The Bay DVD Review

The Bay is one of those films that, for a while, refused to dismount all your favourite horror sites, instead riding a wave of publicity that saw its posters, trailers, and clips trickle down to a (generally) not-too-bothered fan base. Considering the fact that Barry Levinson (Rain Man) is in the director’s chair it’s easy to see why The Bay is getting so much attention.

The Bay takes Jaws, Piranha, our terror for ecological disaster and conspiratorial governments, mixes them up, plants them in an adorable wee fishing town in Maryland then lets everything spiral out of control. Amateur reporter Donna Thompson recalls all this three years later, narrating the patchwork of news coverage, home movie, and CCTV that has been salvaged since the terrible events of July 4th 2009, when a mysterious plague swept through the town.

Levinson tackles the beginnings of the epidemic with ease, carefully constructing a community so idyllic its almost queasy. The initial signs of trouble slip quickly into a fully-fledged plague-like affair but it’s those first moments of panic and terror that are presented in a much more sombre tone to help to set the film’s regretful mood. Unfortunately the last half skips on tension: suddenly everyone is dead and people blowing their brains out on first signs of itchy patches. The film just seems to lose itself in the imagery of chaos, enjoying the sight of panic and eventual silence more than trying to relay that disorientation to the audience.

Cut with all the finesse of a five year old with ADHD, The Bay squanders a nice tense first half by trying to spread itself over too much ground in the last. Jumping between perspectives should have given the story a much needed scope but it doesn’t pull off. ‘From the producers of Insidious and Sinister’ is what you’ll find proudly flaunted close to the film’s title in any publication, notice the pattern of naff third acts emerging here. Hopefully the producers will too.

One of the more interesting found-footage escapades of the past few years, The Bay fails to close the curtain on a successful feature, losing its way after a great set-up. However there are still a good few moments and a squeamish enough creature to sustain some frights.

★★1/2☆☆

Scott Clark

Rating:15
Release Date: 15th March 2013 (UK Cinema) 18th March 2013 (UK DVD)
Director: Barry Levinson
Cast: Will Rogers,Kristen Connolly,Kether Donohue
Buy The Bay:Blu-ray/ DVD

GFF2013 – UK Trailer Barry Levinson’s Eco Horror The Bay

Barry Levinson's unnerving eco-disaster thriller The Bay hits UK cinemas on 1 March 2013 and before then Saturday 23rd at Film4 Frightfest at Glasgow Film Festival and we've been sent the new  UK trailer from Momentum Pictures!

Synopsis:The quaint coastal town of Claridge, Maryland thrives on the safe, tranquil and abundant waters of Chesapeake Bay. During their annual Independence Day celebrations, a gruesome plague is unleashed, quickly infecting the residents and turning them against each other. A brutal and harrowing creature feature for the 21st century, “The Bay” graphically chronicles the descent of a small town into absolute terror.

You may cringe at this been referred to as been a found footage however it's a spin on that sub-genre using the like mobile phones, TV reports and CCTV police emergency recordings and even the old web cam. It's effective, chilling and one of the highlights we're looking forward too at this years Glasgow Frightfest plus you can't go much wrong with Oscar winning film director behind the camera for this one!

The Bay stars Kristen Connolly (The Cabin in the Woods), Christopher Denham (Sound of My Voice), Kether Donohue (Pitch Perfect), and Jane McNeill (The Walking Dead).produced by  Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity; Sinister; Insidious), Steven Schneider (Paranormal Activity; Insidious), Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity; Insidious), The Bay will be with us on 1st March.

Barry Levinson's The Bay Gets UK Release Date

It's this time of the year you wonder if certain films shown across the Atlantic will ever make it to the UK. Next Spring Momentum Pictures will bring one of the films to blighty, Barry Levinson's 

The Bay

The Bay comes from the team that brought us the horror hits “Sinister” and “Insidious” and the award-winning director of “Rain Man” team up to deliver a stark, disturbing and truly nerve-shredding tale of an ecological nightmare.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, you find out you can’t even drink it! Veteran Hollywood blockbuster director Barry Levinson brings a rare pedigree to the horror genre utilising a variety of footage formats – from mobile phones, TV reports and CCTV to 911 recordings and web cam transmissions – to present a realistic and totally believable shocker. An intelligent and thought-provoking horror movie with enough gore and stomach-churning imagery to satisfy even the most hardened horror fans, “The Bay” could put you off seafood and even drinking water for quite some time after the credits roll.

The quaint coastal town of Claridge, Maryland thrives on the safe, tranquil and abundant waters of Chesapeake Bay. During their annual Independence Day celebrations, a gruesome plague is unleashed, quickly infecting the residents and turning them against each other. A brutal and harrowing creature feature for the 21st century, “The Bay” graphically chronicles the descent of a small town into absolute terror.

The Bay is directed by Academy Award winning director Barry Levinson (Rain Man; Sleepers), produced by  Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity; Sinister; Insidious), Steven Schneider (Paranormal Activity; Insidious), Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity; Insidious) and rising star Kristen Connolly (The Cabin In The Woods).The Bay is going to be released cinematically and be prepared to be very scared of water when it arrives on  1st March 2013

Tiff 2012: Barry Levinson's The Bay Trailer

When you include 'found footage' into the chat talking about a horror even some hardcore horror fans would run a mile, however give the tired sub genre a break as there's been a few films worth a look. One of those films is Barry Levinson's The Bay which is heading to midnight  Madness screenings at Toronto Film Festival and tonight we have the official theatrical trailer.

The Bay is centred around the small town of Chesapeake Bay when a deadly parasite is found in the towns war supply causing panic, terror within the public. Whilst many Found footage films look low budget probably Blair witch, Paranormal Activity as their influences The Bay seems to be inspired by the likes of George C Romero's The Crazies, Night Of The Creeps, Dawn of The Dead giving the film some solidity. The trailer does reveal  a little too much but there's enough body horror, gore to scare the heevie jeevies out of you. On paper would you really think The Bay is a film made by the man who brought us Rain Man, Good Morning Vietnam? Probably not but its worth a look when it comes.

Don't know exactly when this one will arrive in UK or even if its a direct to DVD release, however after Toronto the Bay has a November 2nd Cinema release in USA. The Bay stars Will Rogers, Steven Kunken, Kether Donohue, Frank Deal, Christopher Denham and Kristin Connelly.

 The quaint seaside town of Chesapeake Bay thrives on water; it is the lifeblood of the community. When two biological researchers from France find a staggering level of toxicity in the water, they attempt to alert the mayor, but he refuses to create a panic in the docile town. As a result, a deadly plague is unleashed, turning the people of Chesapeake Bay into hosts for a mutant breed of parasites that take control of their minds, and eventually their bodies. A brutal and harrowing creature feature for the 21st century, THE BAY chronicles the descent of a small town into absolute terror.

sourceDreadcentral