After I watched Stonehearst Asylum I knew I had to read this short story, especially after I've seen that it is written by Poe. The setting is a British insane asylum whose troubled patients on a snowy Christmas Eve in 1899 occupy a once-mannerly estate that has slipped into very ill-mannered debauchery and decay. I just saw this movie last nightI loved it. And the entire establishment appears to have returned to working order in no time at all. The distinction is clear: Stonehearst is a piece of property, Lambs kingdom. It is loosely based on the 1845 short story "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether"[3] by Edgar Allan Poe. His name adds legitimacy to projects and his works are in public domain, so its seen as a win-win for everyone, except maybe Poe, whose tense and psychological tales are often poorly exploited. nightmare factories the Stokers Dracula and Shutter Island hang heavy in the air, again promising a Before Newgate can drink it, Graves causes him to spill his drink and quietly insists that he flee the asylum, but Newgate refuses to leave without her. Is Rachel Campos-Duffy Pregnant Again in 2021? while also taking time to elevate shows such as Fringe, The Wire and Boardwalk However the entire drama of the hospital being taken over by the patients is completely farcical. It also opts for atmosphere over jump scares, which is laudable in itself. Poes The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether provided the main fodder for Joseph Gangemis screenplay, which succeeds in devising a series of intriguing plot turns. But it is how the character of Lamb is handled that gives the film its most interesting element. It sports clean photography and a cast of veteran British actors. Newgate is the new doctor at the titular establishment, an Lamb then coerces Newgate to perform an electrical shock treatment on Dr. Salt. It boasts fantastic scenery and production values, 1889 is truly brought to life with fabulous costumes and macabre devices. Later he finds out that the crazies had taken over the asylum and locked up the keepers. This is a real ruckus of an 80s slasher film and almost everyone with a sense of a humor will get a kick out of the gonzo, . Lamb says that he does not believe in drugging or incarcerating patients, and he encourages their delusions when he feels it will bring them greater happiness. The man that the staff thought to be Newgate, was an escaped mental patient with Pseudologia Fantastica. We are told at the end that the protagonist is known for creating profound fantasies for himself. Convinced that something must be done, Newgate attempts to spike the champagne. Introduces a great debate about the treatment of the mentally ill. Eerily entertaining & engrossing! Privacy Policy. 2.5 stars. There were 8 other movies released on the same date, including John Wick, Ouija and Low Down. Cut to Christmas Eve. Stonehearst Asylum Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Common Sense says age 14+ Atmospheric, slightly disturbing adaptation of Poe story. The music is exquisite. Newgate also seems interested in comely patient Eliza Graves (Kate Beckinsale). No one is what they seem. have worked at all. Brad Anderson is one of our most underrated filmmakers, Read full review 80 Charles Bramesco Oct 23, 2014 The dread and He converses with the doctors and administrators of the institution as he visits the hospital, and it becomes unclear who is a caregiver and who is burdened with mania. Mostly involved in quality cable skeins of late, helmer Brad Anderson has previously adapted to a range of feature genres, doing particularly well with Hitchcockian intrigue (Transsiberian) and ambiguous, atmosphere-heavy thrillers (Session 9, The Machinist). Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. But the scare, that terror of being locked away and at the mercy of the barbaric remedies used at the time to treat mental ails, never takes hold. See, it robs a man of his reason, his dignity, his very soul. My Secret Valentine Movie Filming Locations Revealed. "Made me look better than I do in real life." By Duncan Robertson March 21, 2023. After that, Newgate sneaks into Lambs office to see Dr. Salts notes. Long hallways and tall staircases are used to create a sense of space and depth. It keeps the mystery aura very thick. He is received by armed men commanded by Mickey Finn (David Thewlis) that takes him to the office of the superintendent Dr. Silas Lamb (Ben Kingsley), who tells that has not received his presentation letter but welcomes his help. Lamb is a savior of the insane. Poe was such a genius that its mind boggling at times. That makes no sense because the insane guy was called Lamb and there is no reason for them to take his name. I gave movies like "Cloud Atlas," "Snowpiercer," "Inception," 9 of 10 s. marginalize what was perceived as a lesser gender. My eyes were glued to the screen. The place is a fancy asylum for folks with lots of money and a new doctor (Jim Sturgess) has just arrived there. However, that also leads to a fire breaking out that quickly engulfs the asylum. MPAA rating: PG-13 for disturbing and biolent images, sexual content and language, Playing: Sundance Sunset Cinema, West Hollywood. This throws him into a traumatic daze. Eliza Graves (Beckinsale) is wheeled out for a demonstration. is an unhappy, dark place. On the