“death trip”
four friends take a cottage vacation in the dead of winter, seeking refuge from their busy urban lives, if only for one weekend. however, the few residents who remain in the secluded cottage town of rideau ferry don’t seem to take kindly to strangers…
from the moment they reach their destination, the visitors, a group of twenty-something artist types, are confronted by the ominous gaze of neighbouring cottagers, all of whom have no choice but to tough out the cold winter in this small, rural town. over the course of their stay, the friends begin to uncover dark details about the inhabitants of the houses around them. after one of the friends is found mutilated on the front porch of a nearby cottage, the friends quickly discover that nothing is what it seems…
starring kelly kay hurcomb, garrett johnson, tatyana olal & melina trimarchi written by kelly kay & james watts directed by james watts produced by zoe slobodzian & kelly kay cinematography by spencer gilley original music by estan beedell & secret boyfriend
filmed independently on location on bass lake, on and in montréal, qc
“A competent Canadian-made slow burn, filmed intelligently and on a shoestring budget, that manages to deliver a satisfying payoff.”
“DEATH TRIP looks at the trust we put in those closest to us, and how that can easily be betrayed, especially if you are a woman. It focuses on our ability to ignore red flag warning signs, and instead be led by tropes and disillusion when the truth is staring us blankly in the face. ”
“Director James Watts works absolute magic behind the camera with DEATH TRIP, a patchwork of mumblecore, exploitation, slasher, and psychological terror.
Its murderous mayhem at its finest...there’s a certain artistic crunch to it, lo-fi and grimy, punctuated with irresistible chemistry among the cast and a tour de force finale.”
“A realistic, gritty film...quite immersive”
“DEATH TRIP succeeds where many movies fail; trying to capture the spirit of youth.”
“Discomforting and moody...Admirably, it operates as if unconcerned with commerce”
“DEATH TRIP looks great, like a really cheap FARGO.”
“DEATH TRIP is a slow burn that drips with tension”
“As Canadian as Bagged Milk”
“What the film does have going for it is the aforementioned style (which comes to the fore in the nightmare and hallucinogenic sequences peppered throughout, but it’s damn purdy the rest of the time too), and a fantastic (if somewhat green) cast that really give it their all to bring this fright flick to life...With DEATH TRIP, director James Watts and writer Kelly Kay present a stylish thriller”
“DEATH TRIP is a horror film which gets its tone right. This flick bleeds realism”
“The film looks great and has moments of true dread”
“The signs of Watts and Kay’s talent are there”
“DEATH TRIP’s suspenseful sound and wonderful use of light and camera will keep you on edge throughout this ill fated vacation”
“DEATH TRIP captures the fun, frivolous, ill-advised, and often shady experience of a weekend trip with friends gone wrong in your 20s and mixes it with some truly fist-clenching moments of tension”
“The lighting vacillated between light and dark when necessary. Together with suspenseful, ominous sound effects, music, and brilliant camera angles, there were moments I felt startled as though I was in the scenes with the characters. Making the entire film completely compelling.”
“Managed to avoid the most common pitfalls that indie horror movies wind up falling into...It builds a good sense of foreboding, suspense and tension throughout.”
“DEATH TRIP succeeds where many movies fail; trying to capture the spirit of youth.”
“The cast are a cut above the usual super low-budget lot”
“A good cast, an intriguing concept, and beautifully captured imagery...The cinematography is compelling and captures the gloomy, winter scenes nicely.”
“Tatyana Olal in particular was excellent”
“Guilty of stretching out its slow burn nearly to the breaking point, but the filmmakers have an assured enough hand and their cast is convincing enough that the film manages to transcend its ostensible limitations”
“Looking behind the scenes, it seems that this group - which includes first-time director James Watts - just want to make the most unexpected and startling horror film possible and their chemistry is spot-on”
“The film’s musical score is a chilling exercise in the winning effects of atmospheric subtlety”
“This movie oozes style”
“An absolute gem of indie filmmaking.”
“Beedell’s music adds tension, suspense, and often is the predominant seasoning in that moment”
“DEATH TRIP captures exquisitely well is the horror of how reckless we are as young adults and how dramatic our relationships are...a powder keg that explodes with an absolutely nerve-shattering conclusion.”
“When everything falls into place, not only do you get where it’s going but you realize that this movie has been telling you where it’s going the entire time”
“James Watts peppers in some nicely paced scare sequences and the brutality is well done”
“The mystery of what is going on here…is one of the best I have seen in years”
“An enjoyable, captivating, and fun voyage through youthful drama and eventual murder.”
“A powder keg of emotions...The finale ratchets everything up to a fucking 11 within seconds”