Deliverance (1972)

 

Bring on the banjo and the pig squeals. 

But in all seriousness: 'Deliverance' is one of those unsettling horrorfilms. And yes, it absolutely is horrific what these characters go through and it's all the more unsettling thanks to the ultra-realistic setting and depiction. You truly get the sense this could have happened to anyone, which is not the case in most horrorfilms, hence why people can enjoy them so much. It is often too far removed for people to actually start feeling uncormfortable. 

Not so this one. This one rams your face in it, repeatedly. 

Four cityfriends from Atlanta decide to have a canoe trip on a river that is scheduled to disappear as the powercompany is building a dam that will soon flood the entire region. So they head out into backwater country and from there on, the tension starts to build. They encounter very few people and the ones they do are of the backwards, hillbilly extreme variant. You know: those that don't take too kindly to outsiders and where your sister is also your wife and possibly your mom all in one. 

Even though the setting is absolute stunning and the guys are mostly having a good time at first, there something in the air. Lewis is someone who acts all tough and if he is this great outdoors' man, but he's just as much a fish out of water as any of the others. And when they come across two particularly nasty types, things quickly escalate... 

It is always surprising how this film does so much with so little. You'd think that events would pick up quickly, seeing as the most infamous scene here is pretty early on during the runtime, but no. The tension starts to build right from the get-go and it never lets up, not even when the characters seem to be safe. And thàt, ladies and gentlemen, is true horror: creating a sense of uneasiness and foreboding that you can't shake off; making people uncomfortable and shift in their seats. John Boorman nails the atmosphere to a T, and of course he is helped by the excellent acting of all involved. Boorman even enlisted locals to play extras and this adds to the awkward realism. Remember that banjo kid? 

Exactly that, yes. 

I get why some people don't like this one. In essence, not a lot happens and it seems as though the climax of the film is rather early, but that would be missing the point of disturbing situations that feel and look all too real. Except maybe for the day-for-night photography, which looks pretty horrendous to be honest. You might not get the same feeling of dread, but really sit down to watch this one and then compare. It's really, really good.