Let me tell you a little story about my online experience debating the cultural relevance of Guillermo del Toro films.
In short, I long ago grew used to being drubbed by fandom on this topic. You see, it isn’t that I don’t like and/or admire what this unique visionary puts up in the lights. Undoubtedly, he has a purposeful style that reaches out in ways other directors must envy. His various sights and sounds have achieved astounding success with critics and audiences alike; and he definitely deserves each and every accolade that’s ever been bestowed on him, his cast, his crew, his pictures, his company, and his nation. If nothing else, then I want to be perfectly clear on that point.
Where I diverge from the crowd is that I just haven’t found any of his pictures to date all that relatable on the character side of things. I’m of the opinion that he crafts relatively simple if not stereotypical people to inhabit his various universes; and I personally believe that this is an unintended consequence of putting so very much of his time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears into his visions. Again, this isn’t to suggest that any of them are inauthentic; rather, it’s that they wind up feeling somewhat static and predictable, so much so that I’ve found it relatively easy to plot out the developments as they unfold in movie-time.
Now … are they well made? Without question. Are they compelling constructed? Hey, c’mon now. Do they give substance to a world distinctively its own? How can you ask such a silly question!
Once more: the characters feel a bit too formulaic. As such, I’m just not drawn to them as much as I am their respective circumstances. Thus, del Toro’s pictures just don’t resonate with me in the same manner that other storytellers do. I find them worthy on every conceivable level except for the dimness of the people; and – to date – I stand by that.
This is why I’ve experienced endless dragging in a variety of forums. You young pups? I you think mudslinging is bad today, then step back in time about twenty to thirty years when fan-based message boards were all the rage; and just imagine how harsh, cruel, and insensitive some folks sought to be with perfect grammar and written structure! I still get the cold sweats when I think back to those dark times, and I’m quite certain I’ll suffer some wrath today with my humble assessment of Crimson Peak (2015).
In short, I long ago grew used to being drubbed by fandom on this topic. You see, it isn’t that I don’t like and/or admire what this unique visionary puts up in the lights. Undoubtedly, he has a purposeful style that reaches out in ways other directors must envy. His various sights and sounds have achieved astounding success with critics and audiences alike; and he definitely deserves each and every accolade that’s ever been bestowed on him, his cast, his crew, his pictures, his company, and his nation. If nothing else, then I want to be perfectly clear on that point.
Where I diverge from the crowd is that I just haven’t found any of his pictures to date all that relatable on the character side of things. I’m of the opinion that he crafts relatively simple if not stereotypical people to inhabit his various universes; and I personally believe that this is an unintended consequence of putting so very much of his time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears into his visions. Again, this isn’t to suggest that any of them are inauthentic; rather, it’s that they wind up feeling somewhat static and predictable, so much so that I’ve found it relatively easy to plot out the developments as they unfold in movie-time.
Now … are they well made? Without question. Are they compelling constructed? Hey, c’mon now. Do they give substance to a world distinctively its own? How can you ask such a silly question!
Once more: the characters feel a bit too formulaic. As such, I’m just not drawn to them as much as I am their respective circumstances. Thus, del Toro’s pictures just don’t resonate with me in the same manner that other storytellers do. I find them worthy on every conceivable level except for the dimness of the people; and – to date – I stand by that.
This is why I’ve experienced endless dragging in a variety of forums. You young pups? I you think mudslinging is bad today, then step back in time about twenty to thirty years when fan-based message boards were all the rage; and just imagine how harsh, cruel, and insensitive some folks sought to be with perfect grammar and written structure! I still get the cold sweats when I think back to those dark times, and I’m quite certain I’ll suffer some wrath today with my humble assessment of Crimson Peak (2015).
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation (slightly edited for context):
“In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds, and remembers.”
I’ve had good experiences and I’ve had bad experiences with Gothic Romance.
Generally, my quibble with them is that all too often they devolve from their ornate and involved set-ups to little more than an obvious melodrama with a supernatural backdrop … and at the risk of sounding a bit haughty that’s mostly where I’m at with Crimson Peak. It’s a story of tragic romance all wrapped around some tragic characters in a tragic setting that, ultimately, will lead to a good measure of even greater tragedy (see what I mean?), but that isn’t to say I’ve any problems with the cast or setting. As descents into darkness go, this one is exceedingly well-crafted, all at the hands of its marquee cast and accomplished director.
Edith Cushing (played by one of the screen’s best modern era chameleons Mia Wasikowska) is a turn-of-the-century feminist whose hell bent at seeing her ghost story brought to life on the printed page despite the fact that – well – such thoughts should escape the mind of a sophisticated lady. No doubt the daddy’s financial wherewithal might be strong enough to help push doors open; but before she can realize her life’s dreams she’s curiously awakened by the seemingly wholesome charms of Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), an entrepreneur seeking investment capital for his latest mining venture. It goes without saying that these two dreamers are cinematically destined to reside in one another’s arms; and the unforeseen death of Carter Cushing (a somewhat miscast Jim Beaver) means that Edith can leave America behind (but not daddy’s wealth) in the embrace of her new beau and his (cough cough) loving sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain).
