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Lost After Dark is adorable. That may not be the comment the filmmakers of a horror movie are looking for, but it suits the tone of Lost After Dark anyway. It is a new movie shot in the style of ‘80s horror movies, but the cheesy kind, the Friday the 13th knockoffs that we love anyway.

Adrienne (Kendra Leigh Timmins) leads her high school friends away from a school dance to spend time alone at her cabin. She and Jamie (Elise Gatien), Marilyn (Eve Harlow) and Heather (Lanie McAuley) all hope to hook up with Sean (Justin Kelly), Johnnie (Alexander Calvert), Wesley (Stephan James) and Toby (Jesse Camacho) in some combination, and it would be Adrienne’s first time. But the school bus they stole breaks down and they end up in a murder house running for their lives. Also the vice principal, Mr. Cunningham (Robert Patrick) catches them leaving and chases after them.

Writer/director Ian Kessner, with co-writer Bo Ransdell, got the tone exactly right. It is a loving homage that is all sincere, no snark. It does break the rules for some clever twists, but it’s never making fun of horror movies. It’s celebrating them in a way that shows we don’t have to give this style up. It can be just as fun as it used to be. By the way, did you catch the names of all the characters? If you’re a horror fan you should notice a pattern. I’ll give you a hint: it’s different for the women and for the men.

“You feel good after everyone you loved is dead.”

You might recognize a few of the gags from Grindhouse, but they are both arguably better done here. The picture is treated with an effect to simulate a dirty film print, but it’s minor and only in the beginning and to simulate splices and reel changes. To reveal the other Grindhouse gag is a spoiler, but given the backlash against the Tarantino/Rodriguez version, I bet it will play better in Lost After Dark.

The cast is just lovely at playing their archetypes: the virgin, the slut, the punk, the A-hole jock, the nerdy best friend, etc. Pacing gets a tad uneven when it spends too much time away from Mr. Cunningham pursuing the kids, but the payoff is worth it and Patrick kills it.

Not to say Lost After Dark isn’t as brutal and graphic as any straight faced horror movie. It is. That’s a testament to the tone Ransdell and Kessner struck, and all the actors deserve credit too. They can play in the same sandbox as Freddy, Jason, Leatherface and Michael, but with such love that you feel good after everyone you loved is dead.

Billed as a homage to the classic 80’s slasher genre, director Ian Kessner’s Lost After Dark has just revealed its first trailer.

Raven Banner acquired worldwide sales rights, and will be introducing the film at Cannes this week looking for buyers. The producers describe the films as “pays tribute to iconic horror classics like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween and Friday the 13th. Its unique selling point is that the story is a homage told in a retro style that takes audiences back to 1984, when the slasher film ruled the box office.”

Written and directed by Ian Kessner, Lost After Dark’s cat includes Robert Patrick, David Lipper, Elise Gatien, Eve Harlow, Stephan James, Kendra Timmins and Sarah Fisher.

Synopsis:

Lost After Dark follows a group of teenagers who sneak out of a high school dance, and head out to party at a friend’s cabin. Along the way their ride breaks down, stranding them near an abandoned farmhouse. After the brutal murder of one of their friends, their quest for help becomes one of survival.

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The indie film scene continues to embrace the ’80s with the latest horror film entry Lost After Dark. I say that because it appears, lately, we’ve been getting word on a variety of indie projects that claim to embrace the fun of ’80s horror. This film, directed by Ian Kessner and featuring Robert Patrick, is actually set in the ’80s (1984 to be precise) and we’ve got a look at the sales poster and trailer, courtesy of Raven Banner Entertainment. The sales outfit is looking for distribution at Cannes. I dig that Alone in the Dark-inspired poster.

Lost After Dark follows a group of teenagers who sneak out of a high school dance, and head out to party at a friend’s cabin. Along the way their ride breaks down, stranding them near an abandoned farmhouse. After the brutal murder of one of their friends, their quest for help becomes one of survival. Lost After Dark pays tribute to iconic horror classics like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween and Friday the 13th. Its unique selling point is that the story is a homage told in a retro style that takes audiences back to 1984, when the slasher film ruled the box office.

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Raven Banner has acquired world sales rights to Lost After Dark.

Ian Kessner’s horror stars Robert Patrick, David Lipper and eight of Canada’s young rising stars, including Alexander Calvert and Elise Gatien.

It follows a group of teenagers who, after sneaking out of a high school dance, find themselves stranded at an abandoned farmhouse. After the brutal murder of their friends, their quest for help becomes one of survival.

Raven Banner is introducing the film, produced by Goldrush Entertainment, to buyers at Cannes.

Eric Gozlan, president of Goldrush Entertainment, commented: “I have a lot of faith in Raven Banner representing us. They really understood where we want to go with the film and they have an excellent track record.”

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