When the Screaming Starts (2021) User Reviews

Killer lessons

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 22 August 2022]

Aidan Mendle (Ed Hartland) wants to be the kind of killing machine that gets his own Netflix doc or podcasts following his horrible crime spree. His girlfriend Julia (Katherine Bennett-Fox) is holding back sex until that happens; she's also auditioning a family of their own, a cult of like-minded killers.

Nathan Graysmith (Jared Rogers) is looking for a way to get his filmmaking career going. True crime seems like the way to go; he finds Adam and Julia to be willing subjects.

There's no way this is going to end well.

Adding Weird twins Veronika and Viktoria (Ronja Haugholt and Vår Haugholt), senior citizen Donald (John-Christian Bateman), butcher Jack (Yasen Atour), Masoud (Kavé Niku) who is looking for a yoga support group, rich goth girl Amy (Octavia Gilmore) and social media influencer Imogen (Sui-see Hung), they decide that their first night of mayhem will be a home invasion - the targets have been picked by Amy - with Nathan filming it all.

Director Conor Boru, who wrote this with Ed Hartland, has a cute concept that he's infused with a great undercurrent of uncertainty; the horror and madness can intrude at any time and those that want to be a killer the most may not be prepared for what happens when someone who is a true murderer rears their head.

When the Yawning Starts

[thalassafischer · 5/10 · 27 April 2023]

This movie is sort of like a 90 minute rogue comedy skit with a group of fair-to-middling comedians. I did laugh at a few scenes and I thought Amy was well-played. I thought as a whole the film relied far too much on worn stereotypes; for example, the "after party" was just stupid with balloons, little kids party hats, cookies and chips, and champagne. They could have made it much funnier by taking it to an extreme of making it like a child's birthday party gone horribly wrong but it just comes across as a weak throng of basics toasting their college friends' third wedding anniversary. The end does get quite dark and the amorality of the attitude towards murder is creepy, I will give it that much. I also thought presenting one of the main characters as a LARPing nerd in over his head and demanding all the credit as a white man for doing very little was a nice touch.

Below average Britcom presented as a film

[mike-nissley · 3/10 · 6 January 2024]

Very obviously written, acted, and directed by local theater types, whose desire to act and be on stage or in film surpasses anyone's entertainment needs. The characters are cliche from conception to execution. Performances are competent, but nothing special. Very weak concept and the comedy is half hearted and middling. Hits every British sitcom comedy trope like knocking down bowling pins or checking boxes one at a time. Musical score is canned and intrusive. Just not funny or original. Works best at keeping the participants busy with their just barely on the right side of competent theater group aspirations, and worst at being engaging or entertaining, much less surprising or challenging an audience. Some of the ideas are not bad, and even get close to being interesting or clever, but the concept is so silly and underwhelming it gets in the way of scenes which on their own might be lightly amusing if not presented as part of such a weak, absurd and goofy concept.

Not horror, but it is definitely funny alright!

[imseeg · 7/10 · 26 September 2022]

Good jokes. That's ALL a good comedy needs. And this comedy has tons of it. Typical British humor, with lots of terrific plot turns, silly situations that keep on getting sillier.

Any bad? Well, it aint horror (ofcourse not) but anyone watching this movie for a mere 2 minutes will recoginze the charming, comical nature of this movie.

I was really impressed by the many totally unknown actors that were perfect at making this silly comedy about a friendly couple who think about starting an alternative serial killer family and who start doing interviews in order to find those who would be the best at killing others.

Wacky. Silly. Original.

you will have...

[ops-52535 · 2/10 · 25 September 2022]

To wait a long while before the first scream appears, and after that it becomes so off the chart considering calling it good entertainment, wether you like horrorcomedies or not. Absurdities can be fun but not this british made, professional amateur driven mocumentary style horror movie about how to become a serial killer, orlearn to be a serial killer by joining a film about it.

Ive seen this ensemble mocking around in a few other flicks, selfmade them too, and there aint much progression of the production talent. The acts are within reach, but the plot story and filmatographical presence, tells the essens of it all right from the start, so save your quids for something better than this, it made purely for the black gory horror comedy -lover geeks out there, and the grumpy old man aint onetathem.

Humour in the Darkness

[Randalf_the_red · 8/10 · 10 October 2022]

There is a fine line between laughing and crying. When The Screaming Starts straddles this line, gently rocking itself side to side, possibly whilst holding it's knees.

At a time when serial killer fetishism seems to be at an all time high, When The Screaming Starts pokes fun at the nature of the mastermind killer whilst making us ask questions of ourselves as the audience for why we find more interest in the murderers tale than the victims.

