So-called cabinets of curiosities—aka wunderkammers (“wonder-rooms”)—were hugely popular in the 17th century. They were largely random collections of strange-yet-fascinating stuff, including natural history specimens, archaeological artifacts, religious or historical relics, the odd work of art, and any other quirky item that caught the cabinet creator’s fancy. The concept also inspired auteur director Guillermo del Toro when putting together a new anthology horror series for Netflix: Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. The streaming platform just dropped the official trailer for the series, and it looks like just the right kind of fright fare to bring some stylishly spooky frissons to the Halloween season.
As we’ve reported previously, the series was first announced in 2018 and features eight episodes written and directed by filmmakers handpicked by del Toro. The list of directors includes Jennifer Kent, who directed 2014’s phenomenal The Babadook; her episode, “The Murmuring,” is based on an original story by del Toro and features Babadook star Essie Davis (aka Miss Fisher). “Dreams in the Witch House,” based on an H.P. Lovecraft short story, is directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Lords of Dogtown, Twilight).
“Graveyard Rats” is directed by Vincenzo Natali (In the Tall Grass, Splice), while Guillermo Navarro (Narcos) directed “Lot 36,” also based on an original story by del Toro. Keith Thomas (Firestarter) directed “Pickman’s Model,” another episode based on a Lovecraft short story; David Prior (The Empty Man) directed “The Autopsy”; Panos Cosmatos (Mandy) directed “The Viewing”; and Ana Lily Amirpour—who directed the exquisite A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night—directed “The Outside.”
The star-studded cast includes Rupert Grint, Ben Barnes, Crispin Glover, Peter Weller, Kate Micucci, Nia Vardalos, David Hewlett, Demetrius Grosse, Sebastian Roche, F. Murray Abraham, Hannah Galway, Steve Agee, and Michael Therriault, among others.
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“A forest that takes the dead inside”: Rupert Grint stars in “Dreams of the Witch House.”
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Essie Davis stars in “The Murmuring.”
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“You are really harshing my mellow, old man”: Peter Weller in “The Viewing.”
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“Just one of those nightmare specials”: F. Murray Abraham stars in “The Autopsy.”
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Aren’t you curious about what’s in “Lot 36”?
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Kate Micucci brings some good old-fashioned body horror to the table in “The Outside.”
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“Would you like to see my paintings?” Ben Barnes and Crispin Glover star in “Pickman’s Model.”
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David Hewlett begs for mercy in “Graveyard Rats.”
Along with several simultaneously gorgeous and horrific images, we got a “first look” teaser in August, featuring del Toro talking about the project, especially its striking visual effects. “With Cabinet of Curiosities, what I’m trying to say is, ‘Look, the world is beautiful and horrible at exactly the same time,'” he said. That’s certainly the vibe we’re getting from the full trailer.
“Picture your mind as a cabinet where you lock up your darkest thoughts and deepest fears,” del Toro says in the opening voiceover. “What would happen if you opened that cabinet for the world to see? We are about to find out.” What follows is a cornucopia of scenes from each of the eight stories, all of which have their own distinctive look that nonetheless fits the overall “beautiful and horrible” aesthetic del Toro is aiming for.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities will be released on Netflix across a four-day event. Two episodes will be released on October 25, with two more episodes coming out each day through October 28.
Listing image by Netflix
https://arstechnica.com/?p=1885832