The Lantern Man

The Lantern Man is a short horror based on English folklore – but set within very modern parameters. Its protagonist is haunted by voices and visions, with viewers left to ponder whether the true horror is in them being true or false.

David (Tim Cullingworth-Hudson) awakens from unconsciousness in an abandoned house alone. He hears the voices of his abusive father (Nigel Betts) and mother (Ali Lidbetter), as well as his missing wife (Janina Picard), who recount painful memories and moments from his past. But not all of these are memories that he recognises. The visions lead him to probe deeper into the house – unbeknownst that a horrifying presence is leading him along…

The Lantern Man is a solid short horror in its own right, well-paced and wasting no time in cranking up the tension and scares throughout its crisp 5-minute run. Ominous music, skittish edits and the genuinely unnerving voiceovers from David’s family (delivered with visceral menace in particular by Nigel Betts) provide standard scares that audiences will expect. The house David explores is similarly intimidating and designed with darkness in mind, whilst the titular Lantern Man (Grant Halford), who makes only a brief but memorable appearance suitably disturbs – a triumph for the visual and practical effects team.

What makes this short stand out is the ambiguity woven throughout David’s brief investigation. The audience knows nothing about this man from the moment he awakens. We hear the voices in his head, and his own responses to these. But where the truth lies is another matter. Are the memories of his father’s abuse or his failure as a husband his own? Or are they implanted by the Lantern Man? David’s insistence that he doesn’t drink suggests their presence may be sinister, but then again it never is truly explained why he passed out…

Is the Lantern Man a monster seeking out his next victim? Or a presence called upon by those deserving of his fury? It is these kinds of questions that make this film memorable. Tim Cullingworth-Hudson’s performance in the leading role is impressive in its own regard, but his script and direction (along with Jon Kent) is his finest contribution to the film – adding an isolation and depth to David that is impossible to discern from performance alone.

The Lantern Man hits the target that all horror films should aim for – in making real-life as scary as the monsters. The questions around David’s past and his actions towards those he loves are what make his situation terrifying, the Lantern Man is just a bonus. In world of mediocre films that do a lot less with a lot more, The Lantern Man lights the way.