The Stylist

"The Stylist" (2020, Jill Sixx Gevargizian, Sixx Tape Productions).

Claire (Najarra Townsend) is a lonely, awkward woman and a hair dresser. She wishes she could be someone else and, occasionally, she takes this desire to extremes...

When she is asked by an acquaintance, Olivia (Brea Grant), to be her wedding hairstylist, Claire finds herself invited into Olivia's life... and, what's more, she finds herself wanting Olivia's life...

A dark tale about obsession. We feel for Claire despite the atrocities she commits; she is awkward and intense, people don't know how to take her. She is obsessed with becoming someone else; being accepted. These obsessions lead her from gruesome act, to gruesome act in her unrelinquishing desire to become these other women. 

More of a thriller than a slasher, the film has a fairly slow pace that is punctuated by the violent and bloody murders Claire commits. She is methodical, determined and almost whimsical in her pursuit of becoming someone else. 

Her odd behaviour sets off red flags around Olivia's friends, but their catty remarks just spur the obsession further on and eventually this leads to Claire's crescendo in a final, shocking act that closes the film in a memorable way.

Beautifully acted and with some very nice and bloody effects.

Despite some slower pacing in the middle, The Stylist is a really interesting film and delivers a feature film that truly builds on the powerful 2016 short of the same name. 

Currently available to stream on the Arrow Player.

[Image: Sixx Tape Productions]

Hani

Saint Maud

"Saint Maud" (2019, Rose Glass, Escape Plan Productions, Film4 Productions,  British Film Institute).

We meet Katie (Morphydd Clark); covered in blood, sitting on the floor. She is a nurse. On a gurney beside her lies a deceased patient. Katie is distraught, having failed to save them. 

Some time later we meet Katie again, but she has found God and reinvented herself. Now known as Maud, she takes a position as a private, live-in palliative care nurse to a wealthy dancer and choreographer called Amanda (Jennifer Ehle). Amanda is terminally ill and has lost the use of her legs, which as a dancer, she finds particularly hard to live with. Amanda is embittered by her situation, but Maud feels like they have a connection. When Amanda tells her of her fear of death, Maud comes to the belief that God has sent her here purposefully to save this woman's soul. Amanda perhaps further cements this belief by jokingly giving Maud a book of William Blake paintings, which are very religious in content, with an inscription penned on the cover calling Maud her 'saviour'. She also feigns a similar experience of ecstasy with Maud during a prayer.

But Amanda is still her own person and, despite Maud's best efforts to keep her "pure", Amanda enjoys too much booze, an endless supply of cigarettes, and the company of her friends. Including a friend called Carol (Lily Frazer), whom Amanda pays for sex. Maud's attempts to scare off Carol eventually lead to her own abrupt dismissal.

Distraught and furious, Maud practices self-flagellation and then gets extremely drunk. After a night of debauchery and a one-night-stand; which brings back vivid visions of her initial trauma, and a visit from an old colleague, Maud has a revelation and decides what it is she must do to fulfil her purpose as Amanda's saviour. 

An interesting film and a great character piece. Maud is a scary concept; so sure that she is in the right. Although she is not a physically imposing person, her power lies in her position as a care giver and her strong conviction. She is also continually dismissed by her peers; seen as an outcast or as harmless. 

Clark is excellent in the role as the obsessed and warped care giver and Ehle portrays the feisty, but broken spirit of Amanda with heartbreaking effect.

Maud's delusions and hallucinations are very subtle and effective and the effects and imagery slowly build up in impact throughout the film's duration. 

The locations and the contrast between Amanda's tragic life in her grand, ornate home and Maud's tragic life in her sparse bedsit, are beautifully stark.

I enjoyed the film, however, it does drag a little in places from a plot perspective. Definitely a slow burning film.

I wondered what the significance of Maud and "God's" communion being in Welsh was,  but a bit of research and an interesting interview piece I read from the director informs me that this was actually due to Glass overhearing Clark speaking Welsh to her family and it sounding good. Which, in honesty, is as good a reason as any and did inspire me to go hunting for answers in the first place!

Worth checking out, but less scary and more unsettling.

Currently available to rent from various VOD platforms, including Sky Store and Prime in the UK.

[Image: Film4 Produtions, et al]

Hani

Fade to Black

"Fade to Black" (1980, Vernon Zimmerman, Leisure Investment Company, Movie Ventures) is about a movie buff assuming the personalities of his favourite antagonists from the screen to exact bloody revenge on those who have done him wrong.

