Session 9 Review - Off The Shelf Reviews
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ส.ค. 2022
- This week Gary and Iain review and discuss, Session 9 (2001) by Director, Brad Anderson. Starring, Peter Mullan, David Caruso and Josh Lucas.
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This film is a masterpiece in psychological horror. The story, the characters, the location, and the performances are all top shelf.
Simon’s voice gives me chills every time I hear it.
Very creepy movie. Jeff freaking out during the tunnel scene is so great. Plus, it has one of the best F yous of all time.
It is so unsettling and so well made.
In 2003 I worked at a Blockbuster Video in Long Island and one evening I saw the cover of the DVD in the horror aisle and decided to try this ... even though I had heard zilch about it. I was so glad I watched it. Fantastic setting, top notch cast, perfect sound design and score, and wonderful claustrophobic atmosphere. It will always be one of my favorite thrillers of the 2000s along with The Others, [REC] and Final Destination. Session 9 has this wonderful slow burn quality, with hardly any real mayhem or blood until the last reel. It's the sort of thing that seeps under the skin and remains in your head long after the end credits have rolled.
It was once brought to my attention that each man in the story has a flaw or vice which seems drawn out or toyed with by some force in the institution. We have greed, fear, hatred, curiosity, and murder (or insanity or both). Another thing that was pointed out about this movie, that I missed during my first viewing: when Mike opens the carton marked _Evidence_ with a box cutter, it almost sounds like a breath is being taken or released--- as if something has been set free. Really, there are so many clever and great little details in this film, be it sound design or visuals or pacing or camera angles; it's very impressive and highly enjoyable.
For me Simon was an evil entity inside that building patiently waiting for a troubled mind to come along so he could possess it. And, oh, what a building this is. Also, the entire tape recorder thing (I enjoy how they altered and warped its audio to make it sound aged) was particularly effective in this movie, and helped to build a strong and thick feeling of suspense. Also, to take the youngest character who is scared of darkness and put him alone in a space in which a long row of lightbulbs start to go dim one by one in sequence ... that was genius.
Session 9 is one of the best (cult) horror movies of its era, and one of the greatest of all in my esteem.
This movie resonated with me because where I grew up there was a closed down hospital in the middle of a field that had been fenced off. Local entrepreneurs had long since stolen the lead tiles from the roof and a generation or two of kids had broken nearly every pane of glass with stones, leaving it open to the elements.
Many a myth was spun about it being a closed down mental hospital and the ghosts still haunted the grounds (It reality in was a decommissioned TB hospital, that's why it was in the middle of a field). It was the haunted house of my childhood.
You did an excellent review of this movie, I worked at Danvers State Hospital in 1974 and 1975 and had the run of the entire facility with a master key. I remember all of those places from watching the movie and from watching your review. I grew up in the town of Danvers and remember them making the movie.
The stairway with the A on the wall, the painters back in the day had those walls perfect smooth and clean, it was a shame how it was let go. A friend found approximately 100 old cancelled pay checks in the basement of “front center” which is the middle building and one of my paychecks was there from 1974, canceled from the Arlington Trust bank.
I still have all the paychecks, there are Doctors, the superintendent, the head of the Departments, they’re probably rolling over in their graves knowing I have them at how much money they made.
If anyone reading this has a question leave a reply, I saw everything up there from the tunnels all the way to the attic. 👍🏻
I used to sneak into the asylum as a teenager in the 90s. It was always rumored to be haunted & spooky AF! They’ve since turned it into luxury condos... & there was a major unexplained fire during construction
Also…. This part of Massachusetts, Danvers, was originally part of Salem in the 1600s.
Oh I know Danvers high school kids who also snuck in and made great videos walking through everything. If you put Danvers State Hospital into TH-cam search, you can find a bunch of things posted.
One of the all-time great horror movies in my opinion. It has such an incredible atmosphere along with a fantastic creepy as all hell ending :-)
Prolly my favorite non-sci fi horror. The ending stuck with me for DAYS and I had nightmares for a week but it was worth it. Really good script, believable and fun cast that you get attached to easily and hate to see die (which imo is ESSENTIAL for good horror) and an intense climax and insanely creepy twist. "I AM FUCKING AWAKE!"
It also nails the sense of dread. The setting and soundtrack both work together wonderfully and I was on edge the entire time.
Great to see this film getting some recognition still, some 20 years later. I bought it on DVD back when it was first released just because the cover alone looked macabre and twisted! Didn’t realise exactly how incredible a film it would be. It still amazes me that barely anybody knows of it.
Completely underrated film. Aside from The Shining, this is one of the few horror films that still scares me after dozens of viewings.
