The Undying (Region 1 Edition)   Starring: Robin Weigert, Anthony Carrigan, Jay O. Sanders, Sybil Temtchine and Wes Studi MTI Home Entertainment RRP: $24.95 039414521573 Certificate: Not Rated Available 13 December 2011

Dr Barbara Haughton, a woman whose fiance died little over a year ago, rents an isolated house in a new area. Showing her a photograph, the owner tells her the house is haunted by a Confederate soldier - a truly gentle man whose only love was killed by Yankies. She immediately begins to feel his presence, even catching his reflection in mirrors. Meanwhile, at the hospital, her first Casualty subject is a stab victim who slips into a coma. Over a number of days Barbara finds herself becoming attached to the good-looking heavily bearded young man. On the point of his death she smuggles him out of the hospital and into her house. Against all odds, the gentle soldier is reborn in the body of the stranger, and pretty soon they are enjoying an intense relationship. That is until the spirit of the bearded man begins to emerge, and in his life he was a very violent man...

Okay, so there has been a multitude of troubled spirit supernatural horror films. This is not going to win any originality awards, but it is a suitably underplayed ghost story well-told. Where this film ultimately trips up is by the fact its not sustainable for the length of the running time. In other words, by three-quarters of the way through the central plot has practically been played out. As you can probably deduce I’m in two minds over my opinion of The Undying. For as long as the story is progressing it makes for compelling viewing. The acting is low-key and all the better for it, because when something explosive takes place it has significantly more impact.

So, I’d say that, as far as a horror film goes, this is definitely characterisation over content which, let’s face it, could be a whole lot worse. This is one of those writer/director projects which can often succeed or fail by a fine line. It’s a solid effort from Steven Peros, but let’s see something which pushes the boundaries next time, please. If there are any extras on the retail disc, I didn’t have them on my review copy.

6

Ty Power