Britain has a rich history of producing varied and gripping horror films. Hammer Films is undoubtedly the most famous UK production company, building a reputation of making high quality Gothic horror films between the 1950’s and 1970s. More recently, British successes include Under the Skin, Beberian Sound Studios and Kill List. Oliver Frampton’s directorial debut, The Forgotten, has a classic feel whilst being very much grounded in the present.
Tommy (Clem Tibber) is a teenage boy forced to live with his dad Mark (Shaun Dingwall) after his mother’s mental breakdown. Mark lives in a squat on an almost deserted housing estate earmarked for demolition. Tommy tries to make the best of things but is woken every night by strange noises coming through his bedroom wall. He teams up with the streetwise Carmen (Elarica Gallacher) as the pair try to discover the truth.
Whilst much of The Forgotten concentrates on the drama behind Tommy’s current predicament, the horror elements are handled very impressively. The young stars both put in impressive performances and the derelict estate is captured superbly through the lens. The Forgotten may not deliver in terms of gore and cynical jump scares but there’s an air of terror hanging over proceeding which makes it a gripping watch.
The Forgotten is released on DVD by Metrodome on Monday.
