LORDS OF SALEM (2013)

There are few filmmakers in the community more divisive than Rob Zombie. I personally like most of his stuff but one of the more unique titles in his catalog, if not most unique, is LORDS OF SALEM. Sherri Moon, along with a few other staples in his flicks, works at a radio station and is sent a mysterious tape from a band called 'The Lords.' It's played over the air and is a series of simple but eerie notes and no one quite knows what to make of it. More eerie visions follow, along with a Salem Witch trials researcher who is disturbed by the music he hears. Along the journey we get more visions, Kubrick-esque imagery, Rob Zombie-familiar-cutaways, and a mystery involving who or what the Lords are and what it means for descendants in the town. This is definitely his most serious movie to date...no yelling or backwoods crazy deranged maniacs, no magical haunted houses, just a grounded mystery with almost too many 'images' and 'visions' thrown in. It's a slow burn but not in a terrible way. In fact, I would say there is a solid movie here but the endless cut-a-ways and images thrown at us takes us out of the narrative and is more of a distraction than a helping cause. Almost as if he got cold feet by being too serious and had to throw the images at the screen to remedy that feeling. Fans of slow burns, Rob, or even Kubrick should check this out to give it a chance. While it might not be your fave, you might realize that when the time comes for Zombie to make a serious pic he does have the skills to do so...just needs to go forth with complete confidence and do less of the signature 'image-cuts' we get.

SLASH SCENE: Finale at Theatre

SLASH SCORE: 3/5