UNHOLY *** U.K. 2015 Dir: Anthony M. Winson 88 mins
Opening with the ‘inspired by true events’ statement we have seen countless times, we soon meet newlyweds Peter and Margaret Eastwood. The happy couple are looking at buying their first home together and they find that place at 39 Ashcroft Road. With an asking price of £8000…well it is 1975….the place also comes with everything inside. Once moved in it is not long before things start to feel off about the place. Creakings, knockings, furniture moved, voices heard and disgusting smells soon have Margaret believing their house is haunted.
It is not until Peter is attacked by the entity does he believe his wife. They call in a medium who tells them their house is indeed haunted by more then just the one entity. Now they must try and cast out what is inside the home before it is too late not just for the newlyweds but the house as well. Anthony M. Winson has a fascination with the 1970’s as another film of his HOUSE OF AFFLICTIONS (2017) was also set in the same decade as this film UNHOLY. The setting for the film is fantastic as the majority of the stuff in the home is from the 70’s so there wasn’t much need for set dressings, props etc to be brought in. This gives the film a more authentic look which given its low budget wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Using more then its fair share of scare tactics UNHOLY does best by having things happening when the film is at its quietest, this leaves the audience on the edge of their seats wondering where and when the next scare will strike. Hard to not notice that alot of things in the film are influenced by THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979). Casting wise the film is near perfect with a special mention to Kelly Goudie as the wife Margaret Eastwood who perfectly portrays a happy wife turning into a nervous wreck. If you are tired of the loud noises and scare tactics used in big studio horror releases, and want to be scared when you least expect it I would highly recommend checking this British horror out.
Review by Peter ‘Witchfinder‘ Hopkins