Thus, audiences are catapulted to one of the screen’s most curious and scenic destinations: Allerdale Hall – secretly known as ‘Crimson Peak’ – is a combination of high society by way of the town dump. At once profoundly ornate, the expansive mansion has now fallen into severe disrepair. There’s a massive gaping hole in the roof in the foyer. Its foundation is said to be sinking slowly into the clay just beneath the structure, strongly suggesting a parallel to Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Fall Of The House Of Usher.’ Rats and roaches infest its darkest corners. While some women would be offended by such a place to spend a honeymoon, Edith is curiously okay with it all. Perhaps she’s drawn to the home’s legends of ghosts, spirits, and poltergeists? Well … she will be … in time.
And that’s the thing about Crimson Peak that not even a fantastic narrator like del Toro can overcome: it’s patently predictable from the start to finish. Gothic romances being what they are, there’s just so very little room – despite missing a substantial portion of the roof – to really be all that much new under the sun in this still charming spectral thriller. The cast do what they can – and, yes, it’s occasionally quite remarkable – but with such an obvious starting and ending point I’d never fault the audience for tuning out a bit of what happens in between because – as I said – we already know how this ends most of the time. There’s never any real doubt that these manipulative and incestuous siblings – Thomas and Lucille – will get what’s coming to them in the last reel, so I found the finale a bit lacking in suspense.
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation (slightly edited for context):
“In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds, and remembers.”
I’ve had good experiences and I’ve had bad experiences with Gothic Romance.
Generally, my quibble with them is that all too often they devolve from their ornate and involved set-ups to little more than an obvious melodrama with a supernatural backdrop … and at the risk of sounding a bit haughty that’s mostly where I’m at with Crimson Peak. It’s a story of tragic romance all wrapped around some tragic characters in a tragic setting that, ultimately, will lead to a good measure of even greater tragedy (see what I mean?), but that isn’t to say I’ve any problems with the cast or setting. As descents into darkness go, this one is exceedingly well-crafted, all at the hands of its marquee cast and accomplished director.
Edith Cushing (played by one of the screen’s best modern era chameleons Mia Wasikowska) is a turn-of-the-century feminist whose hell bent at seeing her ghost story brought to life on the printed page despite the fact that – well – such thoughts should escape the mind of a sophisticated lady. No doubt the daddy’s financial wherewithal might be strong enough to help push doors open; but before she can realize her life’s dreams she’s curiously awakened by the seemingly wholesome charms of Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), an entrepreneur seeking investment capital for his latest mining venture. It goes without saying that these two dreamers are cinematically destined to reside in one another’s arms; and the unforeseen death of Carter Cushing (a somewhat miscast Jim Beaver) means that Edith can leave America behind (but not daddy’s wealth) in the embrace of her new beau and his (cough cough) loving sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain).
Thus, audiences are catapulted to one of the screen’s most curious and scenic destinations: Allerdale Hall – secretly known as ‘Crimson Peak’ – is a combination of high society by way of the town dump. At once profoundly ornate, the expansive mansion has now fallen into severe disrepair. There’s a massive gaping hole in the roof in the foyer. Its foundation is said to be sinking slowly into the clay just beneath the structure, strongly suggesting a parallel to Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Fall Of The House Of Usher.’ Rats and roaches infest its darkest corners. While some women would be offended by such a place to spend a honeymoon, Edith is curiously okay with it all. Perhaps she’s drawn to the home’s legends of ghosts, spirits, and poltergeists? Well … she will be … in time.
And that’s the thing about Crimson Peak that not even a fantastic narrator like del Toro can overcome: it’s patently predictable from the start to finish. Gothic romances being what they are, there’s just so very little room – despite missing a substantial portion of the roof – to really be all that much new under the sun in this still charming spectral thriller. The cast do what they can – and, yes, it’s occasionally quite remarkable – but with such an obvious starting and ending point I’d never fault the audience for tuning out a bit of what happens in between because – as I said – we already know how this ends most of the time. There’s never any real doubt that these manipulative and incestuous siblings – Thomas and Lucille – will get what’s coming to them in the last reel, so I found the finale a bit lacking in suspense.
Still, del Toro and Matthew Robbins’ script is always serviceable. And I think it represents about as great of a modern example of how the Gothic Romance still has a bit of fuel in the proverbial tank no matter how good or bad the story is received. Everything in here works, and it works swimmingly (pun intended, and you’ll get it after you’ve seen it) if not too familiarly all too often.
