I recently caught an advance screening of the full length indie horror feature Dry Blood at Monsterpalooza in Pasadena. I must say, the film has stayed with me. It’s the kind of movie you think about for days afterward.
This slow-burn thriller stars the Writer and Director team of Clint Carney and Kelton Jones and also features memorable performances by Jaymie Valentine and Rob Galluzzo. A driving score by System Syn accompanies the film.
Dry Blood follows drug addict Brian Barnes (Carney), as he escapes to a remote cabin in the woods to sober up. Brian begins to see strange things in the house and suspects the town’s seedy Sheriff (Jones) may have something to do with it.
This film is beatifully shot and boasts some jaw-dropping effects. The ghosts in the trailer alone are some of the scariest I have seen in years. There’s somewhat of a Twin Peaks meets Roman Polanski vibe to the characters and their interactions in the film, sometimes feeling surreal and dream like. But the dream becomes a nightmare and you, the viewer, are in for some seriously scary sh*t.
It’s interesting to see Clint Carney (most known for his work in the industrial band ,System Syn) and Jaymie Valentine (most known for her work in the dark electronic band, Cindergarden make the cross-over from music into film. This transition feels very natural on screen for Carney and Valentine, which is quite a task considering the story’s various emotional arcs.
I really can’t even begin to tell you how nuts this movie is. I have spent days trying to piece this eerie puzzle together. The film definitely requires a second viewing and scratches at logic and reasoning like a cat in the brain. Dry Blood delivers some genuinely creepy moments, right up until it’s shocking final sequences.
Look for it to hit the festival circuit soon. Check out the trailer below.