There’s something in the water… The Bay ignites one of our worst fears, the dark unknown in the deep depths of the sea. The film opens with a young news presenter retelling the events of a town’s death due to waterborne parasites that feast upon human flesh. The found footage elements push forward confronting graphic effects posed against a scenic seaside town, almost creating a Jaws meets Cabin Fever mashup.
We see a plethora of alternative sides to the tragedy as the film uses the guise of an undercover documentary extracting ‘raw’ footagefrom the victims phones, video calls, and digital cameras. This devastatingly gruesome story entwines a complex eco-horror motive to somewhat expose a possible situation; the overtly realistic portrayal combined with a plausible scenario leaves us with the trembling fear that this terrifying ordeal could come true.
2. Hell House LLC (Stephen Cognetti, 2015)
Hell House LLC follows a group of budding haunted tour creators as they tackle their biggest project yet; the taking over of an abandoned hotel which was supposedly the ground of satanic rituals. Haunted house attractions and Halloween haunts have become staples for avid spooky-seekers, but with such popularity comes an inherent manufacture of extravagant proportions. Suspicious rumours regarding the intentions and reality of these events have risen in recent years as many conspiracists speculate that the body props are real.
So, what if you were to take this gossip and place it within a haunted house narrative. Hell House LLC takes us through the uncovering of what really happened the night that tragedy struck a Halloween haunt. Through the lens of our characters we see one of the scariest of clowns since Pennywise, a hauntingly chilling piano playing on its own, and an array of frightening abandoned rooms. Similar to classic found footage horrors, the film’s footage is primarily ‘lost footage’ unearthed at the scene, creating an immediately unnerving atmosphere when we learn that what we are about to see is entirely ‘real’.
Despite the use of the gimmicky true story trope, Hell House LLC has proven its legacy with the film blossoming two follow up pieces.
3. Lake Mungo (Joel Anderson, 2008)
Lake Mungo follows the Palmer family’s painful journey of grief and understanding after their teenage daughter Alice, traumatically passes. Unlike many other similar ghost stories this film truly roots its effective power within the emotive culmination of anxiety and loss shown frequently across the film. Alice acts as a mysterious figure who we never get to meet, yet are so bound with that we become involved with the Palmer’s dim reality.
Lake Mungo is as much of a mystery drama as it is a horror, thus to avoid spoilers it’s best to take a leap and watch it for yourself. But, one important sting that the film constantly abides by is the lost trick of minimalism to conjure scares. Do not expect bountiful jumps or gore, instead Anderson shows little to expose a lot.
4. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (Beom-sik Jeong, 2018)
Gonjiam follows a simple story, a group of internet horror explorers seek out their next big haunt at an abandoned asylum. However, they soon get more than they bargained for after the building’s long haunted history may be true. With a formulaic plot a thorough execution is necessary to create a memorable film.
Gonjiam does just this as we witness unnerving visuals and a biting tension that won’t quit. It’s within the second act where our fear is amplified; the looming dread lingers with the asylum walls coming to life. Similar to Grave Encounters, there is an overwhelming sense of apprehension where we feel that there is no escape from the horror, making Gonjiam a fantastic found footage film.
5. Exhibit A (Dom Rotheroe, 2007)
Exhibit A is a British horror following the life of the King family. This seemingly normal household is harbouring a harrowing secret that is soon exposed. The film flows through the eyes of Judith King, the daughter of the family after she takes it upon herself to start documenting their daily life. The opening scene immediately throws a dark spell upon our expectations with a still of Judith’s camera being labelled as crime scene evidence.
The normality of the King’s day to day life is gradually pulled apart as seemingly mundane comments and events soon become unsettling and grimly motivated. None of these sinister undertones would be possible without the incredible performances. We become entirely immersed in the façade due to the realistic character executions throughout. Exhibit A utilises the ‘kitchen sink’ British realism trope to its full advantage to deliver a distressing tale of deceit and betrayal.
This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.
With the fluency of director Alister Grierson, Bloody Hell has blasted onto the horror scene with an assaultive force cementing its position as being one of this year’s most surprising and devilishly indulging films. Writer ‘Robert Benjamin creates a story dripping with satirical hilarity and brutality, all whilst not falling victim to cheap cliches.
The tour de force that is Bloody Hell takes us on a wild ride as we follow Rex (Ben O’Toole), a recently released convict who unwillingly ends up in a sadistic Finnish family’s basement ready to be feasted upon by one of modern horror’s most barbarous households. However, can Rex’s internal monologue save him from the pits of hell?
It can be said that a film is dominantly character or scenario based, rarely both. Grierson carefully tiptoes between this line through creating an impressive character study without abandoning the richly entertaining narrative. O’Toole craftily carries this film with an incredible performance. We see Rex in two alternative lights, there’s his presentable persona and then his inner discourse whose valiant introspections create a devil’s advocate soliloquy.
Thrusting this rogue ‘bad-boy’ exterior even further is the film’s adventurous take upon what can be a risky sub genre; action horror. It was Rex’s heroic actions straight out of Die Hard that landed him in prison in the first place, and it seems that his time in solitude has only affixed this persona. This innately thrilling allure is what makes Rex the ultimate vigilante, with his fight or flight gutsiness exhibiting what we all wish we had the ability to do in the presence of a Nordic cannibalistic family.
