Feed the Light — Feed the Light(Blu Ray)

Feed the Light is the debut full length feature from Swedish producer/director Henrik Moller. Moller had previously had a decent level of success in horror circles with several of his short films, and this 2014 film is his first step up to the longer format. Described as a new landmark in Swedish horror and mixing elements of H.P. Lovecraft’s supernatural cosmic horror with the aesthetics of David Lynch, Moller’s debut feature has certainly received considerable praise, but is it worth it?

The story concerns a young woman, Sara. Sara’s ex-husband has won custody of their daughter Jenny and taken her off to the mysterious facility at which he works. Here at the facility Jenny and her father have become separated and Jenny is roaming the corridors alone. Sara takes a job as a cleaner at the facility in order to track down Jenny and take her home with her. In order to do this Sara has to contend with a series of bizarre twists, and with the help of the janitor and her ex-husband she must travel through a series of interdimensional portals between the different levels of the facility. As she delves deeper into the heart of the facility she must learn more about the mysterious light, and the strange shadowy figures lurking around every corner.

Feed the Light borrows a great deal from the work of David Lynch, from the use of monochrome to the ambient/industrial sound design, and various surreal elements, one is reminded at various points of both Twin Peaks, and in particular Eraserhead. Shot almost entirely in black and white with just a hint of colour (usually red) here and there the film’s bleak industrial backdrop mimics that of Eraserhead, and imitates the dank, creepy atmosphere associated with that film. The sound feels somewhat heightened, as if to mimic the LSD experience, and the constant popping and fizzing of the electric lights reminded of Lynch’s work on the most recent series of Twin Peaks. The musical score is made up of mostly minimalist electronic drones, and ambient/industrial soundscapes, and the special effects whilst cheap are effective and not overused.

Feed the Light is a surreal nightmare of a movie. Unsurprisingly it feels at times like the work of an experienced short film maker attempting to take the step up for the first time to creating a feature length film. Moller has done well in most departments, however there are moments when it feels perhaps more like a mid-length piece stretched to fit into the framework of a feature film. The overall opinion is one of major promise, Moller has shown enough talent to suggest that once he gets used to the extended medium his work will continue to develop, and some truly ground-breaking work could be on the cards. As it stands this is a good first attempt at a feature with enough to suggest it worth keeping an eye on the director, and where he goes in the future.