'Strawberry Mansion' is a science fiction fantasy film depicting a dystopian future where dreams are taxed and invaded by advertising. Government agent James Preble embarks on a new case where he must audit the dreams of ageing artist Arabella Isadora, stored in an extensive VHS library. On exploring the artists subconscious, Preble finds himself falling for the young woman in the dreams.
The film starts with Preble dreaming, showing his subconscious invaded by Buddy, a pushy individual who satisfies Preble's hunger by providing and advertising a brand-recognizable fast-food item and beverage. After waking, he uploads his dream and is subsequently taxed. Preble then travels to Arabella Isadora's house, who had apparently invited him to review her tax position, as she had not reviewed her financial state over the last several years.
On spending time with the eccentric artist, Preble begins to fall for young Arabella in her dreams. After dining with Arabella in the waking world, Preble and the artist discuss the nature of dreams, with Arabella revealing to Preble that peoples dreams are being invaded by advertising, with her also showing Preble a helmet she had designed to prevent the unwanted messages. As Preble carries on his audit, Arabella passes away, and her son Peter soon arrives and makes it clear that he does not want his mother's message to get out, as it is revealed he is the CEO of the company responsible for the advertising in peoples dreams.
Peter proceeds to subdue Preble, who falls unconscious and dreams of Arabella, and the two grow closer. Later on, Arabella tries to get Preble to return to the waking world, as Peter has left him at the house unconscious and set the building on fire. Through a taxing journey in his dream world, Preble manages to escape his own subconscious with the help of Arabella and escapes the burning building. The film then closes on Preble and Arabella reconnecting and walking off in the distance together.
'Strawberry Mansion' is a vivid fantasy that combines a brightly polychromatic design with an ever-changing narrative that manages to maintain a strong baseline at it's core, namely the story of Preble and Arabella. The design of the film is a visual treat, providing surreal sequences, veering from the nightmarish to the psychedelic, expressing and underscoring the ups and downs of Preble's discovery of the marketing conspiracy and in his shared journey with Arabella.
The film succeeds in maintaining a strong narrative throughout, showing the blossoming relationship between Preble and Arabella, delivering sincere and heartfelt moments as they escape daring situations and get to spend time together by themselves on their dream island. The film masterfully intersperses the budding romance with surreal imagery, consistently showing the development of the relationship as Preble comes to fall for Arabella and she helps him escape death.
In part, the movie also explores the uninvited implantation of ads into peoples dreams. It serves well as a comment on the ever-shrinking sphere that individuals can exist in, uninterrupted by unsolicited and intrusive commercial interference. Arabella informs Preble of the truth, and together the pair strive to carry the message forward, with the strong connection between Bella and Preble ultimately granting Preble the ability to overcome his injuries and survive the house fire to spread the word on the unorthodox commercial practices. The film doesn't hide behind subtle nods or vague suggestions towards its message about unwanted authoritative figures encroaching on an individuals innermost and private thoughts, presenting the intrusion as an absolute evil and vilifying the practice through presenting it as a single annoying embodiment of malice through the character of 'Bobby' - the irritating 'friend' figure that continuously crops up in Preble's dreams.
The film delivers stellar performances from Kentucker Audley as James Preble and Penny Fuller and Grace Glowicki portraying Arabella and young Bella respectively. The actors are fully committed and deliver staunch performances of excitable and genuinely invested individuals seeking to solve the mysteries that lay before them and in exploring the developing relationship before them. Audley depicts a straight-laced government employee through Preble who grows as a person and reveals his more sensitive side through going on an adventure with Glowicki's Bella. In turn, Glowicki provides a capable and intriguing companion for Preble as she assists the tax-man in exploring his subconscious and helps bring forth his true nature. Together, Audley and Glowicki provide for a fun and earnest performance that serves as a strong backbone to the trippy and often disorienting film.
'Strawberry Mansion' is a bizarre movie that explores the development of an exciting romance whilst also commenting on the illegal and uninvited supplementation of advertising into peoples dreams. Through the use of a vivid colour palette, surreal scenarios and other-worldly imagery, the film presents a simple story as accentuated by bizarre happenings and at times nightmarish scenes, tying everything together with an overarching story of love that delivers genuine emotion and a sweet conclusion to an unconventional and pleasantly offbeat film.
Score: 3/4
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