CLIMATE OF THE HUNTER: A Visually Immersive Period Horror

Climate of the Hunter–directed by Mickey Reece and written by Mickey Reece and John Selvidge–follows two sisters Alma (Ginger Gilmartin) and Elizabeth (Mary Buss) who are both enticed by the same man, Wesley (Ben Hall), who shows vampiric tendencies.

Visual Strengths

Climate of the Hunter is beautiful in its use of shadows, lighting, and the sparsity of its woodsy setting. The aspect ratio pushes the film more firmly into its period setting and helps build tension through interesting framing throughout the film. When the film first began, I was drawn to the cinematography, and this admiration remained throughout the entire runtime.

Early on these moments showing the dichotomy between nature and the unnatural work to establish the more horror-focused elements of the film, while also giving insight into the relationships–both between the sisters and their vying for romance with Wesley.

In the first frame, Climate of the Hunter wants you to know its pace, by showing a black-and-white insert of a letter from a doctor. This stays on the screen, giving you the time to read it, and in-turn feels inspired by the style of letter inserts displaying background information which brings to mind Classic Hollywood melodramas.

As the film progresses, the visuals strengthen the film’s connection with its 1970s influences such as films like George A. Romero‘s 1973 film Season of the Witch. Both films deal with the underlying paranoia of something different–such as vampires or witches–and come to startling conclusions.

The way the woods feel like another character in the film brings added dread into the film’s central mystery. This cut-off from society pair of sisters–combined with the style of the film–brought to mind the 1973 Ivan Reitman film Cannibal Girls. There’s a dread of the unknown that comes through beautifully in the film’s visual style in every scene.

Later on in the film, an image of a glowing red bat-shaped outline covering the screen brought this time period and its films into clear focus. This image and every other aspect of the film capture the period perfectly.

Period Accuracy

Climate of the Hunter expertly recreated the horror drama films of the 1970s, and this period accuracy filled every aspect of the film from costume design to the food the characters ate.

I found it especially interesting how meals were presented in Climate of the Hunter. Instead of only seeing food as characters eat–and only getting short glimpses–we are shown these foods on their own, complete with narration explaining what 1970s Jello Salad style cuisine is present in every meal throughout the film.

Costume and hair design helped permeate the atmosphere of the film with its 1970s setting. The lighting helps make these elements feel even more connected to similar films in the 70s. The light shines off glowing hair, creating a mesmerizing effect that showcases the volume and style of every hair design.

Clothes help the period, but also infuse each character with more of their unique personalities. Alma is more open and free, and this is reflected in her wardrobe, while her sister is more cautious, yet not as paranoid of the supernatural. Her wardrobe is more neutral and structured than Alma’s loose and more colorful dresses. Alma’s daughter Rose (Danielle Evon Ploeger) comes into the film later and has her own visually strong sense of fashion, which we see glimpses of in a more horror-focused scene before getting to meet the character.

In the first meal shared with Rose, we are shown a glimpse into how our potential vampire views the world, and this feels straight out of a 70s witch-exploitation film. As Wesley looks at Rose, the daughter of a woman he once found beautiful, he pictures her sitting at the table without wearing any clothes. This might seem like a strange moment to single out, but it truly brought me into the aesthetic and time this film is emulating.

Interesting Characters

The characters of Climate of the Hunter bring archetypes of the past to life. The possible vampire is presented as an overly theatrical person, but also one that hides his real emotion behind this persona. Throughout the film, he recites poetry, which could feel odd and over-the-top, but works since it comes across as purposefully strange and dramatic, the way any good vampire would want to act.

One of my favorite characters in the film is BJ (Jacob Ryan Snovel) Alma’s paranoid, pot-smoking buddy, who also lives in the woods and from his first scene, believes there’s something off about Wesley. He is the only character who does not believe that Alma is crazy–in her thoughts about the vampire and in her decision to live permanently in a vacation home.

Jacob Ryan Snovel gives a captivating performance that adds mystery and a little unexpected heart to the character. As the film progressed, I wanted to see more of the moments between BJ and Alma smoking a joint away from the drama of the rest of the film’s characters.

Alma, Elizabeth, and Alma’s daughter Rose all have unique personalities that capture different aspects of the time period and the horror films which seem as influences to Climate of the Hunter.

Conclusion

Climate of the Hunter captures the 1970s perfectly and crafts a beautiful film filled with a central mystery that builds in every revelation. The film is filled with strong visuals especially shadows and lighting, interesting uses of framing, and performances that capture another specific era and genre of film.

Climate of the Hunter will be in select theaters December 18th and on Demand January 12th. 

Do you like films that try to capture a specific earlier decade of film? If so, what are some of your favorites? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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