Black Circle (Svart Cirkel) - Glasgow FrighFest 2019

I suppose the abiding memory of Black Circle will probably be that it is Christina Lindberg’s first film in many years. Playing an academic Lena whose father years before released an LP through his institute that when listened to enabled the listener to make their life better. It’s very trippy and dippy playing on the psychedelic trends of that era. Much of it was nonsense, some of it wasn’t.

There’s a cost to listening to the LP, and a deal to settle. We know what these deals usually entail but in Black Circle it’s much more insidious and interesting. Lena has to deal with the legacy of her father and is tracked down by two sisters Celeste and Isa (Felice Jankell and Erica Midfäll respectively) who listened to the record and are now having very strange experiences.

And it all started so upbeat with Celeste visiting Isa at her place of work and being taken by how much she has changed. looking well, happy and full of confidence in her new job Isa says it’s all down to a self-help album from the 70’s ‘Magnetic Hypnosis’ and suggests Celeste gives it a listen but be aware that there are specific instructions to keep to. Not exactly in a purple patch and having problems with her studies, judging there is nothing to lose, Celeste does.

However, Isa is now on a downturn, her earlier confidence eroding as she starts to see things. A few steps behind Celeste is also having her difficulties and her share of phenomena. The only course of action is to seek out Lena.

Writer and director Adrián García Bogliano is possibly drawing on the current fetish for vinyl and its past associations with alleged secret messages, so the fundamental premise is solid. As is the idea to turn exorcism around on its head as they grapple with what has been unleashed.

The small budget is obvious though putting that aside it is a bit languorous and there’s a fair amount of gobbledygook spoken which tries the patience. All credit to the cast for dealing with it though Lindberg’s character spouting out didactic directives to the sisters comes over as matronly and a touch comical at times.