
For this year’s 31 Nights of Horror Challenge, the Day 13 prompt is Black and White. We watched the movie, Eyes of My Mother (2016) on Amazon Prime Video
Storyline
In their secluded farmhouse, a mother, formerly a surgeon in Portugal, teaches her daughter, Francisca, to understand anatomy and be unfazed by death. One afternoon, a mysterious visitor horrifyingly shatters the idyll of Francisca’s family life, deeply traumatizing the young girl, but also awakening some unique curiosities. Though she clings to her increasingly reticent father, Francisca’s loneliness and scarred nature converge years later when her longing to connect with the world around her takes on a distinctly dark form.
Our Thoughts on Eyes of My Mother (2016)
This was a first time watch and it was disturbing. Both breathtakingly stunning and one of the most legitimately fucked-up films in recent memory — a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that it’s Nicolas Pesce’s debut feature. The film moves at a deliberate pace, slowly creeping under the skin of the viewers, and staying there long after the credits roll. The black-and-white cinematography only adds to its otherworldly aesthetic. The Eyes of My Mother is presented as an art film, but don’t be fooled: It’s a truly grotesque and emotionally jarring slice of cinema.
6 out of 10
Trivia
The movie that is playing on TV in front of which a grownup Antonio is seen playing is William Castle’s House on Haunted Hill (1959). The voice heard is that of Vincent Price.
The show that Francisca’s father keeps watching on TV is Bonanza (1959) that was aired from 1959 to 1973. The particular episode (S01E26) that is featured in the film is titled The Avenger.