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The Victim, originally released in Thailand in 2006 and finally seeing a UK DVD release this month, is an Asian horror movie cut from much the same cloth as the myriad of movies to feature angry, pale, gaunt, vengeful spirits causing general murderous harm to those living folks unlucky enough to come into contact with them.

The main protagonist is Ting, a would be actress struggling to get bit-parts on TV shows who is offered the starring role in crime scene re-enactments. Excelling at this, Ting is suddenly rocketed to fame through her performances, but fame comes with a price as it would also seem that said spotlight is attracting the attention of the dead (those killed in the very crimes she is re-enacting). So far all very boiler plate stuff, angry run of the mill spirits lurk in dark hallways, with unkempt masses of hair, dark sunken eyes, blood stained clothes, and hands and limbs tensed in overly dramatic poses to signify their general distress at the world.

But then comes a twist, unexpectedly of course, as it turns out Ting’s story is in fact a movie that is being shot – a film within the film – and Ting is not Ting at all, she is actually May a successful actress playing Ting, a would be actress being haunted by spirits. The irony that comes to light in this second half is that the actors and crew of said movie involving wayward spirits are themselves being haunted by some malevolent spirits. If this all sounds a bit convoluted it’s because it is, and in all honesty if the first half was a bit dull and run-of-the-mill then the second half (post-‘twist’) is even more tiresome with the characters and story lines seemingly created almost arbitrarily from nowhere. There’s a female Thai dancer whose spirit is angry at her murder seeking to right the wrongs enacted against her, some general confusion about a haunted headdress, and a list of ancillary characters that drop like flies in the wake of said enraged, homicidal, departed dancer.

On paper The Victim is a little more interesting than the standard Asian ghost story horror movie, I am always very intrigued by multiple layers of reality in films (David Lynch for instance is a master of it), but it’s a tricky premise to pull off and one that falls flat on its face here. The Victim unfortunately falls prey to some rather confused writing, and a languid pace that doesn’t flow easily from one section to the next. The spirits in the first half were more menacing and convincing than the rather tiresome Thai dancer spirit that seems to be killing off the real world characters in the latter section. The make up and effects are the strongest component of the movie, indeed it’s quite polished in many areas where this is concerned, marking a nice level of progress for Thai cinema. That being said some of the dead spirits, and indeed the bodies of the victims of said rampaging spirits, look a bit stereotypical – I won’t outright say it looks like they’ve been watching a certain death inducing video but if I say that there is definitely a bit of ‘Grudge-face’ going on you should get the idea.

The final climax comes almost from nowhere to destroy what could have potentially been a satisfying, if banal, ending. Dragging along the story does try to achieve a higher concept than just evil spirits killing people, but it doesn’t fulfil the potential of that. There are some creepy-ish moments but no genuine terror or atmospheric tension and by the end you are left wondering what is really going on while at the same time having little interest in finding out. Horror fans, particularly of the Asian horror genre, may want to catch it but overall, despite it’s attempts, The Victim achieves nothing new or of particular merit.

Controversial upon its release in 1974, Liliana Cavani’s “The Night Porter” is a titillating tale of a graphic sadomasochistic relationship between a former Nazi SS Officer and a survivor from the concentration camp he was once in charge. Dirk Bogard plays Maximilian Aldorfer, now working a simple life as a hotel porter in post-war Vienna in an attempt to hide his past and escape impending punishment. Steadily mooching through life arranging gigolos for wealthy patrons of the hotel and various other general responsibilities, his somewhat peaceful post-Nazi life suddenly regresses when former prisoner Lucia Atherton (Charlotte Rampling) arrives at the hotel reigniting the sadomasochistic bond they shared when in the Nazi concentration camp. What follows is a graphic exploration of the sexually charged relationship between the two that very much teeters dangerously on the edge of bad taste.

