David Teixeira: Ouroboros and Mater
Filmmaker David Teixeira operates in the realm of ambiguity. And I like that.
In Ouroboros, a nameless young woman (Lea N’Kaoua) receives an anonymous invitation that implores, “I hope you’re feeling better. See you there.” Up to this point, we’ve seen images of a mysterious blond woman (also N’Kaoua), a foreboding mansion, and a distorted mouth chanting the title in a raspy wheeze.
Teixeira gets a committed performance from N’Kaoua, who, in 11 minutes, delivers a one-woman show that runs a gauntlet of emotion. From the banality of daily routine (waking up; getting dressed) to the urgency of making her mysterious appointment, an eerie unreality underscores the proceedings.
The use of light and shadow is also evocative. The story is set during daytime, but the encroaching darkness of the abandoned mansion creates a moody atmosphere. The sense of mystery is complemented by the fact that much of the plot is left to conjecture: What is the unusual plant that accompanies the invitation? What about the pictures in the box?
I appreciated the dank feel of the mansion and N’Kaoua’s encounter with the inexplicable. I also liked the craftsmanship of a moment that recalls the eerie subtlety of Kiyoshi Kurosowa’s Pulse. From the nuanced to the overt, Teixeira has an ambidextrous grasp on methods of creating fear.
The Presence of N’Kaoua
Per the press kit, Teixeira’s new film, Mater, exists in “the same universe” as Ouroboros.
N’Kaoua returns, albeit in a different role – and a different time period. If Ouroboros was striking in its depiction of mundane, everyday activities as a lead-up to something unsettling, Mater adds a sense of disorientation to the mix. (I viewed Mater prior to Ouroboros).
Another nameless woman (N’Kaoua) goes about her morning routine: getting dressed in period garb, from shoes to gloves to hat. She also wears a crucifix. Teixeira keeps the woman’s face obscured during this process, until she takes a tattered Bible from a drawer. Venturing through the woods on foot, she comes to her destination: the home of her ailing mother.
As a comment on the resolve needed to maintain true faith, Mater is an interesting effort. Thematically reminiscent of The Blackcoat’s Daughter and The Witch, it presents a precarious commingling of vulnerability in conjunction with the open-heartedness faith requires.
Sound plays a key role in the film’s overall effect: crunching leaves, footfalls on a staircase, and the wheezing of the titular character lends a sense of real-world authenticity. There is a palpable autumnal feel throughout, and, at its best, Teixeira’s work compares favorably to other recent horror period pieces.
By the end, Mater reaches a narrative peak that sets the stage for yet another iteration of the story and character.
Paradoxes
In underestimating the things we take for granted, we give them a certain power. As the best filmmakers know, horror can spring forth from anything – it need not be an exclusively nighttime genre populated by hulking (and overly literal) monsters.
Sometimes the paradox of beauty being a vessel for something awful is more effective, and lingers in the mind’s eye long after viewing. Such is the case with Ouroboros and Mater.
(Mater will premiere October 31 on YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook – check out the trailer. You can also watch Ouroboros for free on Vimeo. For updates, follow David Teixeira on Twitter.)
The Plot Sickens: Jonny Numb reviews It Chapter Two…
Crash Analysis Support Team
Jonny Numb
Jonny Numb (aka Jonathan Weidler) never learned how to swim, but can float just fine. He co-hosts The Last Knock podcast with Billy Crash, and can be found in the social-media sewers of Twitter and Letterboxd @JonnyNumb.
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