AUSTIN – It’s a daunting task to create a horror film that effectively intertwines very human themes, such as overcoming grief and trauma, with genuine terror and ambiguity. Yet, writer-director Benjamin Barfoot (2017’s Double Date) accomplishes this with visual flair and a strong sense of curiosity. His latest film, Daddy’s Head, which premiered at Fantastic Fest last month, is a genuine soul-sinker with images that will be difficult to shake.
Daddy’s Head centers on a young boy named Isaac (Rupert Turnbull) who lives with his stepmother, Laura (Julia Brown), after the passing of his father (Charles Aitken). As his stepmother becomes more distant in her grief, the boy starts to see a disturbing creature that looks like his late father but with twisted features and a haunting presence. Confused about whether to take this as a communication beyond the grave, the family is engulfed in a struggle, experiencing a dark cloud over their lives.
Right out of the gate, Barfoot captivates the audience with his visuals, like a solitary house reflected on the surface of a pond. Throughout the film, images of water and natural elements, such as trees and branches, provoke contemplation about self-reflection and our interconnectedness. These visuals sometimes evoke an unsettling feeling that delves into a character’s mindset, as seen in Laura’s distorted view of Isaac through a window. At other times, the visuals mirror each other, like close-up shots of a character’s eyelashes resembling a significant wooden structure in the film. The interpretation of these visuals adds to the mysterious and enjoyable nature of the narrative, never burdening the audience with excessive obviousness.
Brown and Turnbull deliver strong performances that create a powerful emotional impact, allowing the scares to have a more significant effect. The scares don’t feel cheap, either. The film operates similarly to The Babadook in its exploration of themes and its use of all elements within the frame, such as character, color palette, and narrative tone, to maintain engagement and coherence.
Daddy’s Head is a sophisticated work in the horror genre, and Barfoot’s confident filmmaking remains impressive throughout. When the mysterious creature appears on screen, it moves in an eerie, otherworldly manner, eliciting strong and vocal reactions from the audience, much like watching The Ring‘s Samara Morgan step out of the television set for the first time. Reality and nightmares are blurred, and Daddy’s Head will make your own spin.
Director Q&A:
Prior to its premiere at Fantastic Fest, Fresh Fiction sat down with writer-director Benjamin Barfoot. The interview delved into the film’s underlying themes, visual techniques, and personal significance. Dive into the conversation below and don’t miss the opportunity to stream the film on Shudder this weekend!
