A troop of actors gather together in an isolated Gothic mansion in autumnal Pennsylvania to rehearse a play. The play is as Gothic as the setting and centres around the romantic and murderous intrigues surrounding a medieval Transylvanian merchant's family. Cue the actors being unable to differentiate the play from reality, a cursed book, assorted gypsies, witches, vampires, slow motion running in forests, killer hounds and other assorted hokum. It isn't bad. It's just run of the mill - which is worse. A shame really as, given the unusual premise, in more creative hands it could have been much better. On the plus side it does have Justine Griffiths who would look good even reading a telephone directory, which in this case might be more engaging.
11 Reviews
Boring and uneventful...
paul_haakonsen9 September 2014
I sat down to watch "Kantemir" solely because Robert Englund was in this movie. But not even this iconic horror legend could do much to salvage the sinking wreck that was "Kantemir".
The story is about a group of actors and actresses coming to a secluded mansion to perform in an act. They haven't been shown the script and have little idea what they are about to embark on. When the mysterious director show up with a strange book, the boundaries between play act and reality becomes a blur, and what might be a story is all but too real.
Right, well the storyline didn't really offer much of anything. Sure it had potential, but it was just not skillfully utilized much less so brought to the screen. If they had opted to go another way with the script, or had a different set of creative minds at work, it might have been something much more enjoyable to witness.
The storyline was dragging the movie down, but the who feel of the movie wasn't working in favor of the movie either. You just don't really buy into the storyline of the movie at any point during the length of the feature, and it seemed that some of the acting talents didn't either.
Granted that Robert Englund was the one pulling the load here, the rest of the cast weren't really anything memorable.
For a horror and/or thriller movie, then "Kantemir" was frightfully devoid of anything that would even put the audience on the edge of their seats. Everything was too scripted, too forced and too unnatural on the screen.
"Kantemir" scores a meager 3 out of 10 stars from me. I have seen worse horror movies, but this wasn't just anything extraordinary. Your money and time is better spent elsewhere, unless you are a die-hard fan of Robert Englund.
The story is about a group of actors and actresses coming to a secluded mansion to perform in an act. They haven't been shown the script and have little idea what they are about to embark on. When the mysterious director show up with a strange book, the boundaries between play act and reality becomes a blur, and what might be a story is all but too real.
Right, well the storyline didn't really offer much of anything. Sure it had potential, but it was just not skillfully utilized much less so brought to the screen. If they had opted to go another way with the script, or had a different set of creative minds at work, it might have been something much more enjoyable to witness.
The storyline was dragging the movie down, but the who feel of the movie wasn't working in favor of the movie either. You just don't really buy into the storyline of the movie at any point during the length of the feature, and it seemed that some of the acting talents didn't either.
Granted that Robert Englund was the one pulling the load here, the rest of the cast weren't really anything memorable.
For a horror and/or thriller movie, then "Kantemir" was frightfully devoid of anything that would even put the audience on the edge of their seats. Everything was too scripted, too forced and too unnatural on the screen.
"Kantemir" scores a meager 3 out of 10 stars from me. I have seen worse horror movies, but this wasn't just anything extraordinary. Your money and time is better spent elsewhere, unless you are a die-hard fan of Robert Englund.
Good-looking but very tedious, with a waste of Robert Englund's talents
TheLittleSongbird4 September 2015
Robert Englund, whose Freddy Krueger in Nightmare on Elm Street is rightly one of horror's most iconic characters, was my main reason for seeing Kantemir. He has been in quite a number of stinkers or not-so-good movies in recent years, but always gives his all no matter what.
Kantemir does have a few good things in its favour. It does look good (which to be honest was not expected, considering the reputation with low-budget movies looking cheap or even amateurish) with a real Gothic charm, some real atmosphere in the lighting, clever use of colours and photography that seldom looks cheap. It also has a good music score that sets the mood very nicely.
Unfortunately, that is where the redeeming qualities for Kantemir end. One does have to credit Englund for playing a role different to usual, for him this is restrained stuff, and shows that he does have more to him than having a wormy character, and although he does give the movie's best performance his underwritten role and very cliché dialogue is quite frankly beneath him and although he does try, he is somewhat too reserved and doesn't do anything to distinguish what he's been given (which is in all honesty worthless for any actor with any talent). The very less known names are no better, Justine Griffiths looks pretty but phones it in and there is a lot of forced overacting, Daniel Gadi's overplayed smugness is particularly annoying. The characters have no development and just as little personality, they are just there.
The script is incredibly hackneyed and never sounds natural and with an increasing lack of rhythm. Even more of a problem is the story, which has to be the movie's biggest problem, there is very little to it, often it is uneventful, and much of it is very tedious with no suspense whatsoever and just as little mystery. A decent idea, quite a unique premise considering the budget, but with nothing of note done with it.
