Familiar and Worm: review and teaser for Horror Rises from Spain next podcast!

Let me tell you about two short films: Familiar and Worm. Both are produced by Fatal Pictures,  both are written and directed by the same man, both share the same main actor and both are really worthy of seeing and amazing.

 

Familiar is a short about the ordinary family, well, that is, at least, what it seems at the beginning. We are dealing with an embittered husband with a really high working mind who cannot stop thinking about how to escape from there. Well, at this point I can imagine you asking yourselves “is she talking about a drama?” No! It is a great horror short! Step by step we discover a real evil personality inside the husband… But I cannot say more… You have to find out!

I really recommend watching this movie, not only because the actors do a great job but also because the special effects are beyond good for a short film, also the idea is a very creative one and the writer and director, Richard Powell, knows how to create tension and keep you in suspense. The voice over technique, which I am not a big fan of, is masterly used here in order to show the world of the unconscious that is behind the man.

Also, if you are a Lovecraft fan you cannot miss it! The Toronto Premiere of Familiar will most likely be this April more details to come soon, as for the rest of the world it will slowly make its way on the film festival circuit. Its been submitted to a few film festivals more, and Mr. Green the producer has promised me to give me all the info about the different festivals where it will be shown.

 

Worm is another surprise, another voice over short that I liked, and that, it is something really weird. We are dealing with another unhappy man, a high school teacher with no motivation but with a great inner life. He looks like an ordinary guy, but he is really bitter inside. This is not the typical horror short we all have in mind when we read the title but an approach to the depths of psychological thoughts. I mean, we are living inside the man’s mind and we feel his thoughts, his pain and his bad mood. The actor, Robert Nolan, the same as in Familiar, does a great job, but if in the first one he is main part of the story, in this case he puts all the weight of it on his shoulders, and he is so great that he makes it in the best way possible. As creative as Familiar, and sharing the same starting point or characterization I can say that this one or the other one, depending on which one you watch first, is a turn of the screw of the other. Worm will have its US Television Premiere’s on American Horrors on February 14th, I was said to contact your TV provider to find out how to subscribe to the channel! A channel, Zach Green, the producer recommend to all of us.

  

From now on, I am a die hard fan of these three men, and you know what? One of them will be my special guest in next Horror Rises from Spain podcast! Zach Green will be with me on my next show, he, together with Richard Powell created Fatal Pictures in 2007. Consumption (2008) was their first film released under their production company, which went on to win awards and get distribution along with Worm (2010) via America Horrors. For the moment, he is only a producer but he says: “Right now in time I only have an interest in producing but you might see me make a cameo in my next film. I’m sure I will go on to directing at one point but right now I just want to focus all my time and energy in producing our films, FATAL PICTURES’.”  When I asked him about how Familiar started he told me: “Well, Familiar first started when me and Richard set out to shoot our next short film, Richard is always thinking of new stories that would translate well into film(s). Familiar happen to be the story we picked. I thought it was fabulous we love to make films that are set in reality. Richard presented it to me and I was definitely intrigued and wanted to learn more about the story. I thought it made for a GREAT short film, so far it sounds like I’m right on that.” I couldn’t agree more!

 

So… if you want to know all about these two movies and also about this production company you cannot miss the podcast: Horror Rises from Spain! Soon here and only here for you to listen!

More information about Fatal Pictures here.

2 Responses

  1. On Friday, March 2nd, 2012, FRIGHT NIGHTS AT THE PROJECTION BOOTH will present a rare theatrical showing of the directors cut of BATTLE ROYALE along with the world premiere of the new short film FAMILIAR.

    BATTLE ROYALE

    A title that has shocked, thrilled and unnerved audiences. A film whose fiendishly simple premise has inspired many imitations,
    including the upcoming The Hunger Games motion picture. Based on the 1999 global best-seller by Koushun Takami, the futuristic tale first came to the screen in 2000, directed by the legendary Kinju Fukasaku. Authors, filmmakers and film fans the world over consider the film a sacred cinematic classics.

    The film has rarely been shown in North America and has never received a proper DVD release until now. After 12 long year that has changed with a special theatrical screening of BATTLE ROYALE at the Projection Booth. This is the ONLY chance to see it on the big screen in Toronto before it finally comes out March 20th on Blu-ray™ and DVD.

    FAMILIAR

    This is the third film from Fatal Pictures (Richard Powell and Zach Green) that previously brought you CONSUMPTION (2008) and WORM (2010) with the premiere of their new film FAMILIAR starring Robert Nolan, Astrida Auza & Cathryn Hostick as the seemingly idyllic yet ultimately doomed Dodd Family. Through a series of tragic events a middle aged man grows to suspect the negative impulses plaguing his mind may not be his own.

    For more information on FAMILIAR:
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2095640
    http://www.fatalpictures.blogspot.com

    FAMILIAR’s director, cast and crew will be there for an introduction and a Q&A afterwards. The evening will be hosted by Fangoria film writer Kelly Stewart. Amazing prizes will be given out courtesy of Fangoria Magazine, Suspect Video, the Shinsedai Cinema Festival and Anchor Bay Entertainment. 19+ only and this is a licensed event.

    ABOUT FRIGHT NIGHTS

    Fright Nights is the monthly film series at the Projection Booth theatre focusing on horror films by new emerging filmmakers and cult classics.
    http://www.fright-nights.ca

    YOUR HOST

    Kelly Stewart is a local film writer in Toronto who has written over 100 reviews, articles and interviews for such publications as Fangoria Magazine and Toronto Film Scene. Read here an interview with FRIGHT NIGHT’s host Kelly Stewart http://www.funwithhorror.com/?p=370

    THE VENUE

    The Projection Booth (formally the Gerrard Cinema) is Toronto’s newest independent theatre focusing on Art, Grindhouse, Independent and Foreign Films.

    For more information contact Nadia Sandhu:

    The Projection Booth
    1035 Gerrard St. E (Between Pape & Jones)
    416-466-3636 pb@studiofilmgroup.com
    http://www.projectionbooth.ca.

    February 3, 2012 at 11:25 pm

  2. Awesome article.

    May 3, 2013 at 12:42 am

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