Upamanyu Biswas
During a night out in the Catskill Mountains, seven college friends stay in a mansion with hidden secrets in the supernatural horror film ‘Tarot.‘ After stumbling across an ancient tarot card deck in a secluded room within the mansion, the group decides to have their fortunes read as they celebrate Elise’s birthday, not knowing the consequences of their actions. Soon, the group members begin to die one after the other as a series of mysterious entities eerily resembling the figures in their respective cards haunt them. As the movie progresses, the mansion in the Catskills hosts a pivotal confrontation as they try to resolve the curse that is trying to kill them, playing a significant role in the conclusion of the film’s narrative!
The Catskill Mansion is Not an Actual Mansion
The mansion in the Catskills of New York State in ‘Tarot’ is a fictional spot created by writer-director duo Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg. While staying in a rented mansion during a birthday celebration, Haley, Grant, Paxton, Paige, Madeline, Lucas, and Elise discover old astrological artifacts lying dormant and collecting dust inside a somewhat concealed room. The odd bits and trinkets only interest the crew once they run across an antique tarot card box stored behind a glass case. Consequently, the house’s history and shadowy aesthetic host a tarot reading, sparking an occult curse to take hold over all the members of the group. Therefore, the mansion plays an integral and specific role in the narrative: the introduction of the themes of astrology and divination.
Although the place is fiction, mansions in the Catskills are often located in prime secluded sites that are perfect for getting away from the chaos of civilization. Estates and villas are lavishly constructed as vacation spots for those looking to avail themselves of these services. For instance, the Catskills Mountain House is a cozy cabin that operates as a retreat for family, friends, and couples who wish to disconnect from their everyday existence and explore the natural diversity and quaint public shops and towns in the Catskills. Haley and her friends use their mansion for a similar purpose, exercising their wanton freedom and their youth by staying, drinking, and partying together. However, the fictional mansion is a much bigger, palatial estate with a deeply rooted history, as evidenced by the artifacts stored within.
‘Tarot’ was primarily filmed in Belgrade, Serbia, while additional photography took place in Boston, Massachusetts, specifically for the Maurice J. Tobin Memorial Bridge. The backdrop of the mansion was likely brought to life in Belgrade through a combination of studio sets and on-location shooting. Ultimately, the mansion ties into the lore crafted within the narrative to explain the roots of its astrological and horror phenomena. In one of the scenes, it is hinted that the mansion’s owners may have gotten their hands on the tarot card set during an auction in Manhattan fifteen years before the film’s events. Thus, its existence helps bring a sense of realism through the contextual narratives presented despite being a fictional mansion that cannot be found in reality.
Read More: Tarot: How Does Paxton Stay Alive?
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