Zombie in feathers from GARDEN OF LOVE (2003) gore horror film

In German Gore Master, Olaf Ittenbach's, Garden of Love (2003), Rebecca (Natacza Boon) is a grown woman with a mysterious past. Something horrible happened in her childhood, and the ghosts of her dead family are pleading with her to solve the mystery. This film drags the viewer on a bloody journey to uncover the secrets of Rebecca’s tragedy.

Garden of Love takes itself just seriously enough to make the melodrama impactful. Anxiety-inducing classical music builds tension as Rebecca slowly uncovers her past, and is juxtaposed against a meandering hippie song called “Garden of Love” that Rebecca can’t seem to place. It’s the flower-child music that points her in the right direction to solve the mystery that is her life.

The gore is immediate and relentless. From a bloody shower slaughter in the first two and a half minutes, to heads exploding at the climax of the action – the creativity is on display in every kill. The ghosts that haunt Rebecca look more like zombies; decaying corpses with visible wounds. They speak to Rebecca through TV sets, making their aesthetic even more uncanny by being a layer removed from Rebecca’s reality. Backlighting on the dead gives them an ethereal appearance, which counteracts how threatening they appear. The use of practical effects enhances the gore, which still looks great over twenty years later.

The excellent effects stand in opposition to the dialogue and the acting. Clearly not the focus of the film, the lines and their delivery are not prioritised over the impressive, violent set pieces. However, it gives the film a specific kind of charm. Choppy acting and clunky dialogue, paired with the exaggerated score and a puzzle full of plot twists, give the film the feel of a daytime soap opera. Each revelation leaves the viewer more invested than the last, with every reveal tying up a loose end. The way Rebecca's loved ones treat her - like she is imagining things, and simply needs to relax - is reminiscent of classic haunted house movie tropes, where no one believes the woman, much to their eventual peril.

If the writing and acting don’t shine, the filmmaking absolutely does. Garden of Love is a masterclass in editing, with Rebecca’s visions quickly appearing and disappearing, and only materialising to her. The way the ghosts move in and out of shots is seamless. There is one moment that is downright Hitchockian, when Rebecca finally sees her childhood home as an adult, and the camera conveys her overwhelm using the Vertigo (1958) Dolly Zoom.

The plot of Garden of Love asks the viewer to suspend their disbelief and disregard questions they may have, such as, “How can you beat a ghost to death?” or “Exactly how old is Rebecca’s Professor/boyfriend?” and even “Why didn’t Rebecca have more questions until now?” The film is best enjoyed when the viewer allows themselves to be taken on the ride, relishing the plot twists, and, most importantly, reveling in the bloodbath. Garden of Love is a must-see for gorehounds.

Available for the first time on Blu-ray from Unearthed Films from February 3rd!