Displaying items by tag: Ian Tuason

UNDERTONE

Canada, 2025, 95 minutes, Colour.

Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco, Michell Duquet.

Directed by Ian Tuason.

Undertone is a small budget horror film from Canada – but with a great difference.

Most horror films rely on the visuals. This film is actually a horror film which focuses on sound. The visuals are, in fact, quite strong, very dark, the action taking place overnight, in a radio studio at home, the central character, Evy, sometimes venturing out into other rooms of the house, the stairs, to the bedroom where her very ill mother whom she is taking care of lies catatonic.

And, in the climax of the film, there are special visual effects. But, always the emphasis on sound.

Evy is in Canada, communicating with her friend, Justin, whom she hasn’t seen for 10 years. He is in London. They are involved in producing podcasts, listening to versions of various stories, probing them, the mysterious uneasy content, and, of course, sounds.

Personal complications with Evy pregnant, deciding about her pregnancy, wanting to communicate to Justin, the continued care of her mother, some momentary hallucinatory moments with her mother and mirrors, the darkness of the night, and a whole range of sketches appearing all over the walls of the house.

And the particular story they are probing, mysterious sounds, increasing, having effect on Evy, leading up to the final eruption.

With the limited set, the focus on sound, the film experience is rather claustrophobic we respond to the eerie horror atmosphere.

1. The title, The focus on sound, a film to be heard more than seen?
2. The use of sound, natural, people talk, sound heard technology, background sound, breathing sound, management sounds, accidental silence?
3. The single setting, the house, the room for communication, mirrors, staircases, the mother’s bedroom?
4. Evy, caring for her mother, her mother upstairs, quiet, the later apparitions of the mother standing in the mirror? Evy’s age, the pod cast, the friendship with Justin, his being in England, their not having for 10 years? The casual conversation, the revelations about the podcast, talking in the middle of Evy’s night?
5. The nature of the podcast, mysterious cases, anonymous radio files, opening them up, listening to them, speculating, casual terms, serious tone is, mysteries?
6. Evy and her casual manner, yet affected, especially at night, in the house, the sounds, her mother and concern for her, visits? The ultimate effect, the mirrors, the drawings, the contents of the drawings, their increase, everywhere house, the staircase, the rooms?
7. Justin, the audience not seeing him, discussions about himself, his life, family?
8. The contents of the tapes, opening them, listening, the story, men and women, issues of pregnancy, children, the children’s songs, Baa Baa Black Sheep, London Bridge is Falling Down, children falling and dying? Pregnancies and threats? Women fears?
9. The overall effect for the audience, interest in the situation of the podcast on communications, interest in the content of the files and their oral impact, left to the imagination? And the climax and its effect on Evy?
10. The film as a technical experience in the use of sound, linked with the conventions of horror films?