During my run of Horror viewings in October I decided to catch up on some of Kim Newman's Video Dungeon page in Empire magazine. Reading praise for an Irish Horror, something about the title was familiar,and I realised that it's on Netflix UK,which led to me becoming a lodger.
View on the film:
Filmed in the real "haunted house" Loftus Hall, director Brian O'Malley & cinematographer Richard Kendrick lodge an unshakeable,slow-burn Gothic Horror atmosphere of weaving shots round the grounds giving Loftus the appearance of being stuck in time, and a precision in the movement of the inhabitants giving them a ghostly shade.
Joining Rachel and Edward in their family estate as they attempt to to follow the rules of The Lodgers, O'Malley dips into the surreal with striking water effects giving The Lodgers a slippery shine,and the estate that of a watery grave, with stylish mirror shots reflecting the tide coming in towards Edward and Rachel.
Also co-composing the simmering score with Stephen Shannon and Kevin Murphy, the screenplay by David Turpin brews an elegant Gothic Horror brimming with the frozen in time family trauma Rachel and Edward are haunted by. Keeping the reason for the existence of The Lodgers clear, but holding them out of sight for the majority of the time, which makes their slithering appearance towards the duo ring with an urgency.
Played by an excellent Charlotte Vega and Bill Milner (with David Bradley and Eugene Simon being very good visiting guests) Turpin splinters their faithful following with touching encounters with outsiders opening up their greatest weaknesses, which leads The Lodgers to lodge a deadly complaint.
View on the film:
Filmed in the real "haunted house" Loftus Hall, director Brian O'Malley & cinematographer Richard Kendrick lodge an unshakeable,slow-burn Gothic Horror atmosphere of weaving shots round the grounds giving Loftus the appearance of being stuck in time, and a precision in the movement of the inhabitants giving them a ghostly shade.
Joining Rachel and Edward in their family estate as they attempt to to follow the rules of The Lodgers, O'Malley dips into the surreal with striking water effects giving The Lodgers a slippery shine,and the estate that of a watery grave, with stylish mirror shots reflecting the tide coming in towards Edward and Rachel.
Also co-composing the simmering score with Stephen Shannon and Kevin Murphy, the screenplay by David Turpin brews an elegant Gothic Horror brimming with the frozen in time family trauma Rachel and Edward are haunted by. Keeping the reason for the existence of The Lodgers clear, but holding them out of sight for the majority of the time, which makes their slithering appearance towards the duo ring with an urgency.
Played by an excellent Charlotte Vega and Bill Milner (with David Bradley and Eugene Simon being very good visiting guests) Turpin splinters their faithful following with touching encounters with outsiders opening up their greatest weaknesses, which leads The Lodgers to lodge a deadly complaint.