Deciding to stick to streaming Shudder after my free 30 days trial was over due to being impressed by their exclusives/original films. Checking Shudder UK's Twitter page,I found a brand new original had recently been uploading, leading me to put a viewing reminder note in my diary, with the last letter of the alphabet.
View on the film:
Wisely limiting Z to two full appearances, co-writer/(with Colin Minihan) director Brandon Christensen & cinematographer Bradley Stuckel closely work with sound designer Miguel Nunes in friending a highly evocative soundtrack of subtle creaking floorboards, walks up/down the stairs and electronic toys, creating a strong, chilling impression of Z.
Whilst being part of the post-Insidious (2010-also reviewed) New Wave of Haunted House movies, with jet black shadows papering the household walls, Christensen brilliantly runs a creepy atmosphere from the breakdown of the Parsons family, in long, still wide-shots held on events taking place in the background of each shot, and playful in-camera tricks of panning/close-ups to reactions of off screen sound effects bringing out the terror Z holds the Parsons in.
Starting Joshua and Z's friendship with the traditional set-up of kid has a imaginary friend,which turns out not to be imaginary, the screenplay by Brandon Christensen and Colin Minihan, intensely move that outline to Gothic Horror chills from a excellent character study of Elizabeth Parsons (played by a stunningly brittle Keegan Connor Tracy) thanks to Elizabeth's son Joshua becoming pals with Z, breaking open trauma from her own suppressed childhood memories.
Unveiling the Parson's history of Z from research by family doc Dr. Seager (played with sombre gravitas by Stephen McHattie, the writers twist the Haunted House into a icy ending that brings Elizabeth back to her friend Z.
View on the film:
Wisely limiting Z to two full appearances, co-writer/(with Colin Minihan) director Brandon Christensen & cinematographer Bradley Stuckel closely work with sound designer Miguel Nunes in friending a highly evocative soundtrack of subtle creaking floorboards, walks up/down the stairs and electronic toys, creating a strong, chilling impression of Z.
Whilst being part of the post-Insidious (2010-also reviewed) New Wave of Haunted House movies, with jet black shadows papering the household walls, Christensen brilliantly runs a creepy atmosphere from the breakdown of the Parsons family, in long, still wide-shots held on events taking place in the background of each shot, and playful in-camera tricks of panning/close-ups to reactions of off screen sound effects bringing out the terror Z holds the Parsons in.
Starting Joshua and Z's friendship with the traditional set-up of kid has a imaginary friend,which turns out not to be imaginary, the screenplay by Brandon Christensen and Colin Minihan, intensely move that outline to Gothic Horror chills from a excellent character study of Elizabeth Parsons (played by a stunningly brittle Keegan Connor Tracy) thanks to Elizabeth's son Joshua becoming pals with Z, breaking open trauma from her own suppressed childhood memories.
Unveiling the Parson's history of Z from research by family doc Dr. Seager (played with sombre gravitas by Stephen McHattie, the writers twist the Haunted House into a icy ending that brings Elizabeth back to her friend Z.