Have you ever been on a really, really bad date? But you can’t quite leave? And you feel bad for the date in a way, but also, he just keeps getting weirder and more intense until you begin to feel actually threatened? And also, you’re not sure if what you’re doing even is a date? AND he’s videotaping everything as some sort of strange art project?
Nah, you probably haven’t. But Aaron (Patrick Brice) has; he’s a videographer who, like most videographers, is chronically out of work, so what choice does he have but to accept the assignment of Josef (Mark Duplass), who wants to record a video diary for his wife before he dies of brain cancer?
The viewer will most likely guess that at least some of Josef’s story plays, shall we say, fast and loose with the truth, but the value of Creep is not in its many twists – some telegraphed, some genuinely blindsiding – but its sharply-observed satire of social mores. This is unsurprising since, unlike most writer/directors of independent, low-budget horror, Duplass and Brice have no background in the genre, Duplass having written and directed a string of sentimental indie dramedies such as The Puffy Chair, Jeff Who Lives at Home, and Paddleton. It’s ironic, then, that the Creep franchise – with a third film and a TV series currently in development – should be his most recognisable project; however, it should come as no particular surprise, for he inhabits the monstrous yet sensitive character of Josef so successfully, and the film’s mixture of traditional horror-movie psycho scenes with the squirmingly uncomfortable has proven ahead of its time, the recent likes of Heretic, the Danish film Speak No Evil, and that film’s American remake exploring similar territory, as characters walk willingly to their doom because they’re too excruciatingly polite to just run, until it is, of course, too late.
While Creep may not be quite as dramatic or inventive as its superior sequel, it’s an impressively original entry in the often stale genres both of horror, and more specifically of found-footage. If it’s been ten years since you’ve seen it, then it rewards revisiting, and if you’ve yet to see it it’s well worth a look, especially to those with any interest in low-budget filmmaking. Like many home releases of such indie fare, the extras included on the Blu-Ray are of historical interest to film fans, and instructional value to aspiring filmmakers.
Included are two relatively similar commentaries: one newly-recorded, with director/co-writer/star Patrick Brice, co-writer/star Mark Duplass and editor Christopher Donlon, and one archival without Donlon’s presence – as is often the case, this one was recorded before the film’s release, the participants in the dark about how their film will be received. While both commentaries cover similar ground, the interesting point of comparison is the difference in perspective after ten years, one sequel, and a second sequel and spin-off series in development. “Peachfuzz” is a lengthy (~40-minute) interview with director Patrick Brice. If you’ve already listened to both commentaries, then you’ll find that much of what is discussed here is familiar, but the interview is more anecdotal, less technical, than either commentary. “Into Darker Territory” features Duplass, in a relaxed mood, going over some anecdotes from the film and getting into the motivation behind its making. “Expand the Universe” features Donlon detailing his career and how he ended up working on Creep – for those who’ve watched a few such special features, the story of going to film school and meeting fellow independent filmmakers will be a familiar one. There is a short “Ten Years of Creep” talk and Q&A with Mark Duplass and Christopher Donlon, with Patrick Brice joining via a video link. In this feature it soon becomes clear that, like any celebrity or creative doing press for the same film, album or book, Duplass has only a limited amount of relevant anecdotes and quips – you’ll have heard most of them already in his interview or either of the commentaries. Fittingly given the film’s improvisational nature, there are alternate versions of scenes, including a different, less effective opening which primes us right away for a horror film; and several alternative endings which I will not give away here.
★★★★☆