A group of young offenders are taken on a character building trip by a couple of adult case workers. They arrive in a tiny village which isn’t recognised by satellite navigation or standard maps. The Yorkshire village of Mortlake keeps itself to itself, and its inhabitants do not appreciate outsiders. The Dirty Hole pub is the place of congregation for the many strange and dangerous locals. After an early run-in with a couple of unsavoury individuals, the pub landlord intercedes, assuring the group of their safety under his control. However, after seeming the most normal, it would appear he could be the most dangerous. The truth of the matter is soon apparent when a sick and twisted show is put on for the enjoyment of the inbreds. The outsiders are imprisoned and lined-up one-by-one to be stars of the show...

When you read a film tag line like “They came in peace. They left in pieces.” you just know the film is either beneath contempt, or a tongue-in-cheek attempt at black humour. Curiously, Inbred is neither. The first point of interest is that it’s home grown. A British flick - and one which was selected to be shown at the 2011 Frightfest in London’s West End - at least tells us we’re unlikely to get another The Hills Have Eyes or Cabin Fever clone. In fact, I don’t think I can remember seeing a film like this before based in good ol’ Blighty.

Much as I expected to hate this, I found myself being compelled to watch; reeled in by strong, believable characters and the quite, quite bizarre interactions of the locals. The whole thing is completely off-kilter, like you’ve suddenly stepped into The Twilight Zone, but simultaneously completely grounded in realism. The attacks or killings are at times sudden, and the shock and mundanity with which they are carried out (as if this is done on a very regular basis), leave you caught between laughing and exclaiming a suitable expletive. I viewed this as a slightly new and refreshing direction for the carnivorous Hillybilly premise. Without doubt, this century’s new The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

There are some nice extras on this disc: Director’s Diary; a very interesting Making of... documentary; 2 Deleted Scenes; Michael’s Clips (Michael Sanderson worked on set construction, and owns Skipton Grange where location filming took place); and Neil’s Highlights (a different perspective Making of..., with behind-the-scenes and interviews).

8

Ty Power