Eric Binford (Dennis Christopher) is a lonely and awkward young man living with a woman he believes to be his aunt (Eve Brent) in LA. She is confined to a wheelchair and constantly shouts at and belittles him, blaming him for her current state of affairs. Eric works at a movie distribution company and is constantly heckled by workplace bullies (including Mickey Rourke) and lives only to watch movies. That is until he sees the beautiful Marilyn O-Connor (Linda Kerridge) an Australian Marilyn Monroe lookalike and aspiring actress, and becomes completely obsessed with her.

When the heckling becomes too much for him, and Marilyn seemingly stands him up on a date something snaps in Eric and he begins to disguise himself as the villains from his favourite movies and murdering those responsible for his misery in ways inspired by the movies...

A pretty dark premise and a very engaging film that starts as an intrigue and underdog story, and ends with a tragedy about mental health, loneliness and obsession. But there's humour to be found in there, too.

The film takes care to set up the kill scenes with lighting and effects reminiscent of the films Eric is mimicking. It's all in the killer's mind, of course, but it lets the viewer experience the way he's seeing the world from his perspective. Eric is the hero of his own movie, and what he's doing is completely justified. But the fact he selects, with exception of Hop-along Cassidy, mostly villains; the mummy, Dracula, Tommy Udo... hint towards Eric's recognition that deep down he knows he's not really the hero.

The makeup and costumes are good fun and, although the kill scenes have a fair bit of silliness to them, there's an excellent scene with the Dracula makeup that seems to hint at some of Eric's personality still behind the obsession. But he completes the look and loses his senses once again.

Dennis Christopher creates a creepy and distasteful character, but also manages to inspire our sympathies despite his murderous and grim antics and annoying air of superiority when talking about his obsession; cinema. His descent into madness is caricaturish, but the climatic scenes at the Chinese Theatre in LA are intense and tragic.

Managing to be a film about the dangers of movie obsession leading too far, and also oddly not fully condemning cinephiles as a whole (at the end of the day, the target audience), "Fade to Black" remains an effective film today and is definitely worth checking out.

[Image: Movie Ventures, et al]

Hani

Perfect Skin

**This review contains spoilers**

"Perfect Skin" (2018, Kevin Chicken, Perfect Skin Productions, KEW Media Group) is a psychological horror film about an obsessive tattoo artist who goes way too far in his attempts to create a masterpiece.

Katia (Natalia Kostrzewa) is a Polish woman who moves in with her Australian friend, Lucy (Jo Woodcock), in her London flat. While out partying Lucy introduces Katia to Bob (Richard Brake), an American tattoo artist who Lucy had received some tattoo work from in the past. Bob offers to design Katia her first tattoo, but he becomes obsessed with her as a perfect 'blank canvas' and kidnaps her in order to turn her into his personal masterpiece.

An extremely dark and sinister plot which is well executed and creates uncomfortable but intriguing viewing. As Katia wakes to discover more and more changes to her body she becomes both horrified at the transformation being done without her consent and also interested in spite of herself in what Bob has planned, as well as in his other dark interests.

A study in obsession, dominance and retaliation which manages not to vilify the sub-culture of body modification, despite the antagonist's misuse of it. The film straddles the void between exploitation movies and torture films becoming fairly difficult to fit into any one box. While certainly not pleasant viewing, the cast deliver a haunting performance that may leave you looking for the wire brush and dettol afterwards.

Currently available to rent from YouTube.

[Image: KEW Media Group, et al]

Hani

The Presence

"The Presence" (2010, Tom Provost, Khartoum, Saturn Harvest Films, Flatland Pictures, Lionsgate) is a quiet, eerie ghost story.

A woman (Mira Sorvino) is staying at a secluded cabin to get away from it all. She is being stalked by an apparition (Shane West) who has taken up residence in the cabin. When the woman's boyfriend (Justin Kirk) turns up unexpectantly to surprise her, the ghost becomes more possessive, jealously trying to keep the woman for himself.

A quiet film that needs your attention to have impact. The ghost wonders around in the background, following the woman as she goes about her day. Although she can feel that there's something there, she is unable to see him.

As time goes on, and especially as their peace is broken by her boyfriend's sudden arrival, the ghost begins to step up his haunting and the woman also begins to behave more erratically as a result.

The film is slow, quiet and eerie without much dialogue. The scenes are beautifully captured and somewhat melancholy in essence. Although I enjoyed it, despite its slow nature, the ending is somewhat muddled and didn't match the rest of the film, which was a little disappointing.

More of a contemplative and mysterious thriller than an exciting horror, it's definitely not one for everyone. And the lack of explanation within the plot could be a sticking point for some viewers.