Overall, looks good but very dull stuff and does nothing with Englund's talents, which is unforgivable really. 3/10 Bethany Cox
Kantemir does have a few good things in its favour. It does look good (which to be honest was not expected, considering the reputation with low-budget movies looking cheap or even amateurish) with a real Gothic charm, some real atmosphere in the lighting, clever use of colours and photography that seldom looks cheap. It also has a good music score that sets the mood very nicely.
Unfortunately, that is where the redeeming qualities for Kantemir end. One does have to credit Englund for playing a role different to usual, for him this is restrained stuff, and shows that he does have more to him than having a wormy character, and although he does give the movie's best performance his underwritten role and very cliché dialogue is quite frankly beneath him and although he does try, he is somewhat too reserved and doesn't do anything to distinguish what he's been given (which is in all honesty worthless for any actor with any talent). The very less known names are no better, Justine Griffiths looks pretty but phones it in and there is a lot of forced overacting, Daniel Gadi's overplayed smugness is particularly annoying. The characters have no development and just as little personality, they are just there.
The script is incredibly hackneyed and never sounds natural and with an increasing lack of rhythm. Even more of a problem is the story, which has to be the movie's biggest problem, there is very little to it, often it is uneventful, and much of it is very tedious with no suspense whatsoever and just as little mystery. A decent idea, quite a unique premise considering the budget, but with nothing of note done with it.
Overall, looks good but very dull stuff and does nothing with Englund's talents, which is unforgivable really. 3/10 Bethany Cox
Painfully Bad
dcarsonhagy21 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
"Kantemir" is mind-numbingly awful, and you wouldn't think it was going to be that bad when it started. The look of the movie is great--nice colors, decent cinematography, and decent mood-setting music. And then, as luck would have, the characters begin to speak...
The participants have all gathered in a remote setting (natch) to rehearse a play. Most of them are washed-up actors, newbies, or just wannabes. Robert Englund (of "Nightmare on Elm Street" fame) plays the lead. It seems he is estranged from his daughter and is trying to make amends. You never really find out definitively WHY he's estranged, although I think it may have had something to do with his drinking.
The remaining cast is a collection of caricatures: a nymphette who will screw anybody to further her (nudge/nudge, wink/wink) career, the stoner, the wife of the alcoholic Englund, an innocent, wide- eyed virginal girl (who looks like she's just been hit in the head with a brick), and the director/author of the play.
This is without a doubt one of the worst movies ever made. The "writer" of this script should be drawn and quartered. The dialogue in here is so cliché-ish, so hackneyed, so tedious, it's worse than listening to nails on a chalkboard. The viewer is expected to believe the actors for this play are somehow transformed into the characters of the play because of some curse. I lamented in another review about how Eric Roberts must have hit rock bottom for his appearance. Such much be the case for Robert Englund. This POS is beneath him, and I don't know why he touched it with a 10-foot pole.
Rated R for violence. NOT RECOMMENDED.
The participants have all gathered in a remote setting (natch) to rehearse a play. Most of them are washed-up actors, newbies, or just wannabes. Robert Englund (of "Nightmare on Elm Street" fame) plays the lead. It seems he is estranged from his daughter and is trying to make amends. You never really find out definitively WHY he's estranged, although I think it may have had something to do with his drinking.
The remaining cast is a collection of caricatures: a nymphette who will screw anybody to further her (nudge/nudge, wink/wink) career, the stoner, the wife of the alcoholic Englund, an innocent, wide- eyed virginal girl (who looks like she's just been hit in the head with a brick), and the director/author of the play.
This is without a doubt one of the worst movies ever made. The "writer" of this script should be drawn and quartered. The dialogue in here is so cliché-ish, so hackneyed, so tedious, it's worse than listening to nails on a chalkboard. The viewer is expected to believe the actors for this play are somehow transformed into the characters of the play because of some curse. I lamented in another review about how Eric Roberts must have hit rock bottom for his appearance. Such much be the case for Robert Englund. This POS is beneath him, and I don't know why he touched it with a 10-foot pole.
Rated R for violence. NOT RECOMMENDED.
Worst Movie Ever Made?
j-731247 January 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I like to think of myself as a cine-phile.As someone who loves and appreciates he art of watching movies. Finding the appreciation in a work of art can be challenging however. And 'Kantemir' is a prime example of that.
This viewing is painful simply due to the fact it was just a tedious venture. The premise sounds promising. Washed up has beens or never wases gather to perform a play. Then the director shows up. This guy can't act. Not one bit. He looks like he's going to kill someone at any given second. He just looks like a douche.
Non of the actors are memorable. Robert Englund does deliver a string performance considering how weak the script is and how bad the direction he receives is. Cinematography is probably the best thing about this film. Even though it takes place in a few settings the scenes on the mansion look really nice.
