London Voodoo (2004) User Reviews (23)

Un-voodoo

[iminblack · 5/10 · 7 October 2005]

I remember as a youngster, the very idea of voodoo was terribly creepy. Zombies and dark sweaty bodies, insane eyes glaring out from behind skull-like make-up. The strange wildness of the night, fire, jungle, rendered into the human world, in a sort of similar terror to the alien nightmare of the serial killer. The werewolf maybe. The sensual madness lurking just below our thin veil of civilisation.

Sadly, London Voodoo doesn't even come close. I was hoping for something which would help me revisit all those delicious old fears, but unfortunately the film entirely missed the mark.

Now, don't get me wrong. I think this is a good film. Well written, well acted, unusual subject matter for the horror genre of the moment, so in its way original. But I think it suffered unfairly from cheap production values, and an inattention to detail which gave it more of the feel of a made-for-TV drama than a horror film.

Some horror film makers succeed in getting out there and making something really scary, moody, atmospheric, for very little money. Blair Witch, Raimi's early films, etc. In those films, the low budgets actually prove a boon, as bad lighting etc can add an extraordinary atmosphere. London Voodoo, however, looks as though it's been shot on betacam (although it's probably Digital Vid), and the whole film is stark, ordinary. Looks like an episode of Neighbours or Eastenders.

As to horror. The scary voodoo practitioners, the terrifying voodoo priest with his top hat and snake? Well, nowhere to be found. We're instead, I think, meant to be frightened by the ordinary family falling apart, to imagine the horror in the unseen, the collapse of the ordinary. However the lack of shadows, of darker spaces, in the very look of the film make that very hard to do.

I will say, however, that although I emphasise this, it was really a single problem, and otherwise the film was very well done. The performances were excellent, the writing was very good (except the annoying nanny character who was really just a cliché and a distraction), and the direction was fairly good. A brave effort, I think, but one which doesn't really succeed in what it set out to achieve.

Oh, and although the acting was good, the American accents were disgraceful. I mean, if you're not going to get actual Americans, why bother?

A fairly awful film.

[qzasuk · 3/10 · 29 August 2006]

One of the worst films I've seen (but not the worst so I'll give it that.)

It's clear that someone spent a lot of time and effort making this film but I must admit it just didn't do it for me. The various camera experiments didn't really pay off, it's still got that kind of daytime drama feel to it, (great for daytime dramas, not so good for films) and the less said about the painful slow motion scene the better.

A couple of the plot lines were more than a little ridiculous and generally the story was fairly poor. The script was only rescued by the comedy builders with their refreshingly bawdy banter. (There were other parts of this film that amused me but I don't think they were meant to.)

If you want a good Voodoo film then try Skeleton Key, it's a bit glossy Hollywood but it's better than this.

Mixed Bag!

[rosana-4 · 4/10 · 18 March 2004]

Whilst Rob Pratten has to be commended for making a truly independent british horror film, the end result, like most British independent horror films is a mixed bag in which the film makers undeniable talent and ambition is compromised by a lack of resources and self restraint. Lifting several cliched ideas from The Omen and Amityville Horror, London Voodoo tells the tale of an unlikely American couple who move to London in an attempt to salvage their relationship, but whose fortunes take a turn for the worse when they discover that their new home is haunted by a voodoo spirit. Whilst you can see the commercial logic in writing american characters into the lead roles, the unknown, ex-pat actors that Pratten cast, both deliver uncharismatic leaden performances and their characters are written in such a heavy handed, unsympathetic way that unfortunately this debut effort falls at the first hurdle. Once you get over this initial disappointment, there are moments and contributions that suggest what could have been, particularly Trisha Mortimer as the 'love-keeper' who manages to breath life into Prattens inconsistant dialogue and Voda Barnes who although over-written is suitably sexy as the Au-Pair. Comic relief is provided by the two decorators and supporting afro-carribean cast add flavour to otherwise dull proceedings. Also worthy of note are the businessmen in the office scenes, which demonstrate that when Pratten is not trying to make a load of spookery convince, he's actually quite a good writer/director. Shot hand held on 16mm with basic lighting the film has the look of a television special, the locations are functional as opposed to aesthetic and the synthesised score home-spun and cliched. The best production values can be found in the voodoo paraphanalia which suggest authenticity and a great deal of research. At 98 minutes the film is too long and would benefit tremendously from a ten minute trim, particularly the scenes where various voodoo practioners stop the narrative dead to deliver pages of expository mumbo jumbo in an attempt to give some kind of spiritual context to the proceedings. I gave this film 4 out of 10, shows promise but must try harder.

