By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The complete lineup for next January’s Sundance Film Festival has been unveiled, and an eclectic assortment of genre fare is part of both the Midnight and other sections. Read on for more info.
Sundance 2018 takes place January 18-28 in Park City, Utah, showcasing 110 films. The scary stuff playing in the Midnight lineup, all but one of them world premieres, includes Coralie Fargeat’s acclaimed REVENGE (pictured) and new movies by THE EYES OF MY MOTHER’S Nicolas Pesce, BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW’s Panos Cosmatos and the TURBO KID team of Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell:
ASSASSINATION NATION (Director/screenwriter: Sam Levinson, Producers: David Goyer, Anita Gou, Kevin Turen, Aaron L. Gilbert, Matthew J. Malek): This is a 1,000 percent true story about how the quiet, all-American town of Salem, Massachusetts, absolutely lost its mind. Cast: Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Hari Nef, Abra, Bill Skarsgard, Bella Thorne.
PIERCING (Director/screenwriter: Nicolas Pesce, Producers: Josh Mond, Antonio Campos, Schuyler Weiss, Jake Wasserman): In this twisted love story, a man seeks out an unsuspecting stranger to help him purge the dark torments of his past. His plan goes awry when he encounters a woman with plans of her own. A playful psychothriller game of cat-and-mouse based on Ryu Murakami‘s novel. Cast: Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowska, Laia Costa, Marin Ireland, Maria Dizzia, Wendell Pierce. See our interview with Pesce on PIERCING here.
MANDY (Belgium/U.S.—Director: Panos Cosmatos, Screenwriters: Panos Cosmatos, Aaron Stewart-Ahn, Producers: Daniel Noah, Josh Waller, Elijah Wood, Nate Bolotin, Adrian Politowski): Pacific Northwest. 1983 AD: Outsiders Red Miller and Mandy Bloom lead a loving and peaceful existence. When their pine-scented haven is savagely destroyed by a cult led by the sadistic Jeremiah Sand, Red is catapulted into a phantasmagoric journey filled with bloody vengeance and laced with fire. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Olwen Fouéré, Richard Brake, Bill Duke.
REVENGE (France—Director/screenwriter: Coralie Fargeat, Producers: Marc-Etienne Schwartz, Jean-Yves Robin, Marc Stanimirovic): Three wealthy married men get together for their annual hunting game in a desert canyon. This time, one of them has brought along his young mistress, who quickly arouses the interest of the other two. Things get dramatically out of hand as a hunting game turns into a ruthless manhunt. Cast: Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Bouchede, Jean-Louis Tribes. (Utah Premiere) Look for a cover story on this film in RUE MORGUE #180, on sale in January!
SUMMER OF ’84 (Canada/U.S.—Directors: Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Matt Leslie, Stephen J. Smith, Producers: Shawn Williamson, Jameson Parker, Matt Leslie, Van Toffler, Cody Zwieg): Summer 1984: a perfect time to be a carefree 15-year-old. But when neighborhood conspiracy theorist Davey Armstrong begins to suspect his police officer neighbor might be the serial killer all over the local news, he and his three best friends begin an investigation that soon turns dangerous. Cast: Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Caleb Emery, Cory Grüter-Andrew, Tiera Skovbye, Rich Sommer.
Also of RUE MORGUE interest are:
LIZZIE (Director: Craig William Macneill, Screenwriter: Bryce Kass, Producers: Naomi Despres, Liz Destro): Based on the 1892 murder of Lizzie Borden‘s family in Fall River, MA, this tense psychological thriller lays bare the legend of Lizzie Borden to reveal the much more complex, poignant and truly terrifying woman within, as well as her intimate bond with the family‘s young Irish housemaid, Bridget Sullivan. Cast: Chloë Sevigny, Kristen Stewart, Jamey Sheridan, Fiona Shaw, Kim Dickens, Denis O’Hare. (Dramatic Competition)
CLARA’S GHOST (Director/screenwriter: Bridey Elliott, Producer: Sarah Winshall): Set over the course of a single evening at the Reynolds‘ family home in Connecticut, Clara, fed up with the constant ribbing from her self-absorbed showbiz family, finds solace in and guidance from the supernatural force she believes is haunting her. Cast: Paula Niedert Elliott, Chris Elliott, Abby Elliott, Bridey Elliott, Haley Joel Osment, Isidora Goreshter. (Next)
