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Unhappy Birthday
- Director: Mark Harriott; Mike Matthews
- Writer: Mark Harriott; Mike Matthews
- Producer: Mark Harriott; Mike Matthews
CGiii Comment
Well...what a strange and twisted little film this is...
The main problem it has...is a severe lack of money and, by the end, this becomes screamingly obvious.
What it does have is ambition and vision - horror is a difficult genre at the best of times - without a budget, the danger is falling into the realms of comedic schlock. The directors, admirably, manage to avoid this pitfall.
There are many positives...the photography, in places, is fantastic. The soundtrack is effective in creating an atmosphere - it is, alas, just a little too much at times. A script editor would have helped tighten things up - the usual mistake of being too close to the project.
This is the first feature from Harriott and Matthews...with more experience, thought and money, they could become very credible filmmakers.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Set in and around the remote tidal island of Amen, Unhappy Birthday is the fictional story of three outsiders' battles against the twisted morals of an antiquated community. Inspired by British cult classics such as The Wicker Man and Hammer House of Horror, the film explores the fear of isolation and nature versus nature. A special birthday party becomes a living nightmare for City-dwelling couple Sadie and Rick and their friend Johnny. They visit Corinne, an enigmatic local on the island of Amen, which is accessible only by invite and seemingly impossible to get off. A mysterious family connection with Corinne brings horrific consequences as they find themselves trapped by the tide and at the mercy of the island's wild nature.
Cast & Characters
Christina de Vallee as Sadie;
Jonathan Keane as Jonny;
David McGillivray as Landlord;
David Paisley as Rick;
Jill Riddiford as Corinne