Sanitarium (2013)

"Sanitarium" is an original series that consists of segments based on particular patients of a mental institution and what drove them to madness.

Directors:

Bryan Ortiz, Bryan Ramirez

Writers:

Kerry Valderrama (segment), Crystal Bratton (segment) (as C.M. Bratton)

Stars:

Malcolm McDowell, Lou Diamond Phillips, John Glover

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Malcolm McDowell	...	Dr. Stenson
Lou Diamond Phillips	...	James Silo (segment "Up to the Last Man")
John Glover	...	Gustav (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
Robert Englund	...	Sam (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
Ngozi K. Udenkwo	...	Assistant (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
Albert Flores	...	Reporter #1 (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
Chris Mulkey	...	Father (segment "Monsters are Real")
Brandy Lopez	...	Reporter #2 (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
David Mazouz	...	Steven (segment "Monsters are Real")
Tyler Driskill	...	Cameraman (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
Walter Perez	...	Mateo (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
Michael Botsford	...	Cameraman (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
Mayra Leal	...	Isabelle (segment "Figuratively Speaking")
Venda D'Abato	...	Mirror Woman (segment "Sanitarium")
Eric Fonseca	...	Gustav's Friend (segment "Figuratively Speaking")

Storyline

Three stories of the mentally ill: 1. Artist begins taking orders from the dolls he exhibits. 2. Eight year old boy, cruel father, concerned teacher and hallucinatory monster come into conflict. 3. Professor convinced of the Mayan apocalypse prophesies, builds bomb shelter to save his family.

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Plot Keywords:

downward spiral | barefoot woman | noose | hanged woman | bucket | 

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The close-up of Malcolm McDowell's hand when he reaches under a hospital pillow to remove a voice recorder, is the hand of Andrew Mayer-Oakes, San Antonio Film Commisioner.

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Crazy Credits

An additional scene is shown midway through the closing credits.

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Soundtracks

Coyote
Written and performed by POP Pistol
Courtesy of POP Pistol

User Reviews

Greatly Underrated

Though this film is not perfect and the overall through-line is pretty thin, the 4.5 rating I saw on IMDb before watching this is greatly underrated!

The three individual stories are very subtly told with a soft sense of the intensity of human pain and how the mind deals with it. The directions is superbly intuitive and gentle with the subject matter. The Camera Shots supports the stories that need to be handles with care by keeping simple and just telling the story.

If you are up for a story told in the tradition (although not as mastered) of Johnny Darko, this movies will hold your attention. It explores very deep set human pain and how that pain has manifested in the different characters of the three stories.

Do not see this as a horror film - for the usual horror audience will probably be bored. The themes and the subject matter is perfect for the horror genre, but the intelligence and insight of the filmmaker is better described under an art house style presentation.

Empty your mind, your preconceptions and watch the three stories with an open heart and you will walk away with a great insight into why people that hurt turn out the way they do.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Film Page

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 February 2014 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Up to the Last Man

Filming Locations:

San Antonio, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1