Movie Review: "The Spirit Gallery" (1995)
Ah, shot on video horror of the ‘80s and 90’s- it’s a genre all its own, one that an entire generation remembers fondly (even if they can’t give you any of the specifics of those lost-to-time obscure classics). There are so many that come to mind for me: Demon Queen, The Dead Next Door, The Video Dead, 555, Video Violence 1 and 2, Black Devil Doll from Hell, and my personal favorite, Redneck Zombies (I still have a VHS copy of this, I’m pretty sure).
I have to thank the good folks at SOV Horror (www.sovhorror.com) for bringing one to my attention that eluded me in my youth (and providing me with a screener to review): The Spirit Gallery, from writer/director John Strysik (Stuck, Tales From the Darkside, Monsters).
Gwendolyn Creed (Holly Riddle Zuniga) is a good Christian girl. She believes in the goodness of man, and has an apartment decorated solely in crucifixes to prove it. She applies for a job as an Assistant to sleazy art agent Gideon Haul (Leonard Parnell) with an ulterior motive in mind- she wants to get an inside track on the whereabouts of her favorite artist, the reclusive B.A. Catch (Jim Burkhart). Catch’s work supposedly has the power to transport you to a spiritual place and bring out your true soul. Something that powerful, Gwendolyn surmises, must surely be a gift from God, right? Right?
There’s so much to chew on in The Spirit Gallery that makes it stand out from the rest of the S.O.V. fare of the time. It’s not all guts and gore; it’s goopy body horror instead. It’s not gratuitous tits and ass; it’s eroticism in the vein of Hellraiser (though lighter in explicitness). Most importantly, it actually has something to say about the nature of faith and is steeped in religious symbolism that doesn’t feel like an afterthought. Plus, you get an orgasmic crucifixion dream and stigmata eroticism…that’s fucking ballsy.
That’s not said to shit on that particular class of horror; far from it. I love the cheesy schlock of S.O.V.! There are some true gems to be found there, but you generally didn’t find something that aspired to be more than just splattery eye-candy. The Spirit Gallery is further set apart by a higher aesthetic than much of its counterparts. This is no dime store production by an eager hack; John Strysik wrote and/or directed some killer episodes of the criminally underrated Tales From the Darkside TV series along with directing the classic Monsters episode “Shave and a Haircut, Two Bites” about the barbershop run by vampires (and written by legendary horror author Dan Simmons). The man knows his stuff, and it shows.
The Spirit Gallery feels very much like an extended episode of Tales from the Darkside. There is some drag in the first half of the 87 minute runtime that hampers things a bit. Also, it’s S.O.V. from the mid-’90s, so there is some cringeworthy acting and bad lighting/sound. Still, you have to expect that given the format and the time period. I say it’s all a part of the overall charm.
The SFX are credited to Rod Matsui (Carnosaur, Seedpeople), and they are outright icky. I say this in the best way possible. The ejaculatory ectoplasm from the hands bit is easily some of the more disturbing shit you’ll ever see, whether it’s high-def or grainy video. The blood is liberally thrown about, but there’s still a measure of restraint. Once you get to that last 20 minutes or so, it all goes batshit crazy in a throwdown of skin lesions, festering sores, and a bodily joining that makes Society proud! It’s always a good thing when you feel like you might need a shower afterwards.
Running behind it all, though, is a deeper musing about what it means to be obsessed, whether it’s with an artist or a deity. Not everyone appreciates that extra bit that makes you think, but I damn sure do. It’s the olive in a cocktail that makes The Spirit Gallery a drink of a decidedly different flavor, layered with unexpected surprises for the patient viewer.
Grade:
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
