Review: Penny Dreadful–‘Resurrection’ S01,E03

“Death is not serene.”–Victor Frankenstein

Who better than Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) to fully comprehend death? When we see him as a young boy, he laments over the loss of his beloved dog but understands, telling his mother that poets and writers compare death to something peaceful, to be accepted and not feared. But after his mother unexpectedly vomits blood all over him before dying herself, Victor hardens and changes, tackling anatomy books rather that fiction to unlock secrets of life and death.

For Victor, however, even cheating death is far from serene. His creation, Proteus, is ripped apart, destroyed by his “firstborn”, a creature (Rory Kinnear) abandoned by Victor and forced to learn about the world on his own. He has come to London to seek out Victor and, in his travels, has learned both misery (thanks to being beaten in an alleyway) and mercy (from an actor). The latter offers him a life in the theater, working in conjunction with the Grand Guignol cast and crew to create lurid productions that end nightly in death, only to be reborn each day. This is a place where the creature, now dubbed “Caliban”, feels as at home as he possibly can.

Caliban wants something from Victor, though. He wants love, but not from him as it’s something he knows impossible. No, Caliban wants Victor to make him an undead companion, a wife with whom he can spend eternity. Should Victor deny him, the creature will destroy everything Victor cherishes.

Meanwhile, Chandler (Josh Hartnett) decides to join Frankenstein, Murray (Timothy Dalton), and Vanessa Ives (Eva Green) in return for money, something he will use to get his love, Brona (Billie Piper), treatment for her consumption. In his second outing with the group (but first as an official member rather than as a hired hand in “Night Work“), he holsters his guns after they run into trouble with a pack of wolves. Instead, Chandler approaches the pack, drops to his knees, and offers the leader his hand. After placing Chandler’s hand in its teeth, the leader and the rest disperse.

Ives is suspect of Murray’s motives. Though they are searching for Mina, she feels that he’s holding something back. Later, he admits that he was aware of the possibility she wouldn’t be there and Ives realizes she was bait. They end up capturing one of the vampires who warns them his master is constantly around them and that they won’t be able to prevent the coming of something that will destroy all of them.

“Resurrection” is particularly strong when the focus is on Frankenstein and his creature. Treadaway and Kinnear are fantastic together and really sell the connection between the two even though they’ve only shared minimal screen time.

I wish the same could be said for the whole Mina Murray mystery which is starting to become a little tiresome. The rest of the cast does an admirable job in their performances but they’re given little to do in a story that’s spinning its wheels when it should be moving a little more quickly given the fact that there are only a limited number of episodes scheduled for the first season.

Penny Dreadful has been a really solid show for the first few weeks and has a lot of potential. However, I almost wish it would emulate Game of Thrones which has the ability to switch between a handful of stories per week, successfully advancing plot in an engaging manner.

Penny Dreadful “Resurrection” grade: A-

Review: Penny Dreadful–‘The Seance’ S01,E02

“Victor. What am I?” –Proteus

Though cobbled together and reanimated, the creature reawakened by Victor Frankenstein is the only one of the main characters to fully realize that he has no idea who or what he is. As for the others in the world of Penny Dreadful? More information about them comes to light but either they already believe they have a pretty good idea as to their identity or are completely in the dark.

When “The Seance” opens, another horrific murder is committed in the dark of night. In the early morning hours, Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett) awakens under the pier, disheveled and confused with deep gashes in his palms from his nails. Are we led to believe it’s probable that he’s responsible? Thanks to a later scene where he receives a telegram from his father stating that he should return home in order to clear up a legal matter, it’s a distinct possibility.

Meanwhile, Victor Frankenstein is hard at work teaching his revived corpse how to speak, think, and eat. Understanding that he needs a name, Victor gives him a volume of Shakespeare and the creature randomly points to a page with the name Proteus which he adopts as his permanent moniker. While roaming the streets of London, Proteus spots a ship on the harbor and easily names various parts of it, suggesting that he was once a sailor. Later, when they return to Victor’s lab, there’s a huge surprise awaiting them that has major repercussions for the future.

At the midpoint of the episode, we’re treated to the actual seance which is a showcase for Eva Green’s talents. Through the event is intended to be led by Madame Kali (Helen McCrory), she indicates that there is someone else in the room equally well versed in contacting the dead and the undying in the spirit world.

That would be Vanessa Ives (Eva Green). She’s immediately possessed by what appears to be Mina Murray, who vacillates from innocence to malevolence when addressing her father, Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton). Dalton (a very underrated and unfairly maligned James Bond) is magnificent in displaying a combination of restraint, grief, and anger as he’s relentlessly mocked and called out as something other than the concerned and loving father he’s claimed to be. However, this scene completely belongs to Green as she unleashes the monster within, both physically and verbally. Writhing, bending, and twisting her lithe frame while spewing forth venom and profanity, Green’s Ives is a revelation, telling us there’s much more to her than even she might be aware. It’s an incredible performance.

