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Dead Northern 2024 Festival Review – Student Shorts

Tasty Tongue (Directed by Pearl Zheng) 

A-Zhe has a bitter soul (Shang-Ting Chung), continuously cursing others, but when he encounters Mia (Wen-Ling Cheng), a beautiful and mysterious woman, he develops a grotesque appetite for human tongues. The curiously disturbed story of A-Zhe is one of great significance, with director Pearl Zheng basing the film on an urban legend from her hometown.

She notes that she composed this moral tale of A-Zhe’s sour disposition by piecing together a more complex and whole story, with Zheng’s creative zing adding a newfound depth to this nauseating saga of events. Fleshing out the film are the visual effects that provide an immersive experience as we become lured into the bloodied carnage throughout this eclectic and unique short horror. 

Wick (Directed by Kayling Taylor)

In Wick, a perilous candle is bound to a young girl’s life, and if the flame is extinguished, she will meet a deadly fate. This gripping tale of cursed embers is fraught with tension and unexpected surprises that reach out and unnerve from deep within. Wick is darkly original, with its ominous and subversive result speaking to the creativity of student filmmakers.

Director Kayling Taylor is not afraid of taking the unbeaten path as the short film continuously throws the viewer through the myriad of unexpected twists and turns that Wick so creatively enacts. The film’s impressive capabilities are made all the more moving at the hands of Taylor’s outstanding directorial efforts, with the young filmmaker being only twelve years of age! With the likes of the unmissable Wick, Taylor is destined for a thriving future in the world of filmmaking. 

Strings (Directed by Ava Pearson, Eleanor Smith and Nina Zandvliet) 

In a bid to reconnect their childhood friendship, Sally (Calypso Lewis) and Poppy (Coco Jones) venture to Sicily on a dream summer vacation. However, when Poppy’s abrasive friend Alex (Ashton Hunt) joins the trip and creates a hostile dynamic, Sally finds herself becoming increasingly drawn to a lone puppet found at the villa. Strings operates on a less is more approach where implications and subtleties dredge up an intense horrifying energy that enforces the idea that what the viewer is unable to see is far more terrifying than the outward motions of overblown displays.

Underneath the surface, Strings is an examination of the constraints that lurk within coercive relationships, particularly how one’s identity can be clouded or even lost in toxic friendships. This poignant exploration uses the guise of horror and its ability to fashion insightful thematics with chilling, intense displays of eeriness to create a short film that is both meaningful and impactful. 

Did You Get That? (Directed by Jude Brownhill) 

Budding presenter Ross (Robyn Misha) is having doubts about having nonbeliever Sean (Bob Tapper) as their co-host on their supernatural investigation show. However, hosting dynamics are the least of their concern when they encounter a deadly force whilst investigating reports of a demonic presence known as ‘The Mammon’. Jude Brownhill’s previous credits include the experimental horror short The Lacuna Virus (2022), which showcased Brownhill’s creative flair in horror creation. His latest short feature, Did You Get That? expands upon his ability to stir distinct one-of-a-kind pieces that do not just stand out but also stimulate a sense of expressionism that prides itself on evocative vividness and unexpectedness. As such, what Did You Get That? conveys is a bold, monstrous affair that offers a cinematic insight into the haunting world of paranormal activity.

The format of an on-screen supernatural show is reminiscent of meta-esque filmmaking, allowing no space for predictability as Brownhill scripts in plenty of self-awareness and quips as Ross and Sean film their show. Did You Get That? is a memorable and effective exercise into analogue horror that perfectly balances explorations into otherworldly creatures while grounding itself as a tale of gritty realism. 

Next Please (Directed by Eva Bonnevits) 

Next Please traverses the intersection between animation and horror, exploring how the infinite capabilities of art-based filmmaking allows for unconstrained and unconventional storytelling due to the medium’s infinite flexibility. The short tackles the dreaded premise of a hellish doctor’s appointment that never ends. Eva Bonnevits’ undeniable talents are brimming with an energy that infuses Next Please with a form of kinetic yet dreaded terror where hyperbolic animations and powerful effects create a film that can only be described as a kaleidoscopic nightmare.

With animated art, anything is possible, which subsequently allows for the results to have no bounds. Next Please thrives within this notion, with every image belonging to a larger series of disturbing stills that form together to create an undeniably unnerving short surrealist film that cinematically represents the terrifying, illogical visions that come from the subconscious psyche. 

