“Wake up Ms. Creed, it’s breakfast time!”
I love uncovering films that might not get a lot of attention here in the US – but are worth checking out – especially now that one of the stars is breaking out on US TV!
Bound And Buried!
These two british thrillers were both released within the last couple of years, and neither one found a home in the US. Thanks to Eddie Marsan’s breakout performance on “Ray Donovan” however, one of these films may be discovered!
Time to share these two modern day British thrillers – that share a common theme:
In each movie, someone has been kidnapped – and in both movies, from that basic beginning, the plot twists and turns make both movies a great thrill ride!
Let’s start with a twisted thriller starring Gemma Arterton in a brave performance:
The Disappearance Of Alice Creed
Director / Writer J Blakeson does a terrific job with this three-person piece – here’s the plot:
A rich man’s daughter is held captive in an abandoned apartment by two former convicts who abducted her and hold her ransom in exchange for her father’s money.
Here is the trailer:
Martin Compston, “Ray Donovan” co-star Eddie Marsan and Gemma Arterton star in this tight, twisted thriller – and all of them are onscreen for virtually the entire running time.
Fans of the new show “Ray Donovan” will recognize Eddie Marsan, as he plays Donovan’s brother on the hit TV series. In “Alice Creed”, he plays the more seasoned kidnapper – with plenty of secrets…
A “Silent” Thriller!
“The Disappearance Of Ray Donovan” is a great little thriller – and all three Actors do stellar work! Interesting fact: the first word is spoken 5 minutes and 25 seconds into the film. Roughly another 4 minutes pass before the next one is spoken. Imagine how much pressure that puts on the Actors to convey character without speaking – but they do!
As you can see, the film really tuckered the two male leads out. But it is precisely this “silent” approach that gives the film so much energy – and keeps you on the edge of your seat…as for Gemma Arterton, this is a powerful and intense performance.
Gemma Arterton was given a safe word for her to say if she felt uncomfortable in her nude scenes and wanted filming to stop. There are many uncomfortable scenes for the Actress, but they are vital for the twists and turns that the plot takes…to say more would ruin a film full of surprises.
And speaking of a film full of surprises, here is another British thriller little seen in the US:
A Lonely Place To Die
A group of five mountaineers are hiking and climbing in the Scottish Highlands when they discover a young Serbian girl buried in a small chamber in the wilderness. They become caught up in a terrifying game of cat and mouse with the kidnappers as they try to get the girl to safety…
Director Julian Gilbey and brother Will who co-wrote the script – and they became avid and experienced climbers – which makes sense when you see all of the incredible climbing footage in the movie!
The movie begins as a straightforward thriller: a group of hikers stumble into a VERY BAD situation, and they must try to get out of it….
After discovering a young girl – who has been buried alive in a hole in the forest – the group must figure out how to protect her from THIS GUY:
As with most great thrillers, the honesty of the situation keeps you rooted in the story, especially when it takes a few twists as well…
While scouting locations for the film, the Gilbey brothers used head cameras while climbing and exploring various locations. These videos appear in the end credits of the film to look like “home movies” of the films climbing group.
Check out these great British thrillers – both on DVD or your streaming method or premium cable service of choice!
