“Symptoms” is a solid psychological
character study that debuted at Cannes film festival in 1974 only to disappear
into the dark, murky water; much like some of the victims in the film.
“Symptoms” starts in a world filled with melancholy. It not only surrounds the
story but has besieged itself inside of our lead. Glimpses of out of context
flashes soon cover the screen but they quickly vanish. What’s left is the
mesmerizing and clearly haunted Helen. She lets the audience know though
narration that something final will be happening, perhaps through her own
initiative or something hauntingly sinister out of her control.
From the very beginning of the film
we know not all is right with anything. Helen’s childlike qualities give her a
sympathetic yet suspicious aurora. Helen’s personality mix well with wonderful
location this creates a gloomy yet beautiful mood. The previous circumstances
bring the mental state of Helen’s sanity in question and even open up the
possibility of a supernatural interference. The small cast is exceptional in
their roles, bringing realistic performances and intriguing appearances that
pop to life with the set design. The camera work also shines with the film’s
freeze frames and transitions from scene to scene.
The third act does not bring much
surprise, just a wonderful image of tears slipping down Helen’s gaunt, pale, and
beautiful face. “Symptoms” is a classy yet deeply perverse character study with
spurts of violence and moments of wonderfully built tension, worth a discovery.
Mondo Macabro has done a service in bringing this semi lost film out to the
public and making it look as top notch as it does. “Symptoms” is now loaded
with special features such as cast and crew interviews and an entire feature
centering on the film’s director and his body of work including horror and cult
titles such as “Vampyres”, “Whirlpool”, and “Coming of Sin.”
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