‘Cupboard of Curiosities’ exhibits off Guillermo del Toro’s eclectic imaginative and prescient of horror

As a horror maestro and auteur, Guillermo del Toro has earned the suitable to his second within the highlight – on this case presiding on digicam, Alfred Hitchcock model, over “Guillermo del Toro’s Cupboard of Curiosities.” It’s solely too unhealthy that this eight-episode Netflix horror anthology lacks the verve of the director’s cinematic work, with episodes that function monstrous particular results however half-baked tales that don’t actually draw blood.

Netflix will strive one thing a bit totally different by premiering back-to-back episodes of “Cupboard of Curiosities” over 4 successive nights, which seems to be extra creative, or at the least distinctive, than a lot of the tales. That features a pair of authentic concepts from del Toro himself, “Lot 36” and “The Murmuring,” in addition to two by horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, “Desires within the Witch Home” and “Pickman’s Mannequin,” logically grouped collectively on the third night time.

As HBO’s “Lovecraft Nation” demonstrated, transferring Lovecraft coherently to the display screen represents a formidable problem, which mainly encapsulates the frustrations general. The tone is definitely macabre sufficient, with a robust lineup of actors, together with Tim Blake Nelson, F. Murray Abraham, Glynn Turman, Ben Barnes, Rupert Grint, and Andrew Lincoln. Del Toro has additionally handpicked the varied administrators, reflecting an eclectic vary of tasks and types.

The tales, nevertheless, really feel slight, with intriguing premises that don’t essentially repay as a lot as merely run out of time – neutralizing the influence of the person filmmakers, and creating an general impression of an train that regardless of its promise proves fairly persistently disappointing.

The episode that maybe most exemplifies that, “The Viewing,” definitely begins nicely sufficient, with a rich recluse (Peter Weller) assembling a gaggle of execs completed inside totally different spheres to see an odd artifact in his possession. After an evening of heavy chemical consumption, what’s lastly unveiled proves a large letdown, a sample “Cupboard” reenacts repeatedly.

Against this, probably the most intriguing, or at the least most “Black Mirror”-like title, is “The Outdoors,” which stars Kate Micucci as a socially awkward girl who yearns to be accepted by her snotty feminine coworkers, solely to seek out that the fix-your-life merchandise she sees marketed on TV (Dan Stevens has an amusing cameo because the spokesman) include important negative effects.

There’s clearly an extended and wealthy historical past of anthologies on this style – “The Twilight Zone,” oft-revived and imitated however by no means equaled, remaining the gold commonplace – however that merely raises the bar when it comes to expectations. Ditto for del Toro’s involvement, along with his resume that features the Oscar-winning “The Form of Water,” a real masterpiece in “Pan’s Labyrinth” and a distinctively imaginative visible model that characterizes even his lesser movies.

There may be, to be honest, inevitably a hit-miss high quality to the format. But even with these disclaimers, “Cupboard of Curiosities” feels stocked with tales missing in heft – throwing open its doorways with del Toro’s buoyant enthusiasm, and too typically discovering its cabinets trying just a little naked.

“Guillermo del Toro’s Cupboard of Curiosities” premieres October 25-28 on Netflix.

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