Dante’s Shadow of Sin Review!
Denver’s, Dakota Ray is the crowned by bloody thorns King of dark emo and goth imagery art films. The last time I stepped into his world was American Antichrist (see review here), a movie that was so much fun. In that one, Dakota went by the Cramps (not the Nancy Collins) set rule that you must wear sunglasses after dark, whilst much of the goings-on within were overly comical, perhaps not intentionally, but I like to think with a little wink as if to say, “I’m so evil, aren’t I?”
This time around with Dante’s Shadow of Sin things are altogether a bit more serious, far bleaker, and totally black. Still though, we have the mandatory stirring of humour as we are introduced to our central title character, Dante (played by Dakota), burying a severed head one night after taking an obligatory polaroid, then spitting on it.
Dante isn’t that much different from The Antichrist whom Dakota portrayed in the above-mentioned movie. He stands in front of the mirror waxing lyrical in a distorted voice. “I am a man who lives to serve no one but myself…” Two years ago, he murdered the owner of the severed cranium we saw at the beginning. He is still haunted by her memory apparently. There’s some symbolic dream of Dante destroying a child’s doll whilst laughing cruelly.
His motives were by destroying her mentally and physically, she’ll be his spiritual slave in the afterlife, pure classic serial killer style right there. His narration gives us the upcoming plot as he receives a package one normal day – the start of a series of catastrophic events which will hammer into him. Inside is a creepy wooden head and a note from someone whom he hasn’t seen in two years, Mahogany. His old acquaintance informs him that his father has died, and he will be getting an inheritance. Dante is cordially invited to meet with Mahogany so they can use up the money on drink and drugs.
Settling down for a drinking session, the wooden doll suddenly introduces itself as Mogwai, Dante’s spiritual advisor. It plays into his mind, bringing back everything which happened years ago in Mahogany’s vacation house – the place the two are to meet again. Soon enough they are driving over discussing Mahogany’s father, and then they are at the edifice. After a few drinks and smokes, they go and visit his wheelchair-bound grandmother. “My grandmother is totally useless, totally defenceless, but I can make her do anything… I can make her eat my shit or eat my asshole!” Mahogany then explains how he had his dad cremated then mixed the ashes into a pile of cocaine and snorted it all. Dante laughs in approval.
Their time continues with drugs, and a viewing of a DVD containing the slow torture of their victim from years gone by. However, there is something dark and brooding cementing itself into the atmosphere and as the hours tick by, the true reason they are together reveals itself…
Dante’s Shadow of Sin is Dakota’s most solid and realized work to date. Everything he has learnt regarding the lighting (almost always blue and dark), direction, the way to build a tale steadily and patiently, all comes to complete fruition here. The effects work has matured as well. Look, it isn’t Stan Winston but it’s quirky and trippy as fuck.
There is a complete epidemic of mutilated toys and other such objects featured throughout, plus his fascination with insects, adding a wonderful festering sense of decay and evil. Dante’s Shadow of Sin is a film for the lost and ill-fitting within society, drawing any adventuring soul deep below the black oily waters until blood erupts like a fountain. I smile imagining this is the sort of shadowy place where Varg Vikernes and Øystein Aarseth existed before that historic moment of violence occurred.
Dakota, as I have mentioned before, is on a level above directors such as Lucifer Valentine. Yeah, many teens and viewers find identity weaved into Lucifer’s films of vomiting and fetish, but Dakota is daring those people to stare into his abyss, and he doesn’t care what you find inside.
Fred Epstein as Mahogany is a revelation in his role. Out of control, wide-eyed, and so funny. The fact his character has a gimped-up slave in the bath doesn’t even surprise because had he not had a slave in a bath that’s gimped-up, it would be disappointing. Fred is a regular to Dakota’s world, having appeared in a handful of previous flicks.
All is cold, all is a nightmare vision filled with hatred and violence but fuck it. No sign of the Acid Jesus this time! Damnit!
Directed by: Dakota Ray
Written by: Dakota Ray
Produced by: Dakota Ray, Trishrome Collector
Cinematography by: Dakota Ray
Editing by: Dakota Ray
Music by: Emil Sheppard
Special Effects by: Dakota Ray, Avalon C
Cast: Dakota Ray, Fred Epstein, Sholeh Behesht, Mrs. Maddison
Year: 2021
Country: USA
Language: English
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 1h 15min
