The thing about independent film making is that it lives, and dies, judged solely by the quality of its finished product. This is also true of mainstream cinema, yet a critical beating at the box office for the big players is often not that fatal a wound. Examples abound of instances where these woeful flops continue on, spawning even more dire sequels and spinoff treats for the masses.
But no matter how low its budget, no matter how many sleep deprived nights are endured by its makeshift crew or how many sandwiches its multitasking director has had to personally construct, independent film simply has to deliver. Movie ticket and DVD buying audiences rarely leave a poor screening only to give the film a ‘get out of jail free card’ because its producer had to re-mortgage his house to make it. They want entertainment for their dollar and the more that can be wrung out better.
Hidden – Indie Kiwi Horror Production
Hidden is production pocked with low-budget independent film-making cliché: Shot for a mere $7,000 (NZ) during the winter of 2001, it would ironically toil in post-production purgatory for four years before finally finding a release date. But this strange little film, cobbled together, written and shot by first time director Tim McLachlan was one that ultimately struggled to find an audience.
Not shying from publicity it screened at numerous international festivals on the indie circuit (‘Cinequest’ and ‘Fort Lauderdale’ et al), garnering a swag of various awards and nominations. But, although it innovatively exceeded the tiny stretch of its budget and offered some truly pace accelerating and visually exciting camera acrobatics, it still limped; eventually falling away completely upon domestic release.
Hidden is strange, it sneaks up on you like one of those video installations that live in the darkened corners of art galleries; those that loop and loop and repeat again as they provoke you to ‘get’ what it is they are actually trying to say.
There is running in this film, a lot of running. Home-made, yet extremely effective, camera rigs capture every conceivable angle as Hidden's cast smashes through the undergrowth. Dialog and plot are shoved to one side as this mad and frenetic chase is played out on screen. Who are these people? What the hell are they running from, or too for that matter. These are questions that do eventually find answers, but not until the films very end.
It is here that it turns out the aforementioned running, and even the films sporadic moments of disjointed dialog are all integral to the finished whole. Well, that is if you ‘get’ the simple premise that the director here attempts to spin into feature length. If you don’t, then it will surely infuriate with its invisible Maori demons, ape impersonators, pole climbers and those never-ending marathons.
If You Go Down to the Woods Today…
Hidden, is an acquired taste. Standout elements, such the innovative camera work, are used and used again until they are thrashed to a pulp. The cast of newcomers initially engaged, but sagged as they struggled to fill out what really shouldn’t have been anything more a short. The long awaited climax is not entirely unexpected and when it arrives it too is by no means novel. Though, it was a conclusion that did well in tying up many of the plots dangling threads, doing so with perhaps just the right amount emotional punch. Not an easy watch, but far from a pointless one.
Hidden
- Tag Line: If you go down to the woods today
- Director … Tim McLachlan (Frosty Man and the BMX Kid)
- Producers … Michael McLachlan & Tim McLachlan.
- Cast:
- Luke Alexander, Kiel McNaughton, Hayley Halliday, Suzanne Sharp, Daniel Betty, Mike Edward, Kerry Warkia, Blue Pilkington, Gavin Rutherford, Leisha Ward-Knox, Sarah Jane Wright, Wayne England, Ellie Cragg, Gerald Urquhart, Michael Morris.
- Archetype Films Ltd.
- New Zealand
Hari Navarro - Hari Navarro is Topic Editor for Suite 101's Horror Film section and Editor/ Writer at online horror review site, The Hell Street ...
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