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| Images Courtesy of Chroma |
Glenn McQuaid's latest offering, The Restoration at Grayson Manor is an absolute queer comedic triumph. A Neo-Gothic fable entwined within a slapstick horror yarn, it uses various elements both visual and aural to create an absolutely scathing environment of vicious barbs, kinky rendezvouses, and gruesome violence. Featuring a delightfully catty script, an unforgettable duo of performances by two legends, and some genuinely unnerving kill sequences, this is a must see for horror fans and queer cinema aficionados alike.
Boyd is a
gifted pianist and the heir to the infamous Irish family fortune of the Boyd clan,
and his mother shuns his sexuality as it will not give the family another
heir. When a tragic accident severs his hands, his mother takes
radical measures to not only restore his limbs, but to ensure the bloodline
continues, whether Boyd consents or not. McQuaid cowrote the script with
Clay McLeod Chapman. Brimming with biting exchanges between Boyd and his
mother, it is evident from the first cat fight that everyone involved in this
project is having the time of their life.
Chris Colfer (Glee) stars as Boyd, while Alice Krige (Sleepwalkers, Silent Hill) plays opposite as his mother, Jacqueline. Their interplay is the bulk of the narrative, and the evolution of their relationship is, despite the wickedness, a reminder that blood is very, very thick. Daniel Adegboyega rounds out the cast as Dr. Jeffrey Tannock, a mad scientist who is conscripted to help Boyd regain his hands. His scenes, especially with Krige are hilarious, particularly during the climax.
The true star, however, is the special effects. Graham Gallagher’s animation direction is sublime, allowing all sorts of appendages to creep through shadowed corridors and perform dark deeds. This is supported by the makeup department, a talented team that delivers some absolutely vicious kills. The final component is Narayan van Maele's elusive cinematography. Some sequences are bathed in neon and dark reds and black, creating an almost evil fairy tale ambiance, and while the scenes around the manor are crisp and bright, they are devoid of feeling, mimicking the Grayson's themselves. All of the sex sequences are filmed with an almost madcap sense of voyeurism that is the perfect accoutrement to the ongoing insanity.
Now available for digital rental, The Restoration at Grayson Manor is a blood-soaked ode to classic European horror films with a modern queer twist that manages to pull everything together for a riotous good time that will not soon be forgotten.
--Kyle
Jonathan