A24's Undertone uses nested horror stories

The horror film Undertone, released earlier this year, uses a structure of three nested stories to amplify its scares. According to a feature on Film Stories, writer-director Ian Tuason's film was marketed by distributor A24 for its unsettling sound design, but its multi-strand storytelling is equally integral.

The narrative unfolds through protagonist Evy, played by Nina Kiri, who is providing end-of-life care for her comatose mother in a single house. The film's first story focuses on Evy's intense loneliness and isolation in this role, surrounded by constant reminders of her mother's devout Christianity. Actor Michèle Duquet portrays the mother, who is seen but not heard.

The Podcast Persona

Evy's main outlet is a supernatural podcast called The Undertone, which she co-hosts with Justin, played by Adam DiMarco. This forms the film's second narrative strand. Online, Evy adopts a skeptical, methodical persona for the show, a contrast to Justin's believer stance. The feature notes that the film charts the gradual breakdown of this crafted identity as Evy's nerves fray, shifting her from skeptic to a believer in the paranormal.

The Cursed Recordings

The podcast plot is driven by a third story contained in a set of ten sound recordings sent to Justin anonymously. Evy and Justin agree to analyze these clips for their listeners. The recordings initially capture a man named Mike, voiced by Jeff Yung, trying to prove his partner Jessa talks in her sleep. Keana Lyn Bastidas voices Jessa. The recordings soon reveal something far darker in Jessa's nocturnal ramblings, a development the source describes as key to the film's events.

Intertwined Threads

The Film Stories analysis suggests each story could have been a conventional horror film on its own. The Mike and Jessa plot could be a Paranormal Activity-style tale, while the podcast investigation resembles a Ring-like curse narrative. However, by weaving them together with Evy's personal offline drama, Tuason complicates a potential by-the-numbers chiller. The house represents Evy's roots and suppressed religious upbringing, while the podcast represents her preferred self. The anonymous recordings could symbolize all the negativity she is trying to ignore.

Director Ian Tuason has said in interviews that the idea came to him while caring for his terminally ill parents during the pandemic. The film was shot in his own childhood home in Canada. The feature concludes that while themes of isolation, grief, and religion are familiar, combining them creates a powerful mix. Undertone is out on DVD and Blu-ray from October 26th.