#censormovie

SYNOPSIS: Film censor Enid takes pride in her meticulous work, guarding unsuspecting audiences from the deleterious effects of watching the gore-filled decapitations and eye gougings she pores over. Her sense of duty to protect is amplified by guilt over her inability to recall details of the long-ago disappearance of her sister, recently declared dead in absentia. When Enid is assigned to review a disturbing film from the archive that echoes her hazy childhood memories, she begins to unravel how this eerie work might be tied to her past.

REVIEW: Filmmaker Prano Bailey-Bond feature debut is a rich cinematic experience that transcends the genre. Bailey-Bond cleverly weaves the gore of her film into a compelling narrative that unfolds with the craftsmanship of Alfred Hitchcock and the poetry of William Shakespeare.

The film does an outstanding job of paying homage to the genre films of the 80’s through its production design and cinematography. Additionally, they do an excellent job of creating the look and feel of the films from that period that the main character has to sort through. Cinematographer Annika Summerson and Bailey-Bond don’t simply play with the lighting to reflect Enid’s emotional journey, they also play with the aspect ratio to both recreate the films from that period but present Enid’s state of mind. The film looks like a gritty Grimm’s fairy tale with the atmosphere and gore of a Dario Argento film.

The writing is absolutely fantastic. Enid seems to be caught up in a Shakespearian tragedy, adapted for the screen by Robert Block, the author of “Psycho.” The film employs a film within a film very effectively to capture the mania of that period and the public outcry against the video nasties, films that were deemed too violent and not fit for public consumption. Enid’s own guilt and obsession takes her down this dark path similar to that of Norman Bates. This is a horror film, and we know that no good can come of Enid’s pursuit. Amazingly, Bailey-Bond provides a unique and original tour of this character’s descent into madness. Towards the end of the film Enid becomes this lunatic Alice as she enters this nightmarish Wonderland of horror that offers up several engaging arguments.

The filmmakers have assembled an amazing cast. Actress Niamh Algar brings a wide palate of emotions and ticks that creates a well rounded and emotionally fragile character. It is a memorable character in the tradition of such characters as Norman Bates or Hannibal Lecter. The rest of the cast brings their “A’ game as they create familiar characters that help seduce the viewer into the story. Veteran actor Michael Smiley is spot on and perfect as the film producer Doug Smart.

;The icing on this cinematic cake is the fantastic score by composer Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch. She manages to weave these sounds and styles of composers like John Carpenter, Marco Beltrami, Charles Bernstein, and Goblin. This score is like a fabulous gravy served as part of a meal at a three Michelin star restaurant. It compliments the performances and the visuals in a way that elevates it. There is something familiar about it but still fresh. You’ve never heard it quite this way before. This will be one of the scores I’ll purchase once I receive details on its release.

CENSOR is the most outstanding cinematic experience I’ve had this year. Like a nesting doll, there are elements within elements of this film that creates a lavish film that transcends the genre. Much like “Alien” or “Jaws” are so much more than the shock and horror, clearly this is an award worthy narrative. There is little doubt as to why Prano Bailey-Bond was named a 2021 'Director to Watch' by Variety and a Screen International 'Star of Tomorrow' in 2018. Needless to say I am excited to see what she does next.

CAST: Niamh Algar, Michael Smiley, Sophia La Porta, Adrian Schiller, Nicholas Burns, Vincent Franklin/ CREW: Director/Screenplay - Prano Bailey-Bond; Screenplay - Anthony Fletcher; Producer - Helen Sara Jones; Cinematographer - Annika Summerson; Score - Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch; Editor- Mark Towns; Production Designer - Paulina Rzeszowska; Costume Designer - Saffron Cullane; Special Effects Supervisors - Ben Ashmore & Scott MacIntyre; Special Makeup and Figurative Effects - 13 Finger FX. OFFICIAL: www.censormovie.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/CensorMovie/ TWITTER: twitter.com/CensorMovie TRAILER: https://youtu.be/5TR7szwI79A RELEASE DATE: In theaters on June 11th, and on Demand June 18th, 2021

In the new film CENSOR we are introduced to Enid who is meticulous in her work of guarding the unsuspecting public from the damaging effects of watching the gore-filled decapitations and eye gougings she pores over in an age of video Nasties. After viewing a strangely familiar video nasty, Enid sets out to solve the haunting past mystery of her sister's disappearance. She embarks on a guilt riddled quest that slowly dissolves her line between fiction and reality. The film stars Niamh Algar as Enid, and she recently stared in the Ridley Scott HBO Max sci-fi series Raised by Wolves.

CENSOR marks the feature film directing debut of Welsh filmmaker Prano Bailey-Bond, also co-writer of the film. Prano has a strong body of shorts that have screened at numerous festivals around the world.  Her short film NASTY screened at over 100 festivals to-date, winning several awards.  She has shot numerous music videos that have also gained their fair share of notoriety and awards.  She serves on the Advisory Board for Underwire Festival, is a member of Cinesisters, BAFTA and is also an award-winning editor.  Her film CENSOR had its premier as the Midnight opening film of the 2021 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

Magnet Releasing will release CENSOR in theaters on June 11th, followed by On Demand June 18th, 2021