Sabbatical Films is the Dallas company that brought the world Exit Speed. For those who missed it, Exit Speed was a modern day Western, with the settlers being a group on a bus, the outpost fort being a junk yard and the Indians being a meth-fueled biker gang. It was a fun little romp that did some impressive numbers locally and scored big on video. Well, the company seems to be following the drive-in formula of doing either high octane thrill rides or horror thrillers. This time out, Sabbatical is going the thriller route with the very effective The Beacon.
The little tale of terror is concerns Bryn (Teri Polo) and Paul (David Rees Snell). In fill in blank moments, the two are still trying to get over the loss of their young son. To change their lives, Paul has taken an academic job in a new city. They sign a lease at The Beacon, a statuesque place filled with Art Deco on every floor. Almost immediately, Bryn feels that something is amiss in the apartment. We get all the bumps and creaks while her son’s favorite toy appears on the floor.
Soon we find that there was a tragedy concerning a young boy and his abusive father. Our heroine keeps seeing the boy in the hallways and riding on top of the elevator. These spooky moments are never observed by Paul, who thinks that his wife may need to go back to a ‘rest facility’.
Bryn puts together that these ghosts might be able to contact her deceased son, if only she could find a way to get them to help her. It is her search for finding out the truth about all that happened at The Beacon apartments which keeps the main thrust of the plot chugging along.
Meanwhile, our hapless couple meets the high maintenance tenant of The Beacon, Vanessa Carver (Elaine Hendrix). She is this actress who has seen her shot to stardom dissipate but still can turn a head. The head she turns in Paul, as he becomes more than neighborly with the neighbor. To complicate matters Bryn’s sister has caught the eye of the neighbor. All of these plot threads weave around both the hotel and the greater discovery of what is actually happening to everyone. Our plot anchors are two different police men (Michael Ironside and Ken Howard) who separately piece clues together trying to reassure everyone that everything will be okay. We all know that it won’t be.
In a very strange way, this little film reminds me of a Hammer film, that little British company who made horror flicks all those years ago. The film has shocks and horrors but not the orgy of blood that predominated the ‘torture porn’ flicks of the last few years. Those expecting Turistas or Saw will be sorely disappointed with the lack of splattering gore in The Beacon. The film tries to send a chill down the spine and not gastric explosion from the patrons.
Teri Polo just nails her performance as the confused woman trying to get over that emotional hurtle of losing her young son. There is some genuine heartbreak with her acting and she delivers it with put-upon frailty. We share her emotional shattering as she becomes our sympathetic reflection.
Both Michael Ironside and Ken Howard are a part of the proceedings, but the roles are so small that they become ‘blink and you miss them’ moments. Both are more than capable actors and should have been given more to do. But I just loved Elaine Hendrix who gives a femme fatal twist to the naughty neighbor. With a single glance she oozes sensuality.
Director Michael Stokes knows how to handle his cast and his crew in The Beacon. Most novice directors become overpowered by different elements but he does a balancing act making sure that his end product works. There are plenty of chills as the film spills on the screen but he never goes for the overtly gross or easy in crafting his horror tale.
The week I saw this film, I had already screened three others–all being major big studio releases. The Beacon was easily the best film of the four. Even though I will readily admit that I have a soft spot for locally made horror flicks, this movie is just as solid piece of entertainment as any bigger budget entry. The Beacon is playing in limited release, still looking for that group of forward thinking money men who will take a chance and give this a wider berth. This is such a nice work that it deserves maximum exposure. Look for this and request it.