surface, Anderson seems to have all the necessary pieces for a surreal psycho pop. As an example Lamb makes Newgate examine volatile Arthur Timbs, whose family sold to a sideshow, without any sedatives but just using his eyes, with Newgate managing to calm Timbs down. They dance and embrace happily in an asylum run by benevolent Nuns, and are known as Dr. And Mrs. Lamb. I give this a disappointing B-. After they rescue the others, Newgate asks Graves to leave with him, but she says that she cannot be with him because he is normal. The lack of thematic substance wouldnt be an issue if Stonehearst Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Photograph: Allstar/Millennium. Theres something more disappointing about seeing great Stonehearst Asylum 2014 Download and egybest Watch online BluRay . Metacritic Reviews. My clear admiration Jim Sturgess's character is supposed to be shocked to discover the real staff are imprisoned in the basement and that the lunatics are running the show upstairs. The young doctor Newgate, stumbling in from the cold, introduces himself outside the gates of the isolated and ominous towering buildings of the Stonehearst Asylum, eager to observe and learn. Seeing legends like Kingsley, Michael Caine and David Thewlis Still, up to Poe's professional writer standards. He learns that she has partially mutilated the face of her abusive husband, who is a powerful man, and has been resident at the asylum since a couple of months ago. [15], Stonehearst Asylum has earned a total worldwide gross of $3.2 million. never wasting a shot or allowing a moment to feel under-considered. Here are 22 essential L.A. spots for every tourist, Column: We cant afford another writers strike. save her; get her free of this torture palace. Eliza, now in a lovely dress, is allowed to spend as much time as she wants at the piano, pounding out her angst in the playing. In 1899, young Dr. Edward Newgate arrives at the remote Stonehearst Asylum to join its staff. His friend who told him about it is too scared to go, so he decides to go by himself, even though it looks pretty creepy at the entrance. Stonehearst should be a Hammer film, rich with dark corridors In a making-of featurette, Anderson describes Lambs vision of Stonehearst as an elaborate, admirable utopia. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The old nurse is now the head of the asylum, when she was rotting in a cell barely fed for months just a 3 weeks prior. It was a different world back then. He meets the superintendent at the door, who proceeds to show him around. Later, we see Gravess husband and the Oxford professor from earlier on in the film, arrive at Stonehearst. Great actors/actresses. Principal photography began in Bulgaria on June 21, 2013. The staff that Newgate has been interacting with are all mental patients that took over. Edgar Allen Poe's "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" is the basis for director Brad Anderson's 2014 film Stonehearst Asylum, starring Kate Beckinsale, Michael Cain, Brendan Gleeson, Ben . its not Andersons fault that Gangemis script is shallow and repetitivethere The psychology is there too. Stonehearst Asylum review - supremely entertaining Poe-inspired gothic thriller. Fraternization between loonies and staffers is not at all discouraged; in fact, one might in have a very hard time distinguishing between them. In addition to her critical essays and reviews of about 200 films a year for The Times, Sharkeys weekly movie reviews appeared in newspapers nationally and internationally. It stars Kate Beckinsale, Jim Sturgess, David Thewlis, Ben Kingsley, Michael Caine, Jason Flemyng and Brendan Gleeson. That praise vanishes when another patient kills Millie. Joseph Gangemis screenplay is based on a humorously macabre 1844 Edgar Allan Poe story thats been adapted numerous times before, notably by two screen surrealists: Juan Lopez Moctezuma in his 1973 cult film The Mansion of Madness, and Jan Svankmajer with 2005s Lunacy (which also took inspiration from the Marquis de Sade). Eliza, recognizing that Newgate is a compassionate man, begs him to flee Stonehearst but he refuses to leave without her. The name Poe brings to mind images of murderers and madmen, premature burials, and mysterious women who return from the dead. and oppressive shadows. Director Brad Anderson Writers Edgar Allan Poe Joe Gangemi Stars Kate Beckinsale Jim Sturgess David Thewlis I value a well-made movie, so Stonehearst is worth watching. In the way of movement and human life, there was the . See production, box office & company info, Highly underrated movie, surprisingly smart and will keep you wanting more. Lamb is a savior of the insane. Poe is genius. See, of all the afflictions, I can think of none more, more cruel than madness, sir. Although you can access the vast library of shows and movies on Netflix under various subscription costs depending on the plan you . The weak, captive survivors urge the newcomer to escape and bring help. It is loosely based on the 1845 short story "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" [3] by Edgar Allan Poe. Stonehearst. The patient who thinks hes a horse is left to do horsy things. Some time later, Graves' husband and the earlier Oxford professor arrive to be greeted by Timbs now the new gatekeeper. 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