As a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick and Paul Verhoeven I was looking for a movie in a similar vein and this movie was exactly what I was looking for and it didn't disappoint in the least because this movie is not at all what it seems to be (or is exactly what it seems to be if you thought of it as a revealing satire of the sad and scandalous state of Hollywood nowadays).
Think of it as a cross between "Eyes Wide Shut", "Showgirls" and "The Canyons". That last movie you probably never heard of because it has an even lower IMDB rating than this one. Which is inevitable I guess, because like this movie it uses intentionally wooden acting and sloppy and cliche cinematogrophy as a means to get part of the message across, which of course has a devastating effect on the critical ratings and can therefore even affect the success of the movie. And I have to admit, it also made it a bit difficult to sit through, but the underlying messages made it intriguing and rewarding enough.
So there are (at least) 2 stories being told here. One is the surface story about the young grief stricken woman in a 19th century insane asylum who discovers some very disturbing practices going on and which (VERY) loosely follows the "actual events" and basically plays out like a typical horror movie.
The second story which is told at the same times is also very loosely based on "actual events" but is about a fame seeking actress in modern times and the movie industry and the references to movies, plays, movie tropes, actors selling their body and soul for fame, drug abuse and other even darker aspects of Hollywood are all over the place and hard to miss.
I think I better stop at this point, cause if I go into too much specifics or drop names, it makes ME sound like someone who is insane (or at least like a conspiracy theorist which is essentially the same).
But rewatch it with what I hinted at in mind, and I think you won't be able to deny it, as it's actually very much "in your face".
Think of it as a cross between "Eyes Wide Shut", "Showgirls" and "The Canyons". That last movie you probably never heard of because it has an even lower IMDB rating than this one. Which is inevitable I guess, because like this movie it uses intentionally wooden acting and sloppy and cliche cinematogrophy as a means to get part of the message across, which of course has a devastating effect on the critical ratings and can therefore even affect the success of the movie. And I have to admit, it also made it a bit difficult to sit through, but the underlying messages made it intriguing and rewarding enough.
So there are (at least) 2 stories being told here. One is the surface story about the young grief stricken woman in a 19th century insane asylum who discovers some very disturbing practices going on and which (VERY) loosely follows the "actual events" and basically plays out like a typical horror movie.
The second story which is told at the same times is also very loosely based on "actual events" but is about a fame seeking actress in modern times and the movie industry and the references to movies, plays, movie tropes, actors selling their body and soul for fame, drug abuse and other even darker aspects of Hollywood are all over the place and hard to miss.
I think I better stop at this point, cause if I go into too much specifics or drop names, it makes ME sound like someone who is insane (or at least like a conspiracy theorist which is essentially the same).
But rewatch it with what I hinted at in mind, and I think you won't be able to deny it, as it's actually very much "in your face".