Desecration

Debut film from Dante Tomaselli gives us a nice little campy atmospheric horror film but other than that there's not much to say about this film. It's good, but not great. There are some very creepy standout scenes that stick in your mind for awhile, but there's nothing really special about this film that would make me rave about it. The negative reviews say that Desecration is lousy and very bad well I've seen a lot worse so don't be discouraged out of seeing this film it's still a decent effort by a then rookie director. Horror buffs out there that like hypnotic creepy horror films that make no sense like this should be/will be pleased with the effort. 6/10

I stumbled across Desecration quite by accident, finding the cover artwork captivating. The four paintings of a nun takes on a Lovecraftian feel and the viewer should get a good idea that the horror film contained inside will be more of a cerebral experience than a direct Hollywood one. I liked that clue, because I was in a mindset to see something very different. I wasn't disappointed!

There are so many words that went through my mind watching this tale of a boy struggling to figure out what is happening around him at a catholic school and the accidental death of a nun: Unsettling, surreal, hallucinatory, atmospheric, disturbing, eerie....words that wound up being on the DVDs back cover in quotes and film summary! (I never read the summaries or critical quotes before a viewing so I can come up with my own idea of the film first) One thing is for sure, the viewer will be left with a deep sense of unease. I found myself sitting back for a while, thinking some of the opening was a bit low budget (fog and mist tends to come from a specific point off camera), then part of the way through I was sitting up, then leaning forward by the end of the film, entranced.

There are no direct answers to the story, as Bobby and even his grandmother find that they cannot do much about the supernatural goings-on since they are not sure what is real or not. This is apparent as the grandmother asks a couple times "What do I do NOW?...." but the occurrences seem to throw her off every time. Bobby can't tell if he is dreaming half the time and winds up running away, only to be faced at every turn by a nun that has the most creepy expression. Be careful to take a good look at the nun who is accidentally killed in the film's opening...she seems to have an eerie resemblance to Bobby's dead mother. A scene where Bobby's father and grandmother pass the nun on a road really creeped me out!

Writer/director Dante Tomaselli seemed to have a lot going on creatively for the film's story and visuals. What the film may lack technically because of budget limitations it more than makes up for in ambition and style. Much of the film could easily be made into stills that would hold up on their own as bizarre paintings--the sequence in which earth and plants take over Bobby's room seem to be inspired by Dali (who's name appears in the thank-you's in the end credits). The use of clowns together with nuns as horrifying creatures is a wonderful blend.

The creative process for Desecration is one I'd love to learn more about, as Tomaselli thanks people such as Marc Almond, Ric Ocasek, Laurie Anderson, Martin Gore, and Dario Argento in the credits. One big mention in the opening credits is a "special thanks to Alfred Sole," director of Alice, Sweet Alice (aka Communion). After watching Desecration I was hungry to find out how these artists influenced Tomaselli.

This is definitely not an easy film to experience. The story keeps jumping from one weird scene to another and the ending just APPEARS right when you think something might happen to explain more. All I can gather is that when someone wants to get out of Hell that person will do practically anything! This is not standard horror fare for people looking for cheap and fast thrills, it's a psychological challenge and worth the 88-minute hold it will have on you!

"Desecration" is a creepy psychological horror film from Dante Tomaselli; a New Jersey director whose influences include Dario Argento, Mario Bava and Salvador Dali. This film feels hallucinatory in some parts, and it becomes hard to tell what's actually happening or what's fantasy. The plot concerns a boy at a catholic school, who accidentally kills a nun. When his remote control airplane malfunctions, the blade hits the nun. Because of this incident and his long deceased mother, the gates of hell open up. Creepy, bizarre and unexplained things start to happen. Repeated viewings might help as the ending leaves it's viewers confused and in awe. This film is amazing, it shows what you can do on a low budget with creativity and imagination.

Tomaselli obviously has a flair for creating eye candy. Although a few of the effects in this film are hokey and ultra-low-budget (the model plane, the scissors), the majority of the visuals are fantastic – reminiscent of many Euro-shockers and the first "Evil Dead." However, what the film lacks is a coherent story. I'm not a moviegoer who needs everything spelled out – "Black Christmas," for example, was creepy because we barely see the killer, let alone find out his motivation. "Donnie Darko" remains an enigma even to the writer/director. "Burnt Offerings" leaves you to decide exactly what happened in the house. But at least the aforementioned have some sense of logic.

The principle story here is about a boy who's dragged to Hell by his dead mother as she attempts to escape. Or so they say. However, nothing that happens within the film justifies that plot line – and it all completely lacks logic. If Tomaselli had ended the film in the traditional Hollywood "it was all a dream" way, perhaps I could forgive the film for lacking sense. As is, it feels like an overlong student film.

The acting is horrendous all around, with the exception of the boy who plays Bobby. The old lady (who can't act, but I've seen in a slew of films) is annoying and, unfortunately, has the dominant part. The few male actors all sound like they're reading off cue cards, and then there's the nuns – but if you can't say something nice….

The DVD ends with an "excerpt from the original short film" on which this movie was based. I don't understand why it's not the complete film (the provided scene is exceptional) nor is there a commentary or any other extras. Enigmatic films such as this ALWAYS benefit from commentaries.

Those seeking something out of the norm might enjoy this, as well as stoner horror buffs. All others, avoid it.

Firstly let me say that I am an avid Horror Fan. I collect and love lots of different horror movies from the Italian gore to the more psychological to the plain funny as in Evil Dead. Now, Desecration. What category does this fall into? It maybe has its own unique category. If so, It would be close to the bottom of the pile...where movies you will only ever watch once and still regret doing so, live. To describe the general gist of this movie is quite simple. forget unbelievable surrealism, forget cerebral and beautiful haunting imagery. Try 'a collection of stereotypical horror movie clichés that are thrown together without ANY real sense of structure, meaning and above all no message and no story is forthcoming'.

Even some of these people here praising the movie have admitted it seemed to be going nowhere at times or didn't make any sense. Of the other reviews there is one that stands out and praises this movie as if it is the best movie ever made.... It isn't hard to guess that the reviewer is a keen user of cannabis-Deduced by the nickname, If I am wrong shoot me! - and if I were to view this movie under the influence, I too would probably say 'Wow' 'amazing' 'freaky' etc etc etc. In the grim harshness of reality though (!?), this movie is a total TURKEY. If you are considering buying this trash...be warned, there are better things to spend your money on. Like a new Can opener or something. If you want a cheap alternative to this movie, get a collection of older movie trailers, put them on back to back so it lasts an hour or so, then sit and watch it whilst flicking different coloured lights on and off now and then with some old led Zep or pink floyd music on in the background- playing backwards of course. 0 out of 10