Fear is definitely a place. One of the best horror movies made in years. The Danvers Institute (sadly not there anymore) is the standout, one of the scariest locales in film since The Overlook Hotel and the entire cast give stellar performances. Fine direction smart script and unsettling score. Great review fellas, more people (esp genre fans) need to watch this one. 👍✌
Thank you guys, I hope you and my fellow Shelfers have a good weekend.
Wonderful review guys! I always wake up in the middle of the night (on Thursday morning!) to watch these! Thanks for creeping me out at 3-4 am, Ohio time! You’re the best!
Fantastic review for a fantastic and very, VERY underrated film. I had the chance to explore a few times the Danvers state hospital back in the 2000's before the demolition and condo remodelling. Let me tell you, man it was even more creepier, ominous & sinister than what you see in this film. Tons and tons of wings, rooms and weird chambers of all sort. Full of stuff left there, beds, wheelchairs, patient clothings, stuffed animals, medical equipment. Very eerie and disturbing place.
I totally have the same experience. Watched it forever ago and couldn't really remember specifics outside of part of the ending and the overall aesthetic of the movie. One of my favorite Asylum movies for sure! It really drives you by your curiosity, extremely effective visuals and sound design. I love stories like this that kind of sound one dimensional when you first think about it, but end up having multiple interpretations. Loved this one, great review guys!
I've got movies like that, Gary.
Sometimes you watch a film and your brain will just slowly fade it from your memory, whether you enjoyed it or not.
A couple films for me I forgot what happened in them directly after watching them. It can be very frustrating!
But once again, you guys knock it out of the park! You make Thursday evenings such a great thing to look forward to.
This is one of my top 3 horror films. Appreciate the terrific review fellas!
As someone who really likes urbex and abandoned buildings, I really enjoyed how well this movie used that to its advantage. I really wish there were more movies filmed on locations like this.
I know it's unsafe as hell but one can dream.
Another great review! The wheelchair immediately made me think of the original Changeling film. The wheelchair in the movie is another people won't forget any time soon.
Session 9 is a surprisingly effective supernatural horror. I watched it years ago and it always stayed with me. If only Brad Anderson’s subsequent films were as good (although his TV work had been great).
Excellent review like always, guys.
It's interesting because I never considered the film to be supernatural. To me it was always just a psychological thriller.
@@Fedorevsky true, but until the end you question and aren’t quite sure if it’s supernatural or psychological…
The recording and audio for Simon is scary still to this day it haunts me
Ahhh I'm so glad you did this one! I've always really liked this movie and I agree that it's quite underrated. Great review as always 😊
That scene where Gordy is in the full hazmat suit and Simon's voice says, 'Do it Gordon' with the quick zoom/pan in is so uncanny, unnerving and bizarre to watch, it doesn't even feel real. It gives me the same feeling as the infamous One Hour Photo scene.
Also, the tunnel camera work reminds me a lot of the same jangly filming style of Inland Empire. I wonder what cameras they used in those scenes.
OTSR time! Thanks, guys! 👊👊👊
I rewatched my blu ray copy of session 9 last night then get up this morning and see the notification for the review from off the shelf reviews and it doesn’t get any better than that.
One of the better horror films from that time.
I appreciate
the review.
I remember watching this years ago and it has always stuck with me. The atmosphere of the asylum was a character on its own. Great review guys 👊👊
I’ve never seen Session 9 but even this review left me a little bit freaked. Good job boys! 😱
Strongly recommended!
Yep, if you like psychological horror then you'll love this film. One of the most frightening films I've ever seen.
So 2 years ago I got into contact with Lonnie Farmer, the man that voices the interviewer in the recordings, because I wanted to know if he recorded the radio voice in Silent Hill P.T. He said he did not and that the closest he came to something like that was voicing his character in this movie. It's probably been revealed who voiced the radio guy but I was on a mission.
Excellent review, such an unsettling film that truly stayed in my mind for ages.
11:16 - It sounds like what happens in the Law and Order: SVU episode, "Repression."
Side note: Josh Lucas is also really good as the basketball coach in Glory Road.
Did you guys know Danvers Insane Asylum was built on the site where the original judge from the Salem Witch Trials, William Hawthorne lived? It was called Hawthorne Hill. He actually had a house there.
Danvers was part of Salem back then.
Ooh! One of my faves. And not to mention how this film was a massive influence on Team Silent during the making of Silent Hill 3.
I really appreciate how Off the Shelf Reviews goes between mainstream and lesser known gems like this. Would love to see them take a look at "Heck" House LLC (censoring the title). Always found that series enjoyably schlocky, but somehow also surprisingly quality entertainment for such seemingly formulaic movies.
