The Siren (2019)

"Touching Folk Horror Love Story"

Yes that's right. Perry Blackshear's THE SIREN (shown earlier this year at Glasgow Frightfest under the title THE RUSALKA) is all of the above and more. It's coming out as part of the Frightfest Presents series from Signature Entertainment, and it might just be the best film they've brought out on this label so far.

Tom (Evan Dumouchel from THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE, another House of Mortal Cinema favourite) has been unable to speak since an accident he had while swimming. He rents an isolated cabin next to a lake with the intention of taking a break from the stifling religious community he is a member of. When he arrives at the cabin he finds a note warning him not to go swimming in the lake because of the number of people who have drowned there recently.

One of the drowning victims is the husband of Al (MacLeod Andrews) who believes his lover was pulled under the water by a Rusalka, the reincarnated spirit of a girl who drowned herself in the lake and is now a demon who cannot leave the water and is cursed to hunt for new victims.

The Rusalka's name is Nina (Margaret Ying Drake). She sets her eyes on Tom but ends up falling in love with him, and he with her. But with Al on the prowl with a variety of garden tools at his disposal, can their love survive? 

THE SIREN is beautifully filmed, sensitively acted and very well directed indeed. Each of the three main characters are so well rounded and developed that you feel the pain and joy of each of them. It's a very difficult feat to evoke a measured balance between loving tenderness and 'monster' horror but writer-director Perry Blackshear makes it look effortless. 

Don't expect lots of blood, gore, or nudity, however. THE SIREN is much more a horror fan's 'chill-out' picture. It's lovely to look at, lovely to take in, and the whole experience is actually rather lovely for the soul. I thought it was excellent. Highly recommended and one of my House of Mortal Cinema films of the year. 

Perry Blackshear's THE SIREN is out on DVD and Digital HD on the Frightfest Presents label from Signature Entertainment on Monday 20th May 2019