The biggest problem for me was the pacing. Its very "one note". The score tries to add urgency but the direction never delivers. In fact, I'm not convinced this movie HAD a director. There is so much inconsistencies in the scenes it just seems like the director wasn't on set much.
Over all this movie seemed like a giant waste of money. I mean aren't there worthy scripts out there needing to be shot? Why pick this incomplete script? It seems like the script would have done better in more capable hands. This director made it worse.
The even though the director of the play was horrible he wasn't as bad as the white cop. Holy shite that guy is so clichéd its ridiculous. His acting was some of the worst I've ever seen ESPECIALLY in a low budget horror movie. And that's saying something.
This movie was a mistake. The producers should be ashamed of themselves.
This viewing is painful simply due to the fact it was just a tedious venture. The premise sounds promising. Washed up has beens or never wases gather to perform a play. Then the director shows up. This guy can't act. Not one bit. He looks like he's going to kill someone at any given second. He just looks like a douche.
Non of the actors are memorable. Robert Englund does deliver a string performance considering how weak the script is and how bad the direction he receives is. Cinematography is probably the best thing about this film. Even though it takes place in a few settings the scenes on the mansion look really nice.
The biggest problem for me was the pacing. Its very "one note". The score tries to add urgency but the direction never delivers. In fact, I'm not convinced this movie HAD a director. There is so much inconsistencies in the scenes it just seems like the director wasn't on set much.
Over all this movie seemed like a giant waste of money. I mean aren't there worthy scripts out there needing to be shot? Why pick this incomplete script? It seems like the script would have done better in more capable hands. This director made it worse.
The even though the director of the play was horrible he wasn't as bad as the white cop. Holy shite that guy is so clichéd its ridiculous. His acting was some of the worst I've ever seen ESPECIALLY in a low budget horror movie. And that's saying something.
This movie was a mistake. The producers should be ashamed of themselves.
Watch it - if you must - for Robert Englund
Leofwine_draca25 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
TRANSYLVANIAN CURSE is another zero budget indie horror flick with a hackneyed and largely uninteresting premise. A bunch of theatre actors hole up in a remote location to rehearse their latest horror play, only to discover that reality and fiction are becoming somewhat mixed. This film's sole saving grace is Robert Englund, finally cast in a leading role instead of appearing in a minor cameo. Englund plays a witness to murder whom nobody believe and is a real hoot; it's a pity the rest of this slow and pedestrian picture can't match him.
I AM YOUR FATHER
nogodnomasters11 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
John (Robert Englund) is a washed up, 9 week sober actor who scores a gig in Doylestown, Pa....The land of missing pets. If you take note, the German Shepard that later appears was lost near Elm and Pine. Nicholas (Daniel Gadi) has gathered a group of actors for his play, which they will perform at the manor where they all will stay. He has an old book and when the actor touches the book, they become the character in the book, except for John, who in real life is like the character in the play. "Kantemir" is the name of the play which hails from the name of a Bulgarian village. If you read the by-line for the film, you should be able to realize that the play will take on a form of "10 Little Indians."
I guess if you have never seen something like this before, say you are 13, you might find this entertaining. But for a seasoned movie watcher, wait for a Redbox special.
Guide: No sex or nudity. I don't recall any bad language. Adult talk of sex
I guess if you have never seen something like this before, say you are 13, you might find this entertaining. But for a seasoned movie watcher, wait for a Redbox special.
Guide: No sex or nudity. I don't recall any bad language. Adult talk of sex
Good Story but wasted
blueshadow18 April 2020
Powerful Existential Journey
dianerpessler-4616427 June 2015
A fascinating existential examination of the nature of reality and the struggle to grasp its meaning. Director Ben Samuels is clearly a quite gifted film maker and while this is on the surface a horror movie, that is only the structure within which a deeper story is expressed. Mark Garbett and Ralph Glen Howard have fashioned a compelling and engrossing story that is intensely disturbing, fantastical, and terrifying. Samuels truly excels at creating an atmosphere of dark unease and hovering horror. The suspense and mystery is unrelenting as a journey through a hellish landscape that questions life itself is taken by the characters and in effect, the audience. Robert Englund gives a superb performance and once again proves once again what a fine actor he can be. Astonishing set design and cinematography heighten the surrealistic tone of the film and help make this motion picture a frightening, unnerving, and powerful intellectual experience.
I feel bad for Robert Englund
fulciobeans11 November 2020
I'm always up for a good gothic horror story and this film about a group of actors meeting in a secluded mansion sounded very promising.
Unfortunately the film didn't manage to leave much of a mark. It's not bad necessarily but one I will probably forget soon.
Unfortunately the film didn't manage to leave much of a mark. It's not bad necessarily but one I will probably forget soon.
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