Checked out the new horror freakout weirdness movie The Lighthouse. This is director Roger Eggers’ follow-up to his cerebral art-house horror film The Witch from 2015. That was a movie seeped in dread with heightened 16th century dialog that could best be described as a slow burn. The apple didn’t fall from the tree.
The Lighthouse stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as 19th century lighthouse keepers off the coast of New England. They are dropped off on the island in order to maintain the lighthouse and the ever present, ever sounding fog horn. This leads to boredom, to bickering, then to furious drinking and even more furious masturbating (ahem). But something isn’t quite right on the island… though its probably only in the heads of the two men as they slowly descend into madness (or are driven to madness, depending on your interpretation of the film).
This is a really weird black and white film that is also a slow burn… until it just gets nuts and then it’s just burning. It’s not only B&W but its also in a weird aspect ratio… almost a square frame but actually slightly taller than it is wide. There’s not a lot of dialog to start and then the men can’t shut up… especially Willem Defoe who sounds like the saltiest sea salt who ever manned a ship. His dialog is heightened and eloquent in its old crusty New England sea dog way (Pattinson less so… but not by much). Very similar to The Witch in that regard.
There’s a lot of weird imagery in the movie that may or may not actually happen. This isn’t the kind of movie that will tell you a scene was a dream sequence… but odds of Pattinson actually encountering a washed-up mermaid is low. But Defoe did talk about mermaids and they are seamen so the creatures are probably on their minds. But that’s the thing about this movie… don’t go see it if you want “an explanation” or for things to “make sense” or for things to have “actually happened”. This is kind of a tone poem – a mood piece – but there’s enough suggestion that there’s something conceptual or symbolic going on. It’s not just random stuff interspersed by furious drunkenness.
But did I like this movie? Yeeeessss… I think I did. I was definitely never bored but there was part of me that was wishing things would pick up (before they do). And there was a part of me that wonders if the movie isn’t up its own butt with its analogies. But there’s an equal part that thinks the movie is as smart as it thinks it is. Certainly it’s a visually striking movie – great use of B&W and shadow and fog. Individual shots often have a painterly and/or brutalist or stark quality that tells you the guys on the camera and lighting are masters.
So, yeah, this is a hesitant recommendation only for those who like art house horror movies that don’t hand-feed you. It is a smart, artsy movie but it isn’t without its sense of humor… even if you aren’t always sure if something was meant as a joke (which isn’t as much a criticism as it may sound). It’s full of excellent acting (and over-acting) and not a little bit of furious drinking. It looks great too… if you were a fan of The Witch or Hereditary or a few other cerebral, art house horror, this is a movie to catch.
Score: 85