SHARP SHOCK SHORT: FIRST NIGHT IN THE NEW HOUSE

I've said this before, but it bears repeating — social media is a fantastic tool for film-makers to guarantee that their product finds an appreciative audience.
Recently I received a message via twitter from director Marc Fratto about reviewing his latest film, an offer I gladly accepted. Lo and behold, with one simple act Fratto found another pair of eyes for his short and this reviewer found another title to share with you, my wonderful readers. 

But would this prove to be a film I'd love to move in with?

Or would I want to pack my bags for pastures new?

Read on...

FIRST NIGHT IN THE NEW HOUSE (2015)

Dir: Marc Fratto

Starring: Katelyn Marie Marshall, Miriam Roth

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here as this is a short, but continue at your own risk.

A young woman from Brooklyn (Marshall) and her family move into a creaky old rural house.

Asnight falls the girl bids her family — including her mother (Roth) — goodnight, before retiring to her bedroom. However, shortly after going to bed her rest is disturbed by a rasping breathing sound. 

At first she assumes that the sound is coming from a neighbouring room, so she investigates. But as she slowly eliminates each likely source, she draws inexorably closer to a terrifying discovery...

WHY IT WORKS: First Night In The New House is a low-budget chiller that relies on atmosphere, skillful filmmaking and superb timing to work its magic. Writer/director Fratto takes a simple but effective premise and mines it for every possible drop of tension.

He cleverly employs some creepy framing for his shots, ensuring that the viewer is never quite sure what could be lurking just offscreen, ready to leap out upon being discovered. The slow game of cat and mouse that unfolds onscreen works because he knows how to hit each of his dramatic beats, slowly ratcheting up the sense of dread as we follow Marshall's
midnight sojourn around the titular new house.

The five minute short focuses on the talented young Marshall for the entirety of its duration, and she proves a capable lead. She gives the character a certain endearing inner city cynicism, yet manages to keep her vulnerable and sympathetic. Using plenty of subtle gestures and emotive facial expressions, Marshall delivers a sterling performance and I look forward to seeing more of her work.

Another individual who I'd love to see more from is director of photography David Carlucci, whose cinematography plays a vital role in delivering the film's frights and gorgeous visuals. Horror relies on using deep, dark shadows to unnerve the audience, so shooting a horror film can prove difficult. Using those dark shadows while still enabling the viewer to discern what exactly is going on is a tough balancing act, but thanks tolighting director A.J. Chakravarti, this film manages it. What's more the film grading looks significantly more polished than its humble budget might lead you to expect. 

Another area in which the film delivers beyond its means is the cool (and very unique) effects gag towards the end. I don't want to spoil it here so I shall refrain from going into too much detail, but I will say that it felt like the sort of exquisitely crafted creep-out I've come to expect from James Wan chillers such as The Conjuring or The Insidious franchise. Regular readers will know how big of a fan I am of Wan's work so this is quite the compliment.

Much like he has throughout the rest of First Night in the New House, Fratto (who also handled the visual effects) takes a pretty simple but still-very-clever idea anduses it to its full potential. It's a wonderful example of an abundance of talent and enthusiasm overcoming any financial deficit.

SO WHERE'S IT AT? Fratto and co have been kind enough to post the film online and you can watch it right here!

What's more, Fratto has revealed that he plans to expand the short into a feature-length movie called The Crazy House, which will be a film in which a mob family moves into a house haunted by restless and malevolent spirits. 
Count. Me. In!

10 WORD WRAP-UP: Atmospheric and spooky ghost story leaves us eager for movie

If you haven’t already, do please check out and like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House@HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

SHARP SHOCK SHORT: THE TOUR

Recently I reviewed the excellent and award-winning short, The Package, from director Damon Rickard. It made a very good impression, which meant that I was extremely excited at the prospect of watching and reviewing his previous short, the equally acclaimed The Tour.
Could this film prove just as a big an attraction as its successor? Or would it lose its way?
Read on...

