‘The Baby in the Basket’ Review
Stars: Maryam d’Abo, Elle O’Hara, Amber Doig-Thorne, Michaela Longden, Lisa Riesner, Annabelle Lanyon, Paul Barber | Written by Nathan Shepka, Tom Jolliffe | Directed by Nathan Shepka, Andy Crane
[DISCLAIMER: Nerdly have been involved with The Baby in the Basket behind the scenes for some time now, with our own Phil and Kevin credited as Co-Executive Producers on the film. HOWEVER… the site and their involvement have had NO bearing on the outcome of this review!]
The Baby in the Basket takes its name from one of the best-known stories from the Bible, the tale of Moses being placed in a basket and sent adrift on the Nile, only to be discovered and adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. However, in this eerie tale, the child left in a basket on the doorstep of St. Augustine’s convent may be anything but divine.
Set in 1942, during the height of World War II, the film takes place on a remote Scottish island where Mother Superior (Maryam d’Abo; Xtro, The Living Daylights) presides over a small convent. The nuns under her charge include Valerie (Elle O’Hara; Cara, Memories of Another), Agnes (Amber Doig-Thorne; Easter Bunny Massacre: The Bloody Trail, Burnt Flowers), Eleanor (Michaela Longden; Lord of Wolves, The Ghost Within), Lucy (Lisa Riesner; No Dogs Allowed, Hurra for Norge), and Annalise (Annabelle Lanyon; Werewolves of the Third Reich, Burlesque Fairytales), who looks old enough to have been God’s mother.
The convent also houses two men: Amos (Paul Barber; Renegades, The Long Good Friday), an elderly caretaker, and Daniel who has come back from the battlefield suffering from PTSD, played by the film’s co-writer and co-director Nathan Shepka. Daniel’s return from the battlefield has left him deeply disturbed, and his presence, combined with the suppressed desires and frustrations of the nuns, creates a volatile environment even before the baby arrives.
The resulting mix of alcoholism, lust, frustration, and mental instability has already made St. Augustine’s an emotional powder keg. The arrival of the baby in the basket on their doorstep is the event that lights the fuse.
The first half hour of the film leans toward melodrama, resembling a psychological soap opera as we are introduced to the characters and their issues. However, once the baby is discovered, things quickly turn sinister and the plot dives headfirst into horror. The atmosphere becomes thick with dread, and the tension builds steadily, making it difficult to distinguish between supernatural occurrences and the characters’ unraveling sanity.
Written by Nathan Shepka and Tom Jolliffe, who previously collaborated on When Darkness Falls, and co-directed by Shepka alongside cinematographer-turned-director Andy Crane with whom he co-directed Dead Before They Wake, The Baby in the Basket is a wild blend of classic British gothic horror and vintage Italian nunsploitation. This unique combination results in a film that pays homage to its predecessors while carving out its own unsettling niche.
The film features many of the classic tropes associated with the nunsploitation subgenre: nuns shedding their habits and dancing under the moonlight, acts of seduction, attempted infanticide, and even someone imprisoned in the convent’s basement. These elements, while familiar, are executed with a level of sincerity and commitment that prevents them from feeling overly campy.
The cinematography by Andy Crane plays a crucial role in crafting an eerie, immersive world, utilizing the hauntingly beautiful old church setting to maximum effect. The film’s visuals create a palpable sense of isolation and impending doom, enhancing the overall tension.
The cast, composed of seasoned B-movie veterans, clearly embraces their roles with enthusiasm. While her screen time is limited, Maryam d’Abo delivers a commanding performance as the Mother Superior struggling to maintain control over her troubled convent. Amber Doig-Thorne is particularly memorable as Agnes, who transforms from slightly odd to outright unhinged as she becomes convinced that evil is lurking among them. Michaela Longden also shines as the black sheep of the flock, providing a compelling counterpoint to the more devout members of the group. While Paul Barber and Nathan Shepka deliver solid performances as Amos and Daniel, it is ultimately, but the women are really the stars of this film and they do shine.
One area where the film falters slightly is in its special effects. The limited budget is apparent, and the few effects that are present often come across as somewhat cheesy. Fortunately, the film does not rely heavily on gore or overt supernatural visuals, instead, it thrives on mood and atmosphere. The creeping dread and shadowy cinematography do much of the heavy lifting, at times evoking the spirit of classic Hammer Horror films. One could almost imagine Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing lurking somewhere in the convent’s dimly lit hallways.
For fans of gothic horror, psychological thrillers, and nunsploitation cinema, The Baby in the Basket promises an unsettling, atmospheric experience that will keep audiences questioning the nature of evil long after the credits roll.
**** 4/5
The Baby in the Basket was released yesterday, February 5th, in the Philippines. UK audiences can look forward to its release on DVD, VOD, and digital platforms via High Fliers Films on February 17th, the same day it will also become available in the United States through Alarm Pictures.
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