The "Curse of Aurore" is a film released in 2020, directed by Mehran C. Torgoley. It is a horror-thriller that follows the story of a young woman named Aurore. The film combines elements of mystery, supernatural, and psychological horror. The plot revolves around Aurore, a young artist who inherits a mansion from her estranged grandmother. As she settles into her new home, strange and eerie events begin to occur, indicating that the house may be haunted.
As she settles into her new home, strange and eerie events begin to occur, indicating that the house may be haunted. Aurore has nightmares and starts experiencing visions, which intensify as she delves deeper into the dark history of the house. Throughout the movie, Aurore unravels a series of secrets and discoveries about her family and the curse that affects them.
Movie Review: “CURSE OF AURORE” sidelines its own scary subject
Back when I was attending the 2005 Fantasia film festival in Montreal, there were posters everywhere, and I also saw the trailer, for AURORE, a historical drama recounting a case from Quebec’s past as horrific as anything screening at the fest. In the early 1900s, little Aurore Gagnon was consistently and traumatically abused by her father and stepmother, finally succumbing to numerous inflicted injuries at age 10 in 1920. The notoriety around her suffering and fate has lived on down through the succeeding years, and has provided the inspiration–though not enough, unfortunately–for the found-footage fright film CURSE OF AURORE.
CURSE achieves a bit of early verisimilitude by opening with real-life YouTuber Casey Nolan discussing dark web mystery boxes, of the type he has actually explored on his hugely popular Mind Seed TV channel. He has just received a package containing what appears to be forensic evidence of murder and a USB drive, the contents of which make up the rest of the movie. This begins as newly arrived Aaron (Lex Wilson) and Kevin (Jordan Kaplan) are greeted at a Quebec airport by longtime friend Lena (Llana Barron), and we watch through their shared camera as Lena takes them to a family house one town over from Fortierville, where Aurore lived and died. The trio already has a completed feature languishing without distribution, and Lena believes they should adopt Aurore as the subject of a new project.
There’s the seed of a good idea here–filmmakers pursuing a real-life tragedy and opening up a dangerous can of worms–but it isn’t sufficiently developed in the script by Barron and director/editor Mehran C. Torgoley. The tone is more travelogue than terror for quite a while, as the friends go shopping, the guys have their first poutine, they visit key sites from Aurore’s life and death, etc. There are hints that they’re venturing into unsettling territory–an overabundance of religious totems in the place they’re staying, a late-night procession into the house next door, some of the locals don’t take kindly to having cameras pointed at them–which remain largely incidental. Even when a late-night drive leaves them stranded in the middle of nowhere, forcing them to seek help at the house of a spiritualist who gives Lena a Tarot reading (no prizes for guessing which card turns up), the situation isn’t milked for as much dread as it could have been.
The three actors are personable with good chemistry, and the time spent with them is pleasant enough, if not very compelling. Every so often, the film digs a little deeper into their characters, most notably in a well-played scene where a drunk Lena confesses her insecurities, but these don’t come to much, and their personality traits are largely plot-driven. Kevin is foolishly kleptomaniacal in ways that will inevitably get them into trouble, and Aaron can be implausibly obtuse: When an image of the ghostly Aurore is clearly visible on video footage of the trio driving, he insists it must be a smudge on the windshield.
It is when they sight this spectre that they decide they should keep consistently shooting in order to catch her again–an idea that could have been introduced sooner, as CURSE OF AURORE, like many of its vérité-horror ilk, doesn’t quite justify its leads keeping the camera running everywhere they go. Similarly, when an old friend of Lena’s turns out to have an uncle who lives in the Gagnon house, and a visit there carries strong intimations of Aurore’s unquiet spirit, you get the feeling this sequence should have occurred at the end of the first act, not past the hour mark.
The movie’s key issue, however, is that Aurore’s specific backstory doesn’t inform the present-day story in any meaningful way. She could have been any dead little girl and it would have no effect on this plot, and there isn’t enough novelty to the long-in-coming horrific/supernatural ingredients to compensate. CURSE OF AURORE is competently put together, and it convinces as found footage (though the addition of digital video glitches is a gimmick that really should have been retired by now), even as what’s on that footage doesn’t take enough advantage of the possibilities it sets up for itself.
CURSE achieves a bit of early verisimilitude by opening with real-life YouTuber Casey Nolan discussing dark web mystery boxes, of the type he has actually explored on his hugely popular Mind Seed TV channel. He has just received a package containing what appears to be forensic evidence of murder and a USB drive, the contents of which make up the rest of the movie. This begins as newly arrived Aaron (Lex Wilson) and Kevin (Jordan Kaplan) are greeted at a Quebec airport by longtime friend Lena (Llana Barron), and we watch through their shared camera as Lena takes them to a family house one town over from Fortierville, where Aurore lived and died. The trio already has a completed feature languishing without distribution, and Lena believes they should adopt Aurore as the subject of a new project.
She learns about a vengeful ghost who has haunted her family for generations, seeking justice for a past tragedy. As Aurore investigates the curse, she becomes determined to break it and protect herself and her loved ones. The "Curse of Aurore" combines supernatural elements with psychological storytelling. It delves into themes of family secrets, guilt, and the consequences of past actions. The film builds suspense through its atmospheric setting and eerie visuals, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The performances in the movie are notable, with actresses Llana Barron and Lexi Lapp delivering compelling performances as Aurore and the vengeful ghost, respectively. The cinematography and sound design further enhance the eerie atmosphere of the film. Overall, the "Curse of Aurore" is a captivating horror-thriller that offers a mix of supernatural and psychological scares. With its engaging plot, strong performances, and atmospheric storytelling, it is a film that keeps audiences intrigued until the very end..
Reviews for "Ancient Legends: The Curse of Auorre Lives On."
1. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I was really excited to read "Curse of Auorre" based on all the hype, but I found it incredibly disappointing. The plot was all over the place and the characters lacked depth. The writing felt rushed and poorly edited, with numerous grammatical errors and inconsistencies. I couldn't connect with any of the characters or their motivations, which made it hard for me to invest in the story. Overall, I regretted spending my time and money on this book.
2. Alex - 2/5 stars - "Curse of Auorre" had an interesting premise, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver. The pacing was slow, and the story lacked excitement and suspense. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to immerse myself in the world the author created. The world-building was also lacking, as it was difficult to understand the rules and dynamics of the magical system. I was hoping for a thrilling read, but instead, I found myself bored and disconnected from the characters.
3. Emily - 2.5/5 stars - While "Curse of Auorre" had some potential, it fell short in execution. The plot felt convoluted and confusing, with unnecessary subplots and a lack of proper development. The main character's decisions seemed arbitrary and lacked justification, making it hard to empathize with their journey. Additionally, the writing style was often repetitive and lacked nuance. Overall, I felt underwhelmed by this book and wished for a more engaging and well-crafted story.