Tribeca Horrors 2008: The Cottage

Just like our extensive and exhausting (on our side, at least) coverage from last year (read it all right here), we’re compiling as much info as we can for the horror offerings at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, going down in NYC this April 23rd – May 4th!

Today our focus is on Paul Andrew Williams’ The Cottage, a UK horror/comedy that’s been getting some great word of mouth from its various festival screenings. The film stars Doug Bradley, Jennifer Ellison, Reece Shearsmith, Andy Serkis and Steve O’Donnell and goes a little something like this;

Peter (Reece Shearsmith of the comedy troupe The League of Gentlemen) is a real wimp. He's got a domineering wife and even a fear of moths. So how'd he end up holding a pottymouthed gangster's daughter (Jennifer Ellison) hostage in an isolated country cottage with his brother, a hardened criminal (Andy Serkis, The Lord of the Rings)? From the beginning, every step of Peter and his brother's simple plan goes wrong. Their head-butting hostage seems to be more trouble than she's worth, her bumbling brother (Steve O'Donnell, Shakespeare in Love), who is in on the scheme, can't even get a decent ski mask, and they certainly hadn't counted on two murderous Chinese gangsters lurking in the woods. When their hostage escapes on a bathroom break, the chase leads them to a seemingly abandoned farmhouse where someone dangerous lurks-and he has an axe, a freezer full of hands, and who knows what in the basement.

Definitely a change up from Williams’ first film, London to Brighton! You can see when & where the film is playing this year’s Tribeca Film Festival below, followed by some official stills and, of course, The Cottage trailer. Enjoy!

- Johnny Butane