Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear

Just watch the opening sequence and you know you're in for a treat.

This movie (1:30 long) is one of the most playful and enjoyable anthologies I've seen in a good while. I think what sets it apart from others is that it doesn't take itself too seriously and it knows it. All the stories are cleverly produced with rather good acting and effects, camera angles, etc. The only drawback is that, while it is very entertaining all the way through, it isn't necessarily entirely filled with horror. The up side to this is that we're given a wide spectrum of horror, suspense, and thriller so that it doesn't grow stale over time.

There are 5 tales and they each feel as if you're being given a gift to open and enjoy. Pretty packaging, full content, and the stories are enthralling to say the least. It's easy to get into the stories and look forward to what's coming next. Even greater is the fact that they are all tied together with subtle clues as to how they are connected. But these subtleties are important enough to make you feel the connection in a very roundabout way such as in "Cabin in the Woods."

I'll go into a brief synopsis of each tale so you can get an idea of what to expect (skip this if you'd rather know nothing going in, but I've kept it bare minimum):

1. Smell - This tale is about a man who is down on his luck but picks up a special aroma that turns his life around, but at what price? As an opener, this one doesn't quite set the stage for what's to come. It's possibly the most playful of the 5 tales, but the ending is pretty funky fresh haha. This one is often considered a weaker tale, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's full-bodied and robust *see what I did there?* =D

2. Sight - This tale is about a lonely man who works as an optometrist and uses his machines to extract memories from his patients in order to enjoy their memories. He's a stalker basically, but when he finally takes certain matters into his own hands, trouble ensues. This one is rather short, but the build up is great and the finale is very enjoyable and somewhat psychedelic. It is chilling, gory to a degree, and creepy. The approach of sight on this one is very creative and engaging.

3. Touch - The best tale in my opinion, this one is about a blind boy who seeks help for his family after a car crash. This tale is amazing and feels so real and almost empowering as the boy makes his way through a rather troublesome environment. It's further strengthened by the boy's intelligence.

4. Taste - If you've paid attention to the clues throughout the film, this is where they lead you - what ties the tales together. This tale involves a young man who is offered a job for a strange company. Upon his arrival, things get a little. .. .distasteful. You'll never see this one coming, and it's a bit funny while also a tad gruesome.

5. Hearing - A found-footage attempt, this film involves a crew who's task is to compile some found footage into one film. The film involves a song that has lethal effects on it's listeners. This one is possibly the weakest. It is a great idea, but it lacks in proper execution. It's neat little way to end everything though I suppose. Not unenjoyable, but not really super enjoyable either.

Keep in mind that these were filmed in roughly 4 days per tale, so the window wasn't large, but they did amazing considering.

I loved this horror anthology, but I can understand how some people might not. It's not jump-out-of-your-seat horror. If anything, I'd characterize it as a series of unsettling and disturbing scenarios.

I'd equate it with an episode of Tales from the Crypt or maybe season one of Fringe. Each section of the anthology starts with a natural sense and ties it to something very unnatural. With maybe one exception, this doesn't end well for anybody!

SMELL tells the story of a man who's given the chance to change his pheromones to get sex and success. Our protagonist fails to realize that something about that offer smells fishy.

SIGHT deals with a lonely eye doctor who can see what his patients see. Unfortunately, he sure lacks foresight when he tries to help one of them out.

TOUCH starts with a blind boy and his family getting into a car accident. As the only one able to walk, the blind boy wanders through the woods to find help. As I'm sure he would agree, something doesn't feel right here.

TASTE is about an unusual job interview. When the interviewee turns down the offer, he's met with a biting critique.

LISTEN breaks with the rest of the short films and is in "found footage" format. It tells the story of two young men trying to piece together the recording of a song that is rumoured to kill all those who listen to it. In the end, our protagonists try to offer some sound advice -- but is it already too late?

After watching this a few years back, I didn't think too much of it. I remember liking the last section, Listen, with the music that makes people go crazy. On the strength of that segment, I decided to pick up a Blu-ray on sale.

After rewatching the movie - out of order - I realized it's actually better than I gave it credit for.

There are five segments. There's actually a thread connecting all of them. I checked the other reviews here, and it doesn't seem like any of them noticed this.

The corporation that is centered on in the fourth segment has tentacles in all of the other stories. It also sets up the fifth segment.

All of the stories have something to offer. They aren't especially scary, but at the least, they are interesting. The only one that suffers is the Sight segment, which seems like an interesting idea, but the execution is a bit confusing.

The first 4 senses that they covered had really cool concepts. What I liked the most is that they were all interconnected one way or the other. The "hearing" story lacked a lot and it wasn't my favorite. It felt rushed and disjointed but but the actors were pretty good.

It was a completely unassuming film that had nothing to do with the senses at all, but merely a sign of the author's and director's ailing mind. I do not recommend watching this movie at all