With The Presence writer/director Tom Provost is trying to something different within the realm of ghost stories. The story itself isn’t unusual, but the premise is. The central plot revolves around a woman (Mira Sorvino) who has returned to an isolated cabin that she visited frequently as a child to work on her writing. But the house isn’t as empty as it appears. A ghost (Shane West) lingers in the shadows, bound to the place by some sense of guilt or requirement. When the woman’s boyfriend (Justin Kirk) arrives the ghost’s somber influence causes the woman’s behavior to become unpredictable and irrational.
Where The Presence attempts to set itself apart is that the ghost is presented living alone in the cabin long before the woman (she isn’t given a name) arrives. In fact there isn’t any dialogue in the film for the first 15 or so minutes and through out the movie there are stretches of silence. Fortunately the film features some stunning cinematography. Still, there are times when the film moves so slowly that even the gorgeous landscape can’t keep the film from feeling a bit boring. It’s never quite as psychologically intriguing as it needs to be and Provosts deliberate commitment to being vague doesn’t help the situation. It’s one of those rare occasions where the director might be trusting his audience’s ability to fill in the gaps a bit too much. Still, there are some good ideas at work here. If you’re looking for a different kind of ghost story The Presence is worth a look.
The DVD release includes an insightful audio commentary by Provost. He’s a little to eager to point out his mistakes but his candid honesty is nonetheless appreciated. There is also a nice making-of featurette and a collection of storyboards with commentary from Provost and editor Cecily Rhett.