‘A mother will do anything for her child’
Evil Under the Skin is a 2019 American horror film about a mother and daughter’s weekend getaway descent into madness.
Produced and directed by Jeff Schneider (Alien Wars: Judgement Day; Red vs Wolf; Lake Noir) from a screenplay written by Luc Bernier (Red vs Wolf; Like a Shadow) the movie stars Helene Udy (Mrs Claus; Amityville: Evil Never Dies; My Bloody Valentine; et al), Carl Bailey, Tim O’Hearn, Donna Hamblin and Angela Barajas.
Plot:
A mother and daughter head off for a secluded weekend to reconnect but little do they know the sordid past of the home they’re staying in let alone the strangeness it attracts as they descend into madness…
Reviews:
” …it’s not exploitative, it’s just weird. And Udy’s meltdowns are like something out of a badly directed Tennessee Williams play. Evil Under the Skin is blessed with a suitably dark ending, but along the way, it’s every kind of bonkers. I actually quite liked it.” Bloody Flicks
“My gripe with the film is the overly extended scenery shots and montages or scenes with no dialogue which tend to drag, in that time we could have had more story and dialogue […] Evil Under the Skin is a very bizarre film, sometimes unnerving to watch and at other times has a full-on B-movie vibe to it, it’s certainly a beast of its own and ride into the unknown, perfect escapism.” Horror Screams Video Vault
“Evil Under the Skin is a creepy slow-burning thriller with a stronger than you might expect ensemble cast including fine co-lead performances from both Udy and Barajas. Sophie’s semi-meltdowns are almost hilariously histrionic, yet there’s something about them that’s still unsettling and you can see Sophie’s cracks on Udy’s expressive, unforgettable face.” The Independent Critic
“I’m not sure what writer Luc Bernier and director Jeffrey Schneider were aiming for with Evil Under the Skin. If it was a terrifying journey into a psychological breakdown or a meaningful discourse on loss, then they missed the mark by a long shot. But if a totally insane, almost unexplainable, incomprehensible vision of what it’s like to actually be in a mental episode? Then it’s definitely on-the-nose!” Nerdly
“By the films good conclusion I was forced to admit that a lot of what I didn’t enjoy about this was actually what helped the film work the way it did. This did have a surprising conclusion, maybe a few too many red herrings along the way but I have to give kudos for where this eventually ended up at.” The Rotting Zombie
“Sure, the film might be a bit slow burn, but it’s cleverly structured and thus its deliberately laid back pace only serves to build up tension, with many seemingly unimportant plot elements gaining meaning later in the film, and the film’s actual resolution is a sure shocker.” Search My Trash
Release:
Evil Under the Skin will be available on DVD and Digital on September 8, 2020, from Midnight Releasing.
Cast and characters:
Helene Udy … Sophie
Carl Bailey … Sheriff Roy Keeps
Pamela Sutch … Ranger Jenny Ross
Donna Hamblin … Carla
Colton Baumgartner … Dale
Tim O’Hearn … Matt
Jeffrey Schneider … Blake Palmer
Frederick Ortmann … Jim Talent/guilt
Angela Barajas … Roselee
Film Facts:
Originally titled Fading Flowers
Trailer:
