For movie lovers, the image of a shuttered theater evokes a deep sense of loss. When people stop seeking out films, it’s as if they’ve abandoned the very act of dreaming. Movies, like other forms of creative expression, give people the space to explore and continually reshape their identity. When that freedom is restricted, the consequences can be devastating. Test Screening which makes its world premiere at Fright Fest written and directed by Clark Baker and co-written by Stephen Susco. Their film explores the horrific transformation that occurs when outside pressures (whether from family, society, or something more sinister) force people to abandon their true selves and leave behind only a monstrous shell.
Little Hope
A recent trend in horror, (which can only be referred to as “Station Wagon Horror,”) involves the appearance of a wood-paneled station wagon. Not as a pivotal plot element, but as a visual marker that instantly sets the tone for the film. While modern examples like Longlegs and Maxxxine use this vehicle to evoke the spirit of working-class America in the 70s and 80s and conjure up images of suburban life, family dynamics, and a certain nostalgic innocence.
Test Screening taps into this trend right from the start. We see Mia (Rain Spencer) trying to teach Penny (Chloe Kerwin) how to drive a stick shift in (you guessed it) a station wagon. As the two girls bond over growing pains, parental struggles, and some flirtation, the scene exudes a bittersweet charm. But in 1980s Little Hope, Oregon, this is a small town stuck in its ways. This is a place where even embracing new movies is too much of a struggle, let alone accepting queer love.
Little Hope, OR, is the kind of town where people say grace at dinner. They turn a blind eye to domestic abuse, and seem to be slowly losing their grip on happiness. However, even in the most repressed places, there are always a few weirdos. People who cling fiercely to their passions and to each other. Mia and Penny dream of a life where they can live openly. They long to escape the suffocating confines of their hometown. Alongside their friends, Simon (Johnny Berchtold) and Reels (Drew Scheid), the four find solace in their shared love of movies. Especially Reels who is practically obsessed with cinema. The local theater (seldom showing new films) becomes their sanctuary. A safe space where they can be themselves even when the screen is dark.
E Pluribus Unum
With the closure of a bridge further isolating Little Hope, the arrival of a mysterious film from Hollywood feels like an eerie twist of fate. No one knows the details about the film or its cast. Instead, all they have is a cryptic title, E Pluribus Unum, and the presence of mysterious men in black seeking honest reactions from the townspeople. Speculation runs wild, with rumors ranging from it being Star Wars 3 to some other kind of secular filth.
In reality, the film possesses sinister mind control powers. Those who view it fall into a zombified state and behave erratically by distancing themselves from loved ones. As a result, soon the docile townsfolk begin turning into monsters. Consequently, Test Screening’s practical effects are shockingly grotesque and can only be described as “shunting.” Only Penny, who was barred from the screening, and Reels, who somehow remained unaffected, manage to escape the film’s chilling influence.
Check Out The Trailer
Test Screening masterfully taps into the universal struggle of those who feel out of place and yearn to be accepted for who they are. As a result, the characters (vividly portrayed and deeply relatable) evoke the feeling of encountering old friends. Or, perhaps, seeing a reflection of oneself in their experiences. The film’s monster design is nothing short of spectacular. The real horror comes from how the story transforms a love for cinema into a sinister force.
Inspired by the urban legend of the 1981 Polybius arcade game (which allegedly caused bizarre and addictive behavior in players) Test Screening explores the dark potential of media to inflict harm on a community. The story looks at how something we love (like movies) can be warped into something dangerous and dark. If you’ve ever found comfort in the escape of movies, Test Screening might just give you something new to think about (especially when that comfort turns sinister).
