If you’re going to lift, lift from the best. Francesco Cinquemani’s The Ghosts of Monday tiptoes through the paths trod by The Shining, Rosemary’s Baby, and even The Beyond, but does it have a unique perspective? I would say that the lo-fi digital look, the setting of Cyprus, and themes about voyeurism do add a wrinkle to the more familiar story beats. The film also boasts some star power in the form of fan-favorite actor Julian Sands. Of course, Sands has been in the news recently, as he has been missing for the last month after going on a hike in a mountainous region of southern California. After screening at a handful of festivals last fall, Cleopatra Entertainment has just released the film on Blu-ray with some basic special features.
Television documentarian Eric (gruff and harried Mark Huberman) is desperate for a breakout series. His new gig could make or break his career. He arrives in the European island nation of Cyprus to shoot a pilot episode of a show that would seriously examine the truth behind purportedly haunted locations. He also hopes to rekindle his relationship with his troubled and estranged wife, Sofia (Marianna Rosset). Complicating matters is the presence of show star and Sofia’s adoptive father, Bruce (Sands). Boozy and somewhat lascivious, the performer has his own ideas on what the show should entail.
Almost immediately after arriving at the gorgeous but shuttered Hotel Gula, the crew begins to experience possibly supernatural phenomena. Additionally, Sofia’s traumatic experiences as a child in Cyprus begin to trigger some strange behaviors. It’s not long before the murders begin and we discover the true history of the hotel and its creepy owners (Anthony Skordi and Maria Ioannou). Additional players include Kristina Godunova, Flavia Watson, and Elva Trill as film crew members, and Loris Curci and Joanna Fyllidou as the show’s financiers.
Let’s start with performances. Sands goes delightfully big in a supporting role. He brings some gravitas and humor to the piece. The rest of the cast is more subdued in comparison. That does make for an interesting contrast, with his interactions with Huberman and Watson being highlights of the movie. However, the differing approaches don’t always tonally mesh.
The Hotel Gula set/location is also wonderful. The building’s architecture makes for a visually interesting backdrop that provides a ton of flavor. It also makes the film feel much bigger than it really is. Pau Mirabet’s lensing ensures that the hotel is almost a character itself. The harsh digital look and numerous floating handheld shots tie into the voyeuristic themes and the meta component of watching a movie about people making a television show. I also really enjoyed the set piece with the weird pool in the basement, even if it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense with regard to the story.
Speaking of plot, the script by Cinquemani, Curci, Andy Edwards, Barry Keating, and Mark Thompson-Ashworth doesn’t always hang together. The nods to The Shining are perhaps too prominent, the connective tissue between murders is a little thin, and the overall mythology of the premise is undercooked. At a brisk 78 minutes, the pacing is fine, but I would then say that there was room to maybe expand on the canon. The various plotlines do eventually converge but only loosely. There are some good ideas at play in the film’s final moments too, but it feels like the film didn’t have the budget to fully realize them.
Effects work is serviceable. The creature makeup is cool, but it doesn’t receive a lot of screen time. The CG blood squibs are a little dodgy, but not enough to distract from their impact. I wouldn’t describe the movie as being particularly gruesome, but there are some fairly graphic stabbings. When combined with a gratuitous shower sequence, it does glaze the proceedings with some not-unwelcome sleaziness. Christina Georgiou’s score also thankfully helps with establishing a spooky mood.
Overall, I would describe Francesco Cinquemani’s The Ghosts of Monday as a mixed bag. There are certainly some enjoyable elements, but there are also just as many frustrating ones. Cleopatra Entertainment’s Blu-ray has a fine presentation with the exception of some banding in one sequence, but I would guess that was baked into the source. Included are a slideshow of stills from the film, a theatrical trailer, and a collection of trailers for other Cleopatra releases. Recommended only for Julian Sands superfans, people interested in Cypriot filmmaking, and fans of low-budget haunted house narratives.
Michael Cavender