During filming of Australian western The Proposition, British actor Ray Winstone once remarked that every living thing in this country was out to kill you. It’s this component that director Mike Green wanted to paint of his homeland to evoke that sense of fear and dread in the vast open plain.
Instead of having a serial killer or madman as the antagonist, I made Australia and the outback, the antagonist”
We often vision Australia as this serene, beautiful land which on the surface casts one of the most majestic scenes that our planet offers, but if you delve deep enough, you find the hidden dangers lurking in plain sight. Green lures us into the desert terrain through the eyes of an American couple on what should have been a romantic adventure, but like the land in which they set out to explore, Lisa (Lauren Lofsberg) and Wade (Tyler Wiese) are just as fractured and unpredictable.
We join Lisa and Wade at the start of their journey from Sydney Airport where we learn that Lisa has rejected Wade’s marriage proposal. The result finds the couple disconnected and searching for each other to see whether the relationship is worth fighting for. In doing so, they become lost and insignificant in a foreign land. Testament to Green’s writing skills should be mentioned as he draws out some well-developed characters in his leads which is fleshed out with some fantastic performances. This is a good thing as between them they need to carry the movie with very little other characters to interact with. By the film’s conclusion, we really care about their outcome, because Green has taken the time for us to connect and care for them both.
The choices that Lisa and Wade that lead them to their ordeal are born out of ignorance and naivety but their decisions that are believable and in the moment, as they try to navigate their way to survival whilst facing a number of dangers along the way from snakes and scorpions, to searing heat and dehydration. All of which surmount into a gripping, heart-wrenching drama that captivates right to the end.
The Prognosis:
Director Mike Green takes the audience on a brutal and harsh journey of survival through the lens of an American couple on the brink of collapse. The gritty realism along with excellent performances helps lift this movie and casts a blistering light on the savage land with a narrative that keeps you hooked and willing the characters to endure their torment and live to tell their tale.
Outback will be screening atMonsterfest Australia 2019, where cast and crew will be available for a Q&A post film screening time below:
So, here’s the thing. I’m not usually a fan of horror anthologies. Whilst I have enjoyed the more well known films that have carried the collective stories that tap into the the dark genre, such as Creepshow, Trick r’ Treat or V/H/S, invariably I feel a little let down by some of the stories that don’t quite meet the mark or the high standard of the better stories within the anthology. For every “The Crate” or “Something to Tide You Over” there’s a “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill” or “They’re Creeping Up On You” using Creepshow as an example. So when viewing this latest offering from Australia entitled Dark Whispers Vol 1, I ventured with slight hesitation, but was pleasantly surprised by the result.
Inspired by the recent anthologies A Night of Horror Vol. 1 and XX, Australian director and producer, Megan Riakos teamed up with Leonie Marsh and festival director Briony Kidd to surmount a crack team of female visionists and creatives to deliver 10 highly-crafted tales of dread.
So, let’s delve into each of these tales one by one and see if these collective stories have enough strength and cohesion to drive the narrative together.
BIRTHDAY GIRL Director: Angie Black; Writer: Michael Harden
We open up with a fairly brief and condense tale that sees a grieving mother trying to capture those precious moments with her daughter trapped in a limbo of intense sorrow. The short timeframe on display, Black weaves enough emotion for the audience to connect with the mother’s pain.
THE MAN WHO CAUGHT A MERMAID Writer/Director: Kaitlin Tinker; Writer: Jean-Phillipe Lopez
This next tale dives into the fantastical, as an elderly man sets out to snare a mermaid amongst laughter and ridicule, but all is not as it appears as the story reveals a dark and sinister world lurking beneath the depths of fancy.
I’m a huge sucky for stop motion and Peppard showers our visual senses with a glorious tale of heartbreak that is stunning and captivating, whilst tapping into a lamentable suffering.
WATCH ME Director: Briony Kidd; Writer: Claire d’Este
This was one of my favourites of the bunk as Kidd projects a tale of vanity and self-appreciation. Told from the perspective of a glamorous actress who is reminiscent of Norma Desmond with her ambition and thrives so much on attention that without the attention she will wither away.
