Since its initial release back in 2011,The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimhas become renowned for being one of themost re-released games of all time. Despite this, it seems fans of the enduring fantasy RPG still can’t seem to get enough of the game’s atmospheric setting, bloody combat and compelling quests. For those looking to delve into something similar – minus the countless hours of commitment, of course –The Spine of Nightis definitely worth checking out. An incredibly gruesome fantasy epic with elements of horror,The Spine of Nightis an animated film beautifully brought to life through the art of rotoscoping, and is currently available to watch on Shudder.
Rotoscoping is a technique in which live-action footage is manually traced over to create a realistic and notably distinctive style of animation. For reference, legendary animator Ralph Bakshi frequently employed this method of filmmaking, with his 1978 adaptation ofThe Lord of the Ringsstanding out as perhaps the most widely-known example of this.The Spine of Nightproves the art form is alive and well, with its striking animation pairing perfectly with its ultraviolentworld of swords and sorcery. UnlikeSkyrim, however,The Spine of Night has flown somewhat under the radar since it was released in 2021 – but has all the makings of a cult classic.
What is The Spine of Night About?
The Spine of Nightweaves a sprawling yarn of gods, kings, tyrants and sorcerers, with its story spanning an unknown – but presumably vast – amount of time. The movie primarily centers its focus on a group of disparate characters, both heroic and villainous, and how their interactions with an immensely powerful flower imbued with godlike power – known as the Bloom – reshape the world around them, informing their own personal quests. The story also explores the origins of the Bloom and fleshes out the lore of theimpressively realized world it takes place in. When asked aboutthe film’s refreshing narrative structure, co-creatorMorgan Galen King told Borrowing Tape:
I’m also a huge fan of Walter M. Miller Jr’s “A Canticle for Leibowitz,” and the unconventional structure of that epoch-jumping narrative form felt like the perfect approach to emphasize the smallness of the characters in contrast with the vastness of the cosmos.
The movie boasts an impressive amount of voice acting talent, with Lucy Lawless and Richard E. Grant playing two of the story’s central characters – the swamp-dwelling queen Tzod and the mysterious Guardian of the Bloom, respectively. Also featured in the cast are Betty Gabriel, Patton Oswalt and Joe Manganiello, as well as several other talented voice actors.
How is The Spine of Night Like Skyrim?
In the opening minutes ofThe Spine of Night, the movie charts Tzod’s arduous journey across a snowy, mountainous landscape in an effort to reach an impossibly large skull, within which the Guardian stands watch over the Bloom. In this moment, it’s hard not to be reminded of the Dragonborn’s grueling ascent of the Throat of the World and its Seven Thousand Steps in order toreach the monastery at High Hrothgar. This only scratches the surface of the similarities betweenThe Spine of NightandSkyrim, however.
First and foremost, both of these fantasy tales areconsiderably more violent than most of their ilk.Skyrimallows players to approach combat in whichever way they see fit, but there’s no denying that its bloody swordplay and the ability to kill NPCs at will make it a game very much aimed at an adult audience. Similarly,The Spine of Night’s violence is often so extreme that it puts most horror movies to shame. This is emphasized by the movie’s rotoscoped animation, which lends a certain ‘uncanny valley’ quality to the movie that makes its gore all the more disturbing. In a similar vein, Bethesda’s RPGs are renowned for their bizarre – but endearing nonetheless – NPCs, with their stiff animations and facial expressions landing firmly in the uncanny valley.
In spite of its 90-minute running time,TheSpine of Nightalso manages to make itslore feel dense, and its world lived in, sharing a lot of iconography and plot elements withSkyrim. Both heavily feature magical tomes, various distinct factions, gods, rituals and religions – all tied together with an impressive score.
What did critics say about The Spine of Night?
Considering its relatively niche target audience and throwback feel,The Spine of Nighthas enjoyed a surprising amount of critical praise – though it appears thatfilm critics appreciate the moviemore than general audiences. The film currently sits at 81% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 70 reviews, while its audience score is slightly lower at 61%. The site’s ‘Critic’s Consensus’ reads:
With a hard fantasy story that stands in service of its eye-catching animation,The Spine of Nightis a distinctive treat for genre enthusiasts.
The Spine of Nighthas received praise largely for its beautiful visuals and retro art style, as well as its trippy atmosphere and unconventional style of storytelling. Empire Magazine’s Kambole Campbell awarded the filmfour out of five stars, stating that:
The Spine of Night is here to satiate the cravings of those who miss a particular brand of animated storytelling, updated with psychedelic fervor and plenty of extra-gnarly bloodshed.
All in all,The Spine of Nightis sure to strike a chord with those looking to indulge in afresh, unique fantasy settingafter beatingSkyrimfor the tenth time. The movie can be found on the horror streaming service Shudder, or can alternatively be rented or bought on Amazon Prime Video.
Skyrim
WHERE TO PLAY
Skyrim is a beloved game for a reason. There is so much to do in the game, and with the new anniversary updates, even veteran players will have a fresh experience if they haven’t played it in a few years. The modding community around the game is beyond active with some fans even using Skyrim’s foundations to rebuild previous entries into the Elder Scrolls series.Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition brings the epic fantasy to life in stunning detail. The Special Edition includes the critically acclaimed game and add-ons with all-new features like remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections, and more.Skyrim Special Edition also brings the power of Bethesda Game Studios Creations to PC and consoles. New quests, environments, characters, dialogue, armor, weapons and more – with Creations, there are no limits to what you can experience.
