UNDER THE SHADOW / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: BABAK ANVARI / STARRING: NARGES RASHIDI, AVIN MANSHADI / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 10TH
Released to cinemas in 2016, to great critical acclaim but not the wider appreciation it deserved, Babak Anvari’s debut feature Under the Shadow receives its first UK Blu-ray release, courtesy of distributor Second Sight.
Set in war-torn Tehran, 1988, the movie begins as more social realist drama than horror. Narges Rashidi plays Shideh, an aspiring doctor barred from medical school for her previous political activism. When her husband is conscripted into military service, Shideh is left to look after their daughter, Dorsa. Unusual events start happening, and not just the Iraqi missile that smashes through the apartment block’s roof. Dorsa, unnerved by tales of Djinn spirits and visited by a mysterious woman, becomes increasingly erratic and uncontrollable. Shideh decides to flee the city, as all their neighbours have done, but Dorsa’s favourite doll goes missing, and the girl refuses to leave until it is found, leaving the two alone in the building, facing increasingly bizarre hauntings.
As it goes on, then, it’s an effective poltergeist thriller, with the Djinn serving the ghostly role (they’re the spirits from Islamic lore from which the term genie is derived, though the version you’ve seen in pantomimes has had some of the edges softened). It’s expertly directed – especially for a first feature – to gradually build tension; the jump scares always feel earned, coming alongside shocking visuals and unnerving writing that evokes the horror of David Lynch.
Inviting comparisons to The Babadook, the theme of motherhood is central; the scariest aspect of the movie is the idea that the Djinn could turn Dorsa against her mother, and this is carried by an excellent performance from Rashidi, tragically conveying how Shideh’s love for her daughter is in conflict with her rising frustration at her circumstances. The impressive young Avin Manshadi makes Dorsa petulant and difficult to love, but that’s kind of the point. All this is exacerbated by the genuine, real-life horror of the setting; we’re told the Djinn prey on places full of fear and anxiety, and the war-torn city, drawn from Anvari’s own childhood in Tehran, is certainly that.
This limited edition comes packed with extras, including Anvari’s short film Two & Two, a dark satire that translates an idea from Nineteen Eighty-Four into an Iranian schoolroom. There are four newly recorded, in-depth interviews, including Anvari explaining the background behind the movie and the struggles of making it; for example, he couldn’t film in Tehran as the actress would have to wear a hijab whenever on camera, so ended up in Jordan instead. If you want to hear more from him, there’s also a commentary track. The disc, limited to 2000 copies, comes in a slipcase with gorgeous new artwork, also containing a book featuring concept art and new essays, along with a poster – a comprehensive packaging of this powerful film.
