Michael Fad

This haunting and poignant film has been misunderstood by many. On the surface, one might see certain scenes and characters as purposefully bizarre and over-the-top, similar to the reaction upon viewing some Lynchian scenes. Yet if we care about this film enough to contemplate what is going on under the surface, we see that--from the eyes of a child--everything does work. To young Seth Dove (and, indeed, to all children) there really are witches and vampires in the neighborhood; for a child does not yet see the eccentricities, alcoholism, and underlying causes of strife. The world is terrifyingly unreal. Until the raw and powerful ending of the film, we inhabit this world with Seth, and if we cannot make sense of what is going on, then it is because neither can Seth. What seems bizarre is only his own view of what is happening, whether or not we accept it. His epiphany is cruel, rude, and important, and as the sun literally sets on his childhood, we should understand what Phillip Ridley wanted to share all along.