This October, there aremore than enough new movies and showsto get you into the Halloween spirit. Of course, if there’s enough room in the proverbial stomach for more spooky treats, this Netflix anthology could be the one to satisfy. The title is decadent in of itself:Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Releasing two episodes a day, it works as a countdown to Halloween. DirectorGuillermo del Torotakes on the duty as the anthology’s host. He will welcome audiences into original stories and adapted tales. And with it being del Toro, audiences are in good hands. FromCronos(1993) toNightmare Alley(2021), he finds the beauty to monstrosity.
Thanks to the director’s touch, ghosts, amphibian men, and other creatures are breathtaking in design and movement. The human characters are often the ones to watch out for. What’s more exciting is the other talent involved. There is a first time director withGuillermo Navarro, who’s done notable film work as del Toro’s cinematographer. There are directors who have done the unusual, likePanos CosmatosandVincenzo Natali.Catherine Hardwickedid an adaptation of “Little Red Riding Hood” and will adapt a H. P. Lovecraft short story. On this list, are the movies to watch from each director and the episodes they will give their personal touch onCabinet of Curiosities.
Guillermo Navarro — Episode 1: “Lot 36” (October 25)
As del Toro’s cinematographer, Navarro has captured many beautiful and horrific images. From their collaborations,TheDevil’s Backbone(2001)is a perfect choice to watch. In 1939 Spain, Carlos (Fernando Tielve) moves into a secluded orphanage as the Spanish Civil War begins to culminate. Once there, Carlos is met with many dangers. A giant bomb is within the courtyard, protruding out of the ground. It failed to detonate, a leftover reminder to the active war. Inside the orphanage, Carlos has to deal with a human monster and a lingering supernatural presence, a ghost with a disturbing look. To capture the gothic horror mood, foggy castles are replaced with blue-lit nights, rainstorms, and ominous shadows. ForCuriosities, Navarro directs the second of two original works by del Toro, furthering their collaborations.
Vincenzo Natali — Episode 2: “Graveyard Rats” (October 25)
A common trait among these entries is the creativity used. It can be through style, music choices. Or, like in Natali’s film debutCube(1997), by using a single setting to great, unsettling effect. It’s intricate and minimalist. A group of strangers finds themselves in a cube room. If they can figure it out, they can leave. By moving into other rooms, freedom isn’t guaranteed, encountering lethal traps is more likely. While the rooms and the setup is hellish, the strangers are flawed. Descending into violence is a real possibility. Jumping right into the story, the movie doesn’t waste time on a build up. It starts up, not letting go of the tension until the credits. Let’s see what Natali brings to “The Graveyard Rats.” ActorDavid Hewlettwill star, having been inCube, as well as del Toro’sThe Shape of WaterandNightmare Alley.
RELATED:Guillermo del Toro Shares His Inspiration Behind ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’
David Prior — Episode 3: “The Autopsy” (October 26)
A disgraced cop, living in a small town, investigates a string of mysterious deaths inDavid Prior’sThe Empty Man(2020). It brings the cop into the company of a cult. Away from the many bodies to the 2020 movie, Prior will deal with more corpses in the episode he directs for the Netflix anthology. The episode probably won’t be as long asEmpty Man, so you should go watch that as soon as possible. Don’t waste any time. It’s an over two-hour long journey into surreal, occult delirium. You will see images that will get under your skin. Don’t sleep on this one, like 20th Century Fox did by prematurely releasing it with poor marketing.
Ana Lily Amirpour — Episode 4: “The Outside” (October 26)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night(2014) is an Iranian-vampire-western from the mind of directorAna Lily Amirpour. Is this movie set in Iran, despite using California as the filming location? Does it really matter? Amirpour doesn’t worry too much about that and neither should you. The Girl (Sheila Vand), dressed in a midnight dark chador, skateboards down a dimly lit street. When she’s not on her free time, she shows off her fangs, drinking the blood of Bad City’s population of deplorable men.A Girl Walks Home Alone at Nightas a whole is weird and hypnotizing. Stripped of color, the black and white scenes give an ethereal quality. The music choices are amazing, a mix of Iranian, American, and psychedelic rock. Amirpour cares for all her characters, everything and everyone is necessary to build her world. But the Girl is really a character to behold. Vand’s face can be intimidating or lost in loneliness. Until the anthology drops, one can only wonder what Amirpour will do with her episode.
