Thursday 6 March 2014

01/03/14 Holy Ghost People (2013)

A young woman's sister goes missing after running off to join a snake handling cult hidden away up a dark, red-necky mountain. Sort of place where blowing on a jug is considered music and the houses are made out of shotguns and mud.

The young woman gives a drunken ex-marine some money to come with her in a protective role as she goes searching for her sibling among the serpent fondlers. Like all decent backwater cults, they seem welcoming at first, offering rustic salvation from the spiritual burden of city life. But, then, and I don't think I'm giving anything away here, darker activities and agendas start oozing to the fore.

Nothing in this film is a big surprise plot-wise, but everything else exceeded what I expected. The acting is great, with particular credit going to cult leader, and the film's co-writer, Joe Egender, I thought his final scene was bloody superb. The camera work, timing, building sense tension and script all completely nail it.

If it sounds like something you'd enjoy, seek it out, it's a cracking good little film.

Trivia: the film was part inspired by a 1967 documentary with the same title about a bunch of real life reptile-grippers.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2298224/
9/10 (I'm scoring it high as the professional critics are being so cunty with their scores. Idiots. And also 'cos I think it deserves it.)


Perkin.

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