The Canal is showing as part of the Belfast Film Festival ‘Altered States & Twisted Cornea’ selection this year on the 17nd April, tickets and more info from here.
Sitting in an empty theater, a film archivist watches the grainy footage that will be his undoing. David can’t help but suspect the dark spirits of the house are somehow involved. In his drive to unveil the shadows hidden in the walls, David begins to descend into insanity, threatening the lives of everyone around him. Featuring Northern Irish actress Antonia Campbell-Hughes and Rupert Evans as David.
There’s a weird dynamic in this film with a Dutch mother, English Father and Irish son, but once you get over that this is a fairly enjoyable, but at times gross, wee film. A supernatural thriller in parts, it lurches and heaves from scene to scene with an increased sense of foreboding, a dreading sense of what’s to come. At times reminding me of ‘berberian sound studio’ as sound plays a large part in this film, and it plays it well. Whilst the story takes flights of fancy as they dabble with spooky old films and supposed boogeymen there is a definite grounding in human interests, namely the fear of losing your family. Whether this takes place in the realm of the real, the supernatural or in the mind is ultimately at the viewers discretion, I have my own ideas, but seeing the film I’m sure you will make up yours. There are some particularly gross scenes in this , particularly towards the end so watch out if you’re easily made to feel queasy.
