{Fantastic Fest 2024} WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL

A haunted library and an in depth conversation about the hereditary nature of mental illness? That certainly sounds like my jam. While there is much to like about Danny Villanueva Jr newest film it doesn’t quite meet my lofty expectations. That beings said, its a deeply disturbing film with some cracker scares that highlight a tremendous performance from its lead Asya Meadows. WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL is a small reserved film well worth a watch.

Villanueva Jr uses a found footage patina to tell the story of Ozzie Gray (Asya Meadows) as she begins to understand her own struggle with mental health as an adult, she realizes that her grandmother’s violent attack on her when she was a young child has more to reveal about her past and self. After journeying back to a haunted library in her hometown associated with an urban legend, Ozzie confronts the secrets kept from her and a terrifying supernatural threat. I have a well documented love of found footage movies.

I cut my teeth on THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and am always down for a cheaply made movie featuring a shaky cam. They can often be used to hide poor camera technique and can be used by directors who lack talent or confidence. That is not Villanueva Jr. He offers a confident vision of the world he has created and in many ways I wish the film used a more traditional method of storytelling that highlighted his vision. As it is we get the typical ‘here is why the lead character is filming scene’ which feels unnecessary. Often the contrivances of found footage limit the scope of Villanueva’s storytelling. He is the real deal and its impressive to witness despite the limitations of the style.

Found Footage can give a film a heart and authenticity that traditional movies sometimes lack. That is not necessary the case here as Meadows brings all of that to her performance. She is an absolute movie star which is important as she is featured in almost every scene. While the cast boosts horror legends Lisa Wilcox (NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4 and 5) and Michael Hargrove (Nia DaCosta’s CANDYMAN) there is no doubt Meadows is the star. She steals every scene and I can’t wait to see what she is in next.

The library setting is perfect for this creepfest. I want to have a drink at this place and play with Ozzie’s make shift Ouija board. Perhaps the scariest space in this entire film though manages to manifest as we get these eighties style like VHS flashbacks where we get to meet Ozzie’s grandma. It is some of the scariest, weirdest, most unsettling moments I have seen this year. What makes it a bit more unnerving is that I don’t know exactly why they hit me so hard. The vibe managed to capture that feeling of being a kid at a Thanksgiving dinner full of old family members just looking to hit you with their canes (looking at you Uncle Bill…legitimately I remain scared of the brass knocker on the top of his cane). If I had any gripe it would be the wish for more of these scenes. I don’t need blood, or ancient Wiccan rituals, or even haunted books. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of those things. But scary old people, as I turn into one myself, are kind of my thing. The idea that we cannot predict the actions of our relatives and that not all of them may have our best interest at heart is a far scarier tale to tell and I wanted a bit more of that.

There are lots of found footage films and typically I like to champion the genre. If I may pick a fight with myself all of the principals involved in WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL are too talented for the subgenre. The scares are there. The talent behind and in front of the camera are definitely there. The style may artificially limit those things but Dorothy Bell remains an excellent entry and introduces an up and coming director to the genre world.

I screened WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL as part of Fantastic Fest 2024. The festival remains one of the best genre film festivals in the country mostly because they highlight interesting and innovative films like this one. As of right now WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL does not have distribution but surely it will get snapped up quick.