Nefarious Films

Review by Matt Compton

Running time: 5 min 50 secs

Where to buy it: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/o.tooth/ConceptualDVD.htm

  NOTE

Conceptual's director, Owen Tooth works as a DP. In order to contact him to procure his services please email:

owentooth@

The first thing that should be said about Conceptual is that it looks good, really good. Director, Owen Tooth has a clear talent for creating a strong visual image and although much of the film’s running time is taken up with simply a woman looking at photographs in a gallery, it still manages to grab the viewer’s interest and maintain it. This effect is enhanced considerably by the excellent lighting which in a somewhat unusual move for a horror film is very bright. The white walls of the art gallery setting emphasise this brightness and contrast terrifically with the splashes of darkness in the frame like the protagonist’s dress and hair.

The sound is of a similarly high standard and consists of a disconcerting mix of atonal noises, high-pitched whines and simple beats. The accumulated effect of this sound combined with the stark yet expressive visuals create a unique atmosphere of unease and unreality. As the protagonist moves through the gallery looking at what seem to be photographs of herself hanging from a noose an odd sense of dream-like dread is built up. The brightly lit gallery which should be a safe place slowly becomes something much less than safe, something nightmarish and malevolent.

Conceptual is not a film about shocks and scares, it is more concerned with getting under the skin and squirming. It’s story could be seen as perhaps too obtuse for many tastes but then again it is not really attempting to tell a conventional narrative. Conceptual is a highly proficient film which is best viewed as the protagonist views the art in the film, alone and uncertain of what to expect.

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