K Conventions, TV/Film

Legion M’s ‘Mandy’ Destined To Become Cult Classic

If you’re a fan of midnight horror and films with a distinctly 80s aesthetic, then I may have found the perfect film for you to watch this Halloween. 

This past weekend at Los Angeles Comic Con, I attended a panel for Mandy, a film produced by Legion M, and starring Nicolas Cage. I won’t deny that the panel’s appeal stemmed from an appearance by Elijah Wood, one of the film’s producers, but in fact their discussion of the production and creative process was fascinating and I found myself intrigued by the film by the end of the panel.

A brief synopsis of the film would be such: Red Miller (Nicolas Cage) and Mandy Bloom (Andrew Riseborough), a couple who live in a remote part of a forest, are terrorized by a weird cult straight from my nightmares and a demon biker gang. It’s part supernatural horror, part bloody revenge, and 100% not for the faint of heart. This isn’t My Bloody Valentine; Mandy promises enough violence and disturbing footage to giving you sleeping problems for days after watching. It’s a prime example of midnight horror–the kind that only the most avid subscribers of the genre will enjoy.

It’s this extreme violence and, quite frankly, unsettling delve into dark psyche that will appeal to fans of the genre. Mandy is not a film for the common audience; it’s approach to the revenge story is niche at most, and will find itself a cult following amongst fans who enjoy darker-than-dark horror films.

 

photo by The Collected Mutineer

The film, produced by Elijah Wood and other members of SpectreVision, is backed by Legion M, the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company. With previous projects such as Colossal (2016) and Bad Samaritan (2018), Mandy fits right in with Legion M’s template for fan-backed films, which are often edgy, dark, and have a bit of a bite.

In short, if you’re interested in indie horror films that have a stake in being produced by fans, perhaps Mandy is a film that you should consider watching this Halloween.

Mandy is available for purchase on Amazon Video. You can watch the full Mandy panel from LA Comic Con here.