Reel in the Years
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a treasure. Not confined by genre, she conjures up atmosphere while illuminating corners of Mexico we hardly knew existed. &"Silver Nitrate" is a supernatural thriller reminiscent of a Shirley Jackson journey... we are going to slowly drift until we are shrouded in the horror.
1990's Mexico. Montserrat is a woman battling to get by as a sound editor in one of the film industry's smaller production companies. Her long-time on-again-off-again boyfriend, Tristan is also struggling to make ends meet in any acting and voice-over roles he can hustle up. He chances onto a neighbor, the legendary and semi-retired cult horror director Abel Urueta. Tristan and Montserrat are big fans and dine with him as they listen to stories of the director's past glory days. When Montserrat quizzes him on the long-lost classic film, "Beyond the Yellow Door," they are intrigued to hear this production was doomed by the supernatural, by magic, and that the destinies of everyone involved were cursed.
Silver nitrate was a volatile chemical treatment once used to enhance the film quality. The co-writer of the film was a powerful Nazi occultist, Wilhelm Ewers, who believed the silver would enable him to cast a powerful spell. Ewers had met an untimely death and only one secret unfinished reel still existed. Urueta believed if this portion could be finished his fortunes would change, the curse broken. Montserrat and Tristan jumped at the chance of resurrecting a part of film history, nefarious or not.
"But sometimes, when you've been around magic, you tend to attract the attention of other things that lurk in shadows. Monsters, ghosts, and the evil eye."
Things start to twist. Spirits seem present, just out of focus, just outside the frame. Bad luck turns a corner... at first. Threats from other interested parties soon manifest themselves. It cannot be possible that evil from the afterlife is returning to play its hand.
"...just what I needed. Some good old thermonuclear black magic."
Montserrat is a particularly resilient character. She has never backed down working in a male-dominated arena. Here she understands curses cannot be outrun and is determined to square-off against the supernatural forces at play by researching what they are dealing with and arming herself with that knowledge. Tristan is a little less bold, a weaker hero, but together they form a good team.
After the initial introduction of the characters and plot, the pace slows down as we are filled in on some of the occult practices and the real-life racist Nazi influences present. This is one of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's major gifts to us in a number of her works-- a real insight into Mexico in a time rarely explored in the media. Our patience is then rewarded when the finale pits the powers of all involved in a thrilling showdown.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a treasure. Not confined by genre, she conjures up atmosphere while illuminating corners of Mexico we hardly knew existed. &"Silver Nitrate" is a supernatural thriller reminiscent of a Shirley Jackson journey... we are going to slowly drift until we are shrouded in the horror.
1990's Mexico. Montserrat is a woman battling to get by as a sound editor in one of the film industry's smaller production companies. Her long-time on-again-off-again boyfriend, Tristan is also struggling to make ends meet in any acting and voice-over roles he can hustle up. He chances onto a neighbor, the legendary and semi-retired cult horror director Abel Urueta. Tristan and Montserrat are big fans and dine with him as they listen to stories of the director's past glory days. When Montserrat quizzes him on the long-lost classic film, "Beyond the Yellow Door," they are intrigued to hear this production was doomed by the supernatural, by magic, and that the destinies of everyone involved were cursed.
Silver nitrate was a volatile chemical treatment once used to enhance the film quality. The co-writer of the film was a powerful Nazi occultist, Wilhelm Ewers, who believed the silver would enable him to cast a powerful spell. Ewers had met an untimely death and only one secret unfinished reel still existed. Urueta believed if this portion could be finished his fortunes would change, the curse broken. Montserrat and Tristan jumped at the chance of resurrecting a part of film history, nefarious or not.
"But sometimes, when you've been around magic, you tend to attract the attention of other things that lurk in shadows. Monsters, ghosts, and the evil eye."
Things start to twist. Spirits seem present, just out of focus, just outside the frame. Bad luck turns a corner... at first. Threats from other interested parties soon manifest themselves. It cannot be possible that evil from the afterlife is returning to play its hand.
"...just what I needed. Some good old thermonuclear black magic."
Montserrat is a particularly resilient character. She has never backed down working in a male-dominated arena. Here she understands curses cannot be outrun and is determined to square-off against the supernatural forces at play by researching what they are dealing with and arming herself with that knowledge. Tristan is a little less bold, a weaker hero, but together they form a good team.
After the initial introduction of the characters and plot, the pace slows down as we are filled in on some of the occult practices and the real-life racist Nazi influences present. This is one of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's major gifts to us in a number of her works-- a real insight into Mexico in a time rarely explored in the media. Our patience is then rewarded when the finale pits the powers of all involved in a thrilling showdown.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
