WISHMASTER
US, 1997, 90 minutes, Colour.
Tammy Lauren, Andrew Divoff, Robert England, Chris Lemmon, Jenny O’ Hara.
Directed by Robert Kurtzman.
Wishmaster is also know as Wes Craven’s Wishmaster since the celebrated producer-director acts as executive producer for this film.
The film takes up ancient Eastern themes, those associated with Zoroastrian religion, especially the One God of Good Whose Shadow Creates Evil, Tginns who live between the two worlds. While there is some foundation for this in ancient religions, it is elaborated for the 20th century – and for horror films.
The film opens with a tour-de-force special effects sequence set in the 12th century in Persia. Director Robert Kurtzman has been the make-up supervisor for many celebrated films. Here he pulls all stops out. The film then moves to the present, in an American city, where the jewel created by a master magician in Persia to entrap the Tginn is stolen and wreaks havoc on people’s lives throughout the city. Once again, there are plenty of gory special effects. However, Tammy Lauren is a vigorous heroine as she is partly possessed by the Tginn who takes on human form, enticing people to make wishes and fulfilling their wishes in the worst possible way. Finally, there is a confrontation – with the intrepid heroine thinking up her third wish: that the man who caused the accident by drinking whereby the jewel was loosed was not drinking on the job. Everything returns to two days earlier and back to normal.
1. The popularity of this kind of horror film? The special effects and gore? The frights? The reworking of ancient mythologies for contemporary terror?
2. The prologue in Persia, the magician, his helplessness, the special effects and the gory deaths, the Tginns and their power, the king and his fear? The magician fashioning the jewel and entrapping the Tginn?
3. Contemporary US, the city, docks, tennis courts, homes, museums, laboratories? An authentic feel for the extravagance of the horror story?
4. The dropping of the statue, the drunken workman, the death, the jewel loosed, it being stolen, pawned, brought to the auction house? Alex and her examination of it, taking it to Josh? The dire repercussions, his death, the release of the Tginn, his taking possession of Alex?
5. Alex, her skills at her work, her background, care for her sister, her not rescuing her parents from a fire when she was young? This haunting her? Her sister worried about her? Her reaction to Josh and his death? Her going to see Beaumont, the questions about the mythology, his explanations? Her further pursuit, with Nick, and his being confronted by the Tginn? The build-up of knowledge, the discussions with the professor, her having to confront the Tginn at the basketball? The party, the massacres, the pursuit of the Tginn, the corridor of statues and their coming alive, the deaths of the security men? The finale, her sister caught in the flames in the picture? Using her wits, refusing to wish – and then finding the wish that solved everything? Her changed life, better relationship with Josh, a future?
6. The Tginn, his release, getting people to make wishes, destroying them, appealing to their greed like Josh, appealing to their vanity like the saleswoman, going through, literally, the security guard? Drowning the security man? The malice of the Tginn? His human appearance, charm? His confrontation of Alexandra, wanting her to wish? The party, revealing his true face, the massacres? The final confrontation, his being defeated and returned to the jewel?
7. Beaumont, Robert England (and a contrast with his Freddie Kruger performances)? His care only for his statuary, his meeting with Alex, the explanations? The party, the monster from his mouth?
8. The professor, her haughty stances, helping with the drama? Her finding Alex a friend? The explanations, leading her on with the vivid explanations? Her own death at the hand of the Tginn?
9. The auction house, Nick and his work, his mother dying in the plane crash and leaving a million dollars? The security guards, the museum?
10. The fantasy aspect of this kind of ancient mythology – reworked to give people frights in the 20th and 21st centuries?