At times, proceedings can be compelling. The relationship was and is forbidden; it is raw and primitive, and the two leads portray such with an incredible subversive intensity that is often awkward to watch. Contrasting time frames that seemingly mirror a balance of power between the two, for example, is very interesting indeed. For the most part however, it becomes incessantly self-indulgent. Extended sequences of the highbrow arts occur all to frequently and completely overstay their welcome. If we’re not watching a half-naked man ballet dance, we’re in the opera…for about 10 minutes of screen time. Granted some of these scenes are a backdrop for an essential flashback, but even so, it becomes a bit too artsy and borders on pretention for modern tastes. It is European cinema at it’s most decadent; taboo subjects are dealt without regret, sexual desires are paraded without restriction and Cavani remains unapologetic with her portrayal of such sensitive, historical issues. The despair and tragedy of a Nazi concentration camp, and any consequent guilt from the Nazis themselves, is seemingly pushed to one side and instead replaced with titillating lust in its purest form. There are some bizarre presences of sexuality that appear purely to be controversial; the rudimentary art-house inclusion of homo-eroticism, for example, seems trivial and ultimately fruitless when it comes to both plot and character development. Inclusions like this blatantly masquerade style as substance, and it’s a trait that irks me about films of this ilk.  Cloaking sex under a façade of an emotional subtext is easily branded “art” when it comes to European cinema. It’s something I, personally, can’t buy into.

Of course, the film isn’t unbearable. The understated yet exquisite sound design is the films most redeeming quality. A distinct presence of silence during intimate moments between the two really drives home their twisted relationship; the viewer becoming almost voyeuristic as a result and elevates their passion into something quite curious to watch unfold. The one stand out scene where Lucia performs for the SS in a bar sums their forbidden lust in a nutshell and is easily the finest the point of the film. It is here where we see the extent of Maximilian’s love for Lucia, and despite the aggressively dark and brutal turns their love takes, it is fundamentally love all the same.

If European expressions of sexuality are your thing, then there is plenty to like about The Night Porter, but if, like me, you aren’t swayed by pretentious forays into high society then this film won’t be for you. There is much to appreciate about Cavani’s most famous film, but when viewed through 2012 eyes, it all seems a bit Eurotrash rather than the exceptional artistic expression of power, lust and love it was originally intended to be.

During a conversation with her Mom, Deborah Martin (Lisa Vidal) digresses from their discussion about family problems to talk about the glass used in the homes windows. Deborah quickly grabs a book from the shelves, pointing to diagrams and explaining how the use of feng-shui keeps evil spirits out. It is one of the most hilariously grown worthy pieces of exposition ever committed to film. One moment a mother and daughter are awkwardly chatting about how they never see each other, the next “oh these windows are unusual”, “yes they are specially designed”. The camera even lingers on the diagrams of the “evil spirits” just so we’re sure we’re clear what the director is trying to tell us.

Dark Mirror is filled with non-sensical character moments and plot developments. Ultimately the film feels like Pablo Proenza had sat down and watched a selection of J-Horror films. Waking the next morning a sudden source of inspiration hit when he thought “why don’t I just do an American version of those films without buying the rights?”. Lisa Vidal puts in a committed performance and certainly conveys a sense of a psyche slowly unravelling. It’s a shame that she goes from feeling terrible in one scene, back to normal and then back to terrible. After realising that something she may be doing causes people to vanish Deborah is shocked and terrified. In the next scene she continues to do this particular thing before being shocked and terrified again in the next scene. Most of the other acting is either wooden or melodramatic.

Despite being billed as a horror Dark Mirror has the feel of an early 90s home invasion film like Hand That Rocks the Cradle or Pacific Heights. In fairness a couple of twists do surprise. Mostly because they come out of absolutely nowhere as opposed to a retroactive sense of realisation. The ultimate denouement is particularly hysterical for the characters reaction.

The photography looks flat and intended for TV screens as opposed to the picture house, which is surprising considering the main character is supposed to be a successful photographer.

This film is not scary, nor chilling, nor thrilling. It does for Horror what The Room did for Drama.