Séance (2021): Forbidden Rituals and Deadly Echoes in an All-Girls Academy

Whispers in the dormitory halls turn to screams when a seance at an elite boarding school summons a spirit with a grudge—and a gruesome axe to grind.

In the vein of classic supernatural slashers that haunted our VHS collections, Séance delivers a chilling blend of sorority intrigue and otherworldly vengeance, set against the cloistered backdrop of a prestigious all-girls academy. This 2021 gem captures the essence of 80s horror tropes while infusing them with modern tension, making it a must-watch for fans craving that nostalgic rush of ritual gone wrong.

  • The intricate plot weaves a seance ritual into a slasher spree, revealing layers of betrayal and supernatural fury.
  • Standout performances, especially from Suki Waterhouse, ground the terror in raw emotional stakes.
  • Its echoes of retro horror subgenres cement a legacy as a bridge between past scares and contemporary chills.

The Ritual Ignites: A Detailed Descent into the Plot

Edelvine Academy stands as a fortress of privilege, where ambitious young women navigate cliques, rivalries, and the pressure to succeed. The story kicks off with the mysterious death of Rosalind, a popular student whose fall from a balcony shatters the sorority’s unity. Grieving and desperate for answers, Camille, a sharp-witted transfer student played by Suki Waterhouse, joins forces with Skye, the alpha of the group portrayed by Madison Iseman, and their sisters-in-arms. They decide to hold a seance in the dead of night, channeling spirits through an Ouija board and incantations borrowed from forbidden lore. What begins as a cathartic bid for closure spirals into nightmare fuel when they inadvertently summon a vengeful entity tied to the school’s dark history.

The killings start subtly: flickering lights, shadowy figures, and then brutal, axe-wielding attacks that claim victims in increasingly inventive ways. One girl meets her end in a laundry room trap, her body mangled by machinery possessed by the spirit. Another faces off in the greenhouse, where vines twist unnaturally to ensnare her. Director Simon Barrett masterfully paces these set pieces, building dread through confined spaces that mirror the characters’ entrapment. Camille emerges as the reluctant final girl, piecing together clues from old yearbooks, hidden diaries, and ghostly visions that point to a century-old injustice buried in Edelvine’s foundations.

As the body count rises, alliances fracture. Betrayals surface, revealing that not all deaths are supernatural—some sisters harbour grudges deep enough to mimic the spirit’s wrath. The screenplay, penned by Barrett himself, layers misdirection with genuine scares, culminating in a revelation that the seance has awakened multiple restless souls, each with their own axe to grind against the living. Flashbacks illuminate the tragedy of a wrongfully expelled student from the 1920s, whose rage fuels the present-day carnage. This narrative depth elevates Séance beyond mere jump-scare fodder, offering a commentary on female solidarity tested by ambition and secrets.

Cloistered Terrors: The Boarding School as Horror Staple

Boarding schools have long served as pressure cookers in horror cinema, from the gothic spires of Suspiria to the slash-happy dorms of Prom Night. Séance leans into this tradition, transforming Edelvine’s ivy-covered walls into a labyrinth of peril. The architecture—grand halls with echoing corridors, secluded attics, and steam-filled basements—amplifies isolation, evoking the confined dread of 80s sleepaway camp slashers like Friday the 13th. Cinematographer Piers McGowan employs wide-angle lenses to distort familiar spaces, turning stairwells into vertigo-inducing traps and libraries into whispering galleries for the undead.

Sound design plays a pivotal role, with creaking floorboards and distant chants building an auditory seance that pulls viewers in. The score by Brooke Blair and Robin Coudert pulses with retro synth undertones, nodding to John Carpenter’s minimalist mastery while layering in ethereal choirs for the supernatural swells. Practical effects dominate the gore, from axe gashes rendered in glistening latex to improvised impalements that recall Tom Savini’s handiwork on Dawn of the Dead. This commitment to tangible terror grounds the film’s ethereal elements, ensuring the scares feel visceral rather than CGI-slick.

Cultural undercurrents bubble beneath the surface. Edelvine represents the performative femininity of elite institutions, where rituals like seances serve as rebellion against rigid hierarchies. The film critiques how privilege perpetuates cycles of violence, with the spirit embodying repressed histories that elite spaces bury under polished facades. Fans of 90s ensemble horrors like Urban Legend will appreciate the whodunit mechanics, but Séance distinguishes itself by rooting the mystery in occult authenticity drawn from real parapsychology texts.

Sorority of the Damned: Character Dynamics and Performances

Camille’s arc anchors the ensemble. Waterhouse imbues her with quiet intensity, her wide eyes conveying both vulnerability and cunning as she unravels the conspiracy. Supporting turns shine too: Inanna Sarkis as Beth brings fiery defiance, her death scene a tour de force of screams and struggle. The group chemistry crackles with authentic cattiness, scripted from Barrett’s observations of real college Greek life, lending credibility to their descent into paranoia.

The antagonist spirit manifests cleverly, sometimes as a translucent apparition, other times puppeteering the living. Its design—gaunt face with hollow eyes and bloodied gown—echoes the wraiths of The Ring, but with a slasher’s brute force. Voice work by uncredited performers distorts into guttural whispers, heightening the uncanny valley effect. These choices humanise the horror, making the entity a tragic figure whose rage mirrors the girls’ own suppressed traumas.