Dead Body (Directed by J Taylor-Jones) 

Dead Body is a soul-gripping, deliberately confrontational and conversational review into an incredibly worthy and critical truth. Director J Taylor-Jones is open about their filmmaking statement, declaring that media is a vessel for them to explore the corporeal, affective processes of personhood that come with being transgender. As such, Dead Body follows a non-binary individual (played by the stellar Andrew Houghton) who must survive the night as they become trapped by an antagonistic presence.

The ominous, metaphorical narrative is complemented by the standout visual palette that is weaponised throughout the film, with the striking crimson lighting melting with the viciously theatrical orchestral soundscape to create an end product that does not just startle and scare but also provokes an introspective reaction that ensures that Dead Body will not be forgotten.

The Bloke in the Boot (Directed by Taylor Caddick) 

Northern city boy Mogg (Jude Pollitt) accidentally kills his driving examiner (Stewart James Barham) after a failed test, leaving him to call his lifelong friend Gaps (Oliver Barry-Brook). With a body stuffed in the boot, the pair embark on a road trip to Wales to dispose of the mess. Part situational horror, part traditional British comedy as we join Mogg and Gaps on what can be defined as one of the most stressful types of road trips.

This thoroughly entertaining short acts as an exaggerated imitation of Northern British bonds and colloquialisms, which are built upon by the film’s self-deprecating humour, which is sure to provide belly laughs amidst the dramatic thriller roots additionally explored. Another specificity not to miss is The Bloke in the Boot’s genuinely admirable visual work that displays the grand cinematic views that the UK has to offer. With the brazen duo’s antics, the unapologetically hilarious British cynicism, and the impressive displays of the countryside’s landscape, The Bloke in the Boot is a must-watch for any audience member. 

The Journey Home (Directed by Noah Lei Underwood) 

The intense voyage of showcasing feelings of dysphoria and monstrosity that The Journey Home takes the viewer on is not to be underestimated. Director Noah Lei Underwood showcases two characters, ‘The Man’ (Louis Norton) and ‘The Creature’ (played by director Lei Underwood), who intertwine to exhibit what it means to feel trapped, caged and ensnared by one’s own flesh.

The film uses facets of nature and surrealism bundled up in a monstrous carcass to create a spectacle worthy of critical acclaim. Here, horror becomes a conduit that employs body horror and its gritty means of fleshy displays of violence to translate the complexity of the trans experience to a wider audience, lending crucial, deserted gravity to a situation that is often overlooked.

You can catch the films Friday 27th September at this years festival, tickets here!

Categories
Curiosity Corner

Director profile – Rob Savage

British horror cinema continuously delivers fantastic films and filmmakers alike, with countless classics rising from home soil; whether that’s folkloric nightmares, Hammer Horrors, gritty zombie fests, satiric parodies or creature features, Britain is a motherland of talent. One of these standout contributors to the genre is director Rob Savage. In the past couple of years, Savage’s work has traversed the land of short films, indie features, and major Hollywood debuts, with each picture delivering a unique, distinctive slice of terror for audiences to devour. 

Savage’s efforts to captivate his audiences can be traced back to his pure passion for filmmaking, which began early in the award-winning director’s journey when he made his first short film at the young age of 13. For a budding teen, his debut short, Sex Scene (2009), tackled quite the earnest storyline of two young individuals trying to navigate the world of intimacy. Following his first taste of creation, Savage continued to wield a camera and direct, edit and write a bundle of independent short stories such as Act (2010), Sit in Silence (2011), and I Am (2012).  

By the time Savage hit the later years of adolescence, it was clear that the young man with a movie camera would be bound to a career within the industry. Throughout the following years, Savage’s hard graft and drive for creation would yield significant results, being a testament to contemporary horror cinema.  

Strings (2012) 

Savage’s first feature-length film was a pure grassroots venture, and the filmmaker has since expressed the opportune nature of its production. Straight out of school, Savage used all his university savings to create a film, which he made off a borrowed camera and was filmed at his college. However, just like many great directors, Savage did not need the expensive thrills to produce a standout debut. 

String’s warm reception is mainly owed to Savage’s emotive take on a tender yet dramatic coming-of-age story following four teenagers who vow to spend their last summer together before venturing into adulthood. The film is thematically reminiscent of the series Skins (2007) and visually remindful of the likes of Fish Tank(2009), with the film’s microbudget adding to the close, personal feel where the narrative is given the chance to hone in on the character dynamics. 

The film went on to win the Raindance Award at the British Independent Film Awards before being procured by Vertigo Films for distribution. Upon this triumph, Savage went on to create a streak of short films, one of which, Dawn of the Deaf (2016), co-written by Jed Shepherd, would foreshadow the pair’s success in the horror genre. 

