FrightFest 2014 - Saturday
Starry Eyes
Director: Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer
Bright an early on the Saturday morning and we were all more than settled into our long weekend. Already starting to compile lists of our favourites so far, the atmosphere was buzzing and everyone was more than excited to see what we had in store for the day. So what better way to start than a rather haunting venture into the dark side of Hollywood and the extreme lengths that someone is prepared to go to for fame. This one is sure to stay with you long after you leave the theatre.
Kevin Kolsch’s deeply affecting psychological horror thriller tells the story of waitress Sarah Walker (played exceptionally by newcomer Alex Escoe) who is one of many struggling actresses trying to get her big break. After many casting calls and a few auditions she suddenly embarks on the mysterious Astraeus Pictures. After a couple of strange auditions she finally bags her dream part. However with fame comes a series of unfortunate consequences and she will have to go through a vast transformation both physically and mentally in order to become beautiful.
Making a sinister and disturbing comment on fame, Kolsch’s film is an alarming and unforgettable venture into the dark side of Hollywood.
Alex Escoe is impressive as Sarah, able to tap in and out of her unhealthy obsessions while still retaining a rather innocent and pure quality that she has at the beginning of the film before the power consumes her. She has to go through quite a graphic transformation and she pulls it off effortlessly; she will be an actress to watch out for.
The direction itself is even unnerving as it tries to pretend to be something eerily normal and accepting yet its content is nothing but dark and unsettling. This juxtaposition between the foreshadowing of the bright lights of fame and the reality of the unnerving lengths this character has to go through to get there is just phenomenal. Starry Eyes is one of the most brutal and gritty horrors you will see this year, probably the next ten years because it shows that a good story goes a long way; it doesn’t need ounces of gore to leave its mark, a mark that feels not too far from home.
R5/5
Short Film Showcase
In between two of my favourite films of the festival I popped back over to one of the discovery screens to see the premier of my friends short film She among others. There were so many short films it’s hard to mention them all but a couple that stood out for me were Horror Channel presenter and Frightfest favourite Emily Booth’s Selkie which she wrote and starred in. It tells the tale of a mermaid like creature who washes ashore and is taken in by a local man and forced to be his lover and bear his child. With an intriguing story and beautifully directed by Simon Booth, this film really draws you in and shows a different side to the genre.
Another short which stood out was Jill Sixx Gevargizian’s 'Call Girl' featuring Laurence R. Harvey from The Human Centipede franchise fame. It tells the story of a man (Harvey) who decides to film himself raucously butchering a call girl who comes to his house. Only trouble is when she turns up, she isn’t quite what he was expecting and he got more than he bargained for… The film is snappy and stylish and doesn’t beat around the bush; good old-fashioned slasher fun.
Call Girl
She
The showcase featured a range of mediums including animation and films from all over the world. Unable to make the second showcase on the Monday I was grateful to view a versatile group of films in this afternoon slot.
The Harvest
Director: John McNaughton
The third slot of our Saturday fun bore witness to John McNaughton’s (Wild Things, Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer) intriguing psychological thriller The Harvest. At the helm are two dynamic and highly impressive performances from Samantha Morton and Michael Shannon as married couple Katherine and Richard who are both medical professionals. They keep their sick son Andy housebound and away from the outside world in their family home. They are only trying to protect him but when young girl Maryann moves in with her grandparents next door, Andy sees an opportunity to make a friend. Against Katherine’s wishes in particular, the two start to play together and form a close bond but it only makes things worse. One day when Katherine comes home Maryann is forced to hide and she finds herself downstairs in the cellar which harbours a secret of its own.
McNaughton’s film is exceedingly well written and he has chosen a subline cast for his thriller which in truth doesn’t harbour anything graphic or gory or unsuitable for minors for that matter. Instead it explores the terrifying lengths humans can go to in order to protect the ones they love; a different kind of terror. Michael Shannon is electrifying as usual as Richard, giving another of his understated performances which projects ounces of charisma with one facial expression or line of dialogue. His acting just improves with age. Equally outstanding is Samantha Morton as fierce, intimidating Katherine; we have never quite seen her in a role like this before and she embraces it to the full giving an impressionable performance. She isn’t someone you want to mess with! The two younger members of the cast are also very powerful. Natasha Calis and Charlie Tahan are exceptional as Maryann and Andy, able to carry a lot of the weight on their shoulders and to great effect. They are two more names to be added to the ever growing pool of young talent emerging out of Hollywood at the moment.
