Tuesday, August 9, 2022
flickfeast
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute
  • Submissions
    • Advertise on Flickfeast
    • Submit a Film
No Result
View All Result
flickfeast
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute
  • Submissions
    • Advertise on Flickfeast
    • Submit a Film
No Result
View All Result
FLICKFEAST
No Result
View All Result
Home Festivals

Sundance 2021: Censor – Review

Dallas King by Dallas King
June 6, 2021
in Festivals, Film Review
Sundance 2021: Censor – Review

Courtesy of Sundance Film Festival

15
SHARES
1.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Sundance Film Festival gets off to a (video) nasty start with Prano Bailey-Bond’s dark and disturbing debut horror Censor.

After viewing a strangely familiar video nasty, Enid, a film censor, sets out to solve the past mystery of her sister’s disappearance, embarking on a quest that dissolves the line between fiction and reality.

You might also like

Nope (2022) – Film Review

Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review

Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review

It is a fascinating exploration into the world of the British Board of Film Censors, as they were called in the early Eighties. They were often seen as the villains by many film fans at the time for banning many horror films for being too obscene under the Video Recordings Act of 1984. Many of them banned due to the belief exposure to graphic depictions of violence could have an influential effect on the viewers. Particularly young viewers who may obtain the videos through illegal means.

What the film cleverly does is take the age-old question of “Who watches the Watchmen?” and applies it to the BBFC. What would having to watch all these films do to the psyche of the person deciding its classification?

Enid is a diligent and professional censor but often faces an uphill battle in her attempts to address the over-exploitation of women in the genre against the patriarchy in the industry. Are her feelings linked to a traumatic incident from her past? An incident that comes back to haunt her when a new film feels eerily familiar and unlocks old memories. Setting her on a search to discover the truth. A search where the lines between fantasy and reality become increasingly blurred.

Niamh Algar excels in the role of Enid. She does the impossible and creates empathy from the audience for a member of the BBFC! It is a haunting performance that subtly hints at a darkness bubbling under the surface. One that threatens to erupt into violence as her psyche becomes increasingly worn and stretched like a video tape watch too many times that finally snaps under the pressure.

Bailey-Bond and her production team have done an incredible job of recreating the Eighties period setting but also have filmed it to resemble the look of the very VHS tapes Enid is forced to watch on repeat. Clearly a huge fan of the genre she draws upon influences from the time such as Argento and Ferrara. Similar to her lead character, she knows when to make a cut, somewhat ironically given the subject matter, preferring to rely on atmosphere and mood over gore. Knowing that in spite of the shock factor, it is what is left unseen and unknown that truly frightens. For the human mind is capable of conjuring even more horrific images than one can create with practical special effects.

Alongside a commentary on the prevalance of violence towards women within the movies, it also exposes the psychological abuse on the other side of the camera and workplace. Enid is subjected to sexual harassment by a producer (a suitably sleazy turn by Michael Smiley) and it explores the treatment of actresses on set by their male directors. It is a throwback to an earlier time but also incredibly relevant in its critique following the #MeToo movement.

Censor is remiscent of 2012’s Berberian Sound Studio. Where a sound recordist working on a horror movie finds the lines between the film and reality become increasingly blurred.

This film echoes its success so neither Enid or the audience can be sure of what’s real and what’s not.

One thing that is without doubt however is that Prano Bailey-Bond is the real deal in terms of talent. One only hopes that the BBFC pass Censor uncut so it can find its audience. Otherwise this reviewer will need to open up an old Blockbuster video and start selling pirate copies under the counter!

Censor will screen at Sundance London on July 30th and is released in cinemas on August 20th courtesy of Vertigo Releasing.

Rating: ★★★★★

Director: Prano Bailey-Bond
Stars: Niamh Algar, Nicholas Burns, Sophia La Porta, Michael Smiley
Runtime: 84 minutes
Country: UK

Tags: #Sundance2021BBFCberberian sound studioCensorhorrorMICHAEL SMILEYNiamh AlgerPrano Bailey-BondSundance Film FestivalSundance Film Festival 2021Video NastiesVideo Nasty
Dallas King

Dallas King

Related Posts

Nope (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Nope (2022) – Film Review

by Katie Smith-Wong
August 9, 2022
Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review

by Katie Smith-Wong
August 3, 2022
Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review
Film Review

Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review

by Dallas King
July 22, 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Film Review

by Katie Smith-Wong
July 16, 2022
Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) – Film Review

by Katie Smith-Wong
June 29, 2022

Recommended

Perfect Sense (2011)

June 19, 2011

Night Of The Demons 2 (1994)

December 19, 2021

Don't miss it

Nope (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Nope (2022) – Film Review

August 9, 2022
Alone Together (2022) – Film Review
Reviews

Alone Together (2022) – Film Review

August 4, 2022
Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review

August 3, 2022
Anything’s Possible (2022) – Film Review
Reviews

Anything’s Possible (2022) – Film Review

July 31, 2022
Sofa Surfer (2022)
Reviews

Sofa Surfer (2021) – Short Film Review

August 5, 2022
Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review
Film Review

Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review

July 22, 2022
flickfeast

Whetting your appetite for cinema with the best film reviews and features since 2009

© Copyright - flickfeast. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute

© Copyright - flickfeast. All Rights Reserved.

Posting....