Rosewood Lane, 2011.
Written and Directed by Victor Salva.
Starring Rose McGowan, Lauren Vélez, Lesley-Anne Down, Daniel Ross Owens and Ray Wise.
SYNOPSIS:
Following her father’s death, a radio talk show therapist moves back into her childhood hometown. She finds the place to be in the grip of terror of a smart and dangerous sociopath…
Evil dwelling in seemingly well ordered small towns and suburbs has long been a fixture in American horror stories and cinema. From The Stepford Wives to Twin Peaks, the fear of what lurks beyond the lace curtains and a stupefying form of well ordered ‘correctness’ has created powerful nightmares that get straight to the heart of the culture.
In writer-director Victor Salva’s (Jeepers Creepers, Powder) Rosewood Lane it is that most American of symbols – the paperboy – that it is at the centre of this particular darkness. Daniel Ross Owens makes a menacing villain, touched with madness and more than a dash of mystery. His sinister newspaper ‘boy’ – he is clearly in his late 20’s or early 30’s – is a threatening presence throughout this highly watchable scarer.
Rose McGowan (Charmed, Death Proof) brings a believable humanity to the starring role and based on the evidence of this it is difficult to see why her career has seemed somewhat stalled of late. Her radio therapist is reasonably well rounded and she manages to create enough hints of a troubled past to leave the audience firmly on her side.
The presence of Twin Peaks and Jeepers Creepers vet Ray Wise as an uncomprehending and unhelpful cop adds a nice link to the American Gothic tradition. He brings a mixture of world-weary irritation and conservative ‘brush it under the carpet’ views that contrasts well with McGowan’s questioning and proactive hero.
Also featuring cameos from Lauren Vélez (Dexter) and Leslie-Anne Down (The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Sunset Beach) Rosewood Lane has more than enough about it to warrant a visit. The occasions when the script drifts off into more obscure areas – once it is clear that the paperboy is not your average newspaper slinger – can easily be viewed as strength and not a weakness. In a time of Hollywood constantly putting everything on a plate for the audience it is refreshing to see a horror movie that doesn’t give all of his secrets up so readily.
Extras: A comprehensive making of with insightful comment from Victor Salva as well as cast interviews with McGowan, Wise, Owens etc.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk is a freelance journalist and film writer.
