Festivals - Gerardmer 2021: Cyst on the program of the shifted night

By Mulder, 20 january 2021

"Cyst is my roller coaster horror movie. I wanted something familiar but different that never stops once the action has started. It's a reminder of old monster movies like The Blob with orchestral music, 60s dinners and, most importantly, ooey-gooey madness. I wanted it to be a summary, Alien meets The Blob meets Troll 2." - Tyler Russell

Tyler Russel dares organic and delirious horror, the kind that will make movie theatres react, scream with laughter and wince with disgust. In an era of smooth, sanitized special effects, the young filmmaker takes a step back to the exploitative cinema of the 1980s and the generous extravagances of a Frank Henenlotter.

A native of Texas, Tyler Russell made several award-winning short films, as well as television shows, music videos and commercials. In 2016, he directed his first feature film, the comedy Here Comes Rusty. Cyst, his third feature film, is a tribute to monster films from the 1950s such as Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.'s The Blob.

Synopsis :
Early 60s. A country doctor developed a machine using a laser to remove tumours from the skin. He is desperate to get his revolutionary invention approved and proposes a demonstration to the relevant authorities. But the machine inadvertently transforms a patient's tumor into a monstrous cyst that will spread death in the doctor's office.

Cyst
Directed by Tyler Russell
Produced by Travis Ayers, Tyler Russell, Andy Silverman
Written by Tyler Russell , Andy Silverman
Starring Greg Sestero, Eva Habermann, Jason Douglas, Gene Jones, George Hardy, Darren Ewing, Francesca Santoro, Kyle Roberts, Brianna Anderson, Keturah Branch, Torren Davis, Terri Merritt Bennett
Music by Sam Lipman
Cinematography: Nick Gardner
Edited by Jeremy Morrison
Release date: October 24, 2020 (UK)
Running time: 69 minutes

(Source: press release)