THE BYE BYE MAN

US, 2017, 97 minutes, Colour.
Douglas Smith, Lucien Laviscount, Cressida Bonas, Doug Jones, Michael Trucco, Jenna Kanell, Erica Tremblay, Faye Dunaway, Cleo King, Carrie- Anne Moss, Leigh Whannell.
Directed by Stacy Title.

Here is another haunted house story. The film opens rather dramatically, a contrast between the picture poster sunlit house and the deranged actions of a man with a rifle, attacking his family, wanting to know whether they heard the name of the creature taunting him. There is a later explanation of him – and an interview with his wife (who is played by Faye Dunaway).

Three friends move into the house, a couple and their close friend. Initially all goes well but another friend has a sense of dread and they have seance meetings which, after some scepticism by the men, has an eerie repercussions. When one of the students finds the name of The Bye Bye Man and a drawer with “don’t say it, don’t think it�, which the mad killer repeated at the beginning, there are various noises in the house, suspicions, the basement, and some hallucinations.

When the medium friend is killed and the student and suspected of killing her, there is a Detective Inspector (Carrie- Anne Moss) who wants to get to the bottom of what has been going on. The three central characters are killed – and the film ending with the Detective trying to get the name of the killer, which will have dire results (or, perhaps, a sequel).

The film was directed by Stacy title who has not made many films that made the distinctive black comedy in 1995, The Last Supper.

1. Impact as a horror film? Haunted house? Ghostly presence? Sinister character? Grim killings?

2. The university town, the opening with the suburban house, the demented man, his chanting, the rifle, shooting, the victims?

3. The transition to the university, the house, exterior, interiors, the basement and the furniture, the large bedroom? The atmosphere for the hauntings? The musical score?

4. The title, the implications of farewell and death? The incantation, Don’t Say It, Don’t Think It? The killer using it as a mantra, the rapidity, repetition? Elliott finding the title in the drawer as well as the incantation? The final visualising of the Bye Bye Man? Monster?

5. The focus on Elliott, John and Sasha? Students? Friends? Renting the house, empty, finding the furniture, Sasha redecorating, their settling in? The welcoming party?

6. Kim, at the party, her psychic powers? Sasha and her hearing noises? Wary? The men sceptical? Kim and sitting at the table, psychic power, the men’s criticism, her knowing what Elliott had hidden? Her fears? The later appearance, psychic powers? Her fear of the Bye Bye Man? Her death?

7. The saying of the mantra? The monster taking possession of the person uttering the name? The care in not saying the name to others? The consequences?

8. Elliott and Sasha, the relationship? The hallucinations, the impact of the train in the tunnel? Their standing naked on the rail line? Elliott and his fears of Sasha with John? John and his apprehensions? Sasha and the sounds in the house?

9. Elliott, going to the library, the research, the information about the journalists, his killing spree? Elliott going to visit his wife? Her story about what had happened?

10. The atmosphere of fear, tension? Amongst the three? The hallucinations and their misunderstanding of each other? Suspicions?

11. The woman at the library, having more information, phoning, her knowing the name, her death?

12. Elliott and Kim in the car, the fears, Elliott with the hammer, chasing him, her death? The arrival of the investigators? The stern attitude towards Elliott? Interviews?

13. The appearance of the Bye Bye Man, the deaths of the three?

14. The investigator, her insisting on knowing what was happening, the name of the assailant? Her hearing the name – and the film ending? Her future?