Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 2021
Masking Threshold
Buy Masking Threshold now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'Masking Threshold' is an Austrian horror film directed by Johannes Grenzfurthner.
The film was produced by art group monochrom.
Plot
A skeptic IT worker tries to cure his harrowing hearing impairment by conducting a series of experiments in his makeshift home lab.
The film combines the style of a chamber play, a scientific procedural, and the aesthetic of unboxing or DIY YouTube videos, with body horror elements and techniques known from experimental film. Grenzfurthner sees the film in the tradition of 'extreme cinema',[https://quepeliverehoy.es/terrormolins2021-entrevista-a-johannes-grenzfurthner-director-de-masking-threshold/ Interview with Johannes Grenzfurthner on quepeliverehoy.es; 22 November 2021] but presents elements of psychological horror.
In an interview with Thomas Kaestle, Grenzfurthner talks about his motivation.
::'Masking Threshold' is a film about a suffering but stubborn and willful person whose perspective of the world and whose beliefs are turned upside down, whose dogmas are turned against the world and against himself. My protagonist is queer, so you want to understand the societal pressures on him, you want to understand the trauma he's been through and the burden of his terrible illness. But there comes a point when sympathy for him turns to horror. [...] There have been a few excellent attempts to bring 'Cosmicism' to the screen, but most of the time it seems cheap. The wonderful thing about weird fiction is that we can't really imaginethe horror, that the transdimensional evil just isn't the tentacle monster that looks ridiculous as an FX puppet or as a rendered CGI representation. I've never wanted to show what my protagonist is actually talking about and what the danger looks like. But I did want to show what it drives him to do.
Cast
Masking Threshold features Ethan Haslam as the nameless protagonist and Katharina Rose as Dana.
All other cast members do not perform, but are images on the protagonist's cellphone or on photographs and print-outs.
Release and distribution
'Masking Threshold' had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2021 in Austin, Texas.[https://collider.com/fantastic-fest-2021-final-wave-movies-programming/ "Fantastic Fest 2021 Final Final Wave"] in: Collider, 9 September 2021. Annick Mahnert, the programming director, published her decision:
Once in a while as a programmer, you come across a movie that is so special and different from anything you've seen that it sticks with you. 'Masking Threshold' has been haunting me since I saw it, and for a long time I wondered if you, dear Fantastic Fest audience, were ready for it. But isn't it the role of a programmer to take chances and be bold? You may want to burn me at the stake for programming 'Masking Threshold', but I'll gladly hand you the gasoline and the matches to light the pyre.[https://fantasticfest.com/films/masking-threshold Review of Masking Threshold by Annick Mahnert] on the Fantastic Fest websiteOther festivals like 'Molins Horror Film Festival' (2021),[http://www.molinsfilmfestival.com/2021/09/15/primeros-titulos-de-la-40a-edicion-del-terrormolins/ Terror Molins press release] 'A Night of Horror' (2021),[http://www.anightofhorror.com/news/2021/9/14/a-night-of-horror-international-film-festival-confirms-virtual-platform-and-teases-films-ahead-of-program-launch A Night of Horror International Film Festival press release] 'Nightmares Film Festival' (2021),[https://www.nightmarishconjurings.com/2021/09/27/news-nightmares-film-festival-unveils-full-2021-program/ Nightmarish Conjurings, "Nightmares Film Festival unveils full 2021 program"; 27 September 2021] 'Feratum Film Festival' (2021),[https://www.feratumfilmfest.com/masking-threshold/ Feratum Film Fest 2021; Masking Threshold (Spanish: Umbral de Enmascarado)] 'South African Horrorfest' (2021),[https://screenanarchy.com/2021/10/sa-horrorfest-2021-festival-kicks-off-today-full-lineup-revealed-and-more.html SA Horrorfest 2021 Festival Kicks Off Today; in: Screen Anarchy, 2021-10-28] 'Cucalorus Film Festival',[https://cvnc.org/article.cfm?articleId=10154 "Cucalorus Film Festival Fosters Beautiful, Diverse Community of Art Lovers through Four Days of Movies, Music, & Dance"]; in: CVNC, 14 November 2021 'Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival',[https://thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/local-arts/saskatoon-fantastic-film-fest-returns-with-a-focus-on-folk-horror "Saskatoon Fantastic Film Fest returns with a focus on folk horror"; by Amanda Short, in: The Star Phoenix, 18 November 2021] 'Sick 'n' Wrong Film Festival', 'Shockfest', 'Film Maudit 2.0', 'Central Florida Film Festival', 'Unnamed Footage Festival' in San Francisco, 'Offscreen Film Festival'[https://vertigoweb.be/offscreen-film-festival-onthult-openingsfilm-en-programma-2022-editie/ "Offscreen Film Festival onthult openingsfilm en programma 2022-editie"; in: Vertigo, 9 February 2021] in Brussels, 'Diagonale' 2022 in Graz, 'Panic Fest' 2002,[https://nofspodcast.com/celebrate-10-years-of-murder-mayhem-and-the-macabre-at-panic-fest-2022-this-april "Celebrate 10 Years of Murder, Mayhem, and The Macabre at Panic Fest 2022 This April"; in: NOFS, 30 March 2022] and 'Fantaspoa' 2002[https://screenanarchy.com/2022/04/fantaspoa-2022-announces-full-lineup-nishimuras-holy-mother-will-premiere-there.html Fantaspoa 2022 Announces Full Lineup"; in: Screen Anarchy, 1 April 2022] presented the movie.
