Happy Goat Horror

While the horror movie genre enjoys a huge boom on the other side of the Atlantic, it seems to me that many excellent British horror films get rather overlooked. And maybe that’s because the British style is rather different, something quieter and more psychological – movies like Censor, Saint Maud, Apostle and the criminally underrated The Living and the Dead fit into that category. With the UK’s long tradition of ghost stories, perhaps the British sensibility of horror doesn’t speak to everyone in the world.

And one movie I would put firmly in the bracket of quiet yet deeply disturbing horror is Matthew Holness’ 2018 feature Possum. Based upon the author’s own story in The New Uncanny: Tales of Unease, this is a film that offers few easy answers, with aN oppressive aesthetic that makes it a deeply uncomfortable watch.

Our story concerns Philip, a former children’s puppeteer who moves back to his hometown after a scandal we receive very little detail of. He moves in with his uncle Maurice, who is largely distant and brusque with his nephew. And Philip brings with him Possum, a spider-like marionette with an all-too human face – the movie doesn’t go into it, but the story itself states that the puppet is constructed of roadkill and other dead animals.

It’s obvious from the get-go that Philip is a very disturbed character, haunted by strange dreams and visions centring on his nightmarish companion in Possum. At large the marionette lives inside a brown bag Philip carries around, but at times it will appear, crawling directly into my nightmares as it does so. While being the titular character, Possum is relatively little seen in the film, though you can argue the creature is more of a representation of Philip’s own dark past than a ‘monster’ in the traditional sense.

Philip drifts around his hometown, struggling with what to do with Possum, constantly considering discarding or even burning the puppet. There are hints and intimations of dark events in his own past, as well as missing child case that it is suggested (but never confirmed) may have had something to do with Philip. If the trip home was an attempt on his part to overcome past trauma, it backfires horrifically, as the long days of wandering and the discomfort of Maurice’s company drive him further towards the edge.

If you like your horror films simply constructed and full of jumpscares, then Possum is not going to be the movie for you. It’s a dark character study, excellent handled by Sean Harris in the role of broken Philip, and Alun Armstrong is equally brilliant as the taciturn and sinister Maurice. The story goes that Sean Harris went fully method in this performance, staying within the Philip character both on and off set, and the commitment pays off here. Much of what goes on between the two central characters is unspoken and suggested – certainly until we come to the finale – and as a viewer you are left to take your own interpretations.

Also well worthy of credit are the settings and the soundtrack here. The marshes of Norfolk provide plenty of blank space, not necessarily without beauty but also with plenty of background menace. The weather throughout the movie is equally bleak and uneasy, giving us a backdrop of green and grey for the movie to be set against. Even the house is devoid of brightness to boot, a grim and rundown abode in desperate need of some care and maintenance.

The soundtrack itself comes from The Radiophonic Workshop, the studio created by BBC that initially closed its doors in the 90s. Probably best known for the iconic theme to Doctor Who, the story of how the soundtrack came about is a fascinating one. As a temporary soundtrack, editor Tommy Boulding placed in some music from The Radiophonic Workshop. Director Holness was impressed with the soundscape, feeling that it captured the right mood and would provide a reflection of Philip’s mental state. The Radiophonic Workshop had not long been revived, and when the team behind the film met to discuss using some of their older tracks, the studio said instead they would be delighted to score the whole movie. The music broods and rumbles away, quiet and unsettling, really completing the package that is Possum.

While Possum didn’t necessarily make a huge impact at the Box Office, it has gone on to be well-reviewed, grabbing a cult audience as it has gone. The movie speaks to something that has been growing in the horror audience, with so much of the look and feel of the bleak 70s television era. In places it reminds of a public information film – ‘Stay out of the marshes, kids’ or ‘Don’t go near strangers with spider-like puppets’ – and the barren landscapes give the movie an almost folk horror edge, with Philip tormented by a monster of his own creation. Possum as a puppet itself could have been a children’s show back in that bygone era – maybe a double-header with the nightmare-inducing Noseybonk of Jigsaw would have kept the youngsters entertained for a while?

I’ve watched Possum a number of times now, and I keep coming back to it to try and peel away more layers and answer more of my questions. While the answers may not necessarily be forthcoming, the quest remains a rewarding one, and the overall acting performances, visual stylings and menacing music remain impressive with every rewatch.

And I’m delighted to be able to say that at this year’s Edge-Lit event, we’ll be bringing Possum back to be big screen one more time, with an introduction from director Matthew Holness! I’m excited to hear what he’ll have to say about the movie itself, and if you haven’t seen it yet then drinking it in at the cinema will be an ideal way to watch it. Holness will be joining us at the event for a headline Guest of Honour interview also, which promises to be fascinating, and a chance to hear from the man behind Garth Marenghi and so much other great horror work.

Edge-Lit 11 takes place at QUAD in Derby on the 20^th September, and tickets are £35 including access to all events on the day – including our screening of Possum. For more info, or to grab your tickets, visit https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/events/edgelit11/