Strange Factories

2013 British film
  • 26 October 2013 (2013-10-26)
Running time
132 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglish

Strange Factories is a 2013 British experimental horror film written, directed by John Harrigan and produced by the British immersive theatre and production collective FoolishPeople. The film is an example of interactive cinema, featuring a mixture of film and live performance.[1] It centers on a writer, who travels through a mysterious landscape filled with cultists, hallucinatory visions, and a mysterious factory that emanates a strange humming sound.

Plot

A tormented writer named Victor journeys through a mysterious, dream-like landscape in search of a group of performers from a theater that mysteriously burned down. As he continues through the landscape, he begins to uncover a bizarre cult under the hallucinatory influence of a nearby factory, and a sinister pact he once made with its owner. All the while he is tormented by visions and a strange humming sound that emanates from the factory.

Cast

  • John Harrigan as Victor
  • Annalisa Astarita as Hettie
  • Rachael Blyth as Emma
  • Tereza Kamenicka as Lady Thayn
  • David Monard as Sam
  • Claire Louise Oliver as Jessica
  • Lucy Harrigan as Rose
  • Claire Tregellas as Jess
  • Mark Postgate as Arlec
  • Xanadu Xero as Marina

Reception

Ain't It Cool News gave the film a positive review, writing, "Strange Factories may not be for the more literal-minded of horror fans. But fans of the theatrical side of performances, the technical side of writing, and the appreciators of the surreal and offbeat will find a lot of things to appreciate."[2] Sarah Stewart from The Londonist praised the film's atmosphere, suspense, and innovative blending of celluloid and live-action performance.[3] Rachel Simm from The Latest Brighton gave the film three out of five stars, praising the film's atmosphere, and suspense, calling it "eerie, unsettling and somewhat puzzling".[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Simm, Rachel (12 November 2013). "Strange Factories". TheLatest.co.uk. The Latest Brighton. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  2. ^ "AICN Horror looks at The Last Buck Hunt! Chimeres! The Sacrament! Pieces of Talent!". Aintitcool.com. AICN. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  3. ^ Stewart, Sarah (29 October 2013). "Immersive Theatre And Film At The Cinema Museum". Londonist.com. The Londonist. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  • Official website
  • Strange Factories at AllMovie
  • Strange Factories at IMDb
  • Strange Factories at Rotten Tomatoes