Exclusives
Question Everything With This ‘Darling’ Soundtrack Sampler (Exclusive)
Mickey Keating stunned horror audiences with his paranoid conspiracy theory film Pod, which has been acclaimed by both critics and audiences alike. Now, his latest upcoming film Darling is gearing up for release and, according to our reviews, is ready to give audiences something really special. Luiz was “…mesmerized” and Trace gushed that it’s, “…a trippy, hypnotic ride.”
In anticipation of the film’s release, which hits VOD and limited theaters this Friday, we’ve got a sampler of the film’s score, which was composed by Giona Ostinelli, which you can hear above. Ostinelli’s score also comes out this Friday.
Ostinelli explains:
There’s barely any dialogue throughout the whole film, so the music had to play a major role by being another character in the film that is always present. It is a rare opportunity in today’s film industry, as well as a major challenge. The score has to be incredibly focused on guiding the audience through the film with confidence.
‘Darling’ presented a wonderful opportunity to experiment creating a score as a combination of classical, noir and sound design elements. I was able to achieve a particular sound by creating a unique hallucinatory soundscape, which features a heaving distorted Ondes Martenot combined with various layers of piano going through a very specific type of reverb. On top of these hypnotic intricate sonorities, I occasionally introduced a distant solo trumpet, which added a disturbing noir element that worked perfectly with the black-and-white images.
“‘Darling’ begins as a lonely young woman (Lauren Ashley Carter) moves into an old, mysterious Manhattan mansion. Hired as a caretaker, it’s not long before she discovers the estate’s haunted reputation and troubling past. These stories slowly transform into a backdrop for her twisted and violent descent into madness…“
Exclusives
‘The Haunting of Pennhurst’ Exclusive Clip Trains Scare Actors For Historic Haunt in Tribeca Doc
The past and present collide in haunting, poignant ways in the genre documentary The Haunting of Pennhurst, which sees a Halloween haunt serve as a reclamation of true historic horrors.
Ahead of its world premiere at the 25th Tribeca Film Festival, we have an exclusive clip that sees scare actors in training for the Halloween season. The catch? This haunt is opening at the historic Pennhurst State School & Hospital site, a facility that caused immense harm to its disabled patients over decades of its operation.
In the documentary, “For over seventy years, Pennhurst State School & Hospital was called a place of care. What happened inside killed over half its population. It closed in 1987, leaving behind unmarked graves and an unresolved history. Today, on those same grounds, disabled performers – many living with the same conditions that once sent people to Pennhurst – put on their makeup, pull on their costumes, and prepare to scare people for a living.
“Through grit, compassion, and buckets of blood, the eclectic performers of the Pennhurst Asylum haunted attraction are wrestling with a space that is at once a lucrative business and a gravesite.”
The upcoming documentary hails from directing trio Nathan Stenberg, Mike Attie, and Katarina Poljak, who explore their socially-relevant subject through archival footage, first-hand accounts, and an immersive verité.
“Pennhurst has haunted us since we first passed through its dragon-tooth gates; the horrors of the institution echo through the site today. We are so grateful to bring this film to the Tribeca Festival, particularly the Escape from Tribeca section, which feels right for a story where past and present bleed together. We hope audiences leave unnerved and asking the same uncomfortable questions we did,” Attie, Stenberg, and Poljak said in a statement.
Watch the clip below that sees disabled and neurodivergent scare actors learning the ropes of a Halloween haunt, reclaiming the site’s grim history in the process.
Tribeca Screenings:
- Public 1 (Premiere) Screening – Friday, June 5 at 9:15PM at Village East by Angelika
- Public 2 Screening – Sunday, June 7 at 3:15PM at Village East by Angelika
- Public 3 Screening – Tuesday, June 9 at 6:15PM at Village East by Angelika