MIFF NOTES: Fear Itself (2015, Dir. Charlie Lyne)

Charlie Lynne's Fear Itself takes a similar approach to critical survey as Mark Cousin's recent The Story of Film, though its scope is narrower and its narrator's Celtic lilt less pronounced.

Essentially, Lynne offers up an insightfully curated, admirably edited series of clips from horror films through the ages to provide evidential backing to the musings film's droning musings on the nature of fear. At times the visuals appear to lead the contemplations, at others the contemplations seem to manifest the visuals. It soon becomes hypnotic.

If you can stay lucid, the ideas that pierce the trance vary in impact (generally proportionate to how slavish the are to the visuals), but never fail to place an interesting slant on already interesting material.

Similarly, Lynne's definition of fear is satisfyingly broad (great to see Haneke's unsettling opening to Code Unknown getting an airing) and his library of references extensive, so at a minimum audiences will be treated to some scenes rarely seen on the big screen.

★★★

Trailer:

Fear Itself screened as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival 2016.

You can check out other films from the festival here.