The Melancholy Fantastic

When I stumbled upon "Doll in the Dark" (aka "Melancholy Fantastic") I hadn't heard about the movie, I didn't know who was in it, nor did I know what it was about. I liked the movie's cover and the fact that it looked to be a horror or thriller had me interested.

So I watched the movie with a slate clear of expectations...

The movie turned out to be rather enjoyable actually. But let me hold you right there, because I am also inclined to say that this movie is definitely not a movie that will please the audience as a whole. Some will enjoy this movie, while others won't. Why? Well, because of the storyline and the pacing I think.

The storyline, to me at least, turned out to be rather interesting. Sure, it started out slow and never really picked up much in terms of pacing. But that hardly mattered, because the storyline was driven by the characters and character development, not by the sheer amount of things the director could manage to throw at the audience.

This was a movie about a deeply troubled girl coming to have her mind broken down and losing grip on reality. While that may sound like something that has been done countless of other times in other movies, I will agree, it should be said that director Alejandro Daniel really managed to lift up the movie and take it to a whole unexpected level.

I watch a lot of movie, but I have not yet been acquainted with Amy Crowdis in other movies. But I must say that she nailed the performance to perfection. She really carried the movie so well, and she brought the Melanie character to life with emotions and personality on the screen. And Robin Lord Taylor was actually also a nice addition to the movie, though he hardly lifted the movie as much as Amy Crowdis did.

I mentioned that this is a character driven movie, and while the movie essentially only have two main characters - Melanie Crow (played by Amy Crowdis) and Dukken (played by Robin Lord Taylor), there was additional pressure on the director to make it work. But hats off to Alejandro Daniel for accomplishing that, because he really managed to put a lot of layers on the characters - especially on Melanie the focal point of the story.

And a little fun thing about the movie, because I am Danish, was the obsession Dukken had with Denmark. They mention "MOR" in the movie, which indeed is the Danish word for "mom", and "Dukken" is the Danish word for doll. Just makes no sense that he would be named that, unless it was a mere nickname of course. And he even wore a Danish flag pin on his jacket.

While "Doll in the Dark" hardly is a movie that I will watch again, it is definitely one that I am glad to have watched, because it really a nice slice of cinematic history. This is great storytelling and character building from director Alejandro Daniel.

If you haven't seen this movie and if you get the chance to do so, you should treat yourself to it. I was genuinely surprised with the outcome of this movie and I was wholeheartedly entertained by it. Definitely worth spending some time, money and effort into.

Melanie spends her days kicking around the family home, buying Hostess snowballs from the local mini-mart, visiting the library, and conversing with an eerie mannequin-headed doll named Mor. Over the course of the film, she builds a friendship with local goth outcast Dukkan, who's intrigued by the standoffish girl.

A few minutes in, and I was struck with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. The basic story is identical to Lucky McKee's 2002 cult hit "May." I don't know if this was by design or total coincidence, but the similarities are undeniable. Where they differ is in the execution. With its bizarro lead character, flashbacks, montages, gore, and sumptuous musical score, "May" was boldly designed to grab people's attention. This one's a little more subdued and accessible to mainstream viewers.

True to its title, "The Melancholy Fantastic,"treats the story like a dramatic character study, relying on the performances to draw viewers in. And it works. Amy Crowdis is charming as the childlike Melanie (it's a shame that she didn't pursue more acting roles), and future-Penguin Robin Lord Taylor brings Dukken to life with a sensitive portrayal. The movie's well-paced (although intentionally slow), well-shot, it hints at the supernatural, and leaves you wanting more.

Although it feels like a remake, I'd certainly recommend this short flick if you like grim oddities.

The Melancholy Fantastic is a pleasure to watch. The cinematography is beautiful and holds your interest, even during the few moments when the pace of the movie slows down. The plot is not obvious and requires full attention to understand its subtleties, but the suspense and images are enough to carry you through it, even if you are not in the mood to "think" it. The music is great. The film features great images of New England in winter. I've seen many higher-budget Christmas movies that I didn't enjoy nearly as much. It is a great movie to watch by the fire with friends when all your Christmas shopping is finally done. Don't forget the popcorn. Enjoy!

A good performance from the lead (Amy Crowdies), and her journey is certainly interesting, but it is difficult to know what we are expected to take from the film. In linear terms, is the story just Amy's reaction to her own grief? Are we being told not to have anything to do with outsiders, because they are superficial? Don't trust lads who wear make-up?

For a modestly budgeted slow-burner, I found a lot to enjoy here. The locations are suitably isolated to lend us a sense of Melanie's isolation, and the chilly weather adds to this, whilst helping create some picturesque small-town settings. My score is 6 out of 10.