When the Screaming Starts

There is one scene I love above all others. It caught me by surprise and I've watched it over and over again. I hope you love it too. It is set in a park and was totally unexpected. Yet, it provides the motivation for what preceded it. Yes, this next comment is out of context but I enjoyed the film's soundtrack. See the film and the forgoing will make sense.

The film starts out as a documentary. Aidan is the subject of Norman Graysmith's documentary. Graysmith explores the world of Aidan. Aidan is the man who approaches you in a pub and chats and you think ... I'll make an excuse and leave, with a mixture of pity and fear. The film follows the adventures of Aidan and his girlfriend and his 'family'. They form an eclectic mixture of the loveable through to the frighteningly scary. Okay, I thought the acting was superb. I imagine this was not the easiest film to direct with such a mixture of comedy and horror, yet, it is done masterfully.

One moment I was captivated by the humour of the interaction within the group ... the next hands shielding my face in terror. Get your popcorn and your choice of beverage, turn off the phone - this is a treat.

There is a fine line between laughing and crying. When The Screaming Starts straddles this line, gently rocking itself side to side, possibly whilst holding it's knees.

At a time when serial killer fetishism seems to be at an all time high, When The Screaming Starts pokes fun at the nature of the mastermind killer whilst making us ask questions of ourselves as the audience for why we find more interest in the murderers tale than the victims.

A deep reverence for horror is abundent throughout the film, whilst rarely falling into the outright horror genre itself.

FFO: What We Do In The Shadows, Deathgasm, Creep 2.

This is something between a comedy/horror movie and a dark comedy. Unfortunately, not too funny for a comedy/horror, and not too witty for a dark comedy. My expectations were low either way, so i found it entertaining, at leat until the last 15 minutes. This is a low budget production with unknown actors, so you should lower your expectations too, and you might entertain yourself. It is not a bad movie, acting was ok and the story was kinda interesting. Of course, not original neither creative. I had fun watching this and i was gonna rate it higher, however the last 15 minutes were not good. I'd say it became dumb and made me lose my interest. So, you should watch it only if you are a big fan of this genre. Otherwise, there are far better movies, even in this time era.

This movie is sort of like a 90 minute rogue comedy skit with a group of fair-to-middling comedians. I did laugh at a few scenes and I thought Amy was well-played. I thought as a whole the film relied far too much on worn stereotypes; for example, the "after party" was just stupid with balloons, little kids party hats, cookies and chips, and champagne. They could have made it much funnier by taking it to an extreme of making it like a child's birthday party gone horribly wrong but it just comes across as a weak throng of basics toasting their college friends' third wedding anniversary. The end does get quite dark and the amorality of the attitude towards murder is creepy, I will give it that much. I also thought presenting one of the main characters as a LARPing nerd in over his head and demanding all the credit as a white man for doing very little was a nice touch.

When The Screaming Starts (Grimmfest 9th Oct 2021).

A down-at-heel documentary film maker begins to follow a cinema usher (and former black metal guitarist) who has decided to become a serial killer.

A terrifically entertaining black comedy utilising an energetic ensemble. Equally funny in highlighting the mundanities of everyday existence for the central anti hero and character clashes as the plot develops.

The synopsis makes it sound like Man Bites Dog or Behind The Mask but this flick is savvy in avoiding aping superficially similar productions and carving it's own path.

What's particularly impressive is how the performances and thoughtful editing ensure the film maintains its energy through the final act as the story moves away from humour and into grim irony.

Highly recommended.