There are questions that we ask ourselves, hypothetical ones that can result in lurid, violent fantasies and nightmares. What would you do to protect the ones you love? What if they were taken from you? Killed?
What if it was something worse than that?
Hollywood films are filled with stories that show people's answer to these questions, though they're frequently either glamorized and action-movie'd to death without any real emotion or heart. Australian writer/director/producer Steven Kastrissios has his own answer to the question, and it's an unapologetic, brutal response. His first film, The Horseman, tells the story of Christian (Peter Marshall), a divorced father with an average life, and average job and a generally average existence. He's balding, a little paunchy and mostly unremarkable. Until the day his daughter Jesse (Hannah Levien) is found dead -- with alcohol, cocaine, and heroin in her blood, and semen from four different men inside of her.
What if it was something worse than that?
Hollywood films are filled with stories that show people's answer to these questions, though they're frequently either glamorized and action-movie'd to death without any real emotion or heart. Australian writer/director/producer Steven Kastrissios has his own answer to the question, and it's an unapologetic, brutal response. His first film, The Horseman, tells the story of Christian (Peter Marshall), a divorced father with an average life, and average job and a generally average existence. He's balding, a little paunchy and mostly unremarkable. Until the day his daughter Jesse (Hannah Levien) is found dead -- with alcohol, cocaine, and heroin in her blood, and semen from four different men inside of her.
- 8/18/2010
- by TK
The Horseman is a film so devoid of any lingering thoughts of anything, except bloody, total vengeance. It is this fluidity of violence, this methodical, almost automated outlook that really highlights this film as a different breed of revenge movie on a purist level.
The film is directed with absolute certainty by first feature-length newcomer Steven Kastrissios, and follows, in a twisted irony, pest exterminator Christian, played to bone chilling numbness by Peter Marshall, as he seeks the death of the men that raped his daughter into a drugged stupor and left her to die. So numb is Christian, that between his murders, he frequently cuts himself, just to confirm that he can still feel anything. Anything else is an afterthought, and his mission to avenge his daughter is made clearer by the slight nagging at the back of his mind by the hitch hiker that he picks up. At this point,...
The film is directed with absolute certainty by first feature-length newcomer Steven Kastrissios, and follows, in a twisted irony, pest exterminator Christian, played to bone chilling numbness by Peter Marshall, as he seeks the death of the men that raped his daughter into a drugged stupor and left her to die. So numb is Christian, that between his murders, he frequently cuts himself, just to confirm that he can still feel anything. Anything else is an afterthought, and his mission to avenge his daughter is made clearer by the slight nagging at the back of his mind by the hitch hiker that he picks up. At this point,...
- 7/21/2010
- Screen Anarchy
[Updated with image of the U.S. Blu-Ray Cover] Specifications for the U.S. home video release of the Australian bruiser The Horseman have been floating around the Internet for a little while. However, those specs have been either incomplete or wrong. Director Steven Kastrissios provided us with complete details about what people can except from the June 15th from Screen Media.
The DVD will feature a director's commentary and a group commentary with the director Steven Kastrissios, producer Rebecca Dakin and star Peter Marshall. The Blu-Ray will feature the commentaries as well as a "making of" featurette, a short film by Kastrissios with commentary, deleted scenes with commentary, and Caroline Marohasy and stunt coordinator Chris Anderson.
The DVD will feature a director's commentary and a group commentary with the director Steven Kastrissios, producer Rebecca Dakin and star Peter Marshall. The Blu-Ray will feature the commentaries as well as a "making of" featurette, a short film by Kastrissios with commentary, deleted scenes with commentary, and Caroline Marohasy and stunt coordinator Chris Anderson.
- 5/27/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Prepare to have your head pummeled with a nice big slab of retribution, Aussie style, as Steven Kastrissios’ grim and brutal The Horseman (review here) will be beating its way to a limited theatrical release here in the States.
Screen Media Ventures announced today that The Horseman will be in theatres on June 15th. Check out the film's insane opening below, and look for more soon!
Synopsis:
Action-packed, multi-award winning Australian thriller The Horseman features a range of powerhouse performances in an unflinching study of grief and retribution. Explore the dark fantasies we all dream up when Christian (Peter Marshall) is sent a horrifying pornographic video featuring his recently deceased daughter. Setting out to find answers, he soon spirals into a world of violence and recklessness as he follows the links through the industry with his unique methods of brutal questioning.
Driving through north Queensland to locate the final suspect,...
Screen Media Ventures announced today that The Horseman will be in theatres on June 15th. Check out the film's insane opening below, and look for more soon!
Synopsis:
Action-packed, multi-award winning Australian thriller The Horseman features a range of powerhouse performances in an unflinching study of grief and retribution. Explore the dark fantasies we all dream up when Christian (Peter Marshall) is sent a horrifying pornographic video featuring his recently deceased daughter. Setting out to find answers, he soon spirals into a world of violence and recklessness as he follows the links through the industry with his unique methods of brutal questioning.
Driving through north Queensland to locate the final suspect,...
