When I was a child, around 10 or 11, I remember asking my mother if my Aunty Corral “would be a skeleton by now”, who had died unexpectedly the year before. It was a question that stemmed mainly from having watched The Goonies, as I was fascinated with the famed pirate, One-Eyed Willy. Unfortunately, at the time, director David Cronenberg wasn’t available to indulge in my curiosity, but in his latest film, The Shrouds, he tells of a unique businessman, Karsh Relikh (Vincent Cassel), who, through his own grief, invents a way for people to mournfully gaze into the graves of deceased loved ones.
Within the first few opening minutes, it’s quite clear that Cronenberg is exploring yet another one of his morbid fantasies as Karsh bears an obvious resemblance to the legendary filmmaker. However, unlike the titular shrouds that gently fold around the dead, providing 3D-rendered images in 8K, the plot is a little more difficult to unravel. When one of Karsh’s graveyards is vandalised, his search for the culprits sends him down a rabbit hole of corporate espionage and a new breed of politics born from his invention.
The Shrouds is awash with Cronenberg’s signature taboo sexiness, which lingers on the surface throughout most of the film. The aesthetic is sleek and very clean, presenting a world that is almost utopian in appearance, yet there’s often a feeling of hostility or a darker ulterior motive behind the pleasantries of the various people we meet.
Karsh is a captivating and complicated character, whose brilliance has found a niche in what was otherwise a limited market. He harbours a quiet madness, compounded by the disturbing loss of his wife, an attraction to his sister-in-law, and an unhealthy dependency on his digital assistant, “Hunny”, all played by and modelled after Diane Kruger. Vincent Cassel’s performance is one that’s very dignified despite the odd proclivities of Karsh, although the film does become slightly comedic through some of the dialogue, especially the way Cassel delivers it. I couldn’t help but think of Tommy Wiseau during some instances. Furthermore, the involvement of Karsh’s odd brother-in-law, Maury, played manically by Guy Pearce, takes The Shrouds from a film that’s sophisticated to chaotic and unresolved.
The Shrouds is currently in theatres across Australia through Rialto Distribution. Head over to Flicks.com.au to find a complete list of locations and session times.
THE SHROUDS
(2024, director: David Cronenberg)
★★★½
production stills by rialto distribution
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