Sometimes you don't need a massive budget to make an impact in the film world. Just ask the creators of Skinamarink, the £12,000 horror that's being described as the 'scariest film ever made'.
Even the trailer itself is enough to make the hardiest of horror fans shudder - take a look:
The plot centres on two children who wake up in the middle of the night to discover not only that their father is missing, but all of the windows and doors in their home have gone too.
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After premiering at the 26th Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal last summer, a pirated copy of Skinamarink did the rounds online and now it's become somewhat of a social media phenomenon.
So much so that it's been described as the 'TikTok generation's Blair Witch'.
This is quite the feat, given that director Kyle Edward Ball created the creepy film for the minuscule budget of just $15,000 (£12,000).
He did so by shooting the whole thing digitally in his childhood home in Edmonton, Canada.
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Speaking to Variety last month about how he came up with the idea, he explained: "I have a YouTube channel where people comment with nightmares they’ve had and I would recreate them.
"The most commonly shared one was basically the same concept: 'I’m between the ages of 6 to 10. I’m in my house. My parents are either dead or missing, and there’s a threat I have to deal with.'
"I was interested in that because I have a vivid nightmare from that time, too. I thought it was amazing that almost everyone seems to have this dream, so I wanted to explore this thing.
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"I just ran with it and turned it into a movie."
Skinamarink is set to receive a theatrical release in the US tomorrow (January 13), followed by a release on the horror streaming service Shudder at a later date.
But as said, people have been watching the pirate release online where it's gone on to gain a cult following, with some describing it as the scariest horror they've ever seen.
As said by one viewer on Twitter: "I have no problem saying Skinamarink is the scariest movie ever made.
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"The way it weaponises the childhood home and the sanctuary within it is deeply evil and there’s more tension with the unknown than any one person can bear."
Another said: "Skinamarink is the scariest film I’ve ever seen and @kyleedwardball created a masterpiece in horror cinema. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before."
A third added: "Just finished Skinamarink that was 100% the scariest movie I have ever seen."
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Clearly the critics agree, with Variety's Owen Gleiberman writing: "Skinamarink is the purest and scariest horror-movie creep-out in a long time.
"It's like a portal that connects the audience to the beyond."
Elsewhere, Collider's Chase Hutchinson said: "Evocative and experimental in melding incredible sound design with haunting visuals, it is one of the decade's most exciting cinematic visions that is certain to be one of the best films of the year."
All aboard the hype train.
Topics: TV and Film, Viral
Daisy Phillipson