RoyalFlash
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George Baron (director)
London FrightFest 2023 (studio)
18 (certificate)
103 (length)
27 August 2023 (released)
From the outset The Blue Rose is going to be cast in the shadow of David Lynch notably with the two rookie detectives Dalton (George Baron, who also wrote and directed) and Lilly (Olivia Scott) getting themselves involved in a murder mystery that has an unusual calling card of blue roses at the scene.
Which is also the name of a club that the duo call at where they meet Norma Steele (Danielle Bisutti), sister of artist Sophie (Nikko Austen Smith) who becomes a suspect in the murder case.
The deeper the duo get into the case the weirder it all becomes with the introduction of characters such as cop Mr Vallens (Ray Wise), club singer Catherine Christainson (Glume Harlow). Then there’s violent Bunnymen and some sequences in Eastern Europe.
Based on an ‘immersive theatre piece’ which ran for one night but which Baron felt had more to offer character wise. And that’s fair enough as Dalton and Lilly are pretty well developed only to be plunged into a 50’s pastiche of colour and music – the latter is excellent. Lynch is the obvious reference but there’s some Greenaway with the careful and deliberate composition of the scenes. Also the later 60’s psych aesthetic of The Love Witch can be detected.
With something as visually arresting as The Blue Rose there’s a danger that plot and character are lost or buried by the visuals. But the story does manage to keep up, mainly due to the characters playing it straight and making the best of the sharp dialogue.
Having said that, its likely that many - as with Lynch’s films – will fall by the wayside for whatever reason. There’s no doubt that Baron has some serious potential as a creative force in probably any discipline he chooses to pursue. With The Blue Rose he’s just too closely stuck to Lynch world so there’s a derivative element here, that flattens everything else.
The Blue Rose had its world premiere at London FrightFest 2023.
London FrightFest 2023 (studio)
18 (certificate)
103 (length)
27 August 2023 (released)
From the outset The Blue Rose is going to be cast in the shadow of David Lynch notably with the two rookie detectives Dalton (George Baron, who also wrote and directed) and Lilly (Olivia Scott) getting themselves involved in a murder mystery that has an unusual calling card of blue roses at the scene.
Which is also the name of a club that the duo call at where they meet Norma Steele (Danielle Bisutti), sister of artist Sophie (Nikko Austen Smith) who becomes a suspect in the murder case.
The deeper the duo get into the case the weirder it all becomes with the introduction of characters such as cop Mr Vallens (Ray Wise), club singer Catherine Christainson (Glume Harlow). Then there’s violent Bunnymen and some sequences in Eastern Europe.
Based on an ‘immersive theatre piece’ which ran for one night but which Baron felt had more to offer character wise. And that’s fair enough as Dalton and Lilly are pretty well developed only to be plunged into a 50’s pastiche of colour and music – the latter is excellent. Lynch is the obvious reference but there’s some Greenaway with the careful and deliberate composition of the scenes. Also the later 60’s psych aesthetic of The Love Witch can be detected.
With something as visually arresting as The Blue Rose there’s a danger that plot and character are lost or buried by the visuals. But the story does manage to keep up, mainly due to the characters playing it straight and making the best of the sharp dialogue.
Having said that, its likely that many - as with Lynch’s films – will fall by the wayside for whatever reason. There’s no doubt that Baron has some serious potential as a creative force in probably any discipline he chooses to pursue. With The Blue Rose he’s just too closely stuck to Lynch world so there’s a derivative element here, that flattens everything else.
The Blue Rose had its world premiere at London FrightFest 2023.