Editor’s note: The below article contains spoilers forGuillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of CuriositiesGuillermo del Torodid something truly special withCabinet of Curiosities, a new horror anthology available right now on Netflix. The show’s first season invites eight different filmmakers to directa brilliant collection of spooky stories. Each director has their own vision for a horror story, resulting in a season where every episode feels fresh to the viewer. However, that’s also what leads to some unevenness because if there’s something true to any anthology is that some episodes will shine most than others. So, now that all the episodes are finally available on the streaming platform, it’s time for us to rank the first season ofGuillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
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Catherine Hardwicke’s “Dreams in the Witch House”
Catherine Hardwickehas a lot of experience using horror tropes to tell romantic stories, such as inTwilightandRed Riding Hood. So, it’s not surprising that “Dreams in the Witch House” feels like a Gothic romance, focused on the unbreakable bond of siblings instead of love interests. The problem is that this dramatic and sometimes optimistic approach to the story doesn’t fit well with the cosmic horrorsH. P. Lovecraftconjured in the original short story. Cosmic horror is about trying to make sense of some maddening reality, but “Dreams in the Witch House” actually feels like a classic adventure where a hero must fight evil forces to save someone he loves. As with the first season ofCabinet of Curiosities, the creature design alone is more than enough to make “Dreams in the Witch House” worth your time. Still, compared to other episodes, Hardwicke’s contribution toCabinet of Curiositiesnever reaches the heights of other episodes.
Keith Thomas’ “Pickman’s Model”
Cabinet of Curiositiesproves how hard it is to make cosmic horror relevant in film format. Lovecraft’s original short story does a balanced act of teasing unnerving realities that are invisible to human eyes and still presenting a cohesive tale that seems to work under some sort of internal logic. That’s the sweet spot of cosmic horror, as it makes enough sense for humans to realize their insignificance but not sense enough, so we can fully understand what’s happening.Keith Thomas’ “Pickman’s Model” tries to expand on the original tale to increase the horrors of an artist whose paintings turn nightmares into real threats. However, these additions make the script feel bloated and a little too confusing, incapable of capturing the horrors of the original story.
Guillermo Navarro’s “Lot 36”
While the episodes ofCabinet of Curiosities’ Lovecraft Night leave much to be desired, all other six horror stories show their filmmakers at the best of their game. With “Lot 36,” del Toro’s recurring cinematographer and creative partner,Guillermo Navarro, takes the director’s chair to deliver a gripping story about the dark things we hide in the closet. There’s a lot to love in “Lot 36,” as the episode builds up the tension until it finally reveals the demon that has been teased since the beginning, one of the best creatures ofCabinet of Curiosities. Still, the episode is somewhat damaged by the confusing political message it’s trying to explore. There’s something about the abandonment of veterans, xenophobia and white supremacy, and even neo-Nazism. But all these pieces don’t fit too well together with a straightforward story of satanism and demon summoning.
Vincenzo Natali’s “Graveyard Rats”
Vincenzo Natali’s “Graveyard Rats” is just delightful. First of all,David Hewlettdoes a terrific job bringing protagonist Masson to life. The gravedigger is fun enough for us to cheer for him and crooked in the right measure, so we can think it’s fair when his greed gets punished over and over again. The story gets wacky really fast, with mutant rats, demonic cults, and even undead hell priests. Still, Natali knows how to deal with strange creatures, so they never get in the way of telling a concise story. The result is a highly entertaining horror story, even if “Graveyard Rats” doesn’t say anything new.
Panos Cosmatos’ “The Viewing”
Many people criticize filmmakerPanos Cosmatos(Mandy) for putting style ahead of substance, and they are absolutely right. However, one can argue that unique aesthetics can help a film stand out from the crowd. That’s precisely what happens with “The Viewing,” for which Cosmatos went with a full-blown 1970s look to create a drug-infused gathering. There’s not much happening in “The Viewing,” and no surprising twist at the end, which means many people might hate this episode. After all, most of the episode is about six people talking in a living room and nothing more. Nevertheless, Cosmatos makes everything look so great that we feel “The Viewing” deserves some love. Plus, the third act of the episode delivers enough face-melting carnage for us to enjoy a practical creature that’s brilliantly designed.
Ana Lily Amirpour’s “The Outside”
Ana Lily Amirpour(A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) has a unique sensibility in dealing with complex female characters. So, few filmmakers would be as well-equipped to helm “The Outside,” a story about the horrors of the beauty industry and how it contributes to validating people with shallow personalities and expensive taste. The story follows a woman who undergoes a bizarre transformation, sacrificing everything she loves to become accepted by a group of awful people. “The Outside” exemplifies everything we love in a good horror story. It’s weird and original, but it also confronts unpleasant truths, allowing us to understand the true horrors of our everyday life. It can be a little cartoonish sometimes, but it’s still a welcomed cautionary tale about unachievable beauty standards.
David Prior’s “The Autopsy”
“The Autopsy” is the best horror follow-up toDavid Pior’sThe Empty Man. Once again, we are dealing with a police investigation revealing a supernatural layer to the reality that most of us are unaware of. And just like in his previous horror movie, the key to the mystery is not only terrifying but forces us to question what it means to exist and be an individual person. As if this was not never-wrecking enough, “The Autopsy” does justice to its name to show us open bodies and organs in detail, with a revolting texture that only practical effects can achieve. “The Autopsy” is disturbing in many ways, making it one of the best episodes ofCabinet of Curiosities.
Jennifer Kent’s “The Murmuring”
With “The Murmuring,”Jennifer Kentputs motherly woes once again at the center of the story, as she did before withThe BabadookandThe Nightingale. In “The Murmuring,” we follow a mother trying to come to terms with the death of her infant child. She will do so in a house haunted by tragedy, as ghosts force her to confront her own trauma. “The Murmuring” uses horror tropes to deal with real drama, and it’s so brilliantly executed that it easily becomes the best episode ofCabinet of Curiosities. Kent is also at the top of her game, controlling every subtlety of the story to explore how social expectations shape women even in their grief, as being emotional can lead to accusations of hysteria, while being apathetic can raise doubts about their supposedly unconditional motherly love. It’s a touching story that can only work due toEssie Davis’ stellar performance.
All episodes ofGuillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiositiesare now available on Netflix.
