This is a film that defies all expectations. On paper, it just shouldn't be as good as it is. The expectation is typical “torture porn” with pretty people trapped in a basement and taking c-clamps to testicles or whatever other paint-by-numbers scenario you care to imagine. Indie filmmakers make these movies all the time, it's a cottage industry for any joker with a camcorder and a few extra buckets of karo syrup kicking around.

Instead, IN THE HOUSE OF FLIES is one of the most thought-provoking and truly harrowing films of the year. It handles the "kidnapped by a psycho and stuck in a basement" premise in such a refreshingly different fashion, it gives us renewed hope for new ideas in the genre. Innovative writing, a fantastic script, brilliant performances and best of all, genuine dread are all present. The kind of dread get from SE7EN, where all you want to do after the movie is think about your life and your place in the world and wonder if any of it makes sense.

IN THE HOUSE OF FLIES is directed by Gabriel Carrer and stars Henry Rollins, Lindsay Smith and Ryan Kotack. It hold its world premiere this Saturday December 1st at 6:30 p.m. as part of the Fright Nights: Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival in Toronto at the Projection Booth East, 1035 Gerard Street East. 

Warming up for FLIES will be two stunning shorts, THE STOLEN and SELF PORTRAIT, which we’ll be exploring further in a roundup.

For more, check out our review of IN THE HOUSE OF FLIES, our first preview of BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW and find tickets to all Blood in the Snow events here.

 

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