Next Of Kin (1982)

4 / 5 Dec '08
Tagline: There is something evil in this house
Directed by: Tony Williams
Written by: Michael Heath, Tony Williams
Actors include: Jacki Kerin, John Jarratt, Gerda Nicolson
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 89 minutes
Banned: Nope
Country: Australia/New Zealand

Review:
I'd read about this one in my Horror Shows book (which I read religiously) as a child and have been dying to see it since. Finally I had the opportunity to witness this little chiller from down under and I sure am glad for it was worth the wait. At first it's relatively confusing but compelling, but it's one of those stories that will build up into total understanding by the end. It's beautifully shot with definitely artistry and style, wonderful camera work really. The acting works, and the story is rather unique although it does borrow certain scenes from other movies I've seen. It's about a young Woman who moves back to her home town when her Mother dies. She inherits a Nursing Home, and begins reading her mother's diary. As the elderly start dying in fantastic ways suspicion begins to mount but even stranger still is when the events start lining up with her Mother's diary. Really an interesting and creepy story that comes to an awesome conclusion complete with a sugar cube tower, an explosion and oh yeah many deaths. It's unbelievable that this film hasn't received more acclaim...in fact it has just over 100 votes on the IMDB only! Really a lost classic that I think any fan of horror with a little patience would adore.