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The Quiet Room (2018 film)

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The Quiet Room
Promotional release poster
Directed bySam Wineman
Written bySam Wineman
StarringJamal Douglas
Alaska Thunderfuck
Kit Williamson
Lisa Wilcox
CinematographyBrent Bailey
Edited byKaitlin Hollingsworth
Release date
Running time
28 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Quiet Room is a 2018 American short horror film written and directed by Sam Wineman. It stars Jamal Douglas as Michael, a man who, after a suicide attempt, wakes up in a hospital and starts to believe that he has awakened a demon.[1][2] Alongside Douglas, the film stars Alaska Thunderfuck, Kit Williamson, and Lisa Wilcox.[3]

The Quiet Room was screened at the Nevermore Film Festival and Outfest in 2018,[4][5] and was officially uploaded to Facebook and YouTube by Crypt TV in June 2019.[6][7] The following month, the film was made available for streaming on Shudder.

Synopsis

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The film begins with Michael collecting and swallowing a large amount of pills. Briefly debating to write a suicide note, he decides against it. He wakes in a hospital, where he meets fellow patients Hunter, Rachel, and Joe. They invite him into their group and warn him about Hattie, a demon that stalks suicidal patients. He's told to always keep a cup of water nearby, as Hattie hates water, and that she will kill anyone that comes between her and her chosen victim. Michael shares an attraction with Hunter, particularly after he becomes Michael's roommate. Hunter gives him more information about Hattie, specifically that she is also warded away by suicide notes.

Michael befriends one of the nurses, Amy, who gives him a writing journal. She's later reported to have tripped and fallen over a railing, however Michael is certain that she was killed by Hattie. Later Michael experiences a nightmare about his former lover Ben, who died from exposure on a snowy winter night while the two were camping. He's soothed by Hunter and the two make love. A jealous Hattie later kills Hunter by slitting his wrists in the room's bathroom. Michael is discovered inconsolable over Hunter's body and placed in the quiet room. When he's removed for an exam, Hattie attacks and murders the nursing staff. Mentally and emotionally exhausted, Michael gives up and embraces Hattie in the quiet room. Before she can fully claim him Michael is saved by Rachel and Joe triggering the fire sprinklers, however he chooses to remain behind and face Hattie. Michael writes a "suicide" note stating that he wanted to live and crams it in Hattie's mouth, causing her to fall to the floor motionless. Michael, Rachel, and Joe are then shown happily playing cards outside at a later date. The short ends with Michael turning to look at water spilling out of a hose with a terrified look, implying that Hattie may have possessed him.

Cast

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Production

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In a 2018 interview with Rue Morgue, Wineman described the film as an allegorical way of "[sharing] my personal journey with mental health". The characters of Hattie and Amy were written specifically for their actors, Alaska Thunderfuck and Lisa Wilcox respectively, prior to either signing on for the short film.[10] Wineman has stated that the creative process for a short film was challenging, as it was hard to determine what to include or cut in the film and that he "Had to remind myself that scaffolding is meant to be torn down."[10]

Release

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The Quiet Room screened at the Nevermore Film Festival in February 2018, where it won the Jury Award for Best Long-Form Narrative Short.[4] The film was later screened at the LGBT-oriented film festival Outfest on March 11, 2018.[5] In June of the following year, the film was officially uploaded to Facebook and YouTube by Crypt TV,[6] followed by a release on the streaming service Shudder on July 29, 2019.[2][11]

Reception

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Scream magazine's Jon Dickinson reviewed the short, praising Douglas's acting and stating that the visuals "will make even the most hardened viewer feel unsteady".[12] The San Diego Gay and Lesbian News and David Lopez of Instinct magazine reviewed The Quiet Room favorably, the latter of which writing that it was "refreshing to see a gay lead that pushes the plot forward—not to mention a person of color!".[13][14] Rue Morgue's Bryan Christopher reviewed the film in a roundup of short films for October 2018, stating that it was "the first short film I’ve seen that actually made tears well up while I was watching it."[15][10]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Flowers, Maisy (June 13, 2020). "Best Black Horror Movies To Stream Right Now". Screen Rant. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Squires, John (July 25, 2019). "Shudder's New Arrivals in August Include the First Six 'Nightmare on Elm Street' Movies". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Daw, Stephen (May 9, 2018). "'Drag Race' Alums Alaska and Katya to Star in Upcoming Horror Film 'The Quiet Room'". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Byrne, Jackson (February 20, 2018). "Durham gets spooky with Nevermore film fest". The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Outfest Fusion 2018 Screenings". Outfest. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Millican, Josh (June 29, 2019). "CryptTV's Festival Smash The Quiet Room is Online Now!". Dread Central. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  7. ^ James, Jonathan (June 28, 2019). "The Quiet Room Now Available to Watch Online on Crypt TV". The Daily Dead. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d Lopez, David (May 25, 2018). "Alaska and Katya Will Drag You Out of Your Wig in Gay Horror Film 'The Quiet Room'!". Instinct. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  9. ^ Crucchiola, Jordan (June 27, 2019). "Documentary on History of Queer Horror Coming to Shudder". Vulture. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c Christopher, Bryan (November 6, 2018). "Cut Short Interview with Sam Wineman, Director of "The Quiet Room"". Rue Morgue. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  11. ^ Millican, Josh (July 26, 2019). "Shudder's August 2019 US Highlights Include Elm Street Franchise and Controversial Incident in a Ghostland". Dread Central. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  12. ^ Dickinson, Jon (June 29, 2018). "The Quiet Room: Film Review". Scream. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  13. ^ Lopez, David (May 25, 2018). "Alaska and Katya will Drag You Out of Your Wig in Gay Horror Film 'The Quiet Room'!". Instinct Magazine. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  14. ^ Rawles, Timothy (2018-05-08). "REVIEW: 'The Quiet Room' is complicated horror in short form". San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  15. ^ Christopher, Bryan (October 12, 2018). "Short Cuts: The Horror Short Film Round Up for October". Rue Morgue. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
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