Head Trauma
“A psychological journey like none other”

     George Walker is a drifter who returns home after many years. His grandmother has passed on, and he returns to claim her house. After arriving, he finds the house in total disarray and condemned, scheduled for demolition. In his attempts to clean up and save the house, he gets into a scuffle with the neighbor boy, Julian, and falls, receiving a blow to his head. He is now plagued by nightmares of a hooded figure. At first he thinks nothing of it, until his nightmares crosses paths with his reality. When his nightmares become real, George is now paranoid that this hooded figure is trying to kill him. Filled with bone-chilling suspense, this is a psychological journey like none other. Will George discover the true secrets that lie within the house? Will George find out who or what the hooded figure is? You have to experience this psychological puzzle to find out.

     Hats off to Lance Weiler (The Last Broadcast). Once again he proves to be a genius behind the camera. A true pioneer filmmaker, he has created a psychological thriller that will have you guessing around every turn. Never have I seen a film such as this. It’s as if you are in the mind of our nightmare plagued, George Walker, trying to claw your way out. We know as much about George as George knows about himself. We learn as George learns. It’s almost as if you get the feeling that you are the character, and George is just a symbol. You get the eerie feeling that this character is you. It takes a lot of balls to try to attempt to make a film on that level. But it’s a whole different thing to try this filming style and make it work. Lance Weiler does just that. He makes the film work perfectly. No stone is left unturned. By the end of the film, all loose ties come together. The viewer is not left with any unanswered questions. For this, I give Lance Weiler another standing ovation.

     Although this is a low budget film, the acting was spot on. Especially that of George Walker, played by Vince Mola. You are totally drawn in by his character, making you feel as if this were happening to you. Never once do you second guess his thoughts or his visions. He is able to pull you straight into his own psychological hell. Another notable performance is the character Julian, played by Jamil A. C. Mangan. He plays the neighbor boy of George, who offers help with the clean up of the house, and, in a sense, unlocks the key to the hidden secrets inside George’s mind, helping George to figure out what secrets lie within the house’s walls.

     This is a true psychological thriller. What I mean is, do not expect this to be a gore fest. In fact, there is hardly any blood what-so-ever, which definitely makes the film work. You are taken on a roller coaster ride through George’s mind. I believe that if there were gallons of blood in this film, it would deter the film and only serve as a distraction. Very, very rarely will you here me say this, but I’m very happy that there was no blood in this film. Instead, there are chills which will make you jump more than once.

     I must say, I loved this film, and definitely recommend this. Watch this at night with the lights out. By the time the film is finished, you will be left with a very uncomfortable and unnerving feeling. I give this an 8 out of 10 nightmares that go bump in the night.

(2006)

Directed by
Lance Weiler

Writing credits
Brian Majeska
Lance Weiler

Credited cast:
Meryl Lynn Brown ... Roberta Thompson
Steve Garvey ... Steve
Jamil A.C. Mangan ... Julian Thompson
Vince Mola ... George Walker
Mary Monahan ... Mary Edwards
Brandee Sanders ... Suzie
Jim Sullivan ... Chet Jackson