Product Description

The story of a young woman stalked by vivid nightmares of a dark alternate reality where she is pursued by a mysterious attacker. Is she dreaming or is the nightmare real? Studio: Starz/sphe Release Date: 06/03/2008 Starring: Thora Birch Run time: 95 minutes Rating: Nr

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34527 in DVD
• Brand: Anchor
• Released on: 2007-05-22
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 95 minutes

Customer Reviews

Surreal fare that borrows from Argento and Lynch
This film is a surreal cross of Dario Argento's "The Stendhal Syndrome" and David Lynch, with a plot akin to that of someone suffering from schizophrenia; even the scenes of Karen being accosted by strange people laughing and whispering seem to remind me of someone plagued by paranoid schizophrenia. Let me just say from the start that this film is not for everyone. It is definitely gruesome at times and quite depressing. I read somewhere that the film is about an evil man (the killer, it is presumed) who is being punished for his sins by living completely polar yet interconnected lives as his victims; however, he appears to see himself as the dark-haired Thora in the mirror. I can't say for sure whether this is even a correct interpretation -- interpret the movie as you wish, there are many different themes and interpretations that could be found. Like Argento's films, I liked this one because you can find different interpretations, meanings, and connections. This certainly is not a fun film at all though, and the subject matter isn't that worthy of recognition, if only for the fact that we perhaps all ignore our own "dark corners" at times; again, another favourite theme of Argento's, especially in films like "Tenebre" ("Unsane"). Another thing I liked was Karen's bleak and surreal world. The fashions and colour-schemes are strange; the people oppressive and almost demonic; on the other hand, the "sunny" side of the world is nightmarish in its own way that it cannot escape the darkness that eventually bleeds through.

Better than average horror cheap flick with GREAT nightmares
I sometimes have really vivid nightmares that are similar to the somber world the protagonist finds herself in when she sleeps. Those sequences come closer to the look and feel of the sort of nightmare where everything seems sort of off key and grotesque than anything I've seen except maybe parts of Jacob's Ladder. If your significant other tends towards dreams of peaceful meadows with happy bunnies (OK, I admit I'm being sarcastic), but never has nightmares, and just doesn't understand why you sometimes wake up shaking and on the edge of tears from a harmless little dream, show him this.

I noticed the director is British. I wonder if a little of that is flavored by C.S. Lewis's Great Divorce, such as the bus trip with one end in Hell.

Not quite accessible but has its moments
In one of the DVD's special features, the director notes this film is influenced by Japanese horror. That's a valuable fact to keep in mind while watching. It has that esoteric feel and pace so common in Japanese horror, though this film's resolution is slightly less accessible. Cast about for some message board discussions once you've read for some interesting theories and interpretations.

Beyond the plot, this is a visually interesting film. Color and lighting creating remarkable contrasts between the parallel story lines, each slightly surreal.