Writer and director Stuart Ortiz (Grave Encounters, Grave Encounters 2) came to Telluride Horror Show with his latest film, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire. The film details a string of bizarre occult murders committed by a serial killer over the course of many years. With the help of the two lead detectives on the case, the gruesome details of these crimes come to light.

Strange Harvest is a fascinating found footage horror film that is formatted like a true crime documentary. It begins by introducing a truly shocking murder of a family of three. From there, the audience learns about previous crimes that were later discovered to be carried out by the same killer. The rest of the faux documentary is told in a more linear timeline as more heinous killings are carried out by the killer known as “Mr. Shiny,” ultimately leading to a shocking finale. A common issue with true crime documentaries is that they glorify the killer, often describing or showing the graphic nature of the murders, ultimately not respecting the victims of those crimes. While one could certainly say this is true for Strange Harvest, it works in this context because it is a horror film depicting fictional events. In fact, horror fans likely wouldn’t enjoy the film as much if the story hadn’t gotten into all the gory details, making this “true crime” documentary an exception to the rule.

When it comes to Mr. Shiny and his crimes, audiences will immediately be drawn into the mysterious and horrific events. This killer is unlike any other, whether real or fiction, and the murders he carries out are as varied as the methods employed to kill each person. As the detectives uncover more information, the more it becomes clear there is a supernatural, occult element to these killings. It leads to a fascinating lore that somewhat explains why Mr. Shiny kills, while still leaving plenty of mystery. Audiences should also be sure to watch all the way through to the end of the credits, as there is a brief post-credit scene that leaves the story open for a potential sequel. Ortiz is known for crafting compelling found footage horror, so it’s nice to see him utilizing those skills in a slightly different format with Strange Harvest.

The faux documentary style means most of the acting is done in an interview format, which doesn’t leave a lot of room for memorable performances, but Strange Harvest still has a couple of standouts. The first is Terri Apple (The Fair, Diary of a Sex Addict) as Detective Alexis Taylor. If one were to imagine a hardened, no-nonsense, tough as nails detective, you would likely picture someone like Detective Taylor. Apple plays the character extremely well and makes a believable cop, acting a bit rough around the edges because of the nature of the job, yet also clearly caring deeply for the victims and being willing to do whatever it takes to catch the killer. Playing Detective Taylor’s partner is Peter Zizzo (Billions, Obliterated) as Detective Joe Kirby. Zizzo is more well known as a singer and songwriter, but he holds his own in this film. At times there is a bit of stiffness in Zizzo’s portrayal of Detective Kirby, but it also makes him somewhat more believable as a cop being interviewed about the investigation. There are also moments when his performance brings a bit of emotion to the film, as this character is clearly haunted by the horrific crimes and the victims.

Visuals play an important role in Strange Harvest. The film is crafted using interviews, crime scene photos, family photos, news footage, security footage, and more. All the different formats are pieced together to tell a complete story of Mr. Shiny and his reign of terror. All the different formats and varying levels of video quality add to the realism and to the sense that this is a true crime documentary. A few visual highlights are the symbol design Mr. Shiny often leaves at the crime scenes, the elaborate gore at each murder, and the mask Mr. Shiny wears. Specifically with the mask, it is a simplistic design, but it’s also truly terrifying to imagine seeing it in real life. If there is one negative about Strange Harvest it’s that there is a fair amount of AI generated images throughout. Audiences will likely notice this use of AI anytime family photos with the victims are shown. While I understand from an indie filmmaking point of view that this is a great way to save money, it’s also disappointing to see as it takes opportunities away from other artists.

Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire expertly crafts a gory supernatural mystery in a true crime format. Ortiz demonstrates once again his skills at creating a unique lore that feels real in the way the story is filmed. Despite the unfortunate use of AI images, the rest of the visuals are well done and help to bring this murderous tale to life. Not to mention the actors portraying the lead detectives on the case give compelling and believable performances, helping to guide the viewers on a twisted journey. It’s a gripping film that keeps the audience at the edge of their seats from start to finish. Whether you’re fan of true crime or found footage, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire is sure to be a fan favorite.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10