Shout Factory has finally released Brad Anderson’s 2001 horror cult classic, Session 9, on Blu-ray.
Session 9 follows an asbestos removal team, led by a man named Gordon Fleming, as they take on a job at the Danvers State Hospital - a former mental institute that has been closed for fifteen years. Gordon has a wife and child at home, and from the very beginning of the film, it is clear that he is under a considerable amount of stress.
Both Gordon and the men on his team begin to encounter strange occurrences at the eerie hospital, and at this point, Gordon begins to unravel, both emotionally and mentally. Tensions begin to arise with a few of the men in the group, which only serves to exacerbate the problem.
As the pressure and sense of paranoia builds, a set of reel-to-reel tapes is found. The contents of the tapes contain nine recorded sessions with a patient who has multiple personality disorder. As these tapes are played one after the other, an almost supernatural presence is unleashed within the hospital which drives the team to madness and beyond.
Session 9 is unbearably tense from the opening moments onward. The film was shot in the Danvers State Asylum, and a palpable sense of unease and dread hangs over the entire piece. Brad Anderson makes sure early on that the asylum is established as a character in and of itself. The mark it leaves on the psyche of the viewer is undeniable. You’ll never forget the Danvers State Asylum. In the realm of indie horror, this location is downright iconic. The score from the Climax Golden Twins - if you can actually call it a score - is the soul of the film. There really is nothing else quite like this soundtrack, which is more or less a collage of drones and distressing sound effects, with minimal orchestrations thrown in at just the right moment. The score is a work of art on its own merit.
The performances are uniformly excellent, from the likes of David Caruso, Peter Mullan, Josh Lucas, Brendan Sexton III, and Paul Guilfoyle.
Brad Anderson’s film is must-see viewing for the film buff, and Shout Factory has given us the opportunity to view it in a beautifully remastered form here, complete with special features - including a commentary and a new retrospective documentary.
Session 9 follows an asbestos removal team, led by a man named Gordon Fleming, as they take on a job at the Danvers State Hospital - a former mental institute that has been closed for fifteen years. Gordon has a wife and child at home, and from the very beginning of the film, it is clear that he is under a considerable amount of stress.
Both Gordon and the men on his team begin to encounter strange occurrences at the eerie hospital, and at this point, Gordon begins to unravel, both emotionally and mentally. Tensions begin to arise with a few of the men in the group, which only serves to exacerbate the problem.
As the pressure and sense of paranoia builds, a set of reel-to-reel tapes is found. The contents of the tapes contain nine recorded sessions with a patient who has multiple personality disorder. As these tapes are played one after the other, an almost supernatural presence is unleashed within the hospital which drives the team to madness and beyond.
Session 9 is unbearably tense from the opening moments onward. The film was shot in the Danvers State Asylum, and a palpable sense of unease and dread hangs over the entire piece. Brad Anderson makes sure early on that the asylum is established as a character in and of itself. The mark it leaves on the psyche of the viewer is undeniable. You’ll never forget the Danvers State Asylum. In the realm of indie horror, this location is downright iconic. The score from the Climax Golden Twins - if you can actually call it a score - is the soul of the film. There really is nothing else quite like this soundtrack, which is more or less a collage of drones and distressing sound effects, with minimal orchestrations thrown in at just the right moment. The score is a work of art on its own merit.
The performances are uniformly excellent, from the likes of David Caruso, Peter Mullan, Josh Lucas, Brendan Sexton III, and Paul Guilfoyle.
Brad Anderson’s film is must-see viewing for the film buff, and Shout Factory has given us the opportunity to view it in a beautifully remastered form here, complete with special features - including a commentary and a new retrospective documentary.