tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post2511040299644627452..comments2024-01-27T00:19:38.913-08:00Comments on This girl digs horror: House of Voices a.k.a Saint Ange (2004)Spooky Piehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356338038946531404noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-78749472336798373962016-09-22T16:24:59.266-07:002016-09-22T16:24:59.266-07:00My question is this: what EXACTLY is the backgroun...My question is this: what EXACTLY is the background story on the children? I mean, did they die because of experimentation, like the movie suggests, or is it because of mustard gas from the war? Or was it because of possible mental trauma they couldn't handle? This movie, although I've only ever seen the English dubbed version, is one of my favorites. I took a senior level English class in college that helped me analyze books, and films, but I've only watched this film for enjoyment. I think when I watch it next, I'll analyze it. But I'm so so so curious about the children's back story.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17130183462956777609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-90608290853109110802014-04-07T10:14:10.263-07:002014-04-07T10:14:10.263-07:00Was the woman in the Orphanage truly negligent, th...Was the woman in the Orphanage truly negligent, though? The police were called, everyone had search the house and grounds thoroughly, and no one had any idea that there was a secret basement with a hidden door... She had every reason to believe that he was kidnapped. And considering how well he was hidden, would it have made any difference if she had gone to investigate the banging? Old houses make really weird noises. I probably would have done the same.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03227613460986097987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-20704478951221698682013-06-03T09:58:17.342-07:002013-06-03T09:58:17.342-07:00Hm.Hm.Annora Eksteenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10300803375133471486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-11586145245729273222012-11-04T14:59:17.934-08:002012-11-04T14:59:17.934-08:00I think my major complaint about the Orphanage and...I think my major complaint about the Orphanage and this movie is <br /><br />SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS <br /><br /><br />We good?<br /><br />My major complaint is the fate of the woman. In each movie, the woman has a child issue: One was expecting a child she wasn't ready for, the other caused the death of her own child through negligence (or whatever you call attributing the thumping in your house to ghosts, not your trapped, recently missing child who is dying).<br /><br />Instead of addressing these very real-world problems, the storytellers choose to let the mother die so she can become a "ghost mommy" to little "ghost children." <br /><br />The first time I saw this, in the Orphanage, I thought, "Well, that was a twist!" The second time, in this movie, I began to feel like this was some sort of penance being inflicted upon the lead heroine. "You're not fit to be a mother! SO YOU WILL BE ONE TO ALL THESE NEEDY GHOST CHILDREN FOREVER AS PENANCE! Muahahahaa!" That's pretty horrifying to me, but why is that an acceptable outcome?<br /><br />Try to imagine the story with a leading man instead of a leading lady. Can you imagine the story of a man who has done something that would label him a poor father (accidental infanticide, abandonment, whatever), coming to a creep old orphanage. Do you think the story would end with him dying and playing ghost baseball with the ghost children?<br /><br />Are there any suspense stories that feature orphanages where the leading actresses don't become ghost mommies? Is this a coincidence or a trope?<br /><br />I liked both these films, but I have reservations about their nearly identical endings. The storytellers could try harder to bring real resolution for these characters and not toss us these hackneyed bones.Rachel the Greathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04188629206327338913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-58663529598450519672012-10-24T01:40:11.103-07:002012-10-24T01:40:11.103-07:00El Orfanato wasn't directed by Guillermo del T...El Orfanato wasn't directed by Guillermo del Toro but by Juan Antonio Bayona; Del Toro was producing, although I think his influence was minimal. <br />Pascal Laugier came up with a couple of decent films like aforementioned Martyrs and the Tall Man. Martyrs is much more extreme in the kind of horror it presents whereby the Tall Man is more of (psychological) thriller, but both suffer from a convoluted finale that strains believability even within the world it plays in. The conclusions are high concept but not smart enough (which off course is deadly) and seem to take their implications too serious. Considering the ridiculous nature of them the seriousness comes off as pretentious.<br />Fairly good films and at times thrilling and upsetting but by the time they end you wonder what the point of it was as the conclusions are simply to silly.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11634805548550029131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-4766044317290168172010-12-18T08:56:15.507-08:002010-12-18T08:56:15.507-08:00The American release of House of Voices is not nea...The American release of House of Voices is not near as good as the original. It edited out key points in the story that made it seem confusing. If you can get your hands on a copy of Saint Ange I would recommend getting it as it's hard to find. It is much better than the American version. I watched on either IFC or Sundance channel, can't remember which one, then watched the American release later on. It's definitely not as good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-1463022438400877962010-06-22T14:54:54.947-07:002010-06-22T14:54:54.947-07:00Wow! Thanks for being the first person to comment!...Wow! Thanks for being the first person to comment! This gets you illusory brownie points as I have no way of awarding physical ones ... I have no idea how I would even do that... ANYWAY;<br /><br />I have Martyrs in my queue of movies that I must give a good watching and reviewing! After everything I've heard about it though, I am saving it for a night where I can really gear myself up for what is undoubtedly going to be a psychological roller coaster.<br /><br />And oh Goodness, Orphanage and Pan's Labyrinth, so amazing, Del Toro officially has this horror fangirl's heart.<br /><br />Thanks for the interest in the blog! I've checked yours out as well and am adding it to my following blogs! Hopefully you'll stop by TGDH again in the future!Spooky Piehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356338038946531404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-63385225906090635622010-06-22T02:27:12.906-07:002010-06-22T02:27:12.906-07:00Oh, and the Orphanage ruled too as did Pan's L...Oh, and the Orphanage ruled too as did Pan's Labyrinth!Aylmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14516338168860158163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354315648889218081.post-42200009411941902102010-06-22T02:23:40.848-07:002010-06-22T02:23:40.848-07:00Please, see Martyrs now. Don't expect to be &q...Please, see Martyrs now. Don't expect to be "entertained" in the standard sense, but rather expect to be deeply moved, wrenched, disgusted, but ultimately uplifted into a feeling of transitory beauty. A remarkable film that many, many people would disagree with me to the point of calling it utter trash and just as many would agree with me. My bolg is a virtual shrine to it! Just remember, it anit no Saint Ange! thanks for listening! unflinchingeye.com.blogspotAylmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14516338168860158163noreply@blogger.com