I equally had a lot of time and love for this tale of two kids in the Kimberely who venture into the mangroves despite the warnings of the Gooynbooyn Woman, believing her campfire stories to be the stuff of myth and legend. Clerc invokes an old story and infuses it with modern storytelling that beautifully captures the Dreamtime stories passed down from generation to generation through Aboriginal culture.
THE RIDE Writer/Director: Marion Pilowsky; Story by Issy Pilowsky
Here I was reminded just how dark and glorious Anthony LaPaglia’s performances can be, and how he portrays an average Australian guy who can slip into sinister so easily. Playing a guy who picks up a hitchhiker, who gets more than he bargained for and a ride that will change his life forever.
Online dating from the perspective of a female vampire in search for her next prey provides us with an enjoyably dark story that defies your assumptions and adds a little twist in her desire for blood.
WHITE SONG Writer/Director: Katrina Irawati Graham
This one also left a lasting impression on me and uses the famous Indonesian ghost story of Kuntil Anak as its inspiration. Kuntil Anak is a ghost who died whilst pregnant and when she appears before a grieving widow, she is confronted by a force far greater than her dark haunting embodiment has encountered before, unfolding a battle of energy and light in her wake.
LITTLE SHAREHOUSE OF HORRORS Writer/Director: Madeleine Purdy; Writer: Joel Perlgut
This quirky tale on the concept of “you are what you eat” or in this case, smoke, sees Maeve searching for a healthy alternative to her smoothies, but finds a strange concoction in the mix. When nature fights back, it attacks the weak-minded souls, and Purdy provides a witty and sardonic view of humanity.
THE INTRUDER Writer/Director: Janine Hewitt
Rounding out the dectet of stories comes a dark and wondrous tale that is beautifully played by its performers Asher Keddie and Bree Desborough. The homogeneity that marries this film alongside the first tale, Birthday Girl and the sense of being stuck in one’s emotions helps to cement the collection, as Zoe has become a prisoner in her own home, terrorized by a stalker containing her in her fear and despair.
Weaving its way through the various tales, Riakos envelops a series of segments entitled, The Book of Dark Whispers, as a young woman who inherits a mysterious book from her mother that symbolises the passing down through the years and the shared emotional baggage that we inevitable take on from previous generations.
It’s a captivating performance from Andrea Demetriades who manages to embody all the viewers thoughts and emotions and projects them through her character, and in doing so provides the heart and soul of the movie.
The Prognosis:
Dark Whispers Vol 1 really exceeded my expectations when it comes to horror anthologies that are so often worn down by the lesser stories in the collection.
Here though are some excellently well-crafted stories that make for a highly enjoyable narrative and proves that there are some dark and sinister tales to be told from some exciting female creatives that deserve praise and recognition. I look forward to further tales from these powerful and thought-provoking storytellers.
Dark Whispers Vol.1 will be screening at Monsterfest Australia 2019, where cast and crew will be available for a Q&A post film screening time below:
SUNDAY3rdNOVEMBER, 6.15PM Event Cinemas, George St, Sydney
When director/producer Megan Riakos took the helm as President for Women in Film & Television NSW, little did she know that she was on the verge of establishing a potential pathway of hope for women in the industry. With a feature film already on her credits, Crushed, which was incredibly well received, Megan would team up with Leonie Marsh and Briony Kidd to produce a horror anthology that would unite Australian female directors and writers in a powerful collection of stories that shake the soul. Dark Whispers Vol. 1 is currently screening as part of Monsterfest Australia 2019 and Megan recently chatted with the Surgeons team ahead of the Sydney event to dissect and discuss the creative process involved.
Megan Riakos interview:
Megan Riakos, Director and Producer – Dark Whispers Vol. 1
One of the key strengths behind this anthology, is the strength in the storytelling, pulling from various aspects across the Australian landscape to combine and make a cohesive and powerful narrative of our great southern land. When it came to selecting the stories that would bind together for Dark Whispers Vol. 1, what specifically were you looking for?
