Daddy’s Head (FANTASTIC) is a Simmering Folk Horror Wrapped in Grief
Title: Daddy’s Head
First Non-Festival Release: October 10, 2024 (Theatrical Release)
Director: Benjamin Barfoot
Writer: Benjamin Barfoot
Runtime: 92 Minutes
Starring: Rupert Turnbull, Julia Brown, Nathaniel Martello-White, Charles Aitken
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the Fantastic Film Festival in 2024.
Losing a loved one is difficult for anyone but imagine losing who you consider your family all before you come of age. Not many people can relate but that doesn’t make it less awful.
This is the case for Isaac (Rupert Turnbull) who is left in the care of his stepmother Laura (Julia Brown) after his father (Charles Aitken) dies in a car accident. Trapped in a haze of unease following the tragedy, the two fall into an unspoken pattern of self-destructive behaviors that the other cannot stop. Laura resorts to drinking to quell the pain of losing her husband and taking on the temporary responsibility of watching over his son, who does not like her. Isaac, however, becomes convinced that his father is still alive, living in the woods in a makeshift hut where he, or something resembling him, is calling out for his son.
Haunting, tense, and unique, Daddy’s Head is a creature feature that will leave an impression.
Another horror film anthropomorphizing trauma via a creature, Daddy’s Head doesn’t offer a simple fix for its central problem. This stand-in for grief comes in the form of a shapeshifting creature whose head takes on the appearance of the victim’s lost loved one. Representing the inability to let go of his father and accept his death, the creature in Daddy’s Head acts as the rift between Isaac and Laura threatening to tear them apart. The creature primarily focuses its sights on Isaac but still torments Laura all the same, especially by proxy of manipulating Isaac into gradually unsafe situations. Rebellion borne from grief doesn’t make for anything exceptionally original, but it still remains an effective way to explore child psychology. All the trappings of the subgenre are on full display here, and yet, Daddy’s Head crafts something splendidly brutal and unique. While the metaphor is apparent throughout the film, it’s never the focus. Instead, Daddy’s Head prioritizes its characters.
The complicated relationship between Laura and Isaac is raw and realistic making for an excellent foundation for conflict. Both family members lost the person that means the world to them, and their nonexistent relationship makes their sprawling modern home feel cold and hostile long before the monster shows. While lacking initial contempt for the other, neither Laura nor Isaac knows how to process the devastating news and coexist in a healthy manner. The conflict comes to a broil as Laura desperately tries to get Isaac to accept his father’s death while he falls deeper under the spell of the trickster creature. Even his father’s best friend Robert (Nathanial Martello-White) cannot break through the illusion, culminating in a terrifying confrontation in the woods.
Julia Brown and Rupert Turnbull play off each other excellently to create the contentious and unstable family dynamic. Brown’s portrayal of a well-meaning but ultimately ill-equipped stepmother comes alive through the daze of alcohol. While Laura drinks away her day, Brown does exceptional work to keep her emotions grounded and fear palpable, walking a tightrope to engender sympathy. Turnbull takes on Isaac’s rage and hurt splendidly, channeling the feelings of a wounded child without getting gratuitous. The emotional core of the film rests on his performance and Turnbull does a great job adapting to everything Daddy’s Head throws at him.
The design elements of Daddy’s Head bring life to a concept that could easily be mishandled in less capable hands. Unlike other monsters, the creature in Daddy’s Head feels like new territory for horror. While shapeshifting isn’t anything new, the creature’s appearance and behavior differentiates it from other imposters. Decidedly not human, or human-like, it resembles something more like an animal with the ability to take on the face and voice of a person. Its sickly slender, spider-like body creeps around with a revolting ferocity, as if it was an impossibly fast dog. To top it off, its body is just as deadly with its fangs as a canine. When written down, it sounds hokey, but the results speak for themselves. Without its excellent special effects team, the monster would not be as tactile and menacing, nor would Daddy’s Head be as creepy.
Affecting and unnerving, Daddy’s Head is an excellent creature feature with a memorable villain. Many may tire of the more blatant metaphorical horror that is in fashion as of late, but Daddy’s Head balances that enough with grounded thrills to justify it. Anchored by stunning special effects, great performances, and deliberate pacing, Daddy’s Head pulls off its eerie concept with aplomb and plenty of scares. Don’t let the title fool you into thinking that this film is anything but an exceptional and emotional creature feature.
Overall Score? 8/10
