Nature Morte

UK, 2008
Director: Paul Burrows
Starring: Troy McFadden, Carole Derrien, Laurent Guyon
IMDB: 6.1

At last - a real horror movie! It seems Hollywood has forgotten how to make them, with most in the horror genre being funny or comical rather than disturbing. This visceral, hypnotic movie takes you into the sick and twisted world of a serial killer, clutches you within its atmospheric grip and slices your mind into slivers of bloody, mutilated flesh.

This is the first film from director Paul Burrows, and all I can say is give the guy some cash! He is surely a director to watch in the future, as he has all the right ideas. Given a larger budget this movie would have been one of the all-time horror greats. Unfortunately the film is somewhat let down by poor visual production values and so-so acting - very much a case of what could've been with a decent budget.

The lighting is often under-exposed, leaving the actors indistinguishable in the shadows ... I'm sure this was intentionally done to create atmosphere and style ... but perhaps better quality gear would help realise the idea more successfully, rather than giving a low-budget feel. Of more concern is that the actors voices are often hard to understand ... it seems many are speaking English as a second language and the dialogue can be difficult to understand.

However don't let these failings put you off, this is a film well worth seeking out and enjoying. It is a unique horror experience for horror fiends to savour.

Of special note is the soundtrack created by ex-Siouxsie and the Banshees Steve Severin with wife Arban - it is simply superb, and significantly contributes to taking this film out of the ordinary. The production values of the soundtrack are top notch, belying the film's general low budget feel. Be sure to turn the volume up high to fully enjoy the atmosphere it creates. This is one of the best horror soundtracks I've ever heard!

Screenshots

Trailer