THE TOUR (2014)

Dir: Alex Mathieson, Damon Rickard
Starring: Jessica Cameron, Heather Dorff, Tom Gordon

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here as this is a short, but continue at your own risk.

American tourists Cassie (Dorff) and Morgan (Cameron) are taking in some of the more offbeat sights of the British Isles. Their most recent stop sees them visit Darkmoor Manor, the most haunted house in England — and a major tourist destination for the nearby village.
After a suitably melodramatic speech from tour guide Tom (Gordon) in which the dark and disturbing history of the house is outlined, the pair approach him and get chatting before heading to the local pub for a drink. Cassie thinks he's quite the hottie, so when he says he can organise a tour inside the Manor after nightfall, she leaps at the chance.
Morgan is a little less keen (and understandably quite creeped out), but as a good friend she reluctantly agrees to tag along.
As darkness falls the trio arrive at the ominous building and slowly creep in through the front door... but will any of them ever leave?

WHY IT WORKS: One of the coolest things about The Tour is the way in which it feels very much like a full-length feature condensed into a compact 16 minute runtime.

Writers Rickard and Mathieson manage to pack lots of character development and plot twists into this lean shocker, and even more impressively, they never let it feel rushed or underdeveloped. It's a rare thing to find a short that has much depth — as a medium it simply doesn't offer enough time for lengthy examination or elaboration of themes and plot details — yet, thankfully, that is precisely what the pair deliver here.

The story feels very rich, the haunted house and small village over which it looms feel like a part of a deeper mythos, as do the events that occur within its shadowy confines. The story is never predictable and zigs and zags on its way to a killer ending that will have you itching to watch it again. This is grade-A storytelling.

The character development is helped by the sterling cast that Rickard and Mathieson have assembled. I was very impressed with Gordon's work in The Package and he is excellent here too. He's a handsome guy, so you can understand how the girls could well be charmed by him, yet he's also able to give his character a subtle edge. Obviously I don't want to spoil the plot here, so I shall just say that Gordon's Tom is given the opportunity to show plenty of range, and he does so admirably.

The heroine of the piece is played by modern horror megastar and upcoming scream queen extraordinaire Jessica Cameron. Cameron is a marketer's dream — a hardworking promoter who sells the hell out of any project, with legitimate genre cred as her super hard-hitting upcoming releases in Truth or Dare and Mania prove. However, what many people overlook is that the delightful Ms Cameron is a fantastic actress, which is proven by her superb turn in The Tour. She brings charisma and serious acting chops to the role — in short, she's brilliant.

Filling out the central trio is regular Cameron collaborator Dorff. She too is a superb actress and you can tell that she's having plenty of fun in her role as Cassie. She's fun, edgy, but never overbearing. This is a talented actress that I would like to see a lot more of.

However, there is a fourth main character — the atmospherically creepy Darkmoor Manor. The house is shot in such a mesmerising way by the directors and cinematographer Richard C Bell that it becomes just as captivating as the attractive young cast. Shot on location at Wymering Manor in Portsmouth (which dates all the way back to the Domesday book), it's not just the dark, warren-like interior that sets the grim and ghoulish scene — the imposing and looming exterior of the house is equally spectacular. This really was a wonderful find for the filmmakers.

The manor is not the only element which is well shot  — the camerawork throughout is superb, giving each scene that extra bit of professionalism and quality that really heightens the enjoyment of the film. It is well framed, while great work in the editing suite ensures that it cracks along at a brisk but comprehensible rate. This is polished and accomplished filmmaking from top to bottom.

With a twisted and compelling story, stunningly atmospheric visuals and an absolutely top-notch cast, The Tour is one of those shorts that acts as a perfect example of how marvellous the medium can be. You really should check it out.

SO WHERE'S IT AT? The Tour is STILL knocking them dead on the festival circuit well over a year since its first screening. Get yourself over to the film's official Facebook page for more information on when it may be coming to a screen near you. Give it a Like while you're there too, Rickard, Mathieson and their crew deserve it.