[Image: Lionsgate, et al]

Hani

Shut In

"Shut In" (2016, Farren Blackburn, Transfilm International, Lava Bear Films, Canal+, Ocs, Cine+, Europa Corp) is a psychological thriller.

Mary (Naomi Watts) is a widowed child psychologist who lives and works in her secluded home with her 18 year old stepson, Stephen (Charlie Heaton), who has been left catatonic after the road accident that killed his father. During a snowstorm that renders them trapped in their home, Mary becomes concerned that she's either losing her mind, or that her home is haunted.

A slow burning film. The plot is pretty simple with a couple of twists and turns to try and flesh it out. The setting is effective, but the characters are a little rough and not entirely realistic, with the exception of our protagonist, Mary. Although, I find it difficult to believe a psychologist would miss some of the things that Mary misses...

On the whole, the film is pretty slow to get going and the premise is a little too 'out there' to give the slow build-up much of a payoff. Naomi Watts gives an excellent performance, essentially carrying the movie along, but the film has a hollow feeling that makes it feel a little... off.

[Image: Lava Bear Films, et al]

Hani

Julia's Eyes

"Julia's Eyes" aka "Los ojos de Julia" (2010, Guillem Morales, Rodar y Rodar Cine y Televisión, Double Dare You, Universal Pictures) is a Spanish thriller about blindness. 

Julia (Belén Rueda) is a twin, whose sister, Sara, has committed suicide shortly after becoming blind. Sara's blindness was caused by a hereditary condition from which Julia is also suffering, and she and her husband, Isaac (Lluís Homar), are already preparing for her own inevitable fate. 

Julia becomes convinced that Sara's death was not a straightforward suicide, and she begins to investigate herself, as her own sight begins to slowly diminish. Alas, time is running out and she is assigned a care worker, Iván (Pablo Delqui). Can she avoid the fate of her sister?

A fun thriller with some good effects and some chilling scenes dotted throughout what is otherwise a slow-burning mystery, more than a horror. Julia’s slow, but steady march towards blindness is effectively portrayed through lighting and skilfully keeping other characters just out of sight.

An effective thriller that packs possibly too many twists, but delivers with a fun, but straight-faced style that makes our heroine’s sense of loss and hopelessness palpable. 

Hani 

Creep

"Creep" (2014, Patrick Brice, Blumhouse Productions, The Orchard) is a found footage film.

Cameraman for hire, Aaron (Patrick Brice), takes a mysterious job with a guy called Josef (Mark Duplass) for $1,000 for a full day's work. He drives up to a cabin in the woods and meets Josef there. Josef is a strange, uncomfortably overly-familiar man who explains that he is dying from a brain tumour and would like Aaron to help him film a video for his unborn child. Josef is weird, but he seems sincere, and $1,000 is a lot of money for just a little bit of weirdness, so Aaron takes the job.

Josef asks Aaron to film him doing some pretty nutty stuff, but nothing so serious that Aaron runs off. Then Josef insists that Aaron come in for a drink before setting off, you know since they're besties now. Aaron unwillingly agrees and soon finds that Josef is even stranger than he first envisaged. He cannot shake his new friend, the police will not take him seriously and it seems like Josef is getting more and more intense.... But is he truly dangerous? Or just slightly unhinged?

Although slow burning, this found footage film manages to be engaging and uncomfortable to watch. Duplass gives a stellar and unsettling performance as the creepy, compulsive liar and I found myself really feeling for the confused and frightened Aaron. I'm not really a fan of found footage films, but this one does well as it maintains a linear viewpoint and perspective: we don't go jumping from medium to medium.

A surprisingly effective amount of tension is successfully built through the film as Josef becomes more and more creepy. And, despite not being a gory film, it manages to have a chilling and memorable quality.

I also appreciated that this film was centred around masculine characters instead of the old damsel in distress chestnut. I think it really made for a different kind of film than I went in expecting.

[Image: Blumhouse Productions, et al]

Hani

Videodrome

"Videodrome" (1983, Canadian Film Development Corporation, Famous Players, Filmplan International, David Cronenberg) explores porn and how we view life in our advancingly technology-dependent world in an excellently (Rick Baker) gore-soaked way.

Max Renn (James Woods) is a TV executive for a cable channel. It's the 80s, VHS and Betamax are still shiny new technologies, and he thinks he's found the most interesting thing ever to show on TV: foreign snuff porn of questionable quality! The underground programme is called "Videodrome" and Renn is determined to get to the bottom of it. He has become sinisterly obsessed.

