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A Curious Tale
UK 2021
produced by Leigh Tarrant for Skooch Media, Bluesola Records, Crocodile UK
directed by Leigh Tarrant
starring Pete Tindal, Bill Johnson, Ian Kear, Peter Richardson, Paul Brandis, Amanda Dann, Pam Grigg, Victor Grigg, Simon Mallin, Neill McKenzie, Steve Rind, Ian Skelton, Holly Sturman, Sophie West, Conrad Whittingham
music by Jeff Crampton
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Legend has it that after the Spanish Armada has invaded Great Britain
in 1588, three significant crowns were buried at the Sussex shore to
protect the country from ever be invaded again. Two of these crowns were
found since, with one of them being robbed, the other so eroded from being
buried too close to the sea that it had lost all of its value and sheen.
And it must have been hidden so well that a general search for it was
abandoned long ago. Just ever so often, an archeologist uncovers the
crown's secret burial ground, but none of them survives the dig - or so
it's told. In present days, Rattlebone (Pette Tindal), a blues musician
and hobby archeologist, thinks he has found the secret of the crown, and
thus moves into Arnold's (Peter Richardson) bed and breakfast in a sleepy
Sussex village to do some research. He finds out the crown's hiding place
has always been guarded by the Hagar family, so there might be truth to
the rumour that everybody has come too close to it has vanished - but then
again, the last of the Hagars, William (Ian Kaer) has died decades ago,
leaving the crown for the taking - in a way. Thing is, the more research
Rattlebone does, the more he has the feeling he's followed - but he
attributes this to his nerves and goes through with the thing and digs up
the crown - a find too big to not at least share it with his new friend,
painter Blackman, the only other tenant at the bed and breakfast. But this
is when the horrors really start, and after a time Rattlebone feels so
haunted that he decides to bury the crown again where he found it.
Unfortunately, it's not quite that easy ... And in the best
sense of the word old-fashioned horror movie, one that admittedly does
nothing to re-invent the genre as such, but one that really understands
horror, and atmospheric filmmaking (also greatly helped by its beautiful
locations), and that's playful in its approach to the genre - and properly
scary when needed. And a nice ensemble that pleasantly breaks away from
the teen horror mold really help bring this to life, as does beautiful
camerawork and a fitting score.
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