By Becca Johnson - October 12, 2024
Opening at Fantastic Fest last September to high praise, Daddy’s Head is the newest Shudder Original to hit the streaming platform this spooky season. Marking the second feature-length directorial effort from Benjamin Barfoot, who previously impressed with comedy horror Double Date, Daddy’s Head promises to offer something a little different - a dark, atmospheric exploration of grief.
Starring Julia Brown (World on Fire) and Rupert Turnbull (Nativity Rocks!) as a stepmother and stepson who must come to terms with a terrible loss. Oozing with an eerie atmosphere, fantastic creature design and convincing central performances, Daddy’s Head crafts competent scares whilst delivering a captivating and heart-wrenching story centering on grief, death and loss.
Daddy’s Head largely takes the shape of a slow-burning, meticulously crafted horror with a steady build. Mostly taking place in one single location, it focuses on the strained relationship between young Isaac and his stepmother after the death of his father. It may not be padded out with a large cast, action aplenty or a myriad of jump scares, but it does boast masterful tension building and an uncomfortable atmosphere. From the get-go, there is a looming sense of dread to immediately immerse yourself in, as this family are plunged into a harrowing situation that’s hard to fathom unless you’ve been there yourself. It’s a slowly bubbling pot that takes time to boil, ensuring full development of the depiction of sudden grief through its two central characters. The film makes it pretty obvious from the start what it’s going for, as you’re instantly itching to figure out whether the scares on display are real ones or just ghosts of the past, but that doesn’t mean it’s not effective. The emotion is there, the pacing is good and the looming dread and tension hits pretty high on the scare scale.
Daddy’s Head is not entirely devoid of familiar scares, so those looking for something a little more tangible this Halloween season need not look elsewhere. Cleverly utilising jump scares that are not only well-placed but scarcely used, means they always pack a punch and manage to illicit the correct response. There is plenty of horror imagery on display that will effortlessly send a shiver down your spine, from the family dog barking at the unknown to the eerie, deep forests with trees that seem to be hiding something.
The most notable element of Daddy’s Head in terms of the scares is the creature design. Cleverly replicating something similar to what the father looked like whilst laying in hospital, it’s pure nightmare fuel in more ways than one. Not only does it look and sound completely gnarly, but by taking shape of such a heart-breaking sight, it manages to show how hard it is to shake these images. Those soul-destroying moments stay with us forever, whether we like it or not, and this only adds to the horror within Daddy’s Head.
The film rests on the shoulders of Julia Brown as recently widowed stepmother, and Rupert Turnbull as young son Isaac. The pair are excellent, with their rocky relationship becoming one of the films grittiest elements. Brown excels as a stepmother who has been thrust into motherhood much quicker than expected. She clearly has a lot of love for Isaac, but also makes it clear that she didn’t intend on being a parent. With no other family to help out and unsure quite how to deal with him, it’s quite easy to sympathise with her. An emotional turn is expected from Brown, and she delivers one. Rupert Turnbull is equally good, which is impressive given his young age and the demand of the role. He emits the fear and upset needed beautifully, creating someone easy to root for. Though they don’t often see eye to eye, both characters are likable enough to help us want the best for them, and hope they pull through as a team.
The performances aren’t the only technical element up to scratch, as Daddy’s Head boasts gorgeous cinematography and intriguing production design making for an aesthetically pleasing watch. The countryside setting is paid attention to, with many beautiful shots that juxtapose well with the showy, sterile interiors of the home the pair are marooned in.
Horror movies that explore grief, loss and how that can manifest into something dark are not a rarity, which may stop Daddy’s Head from making an imprint on the genre. Though the themes are explored well and with tremendous care, heightened only by a fantastic pre-teen performance, it lacks a little edge that others within the genre seem to have. With surprisingly great cinematography, up-to-scratch acting and an unfiltered sense of dread that’s able to take hold of you immediately, Daddy’s Head is more than worth a watch, especially when considering how fantastic the creature design is. It may be too slow paced for some, and the familiar ideas can only take it so far, but it does well with its heart-breaking and eerie narrative.
Daddy's Head is streaming now on Shudder
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