Back in August, ahead of the UK premiere at Arrow Video FrightFest, we spoke with writer and director of The Leech, Eric Pennycoff. The film is a deviously dark tale of a priest pushed to the edge after he takes in some wayward souls. Starring Graham Skipper, Jeremy Gardner, and Taylor Gardner, The Leech is the perfect film to see in the season of Christmas horror movies.
Father David (Graham Skipper, Sequence Break), a Catholic priest struggling to fill the pews in his church, allows a homeless man, Terry (Jeremy Gardner, After Midnight), into his home to escape the December chill. But this simple act of kindness has unforeseen consequences when Terry’s pregnant girlfriend, Lexi (Taylor Gardner, Sadistic Intentions), also decides to crash at the parochial house. Determined to save the warring couple through the healing power of God’s love, David’s ordered existence quickly unravels as he succumbs to the wicked ways of the parasitic pair. Will he pass this apparent test of faith or resort to blood-soaked, Old Testament justice?
The reception to The Leech at FrightFest was extremely positive and subsequent festivals screenings have seen its popularity build further. For THN, it is one of our favourite films of the genre circuit this year, and we are counting down the days to its Blu-ray via Arrow Video on Monday 5th December. Ahead of the release we spoke with Eric Pennycoff once again. This time around we discussed the appeal of Christmas horror films, the real-life inspiration for Father David, as well as Pennycoff’s sci-fi roots.
The Leech arrives on special edition Blu-ray on Monday 5th December 2022.