- 3/18/2010
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Prepare to have your head pummeled with a nice big slab of retribution, Aussie style, as Steven Kastrissios’ grim and brutal The Horseman (review here) will be beating its way to DVD and Blu-ray in the UK on March 1st.
Synopsis:
Action-packed, multi-award winning Australian thriller The Horseman features a range of powerhouse performances in an unflinching study of grief and retribution. Explore the dark fantasies we all dream up when Christian (Peter Marshall) is sent a horrifying pornographic video featuring his recently deceased daughter. Setting out to find answers, he soon spirals into a world of violence and recklessness as he follows the links through the industry with his unique methods of brutal questioning.
Driving through north Queensland to locate the final suspect, he reluctantly picks up Alice (Caroline Marohasy), an awkward young runaway, and an unlikely bond develops. But as the crime is pieced together, an ugly truth...
Synopsis:
Action-packed, multi-award winning Australian thriller The Horseman features a range of powerhouse performances in an unflinching study of grief and retribution. Explore the dark fantasies we all dream up when Christian (Peter Marshall) is sent a horrifying pornographic video featuring his recently deceased daughter. Setting out to find answers, he soon spirals into a world of violence and recklessness as he follows the links through the industry with his unique methods of brutal questioning.
Driving through north Queensland to locate the final suspect, he reluctantly picks up Alice (Caroline Marohasy), an awkward young runaway, and an unlikely bond develops. But as the crime is pieced together, an ugly truth...
- 2/25/2010
- by Pestilence
- DreadCentral.com
- Parents, especially fathers with daughters, will feel a certain kinship with Christian Forteski (Peter Marshall), the vengeful hero of Australian writer/director/editor/producer Steven Kastrissios' feature debut The Horseman. Not your typical revenge flick, this depressing but powerfully intense film explores how one man deals with loss and his own inner demons. After his daughter's death from an overdose, Christian receives a videotape in the mail of her performing in an amateur porn film shortly before her death. Enraged and unable to come to terms with her death, he sets out on a rampage of revenge against the underground porn community, brutally and methodically taking out those he feels are responsible for her death. Along the way, he picks up a young hitchhiker named Alice with whom he develops a kind of father-daughter relationship. Marshall delivers a compelling performance as a man consumed by grief and despair
- 7/21/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
Not only will our very own London correspondent Ben Austwick be there to cover the fest but it's one of the best lineups ever!
How about the world premier for Pa giant insect comedy Infestation? Check.
Sneak preview of La Horde? Check.
UK premier of Cannes premier Hierro? Check.
The surprisingly good Giallo, the latest from Dario Argento? Check.
The world premier of The Descent part 2? Check!
Full schedule after the break. (Yes we copied Dread Central's post. Thanks UncleCreepy!)
Main Programme - Empire 1
# Thursday 27 August
18.30 Triangle (World Premiere)
The Boat That Shocked! Film4 FrightFest is delighted to open this year’s festival with the first ever showing of British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale,...
How about the world premier for Pa giant insect comedy Infestation? Check.
Sneak preview of La Horde? Check.
UK premier of Cannes premier Hierro? Check.
The surprisingly good Giallo, the latest from Dario Argento? Check.
The world premier of The Descent part 2? Check!
Full schedule after the break. (Yes we copied Dread Central's post. Thanks UncleCreepy!)
Main Programme - Empire 1
# Thursday 27 August
18.30 Triangle (World Premiere)
The Boat That Shocked! Film4 FrightFest is delighted to open this year’s festival with the first ever showing of British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale,...
- 7/3/2009
- QuietEarth.us
The UK's most amazing horror film festival Film 4 FrightFest has released what could very well be one of the best horror line-ups we've seen ever for its latest show taking place August 27th - August 31st, brimming with films we've been salivating over Stateside!
If you need any more reasons to fly across the pond check out the schedule below!
Main Programme - Empire 1
Thursday 27 August 18.30 Triangle (World Premiere)
The Boat That Shocked! Film4 FrightFest is delighted to open this year’s festival with the first ever showing of British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale, Triangle is Smith’s best, polished and most mature work.
95 minutes Director: Christopher Smith UK/Australia 2009
Melissa George...
If you need any more reasons to fly across the pond check out the schedule below!
Main Programme - Empire 1
Thursday 27 August 18.30 Triangle (World Premiere)
The Boat That Shocked! Film4 FrightFest is delighted to open this year’s festival with the first ever showing of British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale, Triangle is Smith’s best, polished and most mature work.
95 minutes Director: Christopher Smith UK/Australia 2009
Melissa George...
- 7/3/2009
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
The Horseman follows the story of Christian Forteski (Peter Marshall), and his path of revenge. Christian is completely devastated by learning that his one and only daughter has been found dead of an overdose. He then falls to pieces when he suspiciously receives an anonymous videotape in the mail showing his dazed, strung out daughter having staged sex with several men. Feeling responsible for what has happened and consumed by grief, Christian quickly converts his sadness to rage in an accomplished agenda to track down, torture, and exterminate anyone connected to the tape and his daughter's death. Christian's violent path takes him through rural Queensland, Australia as he uncovers each layer of a drug and sex crime circle. Along the way Christian picks up a troubled runaway teen named Alice (Caroline Marohasy). An unlikely bond forms as Christian's paternal instincts give him new hope in preventing the same thing from becoming of Alice.