Rex’s jovialness does not wear thin, but let’s not forget to mention the other piece in this twisted puzzle. The torture family trope is not entirely rare within horror, we’re accustomed to uncouth rustic families with an appetite for flesh living in an awfully convenient rural setting. Thus, it’s rare to be taken by surprise. However, we soon learn that this disturbed unit’s dynamics are much more complex than an insatiable appetite for flesh. Quite simply, Rex’s hosts are far from ordinary.
This erratic ruthlessness is not just exhibited through the characters, but also through the stimulating visuals. The sporadic hyper-stylisation is temptingly inviting, from the forthright confrontational cinematography through to the foreboding soundtrack denies the viewer any chance of normality.
This surreal horror warms with an eccentric satirical timing complimenting the surreal elements that are feathered throughout. This aligns with Bloody Hell’s use of frenzied camera work and unorthodox storytelling methods, making this a varied banquet with something for everyone.
Bloody Hell is available to watch via DVD/Blu-ray and VOD right now!
This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.
Anthology horror can force a hellish crusade of amalgamated visions to ultimately create a blended film artfully formed to deliver a starkly dark piece. Although this seems like a complex myriad to achieve, Dark Whispers (Volume 1) smoothly executes a faultless entry into the anthology horror terrain.
The Australian film consists of ten chilling chapters from across the entire country. With an anthology framework it can be difficult to capture an entire short story from beginning to end without being too brief, yet Dark Whispers (Vol 1) overarching framework allows for each story to shine equally, regardless of its length and overall strength as a standalone piece.
This framing has a simple premise, but it’s an age old tale that works seamlessly. Creator and director Megan Riakos presents ‘The Book of Dark Whispers’. When Clara unearths her mothers secret ‘Book of Dark Whispers’ she discovers that each page contains a cryptically twisted story that promises the most chilling scares.
One of the most noteworthy components across the entire premise is that each and every segment is directed by a female filmmaker. Of course this fact holds bountiful promises within its own right, but to have this revolutionary concept be brought into the world of horror holds a whole achievement on an impressive accord.
Amongst the cast are Ed Speleers (Downton Abbey) and Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace) who feature in the segment ‘The Ride’, a darkly comic thriller which was backed by the BBC and Asher Keddie (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) who is terrorised by a stalker in the chapter ‘The Intruder’.
Each haunting chapter is woven to express equal measures of devilish hope, delusions and grief, all tied together in a horrific labyrinth. In one particular segment ‘Birthday Girl’ (Angie Black), we see a nervous woman enter into an elevator from hell. Her nerves are only heightened when a somewhat innocent young girl enters the lift with her, however as each floor descends, a parade of questions are thrown upon the woman until she is left in a bumbling mess of mysterious guilt and grief.
The second segment ‘The Man Who Caught a Mermaid’ (Kaitlin Tinker) is possibly one of the most interesting chapters to originate from the entire film. The short film follows a middle aged man with an unorthodox obsession over supposed mermaids. The mockery from fellow townsmen and his wife do not bother him in the slightest as he is entirely convinced that he will be the first person to capture a living breathing mermaid… or so he thinks?
Each chapter not only explores a different topic, some even delve into alternative forms of filmmaking. Gloomy Valentine (Isabel Peppard) uses stop motion animation to portray a rather emotive story following a lost soul attempting to remould her broken heart. Stop motion is not necessarily an unfamiliar technique within horror, but it is rare and more importantly it is very difficult to achieve a strong sense of horror when the audience cannot make that physical connection to the characters. Nevertheless, Gloomy Valentine manages to both tug on the heartstrings all the whilst maintaining a steady sense of creeping unease throughout.
Quite impressively Dark Whispers (Vol 1) was selected for a plethora of festivals, including Berlin Final Girls Film Festival and Cinefest Oz. And it’s no wonder why.
Dark Whispers (Vol 1) is a unique take on the anthology sub-genre that excitedly keeps audiences on the edge of their seat. An eclectic mix of short stories with something for all tastes, as long as those tastes are twisted!.
DARK WHISPERS (Volume 1), releasing on all major digital platforms across the UK and Australia on 25th January 2021.
When the rapidly successful In Search of Darkness (David A. Weiner, 2019) hit screens audiences were gripped by its engrossing take on eighties horror and critics were enthralled by the absorbing and ambitious love letter to what is possibly one of the greatest decades in horror. Thus, it’s no surprise that In Search of Darkness: Part II burst onto the scene with deserved appraisal.
Purchase of part II included 3 posters of original artwork, copy of part I and retro pin badge.
After how much content was covered the first four and half hour entry, it bears the worry that Part II would just be a replica and repetitive. However, what we get instead is a more unique and refreshing film that delves into a variety of horror sub topics and a delightfully varied array of films that combined both well-known classics and some more obscure gems that thrived in the 1980s. The film relies heavily on reminiscence and a nostalgic sensibility, yet there is no bounding exclusivity that confines new spectators to the decade; in fact the film is almost an educative bible for those new to horror, acting as a vivacious horror encyclopaedia.
Gerreta Geretta in 80’s cult hit Demons
The four hour long runtime can be intimidating even for seasoned cinema fans, but the film uses cleverly placed sections to not only aid an easy digest for such a long runtime, but to also add depth to the surrounding contexts. As each year is discussed an additional associated topic is presented, with some of the highlighted subjects including the ever present ‘Cinema Horror Italiano- Giallo‘ and the ‘80s Italian Invasion’. Here, we are given a detailed depiction as to why Giallo cinema lingered throughout the decade and how the three maestros ‘Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava’ ruled in power, with their graphically horrifying and pathbreaking filmmaking taking centre stage in their filmography.