Keith Thomas — Episode 5: “Pickman’s Model” (October 27)
On Hulu, you can findThe Vigil(2019). In using a simple premise, directorKeith Thomascreates slow, creeping dread. Yakov (Dave Davis) has left the Orthodox Jewish community but is in desperate need of money. He agrees to be a paid Shomer, a guardian left to watch over a recently deceased older man. No surprise it doesn’t turn out to be an easy gig. The slow, creeping dread builds the longer Yakov remains to fulfill being a Shomer. As he wrestles with his personal demons, a literal one from Jewish folklore crawls out of the shadows into reality. Lighting, sound design, and editing restrict the man to this single setting. Thomas does this for effective scares, and it will surely be a skill he brings to the anthology for his own version of the short story by H.P. Lovecraft.
Catherine Hardwicke — Episode 6: “Dreams in the Witch House” (October 27)
In Hardwicke’sRed Riding Hood(2011), a dark fantasy take on the fairy tale, Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is the young woman wearing the iconic crimson cloak. Her concerns of an arranged marriage are tame when compared to the vicious wolf lurking nearby. This isn’t just any old wolf. Valerie and her family, friends and neighbors are under attack from a werewolf. The movie does verge on the ridiculous, like during a dance where Valerie grinds on a friend to make the guy she likes jealous. For the most part, the movie is fun and lives up to its dark fantasy. Hearing the band Fever Ray modernizes the well-known tale and fits right in. The colors and set design are beautiful, “Grandma’s cottage” is especially breathtaking. Starring in the anthology episode, “Dreams in the Witch House,” isRupert Grint,who will suffer from the cosmic horrors of another Lovecraft adaptation.Hardwicke has done stories with vampires and werewolves. OnceCuriositiesreleases, witches can be added to her filmography. During this waiting time, watchRed Riding Hoodon Netflix.
Panos Cosmatos — Episode 7: “The Viewing” (October 28)
There is an otherworldly quality to Cosmatos’ movies.Mandy(2018) is a good example of this. ButBeyond the Black Rainbow(2010) is truly a different beast. As usual with Cosmatos, visual storytelling is the movie’s strongest element. The mood is possibly more important than the narrative. Harsh red lighting on Dr. Barry Nyle (Michael Rogers) as he attempts to communicate with the captive Elena (Eva Allan), leaves no question to the man’s insidious motives. There are similarities toStranger Thingsand that isn’t by accident. It pulls inspiration fromBlack Rainbow. Both are set in 1983, with an imprisoned female character with psychic abilities. But whereas the Netflix series explores small town charm and young friendships, Cosmatos’ movie goes on an acid trip into a New Age conspiracy. There is no telling what the director has up his sleeve for “The Viewing.” Perhaps something even stranger than his previous projects?
Jennifer Kent — Episode 8: “The Murmuring” (October 28)
InJennifer Kent’s 2014 feature debut,The Babadook(2014), Amelia (Essie Davis) struggles with caring for her out-of-control son. Mother and son are forced to confront their issues when they find a children’s book with increasingly grisly pop-up illustrations. The book isn’t the only creep factor. What a sight the titular monster is! A pasty white face, a spindly body, and spiky fingers. The emotional core, where the movie finds the psychological horror, is in Amelia. This mother is a widow, struggling with a tragic past, who has to overcome her grief to save her son. Kent will no doubt make “The Murmuring” as unsettling as her debut. Joining the director is Essie Davis too. Additionally, it will be one of two episodes that Del Toro wrote an original script for.
