Cabinet of Curiosities Ep 6 (Dreams in the Witch House) Review

By Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Another episode based on a H.P. Lovecraft tale! Directed by Catherine Hardwick, ‘Dreams in the Witch House’ stars Rupert Grint as Walter Gilman, a man obsessed with finding a way to communicate with his dead twin sister. Disclaimer – as a Grint fan, I may have enjoyed this short film a lot more than someone who isn’t an admirer.

Again, like ‘Pickman’s Model’, the creators of this episode aren’t able to do justice to Lovecraft’s preternatural nightmare about otherworldly dimensions and human sacrifice. Instead, we get a childish, simplistic version, which might disappoint those who’ve read the original, but it still manages to be entertaining. Walter Gilman is a possessed man who goes about town seeing psychics, mediums, madmen and just about anybody who claim they can talk to the dead. One night, he meets two strange men who possess a drug which can lead one to the ‘forest of the dead’, that night, Giman’s life changes…

The episode begins with the brilliant juxtaposition of a young ginger-head Gilman (Gavin MacIver-Wright) sitting beside his deathly pale sick sister Epperley (Daphne Hosikins). And even though the two kids are very much alive in the opening scene, the room feels split between the land of the dead and living. Well done make-up department, well done. Epperley passes away in front of her brother, who then sees her screaming spirit being dragged into a forest. From then on, Gilman devotes himself to finding a way to get back to his dear sister and a witch’s house might hold the key to his desires.

From the way it’s been produced, ‘Dreams in the Witch House’ resembles a period fantasy horror tale, featuring a witch-demon akin to villains from children films. The climax doesn’t fit within the mood and framework of the rest the story and is rather comical. Worked just fine for me though, left me with a satisfied chuckle.

It’s an 8/10 from me for this episode.

Also Read: Cabinet of Curiosities Episode 1 (Lot 36) Review