10 WORD WRAP-UP: A stellar cast makes this a superlative haunted house flick

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors

RAW REVIEW: CRIMSON PEAK

I'd better be honest up front here — I love the films of Guillermo del Toro. Pan's Labyrinth is one of my favourite films ever, while I think both The Devil's Backbone and Cronos are masterpieces, and I'm one of those people keeping all my non-essential extremities permanently crossed in the hope that, one day, we'll see the final epic chapter of the Hellboy trilogy. Even GdT's less popular titles such as Mimic, Blade II and Pacific Rim have a special place in my heart, whether it be for sheer visual invention or witty, cool uniqueness scattered throughout each of them.

So what I'm saying is that I went in to the advance screening of Crimson Peak expecting to be pleased. That this is del Toro's take on a Gothic ghost story (a genre I absolutely adore) only heightened those expectations.

Would I be disappointed?

Read on...

CRIMSON PEAK (2015)

Dir: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, Bruce Gray, Burn Gorman

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here but continue at your own risk.

As a girl Edith Cushing experiences a terrifying encounter with the spectre of her deceased mother, an encounter in which the spirit urges her to 'Beware Crimson Peak'. Later, Edith (Wasikowska) has become an aspiring writer in late 19th Century New York. Her father, Carter (Beaver) is a hardworking wealthy businessman, who entertains her ambitions, even if he would love to see her experience true love, just once.

One day Carter has a meeting with a dashing young Baronet, Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston), who needs investment from Cushing and his friends to create a device that will restore the clay mine beneath his stately home in Cumbria, Allerton Hall, to its former glory.

Cushing takes an instant dislike to the privileged young Englishman, however, soon romance starts to blossom between Edith and Thomas, much to the chagrin of her father and family physician Dr Alan McMichael (Hunnam), a childhood friend of Edith's who loves her dearly.

As the couple's relationship progresses, Cushing hires a PI, Holly (Gorman) to investigate Thomas and his icy sister Lady Lucille (Chastain). Upon discovering a scandalous secret about the Sharpes, Cushing orders them to leave.

However, the following morning Cushing is brutally slain, a tragedy which only drives Edith into the arms of Thomas. Soon the pair are married and return to the Sharpes' family home, a spectacular but rundown mansion atop a mound of red clay. 

A crimson peak.

Shortly after moving in, Edith begins to suspect that the Hall is home to several horrifying spirits.

But are they trying to hurt her... or warn her of a far greater danger? 

THE BEST BITS (minor spoiler warning): Where to start? I suppose with my initial reaction to viewing the film — del Toro has always had a fantastic eye for creating rich, dark but beautiful visuals. Crimson Peak may just be his most sumptuous film yet.

From the set design of the spectacular Allerton Hall, to the beautifully utilised motifs of red and yellow against the bleak black and green house, right down to the dreamlike snowstorm climax, it is utterly breathtaking. Cinematographer Dan Laustsen ensures each frame is seeped in Gothic atmosphere, while production designer Thomas E. Sanders and art director Brandt Gordon have packed every scene with some beautiful details that I'm sure will reward repeat viewings.

I'm not normally one to praise costumes, but these (designed by Kate Hawley) are equally fantastic, making strong use of blocks of colour to really catch the eye.

Quite simply, Crimson Peak is beautiful.

But admittedly gorgeous visuals aren't enough to make a film. Plot is the most important element to creating a truly captivating movie.

It's here that I need to point out that, despite what the marketing seems to be claiming, Crimson Peak is not a horror movie. It is a Gothic-romance with elements of horror scattered throughout. Much as lead character Edith explains multiple times regarding her manuscript, 'it's not a ghost story, it's a story with a ghost in it'.

In truth it's more of a twisted drama, with some extremely dark moments. The plot is not particularly complex, there are no gamechanging twists, instead it sets up a few mysteries early on, then gently reveals the answers one after the other. Honestly, most can be guessed quite early in the movie and there's very little likely to shock throughout.

But this really doesn't matter because it is a story about characters, notably our core trio of Edith, Thomas and Lucille, and their complex relationships with one another.

