SHUTTER (Bangjong Pisanthanakun & Parkpoom Wongpoom, 2004, Thailand) SHUTTER recycles many of the Japanese horror conventions but instead smartly decides to focus on the characters. Tun and his girlfriend Jane, while driving home after a night of drinking and partying, strike a pedestrian and leave the crime scene. They are haunted by their guilt but mysteriously discover there is no record of such a crash. Then a creepy visage begins to develop in many of Tun’s photographs. We don’t get quite the story we expect as Tun’s life is revealed like a double exposure and we experience the skeletons that hide in his closet...then are resurrected from the dark labyrinth of a past regret. The composition of each shot is choreographed perfectly to induce an overall feeling of dread and unstoppable physical and mental destruction at the hands of this malignant spirit. There are many jump-scares but the plot drives the story: Why is this ghost restless? Jane races to discover the truth and uncovers Tun’s dark side and his one despicable act. Tun finally pays the ultimate restitution to the victim. SHUTTER will make you shudder. (B-)
It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
SHUTTER (Bangjong Pisanthanakun & Parkpoom Wongpoom, 2004, Thailand) SHUTTER recycles many of the Japanese horror conventions but instead smartly decides to focus on the characters. Tun and his girlfriend Jane, while driving home after a night of drinking and partying, strike a pedestrian and leave the crime scene. They are haunted by their guilt but mysteriously discover there is no record of such a crash. Then a creepy visage begins to develop in many of Tun’s photographs. We don’t get quite the story we expect as Tun’s life is revealed like a double exposure and we experience the skeletons that hide in his closet...then are resurrected from the dark labyrinth of a past regret. The composition of each shot is choreographed perfectly to induce an overall feeling of dread and unstoppable physical and mental destruction at the hands of this malignant spirit. There are many jump-scares but the plot drives the story: Why is this ghost restless? Jane races to discover the truth and uncovers Tun’s dark side and his one despicable act. Tun finally pays the ultimate restitution to the victim. SHUTTER will make you shudder. (B-)
