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Lake Mungo 2009
I have a fundamental problem with the dramatic faux-documentary format. With actors playing talking heads, it creates a barrier that makes it hard to buy into the story. You're constantly aware of the artifice. That said, I did think the actors pulled off believable performances, and it turned out to be quite a well told ghost story. The films one scare factor, spotting ghostly images in camera footage and photos, remained creepy no matter how many times it was repeated (I lost count!). The twists in the plot were well paced, and helped keep things fresh for the full running time. Worth a watch.
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Let's Scare Jessica to Death 1971
Surprisingly creepy and subtle horror, with a superb central performance by Zohra Lampert. Does well to avoid heavy handed and exploitative 'insanity horror' traps. One I think will only improve with rewatches.
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The Bothersome Man 2006
A kind of Orwellian nightmare for the IKEA set, an existential scream (or quiet yelp) against a superficially ‘perfect’ existence. I loved this, the dry Norwegian black humour (and creepy vein of surrealism) suiting my taste down to a tee. It also helps that the film is gorgeously shot and designed, with the sleek, spotless city photographed (ironically?) in loving detail – reminiscent of ‘The Truman Show’ in that sense. In the lead, Trond Fausa Aurvag has the same bemused…
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Roadgames 1981
It’s taking me a stupidly long time to get round to seeing all of the films featured in ‘Not Quite Hollywood’ but I’m getting there! I loved this. The road-movie-thriller combination works a treat, as does the Hitchcockian vein of humour running throughout (though maybe the brief direct reference to the master was unnecessary). Stacy Keach made an endearingly rubbish hero, with a whole repertoire of naff one-liners (“Now there’s a man with balls.”). It’s a shame his and Jamie…
