Dahlia Gillespie (film)

Template:SH Character (film)

"Dahlia" refers to multiple subjects. See Dahlia for more uses.

“

Only the Dark One opens and closes the door to Silent Hill. —Dahlia regarding Dark Alessa and the Otherworld.

”

Dahlia Gillespie is the biological mother of Alessa Gillespie, first appearing in the Silent Hill film and Silent Hill: Revelation. In the canon of Silent Hill, she is the sister of Christabella, however, this is likely changed in Revelation.

Biography

Dahlia was a member of a religious cult led by Christabella based out of Silent Hill, West Virginia, which appears to worship a female deity. A small shrine to this deity can be seen in Dahlia's apartment, which overlooks Nathan Drugs.

When Dahlia was 24, she gave birth to an illegitimate child named Alessa, whose father she refused to name. Because of this, Alessa was ostracized by the townspeople and was considered to be a witch and "sin incarnate". This weighed heavily on Dahlia, who loved her child, but was unable to stop the machinations of the Brethren.

In November 1974, Alessa was sexually assaulted by the school janitor and Dahlia was called to the school to take her home. When she arrived, Christabella tried to convince Dahlia that Alessa was "filth" that must be "purified". Dahlia agreed and Alessa was taken to the sacrificial chamber located in the Grand Hotel. In the hotel, Christabella asked Dahlia to leave, saying "We fight the sin, not the sinner", and dragged a screaming Alessa through the secret doorway.

Dahlia reacting to the sight of her burned daughter.

Dahlia realized she had been tricked, and that the cult intended to kill her child, and ran to get the police, returning sometime later, only to find Alessa shackled onto a large iron seal, still alive with third degree burns over her entire body. Dahlia screamed at the sight and was dragged away by the police, while officer Thomas Gucci removed Alessa from her shackles and carried her to Brookhaven Hospital.

Later on, Dahlia was brought into Alessa's Otherworld and was forced to live with the horrific monsters conjured by her daughter's rage. She was cast out of the cult, which comprised the sole remaining people living in the Alessa's alternate world and was looked on with disdain by their members. 30 years later, Dahlia appears to be very haggard and unclean, wearing old rags, with matted, unwashed hair and long, dirty toenails and fingernails. Despite this, she was the only one not to be attacked by the creatures.

Silent Hill

Rose Da Silva, a woman who has become trapped in the alternate reality, first comes into contact with Dahlia when she finds herself at a steep drop-off which signals the end of the Fog World. Dahlia tells Rose about the child she lost, and then becomes upset when she sees a picture of Rose's daughter Sharon in her locket. She tells Rose that Sharon is her child, and tries to take the locket from her. Rose becomes frightened and knocks Dahlia to the ground before running off.

Dahlia is later seen in the hotel, trying to avoid rocks being thrown at her by a young cult member named Anna. Anna tries to attack Dahlia with a knife, but Rose and officer Cybil Bennett stop her. Dahlia reminds Anna that the current situation of Silent Hill is the cult's doing and runs off before Rose can question her. Anna informs Rose and Cybil that Dahlia was cast out by the cult and that "not even the darkness wants her". After air raid sirens sound through the town, the three women arrive at the local church to find Dahlia on the steps, trying to speak to the cult members. Dahlia grabs Cybil and warns her not to go into the church, telling her the cult members are "damned". Rose then confronts Dahlia, demanding to know why Sharon is identical to Alessa and if Alessa is dead. Dahlia cryptically tells her "Evil wakes in vengeance, be careful what you choose." The Darkness then overtakes the town, and Anna is slain by Pyramid Head after she tries to throw another rock at Dahlia.

Dahlia tries to shield Sharon from the cultists.

The missing Sharon is found hiding in Dahlia's apartment towards the end of the film and is kidnapped by cult members as Dahlia tries to defend her. Both of them are taken to the church, where Dahlia is knocked unconscious by a cult member with a wooden log. She awakens as Alessa's tainted essence bleeds out of Rose and looks on in terror as Alessa and Dark Alessa (Alessa's dark side) rise into the church to take their final revenge. As the killing continues, Dahlia confronts Alessa, sadly asking her what has she become.

Once Alessa's revenge is completed, Dahlia is left alive on the church steps. She asks Rose why Alessa didn't take her with the others, to which Rose reminds her that she is still Alessa's mother, and "Mother is God in the eyes of a child". Dahlia then realizes that Sharon is now Alessa, and watches in shock as her child leaves the church with another mother.

Silent Hill: Revelation

File:Dahliainrevelation.jpg

Dahlia speaking to Heather.

