Dominic O’Neill (director)
(studio)
78 (length)
14 October 2024 (released)
4 d
All the early evening local TV tropes are present in Haunted Ulster Live, a found footage film about a haunted house in Belfast.
Its 1998 and veteran broadcaster Gerry (Mark Claney) and rising star Michelle (Aimee Richardson) are presenting a Halloween special from an alleged haunted house in a suburban street.
It’s a joint venture between their employers TVNI and IceFM, for charity. Ice has their DJ Declan (Dan Leith) in the attic, with a trio of cosplay witches as support in the street with demonstrators and residents, some odd others bit more eccentric.
But the focus is on houseowner Sarah (Siobhan Kell) and children Rose (Libby McBride) and Stephen (Jay Lowey). Into the mix arrive Sinead (Antoinette Morelli) and Robert (Dave Fleming) a medium and sceptical scientist turned believer, respectively.
As the noises and weird happenings begin to build up so the story of the house and previous residents are revealed. Running along this is local legend Black Foot Jack whose appearance portends evil.
There is a thematic link to the BBC’s 1992 Ghostwatch if only superficially. That was actual live TV, this is found footage, of live TV which allows the filmmakers to make-up behind the camera tensions, much like the recent Late Night with the Devil. As the crew start to bicker, tempers flare and egos inflate to the point of delusion: “I’m the executive producer” yells Gerry at the producer as if it carries some weight.
As these things tend to be, the film is stylistically scruffy, with the camera all over the place. Which works very well in this cramped suburban two-up two-down setting adding to the tension and claustrophobia, as well as the comedy. More seriously set at the time it is there are references to the Troubles.
All told, it doesn’t drift too far from the found footage template though towards the end there’s and added element that takes it away from pure horror. It’s also quite funny mainly due to the banter between Michelle and Gerry and their reactions to what is going on around them.
Written and directed by Dominic O’Neill, Haunted Ulster Live is not wildly innovative in format. But it is a lot of fun with a cast that are clearly up for it and enjoying themselves, and as send up or even satire of local television and presenters it hits home.
Haunted Ulster Live will be available on UK and Irish digital platforms from 14 October 2024.
