PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Julian Jarrold’s 2009 film, Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974, the first film in the Red Riding Trilogy (you can read our reviews for the next two films here and here) opens in Yorkshire England, a place divided into historical Ridings, as young reporter, Eddie Dunford (Andrew Garfield), attends a briefing about a missing girl named Clare Kemplay. Soon after, Eddie starts to believe there is a pattern between what happened to Clare and two other missing girls in the area. The police prefer to blame local gypsies in the area, and a camp is burned down in retaliation.
Clare’s body is later found on the construction site of local building magnate John Dawson (Sean Bean). In an eerie, fairy tale-like twist, she is found with swan’s wings sewn onto her back. Eddie starts digging and visits the widowed mother of one of the girls, Paula Garland (Rebecca Hall: The Gift 2015). Shortly afterwards he gets beaten up by two cops.
After the suspicious death of one of his friends that was assisting his investigation, Eddie becomes even more focused on discovering what the police could be hiding. He soon uncovers a seam of corruption. He later visits John Dawson at his Karachi Club and discovers that the magnate may be using his money to hide very powerful, dark secrets.
The film itself is set up as a dark labyrinth where there is no escape. Eddie Dunford doggedly continues in this grim world in the hopes of finding the truth. He begins a relationship with Paula, and the two of them find respite in each other. They are two decent person in a terrible world. But Eddie refuses to quit.
The movie is filmed in muted tones; everything is grim, hazy, or rainy. The music is perfect, and the costumes absolutely capture the feel of the seventies. The razor sharp editing keeps the film barreling forward until the final electric conclusion at the Karachi Club. This is the first of a simply stunning trilogy that includes Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980 and Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1983. These are not to be missed.
