This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the work being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Devanny Pinn takes on a monumental task in her directorial debut. There are a number of films and documentaries about Ted Bundy and every new one runs the risk of getting lost in the shuffle. The Black Mass is a true crime thriller that takes place over 24 hours. Set in 1978 Florida, the Popcorn Frights World Premiere chronicles the events leading up to a brutal rampage at a sorority house.
Most releases about Bundy end up glamorizing him. The power of his charisma and his good looks share the spotlight with the gruesome acts he committed. The Black Mass initially seems like it is going to go a similar route. As the uncomfortable plot progresses, the movie almost goes in the opposite direction. Rebuffed and laughed at, this Ted Bundy (Andrew Sykes) is a monster, plain and simple. The camera does not even fully show his face, taking away a common talking point while adding fear and tension.
This may be the most interesting part of The Black Mass. It does take the audience into the mind of a killer, but only for the briefest of peeks. Ted is frustrated, calculating, and manipulative, but the film never tries to explain his motivations. The violence is senseless; any attempt to understand would be counterintuitive to what is being portrayed.
The dialogue adds to the lack of meaning behind the savagery. The characters have normal conversations that are not loaded with foreshadowing or hidden messages. They are just sorority sisters going about their lives. It is a neat trick that uses trivial interactions as character building.
The Black Mass – Teaser from Jaguar Motion Pictures on Vimeo.
When everything comes to its barbaric climax in the third act, The Black Mass has fully pulled viewers in. There are some bumps along the way – some scenes do have a tendency to run long, for example – but nothing that will ruin the viewing experience. Methodical and powerful, this is a clever addition to the true crime subgenre.
The Popcorn Frights Film Festival takes place from August 10 -20. The schedule and tickets can be found HERE
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