‘The Creep Tapes’: An insanely fun revisitation to the unhinged mind of a killer
Back in 2016 or so, I embarked on a found footage horror film kick. I searched the internet for lists of the best ones and eagerly made my way down them one by one, cementing my classics along the way. Ones that I found, and subsequently made all of my friends watch at movie nights, were the Creep films by Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice. The Creep franchise is aptly named. They were chilling in their simplicity, and an absolutely wild and unexpected ride.
The Creep Tapes continues the tradition. Each episode is another look into the horrifying mind of Josef, aka Peachfuzz, as he slashes his way from victim to victim. If you are a fan of the original films, you’re going to love this series. And if you haven’t seen the films, the series does a fantastic job of setting up the universe for you.
The plot of the first episode is much like the original, easing the viewer into the atmosphere of the show. It is so interesting to see found footage in a TV format, and it really worked for me. There is one episode in particular that really stood out for me for the risks that it took. It showed how versatile Duplass is and how good he is at making you wonder what is real and what is not.
Anticipation is key
What really cemented the premise for me was that, as I went from episode to episode, I never knew what would happen next. It was the perfect embodiment of the erratic nature of this killer and how he really does not have any sort of pattern to his killings. He simply just takes glee in what he does, and it is much more evident in the series. Many times I was left tense as I waited for the inevitable outcome. I love when movies and television shows can do that.
Duplass continues to be loud and unnerving as this character, and every time I heard his little giggle I knew some sort of weapon was about to be pulled out. There is one scene early on where he is chasing a victim while laughing about it, and it unsettled me almost more than anything else. And I don’t get unsettled easily. There is just something about someone being so unapologetic that gets to me.
There were high points and low points, and a few times it felt like the gas was let off a bit, but for me, the high points outweighed any of the dips. Taking the element of the films and turning them into little bite-size bits was ambitious, and I think it paid off. Duplass and Brice have complete control over this world, and, honestly, I hope there is much more to come. I love that ambition, and I love Peachfuzz.
The first three episodes premiered at Fantastic Fest earlier this year, and the full six-episode series is set to premiere Friday, November 15 on Shudder and AMC+ with a two-part premiere.
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