Next of Kin (1982)

Linda inherits Montclare, a retirement home that belonged to her mother. When she comes back to her hometown to settle her affairs, she feels unwelcome, with only Barry, an old boyfriend (John Jarratt, the evil Mick Taylor in the Wolf Creek series of movies), being understanding.Things certainly aren't helped by Montclare's staff, including Connie and Dr. Barton (Alex Scott, The Asphyx), who have been conducting a secret affair and may be conspiring to drive Linda insane. Or perhaps the house is truly haunted, as drowned corpses appear at will and windows mysteriously open. No matter what, there's something wrong and it's probably due to the years of madness and murder that Linda's mother has covered up.There's an amazing moment near the end where Linda has gone near insane, barricading herself within the diner, where she builds a pyramid of sugar cubes as the forces of evil gather themselves to do her in. It's strangely gorgeous. And not the only original sight in a film that seemingly would only be a rip-off.Throw in an amazing score by Tangerine Dream's Klaus Schulze and you have a film that's quite worthy of experiencing.Sadly, there's been no official U.S. DVD or blu-ray release of the film. You can find it on YouTube and through the gray market. And you totally should. It's nothing like the poster promises and is instead a psychologically rich trip through past sins and a family curse.

Following the death of her mother, Linda inherits the retirement home that she ran. Once there, reading through her mother's diary sets off a series of unsettling memories. Bizarre occurrences begin taking place as well, almost as if someone were toying with her.I've seen this Aussie gem referred to as a slasher film on more than one occasion, though I wouldn't necessarily call it a slasher myself. It's more of a slow-burning mood piece, one that's quite ambiguous at times. It's also effectively creepy, one of my favorite scenes involving a figure watching Linda just out of her eye range as she roams the woods in search of her boyfriend. Said boyfriend is played by John Jarratt, a mainstay in Australian horror, and his presence here is a welcome one as always. Jacki Kerin is Linda, and she's solid as the isolated heroine who doesn't feel completely at home back in her old stomping grounds.Naturally, the filming locations are gorgeous and the cinematography does a fine job of catching them in all of their glory. The film is complimented by a unique score and some stylish sequences, such as one terrific slow-motion bit where Linda is rushing down a flight of stairs. The ending gets really wild, leaving the film's more subdued nature behind for an extravagant finale.I first discovered this film back in the early 90's when I stumbled across the VHS in H.E.B.'s video rental section of all places, that memorable cover art catching my eye. Even now, the film is just as effective an experience as it was way back then. All said and done, this is one of Australia's finest contributions to the genre. In fact, only "Long Weekend" is on the same level.

"Next of Kin" is a superior Australian horror film set in a large retirement home. A young woman named Linda returns to take ownership of it after her mother's death, but soon after arriving she finds that there are several mysteries concerning what happened while her mother was in charge, plus she begins to feel threatened by a malevolent presence that creeps about the house after dark.First off, this is a very good looking movie. Despite the unglamourous locations of scrubby Australian countryside, a shabby diner and the austere retirement home, the direction and camera work ensures that every shot counts. This may have been a relatively low budget venture, but framing, lighting and colours are all handled with considerable skill, with several particularly stylish camera angles every few minutes. Everything looks real, and I would bet that all the shooting was done on location in the big old house that serves as the retirement home. With all this confidence behind the camera, it's also a joy to watch the acting performances, as there isn't a wrong note among them. Jackie Kerin, who plays Linda, takes to the role with a calm maturity. Rather than playing up the glamour side of a "damsel in distress", she instead brings a quiet intensity to the part, showing Linda to be thoughtful, intelligent and resourceful. All the supporting players do equally well, from Linda's amiable boyfriend Barney, to the other staff and inmates of the home, and even a friendly teenage boy who lives in the local diner/gas station is well played.The combined effect of these achievements is that the film's plot is vividly played out, and the tension is really racked up as events start to turn increasingly more macabre. One of the elderly inmates dies unexpectedly quite early on in the film, and this scene and it's aftermath are filmed for maximum creepiness, which gives a running thread of weirdness to Linda's experiences in the house. I won't reveal any more of the plot, because the film benefits hugely from it's sense of bewilderment, but hold on to your seats, as, after building slowly the story finally culminates in a gripping struggle for survival as Linda finally learns the truth behind the mystery. Although the majority of the film works on a purely "mystery" level, if you're not sure whether "Next of Kin" qualifies as a horror movie, the final fifteen minutes alone should convince you.Once again, I find myself praising the quiet intensity of an Australian thriller. The ability to draw in the viewer without relying on action set pieces and pyrotechnics seems to be a particular skill of film makers hailing from this continent. I have a similar high regard for other films of the late 17970's/early 1980's, such as "Long Weekend" and "Picnic at Hanging Rock". "Next of Kin" should be ranked alongside the best of Australian horror cinema, and it probably would be, if only it weren't so darned hard to get hold of. Video releases have been very limited, and the only DVD release is a Region 4 domestic Australian one. I am lucky enough to have this ( it's easy to buy on the Internet but US residents will need a multi region DVD player - however it works on UK PAL DVD players - hooray!), and it's significantly improved by being seen in it's correct widescreen ratio, as many of the beautifully composed shots are clobbered in the full screen video version. Aside from that though, I would urge any horror fans to seek out any version they can get hold of, and experience this quiet yet vivid horror treat.

"Next Of Kin" has become something of a minor cult classic and deservedly so. This has to be one of the few horror films that I have actually found freaky. Others being "An American Werewolf In London", "Friday The 13th" and "The Thing". I feel I shouldn't give too much away, but I can tell you this; Tarantino is a huge fan of John Jarratt, and in particular, a huge fan of this movie. In short, this has gone under the radar a bit and must be seen. Horror as it should be.