“One of the most surprising discoveries”: Guillermo del Toro Praises Overlooked Horror Gem
I’m still waiting for Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead to have their big, mainstream breakthrough. They came close with Synchronic, and Something in the Dirt is remarkable, and it would be enough if more people had seen it, but so far, their most mainstream success has been with the release of Marvel series Loki and Moon Knight. Which are not for me, but I’m happy for them. Instead, I want something more in line with Spring, their stunning 2014 romantic horror feature that remains one of the century’s most subversive genre films. Guillermo del Toro seems to agree.
Per Tubi: A young man in a personal tailspin flees the U.S. to Italy, where he sparks a romance with a woman harboring a dark, primordial secret.
While tweeting about Second Sight’s sensational release of The Borderlands (which, like me, you might have seen under the title Final Prayer), Guillermo del Toro name-dropped Spring as a remarkable horror discovery.
Guillermo del Toro’s use of “discovery” is apt there. While Benson and Moorhead’s filmography might not register with more general audiences, those fortunate enough to stumble across a release of theirs are in for an absolute treat. Spring ranks among their best.
It’s impossible to tell where it’s going, and it remains one of the century’s most successful merging of genres. It’s romantic, frightening, violent, and tender all at once. It’s not an easy feat to achieve, yet Benson and Moorhead do so with aplomb. If you haven’t yet, listen to Guillermo del Toro and discover what Spring has in store.
What do you think? Do you agree with Guillermo del Toro? Where does Spring land for you among Benson and Moorhead’s filmography? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins where I’ll probably be talking about how the pair’s debut, Resolution is one of the century’s best horror movies.
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