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Why We Need More Found-Footage Like ‘Creep 2’

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A couple of years ago I wrote an editorial defending the much-maligned found-footage sub-genre, making the argument that these movies are conceptually similar to epistolary story-telling in literature, and that this filmmaking technique would eventually find its footing, possibly through some future cinematic achievement that could only have been reached through the conventions of found-footage. After all, film is still a young medium, and we still have a millennia to go before we’ve explored every possible way of making a good movie.

Since that article, we’ve seen everything from a surprise sequel to the king of found-footage, Blair Witch, to Found Footage 3D, a loving parody of the sub-genre. While I definitely enjoyed several of these movies, I think it’s fair to say that none of them were innovative enough to truly change the way that we perceive this kind of film, even though they don’t necessarily have to be in order to be entertaining.

Nevertheless, a few weeks ago I watched Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass’s Creep 2, and after letting the film sink in for a bit, I’m now convinced that the cinematic holy grail of found-footage is much closer than I thought, and here’s why…

Worthy of its name.

The first Creep was released back in 2014 to surprisingly positive reviews, and I’d rank it as one of the best found-footage flicks to come out of the past few years. The film’s simple yet fascinating take on boundaries and interpersonal relationships resonated with viewers, and since then Mr. PeachFuzz the supposedly “friendly” wolf has become something of a celebrity in the horror community. Although the movie has its fair share of flaws (with some segments dragging on a bit too long), the clever script and Duplass’ now-iconic performance reminded us that talent and creativity can overcome nearly any limitations when telling a compelling story.

Through several interviews with both Brice and Duplass, it was revealed that the simplicity of found-footage was what allowed them to take risks and experiment while crafting the movie that eventually became Creep. From improvised dialogue, alternate scenes and even different endings, the duo was able to pick and choose the best material to tell the story at hand, and resulting in a captivating thriller with only two characters and a single camera.

When Creep 2 was announced, I, like many others, was extremely skeptical. A lot of what made the first movie work depended on that surprise ending, and it seemed like the sequel was just going to rehash the first film’s premise minus the rising tension. However, when it finally came out, I was blown away by an incredibly self-aware story, mesmerizing characters and the overall creativity behind nearly every aspect of this simple yet elegant production.

Not only is Creep 2 one of my favorite movies of 2017, but if we’re lucky, it might also be the start of a shift in the way that filmmakers use found-footage to tell a story. This is one of those elusive cases where a movie simply would not be as interesting or as impactful had it been shot and edited like a traditional cinematic thriller, as the found-footage aesthetic is absolutely vital in conveying this story’s message.

The film is a groundbreaking achievement in minimalist filmmaking, and part of that is due to Brice’s understanding of how telling a good story with fewer tools and resources than usual should inherently require more effort in other departments to compensate, not less. By stripping away most modern filmmaking conventions and focusing on the two amazing leads, Creep 2 has more in common with a live stage show than a traditional horror movie, and that’s a good thing. This is one particular story that only benefits from the less-is-more approach, showing us only the most essential elements of the story, and stripping away the rest.

Who doesn’t want a Mr. PeachFuzz mask?

Of course, the found-footage aspect also lends the film a kind of intimacy with these characters, not to mention a heightened sense of believability. Despite what many moviegoers claim, realism isn’t necessarily as important to maintain the illusion of found-footage flicks as consistency. Most films in the genre falter by trying to make the footage as realistic as possible, with little regard to how much story is actually being told, and then later resort to “cheating,” by artificially telling us parts of the story that couldn’t be conveyed organically earlier. This is what turns the found-footage aesthetic into an obstacle rather than a tool for telling more unique stories.

This pre-occupation with realism only really ever worked with The Blair Witch Project, but that was before general audiences became aware of the trickery going on behind the scenes. There’s also the fact that the Blair Witch phenomena was more of a multi-media event, featuring complementary experiences and mythology that went way beyond the movie itself, resulting in a much broader and more sustainable suspension of disbelief.

Luckily for us, much like the first film, Creep 2 does things differently by being one of the rare Blair Witch Project successors that relishes in the home-movie aesthetic without being utterly consumed by it. The movie even incorporates the eventual compiling, editing and presentation of this footage into the plot itself. The story’s real strength lies in its compelling character interaction and disturbing subtext, with the found-footage aspect being a narrative tool instead of the film’s focus, which is really the direction that newer productions in this genre should be heading towards.

Genius.

Surprisingly enough, my point here isn’t to just gush about how much I loved Creep 2 (though it’s likely that I’ll only ever stop when the third film in this planned trilogy finally comes out), but to state that the bar for found-footage movies has been raised, and it seems that us fans of the genre are at a cinematic crossroads. We can either continue on a path of mostly shallow and overtly familiar films, or be inspired by masters of the craft like Brice and Duplass. If other genre filmmakers are taking notes (and I certainly hope that they are), it’s only a matter of time before we see more creative and entertaining gems pop up in this vastly underestimated sub-genre.

After all, Sara loves her Juicy-Fruit, and we love our found-footage movies.

Born Brazilian, raised Canadian, Luiz is a writer and Film student that spends most of his time watching movies and subsequently complaining about them.

Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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leprechaun returns

The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

LEPRECHAUN

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

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Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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