Part II takes what worked well in its predecessor and accelerated it; the remarkable line-up consists of some of the biggest contributors within horror, including Tom Atkins, Linnea Quigley, Caroline Williams, John Carpenter, Tom Savini, Joe Dante, Robert Englund, and Cassandra Peterson. This comprehensive cast list had heaps of involvement within eighties horror, introducing a sense of richness to the production, with plenty of behind the scenes knowledge bringing new light to the classics.
Speaking of classics, Part II divulges into a medley of films ranging from slashers to harrowing revenge tales. Rather than solely discussing the big mainstream hits of the decade, we are shown the somewhat forgotten hits such as Alone in the Dark (Jack Sholder, 1982), April Fool’s Day (Fred Walton, 1986), Mother’s Day (Charles Kaufman, 1980), Vamp (Richard Wenk, 1986), and House (Steve Miner, 1985). To accompany each film is an enlightening insight into the cultural context that most of these films were released in.
One particular area that is deeply discussed in relation to Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (Fred Olen Ray, 1988) is the video nasties. As home video soared so did the number of so-called ‘exploitative’ horror films on the market. Unfortunately, due to a mass moral panic over the British public’s wellbeing, 72 films were banned in the UK over fears of them corrupting children’s minds. Part II divulges into this important era for horror through discussing both the absurdity of the nasties and which films were the most prominent.
The film is clearly a demonstration of dedication to a beloved genre. From the outset a sense of togetherness is displayed, that depicts horror as a one-of-a-kind genre that manifests devoted fan bases and remarkable characters that linger within pop culture. Whether or not you are a diehard eighties fan or a newcomer, In Search of Darkness: Part II has something for everyone.
If you want to be part of the ISOD community check out their YouTube, where they are delivering regular interviews with 80’s legends for their new CLIPSHOW.
We interviewed creator Robin Block and director David A. Weiner back in October 2020, in an exclusive interview for the festival where we played Part I to celebrate the release of Part II.
2020 was a rough year to say the least, whist we saw a brilliant emergence of indie cinema taking centre stage, big budget horror was burdened with delays, reshoots and rescheduled release dates.
Dead Northern brings you a list of 2021 releases to look forward to, here’s hoping for a time not too far away where we can see some great new horror on the big screen!
Last Night in Soho
Edgar Wright is known for his quick witted, dark humour often seen in his beloved smash hits, including Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013), but it seems that his most well known and respected film amongst horror fans is the boundlessly successful Shaun of the Dead (2004). And it seems that Wright has decided to brave the horror genre yet again in his upcoming film, Last Night in Soho.
However, this soon to be success does not tap into comedy to deliver its scares, instead Wright has opted for a more daring psychological horror narrative. Little has been released about the plot, but what we do know is that we follow a young woman who is enthralled by the fashion industry, but when her mysterious journey takes her back in time to 1960sLondon she discovers that everything is not as it seems. Last Night in Soho has an impressive cast lineup as both Anna Taylor-Joy (The VVitch) and Matt Smith (Doctor Who), alongside Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie (Leave No Trace) star in this upcoming dramatic tale ridden with deception and enigmas.
Release date: 23rd April 2021
Spiral
In 2004 Leigh Whannell and James Wan released the sleeper hit Saw, which soon shook the genre and has since amassed an entire iconic franchise. And 2021 delivers us the ninth instalment in this ever growing series. Similar to its predecessor ‘Jigsaw’ (The Spierig Brothers, 2017) the film will alter its direction to focus upon the police investigation into the excessive, twisted games that Saw is known for. Comedy icon Chris Rock takes the lead role as detective Zeke Banks, with Samuel L. Jackson starring as a respected police veteran. But, no need to panic, this is not a tepid crime mystery. The teaser trailer promises that Jigsaw’s maniacal games will yet again grace our screens. Spiral hints that it will resurrect the charm of the beginning of the series, with the director of Saw 2,3, and 4 Darren Lynn Bousman returning as Spiral’s director.
Release date: 21st May 2021
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
When The Conjuring (James Wan, 2013) was released it took the genre by storm, with an entire cinematic universe forming. Therefore, it’s to no surprise that this smash hit of a series was continued, with The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It making its mark as the eighth instalment in the constantly expanding series. The film narrows in on the classic demonic possession trope to elaborate on the real life harrowing trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, who was charged for murder. However, according to Johnson, it was the devil who made him do it. This film is set to be a fresh take on the typical haunted storyline that the cinematic universe follows. Both Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the paranormal investigating duo ‘The Warrens’.
Release date: 4th June 2021
Candyman
It’s safe to say that Jordan Peele has become a modern horror legend, with both Get Out (2017) and Us (2019) becoming solid favourites amongst both critics and audiences. Peele only furthers this legacy with his latest partnered venture, a sequel to the 1992 classic Candyman (Bernard Rose). To bring such an iconic story back to the big screen requires a fresh look at what made the original so terrifying, and it seems that Peele has found this within Nia DaCosta, who not only directs the film, but also co-wrote it alongside Peele. The trailer promises a macabre, tense and overall chilling reprisal of the Candyman legend. But, what horror aficionados will be looking forward to most is that Tony Todd will be back as the dreaded Candyman.
