The Show

Fletcher Dennis (Tom Burke) arrives in Northampton in search for a missing artefact. He dives into this world of supernatural oddities and darkness.

The big name here is writer Alan Moore. He has filled this story with imaginative ideas, characters, and weirdness. I've never heard of director Mitch Jenkins. He may not have the budget nor the skills to pull off Moore's visions. Burke has an intriguing look but his acting skills fall short for a cinematic lead. He's more fitting as an antagonist than a protagonist. The story feels overstuffed and somehow lacking in narrative drive. It feels meandering. This movie is very intriguing but the execution falls a little short.

Famous comic writer Alan Moore's first film feels like one of his graphic novels. He most likely wrote a comic script and gave it to a director instead of an illustrator. The pacing is more akin to a comic book than a film. With a comic you can slow down and read it at your own pace, but with a film some things fly by too quickly and things, like the dozens of similar names and faces, can be missed. This lead to the ending not hitting like most other shocking and satisfying Moore endings, but I can see how it would play better on a rewatch. The film had probably the most realistic dream sequences in film, the nightmare scenes felt like they filmed inside an actual nightmare. Love the immense detail in the production, sound, and costume design, even with the obviously smaller budget. Great performances, even from Moore himself, and great direction from Jenkins. Definitely will play better on a rewatch.

If this bizarre genre mash-up appeals to you, and you've watched John Waters films multiple times...then this is going to be a real treat! I wasn't familiar with any of the actors aside from Sheila Atim, who was mesmerizing in a small role, and I agree with the IGN critic who referred to Tom Burke as a bit of a low-rent Robert Pattinson, yet he and every actor were perfectly cast, alternately charming, alluring, whimsical, and eccentric. Not a moment wasted in the script; edited to perfection, but I would love to see the footage that got cut. Costumes, sets, hair and makeup were Rocky Horror Picture Show-worthy. I could see this eventually becoming a cult classic. Definitely a hidden diamond in the rough at present.

Somwhere between Royston Vasey and Rawlinson's End lies ...Northampton.

Some excellent gags and deadpan metaphysics conspire to enliven some less than stellar thesping.

More of a TV Movie, going by the production values, but well worth a watch for the unpredictability. That nice Mr Moore is a cunning devil, and he manages to steal the show purely by dint of having a certifiable personality.

I don't have enough drugs for this movie. Alan Moore's mind is terrifying and beautiful all rolled into one.

Give it a try, it's a strange ride. It's a very beautiful ,unusual and interesting film.