With Halloween round the corner, Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has brought us a spine-chilling anthology – Cabinet of Curiosities – to add to our nightmares. No negative connotation here for horror is actually supposed to spoil one’s good night’s sleep.
The eight-part show is out on Netflix and has captivated horror fans making the series climb up the charts to the top. Earlier with Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, and many more phenomenal titles Guillermo del Toro has etched his name in the genre and even now he has lived up to it.
About Cabinet of Curiosities
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities features the traditions of the Gothic and Grand Guignol genres. Two of the eight episodes are co-written by del Toro himself, while the others are written and directed by various filmmakers. Del Toro is the narrator who introduces the viewers to curious items that have their own story which is bound to give you the creeps.
The first episode Lot 36 deals with demons and racism and the callous heads who get into their own doom. This one is horrifying right from its first scene and proceeds quite intriguingly while it reaches its climax. The moral of most horror flicks is that it is always that a little patience, a little faith, and goodness that can save you and so is it with the this one.
Second is Grave Rats which deals with the price one has to pay for greed. The third (The Autopsy) deals with the otherworld or aliens, and the fourth (The Outside) showcases the obnoxious standards of beauty. On the other hand, the fifth (Pickman’s Model) delves deep into art and witchcraft. We see Ben Barnes again. Hope you remember him from Chronicles of Narnia, and Shadow and Bone. Likewise, the rest of the three episodes have their own unique storylines each different from the other and unputdownable.
Our review
Having an hour runtime has given the characters room to breathe before being enveloped in darkness, making it easier for us to become invested in their plights.
The directors don’t skimp on the violence either rather evocative, yet believable imagery is the norm.
There’s a notion of being this genre-defying collection – a group of stories that’ll somehow reshape how fans view horror. Yet a few of the episodes do the exact opposite by holding onto old tropes.
Overall most of what’s presented is conceptually sound and the cast of each episode provide some solid performances.
So, if you are looking to anything to your Halloween watch list this is our pick.
Check out the trailer and find all episodes on Netflix.
Netflix Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities Review: Not For The Faint Hearted
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Tanima Ray
Tanima is a writer-turned-journalist who believes in the magic of words and power of stories. An alumnus to IIMC and MICA, she has served in many channels and news websites including Republicworld.in and DD News prior to The Hyderabad Review.