• Release year: 2023
• Director: Gene Blalock.
• Producers: Gene Blalock, Paul Coates, and Rick Harrison.
• Screenplay by: Paul Coates.
• Cinematography by: Daniel Button.
• Music by: Ollie Marland and Drake Peterson.

Shotgun Commentary: fascinating thriller that overcomes its low budget with a creative narrative.

Review

Alone Time is a mystery thriller with supernatural elements that creates the eeriest of atmospheres while keeping the story confined to one property. Like many features before it, the horror comes from the property itself, in particular, from the supernatural inhabitants that it may or may not have.

This indie film came to me in the form of an email sent to this very blog, and I could not be happier that it did. If you have been reading Cut to the Take for a while, you know that we love horror and creativity. As such, this movie could not be a more perfect match. The premise is simple, writer Colin May (Rhashan Stone) slowly becomes obsessed with a war bunker that is sealed in his property, under a small fountain. He claims not to want to have anything to do with it, but strange visions change his mind.

Fearing the unknown

Colin has a history of mental health issues, including several cases in his family. Now, this topic is very popular in horror narratives, usually used to instil fear in the viewer. Mental health is the great unknown, as its study is relatively new. Thus, people with mental health issues tend to unnerve people without them.

You don’t know what to expect from someone with a severe mental health issue, and the fear of the unknown in instinctual. There is a reason why the killer is always scarier before they take off their mask, or why the lack of a diagnosis when you feel something wrong with you is always more daunting than putting a name to the pain.

In terms of mental health, this fear also applies to the person suffering from them, especially if they go undiagnosed, or it is the first time they are experiencing any symptoms. The same goes, in this case, for people who, despite knowing they have issues, cannot tell between their imagination and reality.

This struggle is often skimmed through or ignored completely in horror films. Nevertheless, Alone Time leans into it, adding depth to the story and to the protagonist. Contrary to regular horror stories where the audience merely follows and feels the protagonist’s POV, in this feature, the protagonist and the audience fear the same thing from very different perspectives.

Colours everywhere

In addition to the unique take on a very familiar horror trope, the film also taps into one of the most utilised resources nowadays: storytelling through colours. Now, there is nothing new about using colours to enhance or clarify your narrative. Even before films were in colour, they were still relevant for the artist to create just the right look. A great example of this are the red camellias in Sanjuro (1962), which were actually painted black to give them an extra pop in the screen.

But back to the film at hand, the main source of expression through colour can be found in the lighting. Yellow and orange tones cover the scenes where reality is in full motion and Colin feels grounded. However, when Colin has visions or begins to lose his grip on reality, pink, purple and blue lights tint the scene boldly. This simple but effective technique keeps the visuals interesting and serves as a visual aid for the spectator to follow the story as best as possible.

All in all, Alone Time is a very interesting experience. It may not have the biggest budget or huge stars, but it certainly delivers on a good time. It is indie films like this one that deserve as much coverage as they can get, and in Cut to the Take we are proud to be a part of that.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Always check out creepy places with company.
• Don’t believe everything a random spirit tells you.
• If you doubt your mental health, a gun is the last thing you need.

What’s your take? Have you watched Alone Time? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