horror.People are familiar with the phrase the eyes are the windows of the soul.What enters those eyes have a consequence; to paraphrase - if what enters your eyes is evil, your whole body becomes darkness.How this happens?The clever mechanism is an invented Babylonian pagan diety Bughuul - "eater of children" who comes to possess the children - body and soul. Through being viewed by a child. An image made manifest. The literature of possession provides examples of how new abilities, unusual knowledge is gained by those affected. Add to that the influence of anger, resentment, bitterness at being uprooted from one's previous home. Fertile ground for evil to take root.And that darkness in the soul is reflected in the literal darkness of the film itself - intended by the director. Only when other characters come in does that darkness dissipate - only for a time. Ellison lacks the tools to combat that inevitable darkness - that small flashlight? Emblematic of his inadequacy to fight or dispel externally what he has promoted internally.The daughter's final ironic comment that she is going to make him famous again - give him what he so badly wanted - so perfect. Be careful what you ask for - the lesson of great horror.The soundtrack is perfect for accentuating the terror felt by the characters - and by the viewer. In the commentary the director refers to European bands I never heard of - nor could I find any reference. Loud sudden noises, repetitive disturbing sounds - short techno synth loops to create and and accentuate the mood. Excellent.It is not that the mechanisms and devices used are new that makes this film worthwhile. It is how and why they are used to create that overall effect.Here I am left with that disquieting, disturbing, creepy residue afterward. On top of the horror and fright during.A word about the supporting cast. None outshines or usurps the other. Perfect ensemble acting.Great film entertainment.I loved this film.

I was shocked this movie was so good.