Ever wonder how a truly weird movie gets the thumbs-up from a respected critic? In the ever-evolving world of film criticism, it's a battle to get noticed, especially for those daring directors who stray from the mainstream. Today, the challenge often boils down to securing a 'Certified Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But here's where it gets controversial: the site's approval of numerous critics, many with conventional tastes, can make it tough for unique or challenging films to shine.
Back in the vibrant 1980s, things were different. Major newspapers and magazines employed multiple film critics, offering readers in-depth reviews that went beyond simple star ratings. You had to read the critics to truly understand their perspective, and they were masters of avoiding spoilers.
For small films with limited budgets, the endorsement of critics like Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel was invaluable. Ebert, in particular, had a knack for championing overlooked gems, especially in his reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times, where he had more room to explore a film's peculiar qualities. And he did this best with Bernard Rose's Paperhouse, a bizarre fantasy horror film that defies easy categorization, earning a perfect four-star review. His support was key in getting many people to watch the movie in 1989.
Paperhouse is a movie you must 'surrender to'.
Before directing the horror classic Candyman, Bernard Rose, a talented music video director (remember Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Relax"?), ventured into his first feature film with Paperhouse. Based on Catherine Storr's children's novel Marianne Dreams, the movie follows 11-year-old Anna Madden (Charlotte Burke), who, while battling a high fever, begins to dream of the things she draws. It starts with a house, but things take a dark turn when she draws a face in a window and then meets Marc (Elliott Spears), who has muscular dystrophy and exists in real life.
As Roger Ebert wrote, "Paperhouse is not a movie to be measured and weighed and plumbed, but to be surrendered to." The film unfolds as an unsettling dream that often veers into nightmare territory. As Anna and Marc's bond deepens, she uses her dreams to escape her sad reality, including a distant, alcoholic father (Ben Cross). She dreams of running away with Marc, but his health makes it impossible.
Rose's film is refreshingly unpredictable and captivating. You simply have to embrace it. As Ebert noted:
"Paperhouse is not in any sense simply a children's movie, even though its subject may seem to point it in that direction. It is a thoughtfully written, meticulously directed fantasy in which the actors play their roles with great seriousness. Watching it, I was engrossed in the development of the story and found myself accepting the film's logic on its own terms."
Paperhouse is currently available on Prime Video.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Ebert's assessment? Do you think the film still holds up today? Share your opinions in the comments below!
