I was thrilled when an advanced screener of Ten Doors came across my desk because I hadn’t seen anything from Gordy Price since 2016’s The Devil’s Door. He’s kept up with the “door” theme now in 2022 as he gears up to release his next picture, Ten Doors, which was co-created by fellow film-maker James Person. The film deals with themes of reincarnation, purgatory, soulmates, beings of fate and the Gates of Hell. A collaboration between Full Access Films, Film Pro and Chapter 11 Films, Ten Doors stars Gordy Price, Shelley Novak, Amber Leigh, James Shiels, Alex Michalos, Kera O’Bryon and Walter Smith. It’s certainly a wild, diabolical ride that brings up many questions in regard to our own mortality.
Ten Doors was written, directed, edited and executively produced by Gordy Price and James Person. Person also jumped in on cinematography and C. Wade Harrington helped with editing. Ten Doors is a shining example of why it’s so important to have the right team, especially in the world of independent cinema. Not that I didn’t like Price’s previous feature, but it was definitely rough around the edges. Ten Doors, though, serves as a rebirth to his career as it’s leaps and bounds more polished and professional looking than his previous venture. The camera work is better, the narrative is better, the acting and special effects are great and the locations round it all out in an enchanting way. While I’m sure Price has grown as a film-maker in the last 6 years, I must give an applause to James Person as well for his parts in creating this movie and possibly taking it to the next level.
It’s hard to slap a genre label on Ten Doors because it’s marketed as a horror film, but it’s a lot deeper than that. The originality and off-the-wall story set it aside from typical horror troupes. While it’s keen on including scary elements and blood blood blood, it also thrives as a supernatural thriller. Again, it’s not your typical horror narrative and you’re not going to know what to expect next. It’s full of “what the fuck did I just watch” moments and I mean that in an endearing way. Ten Doors has an average body count (or kill count, whatever), but it’s also visually stunning on several occasions. Primarily the woman in white walking through the garden and a death scene involving a cross.
My only real criticisms are the lighting/picture quality at night and that I felt that some scenes lingered way too long before moving on. Ten Doors is going to be an example of why I give an indie film a good score and give movies like Jurassic World Dominion a lousy score. When you see a blockbuster, you expect to be transported to another world and when you don’t get that experience, it’s hard to enjoy. When you review an indie film, you’re watching something that flourished based on sheer will, determination and grassroots effort. I can’t knock Ten Doors for not being the next big Oscar winner, especially when there’s so much to appreciate in terms of growth, story and visuals. Ten Doors is an author’s love story with death… even though she doesn’t know it yet. Hard hitting, demented and surprisingly uncomfortable, this is one of the easiest reviews I’ve done all year!
Final Score: 7 out of 10