unhook

[s_probst · 1/10 · 14 March 2006]

Wow this was the best acting in a film that i have seen in ages, best actor award definitely goes to the 2 year old girl. She was awesome. I have to say the best part of the

film was definitely the credits! well done and congrats on the

DVD cover, it sucked me into watching this comedic film! I recommend a viewing audience of no one. i also recommend acting lessons for the cast except for the little girl she will be a star in no time.

Please do not make a movie again like this. Sometimes i wish that i had a genie, so that i could wish that i had never seen this film. Or i could wish that i had made this film with the 20 dollars in my wallet and made a better film than this. Then again i don't have 20 dollars! or i could also wish that a voodoo doll came with the film, so that i could play with it and not watch the film.

London Hoodoo

[jeremy-575 · 2/10 · 15 December 2006]

hello - what makes this film get any awards? Sorry, it's just that, at the very least, I'd like a movie to be believable. But right from the start this fails in the most basic ways. Firstly, the wife finds a body or bodies. Gee, the husband seems okay that the police not be called - afterall the wife reckons the bodies are 'old'. Gee, that's enough for the husband to want to let wifey keep her bodies in the cellar, and to keep her happy. Unbelievable. And then, as if this weren't enough to swallow, suddenly there's a knock on the door with a guy warning the hubbie the wifey's been possessed. Luckily I did not see it in some trendy art film festival - i would have burst out laughing.

I turned this awful movie off after that - enough is enough. Clichés galore in the first few minutes.

A movie with potential ruined by poor casting.

[timothyinchina · 3/10 · 20 November 2005]

'London Voodoo' is a story about a corporate New Yorker who moves to London with his wife and child. The wife discovers the remains of a voodoo shrine in the cellar of their London apartment with very predictable consequences. While voodoo is normally associated with creole culture in the southern United States, London's vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture also maintains some remnants of voodoo practices. The minimal cultural differences between Britain and the US begs the question as to why US actors were needed in this film in the first place. The acting is amateur and wholly unconvincing. Movie fans will be sympathetic to what the movie is trying to achieve. However, this movie is destined for the bargain basement.

Slow, pointless, empty and worthless

[The_Dead_See · 1/10 · 30 October 2005]

London Voodoo is plainly the worst low budget horror I have ever seen... and I've seen almost all of 'em!

I can't even think of enough bad words to describe it. Whoever made this film should be ashamed of themselves. Why would you put as much effort, time and money into producing such a pointless and boring piece of cinema? The film has nothing to hold the attention of fans of *any* genre let alone horror.

I've seen more interesting things crawling along the baseboards in camp restrooms. Good grief... I'm simply lost for words at how bad this is. Choose anything but this to fill up your time... anything!

This DVD will be given away as a tip at this week's worst service restaurant! Befitting punishment!

[geminisoul · 1/10 · 4 April 2010]

A movie that you pick only if you have no IMDb access at that very moment, as i did not, and be lured by the graphic work of the cover and the marketing gibberish that went into it. I can only get angry with myself to pick this one based on above.

Could Mr. Pratten redeem my 2 hours since i was not smart like one of the earlier reviewers and not just switched off after the first 10 goofs in first 10 minutes? or bad script? definitely terrible directing?

I can hardly throw away an old sock, such a terrible collector i am, but this DVD will be given away as a tip at this week's worst service restaurant! Befitting punishment!

Watch it only if you are in the set of mind to make fun of a movie, and this is a great bargain and you'll have lots of laughs!

A dead Voodoo priestess snatches the body of a yuppie housewife, then sets her sights on the husband.

[pameladegraff · 25 July 2013]

Voodoo is alive and fashionable in this novel, swank supernatural chiller! Engaging, to-the-point cinematography, Steven Severin's moody score, and a fresh, pensive story make London Voodoo an arty choice for the thinking horror patron. It's brooding, yet suspenseful, with good timing and a quick pace. This is writer/director Robert Patten's first of two independent feature efforts. Patten achieves a good balance between credible horror and reality that doesn't insult our intelligence.