First we have Wasikowska's Edith, the undoubted heroine of the piece. She's feisty, independent, a headstrong young woman in a time that was not prepared for such a fiercely spirited lady. At the start she views men as condescending obstacles to her own success, with an even stronger view of men of privilege. This makes her burgeoning relationship with Thomas all the more compelling, we are seeing her world view change, her deeply held beliefs turned on their head by a mysterious and seductive stranger. Wasikowska is excellent in the role, keeping Edith soft enough that you sympathise with her through her ordeals (especially the frankly terrifying haunting sequences), while still imbuing her with enough steel at her core that she never comes across as a simpering, irritating damsel in distress. With her large emotive eyes, she's an excellent choice for leading lady.

As for leading man Hiddleston as Thomas, he too is fantastic. Sharpe is the most complex character in the film, a mysterious anti-hero whose motives can never be truly trusted. It's obvious that he and Lucille have chosen Edith for some nefarious purpose, but at the same time, as he romances Edith, there are several hints that the feelings he expresses towards her may not be entirely feinted. After taking the high-profile role of Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it isn't much of a stretch for Hiddleston to play a charming, erudite, villainous and misguided aristocrat, but by golly, he does it so well.

It's a fantastically restrained performance, which really pays off in the latter stages when you get to catch a glimpse of the turmoil within. Bravo, sir!

Finally we come to Chastain's enigmatic Lucille. Two-time Oscar nominee Chastain has been winning plenty of plaudits for her standout performance in Crimson Peak. And for good reason too — her brittle Lucille is a wonderfully realised character, one who isn't given a huge amount to do until quite late in the film, but takes every opportunity to draw you in with each second that she has. Alternating between icy glares, hateful smirks and anguished longing, she has totally captured the essence of a character who could only exist in Gothic fiction. It falls just short of hammy, yet is still so delightfully sinister you can't help but titter while she talks about dying butterflies with relish or describes the manner in which she nursed her ailing mother back to health following a violent assault by her brutish father. In a film packed with tormented spectres and haunted mansions, it is the flawless work of Chastain that creates the biggest chills.

Which brings us to those spooks. For, despite what I've said about the film not being a true horror movie, it still has plenty of moments that are utterly horrifying. There are some stomach-turning moments of brutal and shocking violence that provoked squeals from the audience with whom I viewed the film. But it is the terrifying ghosts that stand out. Still bearing the awful wounds that sent them into the afterlife, they are decomposing, distraught, desperate lost souls. They bear plenty of the hallmarks of del Toro's work, whispy tendrils of ether trailing away from their skeletal frames, their gaunt, frail bodies reaching out to grasp the subject of their attentions. That they are brought to life by the phenomenal Doug Jones and Javier Botet just adds to their eeriness, utilising two of the most recognisable and talented body actors out there.

This pays dividends too — in a film that rarely falls back on jump-scares, the sudden appearance of these heart-stopping entities is more than enough to cause sufficient jolts.

But for all the scares I return to the characterisation as the best part of the script. From the towering central trio, to able and stirring support from Supernatural's Beaver and the impressive and handsome Hunnam —plus Torchwood-alumni done-good Gorman in a lovely extended cameo — the cast bring these characters to life wonderfully, while the story by del Toro and Matthew Robbins gives them plenty to do. Quite frankly, it's a triumph.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): Honestly, it feels churlish to attempt to find fault with such an accomplished and ambitious motion picture.

First I'll address a key problem that plenty of viewers have discussed since seeing the trailer — the dreaded CGI.

There is a fair amount of CG used in the film, either to create or to enhance elements, and, in all honesty, it's not always a hit.

The moths (a del Toro staple) are excellent, however, at times the ghosts are less so. They reminded me a bit of the titular spirit in the del Toro-produced Mama (unsurprising considering Botet was used in that movie as well). The effects work has improved since it was used in Andrés Muschietti's 2013 film and is always fantastic in shadow or at a distance, but it suffers somewhat when in extreme close-up, especially when animating facial features. Respect must go to del Toro and the effects team for attempting to use puppets and actors in costume as much as possible, but there are times when they struggle to reach the scope of del Toro's substantial imagination and CG must be used. Sadly, there are also times that CG strains to match that imagination too.