Release date: 27th August 2021
Don’t Breathe 2
The long awaited sequel to Fede Alvarez’s 2016 horror hit will finally be released this year, with its production being in talks for years. The same tense atmosphere will yet again be captured as Stephen Lang reprises his role as the intriguing Norman Nordstrom, who has become somewhat of an anti-hero since the films release, with audiences taking a liking to his dark and twisted character. Instead of the reverse home invasion route that the first film took, director Rodo Sayagues (who co-wrote Don’t Breathe) focuses upon Nordstrom’s journey into solitude; he has since rescued a young orphan and taken her under his wing. However, their isolated lifestyle in a secluded cabin is soon disrupted when a group of merciless criminals kidnap Nordstroms only companion.
Release date: 13th August 2021
Halloween Kills
Michael Myers has once again proven his immortality as he strikes Haddonfield once again. The film will pick right up where Halloween (2018) left off, with Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis), Karen (Judy Greer), and Allyson (Andi Matichak) teaming up as a triple threat against The Shape to finally end the chaos. Halloween Kills will see an exciting revival of characters as both Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) and Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards) return as disgruntled adults traumatised from their childhood experiences of Myers wrath. Quite interestingly Halloween Kills is not a solo story, instead we will see a focus on Haddonfield’s collective trauma and anger over the community’s dismantlement that Myers has so wilfully caused.
Release date: 15th October 2021
There’s Someone Inside Your House
Just the title alone is enough to bring audiences back to the ever nostalgic teen horrors that made its mark within the late 1990s. There’s Someone Inside Your House is a promising upcoming slasher horror directed by Patrick Brice. Brice’s natural talent for creating an incredibly chilling atmosphere was showcased in Creep (2014), and although both films are on opposite ends of the genre, it’s clear that this sense of eerie mysteriousness will definitely melt into There’s Someone Inside Your House. This film is an adaption of Stephanie Perkins 2017 book of the same title; throughout the story we follow Makani (Sydney Park), a transfer student from Hawaii who is at the centre of a series of ghastly murders.
Release date: February 2021
Run Sweetheart Run
Run Sweetheart Run is based upon a horrendous true story from the director Shana Feste. The film tells the harrowing tale of Cherie (Ella Balinska), a single mother who decides to finally tiptoe back into the dating scene. However, after her boss sets her up on the blind datefrom hell, she has to fight for her life in an after hours L.A. where she cannot trust anyone. The powerful undertones of danger within urban dating for women alludes an unfortunately realistic situation. Early reviews from festival runs hint at Feste’s superb spin on cliched genre tropes, which is only further highlighted by the bold and bloody narrative that is not afraid to imitate thousands of survivors’ stories of trust and betrayal.
Release date: TBC
Terrifier 2
Clowns and horror go hand in hand, and no clown is more sinister and utterly sadistic than Art the clown. Art’s first appearance originated from Damien Leone’s short films The 9th Circle (2008) and Terrifier (2011). And since then he has featured in four feature films, with the latest being Terrifier 2. The upcoming independent film was primarily funded by an extremely successful Indiegogo campaign, which was aimed to fund impressive effects that Leone has planned. With the success of the campaign and the constant pushing back of release dates fans have never been more excited to see Art do what he does best- completely annihilate. Little has been released about the plot, but the teaser trailer promises an absolute bloodbath.
Release date: TBC
Antlers
Antlers is a supernatural horror produced by Guillermo Del Toro and directed by Scott Cooper. The film is adapted from writer Nick Antosca’s acclaimed short story ‘The Quiet Boy’. We follow Lucas Weaver (Jeremy T. Thomas), a young school boy whose strange behaviour is soon noticed by his teacher Julia Meadows (Keri Russell), who alongside her brother Paul, the local sheriff (Jesse Plemons) attempt to solve the mystery plaguing Lucas. The trailer showcases a dull town, drowning in monotonous habits. That is until strange occurrences start making themselves known.
Release date: 17th April2021
A Quiet Place Part II
A Quiet Place Part II follows on directly where the first film ended. Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and her three children attempt to survive in an almost post-apocalyptic landscape heaving with sound sensitive beasts and ruthless fellow survivors. Despite John Krasinski’s lack of personal appearances in A Quiet Place Part II, he will still be behind the camera as he returns to the directors chair. However, rather than just follow our four main characters in a desolate universe, we will be introduced to Emmett (Cillian Murphy), who is seemingly Evelyn’s only ally left in the entire world.
Release date: April 2021
Wrong Turn: The Foundation
The Wrong Turn series has been making people fearful of going into the woods for years. But, it seems that no one has listened as we are delivered a seventh instalment in the highly gruesome series. Wrong Turn: The Foundation is a rebootof the very first film that started it all, but with a twist. The trailer introduces us to a group of friends as they brave the Appalachian Trail, only for their expedition to be abruptly ruined when a group of murderous individuals known as ‘The Foundation’ brutally threaten their entire existence. What’s quite interesting however is that this latest take on the backwoods trope has an essence of cult horror that promises to showcase The Foundation as a savage community aiming to harm anything that gets in their sense of union.
Release date: 26th January 2021
Red Dot
Red Dot is a Swedish Netflix original that follows a couple as they brave the night camping in a snowy setting in the mountains of North Sweden. However, the cold seems to be the least of their problems as a random, glowing red dot finds itself following their every move. In this tense horror we will see a sense of isolation and anonymity forming together to disrupt any chance of the audience getting comfortable. The mysterious sniper dot acts as the perfect villain, with no chance of them getting caught.
