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| Images Courtesy of BloodStreamTV |
Michael
Pickle's debut feature film, The Dead Place is an unsettling independent
horror film that upends genre tropes and distills familiar concepts in creative
ways. Mashing together The Sixth Sense with The Breakfast Club,
the final yield is a passion project that is both a loving homage to all things
horror and a remarkable first effort that showcases the cast and crews love;
not only for the material, but for the genre. Featuring a surprisingly
solid ensemble, gruesome practical effects, and a genuinely creepy script, this
is essential viewing for fans of indie horror films.
Isaac is cursed with the ability to see entities from the beyond, including ghosts and other nefarious beings. As their influence begins to wreak havoc in Isaac's familial and social lives, he attempts to resist, putting his very soul in jeopardy. Pickle wrote the script. One of the strongest attributes of this picture is the dialogue. The character's interactions feel natural, particularly the scenes involving Isaac's family. Idris Veliu (Power) stars as Isaac. His performance is layered and interesting, as he presents Isaac not as a victim, but as a hardened soul who has grown up in impossible circumstances. He has accepted his lot in life and this was a bold narrative choice.
Veliu is supported by Lexi Graves, Angel Nichole Bradford, and Bill Obert Jr., all character actors with talent to spare. However, it is none other than David Howard Thornton (The Terrifier Series) who steals the limelight as one of the things haunting Isaac. It is Thornton's first speaking role, and his scenes with Veliu are skin crawling. His performance is aided by Robert Bravo's blood curdling special effects. The prosthesis work is some of the best ever displayed in a film with a budget like this and it elevates the entire project to the next level.
At its core this is a story about learning to accept loss and how fate is inescapable. Pickle's choice to tell it through an inverted ghost story with a stalwart lead character who is less of a victim than expected is ingenious. The end result is an engaging horror yarn that reads like a long form Tales from the Crypt episode that works on every level.
Coming to BloodStream TV Monday June 1st and to other streaming platforms in August, The Dead Place is a competently made shocker that turns almost every bloodstained dial up to eleven. A unique take on familiar subjects only enhances the absolute dread that hangs over every scene, a testament to the talents and dedication of the cast and crew.
--Kyle
Jonathan