Romain Basset’s Horsehead (2014) is definitely a case where style rules over substance. The images are beautiful, surreal, disturbing, and grotesque yet they lack any real symbolism. Basset’s tapestry of nightmare imagery is more akin to the works of Jörg Buttgereit, even if superficially his use of sound and color merit comparisons to Dario Argento.
The French tradition of the fantastique has always privileged spectacle over narrative, preferring shock and titillation over intellectual reflection and Basset’s Horsehead clearly continues in this vein. The plot of Horsehead is incredibly simple, serving as a frame onto which Basset can hang his virtuosic images. Jessica (Lilly-Fleur Pointeaux) returns home for her grandmother’s funeral and uses lucid dreaming to uncover a family mystery.
As is often the case with Buttgereit’s films, Horsehead really suffers from some weak performances from among the supporting cast. Basset may have a master’s instincts within the visual realm of filmmaking but his ability to coax grounded performances from the cast leaves a lot to be desired. It doesn’t really get in the way of the power of Basset’s spectacles, but it does make for some rather jarring moments that eject the viewer from the world of the film.
Revitalizing cinematic traditions, particularly with regards to genre, seems to be a growing concern amongst the newest generation of filmmakers. Like Panos Cosmatos, Romain Basset creates a genre bending tableaux with a myriad of influences that serve a style that is almost overwhelming. What I find really remarkable about Horsehead is that its astounding images were created on such a minimal budget.