As his life becomes more entwined into the cult-like Videodrome lifestyle, his view on life changes and he begins to see things that he is not sure are real or not... Is he losing his mind or is he becoming part of a new reality? His femme fatale friend, Nicki (Debbie Harry of Blondie), also gets herself involved as she and Renn fall into the Videodrome trap together.

His searchings lead him to the hub of the technological cult, but has he gone too far?

This film was a slighlty different step for Cronenberg at the time and hinted towards where he would take his movies next. Videodrome manages to balance slightly obnoxious cerebral plot with a message about society's obsession with technology, with the confusing, but gory action his audience had come to expect. He manages to make a social comment on video and technology while also exploiting just that as his platform to do so. The film remains ever relevant and the effects make for undated, uncomfortable viewing.

[Image: FilmPlan International, et al]

Hani

The Hills Run Red

"The Hills Run Red" (2009, Dave Parker, Dark Castle Entertainment, Warner Premiere) is a twisted slasher with a bit of a sick dig at its fans and fans of horror in general.

Tyler (Tad Hilgenbrink) is an obsessive horror fan. In fact he's obsessed with one particular horror film; a 'lost' film by a director, Concannon (William Sadler), who swiftly disappeared after making it.

In an attempt to find the missing footage and put a rest to his obsession, Tyler, along with his two friends, Serina (Janet Montgomery) and Lalo (Alex Wyndham), track down the director's stripper, junkie daughter, Alexa (Sophie Monk) and head out to the site of the film. All the while filming themselves and laughing merrily about how this is just like the start to... well, a horror film!

And wouldn't you know it? Things go awry. Very awry.

Bending the rules and breaking the fourth wall creatively, this film manages to be a gore soaked torture and mystery film in the way that the first "Saw" movie managed, but perhaps with less brains behind the plot.

Aside from the viewer prodding plot, there are some very good tropes in this film. The masked killer, Babyface (portrayed by Raicho Vasilev, Danko Jordanov and Itai Diakov), is a good one. The legend behind him isn't too important, but the disturbing physical appearance of our killer coupled with the 'reality' we discover is truly grotesque. The mask itself is beyond creepy and he also manages to effect that hulking but sad character that's often associated with masked slasher villains. He also threatens people by pointing a gun at his own head which makes.... what kind of sense?! But somehow works...

Our director is wonderfully psychotic. And that's as much as I'll say about him.

While I didn't feel particularly vested in the characters, the end scenes are really horrific and I have to hand it to the writers, this is a twisted little plot.

It's worth a see for some good kill scenes, a lot of gore, a bit of mystery and an incredible slasher mask!

[Image: Dark Castle Entertainment]

 

Hani

The American Scream

"The American Scream" (2012, Michael Stephenson, Brainstorm Media, Chiller Films, Magic Stone Productions) is a documentary from the mind that brought us "The Best Worst Movie" back in 2009.

It's set in a quiet American town called Fairhaven and follows 3 families of 'home haunters' as they prepare for the big night of Halloween over the month of October. Each family goes all out for Halloween, turning their gardens and houses into haunted houses for people to visit and enjoy. All three have a different personality, and so each Haunt is very different.

I knew America was crazy for Halloween, but I didn't realise how seriously some people took it! Or that there were whole conventions for props and house decor. Man, I definitely live in the wrong part of the globe.

Endearing and sweet, and often a little sad, this film follows the trials, tribulations and sheer dedication the Haunters and their ever supporting families go through to treat the children and trick or treaters at Halloween.

Each Haunter has such a different character and obviously felt very differently about the holiday and how they went about putting their haunt together, and I think I loved each one of them, they were just so charming in their sheer determination to make their haunt one to remember.

With some ups and downs and some really funny moments that had the cinema laughing aloud and sharing smiles, I found this film to be an excellent crowd pleaser, and a great study on the modern day American obsession (not with bad connotations, however) with All Hallow's Eve and how hobbies can really give your life purpose if you're passionate enough.

The props that Vincent put together, in particular, were so impressive! If he lived in my neighbourhood I would have been helping him out every year! The ending has a melancholy feel to it, however, and I'm curious to whether getting to live his dream has made Vincent happy. I really hope it has, though!

The scenes inside the haunts are excellent and really funny. All in all, this was a little gem of a movie and, while not a horror, is so touching and well put together it will bring a smile to your face.

A good way to start off the 2013 Fright Fest!

[Images: Brainstorm Media, Chiller Films, Magic Stone Productions]

 

Hani