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Horror in Black and White: ‘The Night of the Hunter’ (1955)

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Directed by Charles Laughton (The Old Dark House) and written by James Agee–based on the novel by Davis Grubb–The Night of the Hunter may not, on its surface or from a vague synopsis, sound much like a horror film.

Indeed, if you only read the first available synopsis on the film’s IMDb page, you might pass right by it on the search for something scary.

“A religious fanatic marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real daddy hid $10,000 he’d stolen in a robbery. “

Sound like a dime-store novel, doesn’t it?

Well, that’s where you’d be wrong.

The Night of the Hunter is one of the most intense, terrifying thrillers that I’ve ever seen, and it’s when you dig deeper into the story and its origins that all of that begins to make sense.

Grubb’s novel, you see, was based on real-life serial killer Harry Powers. Born in the Netherlands, Powers moved to Iowa in 1910 with his parents and then later to West Virginia where he met his wife through a “Lonely Hearts” personal ad.

Soon after they were wed, Powers began posting his own ads, courting numerous women, convincing them to withdraw money from their bank accounts, and then murdering them in a small garage he built near their home.

Grubb mined the terror of those murders for his novel and Agee deftly transferred those same raw emotions to his screenplay.

In the film, Harry Powers became Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), a traveling and clearly psychopathic “preacher”–complete with tattoos of the word “love” on one hand and “hate” on the other–who marries widows, takes them for everything they’re worth, and then disposes of them.

Powell’s psychology and psychopathy are interestingly laid out by Laughton. This man with his warped religion equates arousal with the desire to kill, and it is even suggested later on that he might be sexually impotent, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

Early in the film, Powell is in a burlesque house watching a dancer. As he becomes more entranced by her, his left hand–tattooed with the word “hate”–suddenly clinches into a fist, reaches into his coat pocket, and seconds later the blade on his switchblade suddenly cuts through the fabric of his coat.

You don’t have to be a devoted student of Freud to put those images together.

Powell is arrested at that very club and taken to jail for 30 days because it was discovered that he was driving a stolen vehicle. In jail, he meets Ben Harper (Peter Graves), a man on trial for murdering two people and stealing $10,000 from them. The police have been unable to find the money and Powell becomes obsessed with it.

When Harper won’t tell him where he hid the money, Powell bides his time, and upon release from jail and finding out that his cellmate is scheduled for execution sets about finding just where that money went.

In order to do that, he begins to ingratiate himself into the Harper’s former family. Pretending to be a chaplain from the prison and using a few of his old tricks, he soon manages to marry Ben’s wife Willa (Shelley Winters), who experiences her first bout of uncertainty on their wedding night when he seems uninterested in her physically.

He manipulates her, uses her hysteria to enhance his vile sermons, and seems to suck the very life out of her.

He soon discovers, however, that Willa knows nothing about the money’s whereabouts. No, it’s her children who know, and once he’s disposed of her in a scene that is as lyrical and beautiful as it is frightening, he turns his murderous attentions upon them.

The real terror in The Night of the Hunter begins when Powell discovers the children’s secret.

Laughton takes his time telling this story. It never feels rushed. In fact, it feels almost as methodical as Powell himself, and it is glorious in black and white.

The shadows feel alive, and as they move across Mitchum’s face, it’s far too easy to catch glimpses of the monster inside the man and the menace behind the charismatic preaching.

There’s a lot to unpack in The Night of the Hunter. It’s worthy of much more in-depth writing than I have time for here, but I will say this:

It was one of the first of its kind to shine a spotlight on a cold-blooded serial killer, much less one who turns his attentions on a pair of young children, and Laughton and his fellow creative infused every ounce of menace into the film. It would go on to influence countless others that came after it.

What’s remarkable is how absolutely heart-wrenching it can be at the same time.

In a pivotal scene in the film, the children escape Powell on a river skiff and as they float away, the boy collapses into unconsciousness in the boat and the girl (whose singing voice is dubbed by club singer Kitty White) begins to sing a haunting lullaby written by the film’s composer Walter Schumann).

As the boat floats along the river and the lullaby swells, they pass through lily pads and cattails, a single frog watches from the bank, and you can almost lose yourself in the sadness of it all.

It would be remiss not to mention the remarkably talented Lillian Gish’s performance in the film, as well. I won’t go too much into her role as it would give away too many spoilers, but she’s one of those incredible women whose tiny stature can fill an entire room and the full force of her talent is on display in the film.

If you’ve not seen, The Night of the Hunter, add it to your watchlist, now! Gather a few friends, turn off the lights, and enjoy this genuinely scary movie tonight!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8dX6ZKJe2o

For more Horror in Black and White check out last week’s entry: Eye of the Devil.

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Review: Is There ‘No Way Up’ For This Shark Film?

