by Joshua Skye:
“They’ve been waiting, they’ve always been waiting.”
Horror-inspired rock musician Rob Zombie has become a horror director, the results of which are often mixed bags of sorts, and usually quite polarizing. With the exception of “Halloween 2,” I’ve seen all his films on the big screen. From the overly praised “House of 1,000 Corpses” to the monumentally underappreciated “Devil’s Rejects,” from the atrocity that was “Halloween 2” to his current theatrical release, Zombie has divided horror audiences. Some sing his praises, while others dismiss him as a hack. Personally, I think he’s a true visionary. I can’t claim all his work is brilliant, but one thing is certain. This guy is no hack!
Freshly disappointed by “Halloween 2,” the buzz about Zombie’s follow-up project was intriguing. There were rumors of a “Blob” remake, a dinosaur film, and more. What eventually manifested was “The Lords of Salem.” From what I recall, he was handed a very modest budget and given free rein to create. Not often does this happen, so my interest was piqued.
I’ve been following the production, absorbing every morsel of information about it. Rob Zombie was going to make an art-house horror film inspired by the demented Italian genre flicks of the 70s and early 80s? Did I understand that right? As a fan of those films I was incredibly excited. Knowing Zombie was a force to be reckoned with, I was ecstatic. This was, at the very least, going to be fascinating.
And boy, was I right!
“Lords of Salem” is a simple story, a tale of supernatural revenge spanning the ages. But the plot is incidental here, as it was often subsidiary in the Italian masterpieces that inspired it. This is about style. This is about the art of the nightmarish. This is about submerging the audience in a rarely experienced realm. This is about taking people into hell, bombarding them with outlandish sights and sounds, and then daring them to return to their mundane world unaffected, unchanged by what they’ve just experienced.
Zombie’s film is bold, beautiful, and grotesque. Every single shot, camera angle, and image is perfectly presented. Love and attention went into the design of this film, and it is more than apparent. There hasn’t been a horror film this spectacular in decades. This sumptuous design is made all the more impressive when considering the meager budget. Zombie has single-handedly raised the proverbial bar for horror films with this movie, this is a work of art that others will be measured by. It’s just that astonishing.
Equally impressive are the performances. The cast is utterly amazing. Sheri Moon Zombie proves her abilities in a solid, engaging, and remarkably believable performance. She is the centerpiece of the film, the foundation upon which the entire structure rests. Patricia Quinn is flawlessly terrifying. Judy Geeson is utter perfection. Dee Wallace has never been better. But the courageous conviction of Meg Foster will blow your mind! Foster delivers the greatest genre performance of the last twenty years, and that is no exaggeration. Wicked, fiendish, fearless beyond compare, this is a historical moment for the horror genre. Worthy of the highest honors of the acting world, it’s too bad she will be completely overlooked. No matter how well made, horror is rarely awarded, no matter how well made. A sad truth.
I was prepared for what I was about to experience when I went to see Rob Zombie’s tour de force “Lords of Salem” at the theatre. I had high expectations, and it’s a pleasure to say I wasn’t disappointed. He delivered on the promise, and has created a modern masterpiece. More so than any of his other films, this will polarize audiences. Many walked out of the showing I attended, to them I scoff. Come on, they should have known what they were getting into. This is Rob Zombie. This is true, unapologetic horror.
“Lords of Salem” is a must-see extravaganza of lurid spectacle and resonance. I can’t wait to see it again.
DarkMedia contributor Joshua Skye’s short stories have appeared in anthologies from STARbooks Press, Knightwatch Press, Sirens Call Publications, Rainstorm Press, JMS Books and periodicals such as Blood and Lullabies. He is the author of “The Singing Wind,” “Bareback: A Werewolf’s Tale,” “Midnight Rainbows,” the forthcoming “The Grigori,” and “The Angels of Autumn.” You can find him on his website.
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