The Lighthouse - DVD

"Both Dafoe and Pattinson seem to relish their roles,.." first sentence of like paragraph 10 (TEN) of some reviewer.this is not a "5" in the grand scheme of things. it will not be remembered. however it will mostly be forgotten. there's nothing about the STORY that makes this great. be aware that this is not intended to be a great story. it is a conglomeration of old-timey rhyme of the ancient marinery and other old salty things. but now you juxtapose Pattinson against Dafoe - old guard vs. current guard.both gents are top of their game. Dafoe is absolutely perfect. I don't even think he is acting, he's just being himself. Pattinson hurts no scene. I do gripe about the gratuitous self-gratification as it serves no purpose to the movie in any meaningful - filler, nonsense... drivel.i watched 2 nights in a row and finally gave up and went on Internet. this is an art flick, 2 ethereal actors given ultimate freedom to play around in a fantastic haunting harrowing setting. there is no deep meaning, just enjoy. yes, there are (most of) the old mariner tropes but don't get caught up in mermaids, albatrosses, krakkens... JUST WATCH DAFOE AND PATTINSON ACT!!!!!!! THERE ARE NO WINNERS OR LOSERS. IT'S JUST PURE CINEMA!

If you liked Robert Eggers' previous movie, THE WITCH, you'll probably like THE LIGHTHOUSE, although this isn't guaranteed. I enjoyed most of THE LIGHTHOUSE, but I didn't like THE WITCH at all. But Eggers' filmmaking skills had nothing to do with that. There's something about Puritan New England that really puts me off. Not New England itself, but Puritan New England. The rigidity of the Puritans, their aversion to beauty and fun, it's just not for me. THE LIGHTHOUSE takes place in New England - on an island off the coast of Maine to be exact - but there's nothing Puritan about it, though it's also not fun. Quite the contrary. THE LIGHTHOUSE is filled with things like flatulence, chamber pots, crude language, drunkenness, and sex. You get the idea. Things the Puritans obviously endured, but not-so-secretly hated, and to be truthful, I'm not a big fan of most of those things, either. But this is a movie about two men stranded in a remote lighthouse. If they had tea and discussed Chekhov in ever-so-polite terms, it really wouldn't be believable.Despite the above, this film, which is set somewhere near the end of the 19th century and contains only two characters, is filled with atmospheric beauty. Willem Dafoe is Thomas Wake, a crusty old lighthouse keeper, who looks like he hasn't had a bath in well, years. Robert Pattinson is Ephraim Winslow, a young man filled with secrets, who is at the lighthouse to learn Wake's trade. Problem is, Wake won't let Winslow near the lighthouse beam and saddles him with menial chores, instead. Chores no sane person would ever want to do, and ones that have no learning curve.If you're the kind of person who can't watch a movie unless there's nonstop action or plenty of jokes, then this certainly isn't the movie for you. If you like atmospheric period pieces, then this might be a film you'd like. If you're into characters and the psychology of relationships more than chase scenes, this could be a film you should definitely consider. If you wonder what would happen if two men who are antagonistic toward each other are stranded in the confines of a lighthouse, then you probably will like this. And, you can't hate black-and-white, and you must accept the fact that isolation can lead to hallucinatory madness, but it'll be up to you to figure out what's real and what's not. Be warned, though: this movie isn't perfect. Its darkness and gloominess is unrelieved, and some of the scenes seem a little overly long, though I think it still deserves five stars.Both Dafoe and Pattinson seem to relish their roles, and the claustrophobic atmosphere makes both men, but especially Dafoe, seem larger-than-life. That claustrophobic atmosphere also adds a kind of beauty that makes the horror of the men's isolation all the greater. To me, at least, horror seems all the greater when it's set against a background of beauty. We realize what could be, and that makes the horror of what is so much worse than if it were experienced against the backdrop of a jail cell or a mental institution, for example. It's analogous to a field of daffodils growing across your solitary prison cell. You can see them, but you can never touch. And then there's the foghorn. I can't forget the sound of the foghorn. To sum up: the sound and the cinematography are gorgeous.Eggers is no M. Night Shyamalan, so if you like his work, better skip this movie. Eggers doesn't tie up every loose end, but he plays fair with his viewers, though I admit, I understand the frustration of some at the film's ending. But Eggers' movies, at least so far, have made sense, even the fantasy elements. We, at least I, don't come away from Eggers' films asking ourselves what in the world went on. I know. This movie is one that sunk down into my psyche, and I thought about it for days, maybe weeks. Eggers' films are elegant and never rough around the edges. I guess only time will tell if he can keep this elegance up, at least in the long form and in the horror genre, but for now, for me, Eggers is batting 1000.

The Lighthouse (2019) stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson and is directed by Robert Eggers, who directed The Witch (2015). The Lighthouse is truly one of the weirdest and most unique movies I've ever seen. It's about two lighthouse keepers in 1890 New England who basically drink a lot, go mad, and are at each others' throats, all while strange, hypnotic, and ghostly things happen. It is shot in black-and-white and in 1.19:1 aspect ratio to give it a claustrophobic look and feel. The black-and-white photography is excellent and really sets the dark tone of the movie. The acting is excellent by both actors.The Blu Ray generally is good, but it has volume fluctuations, like so many Blu Rays do. I found myself often reaching for the remote to adjust the volume throughout the movie. Some of the dialogue is a little hard to understand (muffled). Overall, not a bad Blu Ray release, though. Special features include the segment The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale (37 minutes) and an audio commentary option with Robert Eggers.Recommended.

son likes it

The digital copy included with the blu ray redeems in HD on Vudu or Google Play (your choice). No iTunes unfortunately. This is a Lionsgate release so it's not Movies Anywhere compatible.The insert with the code mentions that it might not be valid after 1/7/21 but I redeemed it on 12/6/2023 and it worked just fine.

What a movie

I love this movie so much, this cover art is superb as well

I rented this film off of Prime the first time I saw it and it never left my mind. I saw it for sale for under $10 and had to have it. I needed it... coveted it the way Ephraim (Patterson) coveted Thomas Wakes’ (Dafoe) “relationship” with the Lighthouse.It’s a cerebral and psychological timepiece filled with mythical lore and sea madness.The film itself, which was shot on black and white 35mm film provides a formidable atmosphere. Some may find the 4:3 ratio annoying but I didn’t notice, the performances of Dafoe and Patterson and the harrowing seascape drew me in. Looking back, I think it added to the ever-growing claustrophobia and mistrust between the two men.Dafoe’s is also a master of his craft, it’s worth seeing his performance. Also, Patterson shines in this and not like Edward Cullen (bleh). It was the first movie I saw with him that did not make me think of Twilight. Also, this edition has amazing behind the scenes on how the lighthouse was built down to the replication of the wardrobe of mariners in 1880’s.What?What?What?