Hysteria (1997)

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Movie
German title Hysteria
Original title Hysteria
Country of production United Kingdom , Canada
original language English
Publishing year 1997
length 102 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Rene Daalder
script Rene Daalder
production Kai Salomon Marchand
music Ralph Grierson
camera Jean Lépine
cut Gaétan Huot
occupation

Hysteria is a 1997 British - Canadian psychological thriller directed by Rene Daalder , who also wrote the screenplay. The leading roles are starring Patrick McGoohan , Amanda Plummer , Michael Maloney and Emmanuelle Vaugier . The film advertised at the time with the words: “Madness is a state of mind. A completely original, always fascinating foray through the psychological horror. "

action

Inmates of a mental hospital are subjected to radical experiments by implanting chips that affect the collective consciousness. The aim is to create the perfect citizen. Dr. Harvey Langston actually networked the brains of a patient group with one another, which has corresponding effects on the collective consciousness. The spirit and soul of each individual are henceforth present in each patient. This enables each individual to share the psychoses, the dreams and also the sexuality of the other and also has the effect that someone who is violent against others feels their pain on their own body, which means that no one has the desire anymore has to hurt others. Only the spirit of Myrna Malloy is stronger than that of the others and controls them. In turn, Myrna, who is in a wheelchair, is dependent on others for whom she needs to meet her needs. The former dancer's passion still belongs to ballet dance.

The doctor Dr. Samuel Fry has fallen in love with his patient Veronica Bloom, a psychotic with whom the doctors cannot do anything without the drugs the patient is used to. Fry has to fire her, even though she is still a danger to herself and others. He is also aware that she will then be dependent on prescription drugs and basically lead the life of a zombie . That is the reason why he took Veronica with him to the psychiatric clinic of Dr. Langston takes it because he promises to help the young woman from the doctor he admires. At this point in time, he does not yet know how radical its methods have become. When he realizes what is going on in the asylum, Fry is determined to free Veronica from her clutches. To do this, however, he must first find Veronica's spirit, which has detached itself from her body.

However, Myrna Malloy manages to divert his love in her direction. Fry's admiration for Langston, who has chosen him as his successor, has also meant that his resilience to defend himself against the takeover by Myrna is not strong enough. Little by little he becomes a willing participant, which is also due to the fact that Dr. Langston long ago transferred his own consciousness into the younger body of his colleague. The implanted people are sent back to the community. The plan is to transform more people into controlled machines who depend on each other so that they work together in perfect harmony. On the other hand, Langston's test group is also a monster that will ensure its own survival at any cost, including that of violence.

production

Production notes

The film was produced by August Entertainment in collaboration with Yellowbill Productions Ltd. and the Kay Salomon Production. The film was shot between May 13th and June 22nd 1996 in Montreal in the province of Québec in Canada .

Soundtrack

  • I Only Have Eyes for You by Harry Warren and Al Dubin , Lecture: Lisbeth Scott and Lee Curreri
  • West by South West by Duncan Millar, Lecture: As One
  • Preludein G- by Frédéric Chopin , lecture: Ralph Grierson
  • Rocks with Rolls by and with Fred Myrow and Andrew Kapner
  • Mental Blues by Alexander Baker, Clair Marlo and Bruce Watson , lecture by Baker and Watson
  • Sarahan Dreaming by and with Fred Myrow, Andrew Kapner and Gregg Arreguin
  • Finally the hour from Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ,
    lecture: Bruna Rizzoli
  • Lost in You by Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber , Lecture: Lisbeth Scott and Lee Curreri
  • Bittersweet by and with Fred Myrow
  • Mentat: A Mind Opera (adaptation) by Fred Myrow, lecture Axis Mundi Musicworks

publication

The film was first seen on television on November 5, 2000 on the Sat.1 broadcaster .

In October 1997, Hysteria was screened at the Continental Film Festival in Panama and presented in February 1998 at the Fantasporto Film Festival in Portugal. The film was also released under the title Histeria in Spain.

reception

criticism

The lexicon of international films wrote succinctly: "Psychological thriller that links the classic motif of the mad scientist with the subject of a collective disorder of consciousness."

Tyler Foster from DVD talk said Hysteria is a movie that doesn't strike the right balance between the bizarre and the fascinating. The film bounces around, never settling on a particular style or rhythm, and seems to enjoy peering into every nook and cranny. Foster concluded that Hysteria was a very unusual film that would only appeal to a very specific segment of the audience. The film is admirably ambitious, but ignores its own fascinating ideas and therefore appears either too conventional or too aggressively funny.

Chris O'Neill rated the film for Experimental Conversations and stated that in the first 15 minutes director Rene Daalder showed an unkempt storytelling style that was afflicted with the sharpest B-characteristics. It was clear from the start that things were anything but easy, as the entire cast, both those who represented mentally unstable patients and those who would represent normalcy, played their roles with a greatly exaggerated theatricality, which during the throughout the film. The whole thing is an intoxicating mixture, with the reactions alternating between frustration, confusion and amusement, but the film is never boring and that is also thanks to the cast. McGoohan embodies the role of the renegade doctor in his last major role before his death in 2009 with exaggerated enjoyment, Plummer is left out and should be the most informal, Vaugier, who is making her debut in a movie here, is both mentally and physically as insecure as the young woman she plays. Maloney remains the difficult task of playing the only normal (and therefore vaguely likeable character) that the viewer can get involved with, and he does it well.

On the English website mondo-digital it is said that Hysteria is both intoxicating and orgiastic, even if the film was obviously shot on a limited budget and sometimes unsteady. McGoohan is always thrilling in all of his scenes and Maloney also has the increasing instability of his character firmly under control.

Ian Jane performed on Shock! Pop! .Com from, Hysteria is a film about dominance and power struggles, but also a madhouse. The interiors of the old Gothic house, which serve as asylum for the patients, conveyed the madness that underlies the film. There are a lot of small details that make this film a pretty original film. The ending feels a little too comfortable, but everything that leads there is great. It concluded that Hysteria was a strange mix of black comedy and Gothic horror, created by a talented cast of wayward actors. The film comes with good pictures and has a lot of atmosphere. Even if it is a strange film, the way it is made is impressive.

Adrian Halen of Welcome to Daisyland - Horror News said the title Hysteria is indeed a suitable title for this film, which almost falls into a B-film category, but has a lot of its own charm. The film overcomes its outward appearance and manages to convey a clear message about human nature and what can be achieved beyond our own ego and our isolation. The film is bizarre, a love story, a madhouse, a message ... all rolled into one.

Award

  • Rene Daalder was nominated in 1998 at the international film festival Fantasporto in the category “Best Film” for the “International Fantasy Film Award”.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Hysteria see fig. Original movie poster in IMDb
  2. Hysteria (1997) see TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
  3. a b Hysteria. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 7, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  4. ^ Tyler Foster: Hysteria (1997) see dvdtalk.com (English). Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  5. Chris O'Neill: Hysteria (1997) see experimentalconversations.com (English). Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  6. Hysteria see mondo-digital.com (English). Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  7. Ian Jane: Hysteria see rockshockpop.com (English) including picture gallery. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  8. ^ Adrian Halen: Film Review: Hysteria (1997) see horrornews.net (English) including film images. Retrieved March 7, 2019.