The occult has been well-mined by horror filmmakers over the years, so much so that haunted houses and black magic rituals have lost their ability to shock and surprise audiences. But here comes the trailer for A Dark Song, a film that looks to have put an intriguing spin on the subject.
Set in a remote house in the wilderness of North Wales, the debut feature from writer/director Liam Gavin stars Steve Oram, best known for Ben Wheatley’s 2012 serial killer comedy Sightseers, and his own directorial debut Aaaaaaaah! from 2015.
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A grieving mother (Catherine Walker) approaches an emotionally damaged occultist (Oram) to perform a ceremony to make contact with the dead. Risking their lives and souls by meddling with “real angels, real demons”, the film appears to delve into the masochistic relationship that develops between the pair as opposed to relying on cheap supernatural scares.
This trailer hints at this complicated power dynamic, showing these two seemingly unstable individuals trapped in a claustrophobic environment from which neither appears willing – or able – to escape. Whether the ritual turns out to be an actual confrontation with beings from the other side or not, we’re eagerly anticipating the results.
A Dark Song is released 7 April.