Next up, and I've said this before but it bears repeating — Crimson Peak is not an out-and-out scare fest. There are a couple of very well-executed shocks, some decidedly nightmarish imagery and savage blood-letting that would put some slasher flicks to shame, but Crimson Peak is not a horror movie. Instead it's a dark and twisted adult fantasy. As such it moves far slower than fans of the likes of Friday the 13th, Hatchet or Saw may be used to. Personally I loved it for what it was, but this is a warning to those who may get annoyed at the movie for what it isn't.

Finally, a small peeve on my part. It's obvious that del Toro is a real fan of the time in which the story is set, and he loads it with plenty of authentic period touches. Sadly, he doesn't seem to have the same faith in us, his audience, because every time Edith stumbles across forgotten technology from the era she states exactly what it is in an off-putting unrealistic manner i.e. 'Wax cylinder recordings' or 'a gramophone'. I get that he may have thought people may not recognise them (they're not exactly everyday items after all), but there must be a better way to demonstrate what they are without just stating their name.

THE VERDICT: Let's keep this simple — Crimson Peak is one of my frontrunners for film of the year. It looks amazing, it sounds fantastic, has a genuine A-List cast and totally encapsulates the feel — and thrills — of Gothic fiction, itself one of the strongest influences on the genre we love. Guillermo del Toro has done it again, this movie is magnificent. 
Crimson Peak is released in UK cinemas today — watch it.
In the meantime you can find out more about the film here at its official Facebook page. Give it a Like while you're there too!

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

FILM4 FRIGHTFEST SPECIAL — REVIEW: WE ARE STILL HERE

The joy of FrightFest is that you get a wide variety of horror films from which to pick and choose. From gore-splattered slasher flicks to tongue-in-cheek creature features by way of creepy ghost stories, the horror world really is your oyster.
It's one of the latter that I'll be focusing on for my next FF Special review, an atmospheric haunted house tale starring scream queen legend Barbara Crampton.
With a talent like that onboard and a creepy as Hell trailer, I went in with high hopes.
Would this film stand a ghost of a chance? Or would it leave my spirits deflated?
Read on…

WE ARE STILL HERE (2015)

Dir: Ted Geoghegan
Starring: Barbara Crampton, Andrew Sensenig, Lisa Marie, Larrey Fessenden, Monte Markham, Susan Gibney, Michael Patrick, Kelsea Dakota, Guy Gane, Elissa Dowling, Zorah Burress, Marvin Patterson

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here but continue at your own risk.

The year is 1979. Anne (Crampton) and Paul (Sensenig) are a couple struggling with bereavement after losing their college student son Bobby in a tragic car accident.

Anne in particular is finding it difficult to cope with her grief, so the pair leave their old home in the city (and all the painful memories it holds) behind and relocate to a spacious and picturesque home in a small New England town.

However, upon moving in the change of scenery seems to have been to no avail as Anne becomes certain that Bobby's spirit has followed them to the new house.

As if one restless ghost wasn't enough, the pair are called on by neighbours, the McCabes and soon Dave (Markham) is recounting the grisly history of the house, specifically its previous purpose as a funeral parlour run by the maligned Dagmar family — a family who were found guilty of selling bodies and driven out of town.

Fearing for his wife's emotional well-being (all while dealing with a problematic boiler in a crumbling cellar) Paul invites family friends May (Marie) — who also fancies herself as something of a psychic — and stoner Jacob Lewis (Fessenden). They even invite the Lewis' son Harry (Patrick) and his girlfriend Daniella (Dakota), as he was Bobby's roommate at college and he offers Anne a link to the boy she's lost.

After May and Jacob arrive the four friends head out to eat at the local diner for dinner, leaving a note for the young lovebirds to join them when they arrive.

However, Paul, Anne and their friends soon realise that this small town is not so welcoming to outsiders. Meanwhile, Harry and Daniella discover the deadly secret in the cellar.

