‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ reinvigorates the horror anthology series
Netflix’s “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” is, as you might surmise, a collection of horror stories from the acclaimed, Oscar-winning director. In the style of Alfred Hitchcock, or Rod Serling, del Toro introduces each of the eight episodes — but rather than serving as a simple nod to “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” or Serling’s “The Twilight Zone,” the mood-setting aperitif gives the series a common thread, guiding viewers back to the central premise at the outset of each self-contained story.
“Cabinet of Curiosities” is executive produced by del Toro, and features a smattering of stories from a host of different writers and directors — from frequent del Toro collaborators to veteran filmmakers. Tonally, there’s something for everyone — so long as everyone is in the mood for del Toro’s trademark gothic leanings and some rather visceral horror. But whether it’s Guillermo Navarro’s “Lot 36” or Jennifer Kent’s “The Murmuring,” each of the standalone stories spares no expense in terms of production value and commitment to del Toro’s inimitable eye for a (sometimes unsettlingly) cinematic experience.
Anthology shows often struggle to feel like anything more than a series of disconnected, meandering tales with the inevitably varying quality that entails. That may well be why the format continually goes in and out of fashion. But what makes “Cabinet of Curiosities” a real gem is the looming specter, and visible influence, of del Toro himself. Those who find his movies hard to watch will find precious little here to change their mind. But those who regard him as one of TV and cinema’s most significant voices (and his ever-expanding haul of statuettes suggest there are many) can revel in something rather special: a collection of seemingly disparate episodes united by high-quality production (so good it can even overcome some schlocky dialog) and unsettling, unnerving scares.
Even if the title didn’t give it away, few could fail to spot del Toro’s hand guiding these stories along — with all the fantastical, gory, and sometimes brutal storytelling that invariably entails.
What makes this a real gem is the looming specter, and visible influence, of del Toro
himself.