ianwilmoth-14058

The subject matter has been well covered in other reviews, but I just want to mention that the film making's use of conventional documentary tropes such as re enactments, voice over, interviews, and pans over letters, are somehow woven together in a mesmerizing fashion with absolutely beautiful cinematography and lighting of the re enactments, which are shot in the actual house. The shots linger over beautifully lit and composed scenes, without feeling slow. The voice actress that plays the crazy lady is really good. The music is subtle but creepy and melancholy and really adds to the atmosphere. Almost every line is a description of the woman by another person who starts out with the word "she", which at times is almost overwhelming though i'm sure that was the point. "she was this, she was that, she was the other, she did this she did that," imagine hearing sentences starting with the word she at least 200 times. Anyways the production values here really elevate this over the way this type of story is usually handled.

Its hard to say how influential this movie really was in that it's one of those things that's so original that nobody including the director has tried to really rip it off- However having watched this movie hundreds of times since it came out, the element of it that comes through to me more clearly every time I see it, personally, is the spot on social commentary. But there is so much going on here, and all so well balanced, you could focuse on a different aspect of it every time you see it. Often overlooked, the cinematography is really awesome, done by robby muller who went on to do a lot of work with jim jarmusch, it really elevates the material, as if it needed elevation.

you'll probably love this- it follows the mockumentary format excellently but ups the ante because its following a cast of actual (in the worldof the movie) vampires. (oh and some werewolves make a hilarious cameo.). But within the conceit of being a mockumentary its played totally straight.

The few special effects scenes are really well done for the budget and all the more powerful because they knew to do it sparingly.