‘Dream Scenario’ TIFF Review – A Nightmare Comedy

One of the first films to arrive on the Bloody Disgusting-powered SCREAMBOX was the excellent horror mockumentary When the Screaming Starts, about a journalist who tracks a newly formed murder cult founded by a bumbling wannabe serial killer.

Now, a year later, Collider highlighted the film, noting that it’s among 10 of the highest-rated horror movies of the past decade, according to Rotten Tomatoes!

As of this writing, When the Screaming Starts sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive audience score of 81%.

It can be streamed right now on SCREAMBOX and Blu-ray copies are available over at Terror Vision.

Directed by Conor Boru, When the Screaming Starts follows struggling journalist turned filmmaker Norman, who finds himself face-to-face with aspiring serial killer Aidan Mendle. When Norman is invited to follow Aidan on his journey, he thinks he’s finally landed his big break. But as Aidan and his newly recruited murder cult embark on a blood-soaked rampage, Norman’s dream of becoming a renowned documentary filmmaker turns into a nightmare.

The film was co-written by Boru and lead actor Ed Hartland, who previously collaborated on several shorts. Hartland stars as Aidan, the not-so-charismatic leader of the family; Jared Rogers as ambitious filmmaker Norman; Kaitlyn Reynell as Aidan’s girlfriend and literal partner in crime, Claire; and Octavia Gilmore as Amy, one of the family’s first and finest recruits.

Watch the official trailer for When the Screaming Starts below.

Fangoria’s Editor-in-Chief Phil Nobile Jr. raved that When the Screaming Starts “does for serial killers what What We Do in the Shadows did for vampires,” with Dread Central exclaiming, “When the Screaming Starts is a laugh-out-loud funny dark comedy, and the film breathes a lot of life back into the mockumentary subgenre.”

Screen Zealots declared it “a clever, distressing serial killer mockumentary that offers a piercing commentary on the world we live in,” further adding that “it’s also bloody hilarious.”

“Taking the fandom of true crime and turning it into a Charles Manson-inspired comedy sounds risky, but writer/director Conor Boru finds an interesting mix of dark humor, gore, and social commentary to make When the Screaming Starts enjoyable,” writes Nightmarish Conjurings.

Scariest Things hypes, “When the Screaming Starts goes from a deadpan comedy to a full-blown horror film with a twist that will satisfy the most jaded fan,” while Flickering Myth adds: “Delivering fully on the potential of its premise, this witty, stylistically sharp mock-doc marks the arrival of a talented filmmaking voice in Conor Boru.”

The film was produced by Boru, Hartland, and Rogers along with Dom Lenoir. Executive Producers include Gilmore, Yasen Atour, and Kavé Niku.