FEMININE SLASHER FOLK HORROR: REVIEW OF “GLAISTIG”
Here at Zepstone, we are suckers for folk horror. There is something so magnetic and appealing about legends and lore. Folk storytelling is embedded into our human psyche, and when these tales are combined with horror, they stick with us long after the credits roll. These are the kinds of tales that one could recount sitting around a camp fire in the dark woods, where even the smallest crack of branches can leave us feeling unsettled. This is something that director Cody Boesen and producer/Zepstone annual award-winning Makeup FX artist Tatjana Bluchel capitalize on in “Glaistig.”
Film Poster
Mike Marino as The Ranger
Despite warnings given by a park ranger, a group of young adults decides to camp in an area known as the “Devil’s Backbone.” After a night of partying and doing exactly the opposite of what the ranger warned them about, a young woman in the group begins experiencing visions of a creature that she saw that night…. or did she?
Emily Gateley as Heather
Heather begins drawing renderings of this creature, which is ancient and primal. She even tries to warn her friends, but they don’t want to listen, and by the time the “Green Woman” comes for all of them, it just might be too late.
Parker Laren as the “Green Woman”
The use of elaborate practical makeup effects (Tatjana Bluchel, Mandolyn Gorneau), unnnerving sound design (Cody Boesen), beautiful cinematography (Rebeca Dourado), and stellar performances makes this gem extremely effective. Additionally, it is rare to have a slasher piece that features a female killer antagonist. The “Green Woman” is both terrifying and seductive, which is not an easy feat to achieve.
Emily Gateley as Heather
As director Cody Boesen states, “Noticing that the field of slasher/horror was sorely lacking in female killers, our goal with Glaistig was to devise a unique, female “villain” that wasn’t just a doll or tormented spirit, but a wholly unique character with her own lore and backstory, which became our Green Woman, who was designed and created by an all-female special makeup effects team.” Overall, this is a unique and beautifully crafted piece that only left us wanting more from the “Green Woman” and her victims. It is a project that has the potential to become a feature-length movie.
Cameron Rankin as Nick
Tom Plumley as Kevin
Review by: Alicia Farmer