Robbie Banfitch's Multitasking Achievement
Ultra-low-budget filmmaker Robbie Banfitch takes on multiple roles in his latest feature, Tinsman Road, following The Outwaters and White Light. He serves as director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor, and lead actor, a multitasking effort that yields a reasonably impressive result. The film is a sad horror story about a family grieving a missing daughter and sister, hinting at ghosts or supernatural forces.
Sound Design and Found Footage Nuance
The film's carefully constructed sound design, particularly the emphasis on footsteps, elevates this found-footage exercise above typical cheap horror iterations. Banfitch plays Robbie Lyle, an aspiring filmmaker who returns to rural New Jersey to spend time with his mother Leslie, portrayed by Banfitch's own mother Leslie Ann Banfitch in a moving performance. Both cope with the unexplained disappearance of Robbie's sister Noelle (Salem Belladonna, seen only in photos and home movies but heard singing), who vanished years ago while walking on the secluded Tinsman Road.
Plot and Supernatural Elements
Robbie tells Leslie he's making a documentary about angels or spirits; she believes Noelle haunts the house, but Robbie remains skeptical when questioning locals about the disappearance. His rationalism is tested when strange events occur: bumps in the night, Leslie sleepwalking and speaking eerily in a fugue state, and Noelle's music box repeatedly playing the Blue Danube waltz with a tiny ballet dancer revolving. Noelle's old cassette tapes, decorated with drawings of barren trees and leaves, seem to prefigure views in a forbidden part of the forest.
Atmosphere and Editing
The atmosphere thickens with foreboding, though the film might have been scarier with tighter editing, as repetitive spells test patience. Tinsman Road is available on Letterboxd Video Store now and on digital platforms from August 3.
