FEAR ITSELF (Charlie Lyne, UK). 88 minutes. Rating: NNNN
Charlie Lyne, director of Beyond Clueless, returns with another cinematic pastiche, this time constructing an unsettling new narrative using footage from horror movies.
Clips screen from classics and lesser-known movies gathered from all over the world as an unnamed young woman (actor Amy E. Watson) recounts her relationship with scary cinema in voice-over. It gradually becomes clear that she’s using these movie memories to reorient herself after experiencing something terrible.
Her story is really just an excuse to revisit these images from a new angle, creating a sort of dream state of disquiet that the audience can experience together. Which is what horror movies do, after all.
May 1, 10 pm, TIFF 3 May 3, 3:45 pm, TIFF 3 May 4, 9:45 pm, Bloor Hot Docs
