I took a bit of a gamble on this UK-made 'homegrown' horror, & have to say was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
Set in a rural Yorkshire town in 1974, it charts the allegedly true story of the Maynard family's terror when they move into their new home, & soon discover it's inhabited by poltergeists & things that literally go bump in the night - initially centered around their rather grumpy teenage daughter. The events become increasingly frequent & more violent, involving the whole family (& even visitors to the house), until the god-believing family finally call in a Catholic priest to perform an Exorcism. But have the 'ghosts' really gone....
What I really loved about this film was its incredible attention to period detail. Very often, it's easy to spot mistakes when a film is set in a certain era & doesn't get things quite right. But I'd give 10 out of 10 to the makers for their wonderful recreation of 1974 - which had me reminiscing all the way through to the era that style forgot! Right from the start, you feel you are in good hands, & that this is a film that will have care & attention lavished upon it. It's also written & directed by a family relative (Pat Holden), & he has done an excellent & professional job.
The performances are good too, & it was great to see a cameo by veteran actor Peter Egan. As for the story itself, I have no idea as to its validity. Not being a believer in the supernatural myself, I was rather sceptical about the whole set-up, especially that the family's experiences seemed to play out rather conveniently in the wake of the classic horror film 'The Exorcist' (released theatrically the previous year). But, if you are prepared to suspend your disbelief, it does make for a tense & genuinely scary film, with its fair share of jumps.
If you are expecting a full-on gross-out horror film, or something glossy in the American style, then you may be disappointed. But if you are looking for a well-made, suspenseful, UK-made thriller full of orange & brown 1974 period charm, then sit back & enjoy!
What I really loved about this film was its incredible attention to period detail. Very often, it's easy to spot mistakes when a film is set in a certain era & doesn't get things quite right. But I'd give 10 out of 10 to the makers for their wonderful recreation of 1974 - which had me reminiscing all the way through to the era that style forgot! Right from the start, you feel you are in good hands, & that this is a film that will have care & attention lavished upon it. It's also written & directed by a family relative (Pat Holden), & he has done an excellent & professional job.
The performances are good too, & it was great to see a cameo by veteran actor Peter Egan. As for the story itself, I have no idea as to its validity. Not being a believer in the supernatural myself, I was rather sceptical about the whole set-up, especially that the family's experiences seemed to play out rather conveniently in the wake of the classic horror film 'The Exorcist' (released theatrically the previous year). But, if you are prepared to suspend your disbelief, it does make for a tense & genuinely scary film, with its fair share of jumps.
If you are expecting a full-on gross-out horror film, or something glossy in the American style, then you may be disappointed. But if you are looking for a well-made, suspenseful, UK-made thriller full of orange & brown 1974 period charm, then sit back & enjoy!