The Grotesque Mansion

The terrors presented are not all in the form of figures with horrific scary faces, but supernatural phenomena that disturb the mental. The thing that feels most interesting about this film, the selection of terror for terror, is the plot. In five different horror stories there are detailed plots that connect them. The plot is made in such detail that you will see in one story there are pieces of another story.

GHOST MANSION, as a title, is something of a misnomer; this film is instead set in one of those run-down and haunted apartment complexes so beloved of Asian ghost stories. There are shades of DARK WATER in the location and this is a far cry from the quality of that, but it does offer something else in the shape of an anthology with the wraparound segment featuring a young writer researching some stories. As ever, the stories are a mixed bag, the first about ghost kids being quite poor, but it does improve. The mould story is a ghastly delight and the one about a serial killer really zings. This isn't exactly a classic, but it'll do.

Been trying to find this movie to watch for awhile. Searching on Streaming (Tubi etc), it will not show up if you search Ghost Mansion. The cover and title reads The Night Shift. Enjoy. 🤘

I really like Korean Horror films. And, I like stories about haunted places. But, honestly, this one never seems to quite get off the ground. I felt the pacing was a bit amateurish and therefore just not that involving. The characters don't really seem to act in a realistic manner, which also kind of takes you out of the film.

The movie isn't horrible, but in my lowly and wretched opinion, I got the impression that perhaps this first time director just didn't quite know how to present the story in a compelling fashion. Personally, I would ignore the '9' & '10' reviews since all they say is how 'Great' the movie is without really giving a very believable review as to why... I would pay more attention to the lesser reviews the ones who gave this film ratings more along the line of about '6' or so, because at least they struck me as more genuine, and they elaborated as to why they felt this way.

I gave it a '5' because I honestly did not find the movie very interesting or engaging at all. I don't think the 'scares' were staged that well. And, like others have stated, the film seemed to become somewhat repetitive as time went on. And, like I said at the beginning above, I usually really like Korean Horror films, especially about haunted places. But, truthfully, this one just did not do very much for me, so I just wanted to leave a simple review stating my impressions because I feel that the current '6.x' rating is not really indicative of the quality of this film. It's 'Okay' as some here have said, but personally I really wouldn't bother...

"Goe-gi-maen-syon" is a horror anthology set in an old apartment building, the filming locations and art direction provide an unpleasant atmosphere very well done. The cinematography is good without being excellent. The direction is on point for much of the film and the acting is generally good, except for a few overacting actors. The script, which is divided into 4 segments and an epilogue, has its ups and downs.

Segment 1, "The Writer": The first story set in the apartment building is quite soulless and without any tension, the protagonist overreacts in some scenes and the script does not provide an explanation beyond the incongruous facts. A failed segment.

Segment 2, "The Pharmacist": The second segment manages to improve on the first. The story shows an interesting scene in which the pharmacist's boyfriend talks to her from the shower, only to find out later that something is wrong and that her boyfriend really barely comes home. The end result is not entirely satisfactory. In the trailer, scenes from this segment were shown making it look better than it really is.

Segment 3, "The Seller": It is during this third segment that the film begins to improve. The story depicts the bizarre relationship between a real estate guy and a mannequin he treats as his wife. His kitchen sink begins to cause problems that lead the protagonist to think that there is a black hole in there. Without being entirely excellent, this segment is interesting.

Segment 4, "The Student": The last story is the most interesting and best achieved. A young man returns to South Korea after studying abroad, soon becoming a guest of a friend of his in an apartment in the haunted building. His friend seems to have poor hygiene and the apartment is full of mold. The script is quite good and interesting, also the acting of the protagonist is excellent. The best story was left for last.

Epilogue: One more story that serves to tell the reason why the building is haunted. The script has good moments and the suspense is present. Without being a marvel, it manages to entertain.

"Goe-gi-maen-syon" is not a masterpiece, but it manages to hold interest throughout its duration.