Review: THE SILENT HOUSE - Uruguay's Version Of Rec

rating: 3.5

The premise of this Uruguay production but Spanish language film alone should be enough to prick up the ears of horror fans everywhere. Especially if, like me, you feel the landscape looks pretty bleak for the genre. Based on true events that occurred in a small Uruguayan village over 50 years ago, The Silent House tells the story of a young girl, Laura (Florencia Colucci) and her father Wilson (Gustavo Alonso) as they move into an empty house in order to renovate it in advance of its sale. Needless to say that everything is not as it seems. The same is true of the film, which was shot all in one take (we are told) and incorporates the photographic remnants of the real silent house (polaroids of the horrific events remain), and so the atmosphere and authenticity of the film are greatly bolstered. There are certainly some fantastically creepy moments as director Gustavo Hernández draws Laura, and us, deeper into the secrets held by this strange house. He verges on cliche as things go bump in the night, and creaks, groans and unidentifiable noises permeate the fabric of the building. Equally liberally used are the shadowy recesses of the buildings, strange things lurk behind creaking doors and in murky shadows. But so immersive is his camerawork, and so dedicated is the performance of the manic Florencia Colucci that it is difficult not to be sucked into the frightening events that unfold. What's more, there are plenty of surprising innovations tossed in now and then to make sure audiences can never rest easy in their seats. A moment of madness in the woods outside of the house is artfully hit home with an impressive reality shift, a room is intermittently illuminated by the flash of a polaroid camera, and rooms close on us in a wall of shadow and sound. It's these touches that push the film into very interesting territory and, unlike other hyper-real horrors ('Blair Witch' and that ilk) offers very little downtime to recover. The result is that, if anything, the weaker of heart might find the film too relentlessly dark. Hernández is at pains to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout, and even when the murky mystery of this house seems to become clear, he powers through the plot (the film is a mere 70 minutes) leaving you dizzy in the wake of the nasty truths hidden within the house. But as far as I'm concerned, the darker the better when it comes to horror. And a testament to the chilling intensity of the film is the recent commissioning of an American remake. So I recommend you catch the original while you can. It might fall into the odd convention or two, but it is overflowing with the invention inspired by the technical challenges director Gustavo Hernández set himself; and it is all the more chill-onducing for its firm grounding in reality. The Silent House is released in the U.K. today.