Samhain Project '24: Next of Kin

 This film is so tightly wound. To say the least. The pacing is incredible.  It’s a tension wheel that starts cranking so slowly you almost don’t notice it until you’re hooked when it hits breakneck speed. 

When you look at the amount of story and character development that they have sandwiched into one hour and 26 minutes, you must credit the achievement. This Australian number was made in 1982, when there was quite a run of quality suspense and horror from that continent from the likes of Peter Weir, Richard Franklin and others. But this is one that doesn’t get the attention that its contemporaries do.

It starts off with a prelude that is a reflection of its denouement.   One that is vaguely disturbing for its opening moments.

The story is that of a woman who inherits a a retirement home from her dead mother and finds herself encapsulated in a mystery involving manipulation of finances and family, buried memories, revenge, and quite possibly murder.

Does Next of Kin spell it all out clearly?  Not really, but it still comes together in a satisfying conclusion and the final 20 minutes are a missile shot that you can’t take your eyes off of. Great performances all around, (including that of a young John Jarrett, who would go on to play one of the most terrifying psychopaths of the 2010s in Wolf Creek), beautiful scenery, and stunning cinematography make this film hold up even after 40 years.

Next of Kin comes highly recommended, (a Tarantino fave) but remember it is a slow burn, and by no means a slasher or monster film of any form.   However, creepiness is deeply entrenched in its 90 minute running time, so as it inches along, it makes you feel more and more ill at ease. 

This may not be something somebody wants to get together and watch at a party on Halloween, but it is  a damn worthy investment of your time. 

Samhain Project '24 : In a Violent Nature

This film came out earlier this year to much hullaballoo and deservedly so.  A low volume affair by young director, Chris Nash.  He displayed a vision and held to his process through to the end.  

Yes, this is a slasher film.  Indeed.  But.....

1.  It's like Mutual of Omaha's Friday the 13th, and this is a compliment.  The Ontario visuals are gorgeous from start to finish.

2.  You spend much more time with the slasher than you do his stupid teenage/early 20's victims. You learn just enough of his motivations, but are privy to all his actions. Jump scares are not what Nash is dealing in here.

3.  Disregard the shit you've heard about it being from the killer's (this time, an undead chap named Johnny) point of view.  Most of the camera work is from behind Johnny or to his left.  Like you're following him, not being him.  This removes the well-worn critical finger pointing of the past, blaming  the audience for somehow being complicit.  Now you're following him.  Hoping to god that Johnny doesn't turn to his left, look over his shoulder and see you.

4.  Nash shoots his film in 4:3, wanting to give audiences the vibe of watching those old slasher films with a boxy image on their 1980's pre-widescreen console televisions.  The man is a student of the game.  

5.  It has a classy ending.  Not a last minute shot of Johnny's eye's opening, or someone jumping out of the water, or being pulled somewhere.  This ending sends a message for you to interpret.  There is a final girl, and her subtle behavior as the film winds down gives you all you need to know.

In a Violent Nature, while being a throwback in a sense is unique, because Chris Nash takes the tropes and cliches (Thanks Horror's Greatest) and sets them on their ear, making this film completely unpredictable.  There are horrendous kills in this film, but they take their time; if you don't cover your eyes, prepare to cringe.  More than one moment will make you cock your head in realization that what you're seeing is completely out of left field for material of this sort.  

Hey Halloweeners, this one's for you, and if you're one of those folks who complains that Johnny spends too much time walking, maybe you need to spend some time in the woods. 

Look around. 

 
 

Samhain Project : Devil's Pass

SPECIAL

My wife and I had seen a couple of documentaries about the Dyatlov pass incident, a 1950's Russian expedition, where 9 people were eventually found dead in various unexplained and grisly ways.  To say the least, the story is chilling, whether you look at the many different possible and really bizarre ways these people could’ve died, to the fact that the fuckin' yeti may have been involved. He may have even possibly been photographed; all of that is disturbing to say the least. 

There still is no logical explanation as to how any of this happened. Medical tests settle on absolutely nothing, other than they all died extremely painful deaths.  Crushed skulls, a couple with lethal internal injuries but no external bruising and one with a potentially fatal dose of radiation.  Renny Harlin does a really good job of taking the concept of that story, (which is fucked up enough on its own real standing) and getting a good found footage film out of it.  Renny's made some good films, Die Hard 2, Deep Blue Sea, got mileage out of The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, and apparently the recent reboot of The Strangers. 

Devil's Pass involves a group of young filmmakers trying to find out what the hell happened up there, and what the hell is up there now. Of course they won’t like the answer, and the answer is absolutely batshit crazy. Crazy to the effect that it even involves the Philadelphia experiment, an American urban legend involving possible 1943 naval time travel, and even theorized teleportation.  Remember, as debunked as that legend is, the background on it is so thick and detailed, it remains fascinating.  John Carpenter even began a script on it that became the finished 1984 film,  The Philadelphia Experiment, of which the completed movie apparently resembles John's concepts in no way. 

Warning: the last 20 minutes is off the hook weird, but the movie itself and its set up is well worth the watch.