Plot: What’s it about?
The Festival of the Dead is always an eerie time as it is, with lots of spooky events and such, but this time, it promises to be even more horrific than usual. A man named Shin has been haunted by terrible nightmares, ones filled with a woman’s suffering and death, soaked in blood and drenched in horrible screams. After the blood has cleared however, the woman is gone and all seems different, though some hideous monsters remain behind. This would be enough to scare anyone, especially during such an odd time as the Festival of the Dead, but for Shin, the bizarre incidents are just starting to unfold. His fiancee is also having these murderous visions, but Shin seems more concerned and as such, seeks out some assistance. Shin wants to not only rid himself of these dark visions, but also find a cause for them and by turn, the solution to making them end. A priest agrees to help Shin with his troubles, but it is quickly learned that these visions might not be all inside of his head, as the ghostly woman could be a true specter. Now he must somehow banish the evil spirits that haunt his dreams, or else risk becoming one of them himself. But with the Festival of the Dead in full bloom, can Shin manage to exorcise the demons?
The synopsis sounds like a traditional horror film and the case continues that facade, but in truth, The Haunted Lantern is more of a suspense picture. It has elements of horror and tons of atmosphere, but it runs a slower pace and has little in the way of violence & gore, which might let down some audiences. But you don’t need blood & guts or a quick pace to make an effective spook flick and this movie proves that, to an extent. I do think it has some flaws and could tighten up in some sequences, but The Haunted Lantern comes off as a well executed and more than enjoyable supernatural thriller. The dream sequences add a lot of tension and eerie textures, which is needed here, since atmosphere is so crucial to the film’s success, as it relies on that to enhance the horror elements. I would have dashed in more blood and perhaps some more kinetic moments, but even as it stands, it all comes together pretty well. As I mentioned, the pace is on the slow side and that could discourage some viewers, but not much time is wasted and it all builds toward certain spots, so it pays off in time. I am a tad let down by Asia Pulp Cinema’s disc however, as the video is merely acceptable and extras are quite sparse. But given the obscure nature of this movie, I still think The Haunted Lantern deserves a solid recommendation.
Video: How does it look?
The Haunted Lantern is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. I’m not all impressed with the visual effort here, but I am pleased to see the film in the intended widescreen presentation. The image looks a little soft, but detail is decent and aside from some light pixillation, compression errors are absent. I found colors to be bright and natural, though not as rich as some releases, while contrast is stable and acceptable, though not as deep & accurate as I would have liked. So this isn’t a refined, memorable visual treatment, but it looks solid and genre fans should be pleased.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original Japanese soundtrack is presented in a mono option, which won’t light up the old speakers, but it sounds solid enough. I didn’t hear any major problems, though this is a recent picture and as such, the materials haven’t had much time to wear & degrade. The clarity is high and no distortion or the like is present, so all the elements come across in clean, fully audible fashion and that’s a must, of course. The sound effects won’t rival the action driven soundtracks out there, but for a mono track, I had no complaints. No hiccups with the dialogue either, as vocals are crisp and never muffled in the slightest. This disc also includes an English language soundtrack, as well as optional English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some character profiles, as well as the film’s trailer.
