Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (review)

What got me first was the cover: bright red with silver letters disclosing terrified eyes. Then there was the title: Silver Nitrate. I was intrigued. Then I saw that the author was Silvia Moreno-Garcia and that sealed the deal. I had to buy it. I have read a couple of books by her: Mexican Gothic, and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, both of which I enjoyed. I guess you would classify these books as horror, but I would not call them really frightening reads, more like disturbing with a side of horror, yet with well-developed characters and plot. Is there such a genre as “literary horror?” Probably. There is a genre for just about everything. But that is how I think of her books, sort of high-class horror.

Silver nitrate was a type of movie film that was the standard until the 1950’s when safety film was introduced. Silver nitrate film was a superior product in many ways giving vivid projections to the screen. Unfortunately, silver nitrate film was extremely flammable and had a nasty habit of self-combusting, destroying the film and whatever or whoever else happened to be around.

Montserat and Tristan are the main characters. Montserat is a sound editor for a small film studio and Tristan is an actor. They are both down on their luck. Montserat, a woman trying to navigate the male dominated world of sound editing in Mexico in the 1990’s. Tristan had been in a car accident years ago which left him scarred and he was blamed for the death of a beloved actress, which had pretty much shut down his career.

Montserat and Tristan had been friends since childhood where she dragged him to every horror movie she could get into (she covered his eyes at the scary parts). She has always had an affinity for horror movies. I suspect Moreno-Garcia loved horror films as a child (as I did). This novel is in part a love letter to old horror movies.

But it is also a dark fantasy. Our two characters come into possession of a reel of film. The silver nitrate print is of an unfinished horror movie from the 1960’s that was thought to be lost. They run afoul of several parties trying to use magic associated with the film: NAZIs, cultists, egomaniacs, and weirdos. Yes, they are in deep doodoo. Both our main characters are flawed but intriguing. They find they have many enemies and few allies. You often hear the term “movie magic” but here it is taken literally. And as silver is often associated with magic, what better medium to cast your spell on than silver nitrate film.

The web of intrigue converges on our heroes as the mystery of what is going on is slowly revealed. I didn’t want the story to end. Come to think of it, this novel would make a good horror flick. Maybe they should shoot it on silver nitrate film.

Star Liner

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