PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I had the pleasure of getting an early look at Do Not Disturb, a psychedelic horror movie from Dark Star Pictures, which will be released soon. Do Not Disturb was written and Directed by John Ainslie (The Sublet 2015) and stars Kimberly Laferriere (Serpent in the Bottle 2020) and Rogan Christopher (Pregnant at 17 2016).
Here’s a look at the poster!
DO NOT DISTURB Synopsis
Chloe and Jack travel to Miami for their honeymoon. They decide that a peyote experience will strengthen their marriage. However, they’ve been given a powerful strand that awakens a desire to eat human flesh. Confronting their toxic relationship, their room becomes a den of love, lust and resentment as Chloe realizes that the way to escape this troubled marriage is to literally consume Jack.
From the very beginning, everything this film presents feels slightly “off,” and before Chloe and Jack even get to their hotel room, the tension is already getting to me. It’s clear this couple has a lot of issues. The two begin arguing almost as soon as the door to their room is shut, and it quickly becomes obvious that Jack’s substance use is a major bone of contention. There are also concerns of infidelity and problems with jealousy, though those don’t become apparent until later. In short, these two are a hot mess.
When Jack and Chloe decide to “party a little,” it quickly spirals out of control into drug-fueled madness and mayhem. The myriad of marital problems sends these newlyweds on a nose-dive into violence and depravity, culminating in cannibalism, all of which they hardly remember. One cutscene identifies a flashback as “the night after the day you thought was yesterday,” which perfectly explains the way time seems to be disappearing. Between the loss of time and the constant level of anxiety that radiates off of these characters, this film manages to evoke all the hallmarks of a bad trip.
As with any horror movie, a certain level of suspension of disbelief is necessary here. So while it’s obviously pretty unlikely that peyote will suddenly make you a cannibal, it certainly isn’t far-fetched to think it WILL play on all of your insecurities and fears, turning some innocent fun into pure nightmares. And speaking of nightmares, this movie is probably going to lead to some. If that wasn’t clear enough, I strongly recommend checking out Do Not Disturb as soon as you have the chance.
It will be released in theaters this Friday, November 17, and on-demand on Tuesday, November 21.