As the supernatural phenomenon mounts and the group attempts to deal with it, they are soon forced to accept that what lies waiting in the house may be beyond their comprehension — and what stalks them from without is every bit as dangerous.

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): We Are Still Here is a homage to the works of cult Italian horror maestro Lucio Fulci — specifically his batshit but bloody brilliant unofficial 'Gates of Hell' trilogy: City of the Living Dead; The Beyond; and The House By The Cemetery. As such it contains plenty of elements similar to those in Fulci's films.

For younger genre fans who may not have had the pleasure of seeing Fulci's works (and if you haven't, I certainly recommend these along with the iconic Zombie Flesh Eaters), what this means is that you get plenty of creepy, slowburn suspense scenes as we are drip-fed a surprisingly simple plot, interspersed with sudden, shocking moments of incredible graphic gore and bonkers supernatural shenanigans.

That's right, you essentially get the best of both worlds here.
The earlier scenes give you plenty of spooky, barely glimpsed hints of otherworldly goings-on, the sort glimpsed in classic haunting tales such as The Changeling (whose influence is nicely homaged by echoing the iconic 'ball on the stairs' scene). It sets a disquieting mood, without ever explicitly tipping towards out-and-out frights. As the atmosphere builds and the sense of dread mounts it seems as if we are settling into a Seventies-style supernatural horror film — but this is really just a trick, luring the viewer into a false sense of security before springing the trap with graphic depictions of the burnt, blackened entities dwelling within the cellar and the shockingly gory, violent methods with which they dispatch their victims.
This shows some tremendous film-making talent on the part of Geoghegan — it combines a restrained and intelligent pacing with spectacular visuals. The film is set in 1979 and feels very much of the area, from the fashions of the costumes worn by the leads down to the set dressing and decor of the interiors. The cinematography by Karim Hussain really evokes a throwback feel which heightens the comparison to classic horror films actually filmed in the era, some of which still stand among the very finest genre movies ever made. From the aforementioned The Changeling, by way of the character design for the crew of the Elizabeth Dane in John Carpenter's The Fog via plot elements of both The Evil Dead and Rosemary's Baby. However, the chief sources of inspiration are certainly the aforementioned works of Fulci — especially The House By The Cemetery — and the works of literary horror legend HP Lovecraft (himself an influence for Fulci's Gates of Hell series).
The script (written by director Geoghegan from a concept by Richard Griffin) openly wears this inspiration for all to see with We Are Still Here's characters taking their names from characters in Fulci's 1981 movie. Anne/Ann; May/Mae; Jacob; Harry/Harold; and Bobby/Bob — these are obvious, but other characters such as Daniella take inspiration from the cast of THBTC. The Dagmar family's name comes from Dagmar Lassander (Lassander also being the first name of the spectral family's patriarch), while Paul's name is derived from lead Paolo Malco. Even Anne and Paul's surname, Sacchetti, comes from The House By The Cemetery's co-writer, Dardano Sacchetti.
Of course, it takes more than admittedly wonderful visuals (particularly the way in which the snow-covered and desolate New England winter landscapes are presented) and lots of loving nods to genre classics to create a horror film that stands up in its own right.