Release date: 11th February 2021
The Banishing
The Banishing is a gripping horror set in a grand country manor. The naturally haunting setting is reminiscent of classic gothic horror, laden with sweeping foyers and old time’ ghouls. The film follows Marianne (Jessica Brown Findlay), who moves into an ominously dark estate with her husband and young daughter in the 1930s. Director Christopher Smith is no stranger to horror, with him directing both Severance (2006) and Triangle (2009), and his latest venture is sure to be just as much of a smash hit, with boastful reviews flooding in from last year’s festivals.
Release date: 8th April 2021
The Manor
Horror writer and director Axelle Carolyn brings us The Manor, an eerie supernatural horror following a woman who has been reluctantly moved into a nursing home after suffering a stroke. However, her journey to recovery is cut abruptly short when she convinces herself that a strong paranormal force is preying upon her fellow residents. This film is a part of the Welcome to Blumhouse series released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video and will be released at some point later this year.
Release date: TBC
This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.
Sean S. Cunningham’s 1980 hit Friday the 13th is undeniably a staple within the slasher sub-genre, with its chartered success spawning an entire franchise consisting of twelve films. The film has rightly cemented its place within horror history as a genre defining tale that combines the ideal amount of gory entertainment, teenage antics and grisly kills to satisfy audience members. Still, it’s the machete wielding immortal force that makes Friday the 13th so iconic – the one and only Jason Voorhees.
To run a brief background, Jason Voorhees is the primary antagonist in the film series, with a machete being his weapon of choice. To accompany his machete is his hockey mask which he’s rarely seen without. His taste for bloodshed all began with his troubling experience at Camp Crystal Lake in the summer of 1957 where he supposedly drowned due to the negligent camp counsellors. His rage however is not as straightforward as it seems. His own personal vengeance only directly advances in Friday the 13th Part 2 (Steve Miner, 1981).
Throughout the series Jason is very much pliable in the sense that his actions, locations and abilities change. However there is one element that remains consistent across the films, this being Jason’s tragic cycle that he has to endure. This was most poignantly made visible from the horror legend Stephen King who made a statement regarding a scenario he had created surrounding a previous novel idea he never made. He compared Jason’s existence to a ‘hellish existential fate’ and that Jason’s perspective is never explained or understood.
With this being said, it’s important to examine Jason’s catharsis throughout the series to grasp why he is a victimised villain.
Jason Voorhees is a tortured soul that possesses an inherent thirst for normality, but due to the lack thereof he has become incandescent with rage. His trouble began whilst he was only a boy, with his severe mental disabilities and physical deformities making him an easy target for cruelty growing up. His brief stay at Camp Crystal Lake only worsened his everlasting marginalisation from societal normality. He was bullied and teased at the camp, with his death being brushed aside as not an overt loss.
Jason’s only companion was his mother who worked at the camp; he would spend most of his time with her, leading to his peers mistreating him. This neglectful nature followed Jason to his death. As aforementioned the counsellors cared more for each other than his well-being. Even after his death, his corpse was never found. Which prominently led to Pamela vowing to kill anyone who steps foot on Camp Crystal Lake as she believes everyone is out to attack her son.
Jason suffered from a short-lived tumultuous childhood, but the true treacherous fragment of his being comes from his afterlife. The theology of his immortal status is rather discombobulated across the films, the first film hints that the lack of his corpse is more of an urban legend, toying with the notion ‘is he dead or alive?’; in Friday the 13th Part 2 it’s established that Jason has been alive since his supposed drowning and has been living as a vagrant in the woods.
This perfectly brings about Jason’s real introduction to the series, which would soon introduce him as a household name. In Part 2 he vows to avenge his mother’s death, leading him to follow her footsteps. In fact, he treasures his mother so much that he stores her decapitated head in a fridge. Whilst the second film establishes Jason’s urge to kill, his trademarks do not necessarily appear until Friday the 13th Part 3 (Steve Miner, 1982). Here we are introduced to his trademark hockey mask, which cements his place as an iconic villain. Additionally, the audience is shown a whisper of insight into his burrowing nature to kill. After he kills his mother’s murderer, Alice (Adrienne King [the series original final girl]) he has technically performed his prior intentions.
From then on his remorseless kills originate seemingly from a place of nothing. Jason’s fury was soothed after he murdered Alice, but he knows no better than to carry on his rampage. It could be said that Jason isn’t even aware of the consequences of his actions.
Although Jason is a structurally massive killing machine with brute strength, he hasn’t matured mentally. Slasher films heavily associate sex with violence, yet whilst Jason victims are simply exploring adulthood he views it as immoral, since his own supposed death was caused due to camp counsellors occupying each other rather than watching after him. This sense of Jason unknowingly causing harm continues throughout the entirety of the franchise, with his lack of motivation or reason to kill. However what really makes the audience team with Jason is his unsanctioned resuscitation.
In Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (Joseph Zito, 1984) Jason is supposed to be dead, with him even being taken to a morgue, but as usual this is not entirely true. We are then taken back to Crystal Lake as Jason makes his way back home in an attempt to beckon back to his resting place. Instead of peace, he is met with rowdy teenagers and noisy families in his area interrupting his will to slumber into a dreary space of emptiness. Henceforth, his killing spree continues as a means to end the disruption.
However in what is a startling scene, we are met with the horror aficionado Tommy (Corey Feldman) who paints his face white and shaves his head to imitate a young Jason in order to force a sense of sympathy from him. His impression comes across as a form of mockery, further angering Jason. Arguably Jason simply sees Tommy as another one of his childhood bullies who would tease him for his appearance. Jason is supposedly killed at the end of The Final Chapter, but we would later learn that this is not his final appearance.
