Guillermo del Toro is one of my favorite filmmakers working today. Not to mention, Nicolas Cage is an actor I openly idolize. So, getting the chance to report that del Toro previously championed an artistically rendered nightmare of a horror film starring Cage is what you might call a plum assignment for yours truly.
A while back, the Pan’s Labyrinth director took to X to share his thoughts on a Panos Cosmatos film featuring Cage in the lead role. His tweet reads: “Mandy: Crazy. Good. Crazy Good. Gorgeous. See it.”
MANDY: Crazy. Good. Crazy Good. Gorgeous. See it. pic.twitter.com/KnSeTfEffo
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) September 16, 2018
The setup for this Guillermo del Toro-endorsed exploitation-esque chiller goes as follows:
In the Pacific Northwest in 1983, outsiders Red Miller and Mandy Bloom lead a loving and peaceful existence. When their pine-scented haven is savagely destroyed by a cult led by the sadistic Jeremiah Sand, Red is catapulted into a phantasmagoric journey filled with bloody vengeance and laced with deadly fire.
Mandy is everything the Crimson Peak director promises. And more. Cage’s unflinching performance and Cosmatos’ assured direction make the picture a delight to behold. It’s a love letter to exploitation cinema with a surprisingly deep emotional core. The narrative within is equal parts surreal, shocking, grotesque, and metal AF. Not to mention, there’s a sequence involving a cigarette and an open flame that’s forever seared into my brain.
Mandy is ‘certified fresh’ on Rotten Tomatoes and even scored a coveted spot on the platform’s top 200 horror movies of all time list.
You can find Mandy streaming on Pluto as of the publication of this post. If you have yet to experience this heavy metal fever dream, I recommend you make your way over there at your earliest convenience and give the flick a shot. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget.
That’s all we have for you at present. Make sure to stay tuned to Dread Central in the near future for more cool recommendations from your favorite cinematic stalwarts as we unearth them. If you’d like to spend some time discussing why Nic Cage is a national treasure, hit me up on Threads.
Categorized:News
