Creep (2014) Limited Edition Blu-ray Box set Review
Lauded as one of Empire’s 50 best horrors of the 21st Century CREEP has been described as ‘Among the funniest and scariest horror-comedies of this century’ (Deep Focus Review) and now the acclaimed horror is the next in line for the Second Sight Films Limited Edition treatment this winter.
This creepy feature is directed, co-written by, and starring Patrick Brice as cash-strapped videographer Aaron, who answers an online ad for a one-day job in a remote mountain town and heads deep into the unknown, documenting the journey on his trusty camera. On arrival, he meets his new employer – Josef – played in a wickedly unhinged turn by Mark Duplass, who shares the brief… he’s a dying man who wants Aaron to film his video message for his unborn child…
But as the day progresses, his requests get stranger and then darker and his behaviour become increasingly more bizarre… dare you watch the footage that unfolds?
Creep Limited Edition Blu-ray Box set is set for release on 9 December 2024 and will also be available as a Standard Edition. The set is presented in a stunning rigid slipcase complete with new artwork by Luke Headland and comes packed with a slew of brilliant special features including a new commentary, interviews and a live Q & A with cast and crew, a deleted scene, an alternative ending and more.
CREEP has its basis in a series of improvised conversations between Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice (who directed CREEP) that were filmed and then screened to friends. Based on their friends’ feedback what was originally conceived as a potential black comedy changed direction and became a horror film instead.
Using MISERY, FATAL ATTRACTION and MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, as well as some of debuting director Brice’s experiences on Craigslist, to help mould and define their project, both Duplass and Brice ended up with multiple versions of each scene to choose from. The finished film met with a positive response from critics and went on to spawn a sequel, released in 2017, and a spin-off TV series – THE CREEP TAPES – which is scheduled to air 15th November 2024 on Shudder.
If improvisation is not your thing, or indeed found footage, then I would suggest giving CREEP a very wide berth. CREEP is a movie that requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. Would you really tolerate someone as blatantly unhinged as Mark Duplass’ Josef for the money? I know I wouldn’t but then if videographer Aaron had thrown the towel in and buggered off back home then there would be no movie.
Josef is never as creepy as the filmmakers might believe him to be. Instead, he comes across as irritating rather than sinister and consequently I spent the entire movie wanting to punch him out and wishing that Aaron would do so on my behalf. CREEP lacks much-needed ambiguity and consequently we are never in any doubt that Josef is dangerous, it would have been nice to have that element of doubt to pull us in more.
The movie leans towards homoerotism, if only for effect, especially during the film’s shared bathtub scene. This scene reminds one that Duplass had previously starred in HUMPDAY (film I liked a lot) which was about two straight men agreeing to star in a porn film together, so perhaps having two men naked together and tapping in to resulting tension that this might create is a recurrent theme in his work.
CREEP did not work for me. It felt contrived and indulgent. There are moments that work but overall, this irritated me instead of keeping me on the edge of my seat. Do please take into consideration that found footage films leave me cold, so if you love found footage then this might be for you, just be prepared to suspend your disbelief a lot!
Special Features
New audio commentary with Director Patrick Brice, Editor Christopher Donlon and Actor Mark Duplass
Archive audio commentary with Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass
Peachfuzz: A new interview with Director Patrick Brice
Into Darker Territory: A new interview with Actor Mark Duplass
Expand the Universe: A new interview with Editor Christopher Donlon
10 Years of Creep: A live Q&A with Cast and Crew
Deleted Scene: Cold Opening
Alternative Scene: Message to Aaron
Alternative Endings
Limited Edition Contents
Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Luke Headland
70-page book with new essays by Sarah Appleton, Kat Ellinger, David Kittredge, and Amber T
6 collectors’ art cards