Dahlia appears in Silent Hill: Revelation, the sequel to Silent Hill. Dahlia appears to have adapted her physical personality from the original game, rather than the ragged being she was in the first film.

Heather Mason, an older, renamed version of Sharon, meets Dahlia and accuses her of letting the Order, the new version of the first film's cult, burn Alessa. Dahlia sorrowfully denies this, stating that she loved her daughter dearly, but was tricked by the cult into giving her up. Heather asks about why the Order wants her. Dahlia explains that the Order wants to recombine Alessa's soul so they can force her to give birth to their god. The Otherworld then takes over, and Dahlia tells Heather to run and find shelter inside, where it is slightly safer.

Relation to the Wolfs

According to the canon of the first movie, Dahlia is the sister of Christabella. In Revelation, Claudia Wolf states that she is Christabella's sister, which makes Claudia also Dahlia's sister, and Vincent Cooper Dahlia's nephew. It is possible that Claudia does not mention being related to Dahlia due to the shame of Alessa's "evil" and Dahlia's split from the cult. It is also possible that this was a continuity change made between films, given the vast number of other changes that were also made.

Actor's comments

Deborah Kara Unger

“

With Dahlia it's been an extraordinary psychological journey for me, as an actor, to embrace this walker between worlds.. And, as a mad and slightly cryptic prophet, akin to obviously the essence of the game, this has been just a delight to play.

”

“

She is someone who did not speak out in time; someone who was blinded by faith and her silence caused injury. Dahlia has become wise through suffering. She functions in all of Silent Hill's worlds, bridging light and darkness as the prophet. She functions in an enigmatic way.

”

Quotes

• "We've all lost our children. Our light."
• "Into the fire, she swallowed their hate."
• "Think you of thee who cast the first stone. Lambs without a shepherd, shepherd without a flock. It's your sins which hold you here."
• "You run not towards sanctuary but from your fears. Do not join the others, they are deceivers, they are damned."
• "They are wolves in the skin of sheep. They brought about their own hell. They'll take you with them."
• "Fire doesn't cleanse, it blackens."
• "Evil wakes in vengeance. Be careful what you choose."
• "Why didn't she take me? Like the others?"
• "You shouldn't be here. They'll use you."
• "Alessa was special. She was the only one who can survive the fire, that's why she was chosen."
• "The darkness is coming. It's safer to be inside."

Trivia

• Unlike the game, Dahlia is incorporated in the film as a sympathetic character, not the villain.

• Both director Christophe Gans and Deborah Kara Unger refer to Dahlia as "Cassandra Dahlia". This is a reference to the Greek story of Cassandra, who had the gift of foresight, but was cursed to be believed by no one. Similarly, Dahlia speaks the truth of the alternate reality and warns Rose of the decision she will eventually have to make, but her words are ignored.

• Dahlia speaks extremely softly throughout the film and is sometimes very hard to hear. This was to show that Dahlia wasn't able to be strong and speak for herself.

• It is notable that Dahlia is immune to the dangers of the Fog World and the Otherworld. This is because Dahlia is the mother of Alessa, who controls these worlds, and is still loved by her, or as Rose says, "Mother is God in the eyes of a child."

• Given the vast number of mannequins and mannequin parts seen in her apartment, it is likely that Dahlia was a mannequin maker before the fire.

• Dahlia is seen holding Rose's pendant in Revelation.

Gallery

For a complete list of images of Dark Alessa, please visit the Dahlia Gillespie (film) images category.

Silent Hill

Young Dahlia.

Young Dahlia.

Dahlia with Christabella.

Dahlia with the cult.

Dahlia with the cult.

Dahlia in the Grand Hotel.

Ragged Dahlia.

Dahlia and Rose.

Dahlia talks to Rose.jpg

Dahlia talks to Rose.

Dahlia grabs Rose's locket.

Dahlia is thrown down by Rose.

Dahlia looks at Anna.

Dahlia warns Cybil about the cult.

Rose speaks to Dahlia about Alessa.

Dahlia on the stairs of the church.

The cultists hold Dahlia in place as they prepare to burn Cybil.

A deleted scene of Dahlia speaking in front of the cult.

Dahlia awakens.

Dahlia looks at Alessa.

Dahlia hiding from Alessa's revenge.

Dahlia in the church.

Dahlia in the church.

Dahlia looks at Sharon/Alessa.

Poster.

Silent Hill: Revelation

Dahlia speaks with Heather.

Dahlia seen in a flashback.

Dahlia1.jpg

Dahlia and Heather.

Heather looks at Dahlia.jpg

Heather looks at Dahlia.

Heather and Dahlia react to the siren.

Dahlia telling Heather that the darkness is coming.

On the set of Revelation.