Use of Audio
The use of music in this film is absolutely phenomenal (the only exception being a remake of Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride”). The movie opens with the Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper”; later, in a haunting scene, you see Silver commit suicide to The Violent Femmes’ “Kiss Off”; toward the end of the film, Dahlia’s ethereal “Armageddon” plays as you see old video footage of a young Silver playing with her father.
By and large, the dialogue audio is decent; in a few different scenes, it varies between clear and a little bright/tinny to slightly muffled. Examples would be during the “Melancholy Poem” scene and an early scene when a suicide counselor addresses Silver’s classmates after her demise. Other than that, the dialogue audio is fine.
Use of Budget
For $20,000, this film is very well done. Considering all of the equipment, talent, and time that had to go into making it, the final product is very well done. Most of the funds went toward food, insurance, sound, lighting/electric, and production design. The entire cast and crew worked for deferred pay, and the music was licensed for deferred pay as well; the makeup, editing system, and 2 Canon XLS cameras were all donated. Considering the final product, this use of budget is excellent.
Lasting Appeal
I’ve watched this film twice, and each time I watch it, I think of several young women I know that I would show this film to as a way to initiate discussion. It is also not a bad thing for adults to watch (especially if you work with or plan on working with teenagers), as it reminds us of how hard it can be to make the adjustment from childhood to adulthood.
Overall Comment
Although the ending is confusing, Purgatory House is still a refreshingly original take on life and death from the perspective of a teenage girl. This film is a peephole into adolescence, a time that is comparatively short, but has an enormous effect on the rest of our lives. Its creative visual effects combined with realistic dialogue and an original, true-to-life story make this a film worth watching.