A deep reverence for horror is abundent throughout the film, whilst rarely falling into the outright horror genre itself.

FFO: What We Do In The Shadows, Deathgasm, Creep 2.

Top notch horror black comedy

[gillman11 · 8/10 · 10 October 2021]

When The Screaming Starts (Grimmfest 9th Oct 2021).

A down-at-heel documentary film maker begins to follow a cinema usher (and former black metal guitarist) who has decided to become a serial killer.

A terrifically entertaining black comedy utilising an energetic ensemble. Equally funny in highlighting the mundanities of everyday existence for the central anti hero and character clashes as the plot develops.

The synopsis makes it sound like Man Bites Dog or Behind The Mask but this flick is savvy in avoiding aping superficially similar productions and carving it's own path.

What's particularly impressive is how the performances and thoughtful editing ensure the film maintains its energy through the final act as the story moves away from humour and into grim irony.

Highly recommended.

Entertaining and humorous black comedy

[fionadelocla · 9/10 · 30 October 2022]

I loved the quirkiness of When the Screaming Starts and the juxtaposition of witty/dry humour with depraved human behaviour. Although I don't often watch this sort of film genre I felt the plot, quality of acting and the way it was filmed was atmospheric and held everything together really well. Additionally, and unlike many other films, I thought the length of the film was well matched to the storyline and so it progressed at a good pace and kept my attention and interest throughout. I really enjoyed it and thought it was very entertaining and so would definitely recommend this film to others.

A fun mockumentary attempt on the serial killer formula

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 8/10 · 24 September 2022]

Attempting to find a new outlet in his life, a wannabe serial killer enlists a documentarian to follow him on a quest to find enough followers to lead a cult of like-minded killers through a home invasion, forcing him to question his interests in continuing his career to follow the psychopath.

There's a lot to like with this one. One of the finest efforts here is the rather strong sense of comedy injected into the setup that keeps this one going quite nicely with the darkness of the material present. The formula of the cameras following the killer around and showing the various attempts at going through with killing someone features a rather nice amount of commentary on the nature of being a serial killer since this goes for the odd turn of having the women be the more bloodthirsty while the men are the more hesitant to carry it out. This gives the first half quite a lot to enjoy about it as the goofy atmosphere established at this point carries on throughout this one here that gives everything a solid touch. There were only a few issues to be had here, with the film feeling incredibly odd with the glamorization of a serial killer. The fact that this one tends to focus so heavily on the idea of trying to gain fame for being able to commit these gruesome murders tends to really come off in the wrong formula. This comes off quite oddly in the sense of generating a strange fascination with the killers which feels counter-productive to how this is expected to play out. Still, there's plenty of fun to be had here in the final half where it turns into a bit more of an obvious slasher film with the rampage being carried out in a goofy atmosphere that's all carried along with the same type of comedy repeated throughout here.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

Innovative, Funny , Compelling

[ceg-43326 · 10/10 · 24 November 2022]

This film surpassed my expectations and then some .

Horror comedy is a very difficult genre to balance and I feel that this film achieved that wonderful balance with some fantastic character arks .

I was throughout wondering what the climax was going to be and I was not correct in my prediction and delighted with the way the film unfurled .

A wonderful , quiet English awkwardness is is present throughout , which felt very David Brent's " the office ". I saw it at a film festival and have since bought it on sky and recommended it to every one I know .

A true hidden gem , I am excited to see what comes next !

When the Screaming Stops.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 8/10 · 9 September 2021]

After being dazzled from Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes (2021-also reviewed) I decided to double bill it with a "First Blood" screening/stream at FrightFest. Picking one of the titles out of the section totally at random, I prepared for the screams to start.

View on the film:

Discussing in a interview after the screening/stream about all the various non-movie projects (stage shows, festivals etc) he and the cast/crew had done before this title, co-writer (with lead actor Ed Hartland) / director Conor Boru makes a excellent feature film debut which runs like a well-oiled machine, thanks to Boru & cinematographer Adrian Musto closely working with editor Alan Rae to pair every killer one-liner with a killer set-piece.

Sitting in on the first "family" meeting with very funny match cuts from Rae, Boru refreshingly goes for a mock-doc, rather then Found Footage style, which allows for stylish whip-pans, zoom-ins and slow-motion catching each off the cuff funny one-liner each member makes.

Whilst making this a humorous odd bunch, Boru impressively does not shy away from presenting their murderous ways in a brutal manner,with nail gun close-ups on the killings the cackling family commit, which unleashes a spray of gore which pours out until the screaming fades.