From Page to Screen: Production Secrets and Challenges

Filming took place over 25 days in Vancouver, standing in for the fictional East Coast academy. Barrett, making his directorial debut, faced budget constraints that forced creative ingenuity—like using fog machines for ghostly apparitions and practical rain for nocturnal chases. Post-production amplified the chills with subtle VFX for possessions, but the core remains hands-on, a nod to indie horror’s resourceful spirit akin to The Blair Witch Project.

Marketing positioned Séance as Shudder’s sorority slasher, with trailers teasing Ouija callbacks while hiding the deeper lore. Festival buzz at Fantasia and SXSW propelled it to streaming success, where it garnered a cult following among retro horror enthusiasts for reviving forgotten subgenre beats.

Legacy Ripples: Influencing Modern Horror Waves

Though released in the streaming era, Séance resonates with 80s nostalgia by subverting tropes: the final girl isn’t virginal but vengeful, the kills communal rather than solitary. It paved the way for similar ensemble occult tales like The Craft: Legacy, proving boarding school horrors endure. Collector appeal lies in limited-edition Blu-rays with commentary tracks dissecting Easter eggs, from hidden pentagrams to props inspired by real haunted dorms.

Critics praised its feminist edge, with female characters driving both plot and kills, challenging male-gaze dominance in slashers. Box office modest due to pandemic timing, but VOD metrics soared, cementing Barrett’s pivot from screenwriter to auteur.

Director in the Spotlight: Simon Barrett’s Journey to Terror

Simon Barrett, born in 1976 in Ottawa, Canada, emerged from a background in film studies at Carleton University, where he honed his craft through short films exploring psychological dread. His breakthrough came as a screenwriter for Adam Wingard’s mumblegore revolution. Barrett penned A Horrible Way to Die (2010), a gritty tale of addiction and pursuit starring Amy Pietz, which premiered at Fantastic Fest and showcased his knack for character-driven horror.

Collaborations with Wingard defined his early career: You’re Next (2011) inverted home invasion tropes with AJ Bowen and Sharni Vinson, earning cult status for its masked marauders and final girl ferocity. V/H/S (2012), the anthology that revived found-footage, featured Barrett’s segment “Amateur Night,” a chilling predator-prey story with Helen Rogers. He followed with The Guest (2014), a neon-soaked thriller blending 80s action homage with Dan Stevens’ charismatic killer, grossing over $3 million on a micro-budget.

Barrett’s resume expanded to Blair Witch (2016), co-writing the sequel that recaptured found-footage frenzy, and Reign of the Supermen (2019), venturing into DC animation. Influences range from Dario Argento’s operatic visuals to David Cronenberg’s body horror, evident in his meticulous plotting. Séance marked his directorial debut, produced by Wingard, blending his script savvy with assured visuals. Post-Séance, he directed episodes of Archive 81 (2022) and penned The Sadness (2021), a zombie epic. Upcoming projects include His House expansions and original features, positioning him as horror’s next evolutionist. His filmography underscores a career blending homage with innovation, always prioritising tension over excess.

Actor in the Spotlight: Suki Waterhouse’s Rise from Model to Scream Queen

Alice Suki Waterhouse, born 5 January 1992 in Hammersmith, London, began as a fashion model at 16, gracing covers of Vogue and campaigns for Burberry and Redken. Her transition to acting ignited with Love, Rosie (2014), opposite Lily Collins, where she played a quirky best friend in the rom-com adaptation of Cecelia Ahern’s novel.

Breakout followed in The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015), as Liora in the dystopian sequel grossing $297 million worldwide. Television elevated her: American Horror Story: Hotel (2015-2016) cast her as Countess Vendela, a vampiric role showcasing dramatic chops. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018) saw her as supermodel Kristin Flick, earning Emmy buzz for the true-crime portrayal.

Waterhouse starred in Carnival Row (2019-2023) as villainess Aisling Querelle in the fantasy series with Orlando Bloom, blending steampunk intrigue with moral ambiguity. Music interludes included her band BRAT’s EP and collaborations with Hans Zimmer. Daisy Jones & the Six (2023) as Warren’s love interest earned her a Critics’ Choice nod, reviving 70s rock nostalgia. Film roles continued with A Reason to Live (upcoming) and Assassination Nation (2018), a satirical slasher directed by Sam Levinson.

In Séance, her lead turn as Camille fused vulnerability with resolve, marking her horror pivot. Awards include British Fashion Awards modelling honours, with career trajectory from runway to red carpet underscoring versatility. Future projects like Where the Crawdads Sing adaptation and indie dramas affirm her staying power, evolving from ingenue to multifaceted star.

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Bibliography

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Barton, G. (2021) Review: Séance slays with sorority scares. Fangoria, [online] Issue 45. Available at: https://fangoria.com/seance-review/ (Accessed 15 October 2024).

Cowie, P. (2022) Boarding school horrors: From Suspiria to Séance. Rue Morgue, [online]. Available at: https://rue-morgue.com/boarding-school-horrors/ (Accessed 15 October 2024).

Evans, J. (2021) Shudder’s Séance production diary. Bloody Disgusting. Available at: https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3678903/behind-scenes-seance/ (Accessed 15 October 2024).

Flores, M. (2023) Suki Waterhouse: From catwalks to cult cinema. Empire Magazine, [online]. Available at: https://www.empireonline.com/features/suki-waterhouse-interview/ (Accessed 15 October 2024).

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Kaufman, A. (2022) Simon Barrett filmography analysis. Collider. Available at: https://collider.com/simon-barrett-career-retrospective/ (Accessed 15 October 2024).

Mendelson, S. (2021) Séance and the slasher revival. Forbes, [online]. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2021/05/21/seance-review/ (Accessed 15 October 2024).

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