Broadcast Signal Intrusion

Broadcast Signal Intrusion is a 2021 horror suspense film directed by Jacob Gentry. The film focuses on a man investigating the phenomenon of broadcast signal intrusions, which may be related to disappearances.

This article is about the 2021 film. For the hijacking of broadcast signals, see Broadcast signal intrusion.
Broadcast Signal Intrusion
A man listening to a broadcast signal. Behind him are several screens showcasing the distorted face of a woman.
Promotional release poster
Directed byJacob Gentry
Written byPhil Drinkwater
Tim Woodall
Produced byGreg Newman
Giles Edwards
Nicola Goelzhaeuser
Brett Hays
StarringHarry Shum Jr.
Chris Sullivan
Kelley Mack
Steve Pringle
Justin Welborn
CinematographyScott Thiele
Music byBen Lovett
Production
company
Queensbury Pictures
Distributed byMPI Media Group/Dark Sky Films
Release dates
  • March 16, 2021 (2021-03-16) (SXSW)
  • October 22, 2021 (2021-10-22) (limited, VOD)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Synopsis

Set during 1999, James is archiving video tapes for a Chicago television station when he discovers that one contains a broadcast signal intrusion (BSI) where a disguised person acts strangely. The video is difficult to hear clearly, but this intrigues James. He chooses to investigate reports of a similar BSI that occurred during an episode of a sci-fi TV show, only to discover that the FCC took all of the station's copies. As he continues to search, James uncovers a possible conspiracy that is linked to the disappearance of several women, including his wife Hannah.

Cast
  • Harry Shum Jr. as James
  • Chris Sullivan as Phreaker
  • Steve Pringle as Dr. Stuart Lithgow
  • Justin Welborn as Michael
  • Kelley Mack as Alice
  • Jennifer Jelsema as Nora
  • James Swanton as Sal-E Sparx
  • Michael B. Woods as MacAlister
  • Arif Yampolsky as Chester
  • Madrid St. Angelo as Proprietor

Production

Director Jacob Gentry was intrigued by the film's premise upon reading the script, as he found broadcast signal intrusions fascinating.[1] Gentry has stated that creepypastas and videos such as Tara the Android were inspirations for the film, as were real life broadcast signal intrusions such as the 1987 Max Headroom signal hijacking and Alan J. Pakula’s films Klute, The Parallax View, and All The President’s Men.[2]

Release

Broadcast Signal Intrusion premiered on March 16, 2021 at the South by Southwest Film Festival.[3] [4][5] Later, the movie was screened at multiple festivals, including Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada, London FrightFest Film Festival in the United Kingdom, and Sitges Fim Festival in Spain.

The movie was set for a limited theatrical and VOD release in the USA on October 22, 2021.[6]

The movie can be streamed on AMC+.

Reception

Broadcast Signal Intrusion holds a rating of 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 62 reviews, with the critics' consensus stating "Broadcast Signal Intrusion struggles to satisfactorily resolve its setup, but for much of its runtime, it offers an intriguing, well-acted diversion for horror fans."[6] Common elements of praise centered on the film's atmosphere, which was praised by outlets such as Variety and RogerEbert.com.[7][8] The performance of Harry Shum Jr. was also frequently singled out for praise.[9][10] Horror website Bloody Disgusting rated the film at 2 1/2 out of 5 skulls, writing that it "wears its cinematic influences on its sleeves, delivering a heavily stylized mystery that rings hollow."[11] Alexandra Heller-Nicholas of Alliance of Women Film Journalists pointed out that "This movie is no clear-cut, legible missing person mystery, as its ambitions are far, far greater than that: it is a film about grief, about obsession, and about our susceptibility to conspiracy theories to fill the void at a time when emptiness reigns supreme. And on this front, Broadcast Signal Intrusion – with all its ambiguities, ellipses and poetic elisions – is both unique and rewarding, if only for a more discerning audience who doesn’t want or need their themes spoon-fed to them."[12]

References
  1. Grobar, Matt (2021-03-16). "Director Jacob Gentry Draws Harry Shum Jr., Kelley Mack & Chris Sullivan Down The "Rabbit Hole" In 'Broadcast Signal Intrusion' – SXSW Studio". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2021-03-16. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  2. Miska, Brad (2021-03-16). "Jacob Gentry Investigates a 'Broadcast Signal Intrusion', Creepy Tapes, and Android Nightmare Fuel [SXSW Interview]". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  3. "The 2021 SXSW Film Festival Will 'Broadcast' Midnighter Horror Films Virtually! [Images]". Bloody Disgusting. February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  4. "SXSW 2021 Midnighters Include GAIA, SOUND OF VIOLENCE, BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION". Daily Dead. 2021-02-11. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  5. Whittaker, Richard (March 16, 2021). "SXSW Interview: Jacob Gentry Runs the Tape on Broadcast Signal Intrusion". www.austinchronicle.com. Archived from the original on 2021-03-16. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  6. "Broadcast Signal Intrusion". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2021-08-19.
  7. Harvey, Dennis (2021-03-17). "'Broadcast Signal Intrusion' Review: Down A Rabbit's Hole of Paranoia, Hacking and Obfuscation". Variety. Archived from the original on 2021-03-17. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  8. Allen, Nick. "SXSW 2021: Broadcast Signal Intrusion, Offseason". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  9. "Broadcast Signal Intrusion Follows Grief Down a Freaky Rabbit Hole". io9. 20 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  10. "SXSW: BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION (2021)". CULTURE CRYPT. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  11. Navarro, Meagan (2021-03-17). "[SXSW Review] 'Broadcast Signal Intrusion' Is an Eerie But Empty Tech-Noir Conspiracy Thriller". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  12. "BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION – Review by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS". Retrieved 2021-04-12.
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