Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Spirit Gallery’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

(Photograph by Ken Newberry)

The prevailing belief in this world, is that our passions and our faith not only help to define us, but they are healthy in their own right and allow for us to grow and there’s a lot of truth to that. Because our hobbies, the ones that truly make us happy, often times give our minds peace and sometimes they lead us to great moments and career opportunities, the kind that allow for a prestigious label to be placed upon us. As for faith, well it too has its merits since we’ve heard countless stories about how the Lord has brought people out of the darkness, or how the Bible’s teachings have directed people to do good things in this world for those that are less fortunate.
 
But since we hold passions and faith in such high regard in our society, we often forget that much like anything else in this world; there is a dark side to both elements. For sometimes our passion can in fact become toxic when a person makes it a priority over anything else and shun their friends and family. When it is those very people that support it and them, and well… we’ve all seen the uglier side to faith and how it blinds the devoted and drives them to make dubious decisions all in the name of their Lord and Savior. However, while these problems tend to remain in the shadows, there are stories out there from time to time that examine them head on and recently I had the chance to watch a horror film that does just that in incredibly unique fashion, in The Spirit Gallery.
 
Now in this particular film we are introduced to a young woman named Gwendolyn Creed and she is a devout woman of faith who inherently believes that good is in everyone and that evil doesn’t exist and really her only other obsession in life outside of the Bible, is the work of a reclusive and mysterious artist named B.A. Catch. For she believes that Catch was able to capture the good of humanity in his work, and she is obsessed with seeing his unfinished pieces that reflect this notion and that leads her to work for his first agent, Mr. Haul, all in hopes of finally coming face to face with this incredible art. But unfortunately for Gwendolyn, she is quickly going to learn that her hero is not quite what he seems, and neither is his agent and her desire to see these hidden pieces will cost her more than she can ever imagine. 

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​So, let me just get it out in the open right now, I loved this movie for so many reasons. For starters, this is a horror film that was quite frankly ahead of its time. For it dives into so many complex themes and concepts and that’s something that really wasn’t a thing when it was originally made back in 1995. For that was an era where slashers were seeing a resurgence and teen themed scary stories ruled the day. But this one defies those conventions and truly dives deep into the darker side of faith and art and what it uncovers there is fascinating and powerful since we see both Gwendolyn and Catch hide behind what should define them as good people when in reality there is a sour nature lurking beneath their skin, something that comes to the surface by way of a brilliant twist.
 
But all commentary and subtext aside, what also impresses me about this motion picture, is how the story is told. For dreams and nightmares play a big part of the story and Writer/Director John Strysik does a phenomenal job of keeping the audience on their toes from a visual standpoint. For much of the camera work here is jarring and uncomfortable, which makes the story akin to a waking nightmare in its own right and that’s a wonderful way to tell a unique story since it draws you into this experience like never before and this unsettling journey doesn’t end with the visuals. For the cast sell the story as well with a variety of manic and gentle performances that perfectly encapsulate the moment as it plays out before you.
 
Yet if it seems as though I’m leaving out great detail in this review, you’d be right. For this is a supremely complex film that dives into all kinds of notions that a single review cannot cover. But I’m also covering the ‘basics’ simply because this is a film that needs to be seen and celebrated since I get the funny feeling that different viewers will find different elements to latch onto and thankfully, this lost gem has found its way to back into the light by way of a re-release from S.O.V. Horror. And I honestly hope you get the opportunity to see this one when you have the time, simply because it’s a unique and twisted gem, one that will unsettle you long after it’s come to an end. 

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