A large majority of the time, experimental films are rendered of low quality and are associated with low budgets. But in our opinion, the gaping holes in quality make up for it with some creativity. Jozef Gallai’s A Stranger In The Woods is also in the same category. He combines some classical horror clichés with some sophisticated storytelling devices.
Edith (Laura Ellen Wilson) is supposed to work on her senior project. This teacher suggests that she talk to someone who leads an engaging life. Her location teacher guides Edith to a man named Victor Browning (Bill Oberest Jr.) his house which lives by himself in a forested region next to a lake. She pays him a visit at his home and it turns out he is nothing like she imagined. He is quite strange and very whimsical.
The author/director makes use of some astonishing resources and techniques in telling this particular tale as I’ve observed. During the night vision scenes, for example, the main character identifies and attempts to locate a man she saw outside the house. Another technique he employs is using phone calls and video calls to relay certain events to the audience. Best of all is a stroke of genius a police dispatch call with the dispatcher, with both police members and officers attending.
Meet the quirk of a man who lives in a modest house: there is breakfast he refuses to eat and simply says that he does not like it. The guest didn’t know his expectations as he had no idea he would have any now, which is undoubtedly the case because, on a good day, it certainly is. In a scene, he was even going as far as tossing plates, tearing stuck noodles, and generally wreaking havoc. He begins the meal rather comically by referring to the subject of the meal and who it is that he is not a stark contrast to his normal behavior which is rather unusual.
Skinamarink is one such film that reminds one of the other two, the Blair Witch Project and A Paranormal Activity, these subtle touches are reminiscent of the new trio. Then the film that helped was low in budget which meant brainstorming solutions in front of and behind the camera. Notably, Gallai employed a nonconventional approach as he filmed with nonprofessionals and quite frankly it did not affect the styles he had for his filmmaking. This was one fact that stood out positively.
The producers of the movie add an aspect of the documentary to the final cut of the film in an effort to finish it. Implementing a docudrama format gives the audience more understanding of the characters than what they had till that moment in the film. The background of the two characters was extremely fascinating and it gave me some thoughts on how this storyline could develop. No spoilers as promised, but all the little things are present for the audience to find. This is a well known story of a black angel however the presentation is what makes it unique it is an artistic mockumentary.
A Stranger in the Woods prize kowe is perhaps simpler and smoother than it sounds as it attempts to blend a couple of styles to tell a Story of this Woman alongside the documentary subject which sounds better than the final product as a whole. video calls, a police call, a phone call, a night vision turned all together into a hanging fabulous film. The cast of seamen alien to the American audience was able to immerse the audience in their gloomy forbidding world. An ok movie in general given the challenges that Gallai faced while shooting it. I do wish the spectators saw it the same way I did as well.
For More Movies Like Stranger in the Woods (2024) visit on 123Movies
