Session 9 (2001)

August 13, 2023 6:10 PM

[TRAILER] Tensions rise within an asbestos cleaning crew as they work in an abandoned mental hospital with a horrific past that seems to be coming back.

Starring Peter Mullen, David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Brendan Sexton III.

Directed by Brad Anderson. Written by Brad Anderson and Stephen Gevedon.

66% on Rotten Tomatoes.

JustWatch.

posted by DirtyOldTown (20 comments total)

There's a reason this is everyone's pocket horror recommendation.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:13 PM on August 13, 2023 [9 favorites]

I'm shocked this hasn't been posted before. Love this one.
posted by miss-lapin at 7:41 PM on August 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

There was a dead period of, I want to say... several years where it was not available streaming. I bought in on Google Play when it came back in spring, but had not watched it again until today.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:20 PM on August 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

...the scene where the lights in the tunnel start going out...
posted by mrphancy at 9:07 PM on August 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

There have been something like three horror movies that wigged me out proper; the "jump scare" kind of thing doesn't really get to me, and not even all psychological horror gets to me. There usually has to be some kind of imagery combined with the psychology that gets under my skin.

So it's Us, 28 Days Later, and this.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:44 AM on August 14, 2023 [2 favorites]

I remember this being damned good, but I couldn't tell you why - like the details were absorbed and buried. For some reason when I picture it I see over-saturated VHS stock, but a quick check shows it's 24fps HD digital video...

It was recommended by someone after I told them how good the Shalebridge Cradle level of Thief: Deadly Shadows was - a (mostly) abandoned asylum turned orphanage.

I can't see David Caruso's name without remembering South Park's dig at him in their first episode; Kyle urges his brother Ike to jump from the open cargo-bay door of a hovering alien spaceship by saying, "Quick, Ike, do your impersonation of David Caruso's career" - Session 9 must be the apogee of the bounce upon landing then.
posted by Molesome at 4:18 AM on August 14, 2023 [2 favorites]

I think one of the reasons this movie hits so hard is that it manages to be pretty mysterious/spooky-in-an-unexplained-way until the last act, in which it wraps up cleanly and completely.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:16 AM on August 14, 2023 [3 favorites]

The first time I watched this I just sat on my bed and whimpered. Viscerally upsetting.
posted by orrnyereg at 6:02 AM on August 14, 2023 [2 favorites]

2001 was my movie year. I had moved to Tallahassee to get my Masters at FSU, and between all the work I managed to see a ton of movies. The very last film I saw there after graduating but before moving back to Jacksonville was this one. Jesus, what a note to end the year on.

I actually haven't watched it since because of certain plot elements that would strike me a lot differently twenty-two years later. But, man oh man, what an incredible film.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 8:44 AM on August 14, 2023

If a location could be given an award for its value to a film, like an Academy Award for Best Location, surely Danvers State Hospital would have won an Oscar for this.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:53 AM on August 14, 2023 [4 favorites]

oooh this is a good one, indeed. maybe time for a rewatch!
posted by supermedusa at 9:27 AM on August 14, 2023

With this film, I've made about 27% of all of the FF movie posts ever, lol.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:31 AM on August 14, 2023 [3 favorites]

How did you figure this out? I want to know my percentage!
posted by miss-lapin at 9:37 AM on August 14, 2023

I added up my number of FF movie posts (the long way, a while back; I update every few weeks) and I divided it by the number of FF movies (visible when you click into movies from the main FF page.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:43 AM on August 14, 2023

I don't even have 10%. Now I am depressed.
posted by miss-lapin at 9:51 AM on August 14, 2023 [1 favorite]

Have you considered being annoying and overbearing and filling up the front page with your personal bullshit?

Works for me.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:41 PM on August 14, 2023 [5 favorites]

I watched this movie alone, in a dark house, late at night, and after that final line just sat on that couch waiting to be less frightened. Absolutely perfectly done.
posted by Pope Guilty at 1:25 PM on August 14, 2023 [3 favorites]

I love this movie! It winds the tension tighter and tighter, as everyone gets more stressed and irritable… I love the premise, the sound design, the realistic working class characters instead of Vague Ungrounded Movie People… You’re making me want to watch it again right now.
posted by theatro at 5:51 PM on August 14, 2023 [5 favorites]

I think this might have been in the last dozen or so movies I rented from Blockbuster. I need to own a copy of it.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 7:37 PM on August 14, 2023 [1 favorite]

I don’t remember much about this movie, except a few shots. What has stuck with me is the almost unbearable feeling of dread they built. It doesn’t have a lot of scares, as I recall, just this looming mountain of dread.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:09 AM on August 16, 2023 [3 favorites]