Under Surveillance (2006)

Undescribable Perfection

Simply Perfect

Fresh and Exciting

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Writer/Director Dave Campfield cast himself as the lead in his own film and it paid off big time, this man has talent in front and behind the camera. The film has a Hitchcock style well still remaining original. It's proves right more and more today that Independent films are the ones to see if your looking for a story that is rich, filmed on video a budget of around $30,000 Campfield manages to make this movie like it was made for much more. There's many characters and a lot happening and the amazing thing is how it all falls nicely together in the end. The cast was very good, providing characters that you believe in and care about, also the camera work is fantastic, the shots of the house from outside really set that creepy mood the film is looking for. Dark Chamber is a film filled with murder and mystery and it is a film that provides great atmosphere and suspense while keeping you glued to the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. It's hard to believe that on such a budget a film can be so thought-provoking and riveting, Director Dave Campfield may be a pretty darn good actor but he's also a Director worth keeping your eye out for. This is a film that was made by a group of people that believed in the script and in themselves and it paid off on screen. Fan's of the genre will not want to miss this one.

I am handed many DVD's from filmmakers across the country at film festivals. In most cases I tell the filmmaker that I will check it out after I get home. Sparring myself from a face to face "What did you think of my film" conversation that in most cases can be brutally honest and unrewarding. At the Long Island International Film Expo a young director named Dave Campfield handed me a copy of his film "Under Surveillence" and asked me to tell him what I think. I gave him the "I'll check it out later" and threw it in my car. As I sat in my hotel room and realized that there really is nothing on cable I broke my rule and threw "Under Surveillence" into my laptop. I have watched it three times since. This film is a masterpiece. Smartly written and directed with characters you actually care about. For a first time filmmaker Dave Campfield hits a home run. His script is inventive and edgy and keeps you at the edge of your seat. What really impressed me was how well his cast performed. Everyone of his actors did a really good job and not an over-actor amongst them. Shot on video, "Under Surveillence" has the look and feel of film. Something he must have worked hard on in post. When it hits the video stores you have to check it out. You'll be glad you did.

Under Surveillance is a carefully crafted murder mystery tale by indie filmmaker David Campfield. He keeps things moody, atmospheric,and tense throughout the entire film. Part of the fun is guessing what will happen next.It pays homage to the films of Hitchcock, with a little Sliver thrown in for extra spice. The movie keeps you glued to your seat until the very end. It makes you think and reflect on human nature in general. What is it about snooping on other people that is so interesting? Everyone plays their lives out differently, and it's human nature to want to observe and learn from that. With a solid cast and very nice cinematography, I recommend Under Surveillance for a night of murder,mystery and intrigue. Keep up the good work Mr. Campfield, I look forward to seeing your future projects.

In Under Surveillance, Dave Campfield, in his first feature film, typifies the triple threat of writer, director, and actor (might we add, co-producer!). On a budget of $30,000, he transforms digital video into a slick, cinematic tour-de-force that rivals, if not surpasses, a 35mm concoction. He utilizes the camera's possibilities as a character in the cast, moving deftly and subliminally into and out of the mindset of mystery and psychological intrigue. He employs a writer's precision in pacing his screenplay with appropriate calibers of suspense and revelation, layering it with rich characterizations and subtext, brought to life by a compelling and well-assembled cast. Director of Photography Andrew Seltz maximizes the technical potential of digital video with lush and ominous color landscapes punctuated by Pixelvision-like black and white points of view of the surveillance cameras, offering us a peephole into the private lives of this repertory of players. Composer Evan Evans lends a haunting and enthralling score, reminiscent of early Bernard Herrmann, and contributes significantly to the overall tone of the piece. Under Surveillance is bound to elicit attention in the independent film arena; and as long as there are fine films to be seen and fine director/writers (such as Dave Campfield) to make them, it should secure a memorable place in that canon and beyond.