One of my first horror movie memories involved Barbara Hershey and the too scary for my age The Entity. Now, she’s returned to the horror genre with the Welcome to the Blumhouse production of The Manor.
Hershey portrays Judith, a 70-year-old woman who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. She doesn’t want to be a burden to her daughter and her 17-year -old son, so Josh head to a nursing home. After a couple of days, she makes a few friends, including Bruce Davidson’s Roland, Jill Larson’s Trish, and Fran Bennett’s Ruth. Things seem OK until she becomes positive that a supernatural force is killing residents of the historic manor that is home to dozens of elderly. Her roommate is beside herself most evenings and then utterly despondent throughout the day.
It all adds up to a haunting sense that permeates The Manor.
Writer-director Axelle Carolyn has painted a landscape that is classic gothic horror, complete with the architecture of the Manor itself and the elusive mystery that seems to be permeating throughout the facility.
There’s also the element that dementia is a sadly pretty often occurrence in the elderly and those in charge of the home seem to treat almost everything as just that. So, Judith is, at first, convinced she is not losing her mind. That is, until a brain scan—ordered after she reported seeing visions of supernatural creatures in her room—reveals that yes, she has the beginnings of Parkinson’s dementia. Now, The Manor is more than willing to give the drugs necessary to keep people as normal as can be achieved. This only adds to the confusing feeling that is riddling throughout Judith trying to determine what is real and what is imagined.
A series of clues lets her know that she is not crazy, and with the help of her grandson (who she is extremely close to), they might just be able to get her out of this nursing home where people check in and never check out. Well, that is except for a few exceptions…
Carolyn has a steady hand as a storyteller that is perfectly conducive to this particular tale. Her work with the actors is impeccable as everyone is on the same page, which everyone’s seemingly individual needs and desires as to what to get out of The Manor, which is no easy task. The way that she and cinematographer Andrés Sánchez work together to create from a palette that produces a canvas that is spooky, yes, but also grounded in a reality that is all-too-familiar for those with parents of such an age. The film combines the life-changing moments that occur to all of us and handles it with a point of view via Judith where she comes off as our eyes and ears in this mystery that plays out as a horrorshow.
The production design by Tracy Dishman and set decoration by Tracy Dishman add up to a visual tone that is simultaneous gloriously pleasing and frightening that takes on a different feel, depending on the right light or shadows. Is this a witch story? Is this a supernatural force story?
Or is this a story of a woman slipping into the throws of mental degradation? It will leave you guessing until the end. Just what you want from a horror flick.
Davidson is charming, yet mysterious, as is every soul who lives in The Manor. He, Larson, and Bennett make a trifecta of friends who are a tad healthier than the rest of the residents, but they take care of themselves, exercise, and generally keep the utmost of positive attitudes. The actors form a terrific trio, particularly Davidson. It’s great to see the character actor working in a genre that clearly plays to his strengths.
Hershey is divine, but we still refuse to believe that she is old enough to be in a nursing home! But she sells it, particularly given her ailment of Parkinson’s. She really proves her legendary mettle as the story progresses. The actress vacillates from frail and unsure to seismically strong. Her relationship with her grandson is utterly touching. May we all have that kind of relationship with a grandparent, especially if they need to get them out of a terrifying nursing home that at the least, is up to something utterly nefarious.
Grade: B