Daddy’s Head is a 2024 horror film that uses its tropes to create a disturbing range of visual creepiness. All under the guise of deep diving into the depths of grief and the unknown. This Shudder Original, directed by Benjamin Barfoot, blends psychological horror with supernatural elements, creating a film that keeps you on edge from start to finish. With its modernist aesthetic and eerie atmosphere, Daddy’s Head leaves lingering imagery burned into minds eye.
A Haunting Tale of Grief and Misery
Knowing nothing about Daddy’s Head, the title alone could mean anything. Admittedly, it’s a terrible name for a movie. However, director Benjamin Barfoot’s darkly grim horror film taps into the part of you that knows something isn’t quite right. But you blindly follow anyway.
There is nothing subtle about the first thing you see and Daddy’s Head doesn’t keep you guessing for long. The distinct beep of hospital machines signals that all is not well with this Daddy’s Head.
A Mysterious Beginning For Daddy’s Head 2024
The film opens with the presumption of a massive injury as a woman and a small boy enter a hospital room. The man under the bandages remains a mystery. A voice tells the boy to say goodbye, and it’s assumed that shortly after, the man is laid to rest.
Releasing Soon
Set to release on Shudder on October 11th, Daddy’s Head adopts a modernist vibe with a clean, specific aesthetic. The film promises a monster lurking in the dark woods and offers the first glimpse of the man behind the grief, which permeates every corner of the remote estate.
Laura’s Cross to Bear
In her despair, Laura is burdened with her new husband’s death. Officers visit to settle his affairs, revealing that his only son, Isaac, is now an orphan with no other family. Laura must decide Isaac’s fate: keep him and inherit the house, or send him to social services and start again in her new marital home without her new husband.
Red Flags and Fractures
In a bizarre twist, Laura learns her late husband will be buried near the garden he built for his first wife, right next to the house. If that’s not a red flag, what is? In the days that follow, small fractures in the already broken home begin to appear. There is something lurking, always present and it seeps into all aspects of the narrative. An elusive force that begins to lure Isaac further and further into the woods. In a more exclusive premise, the mysterious darkness wears his father’s face.
When the Dog Senses Something, Be Scared
Laura copes by drinking and listening to rave music, trying to come to grips with her situation. And then, despite both refusing to acknowledge any of the strange things that have started to occur, both see the same thing. She and Isaac see something crouching in one of the rooms. Their dog sees it too.
Practical Effects Galore
The film’s effects are mostly practical and the overall quality is very good for all visuals on screen. The monster generally resembles a spider at times but remains mostly an assumption for viewers in how they might see it. The monster was created using a reported 180 frames of SFX, which is minimal and something the filmmakers are proud of (according to directorial notes.) The film is technically excellent, though, and sets the bar for being both unsettling and strange.
Overall, Daddy’s Head is creepy and engaging enough to be memorable. Worthy of a second viewing for a more in-depth understanding however my take was that the creature was a manifestation of his grief, and was where he went to hide away to cope.
Cast: Julia Brown, Nathaniel Martello-White, Rupert Turnbull, Charles Aitken, Mary Woodvine, and Kaisa Hammarlund.
Directed and written by Benjamin Barfoot.
Looking for other titles with themes of grief within the horror genre? Add Lovely Dark and Deep | Consumed | and They Live in the Grey to your watchlist next.
Love your movies with a good dose of psychological horror? Try adding House of Ashes, Bad Things and The Harbinger to your watchlist.
Watch Daddy’s Head 2024 on Streaming on Shudder from the October 11th.
Read an early review from Guyatthemovies.com who had this to say after seeing it at Fantastic Fest this year.
Daddy’s Head is rated
3.75 Daddy’s Head got smushed out of 5
Daddy's Head On Shudder Streaming Now - Mother of Movies
Director: Benjamin Barfoot
Date Created: 2024-10-11 18:32
3.75
