Product Details

• Language: English
• Region: Region 4 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000BUNFU6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,852 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic non-gore horror, February 28, 2006

By 

Bruno - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paperhouse [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ] (DVD)

This is certainly a film that will not appeal to simple minded gore fans. If you're looking for something rather more sophisticated ie. a haunting (and creepy) psychological drama then this far too neglected classic is sure to satisfy. Everybody who watches this film seems to love it, yet the film has become so forgotten that it cannot even be categorised as the 'cult' classic it should be. Not many films make me jump out of my seat, emotionally move me and send a few shivers up the spine for good measure, all in the space of 90 minutes, but this one did, even on second viewing. Through Anna's fevered imaginations, we share the anxieties of a girl on the brink of adolescence, leaving behind the innocent securities of childhood and entering a new world where suddenly identity is uncertain and a place in the world has to be discovered. Her dreams are conveyed in a surreal and chilling manner, beautifully photographed in and around an isolated stone house set in a suitably desolate and bare landscape. Watch this film and it will hang around in your mind (and dreams) for days afterwards.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Semi-Horror Fantasy: An Overlooked Gem!, October 14, 2006

By 

Ernest Jagger (Culver City, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paperhouse [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ] (DVD)

As the reviewer below has written, there is no blood or gore in this outstanding film. That is fine with me, because it is not needed in this wonderful and outstanding film. What you do get, however, is a film with excellent writing, great acting and superb suspense. This film, unfortunately, is not available in Region 1. However, if you have the DVD player [or adapter] to play this, it is well worth the purchase. Also, I would recommend it to younger teens, as there is no gore, however, the psychological suspense in the film more than makes up for this. [I was never a big blood and gore horror fan anyway]

If you liked "Haunted", or "The Woman In Black" it follows along these types of films. They are slow building in momentum. But with a purpose. In the film a young girl becomes sick and feverish. In her dreams, she begins to develop an awareness of another child who is also sick. This dreams world begins to influence the reality in her real world. And in these dreams she is able to make contact with this sick child. Both of whom begin to visualize her reality. But there is something else in her dreams [no spoilers] that become surrealistic and frightening. Her dreams begin to influence events in her life. I highly recommend the film, it is a great and overlooked gem of a film. The young girl in the film gives a fabulous acting performance. Highly recommended! [Stars: 5+]

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Psychological, NOT a Horror Movie, January 6, 2009

By 

Artist & Author (Near Mt. Baker, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paperhouse [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ] (DVD)

It is a shame this movie is available only in Europe and Australia because I think it is a great fantasy movie. A few times there are scenes that would be too frightening for younger children, but by the age of the characters I think most kids could handle it. I really liked this movie because it is imaginative, emotionally engaging, and it does it all with nothing objectionable to traditional values families. [There are a couple of scenes where Charlotte is without a top; one is very quick and the other where only her back is shown, but still within a typical family occurrence.] There is no offensive language and no off-color remarks or questionable situations. Although this is often classified as a horror movie, I disagree; it is much more a psychological movie depicting the imagination of a child. The two frightening scenes are really a child's emotional, dream picture of an absent father.

This is a great movie to see how children can take what they hear (usually incompletely) and absorb it into their psyche in such a way that it seems even more real than the child's real life. Charlotte's doctor mentions a sick boy she is treating, and Charlotte draws scenes pertaining to him in her notebook. In her dreams she visits him at his lonely house. They become fast friends, and when the climax come I think virtually all viewers will find the ending satisfying. [One endnote: the boy in this movie actually did die at the age of twenty, but I haven't been able to learn why.]

This movie is worth asking your DVD dealer to try to get the U.S. DVD manufacturers to add to their movies list.