Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of The Sonata; here's the breakdown of my ratings:
Story: 1.50 Direction: 1.50 Pace: 1.25 Acting: 1.50 Enjoyment: 1.50
TOTAL: 6.25 out of 10.00
There's nothing new under the sun, and there's nothing new in music. But that doesn't stop Andrew Desmond and Arthur Morin from shooting for the stars with The Sonata.
The writers have devised a way to call forth the devil from his Hell Sweet Hell. All you have to do is play the horned one a tune on your violin. But that would be too simple and only seems to work for Johnny from Georgia. For everyone else, it takes more - much more. The writers brilliantly incorporate a Satanic Sect who had been trying to place a call to Luci but have never quite gotten the tune right. Enter the philharmonic maestro genius of Richard Marlow. He's ostracised himself from humanity to dedicate his intellect and time to composing Satan's Summoning Sonata. And on the eve of its completion, he commits self-immolation. Enter the estranged violin virtuoso of his daughter, Rose Fisher. Marlow's seclusion means she is his only heir, and no sooner has she set foot in her new mansion in the forest than the strange and mysterious happenings begin. I loved how the writers interwove the mystical symbols and their interpretations into how the music sheets were to be read and played. Very imaginative and clever - This alone added extra depth that drew me into the story more. In fact, the entire piece is laden with intelligent and eerie repercussions. One of my favourites, and most chilling, is how Marlow determines the correct note, pitch, and fervency for certain sections. Desmond and Morin don't just infect their narrative with creepy nastiness. They also infuse their characters with darkness. And as we progress through the story, we see the wickedness grow. Their individuals are strong and credible, but this evil infection increases their potency for the viewer, especially in the Charles Vernais character.
Desmond is as skilled behind the camera as he is at tapping away at a laptop. The guy knows how to work the slow boil and the simmering scare. If you like fast frights, then The Sonata is not for you. There are a few, but only a few. Desmond uses the story and the easy pace to create one of the best under-your-skin-creeps I've felt in a long time. Muchas Gracias Muchacho. I adored the low lights and deep shadows while never being too dark to see. It adds considerably to the eeriness: As do the sets. Rose's apartment is modern, but when she steps into her father's manor, it's as though she's stepped back in time. Both Count Dracula and Victor Frankenstein would feel at home here. I always find that house's caught in time, like this one, have a spookiness all to themselves. And Desmond's cinematography heightens that feeling. The special effects are limited in number and resources. The ghost kids are ghostly, though not too frightening. While the conjured evil spirit is ominous, it's not too menacing. I would consider this a budgetary matter rather than a directorial one, as Desmond does construct a suitable atmosphere for both. However, the lack of attack from the spirit is a big letdown. I think even cheesy CGI would have been better than nothing at all. I'm a big devotee of less is more. In most cases letting the audience's imagination do the work for the director would be ideal. Sadly, in this case, it doesn't work fully. I believe this to be down to the appearances of the Kids and Daemon and the viewer's expectations. You've waited so long for the big finale, and instead of a massive crescendo, we get a slow fade away. That said, I loved the less is more ending, which works splendidly, especially because of the look on Rose's face and her blazing red eyes. I will state that the CGI'd fiery Marlowe looks good, and Rutger Hauer's indifference adds a superb creepiness to the scene.
This brings me to the cast, and they are superb. Nobody overcooks their performances, though, in one or two scenes, Freya Tingley slightly underdoes her rendition of Rose. But for the most part, she is exemplary as a strong-willed, single-minded, and driven woman - with a hint of Deva. This film, however, belongs to Simon Abkarian as Charles and the wonderful voice of the late and great Rutger Hauer.
I would like to mention the soundtrack, in particular The Sonata itself. It's an outstanding piece, full of emotion - anger, horror, dread, and menace. Whoever wrote it and played it, thank you for sending that chill straight down to my marrow.
I would recommend The Sonata to all lovers of the macabre. However, if you're a die-hard gorehound, stay away as there's not enough blood to satiate your dark desires. But if you're looking for something to steel slowly into the dark parts of your soul, give it a look-see - even if it's only once.
Please feel free to visit my Absolute Horror list to see where I ranked The Sonata.
