Horror Favourites: Will Higo

As the intense survival thriller The Group prepares for its UK digital release, we caught up with writer and director Will Higo to discuss his horror inspirations. Known for his work on films like Nsfl and World of Death, Will has a deep love for the horror genre, which has significantly influenced his filmmaking journey. In this special edition of “Horror Favourites,” Will shares the horror film that left a lasting impact on him and inspired his latest work, The Group.

The Group is a harrowing story that delves into the dark side of recovery and redemption. The film follows Kara, a recovering heroin addict who returns to an addiction support group after a six-month relapse. As the group begins their session, what should have been a safe space for healing quickly descends into chaos when a newcomer, Jack, arrives with a loaded gun and a personal vendetta. What ensues is a tense, white-knuckle thriller that forces each character to confront their past sins in the face of life-threatening danger. With its intense atmosphere and character-driven narrative, The Group is a testament to Higo’s ability to craft stories that grip audiences from start to finish.

Below, Will talks to us about his horror influences…

Will Higo: Hands down, my favourite horror film is Alien. It was the reason I became a filmmaker and has influenced The Group in an oblique sense—an outside antagonist comes into a single location and wreaks havoc. However, with Alien: Romulus in the ether, you won’t have to look too far for hot takes and series rundowns. Plus, if you’re interested, the Strange Shapes blog is absolutely fantastic and offers more to add to the conversation around the film than I ever could.

So, I’d like to dig into something that was a big influence on The Group and also a FrightFest favourite when I originally saw it back in 2002 at the Prince Charles Cinema in London (twenty years before The Group would have its world premiere as part of the festival in the same cinema): Marc Evans’ My Little Eye.

In this post-Blair Witch, pre-Paranormal Activity found footage film, a bunch of twenty-somethings take part in a live-streamed reality internet show, Big-Brother style, only to find themselves subjected to mind games and murder as they realize there’s something iffy going on.

A game cast (hello, young Bradley Cooper) and a really nasty edge set this apart from other movies at the time. There’s a real attempt to play with the form and experiment with hidden cameras (in a torch!) and sound design (constant pulls and whirs from the cameras themselves) that gradually build the impression of malevolent viewers paying a high price to watch these people suffer.

Seeing it in 2002 was an absolute sucker punch, and in 2024, it still feels as vital and relevant as ever. It’s very much worth your time.

The Group hits UK digital platforms on 2 September 2024, courtesy of Reel 2 Reel Films. As a film that promises to take viewers on a fear-inducing suspense journey, it’s clear that Will Higo’s horror roots run deep, with influences like Alien and My Little Eye shaping his unique approach to the genre. Don’t miss this intense survival thriller that made waves at FrightFest 2022.

The Group trailer