It’s a bit unusual these days to find a film that features an ensemble of short stories – an anthology film. The British film company Amicus was well known for them in the 1960s and ’70s. “Twilight Zone: The Movie” is an example from American film-makers.
More often than not today, if you do find one it is the product of a small group of film-makers. One characteristic of these films is a “wraparound” tale that introduces the circumstances under which these stories are being told. Then, within this conceit, there are three or four stories completely separate from one another. Most often, but not always, the characters in the stores are also in the wraparound.
Such is the film “Lore.”
The “wraparound”: Four young friends have arranged to attend a supernatural immersive experience deep an English forest. When they arrive at the destination – a clearing – no one is there. Then, their guide for the adventures, Darwin (Richard Brake – “The Gates”), suddenly appears carrying a brace of rabbits he’s just killed. He informs them that the rest of the group had canceled that morning – so it is just the five of them.
Despite their light-hearted misgivings, the four set up camp and after dinner, Darwin invites them each to tell a frightening story. These stories make up the bulk of the film. The stories are unrelated, do not involve the storytellers, and are uneven in impact.
The four stories deal with a man trying to escape from thugs, a haunted house, an obnoxious abusive husband and people trapped in a movie theater. They are also progressively more frightening and gory.
Brake is appropriately gaunt, creepy and clearly not telling his young guests the whole story about what is going on. His broad smile and long, discolored teeth are delightfully ominous. The four young customers are your usual collection of obnoxious clowns and doubters who nevertheless do succeed in scaring themselves and pleasing the spirits of the dead that Darwin claims are buried in the surrounding woods.
The real stars are the actors in the four stories: Dan (Miles Mitchell), Donna (Sally Collett), Mark (Dean Bone) and Sally (Samatha Neale). That is where the acting, slowly rising from pleasant experience to concern to terror, is expressed. Kudos to those fine performers.
This is a genre film targeted for those who enjoy thrills (a significant miss) and those who love gore (on target, especially the last two vignettes).
Note: A similar film design is the “hyperlink,” in which there are separate but related stories. “Pulp Fiction” and “Sin City” are examples of this style.
Credits
Directors: James Bushe, Greig Johnson, Patrick Michael Ryder
Writers: Christine Barber-Ryder, James Bushe, Patrick Michael Ryder, Greig Johnson
Producers: Adam Bouabda
Cinematography: Scott Coulter
Editor: Adam Bouabda, James Bushe
Music: Benjamin Symons
Runtime: One hour, 32 minutes
Availability: Currently on VOD
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