The Basement

Another Poundland cheap scary film. This is one of those ‘film within a film’ ones, in which a lousy film maker goes off the rails and decides to make a horror film using real horror. A snuff movie.

This one is called ‘The Basement’. Amazon have the NTSC/USA version but Poundland have the PAL/UK version, and a lot cheaper too.

It looks terrible throughout, mostly done with shaky camera shots where the main character is holding the camera. He does have a few hidden cameras around the place so there are some other point-of-view shots.

The main character himself is rarely clearly seen, which is understandable. He does plan to release this film so does not want to be easily identified. When he speaks to the camera near the final scenes, he is masked.

The acting is pretty good, the plot is believable but it feels dull and predictable throughout. There is very limited gore and you see no deaths.

Until the end. That made the film for me. The end was entirely unexpected and a work of genius. I can’t say anything at all about it without spoiling the film completely but that ending made slogging through the rest of the film absolutely worthwhile.

One pound well spent, I’d say.