- 6/16/2009
- by Dave Campbell
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
What's the time? It's time to get ill! That's right, the 6 films playing at the SXSW midnight lineup courtesy of Fantastic Fest have been announced, and we've reported on quite a few of these, especially The Horseman which we loved. Check em out:
Ong Bak 2 (Thailand)
Director: Tony Jaa. Writer: Panna Rittikrai
Martial-arts superstar Tony Jaa is back in an epic prequel to the 2003 action smash Ong Bak. Cast: Tony Jaa, Sorapong Chatree, Sarunyu Wongkrachang, Nirut Sirichanya, Santisuk Promsiri, Primorata Dejudom (International Film Festival Premiere)
Black (France)
Director: Pierre Laffargue. Writer: Pierre Laffargue, Lucio Mad and Gábor Rassov
A nouveau-blacksploitation adventure awash in black magic, African Mysticism, mutant arms dealers, gargantuan machete-wielding mercenary armies and a truckload of knuckle-sandwiches. Cast: Mc Jean Gab'1, Carole Karemera, François Levantal, Anton Yakovlev (World Premiere)
The Haunting in Connecticut (U.S.)
Director: Peter Cornwell. Writer: Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe
In the tradition...
Ong Bak 2 (Thailand)
Director: Tony Jaa. Writer: Panna Rittikrai
Martial-arts superstar Tony Jaa is back in an epic prequel to the 2003 action smash Ong Bak. Cast: Tony Jaa, Sorapong Chatree, Sarunyu Wongkrachang, Nirut Sirichanya, Santisuk Promsiri, Primorata Dejudom (International Film Festival Premiere)
Black (France)
Director: Pierre Laffargue. Writer: Pierre Laffargue, Lucio Mad and Gábor Rassov
A nouveau-blacksploitation adventure awash in black magic, African Mysticism, mutant arms dealers, gargantuan machete-wielding mercenary armies and a truckload of knuckle-sandwiches. Cast: Mc Jean Gab'1, Carole Karemera, François Levantal, Anton Yakovlev (World Premiere)
The Haunting in Connecticut (U.S.)
Director: Peter Cornwell. Writer: Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe
In the tradition...
- 2/18/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Austin, Texas – February 17, 2008 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival announced the official titles for their new program “SXSW Presents Fantastic Fest at Midnight,” kicking off with the International Film Festival Premiere of Ong Bak 2, the most anticipated new action film of the year. Six films from six countries comprise the lineup, featuring four international premieres, one North American premiere and one U.S. Premiere. From horror to action, to comedy and suspense, these six films collectively represent the spectrum of genre films featured in Austin’s annual Fantastic Fest. All films will play at midnight at the SXSW Film Festival at the Alamo South Lamar, in addition to the traditional SXSW Midnighters section, which will take place at the Alamo Ritz. The program will feature:
Ong Bak 2 (Thailand)
Director: Tony Jaa. Writer: Panna Rittikrai
Martial-arts superstar Tony Jaa is back in an epic prequel to the 2003 action smash Ong Bak.
Ong Bak 2 (Thailand)
Director: Tony Jaa. Writer: Panna Rittikrai
Martial-arts superstar Tony Jaa is back in an epic prequel to the 2003 action smash Ong Bak.
- 2/18/2009
- by noreply@blogger.com (Tim League)
- FantasticFest.com
Year: 2009
Release date: Unknown
Directors: Steven Kastrissios
Writers: Steven Kastrissios
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: agentorange
Rating: 8 out of 10
Not to be confused with Jonas Åkerlundshades' film of a similar title, The Horseman is a new Australian revenge flick that's about to start getting A Lot of worldwide attention. How do I know this when the film has yet to have any commercial screenings and is only now starting to make it's presence known in the Europrean Film Market? Because we've actually had a copy floating around the Qe headquarters for a while just waiting for a screening. Consider how much I'm a sucker for the inherent drama of a good revenge film I'm surprised it's taken me this long to give The Horseman a spin, but man am I glad I finally did because Steven Kastrissios might just be the first director in a long time that truly gets the revenge genre.
Release date: Unknown
Directors: Steven Kastrissios
Writers: Steven Kastrissios
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: agentorange
Rating: 8 out of 10
Not to be confused with Jonas Åkerlundshades' film of a similar title, The Horseman is a new Australian revenge flick that's about to start getting A Lot of worldwide attention. How do I know this when the film has yet to have any commercial screenings and is only now starting to make it's presence known in the Europrean Film Market? Because we've actually had a copy floating around the Qe headquarters for a while just waiting for a screening. Consider how much I'm a sucker for the inherent drama of a good revenge film I'm surprised it's taken me this long to give The Horseman a spin, but man am I glad I finally did because Steven Kastrissios might just be the first director in a long time that truly gets the revenge genre.
- 2/10/2009
- QuietEarth.us
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.