I was finally motivated to watch Freaky Farley (2007), my first Motern Media movie thanks to an interview in The Important Cinema Club Journal with actor/writer/producer Matt Farley (he and director Charles Roxburgh are the people behind the production company, Motern Media). Farley mentions Silent Night Deadly Night Part 2 in this interview as one of his favourite movies, a cult Christmas horror trash classic, which I had only seen for the first time recently (there’s even a homage in Freaky Farley to the infamous “Garbage Day!” line). Both movies have the same framing device with a psychiatrist interviewing an imprisoned patient; here, in Freaky Farley, it’s Farley (Matt Farley), always identifiable in his black-and-white striped t-shirt, explaining in flashback how he wound up in here. Even though the movie begins with the title character being a peeping tom, and the story ending with multiple murders, I wouldn’t call it a horror movie. Freaky Farley strikes me more as a comedy about how this disturbed young man is pushed too far by his demanding father (Kevin McGee) who is also celebrated by the town for being a nightly radio DJ with really good advice.
There’s a singular, winning tone to this low-budget “let’s put on a show” production. I loved that Freaky Farley was shot on 16mm film, and the New Hampshire suburbs and woods look vibrant, even in undercast conditions. With a regional horror movie feel, multiple genres are at play here, everything from teen sleuth mysteries, Psycho, afternoon TV kids show monsters, Troll 2 and Tom Goes To The Mayor style small town satire. Farley is charming as the troubled, “boyish” title character, though it was McGee as his stern father that really hooked me into the movie; there’s such a no-nonsense, tough-guy vibe that he projects which makes the comedy funnier. I think I preferred the first two thirds more and was less into its slasher thriller detours, but am keen to check out more of their work, particularly Don’t Let The Riverbeast Get You and Local Legends. Freaky Farley is available to stream on Tubi in Australia. Recommended.
VHS Tracking 