Boys From County Hell is a 2020 Irish vampire comedy horror film.[1][2]
| Boys from County Hell | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Chris Baugh |
| Written by | Chris Baugh, Brendan Mullin (Co-Story By) |
| Produced by | Brendan Mullin, Yvonne Donohoe |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Ryan Kernaghan |
| Edited by | Brian Philip Davis |
| Music by | Steve Lynch |
Release date |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
Plot
editSet in Six Mile Hill, a fictional backwater town, whose only claim to fame is that Bram Stoker stayed there once and based Dracula on the local legend of Abhartach. When Abhartach is awakened after the cairn over his remains is demolished due to the preparation for bypass already unpopular with the locals, the construction team that demolished the cairn must set out to make it right.[1]
Cast
edit- Jack Rowan as Eugene Moffat
- Nigel O'Neill as Francie Moffat
- Louisa Harland as Claire McCann
- Michael Hough as SP McCauley
- John Lynch as George Bogue
- Fra Fee as William Bogue
- Jordan Renzo as Christian
- Lalor Roddy as Elliott
- Morgan C. Jones as Charlie Harte
- Andrea Irvine as Pauline Bogue
- Robert Strange as Abhartach
- Marty Maguire as Gabriel
- Kathy Monahan as Marie McCann
- Emma Paetz as Michelle
- David Pearse as Cathal
- Stella McCusker as Pearl
- Conor Grimes as Thomas
- Bronagh Elmore as Eugene's mum
- Parnell Scott as teenage boy
- Ellie McKay as teenage girl
- Liam Miley as himself
- Steven Miller as himself
Production
editThe film is directed by Chris Baugh, who also co-wrote the film with Brendan Mullin, expanding on a previous short film of the same name.[2][3] Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen were among the funders of the film.[4]
Release
editBoys From County Hell received its world premiere at the 2020 Tribeca Film festival.[4]
Critical reception
editThe film has a rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 58 reviews with the consensus "Boys from County Hell stands out as an uncommonly good time in the crowded vampire genre -- and proves the Irish countryside is a fine setting for slaying the undead."[5] Writing in The Guardian, Phil Hoad found that the film, although inventive and amusing, did not always successfully mesh its comedy and horror aspects.[1] Jordan King in Empire magazine also applauded its inventiveness, but also praised the depth of characterisation, describing it as "a playful yet surprisingly poignant vampire yarn that takes on folklore, familial turmoil, and the perils of poor town-planning with aplomb."[2]
Accolades
editAt the 2021 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, Baugh and the film won the jury prize for best European Fantastic Film.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c Hoad, Phil (3 August 2021). "Boys from County Hell review – vampire horror-comedy is a bloody good laugh". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ a b c King, Jordan (August 6, 2021). "Boys From County Hell". Empire.
- ^ McGoran, Peter (6 August 2021). "Boys From County Hell: Inside the new NI horror comedy". BelfastLive. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ a b Abroad (3 March 2020). "Boys From County Hell to world premiere at 2020 Tribeca Film Festival". Scannain. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ "Boys from County Hell". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ "NIFFF 2021 : UN PALMARÈS QUI COURONNE LA RELÈVE". Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (in French). 10 July 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.