Host (2020) 

Savage’s second feature is the sensational Host, an unforgettable film that not only catered to many horror hounds’ frightful tastes but also invited an influx of new fans to the genre due to its rapid, viral success. Much of Host’s achievements come from how the film weaponizes its desktop setting to initially familiarize, drag the viewer in, and then torment them for long after watching. Its authentic coding also spoke to the film’s timely release. 

Filmed and distributed during lockdown was Savage’s full-length version of a prank gone array. Savage revealed in an exclusive interview with Dead Northern that he kept up with social outings during lockdown via Zoom meetings to catch up with friends; however, when he began hearing strange noises in his attic, he knew that he could play the ultimate joke on the unsuspecting crowd. With the idea of a laugh in mind, Savage arranged a call with pals to provide emotional support as he scoped out his supposedly haunted attic, only for him to edit the live call and insert a jumpscare of a zombie lurching out from the dark from the Spanish found footage movie Rec (2007). The subsequent screams and panics got the viral treatment from the internet, making studios desperate for Savage to extend his one-minute idea into a feature-length desktop horror. 

With Shudder eventually pinning the release, Host became the most talked about film of 2020, and to this day, Host still holds a 99% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes against a whopping 99 reviews! 

Host’s stellar outcome is largely owed to its gritty natural tone, where the character’s actions do not feel forced but genuine, forcing the fear to become palpable. The film’s immersive structural format is a consequence of how the entire cast and crew knew each other prior to filming and were only given loose scripts and action commands by Savage, along with co-writers Shepherd and Gemma Hurley. Host is far from rigid. It feels as if the footage from this haunted Zoom meeting really was just happened upon. It would be easy to compare Host to the likes of fellow desktop features such as Unfriended (2014) and Searching (2018), but instead, Host is a film unlike any other. 

Dashcam (2021) 

After the victory that was Host, the rumour mill reported that Savage had entered into a deal with Blumhouse Productions to create three features under their wing. The first entry to stem from this exciting collaboration was Dashcam, a screen-life horror surrounding the contentious musician Annie (Annie Hardy) as she treks through one hell of a wild night. The found footage boom is undoubtedly alive and well throughout the film, with the firsthand footage originating from dashcams, live streams and phones. 

What ensues for the next 76 minutes is a bundle of mania, including but not limited to MAGA-endorsing protagonists, lockdown conspiracies, possessed elderly women, abandoned amusement parks, car wrecks, chase scenes, occult symbols, stabbings, and an oddly entertaining but rather vulgar spew of songs carolled from Annie as she goes about this disastrous night. 

The rambunctious expedition, joyously accompanied by all of the conundrums and quirks is what makes Dashcam feel like a hazardous fever dream, where you will most definitely be left thinking ‘what on earth have I just witnessed?’ But nevertheless, in the best way possible. Dashcam is a valiant film from Savage and returning co-writers Shepherd and Hurley. It is not a movie that has been previously accomplished, and it is unlikely that cinema will get a film as provocative and brilliantly feral any time soon. 

The Boogeyman (2023) 

Savage’s latest film, The Boogeyman, saw the director take an alternative approach to horror than his previous feats, with the film taking a more traditional filming approach and swaying away from found footage altogether.

The Boogeyman comes from a 1973 short story of the same name from the one and only Stephen King, which chronicles a grieving family tormented by the Boogeyman. The film’s primary forte is the deadening atmosphere that trickles through every ounce of the film, covering the screen in a dreary, raw, and authentic mood where the sombre emotions of grief washes over every moment, alongside the peaks of haunting scares provided by the titular antagonising force. 

The film wields a commendable balance of brief ‘got ya!’ scares amidst its layers of more sincere horror which comes from both the stunning performances from Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, and Vivien Lyra Blair and the film’s aesthetics. The final act is brimming with these scenes of great visual capacity, where giallo-esque lighting and colourful hues fuse with the horrific imagery and the omnipresent vibe, providing a feeling that urges you to believe that evil really does lurk. 

The cinematic cherry on top, if you will, is The Boogeyman’s official seal of approval from the King of Horror, with Savage describing that King had openly praised the film and stated how it lingered with him after watching, just as a horror film should. 

Savage’s next move in his booming career is a further step into the land of horror, with it being confirmed that he is to adapt the graphic horror novel Night of the Ghoul, which follows a father and son duo as they search for the truth surrounding a long-lost horror film. However, as they unearth the secrets, they discover that this cursed film was left hidden away from the masses for good reason. What propels Savage to be one of the contemporary greats is how his love for the genre is palpable within his filmography. Horror fans make the best horror movies, and Savage’s works precisely proves this time and time again.

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