The remake of the notoriously controversial horror film 'Faces of Death' finally met audiences after a bumpy road. The film, which had to stay in storage for two years due to censorship issues, has drawn intense attention from critics and viewers alike upon its release.
On the 11th (local time), Daily Mail reported that the 1978 original's remake 'Faces of Death' was finally screened in theaters this week. Filmed in 2023, the movie was originally scheduled to be shown at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, but its screening was canceled without explanation, forcing it into a 'mysterious two years.'
Director Danielle Goldhaber, who helmed the film, recently confessed in an interview, "I had to fight fiercely over censorship and corporations' interference." In fact, the first teaser released in February was immediately banned on YouTube, and parts of the film's poster were also prohibited from being posted, so the movie faced a rocky road even before its release.
The remake stars Bobby Ferreira, who rose to stardom with HBO's Euphoria, and Dacre Montgomery, the villain from Stranger Things. The film follows a social media content moderator (Ferreira) who chases a serial killer who recreates the original's brutal deaths and posts them online, and it takes a sharp look at social media and censorship issues in modern society.
It is also drawing attention as pop star Charlie XCX makes her acting debut. Although a small role, her acting challenge during the 2023 shoot generated high expectations among fans.
Critical response has exceeded expectations. IndieWire praised it as "smart, self-aware and deeply unsettling horror," and the Los Angeles Times also applauded it as "a clever satire for horror fans who have seen it all." Box office results have also been encouraging. According to distributor IFC, Thursday night preview sales alone totaled $450,000 (about 60 million won), signaling a record-opening performance.
Meanwhile, the 1978 original 'Faces of Death' is infamous as the epitome of the 'video nasty' that was banned from screening in places like the U.K., Germany and Australia for its brutally realistic scenes. At the time, it made large profits with sensational marketing as "a film banned in 46 countries," and the remake arouses interest with powerful gore effects and social messaging befitting that legendary reputation.<
[Photo] film stills, poster
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