Berberian Sound Studio (2012)
Starring: Toby Jones, Cosimo Fusco, Antonio Mancino
Writer & Director: Peter Strickland
Synopsis (IFC):
Mild-mannered sound engineer Gilderoy
arrives in Rome to work on the soundtrack to a film called The
Equestrian Vortex, a tale of witchcraft and murder set inside an
all-girl riding academy. Before long he becomes entranced by the
film's mysteriously terrifying allure, and the lines between reality
and fantasy begin to blur. Now Gilderoy's own mind has become the
battleground between his horrifying delusions and his desperate grasp
on the real world.
Review:
The story for Berberian Sound Studio
may be considered paper thin or just really basic. It's the visual
style, music, and sound effects that make it so damn intriguing.
That, and a handful of great performances – a couple of which are
straight up terrifying. The lead, Gilderoy, is more or less a
pushover, working totally out of his element within a genre he knows
nothing about. Moreover, he's working side-by-side with the film's
producer, Francesco, who is quite a prick. Aside from these
negatives, watching Gilderoy – a master of his craft – record,
edit, and perform the sound effects for The Equestrian Vortex is
nothing short of mesmerizing. But it's on a completely different
level once he begins losing grip, caused by the scenes
being show before him.
We never see the terror of The
Equestrian Vortex. Yet, Berberian Sound Studio manages
to be terrifying in itself. No, it's not a horror film. And no, we aren't watching actors/actresses being
brutally murdered beyond the lens of a camera; we're seeing
radishes get ripped apart, frying pans sizzle, lettuce getting
stabbed, and fucking watermelons being smashed into oblivion. This is
some of what's used for murderous sound effects. I'd wager that the
thought of fruits and vegetables meeting a grizzly demise on camera
doesn't sound creepy at all. Well, it is, for one reason or another.
And even when it isn't, it's still an entertaining and eye gluing
experience.
The film strongly succeeds off of its
visual and audible presentation. Some shots go from crystal clear
perfection to a blur, as if you're watching from eyes drowning in
tears. The scenes of Gilderoy working the soundboard, matched with a
performer shrieking the fear of a thousand souls from a confined
recording booth is mind blowing. These instances are hands down
frightening at times, due to character close-ups and execution from the actors/actresses. It's like watching someone hit insane levels of
speaking in tongues. Eyes go bloodshot, hands are clenching, and
heads are shaking as if they're being exorcised. You won't want to
blink.
Toby Jones as the lead, Gilderoy, is
fantastic. The character is like a timid puppy of sorts. Even when we
see a different side of him later in the film, he's still quite
subdued. Cosimo Fusco as Francesco the producer is a great
counterpart to Gilderoy's character, too. The man is all about
getting the job done, and he's not very caring about his employees. Antonio Mancino plays Santini, the director of The Equestrian
Vortex. Kind of a rock star type person. Shows up here and there, happy go lucky at face value, but something's off. Do not make
the mistake of calling his film “Horror”. Fatma Mohamed plays
Silvia, who voices a character for the Giallo. Silvia is my favorite
next to Gilderoy, and Toby Jones and Mohamed have some great moments
together.
Broadcast's soundtrack for Berberian
Sound Studio is an Italian horror fan's wet dream. Once you get to
the scene where Toby sits down and has his first experience with The
Equestrian Vortex, I'd be surprised if that's not your selling point for
the movie. It's so incredibly coherent to the genre.
Final Words:
If more style than substance isn't
typically your thing, you may find disappointment in Berberian Sound
Studio. But on a visual level, I doubt it. The film looks and sounds glorious, and the acting is ace. Available now on DVD from
IFC, as well as Netflix Instant.
- Eric (Brobocop)
