From hardship often comes art, no matter the medium. That can be seen in the career of Spanish romantic painter and printmaker Francisco de Goya, who is considered one of the most important Spanish artists and one of the last of the Old Masters. His work became increasingly dark and pessimistic after an undiagnosed illness left him deaf, only becoming more and more bleak with the death of seven of his eight children during childhood and infancy, war ravaging Madrid, and his declining mental and physical health over the years. His Black Paintings, done between 1819 and 1823, are some of his boldest and tragic works, painted straight onto the walls of his house, the Quinta del Sordo, where he lived in isolation. He died just five years later, but his legacy lives on through the stunning pieces created throughout his career, and now in the emotionally charged and exquisite animated film The Quinta's Ghost.
Told from the perspective of the Quinta del Sordo itself (voiced by Maribel Verdú), the expansive home details the arrival of Goya, a mysterious man, to the building. He arrives on the doorstep full of life and creativity, but slowly falls into solitude after falling seriously ill. Haunted by demons in his dreams and, soon, the corridors of the Quinta del Sordo, he begins to succumb to madness and paints the demons he sees on the walls to drive them out of his life. Told through folkloric imagery and traditional horror tropes, The Quinta's Ghost is simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking, with a unique and captivating animation style illustrating the tragic struggles of Goya.
The traditional gothic haunted house story is turned on its head, with the abode telling the story and expressing its disgust in the ghosts inhabiting its walls, and desperately urging Goya to literally and metaphorically fight his demons. It's a unique twist on the genre and one that makes the viewing experience so much more immersive, plunging viewers right into the darkness. The variety of demons haunting Goya allows the animation team to really show off their creative flair, while also highlighting the abundance of issues that can pile up within a person's psyche to make them crumble. Goya does not utter a word during the entire film, and yet every emotion he experiences is etched across his face in heartbreaking fashion
The Quinta's Ghost blends standard horror tropes with the terror of mental health and the feeling of helplessness we can experience when we cannot help those suffering. It's a testament to James A. Castillo's storytelling that he condenses such a large part of the subject's life without losing any of the gravity and heart of the subject, effectively portraying the artist's immense suffering and the devastating events that surrounded his day-to-day life. Its hopeful final act is a perfect and poignant final brushstroke in this masterpiece of animation, offering an interesting exploration of how we come to deal with our trauma and accept it to live with some semblance of peace. The Quinta's Ghost is a vivid, captivating retelling of a compelling true story through the lens of horror, offering something truly unique for fans of the haunted house subgenre.
The Quinta's Ghost had its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival on 7 June
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