When Steamboat Willie landed in the public domain last year, it opened the floodgates to new iterations of the character. Steven LaMorte, director and co-writer of Screamboat, might not be the first to release, but his homicidal rodent is closest to Disney’s classic, as it’s a disturbing follow-up to the tale.
The free-to-ride Staten Island Ferry runs 24/7 and has been doing so since the early nineteenth century, when the boat was run by steam. While things were updated over the years, one aspect has been carried over, and he’s mightily pissed off. This means an orgy of murder for the ferry workers and the late-night passengers. Lowly ferry worker Pete (Jesse Posey) is unexpectedly (and reluctantly) promoted over the course of the short time it takes for the boat to cross the Upper New York Bay as the captain and others fall prey to the critter.
Screamboat boasts great production values thanks to utilising an actual decommissioned ferry, something that makes up for the rare green-screen moment. Incorporating the original Steamboat Willie is a masterstroke, particularly when the ‘missing years’ are recounted through old-school animation. David Howard Thornton, now legendary thanks to his portrayal of Art the Clown (several producers on Terrifier 2 and 3 also produce here), provides the physical embodiment of Willie, and he’s mastered the whimsical mannerisms of the Disney character right down to the whistle and hop. We’re sure Uncle Walt wouldn’t have approved of the bloodletting, though. It’s mostly physical gore, too, which adds to the impact. We’re always happy to see annoying drunk women and obnoxious blokes being offed in ever more elaborate and visceral ways.
We’ve been inundated with knock-off and low-budget horror over the years, so it’s always a pleasure to find something that lives up to the expectations it makes for itself. Screamboat deserves the cult following it’ll no doubt receive.
SCREAMBOAT is in cinemas on April 4th.
