TIMBER FALLS
US, 2007, 100 minutes, Colour.
Josh Randall, Brianna Brown, Nick Searcy, Beth Broderick.
Directed by Tony Giglio.
It is not just because of timber being cut, but Saw and its dungeons definitely come to mind during the prologue of this version of the terror and torture genre. People trapped and imprisoned, gruesomely tortured and escaping (momentarily) set the tone for Timber Falls.
The West Virginia Tourist Bureau may or may not be pleased with all the attention the state gets in this kind of film. The scenery is beautiful (though much of this film was made in Romania) but the inbred inhabitants and their violence are something else.
As our central couple go hiking and don’t follow the ranger’s advice as to which path to take, they meet various characters who belie their appearances. It is always the initially nice who are the real villains. We anticipate the rest: capture, torture, confrontation, escape. The difference is the religious piety of the entrapping couple and some discussion about Jesus, God’s will and Judas as well as a violent antipathy to swearing. Unable to have their own child, they want a child conceived by a married couple – at any cost.
Probably a bit better than others of its kind because of the scenery and the acting is above par for this kind of film making the characters a little bit more interesting. But, it was made for, and will be appreciated by, only those who want to see yet another example of terror in the woods.
1.The popularity of this kind of Chainsaw Massacre genre? The couple camping? The capture? The sick locals? Torture sequences? Escape? The popular formula?
2.The West Virginia settings, the mountains and their beauty? The houses? The basement and its sinister lighting, contents? The musical score?
3.The prologue, the woman nailed and freeing herself, the man chained? Her escape, running through the woods, her death, the waterfall? Indication of things to come?
4.Mike and Sheryl? From Virginia, going hiking, the discussion with the ranger, his advice – and their not following it? The meeting with Ida, her friendliness and advice? The meeting with the group, their rough attitude, the drinking of the moonshine, the charging of fifty dollars? The leering attitudes? And the irony that they were not the villains?
5.The hike, camping overnight, the sinister person watching the couple in the tent? The morning, Sheryl swimming, her disappearance? Mike and his search, the encounter with the young men, the fight? His meeting Clyde, clearing the path, giving advice?
6.His being taken by Clyde? The house? The cellar, the foetuses? The mystery? His being bashed, saved by Ida, tending his wounds, getting the men away from the door? The reversal of roles?
7.Sheryl, her being captured, tortured? The film’s emphasis on torture? The graphic visuals?
8.The discovery of the motivation, Ida and her being religious, spying on the couple, forcing them to be married by her husband? Wanting a legitimate child? Pressuring Mike and Sheryl to produce the child? Torturing them till they did so?
9.The character of Ida, her religious background? Clyde and his righteousness? Especially about the swearing? The introduction of Deacon, his disfigurement, his history, his leering attitude towards Sheryl?
10.The progress of their being locked up, their refusal to obey Clyde? The continued torture? Sheryl revealing she was pregnant? The fact that the child was conceived outside of marriage? Ida’s reaction?
11.Sheryl’s parents, the reward money, the information to the men, their coming to the house, their being trapped and killed? Buried?
12.Evelyn the deputy, the search, the phone call?
13.The confrontation with Clyde and Ida, Clyde’s death? Ida and her torment, her death? Deacon and Sheryl’s attack on him?
14.A year later, the happy baby – and the unnecessary five seconds at the end indicating Deacon’s presence? A satisfying example of this kind of terror in the woods?
