Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
Look, if you’re into the kind of movies that feel like they were filmed in someone’s living room on a Tuesday afternoon, maybe. It’s definitely not for the casual viewer who wants a tight plot. If you love staring at old film grain and wondering why a character walked out of frame for no reason, you’re in the right place.
But if you need a story that makes sense? Skip it. Seriously, keep moving. 🏃♂️
There’s something about Twisted Tales that just feels… *tired*. Not bad, just like it’s seen too much. You watch Ena Gregory and Gertrude Astor wandering through these scenes, and you can almost hear the director yelling "just keep moving, we’re running out of light!"
The pacing is a total disaster, honestly. Sometimes a scene lingers for an eternity on a vase or a chair, and then they rush through the actual dialogue like they’re trying to catch a bus. It’s frustratingly uneven.
It’s not as polished as The Hound of the Baskervilles, obviously. It lacks that grand sense of place. Instead, it feels cramped, like it’s being held together by tape and stubbornness.
I found myself comparing it to Angora Love, mostly because the chaos level is similar, though this one lacks the goats. Obviously. 🐐
The dialogue is often just people stating the obvious. "I am going to the door now." Yes, I can see that, thanks. It’s almost funny if you don’t think about it too hard.
I think the movie gets slightly better when it stops trying to be a serious drama and just leans into the weirdness. But that only happens for about three minutes. Then it’s back to the stiff posturing.
Anyway. It’s an artifact. A dusty, strange, and slightly broken artifact. Don't go looking for deep meaning here. Just look at the wallpaper and the way they hold their hats. That’s enough.