Hoping to make a name for themselves as serial killers, the ensemble cast give gripping live-wire performances,with Ed Hartland dead-pan slicing into Mendle's anxiety about committing murder,whilst dreaming of becoming a famous serial killer, and Kave Niku hilariously steals every scene he is in as the out of the loop Masoud.

Getting the family all together, the screenplay by Hartland and Boru displays real superb comedic skill by cleverly giving each member of the family their moment to shine with deadly one-liners, from creepy twins Viktoria and Veronika to burning hot sociopath Amy, who all make end their family meeting when the screaming starts.

British dark comedy at its best

[hannahmckennathomsonreuters · 9/10 · 31 October 2022]

Octavia Gilmore gives an absolutely stellar performance as Amy.

The film is razor sharp (if you'll pardon the pun) and is the very best of dark British comedy. With laugh out loud one liners and moments where you'll be on the edge of your seat... it's a must-see.

The plot is twisty and unpredictable. Not every character is as they seem and the development of Norman in particular is clever.

Particularly enjoyed the short reflections on the character's back stories. This enables the audience to very quickly get a handle on each character. The plot cleverly makes you question your support and affection of some of the darker characters and their motivations.

FANTASTIC!!!!!

Get your popcorn & beverage - this is a treat

[granchescounselling · 8/10 · 10 October 2022]

There is one scene I love above all others. It caught me by surprise and I've watched it over and over again. I hope you love it too. It is set in a park and was totally unexpected. Yet, it provides the motivation for what preceded it. Yes, this next comment is out of context but I enjoyed the film's soundtrack. See the film and the forgoing will make sense.

The film starts out as a documentary. Aidan is the subject of Norman Graysmith's documentary. Graysmith explores the world of Aidan. Aidan is the man who approaches you in a pub and chats and you think ... I'll make an excuse and leave, with a mixture of pity and fear. The film follows the adventures of Aidan and his girlfriend and his 'family'. They form an eclectic mixture of the loveable through to the frighteningly scary. Okay, I thought the acting was superb. I imagine this was not the easiest film to direct with such a mixture of comedy and horror, yet, it is done masterfully.

One moment I was captivated by the humour of the interaction within the group ... the next hands shielding my face in terror. Get your popcorn and your choice of beverage, turn off the phone - this is a treat.

Surprising treat

[Horrorbyhorror · 8/10 · 24 October 2022]

Didn't go into the film with much expectations but I was extremely surprised. It starts mostly as a comedy but has enough horror elements in it to keep most horror fans satisfied.

Personal highlight was the heavy metal sequence in the middle, it really made me laugh. And annoyingly enough the song was stuck in my head for a few days afterwards.

I was surprised to find it was largely a debut performance and direction from the cast and crew. I'd be interested to see what they do in the future and if they decide to make a sequel. There's enough legs in the story and enough interesting characters to suggest there might be more. I'd love to know more about Mickey.

Hilariously original! Genuinely guffawed multiple times!

[dgrody-15436 · 9/10 · 28 September 2022]

When the Screaming Starts is first and foremost an extremely well-executed original idea!

Original ideas are such a welcome change from the zeitgeist of regurgitating existing IP (*ahem* Star Wars et al.) #Spaceballs2TheSearchForMoreMoney

Honestly, with true-crime also currently being popular (dare I say too popular?) and financially viable for big production houses -- despite the genre's inherent inability to divorce itself from the public records, thereby retraumatizing the communities of said tragic stories (*cough cough* Dahmer) -- I am absolutely delighted to see writers & creators such as the WtSS team thinking outside of the box and pushing themselves to generate a truly original concept in an entertaining & recognizable mockumentary format. In many ways this film does for murder cults what What We Do in the Shadows did in 2014 for vampires...which I suppose are their own type of murder-cult, but I digress.

Great production values, solid casting all-around (special mention to the Haugholt twins who are perfect!), plenty of jokes to balance out the darkness of the subject material, along with a fantastic plot twist leading to a splendid denouement, When the Screaming Starts is an excellent example of independent filmmaking at its best.

Kudos to the entire team!

A fun ride - very funny!

[muchado-50958 · 10/10 · 24 April 2023]

Saw this at Fright Fest (at the premiere!) and really enjoyed it. It's fun, light on its feet and right from the start the credits were awesome and I knew it was going to be good! The mockumentary format really worked here - star Ed Hartland has great comedic timing and the rest of the ensemble cast worked really well too (enjoyed the hapless guy there for yoga). It does get a bit darker and bloodier near the end but I think the balance between humour and gore was well established. (I'm more into comedy than genre stuff and very much enjoyed it). The script was great and the look of the film in general very sharp and slick, with fluid movement through the film. A great watch, highly recommend.