The Isle (2018) on Kanopy: Isolated Folk Horror

28 May

The folk horror of The Isle is eerily cold and disorienting, yet with an intriguing Celtic flair.

Movie poster for "The Isle" featuring a lone female figure in a white blouse and dark skirt standing partially obscured behind a large tree trunk in a dense, fog-filled forest covered in vivid green moss. The title "THE ISLE" is displayed in lettering at the bottom.

The story has been seen before, so for me it was more about how the world was built and how it contributed to the horror. The Scottish island, set in 1846, did the trick with its fog constantly seeping in and its unsettling cliffs sprouting just far enough apart to create the illusion that there was nowhere to hide.

The story follows three sailors who wash ashore after a shipwreck and find themselves among a tight-lipped handful of locals. Why would only four people live on an island? Where did everyone else go? The restraint in answering these questions is where the horror comes in, a chilling sense that maybe these sailors are being bamboozled and sidetracked simply because the residents want company. My recommendation: surrender to the atmosphere and let the overcast skies, the locals’ hesitancy, and the craggy rocks build the bleak suspense.

Beneath the ghostly surface (with a curse well-played, in my opinion), the movie is about the myths and fears permeating isolated communities that have limited outlets to construct a better reality and survive beyond their history. There’s a connection to the likes of The Wicker Man and The Lighthouse in this tradition, treating world-building as a character rather than just a backdrop. Fans of literary horror in that vein should be intrigued by The Isle.

The pacing, while quick to unsettle me in the beginning, tested me a bit in the middle, but it’s a deliberate ambiguity designed to leave certain answers unresolved, and I enjoy a film that takes pride in letting the world linger on you days after just as much as the characters.

Watch now on Kanopy (Free with your library card).

Comment below your thoughts once you’ve had a watch.

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Written by:
Sean Willey
Information and Digital Services Assistant

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Spectacular Speculative Fiction: And Side by Side They Wander and Strange Familiars

26 May

And Side By Side They Wander
by Molly Tanzer
I loved And Side by Side They Wander, the new novella by Molly Tanzer. The story is a unique science fiction twist on the Orpheus myth. Set in a future where aliens have traded technological advancements for much of earth’s great art, a motley group tries to steal some of it back from the distant museum where it has been locked away. The story will appeal to those who enjoy funny science fiction and heist capers, but what I enjoyed most was the way it cleverly explored the importance of unique originality versus simulacra both in art and the many characters the novel is populated with including hive minds, clones, and artificial intelligence. If you enjoy And Side by Side They Wander, you can also check out Tanzer’s historic fantasy series, The Diabolist’s Library.

Strange Familiars
by Keshe Chow
Strange Familiars is the first in Keshe Chow’s new dark academia, Seamere College duology. I enjoyed the twist that Chow gives the dark academia genre by having the focus be not simply on magical studies, but on magical animals including familiars as well as larger creatures like dragons and qilins (Chinese unicorns). Chow uses her background as a veterinarian to give the story grounding even amongst the magical creatures and situations. The story also includes a compelling slow burn rivals to lovers story line. Strange Familiars centers on an interracial couple and includes a diverse cast of supporting characters. The story ends on a cliffhanger so be warned you will be eagerly awaiting the next book to come out.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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