The Spine of Night (2021) RLJE Films
Directed By: Philip Gelatt, Morgan Galen King
Starring: Richard E. Grant, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Breen, Larry Fessenden
Plot Summary: THE SPINE OF NIGHT, an epic fantasy tale about the history of a land that never was, begins when an ambitious young man steals forbidden knowledge from a sacred plant. He falls to its darker temptations and in doing so, unleashes ages of suffering onto mankind. As his power grows over the years, it falls to people of different ilk and culture to attempt to stop him. Among those who stand against him are a daring tomb-robber, star-crossed lovers, a maniacal necromancer, winged assassins, and an undying guardian.
High fantasy animation aimed squarely at a hard-R-rated adult audience has been making a comeback in recent years. From the outset, The Spine of Night is certainly a film that will not be for everyone. Indeed, I would even go as far as to say that it’s made for a very specific niche group. Filmmakers Philip Gelatt and Morgan King craft an impressive animation feature which harkens back to long D&D sessions with friends, ‘80s animation like Heavy Metal (1981), and specifically, the films of the legendary Ralph Bakshi. Narrative-wise, Spine is on the complicated side. This is again where if you aren’t used to this kind of mythic storytelling, you may feel overwhelmed.
You have to give the filmmakers credit for really taking this love letter to Bakshi and fully embracing it. Therefore, the movie does not shy away from gore and nudity. Though, considering the comic and old-school animation roots, I was glad that they didn’t play it safe. It reminded me of the kind of edgy animation that got me interested in the artform, with things like Aeon Flux (1991-95) and HBO’s Spawn series (1997-99). Even dubious reviews cannot deny just how beautiful this movie looks with a scope and scale that is fitting to this kind of large-scale story. Vast and at times breathtaking landscapes and locales truly make for a feast to the eyes. I cannot overstate just how beautiful this film looks. Not to mention a truly stellar voice cast. Richard E. Grant, Patton Oswalt and even cult filmmaker Larry Fessenden are but a sample of the great talent bringing this film to life.
The Spine of Night will not be for everybody. However, for those who love and embrace geek culture and epic myth making storytelling this should be considered a must-watch.
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Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.