Business executive Lincoln Mathers (Doug Cockel) and his wife Sarah (Sara Stewart), move to a posh London town house. It's everything they could want. Quaint, chic, and historic, with a pair of century-old corpses in the basement. Of course, the moldy cadavers aren't a selling point. Sarah discovers them during renovations. That's normal for an old historic house, right? Except maybe for the eyes-rolled-up-in-the-back-of-her-head seizure Sarah endures when she tampers with them Buried with the bodies are oddball religious artifacts. Sarah's damned curious. Her latest hobby is local historical research, and she wants to solve the cadaver mystery. Doug is overwhelmed with a new high-salaried, 16 hour-a-day, executive position. He wants Sarah out of his hair so he leaves her to it.

Makes sense.

Sarah's hobby turns out to be ... well, consuming. The cellar dwellers aren't actually dead, they just smell that way. They're an evil Voodoo priestess and her lover, slain by her prior followers. The un-dead duo decide that existing in their decaying, de-animated bodies under the basement floor is a bit boring. The priestess condemns Sarah's sumptuous body for a soul transfer, and she's taking possession now! Before you can say, "that old black magic," Sarah's mere presence sours milk and rots fruit.. She finds deep joy in collecting bits of Doug's skin and hair. Sarah prowls the flat like a puma in heat. clad in BDSM lingerie, nipples erect, an obsessive, determined look in her eye. When Doug postpones sex to read a prospectus sent home by the boss, Sarah rips off the cover page, stuffs it between her legs, then crams it in his mouth while cursing in Creole.

The friendly neighborhood Voodoo sect wants to help, but Doug dismisses them as crackpots. ( Not that they're any stranger than the way Sarah's been acting.) Doug's too distracted with his soul sucking finance job to do more than write off Sarah's shenanigans as a midlife crisis. But as Sarah transforms into an undulating, deviant, sexually insatiable vixen, family politics grow awkward.

That local Voodoo cult has a solution, if Doug will only listen. It's not a pleasant treatment option to say the least, but Doug had better wise up because the Voodoo vixen and her dead lover think Doug's man-flesh is just what the witch doctor ordered.

Viewers may remember movie composer Steven Severin from Siouxsie and the Banshees and Sara Stewart as Martha Wayne in Batman Begins.

Fans of the genre seeking other intelligent entries of the same quality as London Voodoo might also enjoy Don't Look Now (1973), The Serpent and The Rainbow (1988), and True Believer (1989).

Top shelf voodoo film with a good story to boot

[carlykristen · 7/10 · 15 February 2007]

Lincoln and Sara move into a new home in London and his wife's behavior begins to grow erratic. After opening a grave in their basement, she becomes more sexual, more violent, and begins to forget things. A nanny is brought in to help around the house, but only adds to the tension. Eventually, Lincoln finds him in a fight for his wife's soul with a spirit of a voodoo priestess.

The film works on different levels mainly because it keeps you guessing and never completely gives away all the answers. As you watch the scenes unfold, you wonder if the Sara is possessed, just going crazy like her mother had, or that the crazy nanny is out to get her. In the end, it is a weird combo of all of the above, which makes the storytelling top notch.

Each character is very detailed with their own share of problems. The husband is overloaded at work, deals with a jerky boss, and is put on a tight deadline that challenges his sleep schedule. The wife suffers from a loss of identity and is bored with her new life as a homemaker. The babysitter is plain nutty and comes off as caring and sadistic at the same time.

Overall, I think the film is symbolic of a couple growing apart and their marriage crumbling. Her changes are similar to what any woman would go through if forced to sit in a house all day especially when competing with another, more younger woman. The husband struggling to save the soul of his wife is really an attempt to save their marriage. He must repent and they start anew.

Released by Heretic Films in 2004, it clocks in at 99 minutes. While it was shot on video, the story doesn't suffer from it. Also, the Winner of the 2004 Fearless Tales Genre Fest and Boston Int. Film Fest. Composer Steven Severin adds much atmosphere to the already creepy scenes with his pulsating background music.

The SFX was great with a few good bloody scenes such as a scalping, a nose bitten half off, slit wrists, and a man fatally hit by a car. There is also weird imagery such as a pissing in a pot scene, lipstick drawn over an eye, and honey dripping off of fishhooks. The most trippy scene though was when Lincoln goes through his "cleansing" in the nude and is swatted with sticks and dances around in a daze with the voodoo followers. There is great insight given here on the religion of voodoo and its history in the UK.

