mungflesh
Unlike a lot of shorts, which tend to play out as scenes from something larger, The Tour attempts a mini-movie and does it quite well.Two American girls are sight seeing in England and hook up with a charming gentleman (Tom Gordon) for a private tour of the "most haunted house in England", only to see more than they bargained for ...It's nicely shot and, save for a few sound issues here and there, is a very polished little piece. The intensity and pace really get going towards the final third, as we are treated to some great haunted house moments which, for the most part, belie the meagre budget.Tom Gordon is superb as the lead and is probably The Tour's biggest asset. Actresses Heather Dorff and Jessica Cameron are very believable as the naive tourists and, between the three of them, develop their characters well enough to bring weight to the film's denouement.I saw this alongside a selection of other shorts at the London 2014 FrighFest and, aside from one other stand out piece, this was the business. Very enjoyable and would love to catch it again.Best bit? Well, the shifty looking bartender of course.
rowdoc
Old English houses are a mecca for American tourist and Darkmoor Manor is no exception. It's checked past is littered with disappearances, murders and the latter years sightings of ghoulish apparitions. Friends Cassie and Morgan can't resist when their handsome local guide offers them a private tour of Britain's most haunted house. The girls get more than they bargained for during Tom's nighttime expedition. This lean British short was of the better ones showing at this years Film 4 Frightfest. Although it is a simple story, the tension builds nicely to the pay off. Scream Queens, Jessica Cameron and Heather Dorff play off each other very well, making for a believable friendship. I am interested to see what writers and directors could do with the feature length format.