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Review – Nightsiren

Supporting up-and-coming talent is a massive part of what we do here at Dead Northern, so when we received a message from a student looking for an opportunity to review for us we jumped at the chance. We’d like to introduce Hayley to the Dead Northern family.

Without further ado, here’s Hayley’s review of Nightsiren.
 
Nightsiren is a 2022 Slovakian folk horror film directed and written by Tereza Nvotova. It had its UK premiere at this year’s Glasgow Film Festival. It has won the Golden Leopard Filmmakers of the Present 2022premiere


The film stars Natalia Germani as Charlotte and Juliana Ol’hova as Helen. It film follows Charlotte (Germani) who comes back to her childhood mountain village seeking answers regarding her traumatic childhood. Whilst there strange things happen and the villagers accuse her of being a witch. Whilst at the village she befriends Helen (Ol’hova), the two of them become close friends and try to figure out what happened in Charlotte’s past. Throughout the film Charlotte discovers things from her past were not as she once perceived. She does find answers but whether or not they are what she is looking for is another story. Nightsiren is all about who you can trust and who can’t be trusted.
 


Nightsiren is based on folktales and how they are still believed in rural areas in today’s society. I’m not sure if the film is based on a specific Slovakian folktale or a culmination of lots of different folktales.
The horror comes from not knowing what’s real or not. Are there witches? Is it all in the villagers’ heads? It reminded me very much of The VVitch in that sense. Being in a secluded place with the feeling that you can’t escape and you don’t know who the real enemy is. The villagers themselves add to the horror. They are the ones that are pointing the finger at Charlotte stating that she is the witch. There is a feel of paranoia throughout the film, from the villagers thinking there is a witch within their midst to Charlotte and Helen fearing for their lives.
 
Nvotova has made a slow burn horror that keeps you asking who the real enemy is. This is the third feature length film for Nvotova. She understands what audiences want when it comes to folk horror. A tale of twists and turns. Nvotova started as a documentary director, this is her first foray into horror. I’m excited to see where she goes from here and if horror is something that she delves into more.
 
Both Germani (Charlotte) and Ol’hova (Helen) are stand out performances. The way that they grow throughout the film both separately and together. Their relationship is something that is questioned throughout the film. Did they know each other before Charlotte came back to the village? Is there something more between them?


Nightsiren is the kind of horror that stays with you long after it’s ended. It certainly has with myself. What I liked most about the film was that nothing is ever really explained; it just starts and from there you need to figure out what’s going on. This is definitely one for fans of folk horror. Folk horror is a genre that seems to be making a coming back in the last few years. It’s interesting to see where the genre will go in the following years.

To see the trailer for Nightsiren click here

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80’s horror doc – In Search of Darkness (2019) – Review

In Search of Darkness

I was absolutely gutted to have missed the first limited release of In Search of Darkness – 80’s horror doc when they released it to Blu-ray last year. Long story short; the week I intended on making my purchase, I fell ill with appendicitis and ended up out of action for 4 weeks!

Thankfully when a second run was announced this year, I had another opportunity to own this 4 hour nostalgia trip and encyclopedic look into 80’s Horror.

”If one horror film hits, everyone says, ‘Let’s go make a horror film.’ It’s the genre that never dies.” – George A. Romero

This comprehensive look into the golden era of Horror flicks, was made reality through a Kickstarter campaign and it really does feel like a treat for fans. David Weiner (former journalist and executive editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland from 2015 to 2016) directs an eclectic mix of interviews with filmmakers such as John Carpenter, special effects legend’s Greg Nicotero, and super fans like Slipknot’s Corey Taylor.

The doc kicks off by listing the all-star casts’ memorable flicks of the decade; The Shining, Pet Sematary, Halloween II-5, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Thing, Childs Play, Elvira, Xtro, Company of Wolves, Cujo, Jaws 3D, The Howling, The Hunger, Basket Case, Maniac, Lost Boys, Near Dark, Friday the 13th I & II, Evil Dead I & II, The return of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, Poltergeist, American Werewolf in London, Monster Squad, The Fly, Hellraiser, The Changeling, Re-Animator, Sleepaway Camp, Pumkinhead – just scratching the surface of this epic decade of horror.

The doc then takes a walk chronologically from The Shining (1980) up to Friday The 13th Part VIII (1989) – It’s jammed packed full of anecdotes and amazing insights from how some of the bloodiest kills were made by the likes of Tom Savini to Joe Dante’s opinion on The Howling’s sequel.

In Search of Darkness left me yearning for those long gone video store years, every Friday night grabbing the goriest, scariest looking horror movie I could see in the bargain bin. The 4 hours 30 minutes runtime breezed by, and felt there could of easily of been hours more to dive into.

Excitingly David and the CreatorVC team clearly felt the same way as In Search of Darkness Part 2 is coming in October 2020 – Look out for an announcement next month for how we are celebrating its release at this years festival!

