When people attempt to recreate a particular cinematic period it's usually been the 70s or 80s to give the film either a rough exploitation feel or an air of nostalgia respectively. What you don't see as often is people trying to capture the mood and style of the black-and-white horrors of the 50s and 60s, with its dynamic lighting (something modern movies could learn a thing or two from) and dramatic scores. Fright sets out to do just that, more specifically drawing on films like The Innocents (1961) and The Haunting (1963) for its inspiration.
Fright follows Emily, a young woman who lives with only her mother in a decaying mansion. Tormented by visions of a dark figure she is unable to go outside and face the world's danger, but events begin to unfold that will bring the world's dangers to her.
A film like this is all about the mood and Fright has plenty of it. Its commitment to recreating a bygone era is evident from the beginning and the opening credits. The film certainly gets the aesthetic elements of those classic movies right. This attention to detail also extends to the performances. The cast is small, and in many ways, the film could work as a stage play. There is a particular quality to the performances, somehow both stiff and overdramatic, that might initially seem clunky but are in line with many of the performances in old black-and-white horror movies. Gwyneth Evans does a particularly admirable job as Emily and in the latter half of the story, you do feel the weight of her mind unravelling.
The weakest aspect of Fright is the plot. There are interesting elements, and it does avoid some obvious plot choices, but it doesn't hold up to much scrutiny. This is especially true of the mother character. She expresses frustration at Emily's inability to go outside, but then she also makes her hide when anyone comes to the door. She doesn't seem like she has prepared Emily for self-sufficiency in any way. Overall, it feels like she's created her problem here and just a little more communication would have gone a long way to fixing things. Then again, if anyone communicated normally there wouldn't be a film.
Fright is an enjoyable little moody curiosity. It may not break the mould but if you're a fan of the kind of classic films it emulates you'll get something out of it.
Fright had its world premiere at FrightFest 2024 on Monday, August 26
