Live (2011)

Directed by: Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury | 93 minutes | fantasy, horror | Actors: Chloé Coulloud, Félix Moati, Jérémy Kapone, Catherine Jacob, Béatrice Dalle, Chloé Marcq, Marie-Claude Pietragalla, Loïc Berthezene, Joël Cudennec, Sabine Londault, Serge Cabon, Nathalie Presles, Adèle Fousse, Roxanne Fillol Charonzalez, June Ribiere Oriane Azam, Thomas Ribiere, Laure Latinier

What are the foundations of a good horror movie? Is it the effects or maybe it’s the build-up of tension? ‘Livide’ holds up quite well thanks to the latter and is therefore quite good! This film from 2011 also proves that the build-up of tension is an interaction of factors. The filmmakers brought some convincing actors to the beautiful Breton coast and immortalized this with worn and sloping camerawork as if you as a viewer are flying over the French hills yourself. Accompanying romantic violins complete the ‘commercial’ for this beautiful holiday country. If it weren’t for the fact that something isn’t quite right…

The long, but beautiful and carefully constructed intro of ‘Livide’ is the backbone of this fantasy/horror film. It is the moment when she wins the viewer and must win. Because once it starts to ‘ghost’, all subtleties seem to be thrown overboard.

The directorial duo Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury enlisted the young Chloé Coulloud (Lucy) as the face of this French film. A good choice, it turns out. With her natural, timid acting, Coulloud brings some perspective and counterbalance to the bizarre phenomena that you can’t avoid in this horror film. Refreshing, since other films in the genre sometimes break down on ‘over acting’ in combination with those outrageous incidents. The bottom is often reached quickly.

During her home nursing training, Lucy visits a comatose woman in an old, ivy-overgrown mansion. When she gets wind of a possible hidden treasure through her supervisor, she sets out that evening to break into the old manor with two friends. In the background is Lucy’s personal story about her mother who committed suicide. She is largely on her own as her father chooses to live his own life with a new girlfriend. And then there is a strange role for Lucy’s supervisor…

As a horror maker, it remains a challenge not to fall too much into cliché situations. And of course ‘Livide’ does this at certain points. The ghostly big house, the old woman, the mysterious autumn hills. But thanks in part to the beautiful design, you’re happy to overlook this. And if the film also ends with a reasonably satisfying ending -except for some clumsy and pointless chopping scenes- ‘Livide’ is definitely worth it.