13 Tracks to Frighten Agatha Black

13 Tracks to Frighten Agatha Black, the first feature of Bradley Steele Harding, made for $20,000, is impressive. First, it has an original conceit: The film is narrated in Greek chorus fashion with stories from those old Halloween vinyl records of years gone by. Second, while the budget was tiny, this is not a careless production. Almost every shot is carefully blocked, and there is some imagination in the sound design. Finally, kudos for getting the wonderful Udo KIer as the opening narrator.

Some might consider this like one of those elevated "artsy" horror films from A24 with its slow burn and cryptic structure, which are so much in vogue today. I don't. I think the film is more of a throwback to early1970s Italian giallo/supernatural thrillers like All the Colors of the Dark and The Perfume of the Woman in Black. Indeed, lead Bridie Marie Corbett resembles a low-keyed Edwige Fenech. For a film paying homage to a beloved genre, it does pretty well for itself.

Overall, count me in as a fan of this original work. I want to see what Steele does with a bigger budget. It's sure to be cool.