When Norman Graysmith is invited into the home of an aspiring serial killer, Aidan Mendle to be exact, he believes he has the subject for a career-defining documentary. However, the documentary crew soon learns of a few crucial issues with the production. Notably, the professed murderer has yet to take a life. Under the limelight, and with expectations of being able to perform, events quickly spiral out of control as more people get sucked into the world of the would-be serial killer.
Opening up with a gag that perfectly lands as an initial success, a dryly delivered groaner, it is clear audiences will be in for a treat most optimistically. From there, the comedic brilliance only deepens as the core characters develop into an eccentric ensemble, widening the scope of this mockumentary into more amusing directions. Unequivocally, every character is charming in their own peculiar ways, imbuing the story with a gleeful playfulness throughout – outwardly funny yet subtly smart. Evoking the best of British absurdist humor, When the Screaming Starts is certain to deliver plenty of ‘laugh-out-loud’ moments as familiarity with the oddball crew leads to a mix of meticulous comedy planning and sporadic improvisation.
While indeed a comedy, the production is not afraid to indulge in darker themes. If anything, its embrace of the macabre allows the film to subvert comedic leaning into many surprising twists. For a debut feature, director Conor Boru showcases a strong understanding of comedic storytelling which escapes even more experienced filmmakers in the genre.
However effective the comedy lands, there is a greater showcase in narrative storytelling on display here, ensuring the script resonates on a deeper level as commentary. For example, the manner in which idolization of dangerous personas is reflected and how people twist such wickedness into a form of entertainment – favoring idealized sensationalism over the grim truth underlying their actions. Exploring the paradoxical pathos, such as the aforementioned pop culture idolization of serial killers, and how it affects people from both sides of the camera When The Screaming Starts generates thoughtful discourse on the matter. Undeniably, comedy is a perfect medium to lightly share hard truths, and this film has a lot to say beneath the more superficial laughter. Ultimately, by playing the fool, the production is able to explore modern obsessions – the desire to belong and how the media often makes everything worse.
When the Screaming Starts is certainly praiseworthy – think The Rise of Leslie Vernon collides with Hot Fuzz to get a sense of what you are in for. Additionally, the darker themes are ever present and allow for a deeper experience for those more discerning viewers. Essentially, When the Screaming Starts is witty, worryingly accurate, and a riotous experience – it may be the breakout comedic gem of the year.
We watched When The Screaming Starts as part of our Grimmfest coverage
More Festival Coverage
Fishing doesn’t have the best reputation in fiction. Going off literature and film and Dick Cheney, one gets the impression it’s boring, it’s vaguely cruel, and it mostly serves as… Looking to make some extra cash, Dom is pressured into smuggling drugs over the border. With his friend and aspiring gay porn star Benjamin along for the journey, the night… What did we get in the end? Constant pressure. Unmet expectations. Workhorses! All for a bunch of men that did not know what to do with us on the wrong… If you ask a Western horror fan, they can probably tell you exactly when they first heard about Hideo Nakata’s cult classic Ringu (1998). Whether it was due to the… After purchasing a 360 camera, an aspiring filmmaker Nina Temich decides that she is going to follow her dream of being a film director. However, a trained dancer from an… Upurga, Latvian director Ugis Olte’s first narrative full-length feature, skillfully blends elements from half a dozen iconic genre movies of the past decade. However, thanks to great writing, an ear…
Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It Movie Review – Fantasia Festival 2021
Swallowed (2022) Film Review – Don’t Worry, It is Worse Coming Out Than it is Going In
Torn Hearts (2022) Film Review – Hagspoitation From the Other Side
The J-Horror Virus (2023) Documentary Review – How Japanese Horror went from Tape to Trend
Putrefixation A Video of Nina Temich (2022) Film Review – 360 Degrees of Horror
Upurga (2022) Film Review – Nature Can Kill You
Luke Greensmith is an Editor at the Grimoire of Horror and an active folklorist as well as working in film across a few roles. While this can cover quite a wide range of things, he’s a dedicated horror fan at heart and pretty involved with horror communities both online and local to him. You can find their folklore work on the Ghost Story Guys Podcast, their own LukeLore podcast, and accompanying the artist Wanda Fraser’s Dark Arts series as well as on the Grimoire of Horror itself.