Description
Christmas, 1971. Two students and their young teacher, stuck at their remote boarding school for the holidays, are terrorized by a gang of cult killers hellbent on raising a demon.
THE SACRIFICE GAME is directed by Jenn Wexler and stars Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Gus Kenworthy, Madison Baines, Derek Johns, and Laurent Pitre, with Chloë Levine and introducing Georgia Acken. Shot in Quebec’s historic Oka Abbey (as seen on the album’s back cover) in spring 2022, the film world premiered in 2023 at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal and played festivals around the globe before its release by Shudder.
The film’s haunting original score by composer Mario Sévigny finds inspiration in the era’s classics while emerging as something all its own. “Working with Mario on THE SACRIFICE GAME was a joy. His incredible music captures all the colors of our story—horror, thrills, and dread, of course, but also a sweeping, romantic feeling of mystery and connection,” says Wexler.
“Jenn and I had a wonderful collaboration,” says Sévigny. “It was great fun to develop themes for our characters like Clara and the gang and explore how to subvert them throughout the film. Our score ultimately included girls’ choirs, haunting bells, electric guitars, and an orchestral foundation. I used 70s era recording techniques so that the story would feel deeply immersed in the atmosphere of the period.”
For THE SACRIFICE GAME’s centerpiece “demonic dance” sequence, the filmmakers turned to composer/performer Antoni Maiovvi for an original song in the spirit of early 70s occult rock. His composition, “Twilight of the Flesh,” is featured alongside Sévigny’s score. Don’t be alarmed if you feel moved to get up and writhe along to “Twilight.” The possession will most likely pass… Album art by HauntLove.
Track Listing
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Press Quotes
One of The Hollywood Reporter’s Best Horror Movies of 2023 (Streaming and Independent Releases)
—Richard Newby, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-fea
‘A Devilishly Fun New Entry in Holiday Horror’
—Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting, ttps://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3771328/the-s
‘A Creepy, Culty, Christmas Horror Treat ‘
—Matt Donato, /Film, https://www.slashfilm.com/1353979/the-sacrifice-ga
‘A Perfectly-Wrapped Holiday Horror Gift’
—Mary Beth McAndrews, Dread Central, https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/464783/the-sa
‘A smartly paced lesson in being careful what you wish for and an entertaining ride from bloody start to even bloodier finish.’
—Rob Hunter, Film School Rejects, https://filmschoolrejects.com/the-sacrifice-game-r
‘A Fun, Gory Thrill Ride Filled with Surprises’
—Sydney Ghan, MovieWeb, https://movieweb.com/the-sacrifice-game-review/
‘Hanging over the film is Mario Sévigny’s rich score steeped in mystery that evokes the likes of Danny Elfman and Christopher Young’s work to great effect. It works so well in tandem with the great production design of the school that goes a long way…
—The Fright Club NI, https://www.thefrightclubni.com/post/film-review-t
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