Strange Factories


Strange Factories is a 2013 British experimental horror film written, directed by John Harrigan and produced by the British immersive theatre and production collective FoolishPeople. The film is an example of interactive cinema, featuring a mixture of film and live performance. It centers on a writer, who travels through a mysterious landscape filled with cultists, hallucinatory visions, and a mysterious factory that emanates a strange humming sound.
WWW strangefactories.com

Plot

A tormented writer named Victor journeys through a mysterious, dream-like landscape in search of a group of performers from a theater that mysteriously burned down. As he continues through the landscape, he begins to uncover a bizarre cult under the hallucinatory influence of a nearby factory, and a sinister pact he once made with its owner. All the while he is tormented by visions and a strange humming sound that emanates from the factory.

Cast

  • John Harrigan as Victor
  • Annalisa Astarita as Hettie
  • Rachael Blyth as Emma
  • Tereza Kamenicka as Lady Thayn
  • David Monard as Sam
  • Claire Louise Oliver as Jessica
  • Lucy Harrigan as Rose
  • Claire Tregellas as Jess
  • Mark Postgate as Arlec
  • Xanadu Xero as Marina

Reception

Ain't It Cool News gave the film a positive review, writing, "Strange Factories may not be for the more literal-minded of horror fans. But fans of the theatrical side of performances, the technical side of writing, and the appreciators of the surreal and offbeat will find a lot of things to appreciate." Sarah Stewart from The Londonist praised the film's atmosphere, suspense, and innovative blending of celluloid and live-action performance. Rachel Simm from The Latest Brighton gave the film three out of five stars, praising the film's atmosphere, and suspense, calling it "eerie, unsettling and somewhat puzzling".