Finally, we’re introduced to Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney), portrayed here as a bit of a suave hedonist. Not only does he have himself photographed while fornicating with Brona Croft (Billie Piper), the working class girl with consumption, but he also mesmerizes Ives shortly before the seance, nearly leading to a passionate kiss. His identity is a bit of a mystery, but more will undoubtedly be revealed over the next few episodes.

“The Seance” offers both character development and plot advancement. Murray discovers that the hieroglyphics on the vampire corpse could possibly signify the “end of man and the coming of the beast”. There’s an apocalypse afoot it seems! Now what will our characters do to avert it? Or help it along?

Penny Dreadful “The Seance” rating: A-

Review: Rosemary’s Baby (2014)

The original Rosemary’s Baby is one of my all time favorite horror films. Director Roman Polanski adapted Ira Levin’s novel flawlessly, making it an instant classic filled with dread and mystery. To attempt a remake is a bit foolhardy. How can one improve upon perfection?

Apparently, NBC thought they’d give it a try with an updated version of the tale that aired as a two part mini-series this past week.

The 2014 Rosemary’s Baby is based upon both Levin’s novel of the same name as well as his sequel, Son of Rosemary (though I have no idea why they included the latter in the credits as it borrowed nothing from the material). This time around, Rosemary Woodhouse (Zoe Saldana) has suffered a miscarriage and, in order to put the event behind her, moves from New York to Paris with her husband Guy (Patrick J. Adams), a struggling writer.

At first, the couple resides on campus of the Sorbonne where Guy hopes to get a teaching job while taking a stab at writing a novel. Thanks to their friendship with Roman and Margaux Castevet (Jason Isaacs and Carole Bouquet, respectively), nothing but good fortune comes to them. The Woodhouses move into the luxurious and historied La Chimere, owned by the Castevetes, where Guy dashes out a book, “lucks” into a position as head of the department, and, of course, Rosemary becomes pregnant.

For the most part, the updated Rosemary’s Baby follows the basic story of the original. The problem with the remake is that it seems disjointed. The first night crams what feels like a lot of information and occurrences into a three month timeline. While watching it, I kept asking my wife “Is this still the first three months?” There’s a suicide, the Woodhouses meet the Castavets, move from one place to another, Guy’s fortune turns around, Rosemary becomes aware of the possibility that she’s dealing with the supernatural, Guy writes and publishes a book, etc.

The second night deals with her pregnancy but both fast forwards and pads the story. Some information is dragged out while the rest takes place in the blink of an eye.

Another issue I had with the mini-series is the lack of suspense. The original unraveled in such a way that the viewer wasn’t altogether certain if Rosemary was truly a target of a satanic cult or just slowly going insane. In the 2014 adaptation, we’re fully aware that there’s a conspiracy against her. In fact, it’s made abundantly clear that they’re after her to bring the son of Satan into the world! As a result, there are no real surprises. In lieu of a creeping feeling of horror, viewers are fed gore and heavy handed set pieces.

Say your friend had a killer Halloween party last year. People are still talking about it. Now imagine you’ve planned what you know is an average, run of the mill Halloween party and that you’ve designed an eye catching invitation, promising guests the time of their lives with scares aplenty. You buy yourself some pretty, bright orange paper and make 100 copies to hand out to others in the hope that those who see the facsimiles are dazzled by the presentation and style. You want them intrigued enough to attend, even though you know most, if not all, will ultimately be disappointed.

That’s the way NBC’s Rosemary’s Baby made me feel–that I attended a party that looked slick but didn’t deliver on what I’d hoped. Maybe that’s my fault. Perhaps I’m just jaded because I know how great the original is and nothing else can ever compare. In all honesty, I read Ira Levin’s book after several viewings of the film and found the movie much richer even though it’s nearly a completely literal adaptation of the source material.

There’s no need to avoid watching the new Rosemary’s Baby, but there’s no real reason to recommend it either. Watch the original.

Rosemary’s Baby grade: C-

Review: Penny Dreadful – ‘Night Work’ S1,E1

Created by screenwriter John Logan (Any Given Sunday, Skyfall, Hugo), the new Showtime horror series, Penny Dreadful, takes its name from 19th century British publications best known for featuring lurid, serialized tales sold for the price of–you guessed it–a penny.

“Night Work” is the first installment of the series and refers to the job offered to traveling Wild West gunslinger Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett) by the enigmatic Vanessa Ives (Eva Green) and Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton). The latter two require protection as they search for Murray’s daughter, Mina (from the Dracula legend), who has been kidnapped by unsavory creatures that crave human blood.

