A Nightmare Wakes
Mary Shelley never received proper recognition while she was alive, and she still does not receive adequate attention in the Shudder original “A Nightmare Wakes,” a movie that claims to explore the creation of Frankenstein but reads like an uninspired, almost offensive writer’s legacy. Written and directed by Nora Unkel, “A Nightmare Wakes” feels as though it went through countless rewrites and producer notes until it lost its way entirely, unsure of how to reconcile biopic tropes with a horror director’s vision.
In parts it is a fairly standard period piece about the fateful summer in which Shelley penned one of the most important works of fiction ever written; but it also tries to be about horror itself, presenting the making of Frankenstein as a vision from within an insane woman’s mind an extra layer that feels somewhat insulting. Yes, this is yet another story about a woman going mad stumbling into genius, which would be bad enough but is further ill served by amateurish performances and inconsistent direction.
Alix Wilton Regan plays Mary Shelley in the summer of 1816, holed up at Lake Geneva with her lover Percy Bysshe Shelley (Giullian Yao Gioiello), Lord Byron (Philippe Bowgen), Claire Clairmont (Claire Glassford) and Dr. John Polidori (Lee Garrett). At this time Percy was married to another woman; however Mary was pregnant with his child a baby she loses early in “A Nightmare Wakes,” sending her into grief and depression that includes nightmarish visions inspiring the story she has been challenged to write. Everyone in the mansion is writing a horror tale only Mary’s will change the world.
At times it seems like Unkel has no interest at all in making a horror film, weaving themes of jealousy, sexuality and sexism into what is essentially a straight drama. Unkel’s historical accuracy in terms of craft can be admirable on occasion, but the movie fails because the performers never feel like real people from this period.
The ensemble is shockingly lifeless in terms of mannerism and emotion, as if they think that’s how people acted in 1816. It gives the whole project an air of bad community theatre. I’m not usually the kind of critic who beats up on bad performances they’re just as often the fault of a director as they are an actor but it’s hard to avoid here. And it all makes for a very long 90-minute film.
Then there’s the horror movie part of this depression writing process picture. Unkel’s primary technique is the dream sequence, suggesting that Unkel’s subconscious mind helped her work by connecting real issues in her life with terrifying images that come to us in our sleep. Approaching the stale genre of biopic through a horror lens set partially within its subject’s world is an exciting, interesting concept for a film; but Unkel and crew never nail it down. “A Nightmare Wakes” will likely put you to sleep.
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