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Fantasia 2019: ‘Dachra’ is an Atmospheric, Impressive First [REVIEW]

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Dachra

As the first horror film out of Tunisia, Dachra is a promising start. Abdelhamid Bouchnak’s directorial debut is an atmospheric turn of the screw, where each new step brings our protagonists deeper into the dark woods of danger.

The film follows a group of three students who — for a class project — set off to investigate a crazed woman and supposed witch, rumored to have come from a remote village under mysterious circumstances. In search of answers, they stumble upon a village with dark secrets that threatens both their project and their lives. 

Though the story is bewitching, the plot is a bit scattered. But, it leaves a trail of breadcrumbs that help track the film’s path on a second viewing. The pacing stumbles in the second act, but a rousing finale helps to re-route the focus and move forward.

via Fantasia Fest

While the students film the entire process, Dachra is far from found footage. It’s beautifully shot and carefully choreographed. 

The cinematography (by Hatem Nechi) is absolutely stunning. The camera pushes in for intimate, intense moments, moving delicately to absorb every inch of emotion. Other shots are held at a distance, freezing the audience with chilling imagery drowned in stillness. As an impressive start to the film, the opening is shot in a single take, dragging the audience through the dark and grisly scene.

Lighting is skillfully manipulated to build tension and emphasize tone. There are moments when a single light source is used to backlight a scene, throwing a horrific emphasis on the subject. Lights move and flicker, with a healthy balance of both warm and cool hues to affect the mood and energy of each moment.

Our three main characters — Yassmine (Yassmine Dimassi), Walid (Aziz Jbali), and Bilel (Bilel Slatnia) — bicker constantly, picking at each other in a way that speaks more to squabbling siblings than best friends. 

For all their quarreling, it’s satisfying to see a female main character interact so candidly without being someone’s love interest. Yassmine holds her own against Walid and Bilel; her tongue is barbed with frustration and she often has final say over the decisions of the group. She is strong and capable, but she’s not impenetrable; she falls under the pressure and terror of the nightmare she finds herself in. She’s incredibly human, and is by far the most fleshed-out character between the three. 

via Fantasia Fest

Dachra — as a whole — is incredibly atmospheric. It builds a world of blood and grime that feels ancient in its permanence. It’s moody and dismal and overall very effective at creating an uncomfortable environment. 

As the first Tunisian horror film — and one of the few horror films in Arabic cinema at large — Dachra tackles a generational conflict that Tunisia is currently facing, while also meditating on brutal practices of witchcraft that still take place in parts of North Africa.

It has a lot of ground to cover. While those themes may be lost on those without knowledge of North African witchcraft practices or the political climate in Tunisia, it’s still an entertaining, well made horror film with a thrilling conclusion, that has made history as Tunisia’s first. 

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‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

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Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

The Strangers

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

The Strangers

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The Strangers

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

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It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

Great Movie Ride

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

Alien Romulus
Alien (1979)

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

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Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

Home Depot Skeleton Prop

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

Home Depot Prop

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.

Terror Dog Prop
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