A strange collection of ghost stories that are more spooky morality tales than anything else; enhancing their emotional effect since the meaning of each tale is thus clearer to see without the unnecessary distractions of standard horror film shocks or chills.
Here we have an ordered, essentially tribal world threatened – as always – by the vagaries of human desire. Its lack of technology is an expression of the fact that social order is more important here than technological progress since the latter always results in a continual overthrowing of old customs – to be replaced by new ones. These stories deal with that fear that such rapid change always produces in their depiction of a rigid culture populated by the anarchic ghosts of the imagination that haunt all repressed peoples.
This lavish and beautifully-stylized production must have cost a pretty penny with its lovely images and stately pacing and it all rather overwhelms you with its sheer cinematic grace. The characters never rise above the level of mere archetypes because the ideas expressed are more important than a detailed depiction of human nature.
Copyright © 2009 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://franktalker5.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.
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