Outside my house is a field that, despite having many streetlights surrounding it, always remains pitch black at night. I’ve always felt uneasy about living right across from that darkness to the point where I refused to look out my window at night in case I saw something I wasn’t supposed to. I’ve never been able to articulate that feeling of dread to those around me. To many, it’s a regular field of grass and in the daytime, that’s what it is. At night though, it’s something else. Something terrifying. Kyle Edward Ball’s Skinamarink is the answer to that feeling I’ve felt for years and also one of the greatest examples of experimental horror we will ever get.
Childlike Wonder
Skinamarink follows two young children named Kevin (Lucas Paul) and Kaylee (Dail Rose Tetreault) who wake up in the middle of the night. Quickly, they discover that their father is missing. Not only that, the windows and doors within their house have also disappeared. As Kevin and Kaylee find ways to cope with this situation they find themselves in, they rely on videotapes to keep them comforted within the eerie silence. However, it soon becomes clear that Kevin and Kaylee are not alone and something is watching over them.
Kevin and Kaylee are the ultimate heart and soul of Skinamarink. For almost the entire film, we never see these two children. Instead, we hear their footsteps, their breathing, and their voices. The last part is crucial to how the film creates tension. Kevin and Kaylee’s dialogue is simple. It’s basic and most importantly, it’s childlike. Both children aren’t actively seeking a way out of their current situation. Instead, they’re taking advantage of it to have a slumber party. They may wonder why their home has lost the doors and windows but they aren’t figuring out why that is. From the start, Kevin and Kaylee feel like real children in an unbelievable situation, and that realism is where Skinamarink truly shines.
Creating So Much From So Little
A budget of $15000 and a cast of two young children means Skinamarink has very little to work with. However, Kyle Edward Ball sees these restrictions as an advantage for bolder thinking rather than a mere crutch. From the use of public domain cartoons and the universal fear of the dark, Skinamarink manages to create so much from so little.
Many of the scares within Skinamarink come from what your mind creates when watching. It’s a film that forces you to look inside thick darkness to the point where you can swear you see something staring back at you. At times, that’s exactly what it is. Other times, it’s simply your brain playing tricks on you. This playful nature of Skinamarink over the hundred minute runtime ramps up to a show-stopping third act that shook me to my absolute core.
Agonizing Horror
At first, the horror of Skinamarink is simple. An upside-down chair, footsteps and whispers fill the rooms with the only resource against it being the sound of children’s cartoons. However, the film continues to ramp up this terror to almost unbearable levels. Although it requires patience to get to the truly terrifying sequences contained within, the perfectly crafted pacing makes that wait worth it.
Part of why Skinamarink works so well as a horror film is how dedicated it is to bring the viewer back to their most childish tendencies. The fear of the dark, the upstairs or the basement and even what might be under your bed. All of these are relatable formats of terror that we face as children yet it’s a corner of the horror genre that feels unexplored. As children come to terms with their wider imagination, their fears follow right behind them. Sometimes, those fears are more terrifying than we can truly begin to understand. The lack of knowledge of the wider world means a child’s image of horror can be even more unnatural and the potential of what that looks like can rattle you to the bone.
‘Skinamarink’ – Final Thoughts
Skinamarink demands patience that many may not be willing to provide for the film. Those willing to give it that time, however, will be treated to an audio and visual nightmare. As a horror film, it’s a successful and experimental entry into the genre. As a directorial debut, it’s one of the boldest beginnings to a career I’ve ever seen. There’s nothing else like Skinamarink and regardless of whether or not it works for you, it’s a thrillingly original piece of cinema that’s a miracle to behold.
Skinamarink is now streaming on Shudder. Check out the trailer below!
