Egomaniac is a British comedy horror film co-produced, written, edited and directed by Kate Shenton (GIMP; Send in the Clowns). The movie stars Nic Lamont, Adam Rhys Davies (The Twins Macabre), Laurence Harvey (Human Centipede 2 and 3), Dan Palmer (Stalled) and Eric Elick (Rats, The Package).
It should not be confused with Svend Ploug Johansen’s 2015 Danish short film of the same name.
The film had its worldwide premiere in London on 28th August 2016 at the Horror Channel FrightFest.
Plot:
Filmmaker Catherine Sweeney is determined to make a zombie horror romantic comedy. However, in order to get the funding, everyone in the industry is telling her to put a talking dog in it. Desperate, Catherine does whatever it takes to get her film made… Even at the cost of her own sanity.
Reviews:
“Besides pithy observations about the scuzzier end of the movie business, the film has an extra heaping of annoyance to pay off in its depiction of the added humiliations visited on a woman who wants to direct horror […] Lamont is fun and credible in the lead, bringing sympathy to a role which could easily be whiny and self-involved…” The Kim Newman Web Site
“Catherine is clearly an alter-ego of Shenton herself, and there’s a palpable sense of chemistry between the director and her leading lady, but I couldn’t help feeling their talents may be better suited to a TV sitcom rather than further big-screen outings.” The Movie Waffler
“Making a hilarious virtue of its own manic amateurishness, Shenton’s self-conscious satire serves as a “director’s commentary” (as Catherine styles it) on the abject awfulness of a business that has little interest in creativity, originality or art, and that regularly exploits, abuses and objectifies the women who work in it.” Projected Figures
“As a consistently well-executed unravelling of escalating events, Egomaniac is an exceptional example of restrained, but thoughtful and important film-making. It deserves to be seen for its intelligent commentary, but also for its satisfyingly mad finale and general hilarity.” Scream magazine
“Had it been played as a more straight-laced comedy, it probably would have felt mean-spirited, almost making light of the struggles it attempts to portray. The success Egomaniac finds in being a layered commentary speaks once again to the fabulous screenplay written by Shenton, and the amazing job by the cast in realizing that direction.” Thirteenth Floor
Cast and characters:
- Catherine Sweeney – Nic Lamont
- Nathan – Adam Rhy-Davies
- Michael – Laurence Harvey
- Natasha – Loren O’Brien
- Kevin – David Wayman
- Derek – Simeon Willis
- Devon – Mark Logan
- Julian – Patrick Fysh
- Adam – Oliver Tilney
- Chester – Dan Palmer
- Festival Programmer – Tom Crowely
- Betty – Amy Feeley
- Galina – Cristina Neacsu
- Helena – Lucy Farret
- Lucas – James Harker
- Zumbo – Matt Springett
- Piggy – Matt Fraiser