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A flock of birds flies into the jet engine of a commercial airliner making it crash into the ocean with only a handful of survivors tasked with escaping the sinking plane while also enduring depleting oxygen and nasty sharks in No Way Up. But does this low-budget film rise above its shopworn monster trope or sink beneath the weight of its shoestring budget?

First, this film obviously isn’t on the level of another popular survival film, Society of the Snow, but surprisingly it isn’t Sharknado either. You can tell a lot of good direction went into making it and its stars are up for the task. The histrionics are kept at a bare minimum and unfortunately the same can be said about the suspense. That isn’t to say that No Way Up is a limp noodle, there is plenty here to keep you watching until the end, even if the last two minutes is offensive to your suspension of disbelief.

Let’s start with the good. No Way Up has plenty of good acting, especially from its lead Sophie McIntosh who plays Ava, a rich governor’s daughter with a heart of gold. Inside, she is struggling with the memory of her mother’s drowning and is never far from her overprotective older bodyguard Brandon played with nannyish diligence by Colm Meaney. McIntosh doesn’t reduce herself to the size of a B-movie, she is fully committed and gives a strong performance even if the material is trodden.

No Way Up

Another standout is Grace Nettle playing the 12-year-old Rosa who is traveling with her grandparents Hank (James Caroll Jordan) and Mardy (Phyllis Logan). Nettle doesn’t reduce her character to a delicate tween. She’s scared yes, but she also has some input and pretty good advice about surviving the situation.

Will Attenborough plays the unfiltered Kyle who I imagine was there for comic relief, but the young actor never successfully tempers his meanness with nuance, therefore he just comes across as a die-cut archetypical asshole inserted to complete the diverse ensemble.

Rounding out the cast is Manuel Pacific who plays Danilo the flight attendant who is the mark of Kyle’s homophobic aggressions. That whole interaction feels a bit outdated, but again Attenborough hasn’t fleshed out his character well enough to warrant any.

No Way Up

Continuing on with what is good in the film are the special effects. The plane crash scene, as they always are, is terrifying and realistic. Director Claudio Fäh has spared no expense in that department. You have seen it all before, but here, since you know they are crashing into the Pacific it’s more tense and when the plane hits the water you’ll wonder how they did it.

As for the sharks they are equally impressive. It’s hard to tell if they used live ones. There are no hints of CGI, no uncanny valley to speak of and the fish are genuinely threatening, although they don’t get the screentime you might be expecting.

Now with the bad. No Way Up is a great idea on paper, but the reality is something like this couldn’t happen in real life, especially with a jumbo jet crashing into the Pacific Ocean at such a fast speed. And even though the director has successfully made it seem like it could happen, there are so many factors that just don’t make sense when you think about it. Underwater air pressure is the first to come to mind.

It also lacks a cinematic polish. It has this straight-to-video feel, but the effects are so good that you can’t help but feel the cinematography, especially inside the plane should have been slightly elevated. But I’m being pedantic, No Way Up is a good time.

The ending doesn’t quite live up to the film’s potential and you will be questioning the limits of the human respiratory system, but again, that’s nitpicking.

Overall, No Way Up is a great way to spend an evening watching a survival horror movie with the family. There are some bloody images, but nothing too bad, and the shark scenes can be mildly intense. It is rated R on the low end.

No Way Up might not be the “next great shark” movie, but it is a thrilling drama that rises above the other chum so easily thrown into the waters of Hollywood thanks to the dedication of its stars and believable special effects.

No Way Up is now available to rent on digital platforms.

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TADFF: ‘Founders Day’ is a Sly Cynical Slasher [Movie Review]

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Founders Day

The horror genre is inherently socio-political. For every zombie film there’s a theme of social unrest; with each monster or mayhem there’s an exploration of our cultural fears. Even the slasher subgenre isn’t immune, with meditations on gender politics, morality, and (quite often) sexuality. With Founders Day, brothers Erik and Carson Bloomquist take the political leanings of horror and make them far more literal.

Short clip from Founders Day

In Founders Day, a small town is shaken by a series of ominous killings in the days leading up to a heated mayoral election. As accusations fly and the threat of a masked killer darkens every street corner, the residents must race to uncover the truth before fear consumes the town.

The film stars Devin Druid (13 Reasons Why), Emilia McCarthy (SkyMed), Naomi Grace (NCIS), Olivia Nikkanen (The Society), Amy Hargreaves (Homeland), Catherine Curtin (Stranger Things), Jayce Bartok (SubUrbia), and William Russ (Boy Meets World). The cast are all very strong in their roles, with particular praise to the two smarmy politicians, played by Hargreaves and Bartok. 

