''Freak Out'' is a 2004 British

horror comedy film Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary genre, literary, television genre, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as able to be categorized under three ty ...

. It was directed by Christian James and written by him and Dan Palmer.

Plot

When die-hard horror movie fan Merv Doody (

James Heathcote James Heathcote (17 January 1894 – after 1928) was an English association football, footballer who scored 83 goals from 197 appearances in the Football League playing for Blackpool F.C., Blackpool, Notts County F.C., Notts County, Lincoln City ...

) finds a dangerous escaped mental patient at his doorstep, he has a panic attack but regains his cool when he realizes the potential in the hapless killer. Merv invites best pal Onkey (Dan Palmer) over and the two soon set about executing a makeover on the maniac to create the ultimate slasher movie villain. Outfitted with a snazzy orange jumpsuit, an appropriately menacing hockey mask, and armed with a spatula, Merv and Onkey's murderous creation soon sets out on a violent rampage that sends the small-town citizens of Redwater Cove running for their lives. Upon realizing that they are the only ones who can put an end to the bloody killing spree, the longtime horror fans prepare to put their vast knowledge of slasher disposal to the ultimate test.

Cast

Production

''Freak Out'' began filming on 20 October 1999, and ended 12 June 2003 with an estimated budget of £30,000. The film was shot at both

Bournemouth Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the Southern ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, UK, and

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, England, UK.

Reception

The film garnered mostly positive reviews from critics.

Awards

In 2004, Director Christian James, won the Commendation Award during the

Festival of Fantastic Films The Festival of Fantastic Films is an annual non-profit celebration of ''cinema fantastique'', held annually in central Manchester, England. It was created by Tony Edwards and the late Harry Nadler (both members of the Delta Film Group, an amateur ...

, in UK. That same year, he won the Best Genre Cross Over award at the

Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival The Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Providence, Rhode Island, which features a wide variety of horror, sci-fi, and thriller films, as well as documentaries, from the United States and around the w ...

External links

* * * 2004 horror films British comedy horror films 2004 films Parodies of horror 2000s English-language films 2000s British films