Indie
[Fantasia ’14 Review] ‘Creep’ Reminds Us That Nothing Is OK (and We’re Fools For Thinking Anything Is)
Reviewed by Síofra McAllister
In Creep, Patrick Brice’s ingenuous filmmaker takes a mysterious job at a cabin-in-the-woods, and proceeds to develop a reluctant friendship with his unfathomable and overly familiar subject. It’s a simple, intriguing narrative – nothing much on paper – but the profound discomfiture Creep provokes is nearly impossible to relay here.
The aptly named Creep steals up on you when you’re least expecting it. The standard jump scares are second to none – expertly executed without a soundtrack, relying on nothing more than a camera and two flawless lead actors – but it’s the overarching and sinister plot development that gifts us those authentic and enduring spine chills. Despite a skulking sense of wrongness that hovers at the corners of our awareness warning us otherwise, the audience can’t help but giggle nervously and even laugh uproariously at some of Creep‘s dark humour – right up until the heinous finale.
Creep is comical, but it’s not a comedy. It’s tense, but it’s largely cringeworthy rather than nail-biting. Most of all it’s horrific, and the twisted hero / villain relationship therein could almost be labelled meta in that it hazardously parallels the horror fan / horror movie relationship: Prepare to leave this movie feeling a little bit sullied and a lot terrified.
It’s hard to believe that Creep is Brice’s first foray into feature length directing and writing. While some may accuse this young director of playing it safe with the found footage format, the subtly sublime storytelling employed in Creep speaks of a much more experienced filmmaker and one with a true passion and respect for the horror genre. While Patrick Brice’s supremely capable direction makes Creep one of the most insidious, sticky horror movies you’ve seen this side of 1960, Mark Duplass (Safety Not Guaranteed) may be the only actor who could misdirect us so well, and it’s this latter talent that seals Creep‘s success. Duplass’ expertly rendered and truly sinister Creep is one of horror’s least gruesome but most dreadful villains.
Her House of Horrors, the horror division of Independent Production House WOMXNOGRAPHY, has launched its Bite Size Short Grant Program, ahead of its film festival Dollhouse of Horror, which will take place in March 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
The Bite Size Short Grant Program awards $2,000 film grants to female-identifying and queer horror filmmakers. Shorts must be able to be made for $2,000, with a minimum runtime of 8 minutes. Submissions are now open on Filmfreeway, and are being judged by a panel of horror lovers and content creators.
The 2024 Bite Size Short Grant Program judge lineup is as follows:
“James H. Carter II- A documentary director, film producer, podcaster, marketing specialist, and writer. James is the founder and co-owner of Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom was founded in 2011 and is a multimedia website, and production studio specializing in creepy content. Their primary focus lies at the intersection of childlike fantasy and the macabre, covering horror films, theme parks, haunts, and much more. Beyond their extensive media coverage, Creepy Kingdom hosts events, offers original merchandise, and engages in film production under the Creepy Kingdom Studios brand producing original films like “Foolish Mortals”, exploring Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” fan culture, and “Georgie”, featuring Tony Dakota from the original “It” miniseries.
“In addition to founding Creepy Kingdom, James has won awards for his documentary work, including the award-winning “Foolish Mortals,” which has earned him recognition. He has been featured on Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween special.
“Ashleeta Beauchamp is the editor-in-chief of Peek-A-Boo! Magazine, a cheeky horror magazine created to uplift marginalized writers, artists, models and other creators within the horror community. She also runs The Halloween Coalition, a community group to provide support and marketing for horror and Halloween events around the Southern California area.
“Titeanya Rodríguez is a multi-hyphenate creative, and the founder and owner of HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, home of DOLLHOUSE OF HORROR and the horror division of WOMXNOGRAPHY. As a fellow storyteller and a self-proclaimed artivist, Titeanya’s mission is to create opportunities for women of color and queer women, across film, tv, sports, music, and beyond. She is also the creator of the BITE SIZE SHORT grant program.”
Winners will have a one-night theatrical screening at Regal Cinemas. Submissions Close April 8 at Midnight. Winners will be announced on May 27, 2024. Shorts must be shot and through post-production by June 30, 2024. The screening will take place on July 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA.
WOMXNOGRAPHY, HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, and Rodriguez are represented by Azhar PR, Granderson Des Rochers, and Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir.
To submit your short to the Bite Size Short Grant Program, go to the FilmFreeway link here.
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