Movie Review: "Occurrence at Mills Creek" (2020)

Occurrence at Mills Creek Movie Review

Written by Stuart D. Monroe

Released by Spruce Films

Directed by Don Swanson

Written by Don Swanson, Betsy Lynn George, Joe Fishel, and Ava Psoras

2020, 84 minutes, Not Rated

Released on September 1st, 2020

Starring:

Ava Psoras as Clara Coulder

Alexa Mechling as Cassandra Coulder

Betsy Lynn George as Emily / Beatrice

MaLynda Parker as Aunt Estelle

Mary Sack as Aunt Cecelia

Joe Fishel as Victor Coulder

Dana and Grace Langshaw as Dr. Vicki

Review:

Blending the psychological with the supernatural is a potent mix, but achieving the exact ratios can be tricky. A good place to start is with a powerful source of inspiration; in this case, it’s the seminal 1971 classic Let’s Scare Jessica to Death. That means you need some serene and tranquil natural beauty and a beautiful woman with an unstable mind. You also need to have an ear for score that moves the narrative from place to place while evoking a mood and an emotion. Finally, structure a narrative that keeps the viewer in the dark enough to feel surreal without totally losing touch with reality (because you’ll need to go back there later). And don’t skip on the humanity of the harried heroine, whatever you do!

Now, that’s a solid outline. Does Occurrence at Mills Creek deliver on all that dutifully done homework and passionate inspiration?

Clara Coulder (newcomer Ava Psoras) is trapped in a life that’s falling apart. Her beloved mother, Emily (Betsy Lynn George; Devon from Billy Idol’s legendary 1990 music video for “Cradle of Love”!!), dies. Her sister, Cassandra (Alexa Mechling; Second Hand Smoke), dies in a tragic accident by Clara’s hand at the lake. Soon after that, her estranged father dies of a terminal illness. Now, she’s seeing the ghosts…and then the very fabric of her sanity starts to crumble. Is Clara’s family cursed as the town history claims? Is she simply insane? The arrival of her long lost Aunt Cecelia (Mary Sack; Camp Blood 666) at the funeral brings her closer to the family truth, but it’s Aunt Estelle (MaLynda Parker; The Crazies, Season of the Witch) who’ll blow everything wide open.

Occurrence at Mills Creek is a unique beast to dissect. It raise the question of the “legacy of evil” in the family line while firmly establishing itself as a psychological drama with horror elements. While I wouldn’t categorize it as straight up horror by any stretch, it harkens back to a more patient and restrained style of tension. That plays well to a smaller budget and covers inexperience in the cast with a couple of recognizable veteran names who steal scenes. Yes, there is a vibe early on a film that’s trying to get it’s feet underneath it, but Occurrence at Mills Creek finds that footing capably and quickly, becoming a damn solid supernatural mindfuck.

There are moments of Nightmare on Elm Street-esque dream sequences to do the multiple transition trick, and that’s always fun. In the early goings, you’ll spot an homage to that classic scene in Salem’s Lot where Danny Glick floats in the swirly night outside the window (sans floating). The reveal at the end is bloody enough to feel a tad shocking, and there’s a nice moment with Dr. Vicki and Dr. Vicki that jars you in just the right way. It’s one of those flicks that knows it’s horror and wants you to know it.

Occurrence at Mills Creek probably won’t satisfy the hardcore crowd, but it’s a surprisingly rich treat for those with a pallet for something with more of that old-school patience that didn’t really give a fuck about your instant gratification. Ava Psoras surprised me with her down-to-earth style of crazy that doesn’t even know what it is exactly. MaLynda Parker is an O.G. in the genre, and I’ll always have a soft spot for Betsy Lynn George. I recorded that video on MTV multiple times.

Don’t judge me.

It’s not a perfect film, especially when it goes straight drama for about 20 minutes or so in the middle and breaks the building tension a bit. Still, you can never fault a creative team (and this is a true team effort in the best indie way) for swinging for the damn fences even if the bases weren’t loaded. After all, heart will always show through that lens when you pour that shit out there.

Grade:

3.5 out of 5.0 stars

*Occurrence at Mills Creek is currently on the film festival circuit. They can be found on the web at http://occurrenceatmillscreek.com/