Three times. Let me tell you guys - three times it took me to fully watch this film. My hopes were so high for this little gem of an 80s creature feature (if you call ghosts creatures), but with its cliche elements - slow plots - and diminished characters - it just fell short on most levels. Lady in White came highly recommended from both the film book in which I discovered this film (speaking of how an independent release could tell such a detailed story) to friends mentioning that they remembered and loved this film from the 80s. Alas, I can't stand behind it. I began it with an opened mind, actually finding myself rather scared in several scenes at first (the man in the coat room is still classic), but falling deep asleep with the middle, and then trying to catch up by the end. It just fell flat - it was not the exciting cannon that I was hoping for.
Lucas Haas, there is where my struggle begins. Look at this imagery, it is breathtaking, but you cannot build a story with weak characters and a light dose of shock value. Sure, that is what modern horror films are all about - but I expect better from the 80s. I expect better from the 80s. So, back to Lucas Haas - with his large ears - trying to solve a crime that took place too long ago for us to care. The murders seem irrelevant now - yet the race card gets played - almost to the point of chaos. Let me explain. Why would there suddenly be hatred towards a man that everyone seemed to reason with prior? It seemed luke warm at best, and add to the detailed story - this reviewer was asleep faster than a NyQuil Miller time.
Why was this film so sleepy to me? It seems like the question for the ages. It had jumps, it had some beautiful cinematography, but I couldn't keep my eyes open for the likes of me throughout any of this Lady in White debacle. I wanted to like it, as stated before, but with the cliche Italian-American stereotypes and the race issue - I just couldn't understand what made this film important. I even viewed the intro by the director, and it seems this was his one claim to fame. Perhaps you can dissect this film and see modern horror's roots, but outside of the scare with the actual "Lady in White", it was nothing more than just a spiritual commercial. No motive needed - no reason for the murders - just plot, overlapping plot - without giving us what we wanted. I wanted to see Lucas Haas frightened, I wanted to see him uncover the truth, but instead it just wrapped up neatly an idea that was never developed.
"The type of movie that you can recommend to friends, while knowing that the special effects are not the greatest" - was quoted within one of my books, but I can handle cheap effects - that even makes for a better film sometimes (see Evil Dead), but when there is no passion behind the story, when there is nothing pulling our characters closer to our hearts - it just falls flat. Lady in White fell flat. It had that option to be great - the potential was there, but I think Frank LaLoggia just couldn't figure out if he wanted a horror film or a murder/mystery.
Found in "DVD Delirium" this is my second to last film in the "L" category. Hoping that Lair of the White Worm will be stronger - at least cultish-ly stronger. Watched on DVD via Netflix. Alas, as much as I am not wanting to do this (due to the random acts of intelligence) I am giving Lady in White a yellow highlight with a black mark - never to be watched again. Sorry, LaLoggia, it just wasn't as 80s as I wanted.
Lucas Haas, there is where my struggle begins. Look at this imagery, it is breathtaking, but you cannot build a story with weak characters and a light dose of shock value. Sure, that is what modern horror films are all about - but I expect better from the 80s. I expect better from the 80s. So, back to Lucas Haas - with his large ears - trying to solve a crime that took place too long ago for us to care. The murders seem irrelevant now - yet the race card gets played - almost to the point of chaos. Let me explain. Why would there suddenly be hatred towards a man that everyone seemed to reason with prior? It seemed luke warm at best, and add to the detailed story - this reviewer was asleep faster than a NyQuil Miller time.
Why was this film so sleepy to me? It seems like the question for the ages. It had jumps, it had some beautiful cinematography, but I couldn't keep my eyes open for the likes of me throughout any of this Lady in White debacle. I wanted to like it, as stated before, but with the cliche Italian-American stereotypes and the race issue - I just couldn't understand what made this film important. I even viewed the intro by the director, and it seems this was his one claim to fame. Perhaps you can dissect this film and see modern horror's roots, but outside of the scare with the actual "Lady in White", it was nothing more than just a spiritual commercial. No motive needed - no reason for the murders - just plot, overlapping plot - without giving us what we wanted. I wanted to see Lucas Haas frightened, I wanted to see him uncover the truth, but instead it just wrapped up neatly an idea that was never developed.
"The type of movie that you can recommend to friends, while knowing that the special effects are not the greatest" - was quoted within one of my books, but I can handle cheap effects - that even makes for a better film sometimes (see Evil Dead), but when there is no passion behind the story, when there is nothing pulling our characters closer to our hearts - it just falls flat. Lady in White fell flat. It had that option to be great - the potential was there, but I think Frank LaLoggia just couldn't figure out if he wanted a horror film or a murder/mystery.
Found in "DVD Delirium" this is my second to last film in the "L" category. Hoping that Lair of the White Worm will be stronger - at least cultish-ly stronger. Watched on DVD via Netflix. Alas, as much as I am not wanting to do this (due to the random acts of intelligence) I am giving Lady in White a yellow highlight with a black mark - never to be watched again. Sorry, LaLoggia, it just wasn't as 80s as I wanted.
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