It also needs an emotional heart in the form of characters you can believe in and root for or against. Giving us two leads who are dealing with bereavement is a simple but effective way to gain our sympathy — most of us will, at one time, lose somebody that we care about. That Anne and Paul be mourning the loss of a child is even more powerful — parents will certainly feel their pain. That the characters are brought to life by such wonderfully talented actors as Crampton and Sensenig certainly doesn't harm the characterisation.
As I've said before, the fantastic Crampton is a genuine scream queen with a list of genre classics to her name including Re-Animator, From Beyond and, in more recent years, You're Next. She's always excellent and this role is no different, giving Anne a fragility, all big soulful eyes and quivering voice. In lesser hands Anne's character could have been annoyance, in Crampton's she is supremely sympathetic.
Opposite Crampton, Sensenig is also brilliant. A veteran actor with over a decade's experience, he makes a perfect foil. His character is one that takes quite the arc, moving from  sceptic to believer and then forced to overcome the horrors that entails. It requires some range and he's more than up to the task.
In the supporting roles the standouts are certainly gifted character actor Fessenden and Tim Burton regular Marie, plus the gravitas-laden Markham.
Fessenden has a lot of work to do, with his role ranging from comic relief to a key part in a major scare sequence and he absolutely nails it. He really is superb.
Marie adds an element of mystery, plus adds some classic emotional melodrama in key scenes. She's a vital part of the puzzle and adds a new element to the group dynamic.
On the opposite side of the coin, Markham's McCabe is a classic 'satanic panic'-style villain, along the lines of Rosemary's Baby's Castevets. As the elder of a group within the town that rely on certain events for their livelihood, he provides some key exposition without it ever feeling forced or shoe-horned in. It's a real testament to his ability that he is able to keep the audience interested as he does so.

He also adds menace in a cold, calculating way, a very different form of villainy contrasted to the incandescent rage of the otherworldly entities within the house.

With a strong cast and well-crafted scares, it might seem unlikely that We Are Still Here would deliver on the splatter front.

That couldn't be further from the truth.

From the tremendous make up on the vengeful, undead Dagmars to the all-too visceral nature of their unbridled bloody revenge by way of an extremely messy gunshot to the head, the film features plenty of grue and gore. Haunted house stories rarely appease the gorehounds — but the work by Cat Bernier, Heather Buckley and Marcus Koch's effects team delivers every bit as much as Gino De Rossi's did for The House By The Cemetery back in 1981. 

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): It seems daft to fault a movie for aping the defects of the films to which it pays homage, but I'm afraid flaws are flaws, whether intentional or not.

The main problem with We Are Still Here comes from the manner in which it so faithfully follows the story structure of those Fulci films it references.

I don't think I'm being too cruel when I say that Fulci was more of a visceral and visual filmmaker than a storyteller. His plots were often very simple, with random WTF elements introduced sporadically for a little flavour, even if they made no sense or strained credulity.

We Are Still Here isn't as gonzo as some of Fulci's works, but it has a very straightforward plotline. There's nothing wrong with a simple story when it's told well, but those of you looking for twists and turns may feel disappointed.

Furthermore, there are a couple of points at which characters act in a way that has you scratching your head. Paul's rapid flip-flopping when it comes to the supernatural goings on grates somewhat, while an ill-advised decision to perform a séance in direct contradiction to advice from somebody clearly more clued up with regards to ghouls and ghosts is downright moronic. Then again, this is horror, iffy character decisions are par for the course!

In the latter stages the plot borders on self-parody and threatens to collapse under its own weight as it hurtles headlong into its bloody climax. However, it manages to keep its head above water, never feeling like it cheats as the various elements click into place, and the bloody massacre that closes out the film is actually one of the highlights. If nothing else, Geoghegan and company deserve credit for having the courage to follow their vision through to its barmy conclusion.

THE VERDICT: There's nothing I love more than discovering a horror gem when I went in unawares. We Are Still Here is one such surprise. From its über-cool throwback feel to its absolutely incredible cast, from the sumptuous visuals to the jaw-dropping graphic gore effects, THIS is a film that screams quality. More than anything I love the fact that this movie could inspire today's horror fans to take a look at its influences, to read some Lovecraft or check out a Fulci movie or even Rosemary's Baby or The Changeling. Geoghegan has crafted a fantastic genre film that stands on its own — that it references classic films so well as it does so is just the icing on the cake. 

With FrightFest now over anybody hoping to catch We Are Still Here may well have to wait until the home release. Thankfully that is soon, with a global release set in time for Halloween, giving us all something to look forward to watching come 31 October. Check out the film's official Facebook page for more details and give it a Like while you're there too!

Read my previous Film4 Frightfest special reviews for Suspension here, The Nightmare here, Wind Walkers here, Stung here, Night of the Slasher here, Invaders here and Crow Hand!!! here.

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House@HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.