Wednesday, October 3, 2018

HOUSEWIFE: CHICKEN OR THE EGG?



Upon watching HOUSEWIFE I had this feeling that I’d already seen this movie this year and within recent weeks. Granted there were some differences and logically I know that these two similar movies could not have been made with the one knowing the other was in production. The odds are though that many will have that same sense of déjà vu while watching this film. Bypass that and watch it with an open mind instead.

The film opens years ago with two little girls alone together in their room. Their mother is downstairs entertaining “the visitors” and they girls are restricted to their room. While playing Hazel, the older of the two, has her first period and begins bleeding. Her younger sister Holly disobeys her mother and runs to tell her that her sister is hurt which prompts mom to come upstairs. When she sees what’s taking place she screams out demanding that she be left alone, takes Hazel with her and tells Holly to stay in the room. Holly of course disobeys, goes downstairs and watches her mother drown Hazel in the toilet. She screams and her mother chases her around the house attempting to kill her as well when her father returns home. So mom kills him and Holly escapes. Weird movie so far, right? It stays that way.

Years later Holly (Clémentine Poidatz) is married to an author/painter and does her own things creating small dioramas ala doll houses. She and her husband meet with friends for dinner during which the friends (he’s also a writer) tell them they’re going to a ULM event that night. ULM stands for "Umbrella of Love and Mind", a cult type group that while watching eerily made me think of Scientologists. At first uneasy about going they change their mind when an old friend turns up unexpectedly.

Valery (Alicia Kapudag) is a free spirit from their past who shared not only their apartment but sexual favors with both of them. She left to join ULM, has since achieved the rank of “family member” and wants them to come that night which they agree to.

The meeting is glitz and glamor with flashing lights and big screen images. The leader of the group is Bruce O’Hara (David Sakurai) as charismatic and leader as you can find. He talks about achieving a state of nirvana through dreams and a dream like state. He tells the crowd he was told of a presence there tonight which of course is Holly. Approaching her he takes off his glove, touches her and that’s when things truly begin to get weird.

I won’t go further with what takes place in the movie but to say that Holly changes and images from her past begin to present themselves. O’Hara talks about “the visitors” and if you didn’t see that coming miles ahead during the opening sequence then you’ve not seen many films. By the final reel the story wraps around itself and everything fits together nicely with a few Lovecraftian items in the mix as well.

For me I felt the movie was interesting in some parts but not enough for me to recommend it to everyone. I know there will be some who will absolutely love the film and others who will have that what the heck did I just watch look on their face when it ends. It’s interesting and worth watching though and gore hounds will love one segment in the film especially, a brutally graphic face scalping.

Director Can Evernol has already established himself as a name the cult film fans love to talk about with his previous effort BASKIN. I will say that after watching this one I’m curious to take a look at that film now. Well shot and well directed the movie will hold your attention in its 82 minute running time and Sakurai looks to be someone worth watching in the future. Just know going in that several taboo style items are included and the film has a definite non-Christian attitude on display while not embracing Satanic influences. 

As for the title of this piece the movie resembles the recently release HEREDITARY in a number of ways so if you’ve seen that film realize it going in. If you haven’t I’d suggest watching it before this one. Both are interesting but HEREDITARY is the better of the two.

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