The Horror Films Of Aaron Poole
By Fiona Dodwell
Let me start by saying this: Aaron Poole doesn’t act only in horror movies, but when he does, he does it exceptionally well. I discovered his work back in 2012, when he starred in Canadian found-footage film The Conspiracy. On the strength of that gem of a movie, I knew I’d be closely following whatever else Poole performed in. I devoured his other titles and soon found myself just as impressed with his other films. Alongside The Conspiracy, Poole played the lead role in sci-fi horror The Void and creepy haunted house story, The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh. As a horror fan, I simply fell in love with this trio of movies, each of them chilling, creepy and unnerving in their own way. If you haven’t heard of the following films, you may want to read on. I hope it’ll spur you on to buy or rent them, because if you like your films dark and different, I think you’ll be happy with them.
The Conspiracy (2012)
Yes, the film market is completely full-up with found-footage films, some better than others, but The Conspiracy is, in my opinion amongst the very best. The film focuses on two men who are making a documentary about people who believe in conspiracy theories. Poole, who actually plays Aaron himself in the film, is a sceptic, yet unnerving events soon make him a believer…. This film is deeply disturbing. It feels so real, so authentic, which makes it all the more frightening to watch. The acting, the storyline, the unfolding events of horror – it all works together to make a brilliant, solid horror film. Aaron Poole’s performance in this movie is what made me a big fan of his work. I highly recommend checking it out.
The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh (2013)
In this creepy chiller, Aaron Poole plays a character called Leon who has just lost his mother. Returning to his mother’s house, the audience watches as Leon has to begin clearing out the property, and we soon learn that his relationship with his mother was very strained. Over time, the film takes a dark turn, and we soon find that Leon is not alone in the house. Is it a ghost? A demon? Something different? I won’t put any spoilers here, but this is an amazing take on the classic “haunted house” style of film – it is full of creepy moments, and thick with atmosphere. I simply loved it.
The Void (2016)
The Void is a sci-fi horror film, and it has already become a kind of “underground classic” to audiences. This tale of aliens and other worlds unfolds through Poole’s character – Daniel Carter – (who is on night shift as a Deputy Sherriff) as he finds someone hurt and bleeding by the woods, and immediately takes him to a local hospital. It is at this hospital that things take a turn for the worse, and it soon becomes apparent that an evil entity is stalking the hospital grounds. The film shows the characters as they fight for survival whilst locked in the hospital overnight. It is a tense, beautifully acted film and sci-fi fans will probably enjoy the 80s feel to it. I highly recommend it if you love alien movies, or if you enjoyed the Netflix series, Stranger Things.
I recently found out that Poole had directed a short film, Oracle, which is to be played at the 2020 Slamdance Film Festival. I’m excited to see where his new projects take him and what he does in the future. He is not limited to the horror genre at all, and has worked in various other areas/genres of film, but as a huge horror obsessive, I’m happy that his work in this particular field has been so outstanding.
This article offers just a glimpse into the aforementioned films. I hope it inspires you to take a look at the movies themselves and to check out the work of Aaron Poole: you won’t be disappointed.
Aaron Poole
Most recently nominated by the Canadian Academy for his portrayal of Captain John Slotter in the Netflix/CBC drama Strange Empire (2014), Aaron Poole is no stranger in Canada’s screen community. Since appearing in Ed Gass-Donnelly‘s This Beautiful City (2007) at TIFF ’08 (a role that garnered him ACTRA’s Award for Best Actor and another Canadian Academy nomination), his work has received much acclaim. With roles that include two seasons in BBC America and Tom Fontana’s Copper (2012), starring in cult hits The Conspiracy (2012) and The Void (2016), Canadian indie darlings The Animal Project (2013) and Mary Goes Round (2017), and leading opposite both Donald and Kiefer Sutherland in Forsaken (2015), Aaron’s opportunities have begun to expand outside Canada. in 2017, he was seen stateside starring opposite Will Patton, Maggie Grace, and Maika Munroe in The Scent of Rain & Lightning (2017), and supports James Badge Dale in David Prior’s forthcoming (as of April 2019) feature The Empty Man (2020) from 20th Century Fox.
You can follow Aaron on Twitter @aaronsghost
Fiona Dodwell
Fiona Dodwell has been writing fiction for almost 10 years, with several horror/paranormal titles released under various publishers. Alongside this, she is a freelance writer for various websites and magazines. She has written features for Warner Music, Made In Shoreditch Magazine, Music-news.com and Tremr.
Fiona has studied Psychology, Film Studies, Theology and Health & Social Care.
Her biggest passion is reading dark fiction, as well as creating new stories of her own – the creepier the better!
To find out more about Fiona:
Twitter: @Angel_devil982
Leave a Reply