Well, this film was absolutely incredible. It’s hard to recreate the atmosphere from a particular era in film-making, but this new movie from He Said She Said Productions is spot. An Idle Mind is the Devil’s Playground is the perfect time capsule of subtle horror, flawlessly capturing the 1960’s in the most invigorating way since The Twilight Zone. Based on the screenplay by Michael Jason Allen, the film follows a reclusive musician with a fear of human contact, who finds himself in the unexpected company of several ghosts from his past. Whether the figures are figments of his fragmented mind or full-bodied apparitions from beyond is up to the viewer to discover. An impeccable combination of mystery and science fiction, An Idle Mind is the Devil’s Playground stars Ben Lokey, Laura Mestas, Kip Rosser, Michael Jason Allen, Nadine Jackson, Amy Atkins, Raymond Scott and Rhett Crosby. Boy, this one was great!
Going back to my original sentiments, An Idle Mind is the Devil’s Playground is the most foolproof throwback to the 1960’s and will immediately take you back to the time when The Twilight Zone reigned supreme. I can only assume that this production was inspired by the iconic television show which ran from 1959 to 1964. The clothes, the furniture, the phones, the props – including all the depression glass – appeared to be plucked from antique shops across the country and situated in old, cozy houses that featured architecture from the time period. It was startling, the representation was so on point, that Reel Nightmare Films could have marketed this as a lost movie, discovered five decades later and I think viewers would have believed it! An Idle Mind is the Devil’s Playground is, of course, shot in black and white, but cinematographer Chuck Harding did such a great job behind the camera, which would be the only way people would know this was a modern movie. The camera work is too good!
The interchanging elements of science fiction, mystery, drama, suspense and a little bit of horror were so subdued and calculated, that they also emulated the time period in such a realistic way. Back then, being scared and frightened wasn’t all about blood effects and jump scares. Film-makers relied on a slow-burning, slow-creeping atmosphere of suspense and terror, and director/producer/editor Michael Jason Allen understood this and used the concept to its full advantage. Absolutely masterfully writing and film-making, Mr. Allen. Throw in incredibly fitting original scores and An Idle Mind is the Devil’s Playground is an astounding throwback that old school horror fans will adore. Hell, even the acting was right where it needed to be. Classical. The talented entertainers in this flick, especially Laura Mestas, perfectly captured the manufactured training of the 1960’s and pulled off performances that were exactly what was needed to bring it all home. This was such an important piece of the puzzle, and they too nailed it on the head.
I cannot rave about this one enough. I have no complaints what-so-ever. It surprised me and knocked my socks off. Despite the generational time-gap, the theme still remains the same – you never know what your neighbors are capable of, and what danger lurks behind their perfect, white picket fences. The perfect storm of exceptional film-making, classical acting, maximum effort behind-the-scenes, and a homey, retro story-line, An Idle Mind is the Devil’s Playground is a sleeper hit; one of the best science fiction releases of 2018. I highly – HIGHLY – recommend watching it today on Amazon Prime and Vimeo if you’re a fan of The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Final Score: 9 out of 10.
