Embracing the 'Cursed Media' Category, Black Circle Introduces Psychic Frights
Drawn from the 70s archive, a questionable self-improvement audio recording promises to catapult listeners into their optimum versions, spiraling two siblings into turmoil in the 2018 horror flick, "Black Circle" - now available for streaming on Shudder.
Hailing from Sweden, Adrián Garciá Bogliano, the Spanish creator of "2022's La Exorcista," masterfully merges the supernatural realm and psychological disarray in this production. The movie commences with a chilling prologue, presenting a film clip culled from an enigmatic Stockholm Institute for Magnetic Research's correspondence course. The method in question embraces an intense form of hypnosis, boasting life-changing potential, but at what cost?
Our protagonist, Celeste (Felice Jankell), is grappling with an existential crisis: freshly heartbroken, out of work, and an untouched school paper. Visiting her estranged sister, Isa (Erica Midfjäll), hints at Isa's accomplished career and positive outlook. Compelled by her sister's unwavering enthusiasm, Celeste reluctantly consents to a strange LP containing cryptic promises of transformation after her bedtime 'spin.'
The following morning, Celeste surprises herself by sprinting toward her desk to produce extraordinary academic output - seemingly miraculously. The LP's secretive allure, however, is soon disproven to be a twisted trap. Celeste's sister invites her down the rabbit hole, raising both curiosity and alarm.
As the film unfolds, the darker truth behind this transcendental journey unravels. "Black Circle" segments the experience into manageable lessons, akin to a correspondence course. Yet, the implications remain unsettling, with a cacophony of New Age hype contradicting the sisters' alarming progression.
The hypnotic technique excels in wiping away mental impediments, but what ensues is an Ethereal Double, a spectral twin that taps into the original's source. This trope adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, initiating a darker exploration of identity and sisterhood.
"Black Circle" skillfully weaves in extraterrestrial entities, who intervene when the duplicates grow too comfortable within human realms, forming another layer of intrigue, albeit one that warrants more development.
Besides, the New Age psychological subversion, the film "Black Circle" distinguishes itself in the cursed-media genre with its distinctive energy and trippy aesthetic, evoking a unique spot in horror films [1][3][5].
Unlike the hapless viewers in classic titles like "The Ring," who encounter haunted media for entertainment, the siblings in "Black Circle" willfully plunge headlong into the LP's hypnotic trail of mind-altering dominoes, meticulously synchronized to experiment with the unthinkable.
As the movie delves deep into the sisters' paranoid delusions, they hunt down the LP's sinister originator - a bereaved psychic who dimly harkens the consequences of magnetic hypnosis and takes responsibility to restore balance [1][4].
Though the climactic exorcism paces slightly, "Black Circle" demonstrates a mastery in flipping the script on New Age psychology, its eerily vivid visual storytelling, and its wholly original take on the mind-bending horrors of self-improvement.
"Black Circle" graces Shudder's streaming platform, opening up a world of bewildering transformations and burgeoning chaos.
As a side note, "Black Circle" Blu-ray edition boasts the original soundtrack on a complementary CD and an audio commentary from ingenious filmmaker Adrián García Bogliano [1][2].
Sources:[1] "Black Circle" movie synopsis, Shudder https://www.shudder.com/series/black-circle[2] "Black Circle" on Blu-ray, Blu-ray.com https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Black-Circle-Blu-ray/[3] AlloCiné review, AlloCiné https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm-802347/Black-Circle/[4] "Black Circle" review, Cinema Scope https://cinemascope.com/review/black-circle/[5] "Black Circle" review, HorrorTalk https://horrortalk.com/review-black-circle-6037/
In the world of horror cinema, Adrián Garciá Bogliano's 2022 film "La Exorcista" showcases his talent for blending supernatural elements and psychological disarray. Moreover, technology plays a significant role in the future of movies, with streaming platforms like Shudder making films like "Black Circle" widely accessible to audiences.
