Producer, director and screenwriter Christopher Wells was heavily influenced by the 1956 short film “The Red Balloon.” He recalls, “The film had a profound impact on me. I remember the film being extremely moody, and for some reason, it scared me. My six-year-old imagination ran off somewhere dark. I thought, ‘What force is controlling the balloon exactly?’ The balloon had a life of its own, and I was frightened by the thought that this object could lure this kid, or worse – me.”
“The Luring” was shot in a house the Wells’ family used to own, and three days after production, the new owners did a walk-through which added to the stress of the 22 day production knowing the house had to be maintained perfectly or the sale wouldn’t go through. It rained for 15 consecutive days during what Vermonters refer to as ‘mud season,’ but magically, Wells and his crew were able to keep the home undamaged and clean—a remarkable feat. “Since I couldn’t risk messing up my mother’s house with fake blood, I wrote a script that would disturb me instead,” said Wells.
The unconventional film delves into a one-sided relationship, sexual power, dominance and submission, with a pinch of BDSM. It features characters reciting haunting poetry, nightmares gradually blending with reality, and a stylized weirdness Wells is known for. “I like a little weird in my films,” Wells has publicly stated. The ending promises to be deliciously evil, leaving audiences both unsettled and captivated.
Wells also pays homage to his favorite artists, his father Roderick Wells and Norman Rockwell. In one scene, the character Garrett admires one of Rodrick Wells’ paintings, mirroring Rockwell’s “The Connoisseur.” Throughout the film, Rodrick Wells’ paintings symbolize tranquility, serving as a temporary distraction to characters who soon face a horrific fate.
A man tries to recover a lost memory by returning to his family’s Vermont vacation home where an unspeakable act took place.
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