Little Erin Merryweather

an interesting and surprisingly rhapsodic slasher film, 'little erin merryweather' combines fairy-tale imagery, classic horror genre elements, romantic comedy elements, and burton-esque flights of fancy to tell the story of a little girl who is 'lost in the woods' due to scarring abuse as a child. the setup and plot progression are typical (and almost dull in their by-the-book crime thriller development), but the proceedings are boosted by some suprisingly strong performances (particularly the psych teacher) and a creepy, sing-songy lilt that i've never really seen before in this type of film (i can only compare it to "dead of winter", "jack be nimble", and "the company of wolves", although i can't even really say why). deliciously eerie childlike music and fantastic illustrations and voiceover let on from the start that this is not your typical cut-em-up, but then fairly standard scare scenes bring you back to the reality that yes, it may be just that. left a somewhat stale taste in my mouth due to the demonisation of a victim of abuse (a tired and potentially insulting thriller theme that's been virtually abandoned), but earned definite points for its clean, economic direction and unique tone. i'd like to see more from these guys. screened at the nychff.

I love that this film plays with the gender of roles. It's not often that we see a final boy in horror. David Morwick plays this role well. He adds physical comedy and he also has a range of emotions where he cries over the loss of his friends and is scared to death, hiding under a table to escape being the next victim. Morwick went on to win multiple acting awards in different genres in film.

Brandon Johnson is good as his smart aleck best friend, especially since he is known for his TV hosting. Frank Ridley plays the gruff cop that we all love to hate. He has been in such blockbusters as "Don't Look Up". Norwegian film and theater actress, Vigdis Anholt is breathtaking to look at but don't let her looks fool you. She can act. There are times where she gives her male victims a death stare that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Kelly Murphy adds a whole layer to the film with her dark, fanciful artwork. Murphy went on to become a highly successful American author and illustrator. Given the original idea of using Little Red Riding Hood as a serial killer, this little film falls into several genres; horror, psychological thriller, and fairy tale. For such a low budget indie, I was completely blown away by the film's original sound track composed by Paul Cristo as well as the cinematography by Michael Pessah which almost adds a European flair to it. This was ahead of its time, especially given the Me Too movement.

I appreciated how smart this independent film is. It literally switched every gender role on its head. There is a feminist bend to Little Erin. In fact, I would put this in the category of feminist horror. You have a strong female, front and center who preys on handsome young men.

Vigdis Anholt as the femme fatale is superb. At times she invokes sympathy and at other times, she is down right terrifying. Not easy to pull off. Her portrayal of someone with a split personality who suffered from sexual abuse as a child is most convincing. The movie racks up creativity points by coming up with a new character in horror who dresses up as a creepy beauty doll to look like Little Red Riding Hood. She also disembowels her victims and replaces their insides with stones. This is novel. It simply hasn't been done.

For once, we have a final boy in David Morwick's character, Peter. Morwick brings the right mix of humor and sensitivity. At times, it's like watching a romantic comedy but then it all changes when he is sobbing in fear as his friends go down. Erin picks off all the alpha males and it may be Morwick's shyness and sensitivity that saves him in the end. For me, the film is woefully underrated. Despite a limited budget, the filmmakers don't resort to blood and naked bodies. Rather the film showcases stylish photography with great color contrasts and fanciful artwork. The original soundtrack is excellent and conveys a deeply sad message which runs throughout the film.

Well, not exactly an academy award winner but Little Erin Merryweather is definitely a cool little flick. Made a huge splash at the New York City Horror Film Festival which is where I saw it. A bizarre scene with people in the aisles dressed like Little Red Riding Hood with their faces painted. It was a very Rocky Horroresque experience (Although I'm not a fan of the Rocky Horror Show.) I could definitely see Little Erin Merryweather coming to your local theater. Very cool story with some of the best artwork I've seen in horror or otherwise.

Really no complaints other than one lame scene (the guy with the hedge clippers). However, I have to say his death was pretty rad. Overall, check it out when it comes out. Definitely will launch the careers of the talent involved, especially some of the cast-Erin of course, Peter, etc. My only advice to the Little Erin filmmakers would be to use a little more gore if there is a sequel. But hey, this is just my opinion as I'm one of the biggest Evil Dead fans.

hm-OH

When I finished watching this film, I felt sucker-punched. I was hoping for some laughs from another grade D horror film. I guess the joke's on me. Little Erin Merryweather was good, not perfect but good. David Morwick is kind of the man behind the curtain as director, actor, writer. (most indies require people to wear a lot of hats which he did well) But I think it's safe to say his strength is in the acting department.

Morwick is very funny and likable in the lead role of Peter and probably brings in the strongest performance. We all know that bumbling, fidgety kid we went to school with and Morwick plays that part perfectly, to a tee. Although Vigdis Anholt (Erin) doesn't say much, her performance can be summed up by the old adage, "if looks could kill. . ." Her body language and chilling stares is what spooked me the most. I give the filmmakers two thumbs up for turning the genre on its head in a sense and letting a female villain take a whack at this. Where the film falls short is in the pacing. It's just a little slow at times, probably due to budget issues. But, this has made up for an overall style, mood and atmosphere of the film. Before you poo-poo this as just another low budget slasher, take another look. Speaking of the look of the film, it really captured those rich, depth of field shots.

What struck me the most with Little Erin Merryweather and I have seen other people comment on this is that they really achieved the throwback to the "70's". This film looks like it was made in 1976, 1977, right down to the actors. I would never have guessed this was made today. There's no morphed reflection of today's society at all. I don't know how they achieved this, but they did.