Take Care & Stay Well.
Story: 1.50 Direction: 1.50 Pace: 1.25 Acting: 1.50 Enjoyment: 1.50
TOTAL: 6.25 out of 10.00
There's nothing new under the sun, and there's nothing new in music. But that doesn't stop Andrew Desmond and Arthur Morin from shooting for the stars with The Sonata.
The writers have devised a way to call forth the devil from his Hell Sweet Hell. All you have to do is play the horned one a tune on your violin. But that would be too simple and only seems to work for Johnny from Georgia. For everyone else, it takes more - much more. The writers brilliantly incorporate a Satanic Sect who had been trying to place a call to Luci but have never quite gotten the tune right. Enter the philharmonic maestro genius of Richard Marlow. He's ostracised himself from humanity to dedicate his intellect and time to composing Satan's Summoning Sonata. And on the eve of its completion, he commits self-immolation. Enter the estranged violin virtuoso of his daughter, Rose Fisher. Marlow's seclusion means she is his only heir, and no sooner has she set foot in her new mansion in the forest than the strange and mysterious happenings begin. I loved how the writers interwove the mystical symbols and their interpretations into how the music sheets were to be read and played. Very imaginative and clever - This alone added extra depth that drew me into the story more. In fact, the entire piece is laden with intelligent and eerie repercussions. One of my favourites, and most chilling, is how Marlow determines the correct note, pitch, and fervency for certain sections. Desmond and Morin don't just infect their narrative with creepy nastiness. They also infuse their characters with darkness. And as we progress through the story, we see the wickedness grow. Their individuals are strong and credible, but this evil infection increases their potency for the viewer, especially in the Charles Vernais character.
Desmond is as skilled behind the camera as he is at tapping away at a laptop. The guy knows how to work the slow boil and the simmering scare. If you like fast frights, then The Sonata is not for you. There are a few, but only a few. Desmond uses the story and the easy pace to create one of the best under-your-skin-creeps I've felt in a long time. Muchas Gracias Muchacho. I adored the low lights and deep shadows while never being too dark to see. It adds considerably to the eeriness: As do the sets. Rose's apartment is modern, but when she steps into her father's manor, it's as though she's stepped back in time. Both Count Dracula and Victor Frankenstein would feel at home here. I always find that house's caught in time, like this one, have a spookiness all to themselves. And Desmond's cinematography heightens that feeling. The special effects are limited in number and resources. The ghost kids are ghostly, though not too frightening. While the conjured evil spirit is ominous, it's not too menacing. I would consider this a budgetary matter rather than a directorial one, as Desmond does construct a suitable atmosphere for both. However, the lack of attack from the spirit is a big letdown. I think even cheesy CGI would have been better than nothing at all. I'm a big devotee of less is more. In most cases letting the audience's imagination do the work for the director would be ideal. Sadly, in this case, it doesn't work fully. I believe this to be down to the appearances of the Kids and Daemon and the viewer's expectations. You've waited so long for the big finale, and instead of a massive crescendo, we get a slow fade away. That said, I loved the less is more ending, which works splendidly, especially because of the look on Rose's face and her blazing red eyes. I will state that the CGI'd fiery Marlowe looks good, and Rutger Hauer's indifference adds a superb creepiness to the scene.
This brings me to the cast, and they are superb. Nobody overcooks their performances, though, in one or two scenes, Freya Tingley slightly underdoes her rendition of Rose. But for the most part, she is exemplary as a strong-willed, single-minded, and driven woman - with a hint of Deva. This film, however, belongs to Simon Abkarian as Charles and the wonderful voice of the late and great Rutger Hauer.
I would like to mention the soundtrack, in particular The Sonata itself. It's an outstanding piece, full of emotion - anger, horror, dread, and menace. Whoever wrote it and played it, thank you for sending that chill straight down to my marrow.
I would recommend The Sonata to all lovers of the macabre. However, if you're a die-hard gorehound, stay away as there's not enough blood to satiate your dark desires. But if you're looking for something to steel slowly into the dark parts of your soul, give it a look-see - even if it's only once.
Please feel free to visit my Absolute Horror list to see where I ranked The Sonata.
Take Care & Stay Well.