There’s a great little subplot involving just how far the Sharpe family’s shenanigans may’ve stretched – one that, perhaps, could’ve been given even greater exploration were the project a limited series on any number of streaming platforms these days. In fact, I wish that were the case because there were enough breadcrumbs of a trail pointing to some serious skullduggery on both brother and sister’s part that I would’ve tuned in just to see how nefarious they were in their previous dealings. Granted, none of this dismisses the kinda/sorta dull thud of Edith’s purity ultimately infecting Thomas so that he can finally see the error of his ways before succumbing to his own bitter end.
Crimson Peak (2015) was produced by Double Dare You (DDY) and Legendary Entertainment. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Arrow Films. As for the technical specifications? Though I’m no trained video expert … wow. This film truly looks and sounds spectacular from start-to-finish. Again: set aside the fact that it’s a bit too mechanical in premise and execution, and just marvel at the endless imagery del Toro squeezes into damn near each and every frame. It’s nothing short of inspired.
Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? In order to serve justice to everything in here, I’m doing the admirable copy-and-paste from the released press materials provided on Blu-ray.com below.
There’s a great little subplot involving just how far the Sharpe family’s shenanigans may’ve stretched – one that, perhaps, could’ve been given even greater exploration were the project a limited series on any number of streaming platforms these days. In fact, I wish that were the case because there were enough breadcrumbs of a trail pointing to some serious skullduggery on both brother and sister’s part that I would’ve tuned in just to see how nefarious they were in their previous dealings. Granted, none of this dismisses the kinda/sorta dull thud of Edith’s purity ultimately infecting Thomas so that he can finally see the error of his ways before succumbing to his own bitter end.
Crimson Peak (2015) was produced by Double Dare You (DDY) and Legendary Entertainment. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Arrow Films. As for the technical specifications? Though I’m no trained video expert … wow. This film truly looks and sounds spectacular from start-to-finish. Again: set aside the fact that it’s a bit too mechanical in premise and execution, and just marvel at the endless imagery del Toro squeezes into damn near each and every frame. It’s nothing short of inspired.
Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? In order to serve justice to everything in here, I’m doing the admirable copy-and-paste from the released press materials provided on Blu-ray.com below.
- DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM, approved by director Guillermo Del Toro
- Original 7.1 DTS:X and 2.0 DTS Headphone:X audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Optional Descriptive Video Service® (DVS®) for the visually impaired
- Audio commentary by co-writer and director Guillermo del Toro
- The House is Alive: Constructing Crimson Peak, a feature-length documentary with cast and crew interviews and extensive behind the scenes footage
- Spanish language interview with Guillermo del Toro
- The Gothic Corridor, The Scullery, The Red Clay Mines, The Limbo Fog Set; four featurettes exploring different aspects of Allerdale Hall
- A Primer on Gothic Romance, the director and stars talk about the key traits of Gothic romance
- The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak, the cast and crew talk about the film's use of color
- Hand Tailored Gothic, a featurette on the film's striking costumes
- A Living Thing, a look at the design, modelling and construction of the Allerdale Hall sets
- Beware of Crimson Peak, a walking tour around Allerdale Hall with Tom Hiddleston
- Crimson Phantoms, a featurette on the film's amazing ghosts
- Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance, an interview with the author and critic
- Violence and Beauty in Guillermo del Toro's Gothic Fairy Tale Films, a video essay by the writer Kat Ellinger
- Deleted scenes
- Image gallery
- Original trailers and TV spots
- Double-sided, fold-out poster
- Four double-sided postcards
- Limited edition packaging designed by Crimson Peak concept artist Guy Davis
- Limited edition 80-page, hard-bound book featuring writing by David Jenkins and Simon Abrams, an archival interview with Guillermo del Toro, and original conceptual design illustrations by artists Guy Davis and Oscar Chichoni
Now, in my capacity as an approved online reviewer, I’m only provided physical copies of the final disc. I do not receive (unless indicated otherwise) the promotional inserts, newly produced artwork, and collector’s booklet. So while I cannot attest to the efficacy of those materials, I can still assure you that Arrow Films continues to impress with each release. This collection should keep you busy for a few extra hours.
Highly recommended.
My opinion of the expectedness of Gothic Romances being what it is, I insist that there’s not so much new in Crimson Peak (2015) as I would’ve liked. Above, I mentioned that a subplot or two could’ve meant more to me than the core story here; and I’m willing to just chalk that up to having sat through quite a few like-minded thrillers. But … yes … this is quintessential del Toro – meaning the imagery might have cineastes drooling (in a good way) over what’s accomplished visually in every single scene. It’s a feast for the eyes – probably the way the good director intended – and enjoy what you eat while the eatin’s good!
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Arrow Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray copy of Crimson Peak (2015) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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