From visionary director Guillermo Del Toro, comes 'Crimson Peak' (2015) a very welcome return to an old school type of horror story, the Gothic Romance. starring Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain and Tom Hiddleston.
It is early 20th Century and In the outcome of a family catastrophe, aspiring author, Edith Cushing (Wasikowska), falls in love with a mysterious figure by the name of Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston), an aristocrat from Allerdale Hall. Moving to a decaying English mansion, Edith is followed by the ghouls and demons of her past that warned her as a child of the enigmatic 'Crimson Peak' all the whilst becoming cautious of her newly wedded husband and his devious sister (Chastain).
The first thing to note about this film is just how aesthically pleasing it is. The beautiful cinematography coupled with the gothic mise en scène creates picturesque moments out of every frame. The visual contrast between each act of the film is also very well distinguished. The film opens up with stunning landscapes and architecture which reflects the class and sophistication of the characters present, akin to a Jane Austin novel or Shakespeare production.
As the film progresses and character motivations are revealed the cinematography becomes much more low-key and darkly atmospheric. The use of red takes up a considerable amount of the colour scheme connotating the death, evil and destruction that lay in Edith's path. Snow is also used often to create a contrast with the red, this works wonderfully and creates a very ominous tone. The mansion itself is truly a testemant to Del Toro's ambitious vision and acts as a living, breathing character in itself. The walls ooze dark blood and the gaping hole in the ceiling creates a foreboding environment for the pure, strong headed heroine.
The CGI enhanced ghost cosmetics are both disturbing and fascinating to look at, they do however, add very little to the actual plot and instead used for stylistic purposes. Whilst the films marketing has the audience believe 'Crimson Peak' to be a run-of the mill horror film; this is not the case. What 'Crimson Peak' is in fact, is essentially a three-hander between Mia Wasikowksa, Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain who all demonstrate their tremondous acting talents to the best of their ability. There is a notable conflict present between all three characters, whom are all after different things. The extent to what these characters go to is what makes up the bulk of the horror, not the supernatural beings. This was a refreshing change, but will likely dissapoint many people due to the misleading marketing techniques.
All in all, 'Crimson Peak' is a masterclass is astonishing set design and visual storytelling. The strong atmospheric plot creates tension and uneasiness enthralling the viewer into a blissful trance. This is a very worthy edition to Guillermo Del Toro's rich filmography.
