Movies
Horrorfest ’10: Hi-Res Stills from ‘Hidden’
It was announced last week that Pål Øie’s Hidden would be joining After Dark Horror Fest 4 as one of the latest “8 Films to Die For” arriving in theaters January 29, 2010. Below we got our hands on the first two hi-res stills from the film that is the story of Kai Koss who upon the death of his cruel mother unwillingly returns to the small town he ran away from 19 years ago. He is left in charge of the family home and the dark secrets that come with it. Kai soon finds himself tangled up in a series of murderous events that are beyond anyone’s control and his troubles begin to overwhelm him. He has spent the past two decades trying to forget a tortured past only to find that there are some things that you just can’t run from.
“After Dark Films CEO Courtney Solomon has announced that After Dark has acquired the Norwegian psychological horror title Hidden after inking a deal with NonStop Films AB. The film marks the fourth title for After Dark’s latest installment of Horrorfest: 8 Films to Die For. Pål Øie (Dark Woods) directed from a script he co-wrote with Brio Flint. The film stars one of Norway’s most prominent actors Kristoffer Joner (Next Door and upcoming Pax) who leads a cast including Cecilie Mosli, Anders Danielsen Lie, Bjarte Hjelmeland and Karin Park. Jan Aksel Angeltvedt of Alligator Film produced the film.
Hidden is the story of Kai Koss who upon the death of his cruel mother unwillingly returns to the small town he ran away from 19 years ago. He is left in charge of the family home and the dark secrets that come with it. Kai soon finds himself tangled up in a series of murderous events that are beyond anyone’s control and his troubles begin to overwhelm him. He has spent the past two decades trying to forget a tortured past only to find that there are some things that you just can’t run from.
“Hidden represents intense psychological suspense at it’s best,” stated After Dark EVP Stephanie Caleb. “The dark and terrifying atmosphere and intricate storyline weave together to form a film that should keep fans scared and intrigued up until the very end.”
“We are proud to be working together with After Dark Films and we look forward to the release in the North American Market, but foremost we are excited that so many horror fans will be able to see this intriguing film,” says Miira Paasilinna, Sales Executive at Sales agent NonStop Sales. ”
In a recent interview, filmmaker Christopher Nolan explained that he’s always been interested in directing a bona fide horror movie, with the award-winning director going so far as to praise genre creators for their continued risk-taking on the big screen.
If you’ve seen Nolan’s recently released The Odyssey, you’re likely aware that a scary movie helmed by the legendary director could be a very good idea.
After all, Nolan insisted on making use of old-fashioned movie magic and in-camera practical effects when shooting his adaptation of Homer’s epic. This retro approach made Odysseus’ encounters with mythological beings such as the giant cyclops that much more terrifying. By now, fans are undoubtedly aware that the massive creature was partially brought to life by an enormous puppet enhanced with near-invisible CGI, but there were also plenty of forced perspective shots where actor Bill Irwin actually chomped on disturbingly realistic replicas of Ithican soldiers.
As you can see in the below behind-the-scenes test footage shared by the Los Angeles-based Hamer FX, Irwin was given an assortment of latex dolls filled with fake blood and breakable skeletons that he could tear apart on camera. The darkness of Polyphemus’ cave covers up most of the gore in the finished film, but the moment remains a terrifying highlight in a movie that has a lot to say about the horrors of war.
Nolan actually requested these tiny edible soldiers for the flick because his vision for the iconic cyclops encounter was partially inspired by Francisco Goya’s disturbing mural of Saturn Devouring His Son. This mysterious piece is actually one of the artist’s infamous “Black Paintings,” which were found painted directly onto the walls of his old house near Madrid before a French baron ordered that the collection be transferred to canvas and assigned names for public viewing.
Details like these are what make me think that Nolan could pull off a genuinely scary horror picture if he came across the right idea. That being said, between the Fear Gas sequences in Batman Begins and Circe using body horror magic to transform men into pigs in The Odyssey, one might argue that he’s been preparing for such a task throughout his entire career.
The Odyssey is currently playing in theaters everywhere, though it’s definitely worth seeking out an IMAX screening if you can find one near you.
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