DVD Extras: 10 Deleted Scenes, the trailer, Making of Documentary, and Interview with Voodoo Priest, which covers some of the voodoo lore.

Bottom Line: Top shelf voodoo film with a good story to boot. Highly recommended for fans of The Skeleton Key.

Rating: 7.5/10 by Molly Celaschi www.HorrorYearbook.com

So bad it's (not good).

[borgolarici · 3/10 · 29 December 2021]

An unpleasant yuppie and his bland wife find a couple of old corpses in their basement but refuse to involve the police or any other authority because she thinks that it's very curious and wants to know more.

A boring tale of possession and bad acting follows, sustained by a questionable script and a limping plot.

AWESOME

[nomoreheros911 · 10/10 · 19 March 2004]

I caught this film at the NY Independent Film Fest in LA and, not knowing much about the film I took a gamble on the excellent poster (not the one shown here but the voodoo doll one). Wow! Did the gamble pay off! This movie has it all - superb acting, directing and script. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. What this film lacks in blood it makes up in depth of characterisation and story layers - the old lady's suicide pact with her dead husband, the psycopathic nanny, the insensitive businessman etc. etc. It'll keep you guessing until the end. It's been a week now since I saw this movie and I can't stop talking about it. If you're into slashers or zombie movies then this isn't likely to be for you but if you like European supernatural thrillers - GO SEE IT!

Dark Star

A mixed bag of voodoo magic!

[killerreviewscom · 6/10 · 1 July 2006]

Thank God London finally has some voodoo. Hopefully, everyone will stop complaining now! OK, so about this little European thriller. Notice that I said "thriller." That's right kiddies, you won't find any spilling intestines in this one but, you will find some voodoo. Did I mention that London finally has some voodoo? Man, I need to just shut up and get to the point don't I?

The plot for this London tale of voodoo is a rather simple one. After a young and very much in love American couple move into their new home, they quickly discover a little something that was left by the previous owners. This "something" is actually a case located in a spot under the basement floor that contains a few rotted corpses, tacky beads and other voodoo paraphernalia. Damn voodoo bitches… always leaving their stuff around! The wife Sarah (Sara Stewart) is actually the one who discovers and later, shows her asshole husband. We'll define why he's an asshole in a bit but, shortly after the discovery Sarah beings to feel differently, almost like she's under some sort of spell. Almost, wink… wink… OK, fine. I'll tell you. Bitch be getting' possessed!

This is going to be one of the more interesting reviews because technically, London Voodoo is a decent film. I mean, the script is structured well, the score is decent, the performances are adequate and it's directed fairly well. Nothing stands out as being exceptional but, at the same time, nothing is complete crap either. The people that will enjoy this film the most are the kind of film goers that enjoy a good story. You know those people that say a film is "scary" because of the "idea" that the film presents is scary? Take Night of the Living Dead… I don't find that film scary at all but, people say it is because of the concept of zombies taking over the world. London Voodoo is very much designed for this kind of mind set, which just doesn't work for me.

Now let's talk on a personal level. If I'm not seeing a nice set of tits or some beautifully gory death then you better deliver me some great charismatic characters to spend my ninety minutes with. Well, guess what? I didn't see no boobs or gore… Oh, guess what else I didn't see?? A character that I could care about… You have the wife Sarah who, because of her possession, acts like a complete crazy bitch. Everyone knows some girl who transforms into the antichrist while on her period right? Hell, my ex-girlfriend would give Damien a run for his money… Anyway, Sarah is one of those devil spawn bitches but much, much worse. The worst thing is that I never liked her much from the beginning so I didn't really care if she was talking to herself or crapping her pants. Then you have the husband who works too much and he has a child who he has absolutely no time for. He'll be typing away on the computer and his beautiful, sweet, little girl will come over to him with some picture she just drew as he ignores her. I have no patience for people like this. One instance OK… I'll give that to you because you're making a point but, I don't think he even looks at her once during the whole film. I mean seriously, who wants to root for a guy like that?