Masking Threshold will be distributed by Drafthouse Films.
Reception
Critical response
Critical response has been positive. The film holds a 100% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with a weighted average of 8.5/10. 'Horror Movies Uncut' (5/5) concludes: "Each decade must have one film that truly disturbs even the most avid horror watcher and 'Masking Threshold' may just be that film."[https://www.hmuncut.com/post/fantastic-fest-21-making-threshold-movie-review Masking Threshold. review; Horror Movies Uncut, 28 September 2021] Bradley Gibson of 'Film Threat' (9/10) says that "it will test your sanity. [...] Despite, or perhaps because of, the graphic imagery, this feature is a brilliant look at obsession and the possible grisly endpoint of reductio ad absurdum."[https://filmthreat.com/reviews/masking-threshold/ Masking Threshold. review; Film Threat, 28 September 2021] 'UK Film Review' (5/5) describes it as "a claustrophobic, harrowing horror which is likely to make even the most strong willed viewer squeamish."[https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/post/masking-threshold-2021-film-review Masking Threshold. review; UK Film Review, 12 October 2021] 'iHorror' says: "'Masking Threshold' is unlike anything you have seen before. Its a dose of pure insanity that is constantly brought home by macro focus and audio that pushes you all of the damn place. It is never insanity without a multilayered source. The entirety feels dangerous and a lot like riding in a race car with no seatbelt of framework."[https://www.ihorror.com/fantastic-fest-masking-threshold-a-true-macro-exploration-of-existential-ringing-terror/ "Masking Threshold: A True Macro Exploration of Existential, Ringing Madness" (iHorror); 26 September 2021] Brian Collins of 'What To Watch' (4/5) states: "For me, I can't even think of another moviegoing experience like it. Grenzfurthner deserves some kind of award for how well he fully committed to what seems like a nightmarish set of limitations for a filmmaker and used them to his advantage."[https://www.whattowatch.com/reviews/fantastic-fest-2021-review-masking-threshold Masking Threshold. review; What To Watch, 30 September 2021] Andrew Stover of 'Film Inquiry' summarizes: "The warped, claustrophobic horror of 'Masking Threshold' is wholly original, making it one of the best horror films of the year. Grenzfurthners grim, artsy horror film is unforgettable."[https://www.filminquiry.com/masking-threshold-2021-review/ "MASKING THRESHOLD: Obsession Takes Hold In This Brutal Horror Film"; review in: Film Inquiry, 26 October 2021] KPFK's Film Club calls it "brilliantly nightmarish."[https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3094969090778296&id=1718261665115719 KPFK (North Hollywood) Film Club; reviews of films that screened at Film Maudit 2.0 2022] Film critic Brandon Judell praises the film's screenplay as one of best of recent years: "With the superb cinematography of Florian Hofer, and the awe-inducing editing by both Grenzfurthner and Hofer, Masking Threshold is a wry, dissective look at modern society's derangement."[https://brandonjudell.medium.com/film-maudit-2-0-f54645ec8d59 Brandon Judell: "Film Maudit 2.0: A Celebration of the Outrageous, the Overlooked, and the Accidentally Uplifting", 13 January 2022]Awards
* 'The Film from Hell - Best of the Festival' at Nightmares Film Festival 2021 (Columbus, Ohio)* 'Best Screenplay' at A Night of Horror International Film Festival 2021 (Sydney) (for Johannes Grenzfurthner and Samantha Lienhard)
* 'Being Different Award' at Terror Molins 2021 (Spain)
* 'Golden Stake Award' at Shockfest 2021
* 'Best International Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature' at Feratum Film Fest (Mexico)
*'Best Screenplay' at South African Horrorfest 2021 (for Johannes Grenzfurthner and Samantha Lienhard)
*'Best Cinematography' at South African Horrorfest 2021 (for Florian Hofer)
*'Best Editing' at South African Horrorfest 2021 (for Johannes Grenzfurthner and Florian Hofer)
*'Best Feature Film' at the British Horror Film Festival 2021
*'Best Trailer' at Indie House 2022
*'Best Feature Film' at Film Maudit 2.0 2022 (Los Angeles)
*'Best Editing of the Festival' at Unnamed Footage Festival 2022 (San Francisco)
See also
* Art horror
* Horror-of-personality
* Social thriller
* Cosmicism
References
Buy Masking Threshold now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 2021