The Lords of Salem
Director: Rob Zombie
Year 2012
The Lords of Salem is a powerfully
atmospheric horror film which takes the lore and legends of
witchcraft in both Salem Massachusetts and Europe, and turns it on
its head in a modern and rather disturbing twist. Heavily foreboding
and constantly dire, this unique tale is drenched in stylistic
imagery and unsettling moments, all adding up to a classically
approached horror tale that wisely relies on its outstanding tone and
morbid mood to tell its intriguing story. With its spectacular cast
and superb locations, The Lords of Salem is without a doubt a
delightfully disturbing film, one which absorbs you into a world all
of its own and never lets you go.
The film follows a Salem Massachusetts
radio DJ named Heidi Hawthorne, who inexplicably receives a
mysterious package containing a record by a band who calls themselves
“The Lords”. After sampling the record on the air, Heidi begins
to have strange visions and haunting premonitions of a coven of
witches from Salem's past. Escalating to a feverish pitch, Heidi
begins to succumb to this unexplained madness as an ancient evil vies
to enter into our world and take bloody revenge.
Sheri Moon Zombie takes on the role of
Heidi Hawthorne, the radio DJ who unwittingly finds herself caught in
a sinister coven's plot. As far as her past performances go, I've
never really been a huge fan of Moon's work. Sure I've enjoyed her
bat shit crazy roles in House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects
and the two modern takes on Halloween, but they were always so one
note and vile. In retrospect, she was never really given a chance in
her film career to showcase a different side of her acting
personality. That all changes with The Lords of Salem, because
against the grain she portrays an extremely likeable and sympathetic
heroine. Low key and shockingly restrained, Moon gives a gentle
approach to Heidi Hawthorne.
Sure her looks are as in your face and
abrasive as her previous character iterations have been, but
underneath that rocker chick facade is a soft spoken and surprisingly
timid person. Moon beautifully allows us to see multiple facets of
her character, giving us a fully realized study of who she is in this
cinematic world, while also leaving a bit of a mystery about her
sordid past. It's intriguing and highly welcoming, and it allows us
to get sucked up in the story and follow her into whatever hell she
finds herself in. Without a doubt, this is my favorite performance
from Moon, as she finally gets her chance to show us what she's made
of, aside from the one note psycho in Rob Zombie's other directorial
efforts.
Outside of Sheri Moon Zombie's
outstanding central performance, we have an equally abundant
outcropping of scene stealing actors and actresses. First and
foremost is Meg Foster who plays the role of Margaret Morgan, the
most ghastly witch ever portrayed in horror cinema. Going above and
beyond in stark boldness, Foster bares it all and literally projects
pure evil unto the audience, in one of the most bravest performances
in recent memory. She's grotesque, frightening and wholly believable,
and the film thrives because of her fearless portrayal of the
wickedest of witches. Another interesting addition to the cast is the
impressive trifecta of Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn and Dee Wallace.
Their roles in the film are something of a mystery, but their
palpable presence is without a doubt substantial. They each bring
their own personal style to the role, yet the chemistry between the
three is terrific and genuinely terrifying.
Though they ultimately take a back seat
to the majority of the cast, the male actors of the production are
excellently handpicked to bring out memorable performances. Bruce
Davison as Francis Matthias is a real treat while Ken Foree is always
a delight to see on screen. The most surprising of the bunch though
is Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman Salvador, friend to Moon's Heidi.
He brings a lot of heart and feeling to his role and that helps the
film find some solid ground underneath its feet while things
gradually begin to delve into the unusual.
Outstanding characters aside, the film
has an abundance of assets to boast about. For one, the build up of
the story is akin to the stylistic approach of late 60's and early
70's era horror films. Like Rosemary's Baby or The Omen, The Lords of
Salem allow us to gel into the world before things begin to fall into
despair, and in that approach the film comes off as a more classic
piece then we are normally used to in this day in age. The patience
behind this is astounding and the gradual progression of the story
into insanity is unquestionably effective. Once things really go off
the wall and off the rails, we are subjected to a plethora of weird
moments and horrific scenarios, all lambasted with harsh fluorescent
hues and abrasive lighting that would make even Dario Argento in his
prime ecstatic. In its most simplistic moments and in its most
complex of times, The Lords of Salem is a beautifully crafted film
which has enough power to make you believe in the vile nature of the
story at hand, and to me that is what great films should strive to
do.
The Lords of Salem is a genuine force
to be reckoned with. It has a vibrant style and a grounded edge that
often flashes into absurd fits of rage, yet it always maintains that
dire tone that makes it so captivating. Sustained by a pitch perfect
cast and an array of iconic performances, this is one horror film
that remembers its roots and establishes itself as a worthy successor
to the more artistically crafted of the genre. Sheri Moon Zombie is
sensational as the afflicted Heidi Hawthorne and her performance
proves that she can play a likeable character as well as a sociopath.
The rest of the cast fill out this wild
world with extreme validity, with Meg Foster leading the pack
alongside veteran actors Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn, and Dee
Wallace. As essential as all of these actors are to the final piece,
it would be nothing without director Rob Zombie's keen expressive eye
and his tremendous restraint in keeping the pace on a leash and
gradually introducing us into the obscure. Of course I can't forget
the wonderful locations around Salem Massachusetts, which Zombie
filmed with great affection. One of the most appealing things for me
in the movie was to witness places that I've visited before and to
feel that same ominous feeling when walking the cobblestone streets
or passing through an unsettling cemetery in Salem. There is just
such a prevalent atmosphere in the quiet town of Salem, and Zombie
captured it perfectly. If you are in the mood for a modern take on
the slow-burn horror classics of the late 60's and early 70's, then
give this one a try. Rob Zombie has struck magic with this
combination of subtle character study and full blown shock art, and
it is one that is extremely powerful. The Lords of Salem is a.....
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| King Diamond? |
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| Peek a boo! I see you! |
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| These guys rock! |
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| Look out! It's a Stink-Ape! |
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| Meg Foster you blue-eyed sexy devil, you. |
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| Dear Lord! Even the crosses in this flick are weird! |
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| It's nice to see that Comet from Full House is still getting steady work. |
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| Sweet coat dude, but the face has got to go. |
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| Say Cheese! That's going to be a good one! |
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| Bruce Davison.... Man about town. |
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| Let me guess.... It ends badly. |
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| Hold on... Can I call you back? There are a few freaky-ass doctors behind me. |
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| The gang's all here. |
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| What the hell is going on?!?!?! |
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| Keep your roaming hands to yourself Dee! |
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| Red Rover... Red Rover... Let Satan come over! |
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| Well ain't you something Mrs. Rocker Chick. |
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| Naked 'King of the Mountain' is so much fun! Yippie!!! |