The film is clever and surprising; it takes a while to get going and some would inevitably lose patience but it’s worth it to get to the shocking final act. It bothers to take time to establish and develop its characters which makes us feel for them more so that by the time we reach that jaw dropping twist three quarters of the way through, we are well and truly involved. There is also something deeply symbolic about the location of the film too. Buried deep in the woodlands and countryside makes it ever more haunting when we realise what has actually been going on in this house. Dare I say more and I’m on the verge of spoilers but The Harvest is a different type of horror film that will hopefully capture you as much as it did me; well written, superbly acted and brilliantly executed.
R5/5
The Babadook
Director: Jennifer Kent
Our next feature was one of the festival’s most highly-anticipated films of the weekend. Picked as Total Film’s sponsored film and presented to us by chief acting editor Rosie Fletcher and main star Essie Davis we were all very excited for what was sure to be a well-made, potentially scary horror.
Jennifer Kent’s eerie tale follows single mother Amelia (Essie Davis) and her young son Sam (Daniel Henshall), who haven’t had the easiest of lives. Her husband died six years ago while driving her to the hospital to have Sam and it’s been difficult ever since because his birthday is a rather difficult reminder. When Sam starts having nightmares and a children’s pop-up book called ‘Mister Babadook’ enters their lives, a terror is unleashed that torments mother and son until they can work out just what it is, or rather what it means.
The film is superbly written and the two leads are terrific, projecting a realistic mother-son bond. Mothers will be able to identify with this especially. When the scares come they are jumpy and rather unexpected and it all builds nicely.
The only slight issue I had with the film was the ending. A lot of people agreed that it was a bit of a cop out after such astrong first three quarters. It’s a shame because up until that point it was verging on edge of your seat territory and Jennifer Kent’s direction was delivering on all levels. Still, nothing’s perfect.
R4/5
Digging Up The Marrow
Director: Adam Green
Frightfest veteran and everyone’s favourite likeable maestro of the genre, Adam Green decided to pop bac to London to deliver us a real treat. Placed in the discovery screen I decided to miss I Survived A Zombie Holocaust (which turned out to be the right call) to see Mr Green’s half fiction half documentary film Digging Up The Marrow.
This landed straight into my top five list and for very good reason. Blurring fantasy and reality beautifully, Green projects to us the story of when himself and cinematographer Will Barratt were contacted by former policeman William Dekker (Ray Wise) who argues that he can prove monsters are real. There is a world just below ours where these creatures live and it’s called The Marrow. Green is intrigued and despite not believing him he goes on a journey of discovery to see just what lies beneath this mysterious place.
What follows is 88 minutes of purely entertaining and intriguing fun. It almost feels like a history lesson in monster horror, but an interesting one. Green is a master at taking such simple ideas and making them something special. His passion is so vivid you cannot help but get absorbed into his world of mystical creatures and beings.
Ray Wise is nothing short of a perfect choice to play William and there’s something about his grisly expressions that draws you in and you start to believe in. I didn’t want this one to end, and with a particularly emotional and endearing Q and A afterwards, this was definitely one of my highlights of the weekend.
R5/5
Life After Beth
Director: Jeff Beana
One of my most anticipated films-if for nothing else but pure entertainment- was Saturday’s final film Life After Beth. Zombie rom-coms seem to go down well with our beloved horror fans. From Shaun Of The Dead to Warn Bodies, there’s just something about them that captivates us. Jeff Baena’s film-in my opinion- falls into this category. Original, quirky and not afraid to take itself too seriously, this film just ticks all the boxes.
Zach (the always impressive Dane DeHaan is devastated when his girlfriend Beth (Aubrey Plaza) dies. Only just coming to terms with his loss Zach is spell bounded to discover less than a day later that she has miraculously come back to life. Overjoyed at first to be reunited with his love, the happiness is short-lived when it becomes clear Beth isn’t quite herself. Her rotting corpse starts to become very apparent and her appetite very ravenous. It’s up to Zach to find out just what is going on once and for all before it’s too late.
The cast are a real treat; Dane DeHaan is charismatic as the centrepiece, just improving with each role he undertakes. Aubrey Plaza is as comical as she always is, think April Ludgate from Parks And Recreation but on overdrive! John C. Reilly and Moly Shannon are also brilliant as Beth’s parents, appearing in what seems to be there third onscreen collaboration and their chemistry is sublime. It may be simple and a little predictable but it does exactly what you would expect it to do and works well in the genre. Not to mention it’s the perfect date movie!
If you’re looking to relax and enjoy something that will wash over you and provide layers of laughter in the process, then this is for you!
R3.5/5
