Not the characters, mind you, the movie! Apparently the screenwriter (Glynis Davies, who appears as "Kathy")had several ideas of what was going on, but never really chose one to focus on. First we meet Laurel, Michael & Margaret Elliot. Laurel is scattered, nervous, seems to have something going on, but what is it....we never find out. Elizabeth sleepwalks, even venturing out on the roof (aha! important plot contrivance!), so maybe that's the focus, but no....not really. Michael is a photographer conveniently sent away on a six week assignment, just as Laurel's sexy "friend" Elizabeth (Jennifer Beals) shows up. He hangs around just long enough to establish that he and Elizabeth have had an affair, she smolders at him, he says "no" unconvincingly, then he's gone until the end of the movie. There seems to be more back story with this family, but it's never revealed.
Desolation Sound gives off some spooky vibes in the beginning. There's a somewhat pathetic ex-addict guy who lives in a trailer,is Margaret's playmate (!!) and makes incredibly creepy puppets. After Elizabeth meets her fate, he steals some of her hair & makes a witchy looking puppet of her. Could Elizabeth's spirit be inhabiting Laurel, who dyes her hair black (like Elizabeth), starts smoking (ditto), becomes a slob (she was a neat freak before, which Elizabeth made fun of), and begins making bizarre witchy drawings??? She even has a quickie with the local cop (also Elizabeth-like). Laurel and Elizabeth made a blood pact! O-o-o-o, Could Laurel be possessed??? Nah, she's just weird apparently.
This movie tries to be many things and ends up being a confused mush of nothingness. The acting isn't very good, there are lots of plot points left hanging (why DOES Laurel see the cop car after she dumps Elizabeth's suitcase in the lake???) and in the end there isn't a real resolution, just a convenient diary entry that gets Laurel off the hook. Bleah, give me "Diabolique" (1955 version, please) any day over this trash!!
Desolation Sound gives off some spooky vibes in the beginning. There's a somewhat pathetic ex-addict guy who lives in a trailer,is Margaret's playmate (!!) and makes incredibly creepy puppets. After Elizabeth meets her fate, he steals some of her hair & makes a witchy looking puppet of her. Could Elizabeth's spirit be inhabiting Laurel, who dyes her hair black (like Elizabeth), starts smoking (ditto), becomes a slob (she was a neat freak before, which Elizabeth made fun of), and begins making bizarre witchy drawings??? She even has a quickie with the local cop (also Elizabeth-like). Laurel and Elizabeth made a blood pact! O-o-o-o, Could Laurel be possessed??? Nah, she's just weird apparently.
This movie tries to be many things and ends up being a confused mush of nothingness. The acting isn't very good, there are lots of plot points left hanging (why DOES Laurel see the cop car after she dumps Elizabeth's suitcase in the lake???) and in the end there isn't a real resolution, just a convenient diary entry that gets Laurel off the hook. Bleah, give me "Diabolique" (1955 version, please) any day over this trash!!