Lots of creatives set out to make independent horror, and it’s a genre that’s quite a mixed bag. Though there’s a lot out there, it’s tempting to view a lot as very same-y, especially with the recent success of prestige horror and the numerous copycats that have followed.
Enter Saturnalia, a low-budget passion project from writer/director Daniel John Lerch, feels like a breath of fresh air. A rare non-Italian Giallo film, it’s dripping with style and tremendously well shot. That, plus a soundtrack from Giallo juggernaut composer Claudio Simonetti, makes the vibes impeccable. Full disclosure, I’m not a Giallo expert by any means, but I loved this take on an established yet still niche genre.
Saturnalia follows the recently orphaned Miriam Basconi, a headstrong teenager trapped by the terms of her late family’s trust: graduate from boarding school, turn 18, and then get access to the family fortune. This boarding school, the prestigious Alstroemerias Academy, is populated solely by other rich orphans and led by the cruel Miss Hemlock. Right away, things turn from unusual to flat-out strange, and when Miriam starts having crazy (and bloody) nightmares, it’s clear there’s something sinister below the surface.
This film has all the marks of a classic Giallo film: the outsider, the colorful lights, the masked villain. From opening to credits, the style is impressive and definitely the film’s strongest asset. Everything serves the film’s story and I enjoyed seeing really interesting and artful shots throughout. The exclusive use of practical effects for the kills just adds to the feel of the film, and nothing really feels at odds or out of place with the setting.
What’s missing here from a typical Giallo film though is something I found very interesting: it’s not exploitative. A lot of early Giallo features nude or scantily clad women being murdered in ways to highlight their sexuality, but Saturnalia doesn’t dabble in that. Though the body count does stack up (and the film does feature a sexual assault scene), the characters are fully formed people and the violence is tragic rather than titillating. This may rub some traditionalists the wrong way, but I liked this change.
I think this film’s biggest weakness is unfortunately its cast. While the lead and most of the students are serviceable in their roles, some of the more dramatic moments fall flat. It rings more of inexperience than a lack of skill/talent, so I found it mostly forgivable. What I found hardest to deal with though was the performance of Miss Hemlock by actress Velvet. In an attempt (I think) not to overact, the performance is almost completely monotone, and as the featured antagonistic force of the story, it takes everything down a notch.
Overall, I really liked this movie. While not a perfect film, it does a lot well and the ending is a whole lot of fun. Despite some less-than-perfect performances, this one is still worth checking out and is currently available for rent on Prime Video.
