THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND
US, 2020, 99 minutes, Colour.
Chris Sheffield, Michaela Mc Manus, Neville Archambault, Ryan O’ Flanagan, Matilda Lawler, Willie C.Carpenter.
Directed by Kevin Mc Manus, Matthew Mc Manus.
This is a horror film with an environmental background. It is a small budget, a family project with the directors and the leading actress.
It is set in Rhode Island, in a small to fishing town, but a lot of action at sea. The film opens up environmental problems, changing patterns of fish, difficulties in the fishing industry, unusual birds hovering…
And the human situation is difficult, the fisherman father disappears, the body washed ashore but still some ghostly appearances. This has quite an effect on his son and erratic behaviour. His daughter arrives, a scientist, investigating local marine life, bringing an associate to work with her. Another sister arrives from New York.
While there are environmental issues, there are also scientific issues of electricity, electromagnetic fields. The scientist also visits an expert to get some kind of explanation about what is happening, his offering scientific theories but also conspiracy theories about the fish and about nature.
The audience identifies with the scientist and her strange experiences at the end, experiences in the water, above the water, survival.
A horror film that is rather different, plenty of horror ingredients but more issues for environmental reflection.
- Title? Rhode Island? The visuals of the sound, the water, the Ocean, the island, the countryside, the roads, the town, homes? The musical score?
- The human drama – with the touches of the supernatural? The final touches of horror? A slow burning drama with a tense climax?
- The portrait of the family, living on the island for generations, boats and fishing? Audrey and her work, the investigation of marine life, Paul has her associate? Their work, samples, intentions? The phenomenon of the dead fish on the island, the dead birds? The visuals and the impact? Audrey, coming with Emily, the work with Paul, her relationship with Harry?
- Harry, his relationship with his father, the physical appearance of his father, intense, dominating, the traditions of the fishing, the boat? His disappearance? Harry and his causing trouble, the Coast Guard? His father’s body washed onshore?
- Harry, intense, the discussions with his friends, Dale and all his conspiracy theories, evidence, arguments? The meetings with Dale, following through on the conspiracies about the fish…?
- Harry, tense, short tempered? Audrey and her arrival? Emily? Bonding? Interactions with Paul? The effect of the death of his father?
- The mystery of the father, his continued reappearances, sinister ghostly?
- The funeral, the other sister arriving from New York, her life, interactions with Audrey, clashes with Harry? Her going back to New York?
- The mysterious elements of science, electricity, electromagnetic effects? The equipment, radio, television, phones…?
- The effect on Harry, erratic behaviour, going to see, his appearance and haggard, on the boat, Audrey returned, his tying up Emily, going out to sea, Audrey and the struggles, unable to contact the Coast Guard, the electricity, the explosion, Harry going into the air, Audrey? Paul coming, rescuing Emily?
- The underwater sequences, Audrey and her voice-over, speculating about marine life, the changes, the presence in the waters? And Emily emerging alive?
- Audrey and her investigations, the articles, the theories, the reclusive and his theories, are going to visit him, their discussions, his warnings?
- The mystery elements, alien powers, possible takeovers, intrusion electromagnetic attacks?
