Good morning, House of Madness occupants:
When you were little, nothing was more terrifying than your imagination, especially if you woke up in the middle of the night to a bedroom filled with darkness. Add a nightmare into the mix, and the situation in a child's head becomes dire to the point that the only remedy is Mom or Dad. But their room is across the hall, and who knows what lies in tow between your bed and theirs. Certain evils surely await, and are thirsting to pounce as your feet meet the carpet. Is it safer under the covers, or does a mad sprint to safety seem appropriate to evade the wanting clutches of a horror so real you can almost hear it breathe? The claustrophobic stench of the bedroom walls close in, and your heart races as you beg whatever entity will listen for daylight to arrive, so you can embrace the ocular asylum that devours the darkness. These are real manifestations of the mind when you're a kid, and if a movie can make you experience that feeling once again, the dread that once was becomes almost a welcome trip down the Memory Lane of Madness, if you're brave enough to put on your fear-flops.
This brings me to "Skinamarink" , the first full length installment from Kyle Edward Ball, who became a fixture on YouTube for his horror short "Heck":
I'm not going to divulge much about "Skinamarink" beyond the fact that it really captures the essence of viewing unimaginable horrors through the eyes of a four year old. The grainy texture and darkness of the film, combined with the lack of what is being revealed for you to actually see, builds a dread that slowly becomes more ferocious each passing minute. Relying on other senses is also an integral part of the experience, as there are many times during the film that your eyes simply do you no good, so your ears provide the auditory hallucinations your brain covets to satisfy its curiosities as to what's happening on screen. One line really did stick with me after the film's conclusion though, and even though it's been some time since my first viewing, I'm sure "Kaylee didn't do as she was told; she asked for her mom and dad, so I took her mouth away" will run through my mind tonight after writing this. I think I want my mommy.
"Skinamarink's" unique style of not quite found footage, but grainy and amateur presentation certainly won't be for everyone, but if you like the above clip, then I think you're in for a Heck of a time. If you weren't lucky enough to catch "Skinamarink" on YouTube a while back, no need to worry as the streaming rights have been purchased by Shudder, and is slated to become available some time in 2023.
Madness Meter: 6.1/10
NB
