‘This is a bad place. People aren’t meant to live here.’
Widow’s Point is a 2019 American horror film about an author who spends a weekend locked in a haunted lighthouse as a publicity stunt for his next book.
Written and directed by Gregory Lamberson (Johnny Gruesome; Killer Rack; Dry Bones; Slime City; et al) from a book by Billy Chizmar and Richard Chizmar, the Kwakutl Films production stars Craig Sheffer (Berserker: Hell’s Warrior; Tales from the Crypt Presents: Ritual; Hellraiser: Inferno; Nightbreed), KateLynn E. Newberry (Devil’s Junction: Handy Dandy’s Revenge; Lake Fear 3; Mother Krampus 2; et al), Dominic Luongo (short: Monsters Ate My Neighbors) and Kaelin Lamberson (Johnny Gruesome; Killer Rack; Dry Bones; Slime City Massacre).
Plot:
Author Thomas Livingston (Craig Sheffer) spends a weekend locked in a haunted lighthouse as a publicity stunt for his next book and becomes a target for powerful supernatural forces. The scenario takes place in four different time periods.
Reviews [click link to read more]:
“It’s slick, it moves swiftly, it’s entertaining as hell, and, as I said, it really gets under your skin. It’s scary in a way you’re not anticipating it to be, and when the movie is widely available it should find a wide audience because of that. The horror movie world will no doubt love it.” 411 Mania
“Sheffer’s performance alone cannot repair the issues that mire Widow’s Point in mediocrity. With failed jump scares and a lack of fluidity in much of the dialogue exchanges, as well as a largely predictable story, this is a ghost story without the eerie feels. Instead, Widow’s Point is a banal supernatural thriller with slight sci-fi vibes that can barely fill its succinct runtime with enough thrills to hold its viewers’ attention” Cryptic Rock
“Lamberson (Johnny Gruesome) makes some good choices here, not only with casting but his ability to weave past and present into an enjoyable tapestry that keeps the pace of the film brisk, even at its more quiet moments” Horror Fix
“The filmmakers try their darndest to create tension but the setting isn’t creepy and the lighting is way too bright. I found the camerawork and editing to be so stale like shot A then shot B and then back to shot A without any semblance of fluidity […] It’s seriously so funny that someone thought that was scary, but art is subjective, so maybe it worked for them.” Irish Film Critic
“Director Greg Lamberson balances this genre mash-up extremely well. Along the way, keep an eye and ear out for fun references to such films as The Changeling, The Shining, Rebecca, and Rosemary’s Baby. Adding to the enjoyment of Widow’s Point is a wallop of an ending, an unforeseen and wild conclusion that ends the film on a high point.” Morbidly Beautiful
“In the film’s final half-hour all of the good work that preceded it becomes undone by a needlessly protracted segment that sees Livingstone taking far too long to fathom out what we sussed out in seconds. Quite why this character reveal had to go on and on and on I don’t know, up until then Widow’s Point would have received a higher score.” My Bloody Reviews
“From a plot standpoint, Widow’s Point is chilling and creepy, however, the film doesn’t quite nail those emotions. Thomas does a great job of portraying this cocky author who’s scared to death after experiencing psychological visions while trapped inside of the lighthouse but it’s everything else about that film that just doesn’t quite nail things.” Red Carpet Crash
“You know the drill when it comes to this shockers and that’s where this film loses some of its well-earned steam, but you can’t really fault a film that is full of some great moments of horror thanks to Sheffer’s guttural narration and his on-screen insanity in this creepy yarn of old school terror.” Reel Reviews
” …a fun, slightly-irreverent ghost story, anchored by a charismatic lead. On the flipside, the film was slightly inconsistent, tonally speaking. Occasionally the production values undermine the atmosphere that Lamberson is trying to create. Ultimately, however, Widow’s Point ended up being a compelling journey through the rigors of living in a haunted house.” Review Nation
“A very nice haunted house flick that chooses an original approach to tell a familiar story, that has all the scares and suspense scenes in all the right places and manages to get the most out of its slow-burn narration. And Craig Sheffer’s given enough space to come into his own and make his character and slow descent into madness palpable, while he’s supported by a very solid ensemble.” Search My Trash
“It’s not a perfect film but ghosts in a lighthouse breaking a man’s mind is a hard concept to beat. The final reveal manages to make a really good movie even better. Widow’s Point is a great example of what a small and talented cast and crew and a great location can create.” Tennessee Horror
“Widow’s Point is a classic ghost story that’s somewhat reminiscent of isolation horror movies like Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, but it’s not about the jump-scares, it’s more about what evil can do when it seeps into the psyche.” Women in Horror
“Widow’s Point is a welcome return to the horror genre for Craig Sheffer and a welcome more serious entry in the horror genre for Gregory Lamberson. There are a few unintentionally funny moments involving Sheffer’s reactions but overall, that will not take away the fact that we have a nice blending of haunted house and anthology.” World Film Geek
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Cast and characters:
Craig Sheffer … Thomas Livingston
KateLynn E. Newberry … Rosa
Dominic Luongo … Andre
Kaelin Lamberson … Delaney Collins
John Renna … O’Leary
Richard Satterwhite … Marshall
Michael Thurber … Parker
Willow Anwar … Rebecca
Kim Piazza … Abigail Collins
Paul McGinnis … Patrick Collins
Amy Hoffman … Lydia Pearl
Billy Chizmar … Clifford McGee
Constance Caldwell … Britney Langshire
Bob Rusch … Rothchild
Sam Qualiana … Karl
Kyle Mecca … Mike
Michael O’Hear … Garland
Bill Brown … Tempe
Alexander S. McBryde … Officer Mellon
Joe Blodgett … Carlito
Bob Bozek … Carlos
Matthew King … Garrett Utley
Craig Sabin … Father (voice)
Filming locations:
Buffalo, New York (soundstage)
Clarence, New York (interior of the lighthouse)
Dunkirk, New York (lighthouse)
Technical details:
90 minutes
Aspect ratio: 16:9 HD
