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“One of the most memorable horror films of the year.”
Dread Central
Opens in UK cinemas 05 Oct 2012
The film within the film – a device used in many films to add comedy value, an extra scare, an ironic nod or essential plot plots. Here are some examples from the world of horror pictures…
Scream 2 – Stab
In Sinister, the films within the film take the form of secret super-8 footage that could contain vital clues to a terrible multiple murder. In Scream 2, the fake film Stab is a ficitional movie based on the events of the first film as the franchise ties itself up in entertaining knots and descends into layers of post-modern irony. The film within a film itself is a basic slasher… Just the kind of cookie cutter morality movie that the first Scream poked an arch finger at. Clever huh?
The Ring: Haunted video
The film within film footage in The Ring movies is closer to what you’ll see when you watch Sinister. In Sinister dark and indistinct recordings of twisted – albeit entertainingly imaginitive – murders slowly reveal themselves. In The Ring, a video tape of similar low grade quality featuring a girl clawing her way from a well becomes a surefire way to die young. Only passing the tape – and thus the curse – on can save you once you’ve seen it. Japanese ghost culture differs from our in that we tend to have haunted places – castles, old houses, hospitals – whereas in Japan, objects are just as likely to contain bad spirits. This is why you see movies about haunted mobile phones, wigs and of course video tapes. The original Ring movie uses film within film to create a sense of dread in the audience. Hey I’m watching this film… On Video! Does this mean I’m cursed to?
Cannibal Holocaust: Found Footage
The least mainstream of our short list. A film with a title designed to upset from the outset. The movie revolves around footage recovered from a documentary expedition where the filmmakers were eaten after committing newsworthy atrocities to sex up their new movie. The film uses a framing device whereby a group of TV execs watch the disgusting and depraved footage. This film is so obsessed with breaking the rules of horror genre that within the film a fake documentary called the Road To Hell also finds a place. In this case the film within film footage and the main story are of equal importance in getting across the message of man’s ultimate savagery, whether he be a mud caked Jungle cannibal or a seemingly civilised Westerner.
