Occult Murder in the Inner Empire Review

Stuart Ortiz is no stranger to the world of found footage. Within the Vicious Brothers, he produced Serious Encounters 1 And 2which are essential pieces of contemporary found footage in the way they both take the tropes of the genre and subvert them to create something uniquely terrifying. Now Ortiz is back with his new pseudo-documentary Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inner Empire which is perhaps the best pseudo-documentary since Lake Mungo in the way it builds terror, never holds back, and features two incredibly realistic lead performances that make you wonder if the events are entirely fictional or not.

Ortiz Frames Strange harvest as if it were a true crime documentary that you’d find on Netflix or Hulu: it’s stylish, cinematic, and even features that melodramatic music has always used to drive emotional beats. Here we learn of a series of murders committed in the Inland Empire (located in Southern California) by the serial killer known as Mr. Shiny. Our main characters are Detective Joe Kirby (Peter Zizzo) and Detective Lexi Taylor (Terri Apple), partners who have been investigating the case for nearly two decades.

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These murders are grisly, ritual killings that Ortiz is not afraid to show. Instead of blurry images or small glimpses of crime scene photos like we see in typical true crime documentaries, here we see every gory detail. But he doesn’t just show photos; we also see video footage of Mr. Shiny’s crimes. Ortiz creates an elaborate puzzle of footage, whether interviews, archival news broadcasts, photos or eyewitness videos, to build a world that feels so lived-in and real. It all builds to a wild, cosmic conclusion that I only wish had gone a little further. To say more would spoil the viewing experience Strange harvest and witness its wild twists and turns. But let’s just say it’s a bold take on the cosmic horror I’ve been waiting for.

Successful pseudo-documentaries, such as Lake Mungo And The Poughkeepsie Tapesare able to almost fool their audience into believing that they are real. They make the boundary between horror fiction and reality more porous, which constitutes a strange and destabilizing experience for the viewer. Strange harvest accomplishes exactly that and creates a narrative that feels like Saw encounter The Poughkeepsie Tapesbut less like a snuff film. Although there is plenty of gore, it never becomes exploitative and instead skirts the line by creating a harrowing story about a man and a group of leeches.

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The incredible conception of the corpse seen everywhere Strange harvest was directed by Josh Russell, who was the mind behind the terrifying creature in The Ritual. There is such attention to detail in the crime scene photos alone, with Russell and Ortiz working together to create the most gruesome images imaginable without going overboard. They strike a balance between nauseating and ridiculous, resulting in some of the grossest and most upsetting images you’ll see all year.

Strange harvest is the sleeper hit of Fantastic Fest, a film that has flown under most radars but should be on any found footage horror fan’s most anticipated list. Ortiz demonstrates a mastery and love for technique and genre, which can be felt in every image. Zizzo and Apple’s performances are the cherry on top of this cosmic horror sundae, playing extremely convincing cops who never feel contrived or cheesy. That’s how you make a good scary pseudo-documentary.

Classified: Reviews