INHABITANT

Who can you trust when you cant trust your self?

Trapped in a delusion, or a terrifying reality?

 

Psychological Thriller Feature Film

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1652295/

 

INHABITANT has been described as a combination of films like Trainspotting & Donny Darko. 

This exciting modern and original film has been designed with creative new techniques and styles. Inspired by the styles of  David Cronenberg and David Lynch.

An immigrant running from a past plagued by disturbing schizophrenic episodes… three women who each hold a different key to his freedom from torment… and a dark and mysterious being who threatens his entire reality, and worst yet – all the people in it.

Mark mistakenly imagines that his release from a mental hospital represents a fresh start. He soon discovers, instead, that his struggles with schizophrenia are about to get much, much worse. As his mind spirals out of control, Mark suspects his sexy roommate and his best friend of conspiring to have him re-committed, and begins to insist that his condition is a result of an implant that puts him in communication with a sinister extraterrestrial race.

The one person who can save him from losing the battle against his mental illness is Abby – a beautiful psychologist with a few demons of her own. But when Mark’s mysterious tormentor offers him a murderous solution to all his problems, can Abby stop him from succumbing to what may only be a terrifying figment of his imagination… before it’s too late?

From the mind of Australian filmmaker James Howarth comes an edgy thriller that blurs the line between the psychological and the supernatural.

Inhabitant was shot completely in digital and breaks new ground in its careful recreation of the coveted "film look" – a result of skills and techniques Howarth spent his career cultivating. The result is a feature that exhibits cinematic flair and production value far beyond what audiences would expect on such a tight budget.

Inhabitant is set to hit the film festival circuit in 2010. The film represents a culmination of Howarth's 15 years of extensive training as an actor and filmmaker, with years at production houses in Hollywood, Australia and a graduate of North Sydney Institute in Film and Television Production and Directing.

Media Inquires? Please contact:

Email: jimmyjackfilms@gmail.com

Phone: 818-294-6105

Stylistically similar to the films of David Cronenberg and David Lynch, Inhabitant follows the supposed descent into madness of title character Mark. A schizophrenic with a spotty memory of his past, Mark is plagued by episodes in which a creature he believes to be extraterrestrial goads him into committing crimes against the people who are closest to him.

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The film opens with Mark’s release from a mental hospital, where he has undergone extensive treatment for schizophrenia. Determined to set himself back on track, he moves in with the cheerful and sexy Alana (Jean Louise O’Sullivan), who initially seems to care less about his background and more about his rent checks. Things are looking up… until Mark’s past begins to bleed back into his life in deeply disturbing ways.

It begins as a sinister voice – familiar from Mark’s past – that taunts him from inside his mind and from the dark corners around his apartment. Then, trouble comes knocking: Mark’s friend Ray (Brandon Fisher) shows up at his front door and tempts him with the drugs and invitations to parties Mark wanted so desperately to leave behind.

The combination of prescribed medication, recreational drugs, and a growing number of seemingly imagined encounters with a dark and menacing creature spells disaster for Mark, who finds it harder and harder to conceal his mental illness from those around him. He begins to suspect that his delusions are in fact real – that his visitor is an alien, placed into contact with him through a chip implanted in his neck during a hospital stay long ago.

Desperate and distrustful of his hospital-appointed case worker, Mark seeks out the help of a psychologist – the beautiful Abby Myers (Eva Swan). Unbeknownst to Mark, Abby has a few demons of her own, stemming from the tragic death of her schizophrenic husband. As she endeavors to help Mark through his darkest hours, a growing attraction between the two complicates the doctor-patient relationship in ways he could not have anticipated.

But even love is not enough to save him from the workings of his own twisted mind. Mark finds himself growing jealous of Alana’s friendship with the devious Ray, and more and more suspicious of their motives as the creature in his head convinces him that they are conspiring to have him re-committed. And when people around him begin to disappear in ways that he cannot explain, Mark must determine if he’s truly schizophrenic—or if there is truly something more sinister at play—before the people he cares about suffer the worst fate at his hands.

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Filmed on opposite corners of the Pacific Rim in Sydney, Australia and Los Angeles, CA, "Inhabitant" is the debut feature film directed and written by actor/filmmaker James Howarth, and produced by Jimmyjack Films.

Audiences who have previewed the film have drawn comparisons to the cult sleeper hit, "Donnie Darko," noting in particular the dark quality of the film, along with the interplay between psychological and supernatural elements. Similarly, the protagonist hangs onto his sanity by a thread; the intrigue lies in how far he can be pushed before his internal struggle runs over tragically into the external world.

 

In producing Inhabitant, Howarth elected to recruit fresh, young talent over bigger name celebrities who had their eye on the film, in order to match the film to his precise vision of the story and characters. The performances of co-stars Eva Swan (in the role of psychologist Abby Myers), Jean Louise O'Sullivan (in the role of roommate Alana) and Brandon Fisher (as Mark’s devious best friend Ray) are mesmerizing and effective in heightening the raw emotion of Howarth’s own performance as Mark. "I was looking for perfection. The actors had to fit the parts perfectly, or not at all."

Producer/Writer/Director/Lead Actor

James Howarth is a graduate of the North Sydney Institute in Film and Television Production and Directing. His production credits include short, episodic and feature length projects that have garnered significant media attention since 2000. In addition to his independent body of work, he was a co-producer and editor at Indievision Films where he specialized in creating extremely high quality productions at extremely low budgets. Inhabitant represents a culmination of his vast experience and skill in this area. He uses his technical expertise to construct stunning visuals to accompany the film’s compelling narrative.

As an actor, Howarth has over two decades of training and experience on stage, on camera and in production. He has consistently landed film and television roles both in his native Australia and in major Hollywood productions.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0397712/

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Lead

Eva Swan

In just few years since her transition from theater to film and television, Eva has landed lead and supporting roles in over a dozen independent films for which she has garnered significant critical praise. In addition to high-profile appearances on "West Wing" and "Madmen," she recently guest starred in A&E’s "The Beast," acting opposite Patrick Swayze, delivering a powerful performance as the widowed wife of a war veteran.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3231646/

 

Lead

Jean Louise O'Sullivan

Since graduating from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Jean has gone from being active in the People's Light and Theater Company and the National Theater Institute in Waterford Connecticut to landing roles in numerous Hollywood feature productions, including Bigfoot, Odd City, and The Myth of the American Sleepover. Recently, she’s been features in recurring roles on TV’s "Bullrun" and the hit web series "Valley Peaks."

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3062739/

 

Supporting

Brandon Fisher

Brandon has had a long history in theater with hundreds of stage credits to his name. Since arriving in Los Angeles, he has emerged as a promising talent with notable TV and feature credits to his name.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2360462/

 

Supporting

Edward Lee Johnson

With his trademark rugged features and a talent for portraying men of authority, Ed Johnson has been featured in numerous feature films – most notably, the award-winning independent film Looking through Lillian. His provocative performance in Inhabitant represents a return to acting after a brief hiatus.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0992555/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0425028/