Strange Factories
2013 British film
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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.[1] 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.
Lucy Harrigan
Tereza Kamenicka
Annalisa Astarita
Rachael Blyth
| Strange Factories | |
|---|---|
 Official Strange Factories film poster | |
| Directed by | John Harrigan |
| Written by | John Harrigan |
| Produced by | John Harrigan Lucy Harrigan Tereza Kamenicka |
| Starring | John Harrigan Annalisa Astarita Rachael Blyth |
| Cinematography | Yiannis Katsaris |
| Edited by | Bettina Fung |
| Music by | Stephen Baysted |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | FoolishPeople |
Release date |
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Running time | 132 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
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.
Location
The filming took place in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, and in Prague in the Czech Republic.[2]
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."[3] Sarah Stewart from The Londonist praised the film's atmosphere, suspense, and innovative blending of celluloid and live-action performance.[4] 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".[1]