Behind the Couch

2012 Dir. Ryan Smith Bus crash survivors Ana and Freddie (Karolina Wydra and Steven Strait) awaken to find they are the only people left in their small town, and their attempts to leave are thwarted by a towering wall of impenetrable fog completely encircling the place. Before long they discover that all is not what it seems, and as the sinister fog continues to encroach upon them, they realise their time is running out… Incorporating elements of sci-fi, horror, comic books and fairy tales, and conveying a strong influence from the likes of The Twilight Zone and Carnival of Souls , Ryan Smith's feature debut is an intriguing genre hybrid that, despite revealing its major twist early on, unfurls as a quietly powerful and compelling yarn. With striking visuals, twisting plot, assured direction, strong lead performances, and engaging ideas concerning destiny, fate, and redemption, After  is a strangely touching and haunting film. Head Over to Exquisite Terror to read my f...

Trailblazer Ida Lupino was to moody, suspenseful film noirs and taut thrillers in the 40’s and 50’s, as Jamie Lee Curtis was to slashers throughout the 80s. Born in 1918 and beginning her acting career in the 30s, Lupino starred in many noirs and thrillers such as They Drive By Night, The Hard Way and On Dangerous Ground . She eventually went on to become a pioneering figure amongst women behind the camera in cinema. She was the first American woman to ever direct a film noir ( The Hitch-Hiker ) and her other feature directorial offerings, such as Outrage and The Bigamist , were concerned with themes and ideas regarding social issues, sexual abuse and bigamy. No mean feat considering she was making films in a post Hayes Code Hollywood. While her directorial offerings can’t really be described as straight ‘horror’, they still contain moments fraught with suspense, violence and unsettling moodiness, and she dabbled in hard boiled noirs and gritty B-movies. The Hitch-Hiker , one of...