REVIEW: The Dark Fantastic | 33rd Raindance Film Festival

"A visceral, genre-bending, sensory odyssey."

The Dark Fantastic, directed by Lg White, received its UK premiere at the 33rd Raindance Film Festival on 26 June - an electrifying fusion of biopic, concert film, and psychedelic visual essay. This vibrant music-documentary plunges into the mind of cult British composer Simon Boswell, known for scoring over 150 genre-defining films from Phenomena to Hardware. Mixing live performance sequences, archival footage, and interviews with icons like Iggy Pop, Dolly Parton, and Ewan McGregor, the film maps Boswell's journey from classical prodigy to avant‑garde soundtrack pioneer.

Visual & Auditory Feast

Lg White delivers a hallucinatory audiovisual experience - what one source aptly calls “a music documentary… that celebrates the creative spark that refuses to behave”. Scenes of Boswell’s band Caduta Massi performing amidst pulsating visuals and psychedelic video art feel more akin to an acid‑soaked concert than a conventional documentary.

Compelling Narrative & Insight

The film unfolds organically, guided by Boswell's reflections - from his playful allusions to "Pink Floyd meets the Velvet Underground, conducted by Bernard Herrmann on acid" through his dark, experimental phase within horror and fantasy. It uncovers his restless creativity and his ability to blur genres - classical, rock, electronic - while offering candid commentary on his work with auteurs like Dario Argento.

Festival Fit & Impact

Raindance’s expanded horror/genre strand celebrates cinema that “probes the subconscious and challenges convention.” The Dark Fantastic fits perfectly, transforming music into a “cinematic force in its own right,” and validating its place in the festival’s evolved focus.

Highlights & Takeaways

• Live integration: Seamlessly merging concert and documentary elements raises the energy to euphoric levels.

• Stylistic boldness: White’s direction avoids clichés. Instead, she offers a fine‑art‑inspired, almost hallucinatory vision of Boswell’s world.

• Collaborator insights: Cameos from creative heavyweights lend depth, turning this into a collaborative celebration of artistry.

  
  

Final Verdict

The Dark Fantastic is a visceral, genre-bending, sensory odyssey - as much an experience as a film. It pays tribute to Simon Boswell’s often-overlooked legacy and presents a spirited argument for the power of music to warp and elevate cinematic form. An unmissable journey for anyone drawn to the intersection of sound, story, and the surreal.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

UK Premiere at the 33rd Raindance Film Festival 26th - 27th June 2025.

FILM DETAILS

• UK Premiere: 26th June 2025

• TL;DR: The Dark Fantastic is a psychedelic dive into the mind and work of renowned film composer Simon Boswell. This immersive journey explores Boswell's innovative approach to music and his impact on cinema.

• Director: Lg White

• Cast: Simon Boswell, Dario Argento, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Clive Barker, Nick Willing

• Genres: Music, Documentary

• Run time: 109 Minutes

• Cert: -