Keeping their indie-horror roots alive, A24 released the first teaser trailer for their upcoming supernatural thriller Lamb. While the growing success of A24 involves highly-accredited films of multiple genres, the independent production company continues to appease its anti-mainstream horror fans. Starring Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Prometheus), the film's premise focuses on a childless couple who encounter the inexplicable arrival of a newborn on their farm in Iceland. Lamb premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival and is the first feature debut for its director, Valdimar Jóhannsson.
Collider confirmed the release of Lamb's first teaser trailer uploaded by New Europe Film Sales on YouTube, giving audiences a peek into a new yet familiar scenic world. While staying on brand with similarly nuanced A24 horrors, it showcases an eerie buildup, minimal dialogue, and a vague exposition. In just over a minute, the film's preview elicits a chilling unease, proving that silence can speak volumes. In usual A24 fashion, the trailer showcases a film that goes against the grain of Blockbuster-horror troupes. The trailer's creepy sound effects like digging, humming, breathing, and animal noises almost seem to make up the film's musical score in and of themselves. Check out Lamb's teaser trailer below:
The trailer's success in providing viewers with an unsettling feeling could be accredited to a number of elements. There's the lack of certainty of where things will go, the creepy, primal nature of a folklore setting, and the beautifully sparse environment which gives the notion that anything can happen, as opposed to a more populated setting. Lamb's introduction, albeit short, wears an uncanny resemblance to other A24 favorites like The Witch, Midsommar, and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. All these films share a slow unravelling, upholding the discretion of their plot for as long as possible. In the teaser, the lamb itself, or lamb-type creature, is clearly driving the narrative and yet the image of its character isn't revealed. This is a direct representation of the slow-burn formula viewers are now getting used to. With a release date not yet confirmed, time will tell if Lamb simply meets or exceeds horror fans' expectations.
Source: Collider, New Europe Film Sales