Review: Primal Screen



(imdb.com)

As the streaming site Shudder begins finding its place in the horror industry, it's collection of scary movies, short films and documentaries only continue to grow. Mix in some exclusives and Shudder is well on its way to becoming the Netflix of horror. But, in finding its footing, there will of course be some bumps in the road. The Shudder exclusive , Primal Screen, is one of those bumps.

While not terrible in any way shape or form, ignoring the flatness to Primal Screen feels negligent. It's short runtime and lack of other intended episodes makes it feel out of place. The docuseries looks at the things that scare us and is directed by Rodney Ascher (The Nightmare). Featuring random interjecting interviews, the film observes the fear of dolls and dummies, especially propelled by the release of the teaser for Magic. It observes and how the short commercial for Magic spread throughout schools and how he eventually got over his fear of dolls.

In moments like describing how he'd race to turn channels, viewers can expect to relate to his troubles, but that's about it. Primal Screen doesn't make room to think or react, just sit there complacently, waiting for the feature to end. Sure it's not a full documentary, but the resulting product should do something a little more than just exist. Especially coming from Ascher, Primal Screen feels pointless and cobbled together for money, not for thought. It's a shame though; a lot can be done with the ideas of what scares us as children and why.

Primal Screen would work better released in multiple parts at once. Without confirmation of more to come, it almost feels as if it were some random episode pulled from a show on horror history, scares and future. If there was more context, or even some better padding with episodes around it or coming after, the shortness would almost feel justifiable. But, for what seems marketed as a telling documentary, just isn't. It's an account of childhood, but not a really insightful one.

At a mere 27 minutes long, Primal Screen goes nowhere and does nothing. It's the type of showing that if expanded could have a sense of direction worth watching, but because of its limited time comes across as empty and disappointing. Fans of full length films like Room 237 and The Nightmare would and should wait a little longer for something with more depth. 4 out of 10.

Best of Netflix: The Nightmare

(imdb.com)

Over the past couple years, documentaries have seen somewhat of a resurgence. From Blackfish to Beware the Slenderman, the diverse possibilities of documentary films have implanted new ideas, opinions and thoughts into our minds. Anything can become a documentary and because of that, it was only a matter of time before audiences got a look at something as superstitious as sleep paralysis. For thousands, sleep paralysis is an ongoing issue that has varied explanations and reasons. Some key features of the disorder include an inability to move and a feeling somewhere between consciousness and sleep.  Sounds pretty bad right? Well, 2015's The Nightmare proves just how scary these moments can be.

Featuring some pretty startling reenacted and dramatized scenes, The Nightmare is the rare, true documentary that is simultaneously able to scare its audiences. From deep red rooms to shadowy figures over bed, the storytelling of this movie could easily translate to a fictional horror movie, and yet, the real life accounts of eight sufferers seem even more terrifying. First premiering at Sundance, The Nightmare is directed by Rodney Ascher (Room 237), a gifted director with a pension for all things scary.

The Nightmare works best when it stays in reality. The cut away dramatizations are at their scariest when they're less obtrusive to the story - think about all of those haunting shows on cable that seem to think a poorly CGI'd face is scarier than a subtly distinctive shadow. The Nightmare definitely knows this distinction and consistently aims for the more grounded scares, even if at times they go over the top. It definitely works for the majority of the movie and viewers can expect to be sufficiently fearful at the omnipresent "Shadow Man" who may eventually creep into their bed.

The Nightmare does have a share of flaws. For instance, as with any documentary - especially those of the near-supernatural kind, there is the opportunity and tendency to take advantage of and over-exaggerate fantastical elements. Then, also due in part to the movie's horror elements,  some of the cast's recounting of sleep paralysis seems more grounded in reality as opposed to some of the more eccentric ones. The Nightmare also offers a few less than stellar visuals (but also makes up for those with nightmarish scenes that are far more subtle).

The Nightmare is a good documentary. It's easy to follow along and while sometimes disproportionately trades nonfiction for fiction, it ultimately remains in a place of realism. It's a film that has a story to tell and doesn't necessarily care if you believe it, instead its goal is more sinister: The Nightmare wants you to believe that sleep paralysis is far more common and in fact, likely to happen to you. That should be enough to keep you up at night, it certainly was for me.