The combination of mocking and disallowance for him to die is what Stephen King brought to light. His existence is hellish and rather existential, through others actions he can never fully rest in peace as he is constantly unearthed. Even when he is not the antagonist the series finds a way to drag him into the mess; in what is the most dissociated film in the franchise, with a new setting and killer is Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (Danny Steinmann, 1985). In the film Tommy is sent to Pinehurst Halfway House to recover from his childhood trauma, whilst he is there a series of mysterious killings occur. Instead of the hockey mask machete-wielding killer being Jason it is in fact a disgruntled father who is out for revenge for his son’s untimely death.
After ‘A New Beginning’ came Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (Tom McLoughlin, 1986) which sees Jason being accidentally resurrected from his grave. When Tommy returns to Jason’s grave years later he is overcome with anger and stabs Jason with a metal fence post. However as the post hits Jason a bolt of lightning strikes and revives a now immortal Jason. Similarly, another accidental reviving occurs in both Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (John Carl Buechler, 1988) and Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (Rob Hedden, 1989). In both films repeat occurrences happen where Jason is involuntarily awoken and then goes on a rampage with a sense of angered dread, due to the repetitive nature of his life cycle. It seems that the universe disallows Jason to remain dead. The characters wince that Jason is after them, but it is their actions that unwittingly cause the vicious pattern.
Quite ironically in the ninth film Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (Adam Marcus, 1993) Jason lives on due to a coroner biting his heart, causing him to possess said coroner; living on in the coroner’s body. However in what is quite the twist of fate, the repetitive ending of Jason ‘being dead’ is given a new lease of life, with the ending hinting at what would be an iconic meeting between two horror legends. The final frame shows a dog digging at Jason’s buried mask before A Nightmare on Elm Street’s own Freddy Kreuger pulls the mask down into hell.
Before we are introduced to the crossover film we have Jason X (Jim Issac, 2001). This is probably the most convoluted film of the series, with its adventurous sci-fi tone somehow combining slasher with space. Jason X definitely has divided opinions, with many devoted fans feeling confused as to why there needed to be such a drastic alteration from the usual time and place and others seeing it as a cult classic that bends audience expectations. In terms of Jason himself, nothing immediately differs from his archetypal persona in space. Instead where we see a shift in motion is in the series current penultimate film Freddy vs. Jason (Ronny Yu, 2003).
Freddy vs. Jason is highly entertaining, with the two characters showcasing a brutal spectacular series of violently glorious kills across a group of unsuspecting teens. The film shows a ruthless Jason who rises from the earth when Freddy impersonates his mother, in order to manipulate him into coming back to life. Freddy has Pamela tell Jason that he never died, he was just sleeping and that he should go to Elm Street as “the children have been very bad on Elm Street”. Here it’s confirmed that Jason is acting on a means to obey and order via his mother’s wishes; he only seeks to punish as it’s what his only beloved trustee believes. It’s clear that Jason’s hellish fate derived from his attachment issues with his mother. He has remained a child mentally, with his mother having a psychologically overbearing influence for his whole existence.
It seems that Friday the 13th will never come to a conclusive end, with the final film so far – Friday the 13th (Marcus Nispel, 2009) latently repeating the pattern all over again. This film is a remake of the first and disregards all the previous entries. The ending remains eerily similar to the original, with Jason lurching out one more time in a lake at the final girl. Devastatingly enough the repeating of final frames indicate that the process has started all over again.
Jason is corruptly entangled with his obsolete moral compass focused on him and his mother’s neurotic relationship together. His unfortunate trauma has never faded and no matter what ill-conceived acts he commits it’s difficult to feel hatred towards him. Somehow we are routing for Jason the majority of time, with his victims seeming rather disposable and unworthy of true survivor status. Pamela will always have a hold on Jason and will always encourage his murderous tendencies, leading to a vicious cycle where he must live forever to kill.
This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.
Grace from Film Overload takes a look at our Saturday evening feature screening of VIDEODROME. Watch this genre defining horror/sci-fi classic at this years festival on 31 October 2020 at 19.00pm. (some spoilers ahead!)
‘Cronenberg’s artistic vision of visceral sensuality, body horror and alluring conspiracies – brings a genre defining classic’
David Cronenberg’s legacy as a genre defining director began when his incredibly influential film Videodrome was released in 1983. Cinema of the 1980s still remains iconic to this day, with Videodrome solidifying its status due to Cronenberg’s artistic vision of visceral sensuality, body horror and alluring conspiracies.
We follow the sordid channel operator Max Renn (James Woods) who specialises in the adult entertainment industry. With audience expectations becoming harder to meet, he searches for something never seen before. Fortunately he stumbles across a seedy show broadcasting extreme torture and violence. However, his new-found show ‘Videodrome’ brings about horrid consequences.
The film also features Debbie Harry, or as some may know her, Blondie. Harry plays the masochistic Nikki Brand who sensationally thrusts Renn’s life into a chaotic oblivion. As with most of Cronenberg’s work Videodrome is not shy to venture into eccentric and surreal topics. The film works as a metaphorical standpoint, alongside the utilisation of horror iconography to create a transcendent experience.
