Strange Factories
Strange Factories is a 2013 British experimental horror film written, directed by John Harrigan and produced by the British immersive theatre and production collective FoolishPeople. The film is an example of interactive cinema, featuring a mixture of film and live performance.[1] It centers on a writer, who travels through a mysterious landscape filled with cultists, hallucinatory visions, and a mysterious factory that emanates a strange humming sound.
| Strange Factories | |
|---|---|
![]() Official Strange Factories film poster  | |
| Directed by | John Harrigan | 
| Written by | John Harrigan | 
| Produced by | John Harrigan Lucy Harrigan Tereza Kamenicka  | 
| Starring | John Harrigan Annalisa Astarita Rachael Blyth  | 
| Cinematography | Yiannis Katsaris | 
| Edited by | Bettina Fung | 
| Music by | Stephen Baysted | 
Production company  | |
| Distributed by | FoolishPeople | 
Release date  | 
  | 
Running time  | 132 minutes | 
| Country | United Kingdom | 
| Language | English | 
Plot
    
A tormented writer named Victor journeys through a mysterious, dream-like landscape in search of a group of performers from a theater that mysteriously burned down. As he continues through the landscape, he begins to uncover a bizarre cult under the hallucinatory influence of a nearby factory, and a sinister pact he once made with its owner. All the while he is tormented by visions and a strange humming sound that emanates from the factory.
Cast
    
- John Harrigan as Victor
 - Annalisa Astarita as Hettie
 - Rachael Blyth as Emma
 - Tereza Kamenicka as Lady Thayn
 - David Monard as Sam
 - Claire Louise Oliver as Jessica
 - Lucy Harrigan as Rose
 - Claire Tregellas as Jess
 - Mark Postgate as Arlec
 - Xanadu Xero as Marina
 
Reception
    
Ain't It Cool News gave the film a positive review, writing, "Strange Factories may not be for the more literal-minded of horror fans. But fans of the theatrical side of performances, the technical side of writing, and the appreciators of the surreal and offbeat will find a lot of things to appreciate."[2] Sarah Stewart from The Londonist praised the film's atmosphere, suspense, and innovative blending of celluloid and live-action performance.[3] Rachel Simm from The Latest Brighton gave the film three out of five stars, praising the film's atmosphere, and suspense, calling it "eerie, unsettling and somewhat puzzling".[1]
References
    
- Simm, Rachel (12 November 2013). "Strange Factories". TheLatest.co.uk. The Latest Brighton. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
 - "AICN Horror looks at The Last Buck Hunt! Chimeres! The Sacrament! Pieces of Talent!". Aintitcool.com. AICN. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
 - Stewart, Sarah (29 October 2013). "Immersive Theatre And Film At The Cinema Museum". Londonist.com. The Londonist. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
 
