The Lift
1983
Director: Dick Maas
Stars: Huub Stapel, Willeke van Ammelrooy, Josine van Dalsum
Reviewed by Brian M. Sammons
Elevators (or lifts if you are outside the U.S.) are scary. No, really, you don’t have to suffer from claustrophobia to feel that way. You’re basically standing in a closet, sometimes with strangers, while you mock the law of gravity. If something goes wrong you can be stuck in there for hours, days, or longer, powerless to do anything about it, at the whim of strangers to save you…or not. Much like a shower, you can be cornered with no easy escape if a threat blocks the only exit. Why do you think De Palma uses an elevator for his Psycho rip off, er, homage, Dressed to Kill? Many horror authors and filmmakers recognize this and have used elevators to good effect in their novels and films, but an entire movie about a deadly elevator? Could that work for 90 minutes or more? Well let’s take a ride on this Dutch import from 1983 and writer/director Dick (Amsterdamned) Maas.
First, for those who hate subtitles, either they’re too hard to read or you don’t like reading in general, this movies comes in its original Dutch with English subtitles and an alternate English-dubbed track. So either way, you’re covered. As for the story, one night lightning strikes a building and a high-tech computer goes haywire. Wait, isn’t this the plot to Chopping Mall? Well, it is, but it is also why normal elevators become bloodthirsty. But credit where credit is due: this movie came out three years before Chopping Mall. Anyway in this high-rise the three elevators everyone depends on start killing people. Thankfully a mechanic for the elevator company lives in the building and starts looking into the “accidents,” but keeps running into various roadblocks by the boss all along the way. Hmmm, can you say conspiracy? Aiding the mechanic in his quest is a plucky reporter, but can the two uncover the mystery of the homicidal lifts?
The direction by Dick Maas is his usual blend of horror and humor without becoming so broad as to fall into the category of horror/comedy. Huub Stapel, also from Maas’ Amsterdamned, is great in here as the everyday, family man hero. I also really liked the fact that he teams up with a beautiful lady reporter but there was no romantic tension forced into the movie. There are some inventive ways for the elevators to mess with and kill folks, even if some of the ways don’t make sense. How does an elevator get so hot as to cook people? But whatever, it’s fun and not to be taken too seriously. It is about a killer lift, after all.
Let’s get to those extras Blue Underground gave us in this Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. First some physical goodies, like a reversible cover and a full-color collector’s booklet. So few companies bother with those anymore, it was nice to see it here. Now for the on-disc goodies; there is an audio commentary track with writer/director Dick Maas and editor Hans van Dongen. There is a nine-minute interview with star Huub Stapel. There is an extra short film by Dick Maas called “Long Distance” from 2003 that is four minutes long. There are both the Dutch and U.S. trailers and the ever-present poster and still gallery.
The Lift is a fun man vs. machine movie that’s funny, creepy, ridiculous, and well made. “Serious” horror fans may have some problems with it, but if you can go with the central premise of killer elevators you’ll have a lot of fun with this movie. I am anything but serious so I can easily recommend it.
