It begins with the hoot of an owl. A slow pan reveals to us the location of the owl and the tragedy which kicks off this sequence in I Dream of a Psychopomp. Don’t be fooled by the purple neon which glosses the screen in the title sequence. This is no party. There is more at play here than one might expect in a low budget horror anthology, but there’s no denying that I Dream of Psychopomp is a somber affair, handled expertly by its cast and crew.
"dives headfirst into the dark edges of a man’s soul"
Directed by Danny Villanueva Jr, I Dream of a Psychopomp begins with Kerry (Elohim Peña) reacting to the guilt of his wife’s sudden passing. Evelyn (Kulani Kai) was everything to him. We see him at the scene of the accident; at her viewing; and then we see her. Hung by swirling purple vapors, her figure is trapped; somehow restrained by a dark entity which haunts Kerry as he is the one seeing these visions of her.
Something is wrong here. She should be at peace, but her anguish is seen on HIS face. These haunting visits become frequent, It is obvious that he can’t forgive himself. After all, he was driving when they had the accident. His days are empty and full of longing. He can’t let go and he really needs to do so.
Soon Kerry is visited by The Psychopomp (Steven Alonte) - a spiritual guide - who tries to help understand his own grief as he tells him stories of death and the supernatural. It is the entity seen in the swirling purple vapors and his stories are designed to show Kerry the purpose of death; to ease his ill feelings as his wife passes on.
Starring Elohim Peña, Jillain Lebling, Ben Shaul, Peter Knox, Fiona Rose, Steven Alonte, Nakada Meridian, Kulani Kai, Easton Michaels, Dan Davies, Coda Marcus, Jay Rattle, Adoni Esho, Oliva Tennison, Byron Bishop, Katelin Stack, Beth Johnson, Travis Greene, Eshan Khalani, and Luis Rico, I Dream of a Psychopomp is a film which dives headfirst into the dark edges of a man’s soul as three stories (Spellbound High Monster Hop, Answers, and Until Forever) are shared with Kerry by the psychopomp.
The production value in this gem of a horror anthology is top notch and made complete by the dedication of everyone involved who sell this film on its dramatic themes more than on its horror elements, which is surprising considering how easily this one could have gone for the jump scares and the shocks. Instead, we get a mood which lingers in each and every frame and echoes as the credits roll.
I Dream of a Psychopomp is as engaging and as dramatic as its title. While the stories are wide-ranging - one is at a high school dance which soon lampoons the idea of dance, another deals with multiple personalities and death, and the third is a vampire tale in which a child, suffering from cancer, is at the center of its driving stake. Each one deals with some aspect of life after death, providing the lessons Kerry needs in order to move on.
After the film’s premiere on Terror Films Channel, I Dream of a Psychopomp will be available on digital August 19 and on the Kings of Horror Channel August 26. What lies in the great beyond, Dear Readers? I Dream of a Psychopomp has a few answers for you.
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 80 mins
Director: Danny Villanueva Jr.
Writer: J. Anthony Ramos
Cast: StarsJillian LeblingBen ShaulElohim Peña
Genre: Drama | Horror
Tagline: Lost Souls Need Guidance.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Terror Films
Official Site: http://www.howbizarrepictures.com/
Release Date: Digital August 19, 2022 and on the Kings of Horror Channel August 26, 2022.
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A grieving widower haunted by the distressed ghost of his recently deceased wife is visited in his dreams by a psychopomp who teaches him about the spirit world and soul guiding through stories of death and the supernatural.
