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For all the horror aficionados out there, there's a Canadian movie called Antrum, released in 2018, that challenges you to watch it at the risk of your own life. Antrum, bearing the tagline 'The Deadliest Film Ever Made,' is written and directed by David Amito and Michael Laicini. Despite being released six years ago, Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made still haunts horror circles due to its 'deadly curse' that allegedly claimed more than 60 victims. Scariest Horror Movies of All-Time: From Exorcist To Get Out, 5 Movies That Are Scary As Hell.
If you're brave enough to take the dare and want to watch the movie, unfortunately, Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made is not available for streaming in India. In the US, however, the film is accessible on Prime Video and iTunes. So, what's the hullabaloo about the movie? To understand that, you need to delve into the curse behind it, which purportedly claimed the lives of over 60 people.
The Bloody History of 'Antrum'
According to the film presented documentary-style, Antrum is a lost movie that repeatedly seeks submission at various film festivals. Its initial appearance was in 1979, when it arrived anonymously. Upon rejection by the organizers, those involved began to meet mysterious and tragic fates. For instance, one individual was fatally stung by a stonefish, while another was electrocuted to death. The film continued to resurface at different festivals, claiming the lives of those who denied it screening opportunities.
However, the most significant tragedy linked to Antrum occurred when it finally debuted for public viewing in a theatre in Budapest, Hungary. A fire engulfed the theatre, resulting in the deaths of 56 people as the building collapsed from the flames. Remarkably, the film reel remained unscathed by the fire but was inexplicably taken by an unknown person.
In 1993, Antrum reemerged, this time in San Francisco, USA, already notorious as a 'cursed' film. During this screening, chaos erupted when a cafeteria employee spiked popcorn with LSD, leading to a deadly stampede in which a pregnant woman lost her life.
The history of Antrum becomes murky thereafter, with whispers of it claiming victims in various locations. Finally, in 2018, a team of documentary-makers analyzed the film, noting its unsettling and disorienting nature, before screening it in its entirety for the first time. The movie, about a pair of siblings who go to the woods to find the 'hole in Hell' from where they can rescue their dead dog, features scenes of cannibalism, Satanism, occult among other dark activities. From A Tale of Two Sisters to The Wailing, Check Out This Spine-Chilling Selection of 5 Must-Watch Korean Horror Movies.
'Antrum' the movie even beging with the below disclaimer within the film:
Bizarre, isn't it? But the story doesn't end here... The more fascinating history of Antrum is yet to unfold!
The Real History of Antrum
Okay, so whatever we wrote in the previous section is not real. Or at least, didn't happen in real life.
The deaths didn't occur, and there isn't a movie cursed to kill those who watch or reject it. Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made is simply a conventional horror movie with an unconventional narrative presentation. The cursed Antrum film is a 'movie within the movie', while the documentary aspect, covering the film's "history" and explaining its content and curse, is actually a mockumentary featuring real but unknown actors to lend authenticity.
With a well-planned marketing strategy in sync with the film's content, Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made has crafted a dark aura around itself, becoming an "urban legend" discussed on platforms like Reddit, 4Chan, and Quora. Interestingly, some publications have also covered the curse, particularly after the Budapest theatre fire incident, as if it was real.
Watch the Trailer of Antrum:
Rest assured, you can watch Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made without fearing for your life, unless you've somehow provoked someone to murderous rage or have an underlying heart condition (in which case, horror films in general, not just Antrum, are not recommended). The actress Nicole Tompkins, who portrays Oralee in the cursed film allegedly made before 1979, is well-known in video game circles for voicing characters in popular games such as Genshin Impact, Resident Evil Village, and Horizon Forbidden West. From Pinhead to The Babadook - 5 Scary Movie Costumes That Deserve More Attention.
This is her BTW:
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It's Not Just Antrum...
This isn't the first instance of a horror mockumentary film successfully deceiving several individuals into believing it's authentic, and it certainly won't be the last. The iconic success of The Blair Witch Project in the '90s owed much to its inventive marketing (in an era devoid of social media) and use of unknown actors, creating an illusion of witnessing a genuine documentary where three students fall victim to an unseen witch.
Even subsequent popular horror films such as Paranormal Activity, Quarantine, and The Poughkeepsie Tapes employed similar viral marketing strategies to garner attention, ultimately contributing to their box office triumphs. However, sometimes these tactics can backfire, leading to trouble for the filmmakers.
The infamous 1980 Italian horror film Cannibal Holocaust (that goes reverse Antrum... it has a 'documentary' within the movie) was among the pioneering films to embrace the mockumentary approach. However, due to the unfamiliarity with this narrative style at the time, many viewers believed the depicted cannibalism and deaths were real, resulting in legal action against the director. He was compelled to bring the actors to court to demonstrate how he simulated the 'deaths' on screen. Nonetheless, the filmmakers still faced charges for the slaughter of real animals.
Numerous other incidents occurred where audiences mistook these films for reality, provoking adverse reactions. For instance, the Japanese film Guinea Pig 2: Flower of Flesh and Blood presents such authentic torture and murder of an on-screen victim that actor Charlie Sheen once reported it to the authorities, convinced he had witnessed a snuff film. There are a few who still harbour beliefs in the reality of The Ring's cursed tape and its spectral antagonist, Samara Morgan. If you, dear readers, have any intriguing examples to share, please do share in the comments below.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 27, 2024 01:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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