The Horror Show
The Forest of the Lost Souls
by José Pedro Lopez
Suicide forests have been around for a while, but it's only been the past few years that movies have really been paying attention. It's not hard to see why the concept works so well in the horror world as it is inherently creepy. It's also a sad subject which is often a part of horror films that have a more dramatic edge. This was certainly the tone with the Portuguese film The Forest of Lost Souls.
After a quick but important opening we are introduced to two central characters. One is a young woman who makes frequent visits to the forest. This forest sees more suicides than any other in Portugal and the young woman claims that she will eventually join the rest of its victims. However, she hasn't gotten around to killing herself yet, so she wanders, talking to the people she comes by. The other character is an older man who is fully ready to end his life. His story is sad and he is understandably somber. The young woman, however, seems perfectly comfortable and sure of herself. The two walk and talk, learning from one another. But one of them has more to their story than meets the eye. And what follows is all but expected.
The Forest of the Lost Souls is a difficult film to summarize because the main plot doesn't fully evolve until halfway through. What I will say is that the film drew me right in and surprised me on several occasions. Just when I thought I had a handle on what type of film it was going to be, the rug was pulled out. This is all complimented by strong performances by everyone involved and a tight handle on how the film should look.
The movie is in B&W which I think was a good decision. It fits the gloomy tone and leaves the viewer with a dreary feeling that sticks around for some time. The dialogue is minimal but present and I also think this was the right way to go. The movie is more about the feeling of the atmosphere than anything. It's about sound, simplicity and emotion, pushing forward with a subtle boldness and self-confidence that I could truly feel. The actions can be violent, but the mood always has a softness to it that's hard to explain. It's as if the project is in no way compassionate, but gentle at the same time.
All in all, I was impressed with The Forest of the Lost Souls. It has a cold, melancholy tone I really respond to and at no point did I find my mind wander to other things. There is a strong nihilistic spirit coursing through the film's veins, but I can totally dig that. I definitely recommend checking it out if you're looking for a film that does something different and uses a small running time to make a big impression.
P.J. Griffin, HMS
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