For part 4 of Moviehooker’s Forgotten Greats, I have chosen Simon Rumley’s The Living & The Dead from 2006
The Living And The Dead is a different kind of horror film. A film that truly shows the horrors that can happen to any one of us and the torment that some people face with mental health issues.
It follows the Brocklebank’s, a family of three that live in a large run-down English estate. There’s the father, Lord Brockelbank, the son, a young man who suffers from severe mental health problems which include dangerous psychotic outbursts and the mother who is terminally sick and bedridden.
Lord Brocklebank is in financial ruin and has no choice but to leave his family and the dilapidated crumbling walls of the manor in search of medicine for his ailing wife. But this news upsets his mentally ill son. He believes that he should be the “man of the house” and is more than capable of looking after his “mummy”. He makes the horrific choice to lock out the home help who was there to look after both of them.
What follows is a journey into the darkest territories of our fragile minds. An out-of-control downward spiral, unravelling dangerously. A cinematic psychosis, unlike anything we’ve seen in film.
He is over-medicating his already frail mother while at the same time not taking his own medication. This is a different kind of hell, and sadly this is a hell that some people face on a daily basis. The Living and The Dead really showcases the torment that some people face because of their mental health issues. As disturbing as this is, I believe it’s an importantpiece of cinema that touches on a subject that is very rarely told in film.
The performance by Leo Bill is still the best that I have seen in the subgenre. I honestly thought I would see this guy everywhere after this performance but apart from The Mad Hatter in Alice In Wonderland and a small role in Tom Hardy’s, Taboo, I have not seen this man enough. What a truly exceptional performance.
The Living & the Dead is another film that will most definitely not be for everyone.
There are 3 cast members, and one setting and like a lot of other indie gems, this could very much be play and what a fine play it would make.
I would also like to mention another film by Simon Rumley called Red, White and Blue. This gem couldn’t be more different to The Living and The Dead, but, trust me, as your hooker, this is another film you’re definitely going to want to check out.
Did You Miss Moviehooker’s First 3 Choices? Check ’em out below and remember that sharing really helps us.
Remembering the Forgotten Greats: The Perfect Host (2010)
Kill List: Forgotten Greats No.2
Exhibit A: Forgotten Greats No.3
You can follow Moviehooker on the socials listed below. Make sure to check back soon for more news, reviews, interviews, and TV and movie lists. As always, thanks for reading.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube
