Sanitarium (film)
Sanitarium | |
---|---|
Directed by | Bryan Ortiz Bryan Ramirez Kerry Valderrama |
Written by | Evan Boston Crystal Bratton James Hartz Scott Marcano Bryan Ortiz Kerry Valderrama |
Produced by | Amanda Rubio Ramirez Kerry Valderrama |
Starring | Lacey Chabert Malcolm McDowell Lou Diamond Phillips John Glover David Mazouz |
Cinematography | Philip Roy |
Edited by | Paul de La Cerda Justin Malone Bryan Ortiz |
Music by | Douglas Edward |
Release date |
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Running time | 108 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Sanitarium is a 2013 horror anthology film that was directed by Bryan Ortiz (Monsters are Real), Bryan Ramirez (Figuratively Speaking), and Kerry Valderrama (Up to the Last Man). It received its world premiere at the Miami International Film Festival on March 1, 2013 and was released to DVD on December 31, 2013.[1][2]
The film stars John Glover, David Mazouz, and Lou Diamond Phillips as three people whose stories ultimately lead them - and friends - to become patients of a sanitarium.
Plot
The film is divided into three short stories framed by Dr. Henry Stenson, a psychiatrist who is treating three patients with unique disorders. Each one is preceded and succeeded by Stenson giving a monologue about his interpretation, except for the last patient, whom he interviews directly. The second patient's story is additionally framed by a psychiatrist student about to write a thesis by reading the patient's file.
Figuratively Speaking
Gustav is an aged, disheveled doll artist who works for his old friend, Sam. Sam helps showcase his creations. He is assisted by the young Mateo, whom he is unaware has been drugging his alcohol with a psychoactive drug which soon drives Gustav into believing that his creations can talk. He is especially obsessed with a female doll whom he named Madeline, who talks him into killing Sam, his assistant, and also Mateo's lover, Isabelle. After Mateo discloses what he had done, Gustav commits suicide, but not before saying that Mateo can now own his creations. The segment is closed with the deranged Mateo opening a box containing Gustav's creations, as Stenson wonders which one is controlling which.
Monsters are Real
A young boy, Steven, who has
Up to the Last Man
Presented in an
A mid-credits scene shows Stenson discovering James having escaped the sanitarium and left his doomsday timer under the pillow, followed by the first scene of the segment: James waking up to his 640th day in the bunker.
Cast
- Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Stenson
Figuratively Speaking
- John Glover as Gustav
- Robert Englund as Sam
- Walter Perez as Mateo
- Mayra Leal as Isabelle
Monsters are Real
- David Mazouz as Steven
- Lacey Chabert as Ms. Lorne
- Chris Mulkey as Father
- Brant Bumpers as Creature
- Mark Cantu as Police Officer
Up to the Last Man
- Lou Diamond Phillips as James Silo
- Nova Aragon as Allison Silo
- Joseph Rivera as Caleb Silo
- Ryder Maldonado as Kyle Silo
- Dianah McGreehan as Dr. Williams
- Venda D'Abato as Reflection
Production
Valderrama began developing Sanitarium around 2011 and wrote the segments Figuratively Speaking and Up To the Last Man with his writing partner C. M. Bratton.[3] He approached Ramirez and Ortiz with the intention of each of the three directors directing one of the film's stories.[3] Ortiz liked the film's concept, as it reminded him of the 1973 film, Tales That Witness Madness, and the 1980s horror series, Tales from the Crypt.[3] Filming for all three segments was done in Texas, and each segment was completed in five days.[3] St. Anthony Catholic High School and the area of Monte Vista in San Antonio was used for the second sequence.
Valderrama experienced some difficulty while shooting his segment, Up to the Last Man, as the filming location was on "the second story of a warehouse in between a highway and a train station, in July, with no air conditioning."
Reception
Critical reception for Sanitarium has been mixed.
References
- ^ "SANITARIUM". MIFF. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ Billington, Alex. "Worth Watching: Indie Horror Triptych 'Sanitarium' Red Band Trailer". First Showing. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Indie Horror Month Exclusive: Dread Central Chats with Sanitarium Directing Trio". Dread Central. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ a b c Hanley, Ken W. "Q&A: Ortiz, Ramirez & Valderrama on their time in the "SANITARIUM"". Fangoria. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ Hatfull, Johnathan. "SANITARIUM DVD REVIEW". SciFiNow. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ "AICN HORROR looks at VENDETTA! OPEN GRAVE! SANITARIUM! NIGHTMARE CITY! INSIDIOUS 2! CASSADAGA! ZOMBIE HAMLET! BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO!". AICN. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ Harley, Joel. "DVD Review: SANITARIUM". Starburst. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ "'SANITARIUM' DIGS OWN GRAVE WITH WEAK SCRIPT". SA Current. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
- ^ Brown, Peter. "Review: Sanitarium is another lame horror anthology". STYD. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
External links
- Sanitarium at IMDb
- Sanitarium at Rotten Tomatoes