Ligeia (2009)

Director:

Michael Staininger

Writers (WGA):

John Shirley (screenplay)
Edgar Allan Poe (short story "Ligeia")

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Successful writer and scholar Jonathan Merrick falls under the spell of the irresistible, bewitchingly beautiful Ligeia...

Plot Keywords:

One Word Title | Based On Short Story | Character Name In Title

Cast

Wes Bentley	...	Jonathan
Kaitlin Doubleday	...	Rowena
Sofya Skya	...	Ligeia Romanova
Michael Madsen	...	George
Eric Roberts	...	Vaslov
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa	...	Len Burris
Mackenzie Rosman	...	Loreli
Joel Lewis	...	Eddie
Christa Campbell	...	Mrs. Burris
Lydia Hull	...	Waitress
Jeff Most	...	Russian Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Doug Fesler	...	Goth Party Goer
Susan L. Fry	...	Teacher at Party
Matthew Gowan	...	Club Goer
Richard Hoffman Jr.	...	Wedding Guest
Kristy Schires	...	Restaurant Patron
Mallory Scott	...	Goth Party Goer

Also Known As:

Edgar Allan Poe's Ligeia (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content, language, violence and brief drug use.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Balaklava, Crimea, Ukraine

Company:

Yalta-Film

Engrossing Drama From a First-Time Director

I saw this at the 18th Annual International Film Festival which I believe was the American premiere. In my opinion, this was a good film. I don't believe it would be an outstanding film for most but, aside from some choppy editing in the first club scene (which I think few would have noticed; I just happened to be familiar with a certain person's attire in that particular scene) it was well put together and tells an interesting story with captivating and pleasing visuals.

Sofya Skya was alluring as Ligeia and carried herself with a shadowed grace that transferred well on screen; I would sometimes forget there was anyone else on screen when her scenes played out. She definitely looks to be a promising face with what little screen time she has had thus far and I look forward to more from her.

I had to chuckle a bit at watching Michael Madsen do what he does best, but he carries off his role well and comes across with a sincerity that is believable.

My only criticisms were that the film did feel as if it dragged a bit in the middle and that Wes Bently didn't seem overly convincing when trying to convey polar emotions like being upset / hurt or angry (I generally think Wes does a good job, I just think the range of emotions failed to come across in this film).

I also felt that the mechanics used to carry out the plot in the third act seemed a bit convoluted, but I'm also a bit analytical and have a hard time suspending disbelief when there's been no previous precedent set earlier in the film. Yes, I know fantasy is fantasy, but I'm not fond of any Deus Ex Machina in any film.

As for the story, the third act of the film does carry the heart of the original short story, but that would merely get you a half hour (with commercials) episode on television. Michael Staininger and Chris Benson were there to introduce the film and had an interesting Q&A session after. They touched on this in response to one audience member by saying they wanted to introduce characters and give you some background on Legeia herself, and I agree that this was a necessary fleshing out of the story for film.

Overall, I marked the film ballot at 4 out of 5. I do applaud Michael Staininger for bringing to life an interesting story and I applaud both he and his production crew for keeping the film rooted more in drama with a touch of the supernatural instead of trying to go with an in-your-face horror influenced route. That being said, this is definitely a film for people who enjoy drama more than those who are into flashy modern day Gothic popcorn.

This is a great first film for a director who looks very promising. Though you could tell he was nervous at times, his confidence and demeanor was impressive after the film and I enjoyed being able to hear of his experiences during production first hand. I would not mind seeing what he could do with a bit more experience.