When watching Pica Towers series by Marc Castre, I was a little nervous. I don’t know why. The creatures are rounded little robots, there is no red blood, not even any heavy breathing. The fact that Castre pulls horror off in this setting, with these characters, and with no words, is pretty surprising.
It’s all in the tone of the piece. Castre uses sound as his villain, punch line, and narrator all in one. The sound in the series is eerie, suspenseful, and detailed enough to make every character seem less cute, and more in danger. The echoes that clang through the tower, the electrifying buzz of the lights, and the out of place country music, build the feeling of suspense, mystery and fear.
Castre also makes the most of the films’ time. The shots are short, to the point, and lead the viewer to the necessary conclusions without having to spell every move out visually. There is an unsettling number of cliff hanger moments, allowing the viewer’s imagination to fill in the blanks. This, again, contributes to the eerie mystery of the pieces.
I loved the videos after the first watch. Turns out I’m easily spooked.