B’twixt and Sunrise aka Twixt (2022)
By William Pattiso
I got a freaky one this time, a reedited ghost story by Francis Ford Coppola that stars Val Kilmer…
A writer with a declining career arrives in a small town as part of his book tour and gets caught up in a murder mystery involving a young girl. That night in a dream, he is approached by a mysterious young ghost named V. He's unsure of her connection to the murder in the town, but is grateful for the story being handed to him. Ultimately he is led to the truth of the story, surprised to find that the ending has more to do with his own life than he could ever have anticipated.
This film is an odd mix of art house noir, mystery, horror, and humor. I figure if Coppola hadn’t done Dracula before doing this film it wouldn’t be as wonderful as it is. I never saw the butchered 2011 version but I can gather it lacked most of the subtext about the writer’s inner monologue, which is the actual heart of this narrative. In this version it comes clear who the killer was. I’m sure the studio version was a mess that ended up losing money. It is no wonder why Coppla gave Frankenstein to Kenneth Branagh.
If you like freaky films like Pan’s Labyrenth you will find this film an interesting ride. I did.You can find this version of this film on You Tube.