One of the more unsavory characters

Murray, wise to the adversaries they are about to face, offers Chandler a piece of advice: “Do not be amazed at anything you see. And do not hesitate.” Chandler and company dispose of the undead thanks to some good old fashioned gun and swordplay, as well as a mesmerizing glance from the mysterious Ives which freezes the vampire in his place, allowing the others to kill him.

Later, the three take the corpse to the “resurrection men” to gain more information about the creature. One in particular (who you just know is going to be revealed as Victor Frankenstein), is inquisitive enough to peel back the exoskeleton which reveals a series of hieroglyphics straight from the Egyptian book of the dead.

There’s plenty more going on in “Night Work”, an episode which proves to be a near flawless entry into the series, but it would behoove the viewer to watch and see how well Logan executes a new foray into very familiar territory. The tales of Dracula, Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and more have been told countless times in many different types of media with a variety of takes on the material. It remains to be seen how well Logan and the excellent cast will be able to pull off another retelling over the long run, but “Night Work” is a promising start to what might be one of the best new series of 2014.

Penny Dreadful “Night Work” grade: B+

Penny Dreadful can be seen Sundays at 10pm EST on the Showtime network.

Review: Wolverton Station by Joe Hill (2014)

Having gained notoriety as a corporate hatchet man, Saunders is well known throughout the business world as the “Woodcutter”. Over the years, he’s risen to the top of his profession, using his marketing skills to eliminate smaller “mom & pop” businesses in favor of creating money for larger entities, keeping profits high and costs low. Now he finds himself in England, representing a coffee company looking to expand overseas.

Saunders laughs at the protesters outside his hotel. He knows that someday, this minor rebellion will be little more than a memory to them, just as his idealism eventually gave way to a more realistic, pragmatic outlook in life.

“No matter where you went–no matter how ancient the traditions, no matter how grand the history, no matter how awe-inspiring the landscape–there was always a market for a cheap Happy Meal.”

Saunders glides along, opting to take a train to his next destination instead of a car which results in the unlikeliest turn of events–a wolf clad in a business suit sits next to him. At first, he dismisses it, chalking it up to an overactive imagination. But when he sees what happened to other passengers on the train, he tries to use his wits to adapt and, hopefully, even escape.

Wolverton Station is reminiscent of the old EC Comics tales where despicable characters receive their comeuppance in the most satisfying and grotesque ways imaginable. Rather than just make Saunders a terrible villain, however, Hill establishes the character in such a way that the reader empathizes with him to a certain extent. We might hate what Saunders has become, but a great many of us can understand the choices he made. The world is a cruel place where the allure of money can seduce anyone and devour even our best intentions.

The novella is some of Hill’s best work and a satirical look at both class warfare and American exceptionalism. It’s a taut, highly enjoyable thriller that succeeds in establishing tremendous depth of character within a well developed tale. Highly recommended!

Wolverton Station grade: A-

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Review: By The Silver Water Of Lake Champlain by Joe Hill (2014)

“They had all heard about the monster that lived in the lake.”

Although not as famous as “Nessie”, the prehistoric creature rumored to reside in Scotland’s Loch Ness, “Champ” has had its fair share of attention over the years as a similar beast that supposedly lives in the deep waters of Lake Champlain. In Joe Hill’s novella, By The Silver Water Of Lake Champlain, three children out on a morning walk along the beach may have just found proof of Champ’s existence.

Gail London and her friend, Joel Quarrel, speculate on the possible sinking of a ship somewhere in the middle of the lake while Joel’s little brother, Ben, plays with a tin cowboy in the sand. Hearing a mournful foghorn in the distance, Gail and Joel climb upon a previously unnoticed large, gray boulder to see if they can make out anything along the mist covered waters. Eventually, they discover that the boulder is actually the corpse of an ancient beast and thrill themselves both with exploration of the creature as well as the possibilities of fame and fortune that accompany such a find.

By The Silver Water Of Lake Champlain is a coming of age tale that, on the surface, brings to mind Stephen King’s novella, “The Body” (adapted as Stand By Me for the screen in 1986), from his book Different Seasons. Joe Hill’s novella features kids on a similar journey filled with speculation even though it takes place solely on a small stretch of beach rather than through the countryside. Like King, Hill’s characterization lends more authenticity to the story, giving us a glimpse of what their lives are like and how they struggle to bridge childhood to adolescence to eventual adulthood. Their imaginations are still fertile, though you can see the cold world ahead slowly washing over them like the waves lapping at Lake Champlain.

There is a bit of foreshadowing near the beginning of By The Silver Water Of Lake Champlain that prepares you for what transpires at the end, but it’s only really evident once the reader arrives at the incident which brings closure to the children’s adventure. The creeping dread of the mournful foghorn underlies the soulful foreshadowing and, in the hands of a lesser writer, would be heavy handed and cliched. Hill’s talent for characterization and storytelling pulls you in and grabs you, letting go only when it’s too late.

By The Silver Water Of Lake Champlain grade: A-

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