With its atmosphere cranked up to an 11, All You Need Is Death is proof positive that creaky old folktales can still be disturbing in this modern world. All You Need Is Death takes its time unfurling its tapestry of gold and black. It’s spattered with blood and keeps part of its forward momentum steeped in the past and it works to create an unsettling experience. It’s complicated and full of a strong sense of dread as one young couple, Anna (Simone Collins) and Aleks (Charlie Maher) , discover just what it means to be remembered in song.
Having taught a college class in the mythology found in folk songs, I find the dark subject at the center of Dublin-based writer/director Paul Duane’s feature debut to be endlessly fascinating. It’s quite eerie, too, as Duane allows the terror to seep in through imagery that might not make sense . . . at first. Yet, there’s a kinetic pull to this debut which is smart. Much of All You Need Is Death lulls the viewer into a hallucinatory sense which is not easily shaken.
Doubling down on the whole mythological angle, Duane also presents viewers with a secret organization who travel by night to discover the forbidden truths in old and forgotten songs. This knowledge is not for the meek or weak of heart and theirs is a journey worth remembering.
Because it soon ends in a wild and nightmarish situation they can never escape from . . . and that’s thanks in part to the inclusion of Rita Concannon (Olwen Fouéré), a mysterious elderly woman who knows the darkest of alchemy hidden in songs they’ve never heard before. Suddenly, an ancient evil is unleashed and their relationship will never be the same again.
This is pure nightmare fuel, folks. And, once seen, it’s hard to scrub your skin clean from the chaos of the chorus heard here in this ancient Irish folk song. It’s hard to forget and, thanks to all the talent involved both in front of the camera and behind, it works to create an unshakable melody of madness.
All You Need Is Death stars Olwen Fouéré (Mandy, Sally Hardesty from 2022's Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Charlie Maher (Blue Lights), Simone Collins (The Last Duel), and Gary Whelan (The Contract). The film had its World Premiere at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles, followed by an Irish Premiere at Cork International Film Festival. The haunting film debuts on VOD and in U.S. cinemas on April 11th.
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 90 mins
Director: Paul Duane
Writer: Paul Duane
Cast: Simone Collins; Charlie Maher; Olwen Fouéré
Genre: Horror
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "the future is picked clean."
Distributor: XYZ Films
Official Site:
Release Date: April 11, 2024
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A young couple who collect rare folk ballads discover the dark side of love when they surreptitiously record and translate an ancient, taboo folk song from the deep, forgotten past.
