Chapelwaite

When I stumbled upon the 2021 TV series "Chapelwaite", I must admit that I was immediately interested in watching it. Why? Well, I read that it was based on Stephen King's "Jerusalem's Lot" and also it had Adrien Brody on the cast list.

I have to admit that I had actually not heard about the show prior to getting to sitting down to watch it. But let me just be the first to say that I am very happy that I did sit down to watch it, because "Chapelwaite" turned out to be really enjoyable and entertaining.

The storyline is certainly based on Stephen King's "Jerusalem's Lot", but at the same time creators Jason Filardi and Peter Filardi managed to make "Chapelwaite" so much more. If you think "Jerusalem's Lot" and add a good sense of gothic atmosphere and Lovecraftian influence, then you have the end result that is "Chapelwaite", and believe me, it works. The storyline is well-written and just as nicely brought to life on the screen.

"Chapelwaite" has a great ensemble of characters that are portrayed well nicely by a good group of actors and actresses. And the fact that there is paid a good amount of detail and attention ot the backstories and motivation of the characters really adds to the overall feel of "Chapelwaite".

It should be said that Adrien Brody is phenomenally cast for the role of Captain Charles Boone, and he is joined by the likes of Jennifer Ens, Ian Ho, Sirena Gulamgaus, Emily Hampshire, Gord Rand Hugh Thompson, Julian Richings and Steven McCarthy. But lo and behold actor Christopher Heyerdahl playing the role of Jakub. Wow, talk about an impressive character and an equally impressive performance of said character.

Visually then "Chapelwaite" is rather impressive. The atmosphere throughout the entire series is just spot on, and definitely adds a great element to the presentation of the show. And the appearance of the vampires is just fantastic and definitely is in tune with "Jerusalem's Lot".

If you enjoyed "Jerusalem's Lot" and maybe have an interest in Lovecraftian things, then you should definitely check out "Chapelwaite".

My rating of "Chapelwaite" lands on a well-deserved nine out of ten stars.

After seeing the first 4 episodes, I am happy to report that "Chapelwaite" is one of the most satisfying gothic horror series I have seen in some time.

I was worried about how Emily Hampshire would make the transition from comedy to drama after "Schitt's Creek," but she is truly excellent. From her narration monologues, with just the right amount of breathiness, to her scenes with the impressive Adrian Brody, Hampshire has been a joy to watch. Even her occasionally awkward body language is perfectly suited to her character.

Not just the 2 stars, but the entire cast, are extremely strong. Not a weak link in the bunch.

I especially like the consistent somber, and grim, tone throughout, and the way "Chapelwaite" languishes over these brooding moments to capture the mood. For those who like a ton of gore and a rapid pace, this may not be for you. However, there are enough scary moments to keep you locked in.

I also think that it is a plus that this series tries to be socially conscious, as well. Let's face it, "The Crucible" was an attempt to equate the Salem witch trials to McCarthyism, so it is not out of place to include social commentary in the story-telling. And no, they don't hit you over the head with it, either. Where it comes into play, it makes sense.

Bottom line....this is a fun series for anyone who liked to settle in with a good old-fashioned horror tale. While I read "Salem's Lot," (one of my favorite King works), I had never read the "Jerusalem Lot" short story that this was based upon. So I do not have to spend any of my critique worrying about how it may have deviated from the script. I am just judging it on its own terms.

For anyone who has ever curled up with a good scary, gothic horror tale, punctuated by vampires, specters, and a touch of madness, you are in for a treat.

Only 3 episodes in so will update later.

Huge fan of the original novella and author-and not disappointed in the effort so far. Slow burn into madness is the perfect pace for this Lovecraftian gothic nightmare. I think the house could have been better treated as a character itself-it is a little plain and has no discernible menace. Indeed much of the landscape which is so rich usually in King's books hasn't really been given much graft. But Brody and the rest of the cast have given the characters a wonderful brooding interpretation.

It's best to ignore the review bombs by whinging, bed-wetting incels claiming 'wokeness', being upset by what a character says does not a review make...I have a feeling they haven't read much literature, studied film or studied any actual history beyond reddit and 4chan. If they are to be believed...apparently Hawaii doesn't exist (it does), there were no African Americans in Maine during the 1800s (there were) and women didn't have aspirations, go to college or weren't authors (They did and were. Colleges for women were first established in 1831 in the US . The story is set in 1850). Fairly puerile critiques of a fantasy horror show only 3 episodes in but hey, talent-less losers, unable to create anything themselves gotta be talent-less losers.

If you're looking for classic horror and you're not a fan of scare scenes like me, you can give this one a try. I like Adrian Brody, haven't watched him in a long while and I enjoyed it. A good actor is a good actor! The show has this beautiful gothic atmosphere. The story is cliché and could definitely be much better, and the pace is pretty slow but I did watch the whole ten episodes in the end. I missed this kind of show, got tired of horror that tries to shake you and get you almost sick. There are still many gore scenes in this, beware, but nothing that made me want to turn my screen off. Halfway into the show, there's a revelation which I didn't expect but liked, and the ending was pretty good and interesting to me, part of it reminded me of an older show that I liked. Maybe better casting for some of the characters could have been done but it was still good.

Lots of suspense, mystery, character & scene development for the first 3 episodes.. after that, mysteries start to slowly be revealed. I'm glad I stuck with it.. pays off nicely!!