<PERSON>
You've gotta love <PERSON>. Ok, maybe you don't. He does make a lot of crappy films. However, once in a while he makes a good one. THE BARGE PEOPLE was one - - <PERSON> is another. Set in a snowbound isolated cabin, this here's got some tension and a nice creepy atmosphere. <PERSON> and his father are tracking through the snowy forest hunting deer. <PERSON> sees something in the distance and breaks away from <PERSON> to go investigate. Turns out it's what looks like an old abandoned cabin. Just as he approaches, <PERSON> gets shot in the leg and blacks out. He wakes up to find himself inside the cabin of Old <PERSON> who accidentally shot him because she thought he was one of 'them'. Seems like her cabin is being besieged by what she calls "the red men"; terrifying skinless monsters that leave red bloody footprints in the snow. <PERSON> tends to <PERSON>'s wounded leg and tells him they've got to stick together and protect each other from these red horrors which seem determined to break in.
Not quite a two-hander (if you count <PERSON>' dog King and other characters which appear throughout the film) but about 75% of the film is carried by <PERSON> as <PERSON> and <PERSON> as <PERSON> taking place inside the cabin set. 295
This gives a nice sense of claustrophobia and, what with all the crazy stuff that happens (which I ain't tellin' you about), the suspense and tension is actually quite nicely ramped up. I've seen some talk about bad acting which I don't think is true for our two leads; <PERSON> is quite fine as <PERSON> and <PERSON> is marvelously OTT as dotty ole <PERSON>. Both leads are British and do occasionally let their American accents slip during particularly strenuous scenes but all in all they do a great job.
Also in the cast is future horror movie legend and Steeds regular <PERSON> as Old Thin <PERSON> (yep, you read that right and no, he's not in drag) as the guy <PERSON>'s father enlists to help him organize a search party for his son <PERSON>. <PERSON> has a face made for horror movie icon status and <PERSON> uses him every chance he gets. Here, <PERSON> is on the side of the angels for once. The blood and gore is quite well done and the appearance of "The Red Man" is also terrific. Besides all this, there's an actor who plays a character named <PERSON> who has the best name I've ever seen in the credits of any movie EVER: <PERSON>!!!
The film also has a pretty good script and quite a few twists and turns which will keep you guessing exactly what the hell is going on. The film opens with a prologue involving the <PERSON> family being attacked by "The Red Man" and just when you think they're not gonna 'go there', they GO THERE! This nicely places <PERSON> in the viewer's mind as a real, dangerous threat not to be taken lightly. Along with THE BARGE PEOPLE, I think <PERSON> is probably <PERSON> strongest film (that I've seen, anyway . . . . and I've seen a few). 217