I worked with Briony Kidd, festival director of Stranger With My Face International Film Festival (SWMFIFF)on the curation of the anthology and we received submissions via the general callout as well as approaching people directly to ask them to submit. Briony’s work on her festival meant she was privy to some great films that weren’t on my radar and gave us a good cross-section of films to consider. When submissions closed, we created a long list for discussion based on the film’s horror characteristics, as well as the quality of directing, acting, production values, script and originality. There was no set theme required for these films beyond it being a horror film by a female identifying director who is a resident or citizen of Australia. We curated the films that resonated with us and that would complement the other films in the anthology.
Your vision overall was to shed light on the wealth of female talent in the industry, which has this great myth that there is a shallow pool out there. How did you go about shattering this myth and in what way do you hope that Dark Whispers will transform the cinema audiences expectations?
The very act of creating a women’s horror anthology and kicking off the project with a call out to the Australian screen industry for horror films by women generated a discussion around the issue and now with the festival release, it is helping to recalibrate our expectations of who can be a horror filmmaker. At our Melbourne Monster Fest screening we had several emerging women horror filmmakers in the audience who said that up ’til they point, they felt like they were the lone female horror maker amongst their peers and that they felt hopeful seeing a whole bunch of other women out their creating really great content. I am a firm believer in ‘If you can see it, you can be it”.
The Creative team from Dark Whispers Vol.1
With 10 fellow directors involved in the short features in the film, how much weight did you allow them to let their creativity flourish?
We discovered these films when they were fully complete, so had no impact on how they were made, however I was heavily influenced by each film when it came time to write and direct the wraparound segment which tied each segment together.
You have spoken about recent inspirations from anthologies, A Night of Horror and XX. What did you learn from these films and how did that impact on your direction?
There is a rich history of horror, thriller and sci-fi anthologies over the years from the likes of Twilight Zone & Creepshow to the more recent Southbound, Black Mirror, ABC’s of Death and Holidays and they all use their own devices to create a cohesive bond around the Anthology. As an audience member, I really enjoy it when there are “easter eggs” that tie otherwise disparate chapters together – whether it be a prop, a stylistic choice, a reference to a time or place or character that pops up in a different episode. The two anthologies in particular that gave me the impetus to actually make Dark Whispers are A Night of Horror and XX which both came out about the same time. A Night of Horror was also curated from existing films and I really enjoyed the way they developed their wrap around, referencing each proceeding film with the horror element within it – This project showed me that it was achievable to create a really great project with a low budget and I knew it was something that I could take on, especially once Enzo Tedeschi, the creator of that anthology, come onboard as Executive Producer on the film. XX was also a big inspiration – it was one of the first female horror anthologies out there and I wanted to do an Australian version for the horror filmmakers being overlooked here.
You’re a creative artist yourself and direct the segments called The Book of Whispers that unite the ten tales together. What inspirations do you draw from in the creative process and what challenges did you face when creating this anthology?
Due to the broad call out for horror films, I wasn’t able to start working on the wrap around segment until we had locked in the final 10 films. It was at that point that I started breaking down the inherent themes and similarities the films shared. Many of the films explored longing, grief, regret and navigating life. There were several films about family, kinship and motherhood and I was curious about the idea that we carry dark lessons with us from one generation to the next and we need to learn how to deal with carrying the darkness in life without succumbing to it. The concept at the centre of the anthology is around a haunted book which is passed between helped to unify the diverse chapters within it.
Andrea Demtriades as Clara in Dark Whispers vol 1 segment, The Book of Whispers.
The Book of Whispers centers around one character played by the magnificent Andrea Demetriades. How did she become involved in the project and what was it like working with her?
My producing partner Leonie Marsh and I were brainstorming ideas about who could play our lead Clara and we both thought of Andrea Demetriades. We have loved seeing her work on Crownies, Pulse and Janet King and thought she would be perfect for the role. Working with Andrea was wonderful, we only had one day to shoot all her scenes and she jumped right in and nailed it.
What has been the reaction you have received so far, and could we expect a Vol.2? Are there any other future projects on the horizon?
