The Netflix Horror Movie That Terrifies Stephen King
Guillermo del Torro’s gothic romance, Crimson Peak, was creepy enough to give even the most seasoned horror enthusiast the shivers. Stephen King posted on X that del Torro’s Crimson Peak “electrified” him to the same degree “Sam Rami’s EVIL DEAD” did upon first viewing the film.
Written by Guillermo del Torro and Matthew Robbins, Crimson Peak first premiered at Fantastic Fest in September 2015. Shortly after it premiered, the movie was officially released in IMAX theaters on October 16, 2015, and it was well received with many positive reviews from critics.
Stephen King is a huge fan of Guillermo del Torro’s Crimson Peak, which can now be streamed on Netflix.
The movie features the work of Mia Wasikowska (Edith Cushing), Tom Hiddleston (Thomas Sharpe), Jessica Chastain (Lucille Sharpe), Charlie Hunnam (Dr. Alan McMichael), and Jim Beaver (Carter Cushing).
Guillermo del Torro first sold his spec script to Univeral Pictures way back in 2006. Crimson Peak took close to a decade to fully come to fruition, but the end product speaks for itself.
Worldwide, the movie made more than $74 million. It also received a nomination for Best Horror at the 21st Empire Awards and nine separate award nominations at the 42nd Saturn Awards. Of the nine nominations, Crimson Peak won Best Horror Film, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Production Design.
The movie’s plot centers around two siblings, Thomas and Lucille Sharpe, who work together to raise funds for Thomas’s inventions and support their family manor, Allerdale Hall. Thomas states that his mission is to revive his family’s clay mines. The manor sits atop a vast clay deposit, causing the ground around the home to look red.
At the beginning of the movie, Thomas goes to Edith’s father, Carter Cushing, to ask for his help investing in the revival of his family’s mines. After being denied any financial support from Mr. Cushing, Thomas strikes up a romantic relationship with his daughter, Edith.
Gothic romance is an underserved genre in modern cinema, but Crimson Peak is the best of the last 10 years.
Carter begins digging into Thomas and Lucille’s background and quickly uncovers some unsavory details regarding their past. He bribes Thomas to leave town and leave his daughter alone. Thomas acquiesces to Carter’s request but leaves an explanation and apologizes to Edith, which drives her back into his arms.
When Mr. Cushing is murdered, Thomas takes the opportunity to move in on Edith, and the two are quickly married. Upon arrival at Allerdale Hall, Thomas explains to Edith that their age-old mansion is slowly sinking into the red clay below it.
He says that the property is often referred to as Crimson Peak due to the warm red clay that seeps up through the winter snow. This is significant, as Edith had received a warning from her mother’s ghost years before to “Beware of Crimson Peak.”
As the movie progresses, viewers will be taken down a dark path of ghostly proportions. The movie has been likened to novel horror films such as The Shining, The Haunting, and The Innocents. Del Torro wanted to include the essence of horror films he grew up watching, such as The Omen and The Exorcist.
Crimson Peak will certainly keep you on your toes, and the gothic style of del Torro’s ghostly apparitions will haunt your dreams. You’ll find plenty of wide-eyed moments, excellent visual effects, and a few jump scares throughout the film.
Crimson Peak was a modest hit, earning $74 million at the box office against a budget of $55 million.
Critics specifically praised the production values, acting performances, and the direction of the film. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave Crimson Peak a 73 percent approval rating and a 6.6 out of 10, which is decent but short of the praise from the horror author. Stephen King called the movie “gorgeous and just f*king terrifying.”
If you’re looking for a quality gothic horror film to kick off the Halloween vibes in your home, you’re heading in the right direction with a movie like Crimson Peak. You can also count on the fact that the film will have excellent visual effects coming from an artistic mind like del Torro’s.
You can find Crimson Peak streaming on Netflix with a subscription to the channel. Make sure you bundle up with someone who makes you feel safe and hold your popcorn tight. You’re in for a wild ride with this movie. Crimson Peak has an “R” rating (so you’ll want to ensure the kids are in bed for this one) and a runtime of just under two hours.