See, the problem here is that I never once cared about these characters. In fact, I cared less the more the film went on, which is a terrible position to be in because as the film progresses, they are each put into more peril and ultimately, if you don't care about them or their safety then what's the point? You know? I'm not really a voodoo kind of guy anyway. The only film I can think of that contains voodoo that I enjoyed is The Serpent and the Rainbow. I just don't care for that whole religion and I'm not sure why exactly. Maybe it's because they're FREAKS!! OK, I'm just joking… no little Butcher voodoo dolls please!

Overall, just because I didn't enjoy London Voodoo doesn't mean that it's crap. The film succeeds on many levels, script and story being two of them. It just comes down to personal taste and, in the end, it just wasn't for me. If you enjoy the same type of films that I do then you'll probably want to spend your time with something else. On the other severed hand, if you think that I eat cocaine sandwiches for lunch, you'll probably enjoy London Voodoo very much. Oh no! I just felt a sting in the back on my neck. No! It's like I'm being pricked by a needle! Please put the doll down!!

Worst movie i have ever seen.

[amrmriadlic · 1/10 · 21 December 2021]

The best thing about this movie is the poster, i guess. I found out about this movie by accident. The title is very interesting. Voodoo in London, so i said why not give it a try, since the last good voodoo movie I've seen was 'The Serpent and the Rainbow" I really have nothing to say about this movie since it is the worst movie I've ever seen in my whole life. I would like to meet with the writer, director and the producer who thought that it's a good idea to invest and produce such a train wreck. There is nothing good about this movie at all. As i said before the best thing was the title of the movie. Everything else is just so bad that you wont be able to even stop watching because you will want to know how it ends. The only advice i can give is don't waste your money renting this film and don't waste your time on it. You can just watch the trailer on youtube for free, this is as good as it gets and you'll be also wasting like 2 minutes of your preciouses life.

Boring and poor. As I expected

[Stevieboy666 · 2/10 · 7 November 2019]

An American couple relocate to London but upon a chance discovery in the basement the wife becomes possessed by an evil Voodoo spirit. This film is now 15 years old but I have only recently heard of it. Not a good omen. Neither was the trailer which I watched beforehand. Don't believe these glowing 10/10 reviews, they are obviously written by people associated with this crap. The film clocks in at a boring 140 minutes, way to long. Some of the acting is ok, some of it terrible, such as the character of Sarah the wife. Badly overacted with an obvious fake American accent. There are hints at sexuality but not enough of either that - or of gore/violence - to warrant the 18 certificate. Some of the musical score is ok, as are a few shots of the city. I had low expectations for this and it proved to be a real dud.

That Voodoo That You Do- Oh, Forget It

[NoDakTatum · 6/10 · 31 October 2023]

"London Voodoo" is better than "The Serpent and the Rainbow," but can't touch "Angel Heart" with a severed chicken head on a ten foot long pole. Yuppie American couple Lincoln (Doug Cockle) and Sarah (Sara Stewart) move to London with their toddler daughter for Lincoln's new corporate job. Lincoln is a workaholic, taking his family for granted, and gets right back into these habits with his new employment. The couple hires a hot nanny, Kelly (Vonda Barnes), who takes an instant attraction to Lincoln. Unfortunately, Sarah has happened upon an old Voodoo grave in the cellar of their London row house. An evil spirit escapes and finds a new home in Sarah's body. Sarah is not possessed all the time, and Kelly spends her days mentally tormenting Sarah so she can get closer to Lincoln, who does not have a clue what is going on in his own house. The local Voodoo practitioners are aware of the escaped spirit and try to warn the family, to no avail. By the time Sarah starts sporting a new cosmetics regimen and collecting fingernail clippings and blood in small containers, Lincoln teams up with historian/Voodoo gal Fiona (Trisha Mortimer) and finally acts.

I am sorry, but I have never found Voodoo to be all that scary. Sure, it's gross, but "The Serpent and the Rainbow" was not that suspenseful, and neither is the script for this film. Cockle's entire screen time is spent in an office, or staring helplessly at a female cast member. His character Lincoln is simply too dumb. Stewart also gets a few unintentionally funny scenes and her suffering at the hands of Kelly is more believable and suspenseful than her possession by the evil Voodoo spirit. Mortimer is sympathetic as Fiona, a middle aged woman who uses Voodoo in order to be reunited with her deceased husband. Barnes' Kelly is pure evil, but she puts such an innocent look on her face, I would believe her, too. Writer/director Robert Pratten should have trimmed the talky screenplay. There is some gore, but not enough. A subplot with a couple of workmen laboring in the basement is kind of dropped, and we never get to know anyone else in the Voodoo cult except Fiona. On the other hand, the London locale is certainly different from some anonymous Caribbean island somewhere. The cinematography is crystal clear, and Pratten does some very interesting things with his camera, I liked his direction more than his script. "London Voodoo" gets a lukewarm reception, but Pratten is certainly a talent to watch.