As a Zoomer-facing horror film, Founders Day feels heavily inspired by the 90s teen horror cycle. There’s a wide cast of characters (each a very specific and easily identifiable “type”), some sexy brooding pop music, slashtacular violence, and a whodunnit mystery that pulls the pace. But there’s a lot going on inside the engine; a strong “this social structure is bullshit” energy makes certain scenes all the more relevant. 

One scene shows a feuding protest mob drop their signs to fight over who gets to comfort and protect a queer woman of colour (each claiming “she’s with us”). Another shows a politician attempting to rile up their constituents with an impassioned speech, calling them to storm the town in an offensive defense. Even the diametrically opposed mayoral candidates wear their allegiances on their sleeve (a vote for “change” versus a vote for “consistency”). There’s a whole overarching theme of popularity and profiting from tragedy. It’s not subtle, but dammit it works. 

Behind the commentary is director/co-writer/actor Erik Bloomquist, a two-time New England Emmy Award Winner (Outstanding Writer and Director for The Cobblestone Corridor) and former Top 200 Director on HBO’s Project Greenlight. His work on this film is slasher-horror  comprehensive; from tense single-take shots and excessive violence to a potentially iconic killer’s weapon and costume (that cleverly incorporates the Sock and Buskin comedy/tragedy mask).

Founders Day offers the basic necessities of the slasher subgenre (including some well-timed comedic delivery) while poking a middle finger at political institutions. It presents unflattering commentary on both sides of the fence, suggesting less “right versus left” ideology and more “burn it all down and start over” cynicism. It’s a surprisingly effective inspiration. 

If political horror isn’t for you, that’s… fine, but there’s some bad news. Horror is commentary. Horror is a reflection of our anxieties; it’s a reaction to politics, economy, tension, and history. It’s a counterculture that acts as a mirror on culture, and it’s meant to engage and challenge. 

Films like Night of the Living Dead, Soft and Quiet, and The Purge franchise present a biting commentary on the damaging effects of strong politics; Founders Day cynically reflects on the absurd theatre of these politics. It’s poignant that the suggested target audience for this film is the next generation of voters and leaders. Through all the slashing, stabbing, and screaming, it’s a powerful way to promote change. 

Founders Day played as part of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. For more on the politics of horror, read about Mia Goth defending the genre.

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[Fantastic Fest] ‘Infested’ is Guaranteed to Make Audiences Squirm, Jump and Scream

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Infested

It has been a while since spiders were effective in making folks lose their minds with fear in theaters. The last time I recall it being lose your mind suspenseful was with Arachnophobia. The latest from director, Sébastien Vaniček creates the same event cinema that Arachnophobia did when it was originally released.

Infested begins with a few individuals out in the middle of desert looking for exotic spiders under rocks. Once located, the spider is taken in a container to be sold to collectors.

Flash to Kaleb an individual absolutely obsessed with exotic pets. In fact, he has an illegal mini collection of them in his flat. Of course, Kaleb makes the desert spider a nice little home in a shoe box complete with cozy bits for the spider to relax. To his astonishment, the spider manages to escape from the box. It doesn’t take long to discover that this spider is deadly and it reproduces at alarming rates. Soon, the building is completely packed with them.

Infested

You know those little moments we all have had with unwelcome insects that come into our home. You know those instants right before we hit them with a broom or before we put a glass over them. Those little moments in which they suddenly launch at us or decide to run at the speed of light are what Infested does flawlessly. There are plenty of moments in which someone attempts to kill them with a broom, only to be shocked that the spider runs right up their arm and onto their face or neck. shudders

The residents of the building are also quarantined by the police who initially believe that there is a viral outbreak in the building. So, these unfortunate residents are stuck inside with tons of spiders moving freely in vents, corners and anywhere else you can think of. There are scenes in which you can see someone in the restroom washing their face/hands and also happen to see a whole lot of spiders crawling out of the vent behind them. The film is filled with plenty of big chilling moments like that which don’t let up.

The ensemble of characters is all brilliant. Each of them perfectly draws from the drama, comedy, and terror and makes that work in every beat of the film.

The film also plays on current tensions in the world between police states and people who attempt to speak out when in need of real help. The rock and a hard place architecture of the film is a perfect contrast.

In fact, once Kaleb and his neighbors decide they are locked inside, the chills and body count begin to rise as the spiders begin to grow and reproduce.

Infested is Arachnophobia meets a Safdie Brothers film such as Uncut Diamonds. Add the Safdie Brothers intense moments filled with characters talking over each other and shouting in fast-talking, anxiety-inducing conversations to a chilling environment filled with deadly spiders crawling all over people and you have Infested.

Infested is unnerving and seethes with second-to-second nail-biting terrors. This is the scariest time you are likely to have in a movie theater for a long time. If you didn’t have arachnophobia before watching Infested, you will after.

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