In my defense of good little movies untouched by hype or general admiration, I wish to present one I have found rather charming in its slow-burn capacity.
Lately, we lovers of Uncle Howard’s stories have been blessed – and sometimes tormented – by a slew of Lovecraftian films. Although not as visually soul-wrenching as we would want Master Lovecraft’s words to be embodied, films like Sea Fever(2019) and Underwater (2020) among others, have successfully blended the subtle subject matter with their own ‘what-if’ scenarios.
We have seen Lovecraftian themes across the board, from Color Out of Space’s cosmic horror to films like A Cure for Wellnessand The Endless probing the slow-crawling terror of being trapped in the wiles of water and physics alike, akin to the many avenues of the iconic writer from Rhode Island. Some are cosmic, some are inter-dimensional and some are creature features, with the latter never truly showing itself in all its hideous splendor.
Shudder brings us Offseason and dare I say it has an allure not unlike Dagon, without the abundant make-up effects and sexual undertones. Still, it is so subtle in its application of confusion and, excuse the pun, fish-out-of-water anxiety that it simply reeks of Lovecraft’s intentions.
However, Offseason was not a conjuration of the old master’s, but rather the creation of writer/ director Mickey Keating. Keating is responsible for 2016’s Carnage Park and 2015’s Darling, both tales of violence and madness, yet Offseason is somewhat more surreptitious.
Its synopsis is hardly new, but sets us up for the good stuff. With a mysterious letter urging an unsuspecting woman to travel to a deserted holiday town on an island because her mother’s grave had been desecrated, we know that the isolation will cater to all manner of possibilities. Of course, she arrives when the town is about to close for the off-season and thus she inadvertently becomes stranded there.
“At some point, you just have to accept your nightmares and know they’re part of you – like family…” – a quote from the film that accurately conveys the sentiment of Offseason – when family ties you to promises and pacts you are forced to face.This is where we get a glimpse into the relationship of the protagonist Marie (Jocelin Donahue) with her difficult mother, Ava (Melora Walters). The film inserts psychological aspects depicted in flashbacks to establish the volatile relationship between them, but feels a bit drawn out, regardless of its importance.
Offseason aptly boasts a haunting score, creepy sound effects and a sublime old world soundtrack that gives the film a timeless feel as if it was a lost Hammer or Hitchcock delivery. The tone of the scenes are bleak to compliment the theme, along with random views of vast, desolate beaches that allude to the Cthulhu mythos while the misty ghost town aspect hits home how frightening the unknown can be.
Ava Walters and Richard Brake (Outpost, Hannibal Rising) give exceptional performances that enhances Offseason’s classy vibeand raw nightmarish psyche. It is a slow burning, apprehensive journey to a predictable, yet satisfying climax that would sate any Lovecraft fan’s palate.
—Tasha Danzig