Ghostland

Ghostland
by Pascal Laugier (2018)

A mother and her two daughters inherit a house full of unsettling dolls. Upon arriving at the location, they endure a brutal attack.

Quote.

“Help me, Beth… Beth.”
“Vera…”
“Don’t listen to her, Vera. That world no longer belongs to you.”
“She’s my sister, mom.”
“Her world is a horrible place to live.”
“But she’s still my sister.”
“Are you sure you want to go back?”
“Yes.”
“Then go, little one… go.”
(Vera, Beth, and Pauline)

I love to write stories.

How can you defend yourself from a massive and extremely violent man who only wants to play with dolls? A giant who believes that you and your sister are dolls to be used and destroyed at his whim. On a physical level, there’s no hope; it’s a lost battle from the start. So, the only option left is to fly away, mentally. Let your imagination run wild, creating the best possible world, the most magical and special place that exists. Away from the tortures and beatings your body is enduring, towards a parallel universe that feels so real and comforting. A place suspended in an undefined time, where you live in peace and harmony with the people around you, you’re married to a wonderful man, and you can even talk to Lovecraft. This could become your lifeline, the thing to hold onto. But there’s the sound of a truck you keep hearing, from time to time, in the distance, and then that message “Help me” on the mirror. Two disturbing elements that crack the illusion you’ve built.
And they throw you back into the nightmare.

Considerations.

Pascal Laugier directs this Canadian and French co-production.
The Dollhouse – Ghostland confirms the director’s extreme style, which does not shy away from anything and shows horror upfront, without unnecessary embellishments to sugarcoat the pill. The scenes depicting the tortures endured by the two main protagonists are truly hard to digest, at least for a mainstream audience used to other types of visual solutions. Laugier plays with classic elements of the genre, and he certainly isn’t afraid to keep his foot firmly on the accelerator. But the real magic of this film is the psychological study behind the character of Beth. The young woman who dreams of becoming a writer and who, thanks to this gift, manages to survive the darkest horror. Her continuous “escapes” from reality are portrayed in an unexpected and lucid manner. This creates confusion in the viewer and significantly contributes to the film’s allure. Beth’s mental projections represent the most interesting part of the film. This insight, which becomes a relevant and fundamental part of the plot, justifies and enhances this project, saving it from the usual clichés, seen and reviewed. In this sense, we are faced with a strange but fascinating hybrid, something extremely violent that manages to be, at the same time, reflective and even poetic. The young Beth, who draws strength from her dreams and escapes from the ogre and the dark fairy tale she is living, represents the victory and, at the same time, the revenge of imagination over reality.
Curiosity: due to a curious, albeit unfortunate accident during filming, the injuries caused by broken glass forced actress Taylor Hickson (Vera) to have 70 stitches. Despite this, she was left irreparably disfigured.

Conclusions.

The Dollhouse – Ghostland stands out for its psychological and unsettling approach, combining elements of physical and mental violence with an oppressive and claustrophobic atmosphere. The film, which has divided critics, explores trauma, the human psyche, and the fear of losing control over one’s mind.