Following on from 2018’s Bella in the Wych Elm comes this ninety second trailer for The Pocket Film of Superstitions, the next ‘fantastical cinematic almanac’ to emerge from Worcestershires’ Carnie films and it’s companion soundtrack – a fragment in the form of an EP by Craigus Barry and the Stained Glass Whispers. Both promise to be a treat for the senses.
Let’s take the trailer first, conceived and directed by Tom Lee Rutter – atmospheric and blue tinted B&W, DADA/surrealist gothic/horror images/vignettes, no obvious narrative but instead a vaudevillian roll call of superstitions through the ages, you know the sort of thing; a Pythonesque suited and bowler booted business man navigates a ladder, stone circle bothering druid types raise their arms in supplication whilst some unfortunate is sacrificed on a stone slab. Meanwhile a scary doll (is there any other sort?) looms into camera followed by a mad looking woman with hair that a scarecrow might deem excessive. Elsewhere three colonial type fellows struggle through shrubbery, all pith helmets, knee socks and unfathomable shorts. The latter putting me in mind of Viv Stanshall’s Sir Henry Rawlinson battling hangovers and flatulence in the Drakensberg. Most of the men sport impressive facial furniture, whiskers, again, you know the sort of thing.
Trailer by Carnie films
Review
Soundtrack - soundtrack EP titled Arcane Almanac
Craigus Barry and the Stained Glass Whispers’
The film will feature Gary Baxter and, feather in Rutter’s cap, Caroline Munro. For those unfamiliar Ms Munro is not only a former Hammer Horror actress, Bond Girl and peripheral pop princess but in the 1970’s appeared periodically in magazine ads for Lambs Navy Rum where in a state of sartorial disarray she would invite one to join her for a swift one in the aforementioned fleet. Being of pre conscription age it more often led to me trousering the copy of Punch and land lubbing it to the garden shed to walk my own hormonal plank, so to speak.
But back to the matter in hand and Craigus Barry and the Stained Glass Whispers’ soundtrack EP titled Arcane Almanac featuring snippets from the film, all of which are lovely and appropriate and Craigus brings it in around the two minute thirty mark. Minimal in length if not in scope. Three tracks – carnival snacks but no filler, the meat in this particular sandwich being all 3/4 ferris time signatures and reimagined pump organs, carousing carousels, Victorian vitrines, smoke, mirrors and a dancing monkey grinder, the sort of thing the Bad Seeds might trot out to embellish one of Nick Caves’ flights of gothic fantasy. As such the music and the visuals dovetail beautifully, no strange bedfellows these.
E.P ready for immediate consumption, film t.b.c
Various Artist
Find out more
Trailer for The Pocket Film of Superstitions
The Pocket Film of Superstitions on Facebook
Carnie Features on Facebook
Microscopic EP