From Cronenberg’s visual perspective we are manically treated to a spontaneous eruption of visceral images exhibiting fleshy horror. As aforementioned body horror is a keen contributor to the film, with blood, guts and gore heavily making an appearance. But it’s the treatment of the body within the film that fashions such a complex visual composition; the themes of violence that come from the channel Videodrome are not afraid to cross the line, with one particular scene exhibiting a human torso being ripped open, graphically exposing each vein and tendon.
Despite the brutal exposure of torture and violence, the film is yet to fall into the satirical gory horror of the eighties. Instead, the act of violence is a simulation to further the film’s powerful allegorical notion.
The film plays its message out via a morbid and torturous atmosphere that has no fear in pushing audiences limitations. At the time television was seen by many as the enemy, the ruthless manipulator causing havoc amongst the young. With the early eighties seemingly dooming the horror market by the video nasty scandal and an influx of graphic and violent horrors being imported across the world, it’s no surprise that the media spread fear. Although from today’s perspective the idea of TV haunting viewers is radically nonsensical, it was once a real ‘emergency’.
Cronenberg utilises and exploits this fear through directly mocking people’s responses to the media. Within Videodrome, this channel that Renn stumbles upon is powerful enough to cause hallucinations and psychically harm. The show is a weapon that can literally cause mass tumours, with the intention that anyone who would want to consume the snuff-like material coming from the channel deserves a fatal end.
Videodrome is a testing film, the characters are not necessarily likeable and the entire play-through is gloomy. Yet, it’s an unforgettable experience that uses its speculative nature and bitter eccentricity to coerce and distort the viewers expectations, making it a must see for all horror fans.
Grace from Film Overload takes a look at our Saturday local feature screening of CHESTERSBERG, made right here in Yorkshire. Watch this horror comedy gem at this years festival on 31 October 2020 at 17.00pm. (some spoilers ahead!)
‘Hilariously gruesome mockumentary with one of the most unique plots to come out of this year’
Bearing tonal resemblance to Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz (2007) and the bloodiness of gory slasher flicks, comes a brilliant tale from Jamie McKellar. We are introduced to the enigmatic Chester Mapleforth (Andy Love), who after procuring a hefty fortune forms the village Chestersberg. But the quaint Yorkshire cul-de-sac holds something quite dark within its territory; murder is entirely justified and legal within the lands’ threshold.
McKellar brings us a hilarious but gruesome mockumentary, with one of the most unique plots to come out of this year. It’s not often that mockumentary cinema works without constant twists and turns, but Chestersberg has a certain simplistic charm that doesn’t confuse and run off topic, with a steady comedic pace and macabre motives that delivers exactly what it says.
Chestersberg brings the best of dark British humour to its forefront, even the most heinous scenes are brought to life with perfectly timed jokes and hilariously surreal characters. In fact this aspect of surrealism is a running theme throughout. The plot is crafted in such a realistic fashion that we almost forget this is entirely satire, plenty of familiar circumstances are strewn out such as town hall meetings and debates about outsiders invading the community. But of course with it being set in Chestersberg, beheading’s, mutilation and gouging constantly comes into play.
McKellar combines the two typically polar opposites of village conundrums with murder to create a hard to fathom surreal environment, yet you can’ stop watching due to its cleverly crafted story.
Chestersbergs distinctive mockumentary disposition works perfectly with the unparalleled distorted reality that plays across the whole run-time. The deliberately exaggerated tone captured in a documentary fashion forms a purposefully raw quality that enhances the aforementioned realistic atmosphere. One of the more prominent aspects that the documentary composition highlights is the wonderfully gross kills and violence.
Within the first introductory minutes we are a witness to a bloody beaten man with one of his eyeballs loosely dangling, nevertheless the humour taps in when Chester interrupts his suffering with the offering of a battenburg slice and a lecture about the importance of sleeping bag togs. Despite the hilariousness seeping in each scene, the impressive special effectsstill remain quite potent.
Now, with quite a rambunctious story comes natural questions ‘how would a town like this actually work?’ Fortunately McKeller soothes our intrigue, with scoping out further than the village boundaries to introduce our secondary group of characters – the law. DI Matthews (Alexander King) plays a rageful officer, disgruntled at the legal loopholes that Chestersberg has played. However, due to the consistent character development and their charismatic personas we somehow are completely on their side. It’s these brief interludes of seemingly more ‘normal characters’ that prevent the film from dragging and keep the absurdity of Chestersberg fresh and charming.
Of course these aspects come to life quite frequently throughout, they even form a large part of the build-up within the film; although a successful job is done at making Chestersberg seem slightly conceivable in a mad sense, it is when the other British murder towns enter the picture does the bloodshed and carnage really come to life. Who would have thought that the inner politics of killing towns would be so interesting?
McKellar delivers an overall exciting watch, with equal amounts of tomfoolery and bloody gags to both disrupt audience expectations, slightly disgust and to more importantly entertain.
Watch CHESTERSBERG at this years festival on 31 October 2020 at 17.00pm.
Grace from Film Overload takes a look at our Saturday international feature screening of Danni and the Vampire, available to watch at this years festival on 31 October 2020 at 13.30pm.
‘Endearing indie vampire flick breathes new life in to saturated genre’
Danni and the Vampire tackles the saturated vampire genre, with a fresh perspective on horror comedy. To mix habitually alternate genres is a brave decision. However, it’s one that writer and director, Max Werkmeister handles with a clear sense of direction. In a film drenched with a neon glow and warm characters comes a unique tale of acceptance told through a morbidly charming lens.