Our rating – 4.5/5

Written and Directed by – David A. Weiner

Produced by – Creator CV Studios

Starring – Cassandra Peterson, John Carpenter, Keith David, Heather Langenkamp, Joe Dante, Greg Nicotero and Barbara Crampton

In Search of Darkness is now avaliable to stream on Shudder

Digital copies are still available at Gumroad

Check out their latest projects at: https://www.creatorvc.com/

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8 Horror Movies worth a watch on Netflix right now

We’ve all got a little bit more time on our hands nowadays, but it’s not all bad!
Here are our top 8 horror flicks worth watching on Netflix right now:

1. IT (2017)

A Stephen King classic, with a very different tone to its predecessor; it ticks all the boxes for a great horror movie – Fantastic cast and team, great special effects and a solid well-developed plot. Skaarsgard fills Pennywise’s oversized clown shoes with his own sinister brand of fear (although Tim Curry still has the edge in our opinion).

It’s not the scariest film out there, but what it does well is spend time and care on the depth of the characters providing some satisfying frights and major payoffs.

‘IT’ smashed all the box office records for a reason – Enjoyable creepy fun for the avid fans and newcomers to horror alike.

4.5/5

2. Hush (2016)

Blumhouse contribute a mighty pile of horror for us every year, Hush is one of their greats. Acclaimed director Mike Flanagan champions this horror-thriller, telling the story of a deaf writer who retreats to the woods for a solitary life, when a masked psychotic killer appears in her window.

What unfolds is a tense game of cat and mouse between Maddie (Kate Siegel) and the killer, pushing her mental and physical limits to survive the night.

We highly recommend this heart pumping thriller!

4.5/5

3. A Quiet Place (2018)

Another brilliant film for those dipping their toe in the pool of horror, John Krasinski (The Office US) stars and directs this post apocalyptic/thriller and genuine parent’s nightmare.

Giant creatures have taken over the world as we know it, and even the smallest sound brings death to everything near it.

Krasinski spend all his waking moments trying to keep his family alive with on- and off-screen wife Emily Blunt. All the cast have genuine chemistry and within minutes you are rooting for them.

With the sequel coming later this year it is the perfect time to watch/re-watch this monster horror.

4/5

4. Insidious (2010)

Another Blumhouse film and part of James Wan’s solid directorial catalogue (Saw, The Conjuring, Annabelle), Wan is a master of psychological horror. This supernatural flick sees an American couple and three small children move to a new house where paranormal happenings ensue.

Apart from a shaky final act, Insidious packs some big scares which pay off all the more for it’s slow pace. Haunted house, creepy kids, possessions, and things that go bump in the night well worth a watch!

3.5/5

5. Cabin in the woods (2012)

This is one for the horror geeks out there, Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) team up for this meta gory horror – giving nods to many classics of the genre, from the more obvious Evil Dead references to a very special cameo from a certain xenomorph slaying legend.

It’s a story as old as time, teenage kids go for a weekend away in a secluded cabin and things take a turn for the worst, all the classic characters are there; the jock, the geeky one, the pretty girl, the stoner –  it all seem pretty standard but the creative twists and turns delivered in devlish ways makes it a really fun watch.

It is really a love/hate letter from Goddard and Whedon about the state of the horror genre, turning all the common tropes on their collective head.

Oh and it’s also a great film for persuading your partner to watch a horror movie, it’s gory yes, but it also stars Chris Hemsworth so there is something for everyone…

4/5

6. Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

Samuel Bayer takes a run at the 80’s dream invading slasher, providing a darker tinge to its predecessor.

Having re-watched both the original and the 2010 reboot recently, I have got to say Jack Earle Hayley fills the bladed gloves brilliantly. Compared to Englund more charismatic and more humorous baddie, Hayley is downright creepy and more realistic Kruger. He is unfortunately let down by a mediocre re-telling of the Freddy origin story.

There are some visually stunning scenes, including all those classic claw in the bath, wall stretching moments. Overall Elm Street does not fail to entertain and is a solid addition to the franchise.

3/5

7. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

If you see the word exorcist and think this movie is going to be all projectile green vomit and spinning heads, think again!

Scott Derrickson delivers an art house horror, which negates gore for a courtroom style telling of the death of a young girl during an exorcism – made all the more terrifying that it is loosely based on real events.

I was actually only 13 when this movie came out but stole a copy from my friends’ older brothers room one Saturday night and it scared us all so bad I slept with the light on for days after!

I recommend watching this one by yourself in the dark, so it really gives you the chills.

4/5

8. Final Destination 5

The idea that death is chasing you constantly after unnaturally surviving a disaster is a brilliant concept, after watching the first Final Destination over a decade ago I was genuinely freaked out for weeks after watching it.

By the time the 5th addition to the franchise comes along however, I am just here eagerly waiting, popcorn in hand, for the next hilariously gruesome death – each more ridiculous than the next. This one should satisfy those looking for the blood gore and guts for sure.

3.5/5