Special props to the makeup designer, Kari Hanke, who designed a great look for Watson McNaire. His first appearance is startling by its sheer audacity, and Rio’s handling of the special effects required to bring McNaire to life are commendable and clean. There is a nice moment when subtle changes in the demon’s opacity and lighting give the intended sense of a “being” existing on a precipice between two worlds, slipping in and out of our reality when he wishes.
Use of Audio
Sound is clean, captured on a Sennheiser ME-66 on a K-Tek Boom pole, and Rio even acted as a composer to score the film with Smartsound's SonicFire 4. The score is good and moody, but a little big in places. Having scored my own first film, I completely understand this instinct. It swells particularly well in the climax, where Rio really makes a moment out of the showdown by blending his score, his SFX, and the use of some nice slow-motion effects to cap the whole thing.
Unwilling to realize the impact
of past choices...
...Father Mark learns the
necessity of true spiritual power.
Use of Budget
This is where Richie Rio really shows his chops, and his promise as a filmmaker. For $50, you can either buy a DVD box set or … make your own movie! Rio says he spent $40 of that on FOOD and $10 on tapes. Spending practically nothing, Rio produces a competent, restrained, promising picture that wastes not and wants not. Imagine what Rio could do with $500! Or $5,000!
Many first time filmmakers spend a hundred times what Rio did and do not walk away with a film half as accomplished. If Rio can pull together this kind of film for $50, he owes it to himself to keep it going and get into his next project as soon as he can.
Lasting Appeal
“McNaire Manor” has some interesting ideas about faith, frailty, and how the battle between good and evil is not always as clear-cut as some of the movies will have you believe. It’s an impressive first effort that shows tremendous promise, and what faults it has tend to come with the territory for a first timer. Fans of horror will find it interesting, and the film is entirely watchable, which many people can’t claim on their first time out.
Overall Comment
Richie Rio’s first effort shows promise and he has managed to put together a very impressive film on a next-to-nothing budget. Fine camera and effects work help this story, while some uneven performance issues take away some of the intended impact. That should not dissuade, however – this is a terrific first film that shows maturity and a fundamental understanding of how to put a film together. I look forward to more from this director.
Mike Flanagan is an award-winning writer, director and editor of four feature films, including the critically acclaimed horror film ABSENTIA. Based in Los Angeles, Mike has also worked as a professional television editor for over a decade, helming programming for Discovery, Bravo, A&E, and other networks. He is currently in pre-production on his fifth feature film, OCULUS, a feature version of his award-winning short.