Weird how memory works. I watched this movie, curiously also as a Blockbuster rental, and as I was watching the review I thought "I remember being very impressed by the movie, thinking it would end up as a lost gem in the midst of horror mediocrity... but for some strange reason it also reminds me of Oreos. Was I eating Oreos when I watched this?" Five minutes later we see the Oreo scene, and I remember that my memory stores very selective information about random stuff.
I remember somehow hearing of this movie and looking everywhere online to find it and when I did... I wasn't dissapointed, it was very creepy
One of the best horrors I saw over lockdown, alongside The Borderlands.
What I've always liked about this movies is that these are workers with a real life job with real life strains on them aside from what is going on. It's one of my favorite films. Thank you for reviewing it.
Danvers is now high end condos. They renovated it. Extreme scary horror movie.
I'm the same with this movie, Gary. I always forget almost everything about the movie except the asylum and the fact that the movie is good.
When removing asbestos, brevity is the key factor.
I’ve never seen or even heard of this film. I can’t wait to watch it!
".. I live in the weak.. and the wounded."
So you're a fan? 😂 Very effective film, and that one line demonstrates how good the script and delivery is.
I can't remember this either, Gary. It's one of them i know I've seen it before but can't remember what goes down after the initial scope for the asbestos clearance. I know its spooky as fook though 😮
Ive also seen Tyrannosaurus with Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Paddy Considine. Amazing psychological thriller. Have you guys seen NEDs? It's about Peter Mullans life in a Glasow gang It's a belter and a true story. If you get a chance to review it would be absolutely legendary. Cheers shelfers.
Great stuff lads, you need to watch 'Wake in Fright' 1971.
That's one to put you off your drink.
As always I love your reviews, you need more subscribers!! Love this movie, worked for a similar company when this came out, we all loved it!! Y’all keep on keeping on, love from Virginia 🤓
I've been waiting on ya'll to make this review. Thank you.
Glad you covered this. The sucker punch sting is legendary.
I'll be sure to check this one out too!! Thanks guys!!
This one completely flew under my radar. Thanks!
I've never seen this film but I definitely will by the end of this weekend, thank you for the great review guys
For me I always thought that Gordon was the former patient and he was Simon and was released when the hospital closed, then when he went back for the job and that triggered the Simon persona again and he snapped
I love love how you guys review films that I own...lol great review as always! Thank you!
i tried to get this movie for forever when it came out. gave up looking on 2011 or something and never watch it. it wasn't online, it wasn't on physical media stores, cinemas, anywhere. it'll be fun to see what you guys have to say ^^
I got to see it back when it released because it was on a movie channel I had on satellite for a month around the time of its release. I had a DVD player with a harddrive so I recorded it and later got it on DVD. Now I have it on blu-ray. Excellent film!
Shown to me as part of a modern horror English course in college. Props to my prof Andrew B. for showing us this slow-burn masterpiece.
Awesome review guys! 👊 One of those gems from my Blockbuster days that would always get thrust into a customer's hands to save them from renting some generic crap.
Danvers Hospital was the inspiration for H.P. Lovecraft for Arkham University. An by extension the inspiration for Batman’s Arkham Asylum.
This is my absolute favorite horror movie. It’s fantastic casting, the story is frightening as hell, I love this movie and I love your reviews, you guys are fantastic together and I want your channel to grow and get way bigger, people are missing out on a really awesome channel.
Good review, thanks.
Very good movie. I forgot that I'd seen this in the early 2000s.
Peter Mullan is a great actor. Loved him in the TV show Mum. The best comedy since I'm Alan Partridge.
Also…. That part of Massachusetts, Danvers, was originally part of Salem in the 1600s during the witch trials.
I'm glad you reviewed this movie
What took you guys so long!!
This movie is absolutely fantastic
Nobody ever talks about it and l remember watching it for the first time by chance
And thinking "this movie should be right up there with the shining"
The "do it Gordon" line along with the baby's crying at the end really stays with you.
Did anyone else notice that the doctor's voice on the tapes sounds eerily similar to Phil?
Never understand why you wiki a movie before watching, go in cold my man!
This is my favorite movie of all time. I love it. It's so damn creepy and it's one in the only movies that legit still gives me nightmares. 😂
This movie is so well done. I think you nailed it when you said it kind of has got a "Shining" thing going on, where it is this interesting blend of (possibly?) supernaturally induced madness combined with a huge and imposing place that is just as much a character as any of the people. As far as the question of if it was real or not, I always viewed it like in "The Shining", as a confluence of misfortune: parasitic dark energy that needed to find a vulnerable host to take root, like poor Gordon who probably lived a life of inhaling brain-damaging toxic chemicals, who already allowed darkness in previously and who was experiencing intense psychological stress.
I actually have a request for a movie review that I would like to hear your thoughts on. Threads, and When the wind blows.
