STRANGE HARVEST (2024)

4 stars

Vertigo Releasing. Digital. 27th October

Although it is entirely fictional, and doesn’t have one of those ‘Based on a true story’ screens at the beginning, STRANGE HARVEST is presented in the style of one of the numerous true crime serial killer shows that are so popular these days.

A voiceover informs us about the strange puzzle covered by the film – Homicide Detective Joseph Kirby (Peter Zizzo) is interviewed about the case in San Bernardino, in an area known as Inland Empire. A place with a higher than national average murder rate – however he had never seen anything like what happened to the Sheridan family. A gruesome bloody crime scene – mum, dad and daughter sitting at the dining table dead, each of them with clasped hands, mouths taped up and duct taped to the chairs. On the ceiling a strange symbol… Kirby said to his partner Lexi Taylor (Terri Apple), ‘… he’s back.’

She is also interviewed about the killings. As the narrative unfolds we start to get information about the long running investigation which started in the early 90s. Serial murders with ritualistic aspects. The film uses interviews, audio from phone calls to the police, body cam footage etc, to build a picture of what has transpired. Eventually the police get an enigmatic note from one Mr Shiny (Jesse J. Clarkson) – ‘The harvest has just begun’ taunts the letter. What does it mean? What does the odd sign mean which is daubed at the scene of the crimes?

Subtitled ‘Occult Murder in the Inland Empire’, this was directed and written by Stuart Ortiz, who has previous in this kind of faux documentary styling with GRAVE ENCOUNTERS in 2011. With it’s mix of talking head interviews, news footage and the like, this has an air of reality about it and is well acted (which helps to sell it) and it is cleverly constructed and at times quite creepy with strong gory make up effects on the victims. Whilst it has elements of the found footage oeuvre it thankfully doesn’t overplay that style. It is however slightly overlong – about 50 minutes in the story takes a turn into a more direct horror and moves into mumbo jumbo involving religion, astrology and witchcraft.

Steve Kirkham