Nocturne is an amalgamation of all the genres you know and still refreshingly unique, one that will stay with you long after you’ve turned off the screen.
It is the directorial debut of Zu Quirke, and if you are a fan of intricately woven stories with suspense, horror and a tinge of history, Nocturne is worth a watch.
Rating and Where to Watch
Nocturne has an IMDb rating of 5.7 on 10 and was rated 62% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It is a part of the ‘Welcome to the Blumhouse’ series of Amazon Prime.
The Plot
The movie starts with the classic melody of Tartini, ‘The Devil’s Trill, ‘ captivating the audience at once. The story revolves around twins Juliet and Vivian, who are students of classical music.
Vivian is a famous prodigy and is an outgoing girl. At the same time, Juliet is a hard-working but mediocre student, often overshadowed by her sister and harbours secret hatred towards her more. The situation changes when Juliet finds the diary of their deceased classmate Moira and studies it.
Potterheads might draw parallels of this diary with the infamous horror diary of Tom Riddle. This contains some drawings and notes which decipher by the end of the movie.
What Should One Expect?
The movie is not jumpscare style horror, but of a spine-tingling one. The cinematography perfectly suits the film’s mood, and both pop music fans and classical purists will enjoy the music alike.
At times the imagery of the movie appears too dark, but that certainly works to arrest the audience’s attention.
In the film, we are told about the tale of ‘The Devil’s trill; as the legend goes, Tartini could not find inspiration to compose music and was about to kill himself with disappointment when the devil himself found him.
The devil promised Tarting to give him the most beautiful melody if he agreed to share his soul in exchange for it. Now we all know if the story is correct that Tartini agreed. This deal with the devil is the centre plot of the story.
Concluding Thoughts
One character in the movie says, ‘Music is a blood sport’, after watching the film most of you would agree.
The depiction of the vulnerability and jealousy of competitors is commendable. It shows what fear of failure does to people and the sad fact that fame is not permanent.
Though sibling rivalry might seem exaggerated, then again, constant comparison can have different effects on people.
Mental health is used as a crutch for Julian’s character, which appears like a cliche; teenage consumption of marijuana is also presented in a cavalier way.
Despite some shortcomings in the movie, it does fulfil the intention of cutting profoundly and precisely. It is thought-provoking with riveting metaphors and definite morale, which is rare in mystery movies, making it a must-watch.