We follow Danni (Alexandra Landau), a seemingly heroic creature-catcher who can’t escape her legacy as the famous Jersey Devil slayer. However, behind her bold persona lies a much deeper want for confirmation and steadiness. Her true unravelling identity is discovered when her past catches up with her when she meets two cryptic organisations hunting down the bloodthirsty vampire Remy (Henry Kiely).
From the offset a satirically macabre sense of humour is established, with purposefully exaggerated characters that quickly leave the audiences hooked from the very beginning. The comedy is not overtly theatrical, but instead well timed and appropriately dark. With this being said, Werkmeister steadily transitions the narrative to not solely focus on the horror comedy aspect, with a gradual thematic shift that focuses on the blossoming dynamics between Danni and Remy.
Vampire films pair perfectly with human relationships, however after years of tiresome ‘immortal versus mortal’ bonding stories, the whole aspect of vampiric enamour has worn dry. Yet, the bond between Danni and ‘the vampire’ runs deeper than the bloodlust tales of the past, with their dynamics remaining unexploited and somewhat wholesome. Dripped in a neon light, we see this unlikely relationship grow into something that we actually care about, our compassion lies within their understanding of each other’s inner intentions, not just their tough exteriors. Danni and Remy’s obvious chemistry is significantly transparent throughout.
With the performances from Kiely and Landau coming across so fluidly; we truly connect and root for them, rather than simply watch their actions unfold. Combined alongside their like-ability is their endearing self-discovering journey, that is portrayed as authentic, rather than overtly cliche. In fact this avoidance of familiarity and typicality is something that runs across the entire film, with the audience constantly left unaware of what’s around each corner.
All these boundless subplots could be easily distracting and overzealous, yet Werkmeister cannily holds our attention via the visually engaging imagery, with vibrant neon lit atmospheric tones and impressive effects that successfully reel the viewer in. Despite the bright exterior, there are still lingering moments of suspense that balances out the sporadic humour, all the whilst keeping in time with the zesty aesthetic. It’s this quick paced fun vibe of the film that not only adds to its rewatching power, but also it’s memorability for being an obscure comedic take on the classic vampire tale.
Grace from Film Overload takes a look at our final feature screening of the 2020 festival Ten Minutes to Midnight, available to watch at this years festival on 1 November 2020 at 21.45pm.
Blood, thrills and carnage wrapped up in a kaleidoscopic fever dream
Erik Bloomquist and his brother Carson Bloomquist bring us Ten Minutes to Midnight, a hardcore bloody film that delves deep into the rattling psychosis of a feisty late night radio host as she battles through her tumultuous last shift before being savagely replaced by an entitled young women straight out of college.
This is not a film for the faint-hearted, with the shock value tuned to the highest frequency. Blood, thrills and carnage make Ten Minutes to Midnight unmissable, but what Bloomquist undoubtedly achieves is a gripping adventure into an unravelling breakdown surrounding the loss of personal identity and not knowing your own existence without the foundations that bind it together.
Unfortunately films that combine both electrifying visuals and emotive narratives typically fails, with one aspect always outshining the other; however, our protagonist Amy Marlowe played by the talented Caroline Williams delivers a heartfelt performance as an experienced radio DJ being harshly forced out of the career that defined her. Williams portrayal of Amy is irrefutably enthralling as she not only hits every mark, but also brings such a convincing representation of a person on the edge.
It’s no surprise that Williams’ acting raises the stakes as she has an iconic scream queen reputation from playing the fan favourite ‘Stretch’ from the infamous 1986 film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (Tobe Hooper). Despite the notable filmic accolade that Williams claims, she does not craft her performance around her previous roles, with the character of Amy presenting a fresh take on a delusional individual. Horror fans may also notice that the eccentric security guard Ernie is played by the late Nicholas Tucci who famously played Felix in the outstanding home invasion film You’re Next (Adam Wingard, 2011).
The at times over the top aesthetics such as the sporadic shift in discourse is purposefully adapted to cloud the viewers sense of judgement throughout. Each act of the film serves to amplify the building atmospheric tension, with an utter sense of dread being conjured in each scene. The first portion of the film plays out as a catalyst for the madness we are set to witness, with Amy being bitten by a rabid bat which sets the pieces in place for a crazy night which can only end in madness.
As the film progresses, we see Amy recklessly ruin what’s left of her career. To further the ensuing chaos is the complete kaleidoscope fever-dream that the film becomes. Just like Amy we do not trust what is fiction and what is the truth, everything is sporadic and disjointed, with grotesquely violent visuals flooding the screen in the best way possible.
To complement the intentional dismissiveness of reality is the outstanding special effects that startle the audience. Graphic burns and peeling skin are only some of the viscerally rich imagery that certainly magnifies the horror. But what really serves to dramatize the film’s message even more is the narrative compositional flow that directly pushes the limits on the necrotizing reality that can be quite contentious throughout.
Underneath the impressive visuals are an obvious penchant Bloomquist has for the genre. One of the aspects that make any horror film stand out is the setting, for Ten Minutes to Midnight a radio station is where all chaos ensues. Bloomquist utilises some of the best genre tropes such as after-hour timeframes and dark hallways to alert the viewer to the claustrophobic environment.
Different meanings can be easily reached as Amy’s spiralling is presented in such a dream-like way. However, whatever you take away from the film, one thing is certain, underneath the blood-splatter is a brutally raw film that crawls between subjective and objective to create a memorable experiencelike no other.
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