The Lords of Salem DVD Review

I’m going to say something really controversial, and I don’t want to shock you so yeh… you’ve been warned. What I have to say is thus: Rob Zombie is the Tarantino of horror.

Zombie’s brand of heavy metal horror first came to light in the brutal, if faulted, House of a Thousand Corpses, where he introduced his highly dysfunctional Firefly family, a group of sadistic killers so twisted it put Zombie on the map as a shock maestro. After that he cleaned up his act, sharpened his script, and unleashed the epic sequel The Devil’s Rejects which affirmed him as a horror talent with more to offer than just blood and guts. His Halloween reimagining was a fun thrill ride that lacked the creative flare of Rejects, but for his Halloween 2 he broke out the big guns and showed us he had the capacity to merge startling art-house imagery with ruthless violence. Take this along with his witty dialogue, retro tastes in music and special effects and you can start to see what I’m talking about. Zombie’s latest film The Lords of Salem has been splitting audiences whilst garnering some truly marmite reviews.

In the town of Salem, Massachusetts, former junkie, Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie) works as a late night rock DJ at a local radio station. One night after broadcast she receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record, assuming it’s from an ambitious band she takes it home and listens to it. Immediately weird flashbacks and visions plague her and when she plays the record live on air, the visions grow even more bizarre and intense.

The new film is probably a step too far into the art-house arena, Zombie masterfully orchestrates the look and feel of the film but at points it seems to dance on its own grave with just a little too much enthusiasm. There’s not enough whollop in the script to ensure a steady and attention grabbing pace, instead Zombie relies a little too heavily on the performance of Sheri Moon and the impact of the visuals. Unfortunately the trailer compacts most of the intriguing imagery into an espresso you’ll probably wish you hadn’t taken. Some of the most grand and striking scenes seem flat once their initial pow is nicked through over exposure. Also on the down side is Sheri Moon’s performance, as support she’s great, just look at Devils Rejects, but in the lead it’s a bit of a slog, there’s just not enough depth to her, or her character, to allow any real dynamic between Hiedi and the audience.

On the other hand there are some truly fantastic turns from Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn, and Dee Wallace who channel charming old biddy/serial nutter with absolute glee. Geeson in particular is a dab hand at flipping the old ‘everything’s fine/ fuck that, I’m going to kill you’ thing. Meg Foster utterly transforms herself for a descent into madness, leading Zombie’s pack of ravenous Mansonesque bitch-witches like some manky emaciated ring master. Ken Foree and Jeff Daniel Phillips pop up as Hiedi’s fellow DJs whilst Bruce Davison shines as Heidi’s only help. Apart from Foree and Phillips (and some tiny scenes with Sid Haig and Michael Berryman) there’s a disappointing lack of Zombie regulars.

The Lords of Salem is a really beautiful horror film that can easily be likened to The Shining thanks to that Grande Gothic use of space and colour. Brownie points go to Zombie for being this ambitious and maintaining his general aesthetic. Even if some of the film feels like he’s throwing a big ‘fuck you’ to anyone who might have doubted he could go down the high-art route, rather than actually ensuring it all fits together. With repeated viewing you’ll grow to understand and enjoy it more, but it does have an element of hard work to its viewing.

A mind-fucking psyche-terror descent into madness, helmed by a man with a distinct sense of visual style, The Lords of Salem is horrifyingly beautiful, well-performed for the most part, and the most innovative and intriguing witch film for a long time. It will challenge some viewer’s patience and probably alienate some old-school Zombie fans, but it’s all worth it for the second act reveals.

★★★★☆

Scott Clark

Rating:18
DVD Release Date: 22nd April 2013 (UK)
Director: Rob Zombie
Cast:  Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Meg Foster, Dee Wallace

Win The Lords Of Salem: The Peoples Movies / cinehouse

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Win Rob Zombie's The Lords Of Salem On DVD

Rob Zombie returns spectacularly to form with The Lords of Salem which hits DVD on 22 April 2013. The film is an ode to 1970s horror cinema and is visually and aurally stunning!

To celebrate the film's release we have a copy to give away to one lucky winner.

A huge departure from his previous movies, “The Lords Of Salem” is without a doubt Rob Zombie’s most ambitious and accomplished work to date and firmly establishes him as a unique and truly gifted filmmaker who has finally come into his own. A chilling, atmospheric piece that slowly works its way under the viewer’s skin, the film has an almost European feel to it and owes more to Roman Polanski, Dario Argento and Ken Russell than to the American “grindhouse” cinema one would most associate with Zombie. Of course, this being Rob Zombie, classic horror movie references abound and fans will be delighted to notice nods to the likes of “Rosemary’s Baby”, “The Shining”, “The Sentinel”, “The Devil Rides Out”, John Carpenter’s “Prince Of Darkness” and “Macbeth” (the Polanski adaptation), amongst others. A killer cast comprised of many genre legends, stunning cinematography by Brandon Trost, an awesome score by guitarist John 5 and songs by The Velvet Underground, Rush, Rob Zombie, Rick James and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band all combine to make this one of the most visually and aurally impressive horror movies in recent years.

To Win The Lords Of Salem on DVD please answer the following question:

Q. How Many Corpses were in Rob Zombies directorial debut?

A.5000
B.3000
C.1000

Send Your Name, Address, Postcode only to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com


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Terms &Conditions: 1.This prize is non transferable.No cash alternatives apply.UK &Irish entries only.2.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and Momentum Pictures  have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice 3.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse, Momentum Pictures employees 4.This competition is promoted on behalf of Momentum Pictures 5. If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead 6.To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, Deadline 12th May2013 (2359hrs)7.Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com), any other entry via any other email will be void.8.If the above form fails please send the information required from the form email it to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com (label The Lords) If any info required from the form is not sent in the email your entry will be void, 9.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.10.Failure to complete the above form (i.e full name or address) will result your entry been void 11.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry if you are liking us share the post on facebook and re-tweet the post.12.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 13.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control14.The competition is opened to Aged 15 and over.15. Majority of the prizes on offer will come from representatives of the distributor, no The People’s Movies &Cinehouse, when we do have the prizes we will inform you.16. Unless Stated Please Do Not Include Telephone Numbers, we don’t need them and if you include your telephone number Cinehouse and The People’s Movies are not responsible for the security of the number 17.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email or announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners.18.This competition i bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.19.By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

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Lords of Salem Trailer

 At last we have the first trailer for Rob Zombie's latest film; The Lords of Salem. Zombie's film film career started back in 2003 with House of a Thousand Corpses two years later saw the release of the sequel:The Devil's Rejects, a significantly more grown-up film that really showed off Zombie's talents behind the camera. He rebooted the Halloween franchise, made a part two that was just as stylish and visceral, visited the world of the animated in The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. So far Zombie has garnered a significant amount of praise marking him out as one of the more interesting directors indulging in macabre cinema today, his latest film looks like it could be his most inventive, haunting, beautiful, and art-house flick.

Directed and Written by: Rob Zombie
Starring: Sheri-Moon Zombie, Ken Foree, Bruce Davison, Patricia Quinn, Jeff Daniel Phillips

Synopsis: The town of Salem is visited by a 300 year-old coven of witches, after a local DJ plays a record sent to her mysteriously by unknown persons.

SCOTT CLARK