A Brilliant Monster is a 2018 American horror film directed by F.C. Rabbath from a screenplay co-written with Adam Bertocci, based on Rabbath’s 2015 short Dead Meat (watch below). The movie stars Bill Kelly, Tatiana Warden, Evette Young and Dina Najjar.
Plot:
Where do you get those brilliant ideas? A question which plagues all creators. They say success comes with a price, but for the story of Mitch Stockridge, an author of self-help books, that price feeds a bigger monster inside of us all. Into the stressful depths of the creative mind, the lengths that one goes through for success, and the anxiety to keep on producing while on top…
Reviews:
“The monster pulls it into the horror category, but just barely. Imagine a movie with Belial from Basket Case, but where you only see things from his perspective. There’s a little bit of blood shown here and there, but it’s only to convey that someone bit the dust, it’s all pretty tame.” All Horror
“There’s definitely a bit of Little Shop of Horrors and Basket Case at work here. I really liked how you never really see the monster, just its teeth and the sounds it makes as it tears apart its meals […] There isn’t anyone to root for or learn from in this. But it is an intriguing meditation on the creative process, even if it feels like there could be more to the overall story.” B&S About Movies
“A psychology lesson wrapped in a movie. A Brilliant Monster is a thought-provoking insight into the mind or a narcissist. Captivating, intriguing…” Back to the Movies
“One of the best things that A Brilliant Monster does is set a tone that can be both funny and extremely disturbing at the same time. It’s a balance that runs through the script, the acting, and the shooting. With the script, we have the idea of a self-help author being a serial killer, which sounds ridiculous. It’s a perfect paradox to structure a psychological thriller film around…” The Critics Den
“This is one of those rare indie films that although not perfect production-wise, simply transcended the sum of it’s collective parts. For me anyhow. Excellent job cast and crew. Truly.” Indyred
“Indie horror films can often be nothing more than cheap thrill, exploitative packages. Rabbath successfully approaches his horror story as a drama first, where its message is just as chilling as its bloodshed, a fantastical look into the beast that can be unleashed in many of us.” Matt’s Movie Reviews
“There’s a lot of ambiguity to A Brilliant Monster, even as some moments seem extremely concrete, but there is no doubt we’re being played by a film full of metaphorical tricks. And that’s a very good thing. Rabbath makes sure there are no missing pieces in this puzzle, even as the final image is left for us to decide.” That Moment In
” …an enjoyable, innovative tale about the pressures to create and the fallout of ‘success’. Making the central character a self-help guru is an inspired and tongue-in-cheek move; the grand divide between words and deeds is given a compelling twist in A Brilliant Monster, where what you see isn’t always what you get.” Warped Perspective
“Director F.C. Rabbath creates a simplistically layered tale that will walk you into the mouth of madness, leaving the viewer guessing the meaning behind it. Production values are low but the movie is better for it. Rabbath crafts a slow-paced horror film that’s a throwback to the unseen killers of the ’70s and ’80s.” Jason Minton, Without Your Head
Cast and characters:
- Bill Kelly … John Logan
- Tatiana Warden … Mitch’s Mother
- Evette Young … Escort
- Dina Najjar … Laura
- Alea Figueroa … Sophie
- Crystal Gettings … Waitress
- Reid Meadows … Young Luke
- Hayley Haas … Mary
- Joy Kigin … Abby
- Teo Ciltia … Chief Detective
- Gleb Krotov … Young Mitch
- Dennis Friebe … Mitch
- David Raizor … Carver
- Sarah Alexandria … Amelia
- Jason Fusco … Luke
Filming locations:
Orlando and Tallahassee, Florida
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