Now out in a limited theatrical run and available on VOD
starting January 13, 2017 is the new independent horror film Pitchfork, about a group of friends
traveling from New York to the Michigan farm home of their friend Hunter
Killian. Looking to support him in revealing a secret that he’s been hiding,
they end up being hunted by a deadly monster. Researching this production
resulted in discovering several brutal reviews on IMDB and a rather unfairly
low rating, which is most likely going to result in some bold statements from
this reviewer. Pitchfork may very well
be the best horror movie for all of 2017 and the year has only just begun. This
modern day twist on Leatherface and other similar slasher characters features
stunning cinematography and imagery, while presenting a new iconic monster that
is visceral, animalistic, and will frighten viewers to the core. Despite this
being his feature length directorial debut, Glenn Douglas Packard is well on
his way to becoming one of the masters of horror.
The story is reminiscent of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and a host of other slasher flicks like it,
but with some twists and added subplots. There is some humor, goofiness, and a Footloose style barn party and dance sequence
that are integrated into this; however these moments never directly interact
with the murder sequences. This is not a horror comedy. There are instances of normal
people partying, joking around, and having fun while grisly events occur unbeknownst
to them. The subplots are only slightly explored but help add a little bit of
depth to characters that are most likely going to meet untimely ends. The
pacing is done well, it never feels slow and moves at a pretty consistent speed
throughout.
The acting is far superior to what you would typically
expect from a low budget independent horror production, with all of the core
characters having some type of depth and drama going on. They should all be
commended for giving respectable performances. It was also nice to see a
diverse and eclectic group of actors and characters that varied in both
ethnicity and sexual orientation. Brian Raetz, Lindsey Nicole, and Addisyn
Wallace were all good in their respective roles. Rachel Carter is simply devious
in her performance, one that I cannot go into further without spoiling plot
points. Daniel Wilkinson is the star of the show and gives an incredible
physical performance as the disturbing monster. While most of his portrayal is
through his specific physicality and unusual noises, there are several moments
where we get some terrifying facial expressions slightly hidden behind the
mask.
The directing and cinematography are outstanding, with
strikingly bold colors, atmospheric lighting and shadows, expansive overhead
scenic shots, and great camera movement and placement. This is a terrific
looking picture and both Packard and cinematographer Rey Gutierrez have taken
their experience in music videos, commercials, and other avenues and applied it
well to this. The editing is crisp and the decision to use sound instead of
dialogue during certain sequences was smart and helped create the right mood.
The music was a diverse mixture of a composed score from Christie Beu and
various songs that all worked well combined together. The score contained pianos,
ambient sounds, and a woman singing that really added to the overall disturbing
tone during the horror sequences.
Practical effects, nudity, and excessive gore are considered
essential elements for most successful horror movies. I believe that they more
than delivered in the level of violence, offering up an extensive body count,
plenty of splattering blood, several holy shit kills, and moments that could be
considered torture porn. Despite containing no nudity, there is more than
enough crazy violence to please most horror fans.
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This has every makings of becoming a memorable horror film
with an iconic slasher character, one with franchise potential. There should be
more than enough in Pitchfork to
entertain most horror buffs and freak out their significant others; I know I
can’t wait to watch this again.
