Dementia: An Experiment in Terror could also be referred to as an experiment in film-making. It is probably the most inventive and original horror film since The Blair Witch Project.
Dementia is like a car wreck - a seemingly devastating disaster but yet you can't take your eyes off of it. After seeing a sneak preview of this picture, I found myself with quite the neck ache afterward. Unknowingly, I had been cringing throughout portions of this flick. Clever cinematography gives the film its uncomfortable voyeuristic feel. There is an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia throughout most of the picture. The soundtrack adds a dark dimension to the project.
Shawn Hauser provides a delightfully disturbing performance as Mr. Martin along with the sinister showmanship of Che Zon (The Face). Though they often come off more eerie than scary, both of these deviant characters are very memorable, much like The Silence Of The Lambs' Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lechter.
Experiencing every emotion possible during his captivity, Marcus Barcroft's (Elvin) gives a wonderful performance which is especially noteworthy since he was bound for most of the movie. Frankie, played by Daron McFarland, is usually the focus of some of the more excruciating and sympathetic scenes. Frankie is viciously brutalized throughout the film - perhaps only Deliverance and American History X come close to having scenes that even compare to Dementia's harrowing images. McFarland, who spends the entire movie crippled on a concrete floor in a pool of blood, pulls off an exceptional performance in such a challenging role.
The film leaves a few loose ends dangling which can be as tortuous as anything Frankie went through. But the movie is surprisingly difficult to dismiss. Some of the seemingly benign scenes stay with you long after the film is over. It is a unique film that certainly will find its niche.