I'm in a Voodoo state of mind!

[Alan-42 · 8/10 · 8 April 2004]

I often wonder when I read other sour reviews of excellent films posted on this site, what is going on through the confined and jaded thinking of some folk! I was lucky enough to catch the premiere of London Voodoo at the Fearless Tales Genre Fest in San Francisco this winter 2004 and was literally glued to the screen! For the first time since 1987's The Believers, and 1988's Serpent and the Rainbow, comes a stylish, authentic and urban tale of voodoo, possession, exorcism and redemption. London Voodoo is a film, much like Rosemary's Baby, in that it takes its time telling its story in order to reveal it's many hidden surprises.

Manahattanites Lincoln (Doug Cockle) and Sarah (Sarah Stewart) move to London with their baby and take up residency in a poshy reconverted old townhouse - not knowing that their new (but old) home, especially the basement, has a very serious past. Settling into their new lifestyle, Lincoln establishes his executive career with a popular high-end company in midtown. Meanwhile, Sarah and her baby are left alone in an environment that is not only foreign, but also extremely lonely -and director Robert Pratten does wonders with his leading lady by slowly revealing her American neurosis of the classic misplaced 'Yankee' in a new country.

With construction work going on throughout their new home, Sarah soon discovers a dark secret entombed in the basement. And this is where the film really takes off!

London Voodoo offers it all. Mystery and intrigue soon turn to paranoia and mounting terror. I'm not going to reveal any more of the storyline - you have to see this one for yourselves! The supporting cast, especially Trisha Mortimer, Sven-Bertil Taube and the vampy Vonda Barnes only add to the great atmosphere and subplots of the film. It's easy to see why director Robert Pratten won Best Director at the Fearless Tales Genre Fest. His attention to detail - especially his knowledge of the very intricate practices of voodoo, white and black magic and spells, is a lesson in itself.

And also noted is that his amazing ensemble' cast won the Best Acting accolades at the same festival- with kudos going to Cockle and Stewart.

Finally a creepy tale that relies on real actors - and not 'stars'. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but horror movies should always put characters first to pull you in before unleashing its fright upon the audience.

Much like the more polished fright flicks of the sixties such as Curtis Harrington's Games (1967), and even Freddie Francis' Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), London Voodoo is a cerebral and stylish foray into the horror/voodoo genre . chilling without showing much, therefore leaving a lot to the imagination - but trust me - you'll jump!

A film to be savoured

[willravens · 9/10 · 13 April 2004]

`Modern Classic' was once an oft over-used term and thank goodness we don't hear it so often any more. However. If ever there was a film that so aptly fitted the title, it is surely Robert Pratten's London Voodoo.

If most genre films of recent times are fast food - easily consumed, a fleeting moment of satisfaction and then just as quickly forgotten (often regurgitated?!) - London Voodoo is a banquet that starts, if a little precariously, with a mouth-watering entrée, builds to a sumptuous main course and climaxes with a glorious, delicious dessert. The film ends and you sit bloated in your seat unable to move for having overindulged. London Voodoo works on so many levels that I probably need to see the film again to appreciate all the detail invested in it. Every character is a real character. Every location feels like a real location.

But is it a horror film? Well.yes, it is. It certainly belongs to that sub-genre known as `yuppie nightmare' - attractive young couple move into new house and life falls apart - but David Morrell tells us that horror > fear. On this measure I believe the film has traded fear for intrigue, suspense and wonderment. Probably those less accustomed to watching horror films than I might find the film scary but for this viewer, desensitised from years of blood and gore, I found myself more in amazement than fear. Amazed that someone would come forward to reclaim the horror film from the MTV/Cabin Fever generation and use the genre to deliver a message about family values.

