Writer-director Brandon Young transports audiences into the silent yet chilling world of his found footage horror film 8-25-78. We follow a family of unnamed killers on the fateful day of the title, August 25, 1978. It starts as a pleasant afternoon with Mom (Marilee O’Connor) and Dad (Antonio Lexerot) hosting a birthday party for their son (Chandler Young). At the party, Dad is mugging for the camera and goofing off with a young couple, Husband (Michael Solarez) and Wife (Ashley Campbell), the future victims.
The party seems normal until the son receives a knife as a gift, which excites Dad. After the party ends, we see Dad preparing his gear to carry out his killings. Later in the evening, we see the family of killers surrounding the young couple’s home. Mom and Dad peruse the area, peeking into the windows. Everything seems quiet inside, with the couple getting ready for bed. The Husband notices things are getting crazy and begins to feel that something is off.
“…the family of killers surrounding the young couple’s home.”
8-25-78 takes an innovative approach to the slasher genre by being a silent film. Young creates an unnerving atmosphere, enhancing the creep factor through the murky cinematography and minimal soundtrack. Hearing the cranking of each reel makes the brief moments of brutality feel even more inhuman. It is a fascinating effect. Solarez and Campbell deliver realistic performances. You can feel the weight of their agony as they are put in a terrorizing and shocking situation.
8-25-78 is a compelling blend of voyeurism, cinema verité, and the found footage subgenre. It creates a unique experience for horror fans who are unfamiliar with silent films. It’s unnerving and interesting for the entirety of the nearly 8-minute runtime.
"…unnerving..."