We are proud of Volume 1 and are really pleased with the response during our festival release. We will gauge how we go over the following six months but are definitely planning a Volume 2 – whether that be a second horror anthology or perhaps steering over to explore science fiction. Keep your eyes peeled for the next instalment, in whatever guise that might be!
Dark Whispers Vol.1 will be screening at Monsterfest Australia 2019, where cast and crew will be available for a Q&A post film screening time below:
SUNDAY3rdNOVEMBER, 6.15PM Event Cinemas, George St, Sydney
Saul Muerte Lead Surgeon Editor, writer, podcast host
” I was curious about the idea that we carry dark lessons with us from one generation to the next and we need to learn how to deal with carrying the darkness in life without succumbing to it.”
Porno manages to tap into the celluloid lovers mainstream by essentially setting the film entirely within the confines of an art deco cinema with a strictly early 90s vibe and setting. In doing this, film director, Keola Racela catapults the audience into a world that invokes nostalgia and tackles some fun themes reminiscent of the time.
The location is so integral to the central theme of buried, underground sex and shenanigans that we all harbour and fear of letting loose our greatest indulgences; the stuff of taboo that we are unwilling to face the repercussions of our fantasies. There was a time that those who wanted to get there kicks would do so in underground cinemas and lurk in the shadows of the auditorium to satiate these desires. Racela knows this and deliberately pokes fun at our shame by unleashing a sex demon that has been contained within a snuff film deep in the cinema’s basement on the quintet of characters (who just so happen to be Christian, which amplifies their repression) who are subjected to a journey where they must vanquish their inner most thoughts and survive the night.
Forming the quintet is assistant manager, Chastity; projectionsist, Heavy Metal Jeff; Abe; Todd; and the stereotypical jock, Ricky, all of whom quander a secret that they try to keep buried.
In addition we have the cinema manager, Mr Pike, who serves as a minister in the eyes of the youthful contingency, but he too has a concealment that he wishes to contain within his office. All these characters are ripe for a sex demon to seep their way into their minds, and pleasure them to death.
The Diagnosis:
This is pure fun and gloriously plays for laughs in the most puerile of senses, but equally casts the characters into a predicament that requires instincts, strength, faith and a little bit of kink.
Before I even start to discuss the movie, I have to commend Australian director, Daniel Armstrong for bringing the word, Tarnation back into the vocabulary, even if it is just for the title of his latest feature.
Armstrong has been making a strong name for himself in the low budget, ‘B-Movie’ scene, and each film released reflects how much he has developed his craft.
Tarnation presents itself as Australia’s bastardised distant cousin to The Evil Dead injecting a similar tone and humour that pits Oscar (Daisy Masterman) against a demonic force in a remote cabin retreat.
There are so many beautifully disturbing moments within this movie ranging from penis bugs to demonic unicorns, that every scene becomes a delight to behold.
By far the best moment for me is when Oscar comes face-to-face with a zombie kangaroo that she has to physically outbox to survive. You can’t get more absurd and Australian than that.
Masterman (a regular collaborator with Armstrong having appeared in MurderDrome and Sheborg Massacre) offers a standout performance as Oscar, offering both vulnerability and strength with relative ease and believability. She also has a deft touch of comedy in her bones that make her character incredibly likeable to boot.
In fact the humour on display is definitely one of Tarnation’s selling points as it ploughts along with a decent balance of comedy and the macabre.
Speaking of…
The effects and gore on display are suitably gruesome and gnarly and Armstrong manages to up the ante with every crazed situation that our heroine faces. You can see that there is a lot of love and dedication placed in ‘old school’ effects that is arguably lacking in modern filmmaking.
The Diagnosis:
Armstrong manages to inject a sublime blend of crazed anarchy, bloody mayhem, with a dash of tongue-in-cheek comedy, proving that he is a master of his craft.
There’s potential for more in this universe too, and I for one would love to see Oscar take on the demons once again. Tarnation is a glorious roller-coaster ride of a movie that is fun-filled to the core.
– Saul Muerte
Catch the screening of Tarnation at the MonsterFest Travelling Sideshow in Sydney on SUNDAY MARCH 11TH 2:15PM.
Surgeons of Horror 