by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
There are some directors out there today whose work I try to give a chance to, no matter what. Between a steady track record (nobody is perfect, but constancy is key), standouts who are favorites of mine, or just overall liking the style of the content, some directors just know how to make something that will get my attention. A lot of these directors can be divisive, as some people just don’t mesh with their particular style. One of these directors is Guillermo del Toro. He has a style of filmmaking that I appreciate, mainly with practical effects, unique stories, and diverse genres. His content meant for television has been generally good, so when Netflix announced a horror series created by him, I was intrigued.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, created by del Toro, is an anthology show that tells eight unique stories involving the supernatural, occult, and horror. Eight different directors give way to their vision for an episode, and each one has a different cast. Stories span all kinds of genres and timeframes.
I have to admit something right off the bat. The actual cabinet that del Toro trots out for each introduction of the episode is really, really cool. It’s an interesting-looking, transformer-like cabinet that has a lot of different compartments and weird entities. I wish there was a cabinet like that available for sale — you know without all the horrible stuff in it. I just had to get that off my chest.
Under del Toro’s guidance, each episode is directed by someone new. He even gives them a shoutout at the beginning of each episode. The nice thing about that is we are treated to eight different styles and visions. I enjoyed the technical aspects of almost all of these episodes. They’re all masterfully directed, and given some of the people involved, it’s no surprise. Some of the people chosen to direct episodes have some type of horror background. For instance, Jennifer Kent directed one of the episodes, but she’s best known for directing The Babadook. Panos Cosmatos is the director of Mandy,and Vincenzo Natali directed Cube,along with a bunch of episodes of Hannibal. Every director even got a little miniature wood figurine made of themselves as part of their intro.
Along with the directing, del Toro’s practical effects and makeup are incredible. All of the creatures look outstanding, and there’s minimal (if any) CGI. I continue to be impressed with his use of practical costumes.; it creates a sense of real dread. Now more than ever, visual effects are under attack for looking shoddy and not having enough time to be properly completed. So all the credit in the world goes to the creative team for their use of costumes, makeup, and practical effects. It adds to a sense of realism and chills that I appreciated.
The acting is also outstanding throughout the series. It’s tempting to find big, flashy names for something like this to make a huge splash, but del Toro is the most noteworthy “get” for this series. Some of the series’ most notable actors are Andrew Lincoln, Ben Barnes, Rupert Grint, F. Murray Abraham, and Tim Blake Nelson. These are not the most famous actors out there today, but they know how to make a role more compelling, and have the range needed for these types of stories. I like the diversity of the performances in Cabinet of Curiosities.
Like a lot of anthology series, the episodes are hit-and-miss. Some episodes are genuinely creepy, and some are scarier than most. Some have a lot to say about topics such as immigration, greed, women, beauty standards, and art. These are the episodes I appreciated the most. Most of them indeed have some type of social commentary, but some are more pronounced, and some struggle to convey a complete thought. Some are pretty graphic and a little gross, which doesn’t sit well with me, unfortunately. Aside from the creatures, some episodes have a lot of violence and gore in them. So, unfortunately, the episodes are a mixed bag, with some providing genuine scares, and some struggling under the weight of expectations.
There are three real standout episodes for me. The episode titled, “The Autopsy” is a great story about a man named Carl (Abraham). He’s a medical examiner who is asked by a friend to take a look at a body that has died in a mining accident. Of course, nothing is as it seems, and Carl soon discovers what is behind the death of the miner. What’s great about this episode is the performances and the twist at the end. Once you discover what is happening, you’ll either love it or hate it. I enjoy the ending, which I found profound and intriguing.
Another episode I like is titled, “Graveyard Rats.” This is a story about how greed gets the best of one man, and how his ambition leads him to terrifying places. It’s a scary story for those who are claustrophobic and don’t like rats. The ending is one of the more unsettling of the group, and the practical effects make for an amazing addition to this anthology series.
The final episode is entitled “The Murmuring.” The episode is at its best at using sound and shadows effectively. It’s a tense episode and is impactful for anyone who has experienced loss. The exploration of grief as it manifests in this pseudo-haunted house is fantastic. It had some sincere jump scares. Whether it’s because I’m a giant wimp or because it’s scary is up to you.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities has the potential to be a special show and a Halloween tradition for years to come. His fingerprints are all over this show, and yet he still manages to give the reigns to these talented directors to make each episode their own. I applaud the effort and the eccentric nature. For this to be something that sticks for years to come, there needs to be more consistency with the episodes. If this is supposed to be a horror anthology series, more of them need to be scary, and more of them need to be better baked from a story standpoint. Technically, this series is already ahead of the curb. However, the stories need to catch up for this to become memorable.
Score: 6/10
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