Introduction to Guillermo del Toro’s Films
This autumn, Guillermo del Toro will finally bring his long-awaited adaptation of Frankenstein to life. But if you can hardly wait for his vision to be released from the ultimate Gothic horror story on October 17, one of his most romantic films has a new streaming house. Crimson Peak will come to Prime Video from September 1st.
Background of Crimson Peak
The Crimson Peak script dates back to 2006 after del Toro enthusiastically worked on Pan’s Labyrinth. Written with Matthew Robbins, the screenwriter who worked with Del Toro on his first Hollywood picture, Mimic, the film was a long-term passion project. Del Toro saw it as his tribute to classic horror films like The Others and The Omen. It was originally supposed to star Emma Stone and Benedict Cumberbatch, but they broke out and were each replaced by Mia Wasikowska and Tom Hiddleston. It would take almost ten years for the film to finally get to the cinemas. Like del Toro’s previous film, Pacific Rim, it was shot in Toronto, the city that has become the home base of Mexico.
What is ‘Crimson Peak’ About?
The prospective author and heiress Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) meets and becomes romantically involved with inventor Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston). Her father (Jim Beaver) objects to the match after he discovers the dark secrets of Thomas and his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain)… but these secrets remain hidden after he is brutally murdered. The grieving Edith falls into Thomas’ arms and moves in with the siblings in her decaying villa, Crimson Peak. However, they are not the only residents, since the manor is haunted by cruel ghosts (a cracking, cruelly ghost is pretty thoroughly played by Doug Jones and Javier Botet). However, the spirits may not be the most dangerous thing that lives there. Can Edith’s friend Alan McMichael (Charlie Hunnam) discover the truth behind Crimson Peak and the Sharpe siblings before it is too late?
Reception and Streaming
Crimson Peak premiered in autumn 2015. It was well-reviewed and holds a fresh rating of 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it was not a hit at the box office and, with a budget of $55 million, earned $74.7 million. Since then, it has won a larger audience after del Toro’s The Shape of Water became a mainstream success and won the Oscar for Best Picture. In a retrospective review, Collider’s Vinnie Mancuso looked at the film as "del Toro’s Gothic masterpiece" and claimed that it is uniquely under the films that "feels pulled out of the most endangered parts of the brain of a unique filmmaker." Crimson Peak will stream on Prime Video from September 1st.
Film Details
- Publication Date: October 13, 2015
- Duration: 118 minutes
The film is a must-watch for fans of Gothic horror and romance, and its arrival on Prime Video is highly anticipated. Stay excited for future updates on Collider.
