Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities episodes five and six review:

Episodes five and six of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities demonstrate some of the best uses of settings and atmosphere in the entire series, offering two gothic tales that are bound to encapsulate any viewer’s attention by design alone. 

Episode five, “Pickman’s Model,” directed by Keith Thomas, is adapted from the H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name. This is a story compelled mainly by visuals, specifically paintings, and the setting of the early 1900s in Massachusetts, gives a desolate and eerie feel through color, angles, lighting, and set design. This episode excels in establishing atmosphere and character motivations. 

This storyline follows an accomplished painter, William Thurber, who is seen as the prodigy of his art school, but this all changes with the entry of a man named Richard Pickman. Pickman is an older man whose art aims to show the true horror of life, instead of the beauty, like William. However, instead of acting like bitter rivals, the men come together to examine Pickman’s artwork, seeing his style as unorthodox but particularly compelling. It is revealed that Pickman’s art doesn’t come from the abstract—all his creations are things he’s seen, and the effect these pieces have on William will haunt the man for the rest of his days.

This episode is an example of exceptional directing, cinematography, and writing, all of which come together to create an episode that feels like a piece of art within itself. Besides that, the two lead characters, William, played by Ben Barnes, and Pickman, played by Crispin Glover, bring everything to the table, offering a compelling and believable portrayal of both characters. Additionally, these men’s progression feels natural, and nothing feels out of place.

Moving onto the next episode titled “Dreams in the Witch House,” directed by Catherine Hardwicke, also adapts the H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name. The main character drives this story, he acts as the heart and soul of the entire short, but it seems to fail on multiple fronts, not offering a narrative as compelling as before. This episode does provide some interesting ideas, especially regarding the design of the story’s antagonist, which I found to be the most exhilarating factor for this short.

The plot of this episode revolves around Walter Gilman, played by Rupert Grint, and his search to bring back his twin sister from limbo after he witnessed her spirit be taken away as a young boy. The episode revolves around this man doing highly unorthodox things to find a way to reach his sister - this has become an obsession for the man, one engulfing his entire being. He drives away everyone in his life, none understanding what he saw or why he’s still so hung up on it decades later, but the man is never deterred from his goal. His recklessness and undeterred nature lead him to the antagonist of this story, and that's where the writing truly shines. 

This episode was the worst of the entire series so far for me, not offering many scares or compelling characters for us to follow, but that could simply be a translation issue—Lovecraft's works are synonymous with poor adaptations. However, the lighting and creature design are the standout elements of this short, making them one of the few redeemable factors. 

These two episodes show the difficulty of adapting Lovecraft’s storylines, offering an entertaining watch for all who decide to partake in them; both are very enjoyable but come with distinct faults. Luckily the final episodes of this anthology make up for this and are by far two of the most beautifully executed, so stick around for those reviews coming soon!