Sean Parker
I’m very excited about this week’s trailer, The Blazing World. I have been seeing the film make its rounds at film festivals from Sundance to Panic Fest, missing it every time. Luckily the film is getting distribution through Vertical Entertainment and should be available in our homes just in time for Halloween.
Directed by and starring Carlson Young, The Blazing World tells the story of Margaret, who traumatically loses her twin sister as a child. In her adult years, Margaret becomes despondent and self-destructive, ultimately becoming ingrained with the idea that her sister may have been taken by something supernatural into another realm as her mind attempts to reconcile her grief. Margaret eventually finds a gateway to another plane of existence where she meets a helpful man (Bacurau’s Udo Kier) who puts her on a path toward retrieving her sister, who has been imprisoned by three other demons who hold the keys to her rescue. Seeking redemption and relief from the ache inside her soul, Margaret will travel to visually imaginative places to battle these demons and retrieve the keys to release her sister.
The Blazing World sounds like a fantasy film in league with What Dreams May Come or Tarsem Singh’s The Fall, offering innovative and imaginative worlds based on Margaret’s guilt and bereavement. There’s also this very Pan’s Labyrinth vibe in both the creature department as well as how the demons Margaret must face resemble people in her life who have forgotten or moved past the tragic event she’s unable to forgive herself for. Though it is all rather fantastic, I wouldn’t count this one out of the horror domain just yet. We have the blood-spattered face of Dermot Mulroney (Insidious: Chapter 3), kidnapping, demons, and faces catching on fire all contained in a thrilling two-and-a-half-minute montage that’s likely not even showing us the best pieces.
Imaginative set design and special effects make The Blazing World look like an inventive film worth giving a chance. Throughout the trailer, there is no shortage of striking artistic presence. The color palettes within also look visually stunning. And the massive display of branch work on the exterior of the house paired with the dizzying array of vines and plant life inside the home are incredible works of art alone.
I also enjoy the film’s idea of trying to fix an event that cannot be undone. It’s clear from the trailer that Margaret is trying to escape the singular life-defining day of her childhood, which has sparked a life of tumultuous relationships by attempting to change the course of events that transpired all those years ago. Whether Margaret’s shot at a reset button to rectify the past turns out to be genuine remains to be seen. From the looks of it, I think Margaret is about to experience the heartache of realizing there are no shortcuts to healing and the only way to accept the loss is to go through it.
The Blazing World is coming to theaters and VOD on October 15.
So what do you think of the trailer for The Blazing World? Do you agree with Sean that it contains striking artistic visuals? Let us know in the comments! And if you’re looking for more trailers, we’ve got you covered!
