 | As a filmmkaer, festival director, blogger, podcast host, etc., I watch a lot of films, including a lot of indie films. So, when someone asks me to watch their film and review it, I am always a little reluctant, usually because I don't always have a lot of time. I agreed to watch "As a Prelude to Fear" from MeloMedia Films because one of the actors reached out to me, and he's a nice dude, so here we are! |
"As a Prelude to Fear" is the story of Eve (Lara Lemon), an aspiring cellist who is abducted while seeking lessons from a well known music teacher. As everyone knows, I do not like to give away a lot of plot points about the films that I review, because I encourage everyone to watch the films for themselves, so I will just give a very brief summary.
Once Eve is abducted, the local constabulary immediately assumes it's the work of in infamous serial killer known as the Pied Piper. The Pied Piper case has haunted Detective Chief Superintendent Barnbrook (Francis Magee) for years because of his failure to capture the criminal. He firmly believes that local music teacher Giles Corcoran is the Pier Piper but he has never been able to prove it and now that it seems he's back, Barnbrook and Detective Sergeant Dobson (Lucy Drive) are determined to solve the mystery of the Pied Piper's identity once and for all. Can they do it before it's too late for Eve?
The film was written by Jacob Cohen, Steph Du Melo and Roger Wyatt and directed by Steph Du Melo.
Once Eve is abducted, the local constabulary immediately assumes it's the work of in infamous serial killer known as the Pied Piper. The Pied Piper case has haunted Detective Chief Superintendent Barnbrook (Francis Magee) for years because of his failure to capture the criminal. He firmly believes that local music teacher Giles Corcoran is the Pier Piper but he has never been able to prove it and now that it seems he's back, Barnbrook and Detective Sergeant Dobson (Lucy Drive) are determined to solve the mystery of the Pied Piper's identity once and for all. Can they do it before it's too late for Eve?
The film was written by Jacob Cohen, Steph Du Melo and Roger Wyatt and directed by Steph Du Melo.
Lucy Drive as D.S. Dobson (Photo courtesy of MeloMedia Films)
So, what did I think? Well, I'll be honest, the opening scene of the film immediately made me think, "Great, another torture porn film." However, I had agreed to watch the film so I kept going, and I am glad I did. It turned out to be much, much more than that. Yes, there is some violence against women in the film, which gets a little old for me, but those brief scenes (most of which are off-screen) are integral to the story and the characters so it didn't bother me. I did feel I should mention it though. This films is a lot more about the mystery of the identity of the Pied Piper and the effects that the investigation have on the detectives involved than it is about the violence.
The thing I liked most about this film is the acting. Francis Magee should be recognizable to most people who watch the film. He's played roles in "Game of Thrones", "The Witcher" and "Into the Badlands" among others, and he does an excellent job playing the tortured detective who has failed to solve the case for 14 years and, as a result, several young women have died. The other lead players and supporting cast are excellent as well.
The thing I liked most about this film is the acting. Francis Magee should be recognizable to most people who watch the film. He's played roles in "Game of Thrones", "The Witcher" and "Into the Badlands" among others, and he does an excellent job playing the tortured detective who has failed to solve the case for 14 years and, as a result, several young women have died. The other lead players and supporting cast are excellent as well.
Francis Magee as DCS Barnbook (Photo courtesy of MeloMedia Films)
The films is also shot very well. The settings are dreary and build a sense of dread throughout the film. Good use of sound as well. As I mentioned before, a lot of the violence happens off-screen but man, the sound design really delivers a gut punch as far as making the viewer realize exactly what is happening. I also have to give a shout out to the actors who are only heard off-screen. ADR can be very challenging, and they did a great job.
Story wise, "As a Prelude to Fear" is a very well crafted film, with some plot turns that I admit I did not see coming. Like I said at the beginning of the review, I thought the film was going to be one thing, and it turned out to be another. Much more of a thrilled than a straight-up horror film.
I am nothing if not honest, so I have to say that there were a few character decisions that made me smack my head. Then again, if a character didn't make a questionable decision, most of these types of movies wouldn't happen, but there are times when I wish that the screenwriter(s) would try to find a better way to move the plot forward. There are also a few story elements that will seem familiar, but I can forgive that because, as we know, there are only so many basic plotlines. I'm not trying to say that this film "copied" any other film, as it definitely did not. It just makes good use of a few things that we've seen before.
Story wise, "As a Prelude to Fear" is a very well crafted film, with some plot turns that I admit I did not see coming. Like I said at the beginning of the review, I thought the film was going to be one thing, and it turned out to be another. Much more of a thrilled than a straight-up horror film.
I am nothing if not honest, so I have to say that there were a few character decisions that made me smack my head. Then again, if a character didn't make a questionable decision, most of these types of movies wouldn't happen, but there are times when I wish that the screenwriter(s) would try to find a better way to move the plot forward. There are also a few story elements that will seem familiar, but I can forgive that because, as we know, there are only so many basic plotlines. I'm not trying to say that this film "copied" any other film, as it definitely did not. It just makes good use of a few things that we've seen before.
(Photo courtesy of MeloMedia Films)
In summary, "As a Prelude to Fear" was an enjoyable indie thriller, and I can feel good about recommending it. It's a well acted, well paced psychological thrilled with a couple of clever plot turns to keep the viewer guessing. In a time when it seems that everyone is making films, it's nice to see a cast and crew work very hard at delivering the goods!
For more information about this film, and other titles from MeloMedia films, go to www.melomediafilms.com.
For more information about this film, and other titles from MeloMedia films, go to www.melomediafilms.com.
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