‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ is the new stop-motion film by Eric Fonseca based on the classic tale by Edgar Allen Poe. After doing the rounds at festivals it gets a DVD release via Cofa Productions Facebook page. ‘E’ a young man and narrator of the film, journeys to the crumbling house having received a letter from his old acquaintance Roderick Usher requesting his assistance. Roderick is dying from a degenerative disease and believes he hasn’t got much time left. He lives alone with his twin sister Madeline who is in the further stages of death and haunts the house, hiding in the shadows.
Fonseca has created the whole world from the stunning sets to the slender and haunting characters with their fixed expressions and pitch black eye sockets. Filming took place from 2007 to 2010 and was designed and animated by Fonseca. Ryan Fonseca, Eric’s brother, provided the beautiful and ethereal score that does much to enhance the beauty of the film.
The film runs at 43 minutes and has a very slow and patient pace and yet I found myself completely involved and captivated by its hypnotic and phantasmagorical atmosphere. Every scene is so rich in texture and detail there is so much to take in. Fonseca’s beautiful and lyrical paintings appear frequently throughout echoing the design of the three dimensional figures. The design is very reminiscent of 60’s Americana but given a gothic twist. It gives the film an incredibly stylish look that feels very unique. Congratulations to Eric and his talented team.
I’d highly recommend this beautiful and haunting film. If you’d like a copy head over to www.facebook.com/cofaproductions and message them for details. The DVD comes with making of features and two audio commentaries. The cost including shipping to the UK is $25.
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