Cinema
Scared To Death
Paul Boyd (director)
Glasgow FrightFest 2025 (studio)
18 (certificate)
98 (length)
08 March 2025 (released)
09 March 2025
It’s an opportunity that Jasper (Olivier Paris) can’t pass by. An old orphanage that fifty years ago was the scene of a horrifying event that left five of the orphans scared to death.
Plus, as an ambitious wannabe director he’s looking to impress the bosses. Who are director Max (Lin Shaye) and producer Ruth (Rae Dawn Chong). Max has seen it all and when Jasper suggests a séance in the orphanage with a real medium, she’s not convinced. She is however desperate as her current film is having problems even though they are using horror idol The Grog (Kurt Deimer) and up and coming scream queen Lena (Victoria Konefal) and the highly strung Johnny (B.J. Minor). Lob into this the medium Felix (Bill Moseley) and production assistant Champ (Jade Chynoweth) there is a large cast that writer/director Paul Boyd makes the best of.
With cast and crew decamped to the orphanage there’s the doubters and believers as well as those with powder habits that leaves them in the middle. The séance is ostensibly for research purposes though things go off beam even before it starts. And when the doors lock, they are forced to confront whatever is in the house, fake or not.
Comedy horror is notoriously difficult to get right as it usually biases towards one to the detriment of the other. Here the core story once Boyd gets to it is very grim brushing aside all the comedy beforehand. But it works quite well as what goes beforehand is very enjoyable with a great cast getting the best from the comedic scenarios with some great banter.
This could have been very messy with so many people involved. Boyd’s skill here is not making it look as if there are any obvious shreddies, so everyone gets a decent amount of screen time and make the best of it. Lin Shaye playing a grouchy director probably had some stories to draw on for Max.
As mentioned the film has a quite a grim central story and that is reflected in the kills and the number with Boyd not displaying any sympathy towards characters that may have become favourites during the film. He has a promising career ahead.
Scared to Death had its international premiere at Glasgow FrightFest 2025.
Plus, as an ambitious wannabe director he’s looking to impress the bosses. Who are director Max (Lin Shaye) and producer Ruth (Rae Dawn Chong). Max has seen it all and when Jasper suggests a séance in the orphanage with a real medium, she’s not convinced. She is however desperate as her current film is having problems even though they are using horror idol The Grog (Kurt Deimer) and up and coming scream queen Lena (Victoria Konefal) and the highly strung Johnny (B.J. Minor). Lob into this the medium Felix (Bill Moseley) and production assistant Champ (Jade Chynoweth) there is a large cast that writer/director Paul Boyd makes the best of.
With cast and crew decamped to the orphanage there’s the doubters and believers as well as those with powder habits that leaves them in the middle. The séance is ostensibly for research purposes though things go off beam even before it starts. And when the doors lock, they are forced to confront whatever is in the house, fake or not.
Comedy horror is notoriously difficult to get right as it usually biases towards one to the detriment of the other. Here the core story once Boyd gets to it is very grim brushing aside all the comedy beforehand. But it works quite well as what goes beforehand is very enjoyable with a great cast getting the best from the comedic scenarios with some great banter.
This could have been very messy with so many people involved. Boyd’s skill here is not making it look as if there are any obvious shreddies, so everyone gets a decent amount of screen time and make the best of it. Lin Shaye playing a grouchy director probably had some stories to draw on for Max.
As mentioned the film has a quite a grim central story and that is reflected in the kills and the number with Boyd not displaying any sympathy towards characters that may have become favourites during the film. He has a promising career ahead.
Scared to Death had its international premiere at Glasgow FrightFest 2025.
