The Skeleton Key (DVD)

At first, a young live-in nurse, Caroline (Kate Hudson) is fascinated by the home she’s moved into — a moss-laden, foreboding and decrepit Gothic mansion nestled in the Louisiana delta. Intrigued by the enigmatic couple she’s caring for (played by John Hurt and Gena Rowlands), their mysterious and secretive ways and of course, their sprawling house, Caroline beings to explore. Aided by an antique skeleton key that opens every door, she discovers a stubbornly locked hidden attic room that holds the secret she’s been so curious about. Suddenly, Caroline is thrown into a dangerous netherworld of hoodoo, ancient evil, and curses that never die.

It seems like The Skeleton Key was just out in theaters, and now here it is on DVD already. The quick shuttle to DVD can’t be because of poor box office — The Skeleton Key made $91,592,568 worldwide, though it did suffer the bad juju of mixed reviews. Personally, I liked it. I doesn’t compare to Angel Heart or Interview with the Vampire for serious sultriness and see-it-again-and-again status, but this movie does straddle the line between solemn supernatural horror and jump-scare popcorn flick well enough. (For those interested in reading my full theatrical review, click here.)

The DVD is no bare bag of bones — Universal went all-out in providing a plethora of extras, and they did it without going the 2-disc route (oftentimes, those double-dvd sets are so much fluff and filler).

There’s no “play all” option for the featurettes, but thankfully they are all captioned for the hearing impaired. Here’s what you can expect to find on the DVD:

Director Commentary from Iain Softley:

This is reasonably interesting, as Softley offers a good mix of anecdotal information and covers the technical aspects of the production. The commentary doesn’t seem very spontaneous, but I’m sure it’s not easy talking nonstop for 90 minutes by yourself.

20 minutes of Deleted Scenes and an Extended Ending (with or without commentary):

These are the rare deleted scenes that are actually interesting, and that add to the movie (once you’ve seen it — beware of spoilers, if you haven’t) rather than being simply superfluous. The extended ending is a zinger and I honestly can’t understand why it was cut (despite Softley’s nebulous explanation) — it doesn’t change the ending at all, but it makes it more satisfying.

Featurettes:

Cleverly, all of these featurettes tie in to a specific scene or theme in the movie (everything from the gumbo to the Bourbon Street music scene).

Behind the Locked Door: The Making of Skeleton Key (5 min)

Softley, producer Daniel Bobker, screenwriter Ehren Kruger and stars Hudson, Rowlands, Hurt and Peter Sarsgaard offer sound bites from the set during the shoot on location in Louisiana.

Exploring Voodoo/Hoodoo (4 min)

Insights from the real deal: a voodoo Priestess named Mama Lola; a practitioner, Brandi Kelley; and initiate Princess Wekenon talk about the different aspects of their religion, while the curator of the Voodoo museum Cathy Smith explains the difference between voodoo and hoodoo.

Recipe & Ritual: Making the perfect gumbo (3 min)

Instructions on how to make the spicy Louisiana dish.

Blues in the Bayou (6 min)

Music supervisor Sara Lord, Softley, and actress Joy Bryant talk about the music used in The Skeleton Key. There isn’t much about the general history of the region’s music, though.

Kate Hudson's Ghost Story (2 min)

An early memory of Kate’s about her personal brush with a ghostly child. Not scary, but hey — not everyone has their own personal ghost story, so it’s fun.

Plantation Life (3.5 min)

Norman Marmillion and Stan and Irma Waguespack talk about the plantations they own, Laura and Felicity, both of which were used in the movie. They talk about not only the homes and the history, but their inhabitants and the different aspects of slavery that were so integral to plantation life.

Casting The Skeleton Key (9 min)

Self-explanatory.

John Hurt’s Story (3.5 min)

Hurt reads a narrative written by a former slave who lived and worked on the Louisiana plantations.

A House Called Felicity (3 min)

Cast and crew talk about working on location.

Gena Love Spell (1 min)

Rowlands shares the ingredients of a voodoo love spell — be sure and have plenty of honey and sugar on hand!

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson

• More on The Skeleton Key –

Interviews with Kate Hudson, John Hurt and Gena Rowlands, Iain Softley, and Peter Sarsgaard

Red Carpet Premiere