With many Psychological Horror films flooding the market nowadays, out comes the latest entry, The Ghost Writer. Released on February 13, 2024 through Dark Sky Films on Digital Platforms and VOD, the UK-based film is the work of Director Paul Wilkins (7 Lives 2011), and features an enticing store.
For those who fancy themselves a writer, the phrase ‘writer’s block’ triggers a mental image of an ice cube of fear melting down their back, regardless of how seasoned they may be. And with this, almost everyone has encountered some version of writer’s block at one time or another. Creativity’s nemesis, The Ghost Writer does an excellent job of portraying the gristly unraveling of the mind of a writer in the steely grip of affliction.
Looking at it further, there are some interesting parallels between the main character, Giliger Graham (Luke Mably: Prince and Me 2004, The Gates series) and Jack Torrance from the famous 1977 Stephen King novel The Shining. They both self-medicate, have a large dose of anger issues, and manage to stare at a blank page in the hopes that some muse or bolt of inspiration strikes and words spill onto it to weave that next best seller.
These parallels considered, the cinematography of Robin Whenary (All The Devil’s Men 2018, Doctor Who series) is impressive at conveying the negative shroud that surrounded the tormented writer. This includes the close-ups, the minimalist lighting effects, and the disarray of the room that went along with each unproductive work session. Furthermore, the torrential rain that coincided with his driving, reflects his inner tumultuous rage that threatened to rise to the surface. We clearly see the writer’s anger in his gestures and conversational tone. Ultimately, the overwhelming isolation of the cottage is just too much stress for the psyche to withstand and the demons just burst free like a break-out of prison.
Adding to the mood, as Giliger touches items from his past it is nearly impossible not to feel a sympathetic bond with him as he wrestles with the ghosts that become flesh to his mind’s eye. Many of us can relate to dealing with ghosts from the past. There are diverse ways of ultimately putting them to rest though. Does it bring you to the brink of madness though?
The explicit portrayal of mental illness in The Ghost Writer makes you pause for an inner reflection. On the surface, the writer seems to be sane, but the mind is teetering on the edge of insanity. With that, do we really know what anyone is capable of if enough psychological pressure is administered? That is why The Ghost Writer is a must see for those who have a voracious appetite for Psychological Horror, and that is why Cryptic Rock gives it 4.5 out of 5.
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