“Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” Review – Netflix Anthology Series Evokes Vintage Scary Stories Feel

Guillermo del Toro joins the ranks of episodic genre anthology curators like Alfred Hitchcock and Rod Serling with his “Cabinet of Curiosities.” Del Toro assembles a Murderers’ Row of horror filmmakers for his limited anthology series, each story contained within his ornate oddities cabinet. That singular, eponymous item doesn’t just anchor the anthology but serves as a visual representation of the type of vintage scary story collection that “Cabinet of Curiosities” unfurls.

Del Toro introduces each selected tale like a sophisticated carnival barker. A short monologue ensues as the genre maestro opens his cabinet and plucks out a representative item for each curated story along with a carved figurine of its director. Series creator and executive producer del Toro hand selected each story and director, uniting their distinct visions through a recurring theme of hidden, shifting realities. The episodes range from the macabre to classic frights to the fantastical, from the distant past to the present, all sending its central characters on unexpected journeys.

Despite the varied tales and visionaries behind them, “Cabinet of Curiosities” retains a homogenous look that makes them feel like one unified collection of horror. That’s largely thanks to the consistent and impressive efforts behind the scenes that include production designer Tamara Deverell (Nightmare Alley, “The Strain”) and costume designer Luís Sequeira (Nightmare Alley, The Shape of Water, Mama). While it gives a luxurious quality to the series, that uniformity makes it harder for the filmmakers to separate themselves from the pack.

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities. Episode ÒLot 36Ó of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities. Cr. Ken Woroner/Netflix © 2022

Not helping is just how much of the series draws from H.P. Lovecraft, directly and indirectly. Catherine Hardwicke’s “Dreams in the Witch House” and Keith Thomas’s “Pickman’s Model” adapt two beloved short stories by the horror author. And Guillermo Navarro’s “Lot 36,” based on a short story by del Toro, and Vincenzo Natali’s “Graveyard Rats” feel at home in Lovecraft’s works. The period setting and methodical unfurling of the horror in all four contribute largely to the Victorian-era bedtime spooky story feel that pervades most of the series.

Jennifer Kent directs “The Murmuring,” a quiet, classic ghost story about grief starring The Babadook’s Essie Davis. Ana Lily Amirpour’s “The Outside” is a rare contemporary-set episode. However, it adheres closely to the series’ formula of a central character embarking on a horrific journey of self-discovery. The Empty Man’s David Prior wakes things up with “The Autopsy,” penned by David S. Goyer. Though this episode fits firmly within the series in look, ambiance, and unhurried storytelling, Prior injects needed energy with foreboding dread, paranoia, and effective use of one eerie setting.

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities. Peter Weller as Lassiter in episode “The Viewing” of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities. Cr. Ken Woroner/Netflix © 2022

The sole outlier and standout here is Panos Cosmatos (Mandy, Beyond the Black Rainbow). His episode, “The Viewing,” which he co-wrote with Aaron Stewart-Ahn (Mandy), makes it clear that the visionary can’t conform to the series’ mold. Instead of following one main character down a path of horror, Cosmatos assembles a group of strangers who gather at the home of a collector (Peter Weller) for a mind-altering encounter that will leave them all irrevocably changed.

Cosmatos, in typical fashion, is less interested in conventional storytelling and instead offers a psychedelic vibe that carries his characters and the viewers on a trippy, synth-infused experience. “The Viewing” looks and feels so far removed from any other entry in an anthology that works hard to create homogeneity that it speaks volumes about Cosmatos as a filmmaker and his unrestrained vision. Whereas so many episodes contribute similar pieces to a thematic whole, “The Viewing” finds a hypnotic, original approach.

Del Toro succeeds in crafting a technically impressive and cohesive anthology. The roster of talent on display is incredible, and that reflects in the series’ quality. While the series visually impresses, its commitment to thematic unity means that “Cabinet of Curiosities” plays more like a soothing lullaby with some level of predictability. The impeccable craftsmanship never wavers throughout, but it’s hard not to wish for more varied stylings like Cosmatos’ “The Viewing” when all is said and done. Overall, these aren’t stories that will keep you up at night but rather quiet introspections that dabble in cosmic or existential horrors.

Netflix premieres “Cabinet of Curiosities” on October 25, with two episodes debuting daily through Friday, October 28, when the entire collection of eight stories will be available.

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