In the dark era of American history, people were frightened by people they thought held godlike power over the souls of mankind. This lead to an inquisition that burned through the northeast and led to one of the more notorious periods of history, one that has been brought back by noted rock legend Rob Zombie in the form of the music video and song, THE LORDS OF SALEM.
Coincidentally, there’s a movie with the same name. Who’d have thought? And Direct to DVD Dissection is there!
The Story
Heidi, a radio DJ, is sent a box containing a record — a “gift from the Lords.” The sounds within the grooves trigger flashbacks of her town’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad, or are the Lords back to take revenge on Salem, Massachusetts?
The Cast
Sheri Moon Zombie as Heidi Hawthorne. Aside from appearing in several of Rob Zombie’s music videos, as well as with White Zombie, she’s appeared in films by Zombie, such as HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, THE DEVIL’S REJECTS, The HALLOWEEN remakes, and THE HAUNTED WORLD OF EL SUPER BEASTO.
Bruce Davison as Francis Matthias. Best know as Senator Kelly in X-MEN and X2, as well as playing George Henderson in the TV series HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS.
Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman ‘Whitey’ Salvador. He’s appeared in films like FASTER & HALLOWEEN 2, as well as TV series like CSI: MIAMI and the short lived CAVEMEN series.
Judy Geeson as Lacy Doyle. Appeared in the film TO SIR, WITH LOVE, starring Sidney Poitier, as well as in BRANNIGAN with John Wayne. Has also had work in the TV series MAD ABOUT YOU.
The Dissection
Heidi (Sherri Moon Zombie) with what is definitely not pigtails.
Rob Zombie’s filmography, unlike his discography, is mostly seen as very hit or miss. There were some interesting successes, noted failures, and some strange moments with Mr. Zombie’s filmography. Now, we got a new entry by him, and it’s a bit different from his usual fare, though not by much.
One of the more noticeable aspects of the movie is the story. While it’s not the first time a movie set in Salem and the history of the witch trial is explored, a lot of the opening scenes add some interesting atmosphere and set it apart from other films.Though, once that passes and it sets up with the second and third acts, it ends up kind of slowing and eventually getting to the point where it just loses the linear focus it had. There’s a lot of interesting elements, some repeated, but they really never go anywhere and kind of just wander away in itself until the end.
As for the acting, it’s perfectly solid. A lot of horror icons pop up here and there. As for the main cast, their okay. I know a lot of anger was shown to Sherri Moon, and to Rob for putting her as a big focal point in his movies, but she at least seems to have improved as an actress. Bruce Davidson, meanwhile, does very good work here. All in all, a strong cast.
Herman (Ken Mother Lovin' Foree) on the mic.
Overall, it’s a weird movie in Rob Zombie’s library. Depending on how you feel about Rob Zombie’s films could affect your interest and enjoyment. However, it’s a bit inverted. A lot of Zombie’s fans seems to not enjoy it because of how the film is structured, going a bit more “arty” in it’s build, and people who aren’t fans might enjoy it due to how dissimilar it is to his past work. Course, it’s not a guarantee, so it’s wise to be cautious.
As for the DVD, and Blu Ray as well, the only real feature is the commentary track from Rob Zombie.It’s an interesting track, so it may be worth getting it in a disc format, rather than a digital release that might not. Rob Zombie himself offers some interesting words of wisdom, of sorts, and it’s something interesting to watch if you intend to replay the film.
The Verdict
Overall, the film is hit or miss, but does offer some good aspects and enjoyment to fans of the genre. It’s a film to check out, though a bit of caution if there are any aspects cause some hesitation.