While Visual Vengeance has been best known for its dedication to releasing SOV content from the ’80s and ’90s, it’s lately been venturing out. The company released some martial arts films shot on film, and now we have Laurin (1989), a Hungarian-lensed thriller by filmmaker Robert Sigl, who made his feature debut.
I love what Visual Vengeance has been doing with its releases, and this is no exception. You get everything you’re used to, plus a bit more, with packaging that has taken a step up as well. Hopefully the film itself warrants such a stunning release.
In rural Germany in 1901, young Laurin lives as a quiet outsider, watching the strange behavior of the self-absorbed adults around her. With her father away at sea and her mother dead under violent circumstances, Laurin is left to fend for herself. But something far darker is stalking her isolated village.
When children start turning up murdered, Laurin begins experiencing terrifying visions of her dead classmates. As the adults desperately hunt for the killer, they remain blind to the sinister world lurking beneath their idyllic community. Buried traumas, twisted secrets, and an ancient evil are slowly rising to the surface, and Laurin may be the only one who can see it coming.
I’ll be the first to admit I half expected this to be a schlocky horror, more in tune with Visual Vengeance’s previous releases, but I was wrong. Laurin is a beautifully shot gothic thriller that plays as a slow burn before gripping you to your core by the finale.
It’s really atmospheric, and Sigl builds suspense throughout, never resorting to conventional scares. The period setting allows the viewer to sink into the fable-like tale that fuels nightmares.
The 2K transfer from the original 35mm film elements looks fantastic, especially when compared with the VHS rough cut (also included) from Robert Sigl’s private collection. That version includes all the on-set dialogue and offers a unique look at the work behind making a feature film.
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The set also includes the English- and German-language versions, an interview with Sigl, two of his short films, an archival documentary, cast and crew interviews, a commentary track, trailers, a photo gallery, and more. The limited-edition packaging features a folded mini-poster, a reversible sleeve, and an O-card.
Laurin is an ambitious project that delivers dread and suspense rather than relying on traditional jump scares. It’s a highly recommended journey from a filmmaker who truly deserves to be seen.
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