A descent into Hell is triggered when “Ex-Lord” Donald Brocklebank finds that he must leave Longleigh House for London to find a way to pay for the medical treatments for his wife Nancy. Alone, his over-protected, delusional, adult son, James, fancies himself in charge of the manor house with his terminally ill mother, and barricades the two of them into the house for a series of ever more panicked home treatments, mistakenly protecting her from the arrival of Nurse Mary and any outside help.
I found this film particularly painful to watch for entirely personal reasons.
First, I am an ex-psych nurse. I am currently a Social Care Worker dealing with some of the worst cases around. I am also mentally ill, though not critically so. As such this film touched home on just about every level.
This film is black and raw and real. The acting, especially of the son, is utterly superb very much akin to cases I have dealt with, which made the rapid descent all the more believable. I sat for a majority of the film thinking of just how easily this could really happen – and likely has happened many, many times.
There is an interesting quirk of time-line throughout, which highlights the reaction of the father to the actions of the son, which at its best involves a dual view of the stairwell. I felt this was something of a pivotal point and quite superb direction. The differing states of the building itself likewise reflect the state of the mother, which is again subtle but effective.
Do not expect a standard horror here. It isn’t. It feels more like a snapshot of real lives and as such is vastly more effective than any straight horror flick could ever hope to be.
I would urge anyone with even a passing interest in mental health to watch this film. Consider it a warning of how easily the system can fail, and consider yourself forewarned.
That is all.
Also Known As (AKA): Os Vivos e os Mortos, Entre vivos y muertos, The Living in the Home of the Dead
File Name : The Living and the Dead 2006.mkv
File Size : 1970.6 MB
Resolution : 1024×576
Duration : 01:22:56
Quality: BRRip
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