I am very grateful for Robert Pratten and his wife to have shared the film with the World Horror Con in Phoenix and I'm pleased to repay this gratitude with a review that I hope will encourage others to seek out and discover this film. If you like the films of Roman Polanksi, Peter Weir, Nick Roeg or Joseph Losey then you should check-out London Voodoo and discover a filmmaker that I hope will continue to make such important contributions to this genre that I love.

I believe - and, pray - that this is a milestone film for 21st century horror.

William

great stuff

[g_low · 8/10 · 26 April 2004]

Well done Robert Pratten! Well acted, high tension after the secret was found, superbly directed and a most unusual ending.... The transformation from a quiet housewife to a warrior was most convincing as was the delinquent nanny. Most relieved to find that the snail survived! Accident scene realistic. However the paperboy was not; papers were not just thrown at the house... Mr Pratten has clearly done an impressive amount of research into the voodoo scene in London and I look forward to seeing the DVD if it will include details of this. I would give this 8 out of ten.

Cooldoo

[jffdarby · 10/10 · 12 March 2006]

Excellent bunch of film-making. I loved this movie. To copy someone else's phrase it's totally a hidden gem - a real diamond in a sea of garbage that is low-budget horror. At last someone decided they weren't going to be beaten by a lack of Hollywood-scale resources. This is a totally gripping story, sexy chicks (though more breast would have been nice - especially from the hot young nanny), and some great voodoo stunts/dancing. The making-of is well worth watching too (though a bit long in parts). This gets my top marks. Off to watch it again.... This is filler because they make you write ten lines.........................................................

I love the voodoo that you do do....

[moviechic_Carrie · 10/10 · 2 March 2004]

Tagline : True love is only possible with sacrifice.



Synopsis : When a young man relocates his family from New York to London his wife discovers a new power that threatens to tear the family apart. As his wife's behavior becomes more violent and erratic, our hero accepts that to save the woman he married he must take a leap of faith.



Plot/Story : From the beginning you get the vibe of a "Rosemary's Baby" type of film. A simple couple moving to a new town but mysterious things are lurking about. This one was more in your face on showing you the bad things that were happening, no mystery on what was in the cellar and what it held.



Pace : No dull moments, no choppy story line. It grabs you from the beginning taking you for a ride and doesn't let up until the very end.



Cast/Characters : Performances well done by all, was impressed with the acting skills of main characters involved. They gave variety to their parts to make each character stand alone.



F/X : I have to say even though the film was well done I was a bit disappointed in the effects in the movie, or rather, just the lack thereof. I was expecting more of a demonic transformation of the possessed woman, hoping for a little bit more gore thrown in. Yes, I know it can be better to leave things to your imagination but on occasion you just need the blood thrown in your face.



Jekyll's Final Thoughts : An enjoyable movie that will make you think twice before moving into a new home. I look forward to whatever Robert Pratten has in store for us down the line. This movie gets a 4 star rating from me.

intriguing movie, well worth watching

[Iloveaudreyh · 9/10 · 9 July 2004]

I found London Voodoo an intriguing and thought-provoking film, it has many different levels it which it can be enjoyed. At one level, it is a beautifully shot piece of cinematography, with many literally stunning, jaw dropping images. It's a thriller, that keeps you engrossed in the storyline from start to finish. The film has real meaning and relevance to modern life - the loss of love between the main couple caused by the stresses and demands of the husbands job being a central part of the plot. I would have liked to see more gore in places, but maybe this would have cheapened what is a classy well shot film. Overall I enjoyed the film a lot, and would certainly like to watch it again.

A little Gem

[Angelfish_Solo · 10/10 · 21 December 2005]

I recently stumbled across this film and decided to give it a go. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be like saying I was pleasantly surprised to find £1M in my bank account. This is a little Gem of a British Horror film. In the days of FX driven drivel and remakes this breaths life into a highly jaded genera. Having been quite disappointed by the Skeleton Key, I was sceptical about a Low Budget Voodoo film. I am so glad to be wrong.

Previous comments state the acting was wooden / leaden. To me it felt real. Almsot like watching a documentary. The office scenes were so true to life it was scary.

It has the feel of Rosemarys Baby with a modern twist. It did not need high budget FX, blood, gut and sex (not that there is anything wrong with that in a horror film) and indeed these would have detracted from the charm and power of the film.

I would say it is one of the best British Horror films of all time.

Angelfish.