Watch Tulpa

Tulpa is a psychological thriller film from 2012, directed by Federico Zampaglione. The movie follows the story of Lisa Boeri (Claudia Gerini), a successful businesswoman involved in the fashion industry. She is also a member of a secret club that practices sadomasochism, a way for her to cope with her stressful job and personal life. One day, Lisa starts seeing a figure that resembles a Tibetan tulpa, a creature that can be created and manipulated through meditation and visualization. As she struggles to understand what is happening to her, Lisa becomes aware of a mysterious killer who targets members of her club.

The film starts with a tense sequence featuring Lisa's initiation into the club. After that, the story follows her as she balances her corporate and personal life while exploring the world of BDSM. The director manages to create a convincing atmosphere of both glamour and danger, showing the audience the lavish parties and the secret dungeons of the club members. The cinematography and the music contribute to this atmosphere, with the camera often lingering on the opulent details of the settings and the soundtrack alternating between edgy electronic beats and eerie, slow melodies.

As Lisa delves deeper into the world of the club, she starts experiencing strange occurrences. She sees the tulpa figure looming in the shadows, staring at her from behind a glass door or suddenly appearing in her nightmares. At first, Lisa tries to ignore these visions, but soon they become too vivid and disturbing to ignore. The viewer is also introduced to a police detective, who is investigating the murders of the club members but seems more interested in Lisa's involvement with the organization.

The central tension of the movie revolves around Lisa's search for the tulpa's meaning and her realization that its origins might be linked to her own past. She visits a spiritual guide, who introduces her to the concept of tulpas, and a former club member with ties to the killer, who reveals some crucial information about the group's activities. However, Lisa's investigations put her in grave danger, and she finds herself confronting the killer in a final, adrenaline-fueled sequence that ties together all the loose threads of the plot.

The performances of the main cast are strong, with Claudia Gerini delivering a nuanced portrayal of Lisa's complex personality. Michela Cescon, who plays her friend and club colleague, is also noteworthy, with a performance that balances sensuality and menace. Ivan Franek, the actor who portrays the killer, is shrouded in mystery until the end but manages to convey a palpable sense of threat with his presence alone.

One of the strengths of Tulpa is its use of symbolism and allegory. The tulpa figure represents Lisa's inner desires and fears, a manifestation of her subconscious mind. The BDSM club can also be seen as a metaphor for the cutthroat nature of the fashion industry and the struggle for power and control. Even the tulpa's Tibetan origins can be interpreted as a comment on cultural appropriation and the way Western societies tend to exoticize and fetishize Eastern beliefs.

Overall, Tulpa is a stylish and suspenseful movie that combines elements of horror and psychological thriller genres. Its exploration of taboo subjects and its use of mystical concepts make it stand out from more conventional entries in the genre. While some viewers might find the ending ambiguous or unsatisfying, the movie succeeds in keeping the tension high and the audience on the edge of their seats.

Tulpa is a 2013 thriller with a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7.