Finally released on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK BAGHEAD comes with an assortment of selling points. The film comes to us from the lens of the Duplass brothers. They of the award-winning Duplass Brothers that is, just to note. Stars a Hollywood darling, Greta Gerwig. Is considered the best of the send-up of low-budget, low frills horror movies that ruled the eyes of the video masses in the early 80s and then digital in the late 90s. And all in under 90 minutes. Now just to note, the 90s are more the target to be honest, and it was in this films sights to parody the whole lot.

Four friends watch a rather empty cinematic dirge and have an idea. They end up in a back of the woods type house, to discuss the idea of writing a screenplay that will be light years ahead of this dump. The idea is simple and it is based on a bag-headed serial killer, who hunts down four friends. They soon discover that there may be more to their imagination as a number of strange things are happening. First, a stolen car battery sees them stranded. Second, strange noises in the night and third, a mysterious sack-wearing maniac enters rooms and leaves nightmares aplenty. Can they escape or are they to fall prey to someone lurking right outside their door in the woods beyond.

I was always impressed and depressed by BAGHEAD. Impressed for the sheer, getting a film out there and delivering it. Depressed because it was not as stellar as talk would make it, though what is. It is not the only film that deals with the imagined and imagination in horror or the parody of that, this reflexive nightmare possibly handles it with enough skill to get it over the line for even the hardened viewer.  Yes, the dialogue scenes drag, the narrative is bloated and the obviousness of the end cause annoyance. We are still given meat aplenty, as it still navigates a journey which is entertaining enough. In order to rationalise this, I would heartily recommend both listening to the commentary from the Duplass brothers and understanding their perception of the film via the questions re asked module. They speak with an understanding of the limitations of tech but also, and this is key, how inspiration can resolve almost all of this to great effect. Well almost. Outside of that, well the other extras are bland enough and like the film, lack edge.

Special Features
Commentary with Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass
Mark and Jay Duplass Answer Questions They’ve Already Answered
Baghead Scares