Digging Up the Marrow

Director - Adam Green (Frozen, Hatchet)
Starring - Adam Green, Ray Wise (Chillerama), and Will Barratt (Frozen)
Release Date - 2015
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "There's no such thing as the marrow"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Adam Green is a director that I just recently realized that I like.  I enjoyed Hatchet.  So much so that I went out and bought Frozen even though I have yet to watch it.  One of my favorite anthologies released in the last ten years is Chillerama which features a segment from him as well.  On top of all that, I recently checked out the web-series Holliston on blu and was really surprised.  This made me realize that I actually liked Adam Green and his career.  Not long ago a fellow writer for Horror Society announced the release date for the upcoming mockumentary film from Adam Green titled Digging Up the Marrow.  I reached out to try to secure a review copy of the film but was unable to get a reply.  However, I received an email just a few weeks later stating that there was copies still available and they were kind enough to send one my way.  Thanks for giving me the chance to check it out!

     The film follows director/actor Adam Green who is taking time away from filming season three of Holliston to explore a notebook he had received from an elderly fan William Dekker (Wise).  Dekker claims that he found an entrance to an underground world where the deformed and disfigured go to live in seclusion.  Adam is mesmerized with the idea and takes Will to film a documentary on the entire ordeal.  During one of the trips they find a creature and capture it on camera.  Adam then puts out cameras to capture more and leaves for a month long convention tour to return and find Dekker feeding one of the creatures in the hole on the camera footage.  They start to suspect that they were set up and head out to the hole to check it out without Dekker.  Something grabs Adam's boot and takes it off his foot.  He reaches into the hole to get it and Dekker arrives and tells them to run.  Shit hits the fan when creatures from the Marrow start attacking them forcing them to flee.
     Adam Green is a fan of the horror genre and makes the films that he would want to see himself.  That is clearly evident in his Hatchet films and his contribution for Chillerama.  When I first read the synopsis for Digging up the Marrow my jaw dropped by the amazing story.  I was concerned by how Adam would pull off the mockumentary/found footage angle but I still tried to keep an open mind.  The acting in this one is awesome by the entire cast.  The cast has a relaxed approach to the film which really helps with the mockumentary angle.  Adam is familiar with doing interviews so this comes natural to him.  With that being said, the legendary Ray Wise turns it up a notch from what we are used to and gives one hell of a performance.   The on screen cast is pretty small but the remainder of the cast does a decent job at making the mockumentary feel genuine.  The story for this one is so fascinating.  The premise really is interesting considering the scope that it could take.  The film has the potential to feature an entire underground city full of deformed and disfigured creatures.  Sadly, we don't get that wide array of creatures but we do get several that are fun and worthwhile.  The story also reminded me a lot of the horror classics Basket Case 2 and 3 which features a home for the disfigured.  Finally, the film does not feature any on screen kills or blood but it more than makes up for it with the different types of creatures.  However, the creatures vary in quality.  Some look fantastic and the practical effects are great, however, one of the creatures look down right silly and almost embarrassing to look at.  Overall, Digging up the Marrow is a fun creature feature that offers a variety of beasts but the viewer will be distracted by the documentary style the film was shot in.  Check it out because it is well worth the watch,