Some of the most frightening horror experiences are centered around isolated locations from which there is no escape. FromThe Shining’ssnowed-in Overlook Hotel to the ships and space stations of theAlienfranchise, there are few more effective ways to frighten an audience than making them feel trapped. The upcoming horror filmDouble Blindis a perfect example of this.
Thishorror moviecenters around seven participants in a drug trial who become trapped when the medical facility enters lockdown. Even worse, the drugs have a deadly side effect - should any of them fall asleep before the lockdown ends, they will never wake up again.
Game Rant recently spoke with actress Pollyanna McIntosh, known for her roles asJadis inThe Walking Deadand the titular Woman in theWomanfilm trilogy, aboutDouble Blindand her role in it. McIntosh plays Dr. Burke, the overseer of the trial, who initially sees herself as the sole authority over the seven test subjects. McIntosh described Dr. Burke as arrogant, overly confident, and in control until she discovers the medicine’s side effects. Then, McIntosh explained,
“She’s just as double-blind as the subjects are.”
Double Blind’s Single Location Creates Effective Horror
The entirety ofDouble Blindtakes place in a locked medical facility. When the lockdown hits, the group is trapped by reinforced walls and heavy metal doors - escape truly seems impossible. The setting is designed toevoke claustrophobia in viewers. When asked howDouble Blindmakes effective use of its single location, McIntosh said,
“There’s so much movement in it, and so much suspense, and so much character. You’ve got to discover the facility bit by bit, and it made it feel even more claustrophobic because there’s no way out.”
Single-location horror films are a grand tradition that includes titles such asThe Descent, Train to Busan, Misery,and, perhaps most famously,John Carpenter’s 1982 classicThe Thing. Double Blind’smedical facility shares DNA withThe Thing’sAntarctic research station: it features sparse decor, uncomfortable beds, and sinister machinery with unknown purposes. While watchingDouble Blind,viewers could even possibly feel as trapped as the test subjects themselves.
Lack Of Sleep Leads To A Dreamlike Atmosphere
The major theme ofDouble Blindis sleep, both the lack of it and the fear of it. The test subjects quickly learn that the medicine they have taken has side effects that will kill them if they fall asleep. What follows is a tense exploration of sleep deprivation and its effects on the human psyche. The film’s imagery becomes more and more dreamlike and surreal as characters turn to caffeine, smelling salts, drugs, and more as they desperately try to stay awake.Creepy lullabiesecho through the facility’s sterile halls, and characters hallucinate images both pleasant and shockingly gory. Throughout, the viewer truly cannot tell what is real and what is the product of the characters' sleep deprivation.
McIntosh praised the decision to create a dreamlike atmosphere and explore howdreams can be frightening, comparing the film’s exploration of dreams to theNightmare on Elm Streetfranchise and its iconic dream-invading killer,Freddy Krueger. She explained why the seven test subjects fighting not to slip into dreams makes for such effective horror: they’re underdogs taking on a seemingly insurmountable force, humanity’s basic need for sleep.
“There’s just something honest about good horror to me. The stakes are high…and it’s focused more on the underdog. Horror often holds the outsider up, so it’s cathartic in many ways.”
Horror fanslooking forward to experiencing this creepy flick don’t have long to wait.Double Blindwill see a limited release in select theaters and streaming on February 13 worldwide (after first debuting in Ireland on February 9). Pollyanna McIntosh can also be seen in many otherhorror films, includingThe Woman, Darlin', Let Us Prey, Tales of Halloween,and the forthcoming horror comedyApocalypse Clown.
