Under the tutelage of Mrs Winters (Bernadette Moran) two maids, Nancy (Rosie Gray) and Flora (Lizzie Back) are, as the title suggests, employees in a writers' retreat; but one with a difference. Those on it are required to go back in time, almost literally, dressing in period costume and immersing themselves in the classics ('Take a step back in time and learn to write like the Greats' suggests one of the guides). The writer providing the intellectual stimulus in one J.T. Redford.
As we join the party in a suitably aged setting (Bore Place House in Kent, actually used as a retreat) a third maid, Jemima, is dead. Although Mrs Winters encourages the others to rise above the incident, Nancy feels that something odd is going on, and that the spirit of the dead writer may be exerting his influence over them. After Nancy discovers notebooks containing (incorrect) psychological observations about the employees, she is determined to leave, taking Flora with her. But leaving isn't so easy.
Within its short running time, Memon's three hander film immerses the viewer in its period setting, such that the sight of a packet of cigarettes or a contemporary vehicle are the piece's biggest shocks. As suggested by including this in the 'esoteric' category nothing is explained; indeed the film seems to submerge itself in layers of artifice. Which is all the better; here's one short film I wouldn't want extended into a feature.
You can watch Writers' Retreat here.
Tom Staunton steps from behind the camera for his first acting role as, er, Tom, shambling host of a paranormal show which shares its title with this movie (Staunton also wrote the piece and was originally scheduled to direct according to early online mentions of the project); Brewster plays camera person Michael. Content wise he's rather down on his luck; an early scene shows him tracking down a ghost monk, which turns out to be a gobby teen wearing a hoodie. To make matters worse Tom's US backer is threatening to pull the plug unless he comes up with something.
And that 'something' turns up in the shape of 16 year old Sandy (Brewster's muse Megan Tremethick), suffering from amnesia following her incarceration in nearby Stonehaven psychiatric hospital. Sensing that here, at last, might be the road to an authentic haunting, Tom and Michael use the girl to delve into the history of the hospital, constructing the story by piecing together witness reports; and the truth is stranger than either of them were expecting.
Despite its rather slight set up - a lot of wandering around in an abandoned and wrecked location standing in for the hospital - Ghost Crew is all about the script, peeling away the layers of narrative to uncover a story of murder and abuse, and watching Tom become increasingly unmoored as he amasses information. It's pretty slow stuff but it's well acted, and a decision to lose the comedy elements early on in the film is a wise one.
As they scout the area they encounter Paranormal Pete (Ben Shockley), an altogether more professional paranormal hunter who was responsible for the photograph that drew the trio to the area; Pete knows his moths.
Soon enough the three - now four - arrive at an electricity pylon, the site of the photograph, and it's not long before the Mothman - in broad daylight - makes its deadly presence felt.
While The Mothman Tapes very much does things by the FF book - lighthearted first section, darker second part, lots of running about towards the end - there is something quite endearing about the various members of the Mearns clan helping out behind the camera and the not too shabby FX work, courtesy of the 'Lunar Fantasy Arts' company (which, I would suggest, is yet another Mearns family member giving themselves airs and graces). The makers also take a leaf out of the 'Blair Witch Project' playbook and provide a rather arresting audio design. Cheap as chips this may be, but at 52 minutes it doesn't outstay its welcome and is far better than about 90% of its FF genre mates.
You can watch The Mothman Tapes here.
You can watch this and all of Matthew Cooper's films on his YouTube channel here.
Amber (Georgia Lock) is the distant descendant of a 17th century witch, Heather Gray (Rachel Warren), burned at the stake by the witchfinder general Matthias Alastair (Finbar Lynch) and managing to curse everyone before she snuffs it. Socially awkward and keen to study, Amber is enrolled in a girl's college on the site of her relative's demise, where she rooms with her emotional opposite, keen as mustard Kirsten (Sydney Craven). Kirsten's enthusiasm to join every group available provides Amber's introduction to the 'York Witches Society', a group of influential cosplaying Wiccans.
Undergoing one of the Society's initiation ceremonies, Heather is dared to sound a bell in the grounds of the school and shout her name. This action disturbs the grave of the witchfinder; in demon form Alastair returns to stalk the last descendant of the Grays, sparing no one in his quest.
Or something. To be honest it's probably not a good idea to concentrate too much on the scant detail that makes up the barest thread of story here. YWS starts well; Lock and Craven are an appealing odd couple, and the Society itself has some intrigue. But as soon as the movie gets going it kind of grinds to a halt, unrescued by some very polite gore (a beheading and a disembowelment if you're interested) and the last reel appearance of the risen witchfinder. A shame really as the Norfolk locations are very atmospheric (until industrial amounts of smog masks pretty much everything) and the cast would probably be good, if only they were given something to do. Nice to see a stalwart of 1970s TV drama, Deborah Grant, still getting work as Amber's (briefly seen) mum, though.
