Hooptober 8.0 #36
Decades 6/8 1920s

Not really a horror film. Instead it feels more like A Christmas Carol, a morality tale that uses ghosts to redeem a man's soul. The visual effects are stunning, particularly that of the Phantom Carriage itself. You can almost see Bergman's film career being born. Most memorable, though, because of it's emotional devastation. A full blown melodrama about the terrible things one man has done, the effect that has and whether he can ever be redeemed for it. Has a nuanced understanding of his character so we often hate him as much as we pity him. Ending has incredible emotional power. Ridiculously tense sequence followed by devastating, hopeful resolution. We do not know if the man is redeemed at the end, but we hope so. Not only for his sake but for everyone else in the film. Gorgeous and heartbreaking.