This has been one of my if not my favorite movies of all time I bought it when it first was released it's the most unsettling and well put together suspense horror movies I've ever seen and would love to make if I were to make a movie.
Cheers guys. A grand analysis of an obscure Film. As if Asbestosis isn't insidious enough, we have the added fear of Psychological horror. Of the two, I would rather be faced with spooky ghost nonsense that the real threat of exposure to Asbestos. At least the former is Bulk Rap. Great work chaps. I really enjoy your work.
That is true about Danvers & the history of the lobotomy.
So glad you reviewed this one! I too remember renting it from Blockbuster back in the day. Hadn't been so unsettled since watching The Shining as a kid. Massive props to Climax Golden Twins for the deeply f**ked up soundtrack. Great review! Keep 'em coming!
Fans of this genre & film should check out Grave Encounters (2011). Similar vibe, lots of Session 9 references, and an all-around fantastic movie.
You guys should review Martyrs 2008
Ps: huge fan subscriber for 5 years
I didn't find this movie frightening, but I did really like it a lot. I think for sure Gordon was a former patient.
Iv been to the hospital and now it burned down im from Massachusetts. i love this film
Your reviews are always spot on, whenever i see a review, i watch the movie first and have never been disappointed. The movies are usually brilliant or bonkers. Or both.
Still think Gordo just snapped and had to mute the part with the wife and baby (saw that coming as soon as you started hearing the wife screaming). Didn't even know the dog got killed until I watched this vid. Grateful I didn't hear any of that.
I was just talking about this yesterday and now it appears here.
Even if indeed the movie is good I have the same experience I remember this movie but don't remember it really, I guess it misses that something to make it memorable, however, is one of the few that make a good job with a psychological horror concept, and is the actors and their performances what make it work, is cool Gary and Iain is bringing this back to memory.
The part when they go looking for Hank disappointed me. He's obviously lobomatized and can't move quickly and yet they don't find him?
The Danvers Asylum is also featured in Lovecraft.
Damn, that is a dark ass movie.
I remember the cover from the video store as a kid but I never rented it. I think my mom did once but she didn't finish it cuz she didn't like it and I always remembered that lol
Is it just me or have you guys never reviewed Jeepers Creepers?.. 👀
It's true, we haven't reviewed Jeepers Creepers, yet. It's not on our review list at the moment, but I'm sure we will review the Creeper at some point - Gary
@@OffTheShelfReviews …looking forward to it. You guys have a way of reviewing a movie that makes it feel a first time viewing… 🍿
It’s too bad even after the movie came out they tore down the building to make room for condos. Hopefully whatever horrible energy is online and is making them miserable
When are we getting a Tyrannosaur review?!
great job .
Blockbuster videos on a friday and Saturday night was lit great chill place chatting up the girls 😜👀
Hank's intending to go to Miami, not Las Vegas 😉😉😉😉
Nice job boys
Didn't they use that asylum for the 2nd series of American Horror Story
*Turn Up!*
shelf life!
I feel bad that my like on this film pushed it past 9 likes...which feels like it would have been the perfect number of likes for it be left at (but probably not ideal for channel engagement).
Good horror film!
"... used in satanic rituals, where they ate the flesh of a newborn baby."
"Yeah."
"So, they were like, 'Oh.'" L🤣L
Shaun of the dead review 😎😂🧟♂️
I absolutely hated this & thought the ending was a complete copout, mainly because the so called twist was done multiple times in previous movies since Fight Club.
I have seen that twist done in thrillers, & horror movies that were made in the 00s including that what appeared to be a really good movie, Haught Tension until THAT moment where it all fell apart & became nonsensical shit..
The, it was that person all along, was the 00s answer to, it was all a dream.
Yes it was atmospheric, yes there’s a wheelchair designed to scare the audience, much like The Changeling.
which I will never understand why Hollywood thinks wheelchairs are scary other than reinforcing a fear against disabled people.
I knew the twist twenty minutes in to the film, & I kept thinking if it’s him I’ll be extremely pissed off.
Malignant which you absolutely hated was a far better story than this film even though it was bonkers & plenty of WTF moments, & even though you knew it was that person, the whole story went mental half way through, so the story no longer hung on that twist much like Fight Club.
Trouble with Session 9 the whole story hangs on that twist much like other films such as Shutter Island which is near enough the same plot. Man goes in to an abandoned hospital to literally find himself.
It’s not a badly made low budget TV movie looking film but the story was meh.
👍👍
Even though I save your videos as workout videos I try and interact with new videos. I watch them out of order and only recently watched Freeway. On your brief rundown of Dan Hedaya’s filmography your first answer would have been Arius from Commando. I very disappointed in you. VERY disappointed!
I’ve seen this back in the Day. What really messed me up were the audio interviews.