The Scariest Movie I Have Ever Seen

Last night the Horror Movie Fan Club was resurrected. Hallelujah! Something to break up the monotony!

Just in case you missed the last nine hundred posts where I talk about my obsession with all things creepy, catch up quickly here.

The film of the night was called The Orphanage or El Orfanato, a Spanish movie with English subtitles directed by the always twisted Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Devil's Backbone, Hellboy). He has this way of creating the most gorgeously dismal shots, creepy fantasy chic I call it. There is a creative precision in every transition he shoots.

But camera work and production design alone do not a scary movie make.

Here is the ratings scale we use with my ratings:

Gore factor: 1
Sustained tension level: 4
'Gotcha' moments: 2
Overall Sound: 6
Black humor: 0
Overall horror movie rating: 2
Overall movie rating: 6

Overall, I liked this movie, but it was by no means a horror movie. It was a drama with a few frightening moments. Don't get me wrong, it was dark, but more somber dark than twisted dark. However, the cinematography, if we want to get really geeky was fantastic. The Orphanage was good, but not fit to sit next to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre on the horror movie shelf at Blockbuster.

For examples of films we have rated in the past, go here.