Editor’s Note: This was originally published for FANGORIA on August 9, 2001, and we’re proud to share it as part of The Gingold Files.
There are three pieces of news attending the release of Session 9 (beginning its run in New York and LA, and expanding shortly thereafter):
The location: Director Brad Anderson, who scripted with Steve Gevedon (who also appears in an acting role) was inspired to make Session 9 by the real, abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital, in which the action is set. Seeing the movie makes one wonder why no one has used the place before; not only is the overall building shaped like a bat (with long “wings” stretching out from the main structure), but it’s chockablock with twisty corridors, dark, scary basements and a pretty scary history of patients abused with barbaric “treatments.” Anderson and Gevedon have come up with a great starting premise: A group of men arrive at the place to clean up asbestos, toiling under time pressure from their boss, Gordon (Peter Mullan), and required to wear hazmat suits that make them look like alien visitors. The guys are already troubled by various outside problems, and soon their mental states become additionally stressed from working in the spooky old asylum. Anderson successfully makes the hospital a character in and of itself, with strong assistance from…
The video photography: Session 9 is one of the first movies to be shot in a new hi-def, 24-frame video process, the same one that (obligatory mainstream cross-reference) George Lucas utilized on Star Wars—Episode II: Attack of the Silly Movie Title. Previous video-to-film transfers have been of variable visual quality, but this one is a big step up. Only those who know what to look for will likely be able to tell the difference, and in any case cinematographer Uta Briesewitz’s images are rich and atmospheric. Anderson does a lot with the interplay of light and darkness in Session 9, and while blacks have always been the most difficult shades to effectively capture on video, here they’re deep and threatening. A standout chilling moment has one character walking down a gloomy hallway past a long row of plastic-bagged contamination suits; as he passes each, the gloved sleeves seem to reach out just slightly to grab him. The movie isn’t just about mood, though; it’s also powered by good acting, including…
The return of David Caruso: Considering that he made news by abandoning the NYPD Blue team for a shot at solo stardom, Caruso fits effortlessly and easily into the Session 9 ensemble. He turns in strong work, too, as Phil, Gordon’s right-hand man, who doubts the crew can get their job done in the time Gordon has allotted. (He’s not alone, apparently, given all the time the characters spend sitting around talking when they’re supposed to be under a breakneck deadline.) The whole ensemble (also including Josh Lucas and Brendan Sexton III, with a brief appearance by Wendigo director Larry Fessenden) shares a solid chemistry that makes it easy to believe these guys have known each other and worked together for years. This, in turn, makes it all the more unnerving when they start breaking down mentally and suffering unpleasant fates. One particular aftermath-of-violence shot is among the most cringeworthy scenes this year.
There’s one more bit of news worth mentioning, and that is that Session 9 proves that one can shoot a viable horror movie on video without having form dictate function creatively. Session 9 is a genre work in the classic, composed style, as Anderson works mostly with shadows and suggestion (until the end, anyway) instead of tricking things up with too much fancy cutting and shaky handheld work. The director has never done a horror project before (his previous features were romantic comedies), and this one is good enough to make one hope he doesn’t take too much time before tackling another.
