From director Albert Shin, ‘Disappearance at Clifton Hill‘ is equally calculated and confident, with a certain cold charm in its execution, burning ever so slowly, drawing you in, until a hallucinatory conclusion changes everything. With fantastic performances from the leads, an impenetrable Tuppence Middleton as Abby and an implacably odd David Cronenberg as a local conspiracy nut that’s half Evil Kinevil and half Art Bell, the strangely specific personalities of small town Ontario add a layer of almost “David Lynch lite” to everything, an off-putting anxiousness to every interaction Abby has in her investigation. Canadians, being ever so polite, don’t seem to appreciate appreciate an outsider asking questions. At first relishing the familiar mystery tropes of retro-diner document drops, staticky VHS tapes and her very own ‘yarn wall’, Abby’s initial glee in stirring up trouble quickly turns to fear when things turn very real, very quickly as she steps on the toes of the local land development baron, a pair of tiger owning French magicians, and her own estranged family.

‘Disappearance at Clifton Hill‘ is propelled not only by it’s perfectly cast characters (especially the mysterious Podcaster played by Cronenberg and unforgettable supporting roles Marie-Josée Croze as a chain smoking Quebecois magician and Elizabeth Saunders as a tiger taming, white trash gambler) and well paced screenplay co-written by Shin and James Schultz but also by a discordant, hypnotic score by Alex Sowinski and Leland Whitty of Canadian band BADBADNOTGOOD and naturalistic but suitably ‘Modern Noir’ cinematography from Catherine Lutes that pairs the lurid red lights from facade of Niagara Falls presented to tourists with the drab, damp reality of a seasonal small town that time is passing by.

Like any good crime story, ‘Disappearance At Clifton Hill‘ lets out a little of its mystery at a time, almost totally bereft of any ‘action’ in the traditional sense, and with an unreliable narrator to boot, until the tension is nearly unbearable. And it’s in this quiet, more believably sinister telling of its tale that the film displays it’s unique, and uniquely Canadian take on the classic potboiler, leaving its audience to ask as many questions as the story answers.

‘Disappearance At Clifton Hill‘ is out now on Amazon Prime VOD. Watch the trailer below for a taste.

1.) The Hunger (1983)

Tony Scott’s story of a love triangle between a doctor who specializes in aging research and a vampire couple played by David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve, 1983’s ‘The Hunger‘ is simultaneously terrible and wildly entertaining, with an ice-cold 80s aesthetic and scenery chewing galore. Perfect for a Valentine’s Horror pick.

2.) Dead Ringers (1988)

David Cronenberg’s ‘Dead Ringers‘ (1988) is an eerie and disturbing psychological thriller about twin gynaecologists who gradually descend into madness, played by Jeremey Irons. A different type of Valentine’s Horror (this one is particularly icky), ‘Dead Ringers’ avoids slasher chases and jump scares for a sterile, insidious dread that builds to a fever pitch by the film’s insane conclusion.

3.) Let The Right One In (2008)

Tomas Alfredson’s ‘Let The Right One In’ is an iconic tale of A 12-year-old boy who befriends a mysterious young girl during a horrifying series of murders deep in the darkness of Sweden’s winter is best watched in its original version. Dark, but ultimately a very human story, this one’s a great winter time watch and a solid Valentine’s Horror selection.

4.) Candyman (1992)

The pairing of an equally sympathetic & terrifying villain, captivating cinematography, electric performances and Philip Glass’ unforgettable score combine make ‘Candyman‘ one of horror’s best love stories. Clive Barker’s now legendary creation leaps of the screen through Tony Todd while Bernard Rose assembles a nearly perfect picture, never missing a beat in the story and making every frame a painting in what might be the perfect Valentine’s Horror film.

5.) Fear (1996)

One of the 1990’s teen horror “so bad it’s good” classics, 1996’s ‘Fear‘ has Marky Mark Wahlberg terrorizing the family of a young Reece Witherspoon in this guilty pleasure / garbage fire of a teen romance gone off the rails. Between the Alt-Grunge soundtrack, Wahlberg’s hilarious performance, casual fingerbanging and the bizarre appearance of CSI’s William Petersen as the Dad there’s way to much glorious B-movie goodness to ignore for your Valentine’s Horror watchlist.

6.) Possession (1983)

Andrzej Żuławski’s unflinching, surreal story of a woman who’s love affair with something sinister destroys everyone around her in the oppressive regime of 1980’s East Germany. Read our full review of Possession here!

7.) Midsommar (2019)

Ari Aster’s “break up movie” ‘Midsommar‘ was one of 2019’s best. A young couple tries to escape tragedy by visiting a remote Swedish commune where things aren’t what they seem. Easily one of 2019’s best, if you’ve not yet seen Midsommar, now’s the time.

8.) The Fly (1986)

Jeff Goldblum drips his way into our hearts as Seth Brundel, a scientist who’s experiments with teleportation transform him into a horrific fly monster in David Cronenberg’s legendary 1950’s b-movie reboot of ‘The Human Fly’. Glorious practical effects, tons of goopy gore, nude Goldblum…what else do you need for a perfect Valentines horror movie?