See More International Horror Film Traditions Her spiraling decline, which includes vomiting up maggots, eventually finds her transforming her into a zombie-like creature who begins exacting murderous retribution that tests the limits of the film’s gory make-up effects. Rather than exulting in her triumph, Sarah begins deteriorating both mentally and physically, assaulting her restaurant boss and alienating her equally struggling aspiring artist friends.

The horrified Sarah quickly flees, only to change her mind days later when she seals the deal in a nightmarish scene that recalls Rosemary’s Baby. Her cooperation leads to a meeting where she’s introduced to the company’s elderly production head ( Louis Dezseran) who makes it clear that the starring role in the film he describes as “a love letter to this town” is hers as long as she performs certain, um, favors. Yet another callback finds her being asked to strip off all her clothes despite the fact that the part doesn’t call for nudity. Things go much better the second time around, with Sarah entering into a sort of primal seizure more indicative of a need for institutionalization than talent. “Maybe we didn’t see all we needed from you after all,” she declares. The spectacle is witnessed by the casting director, who calls her back in for another tryout. The clearly emotionally troubled Sarah doesn’t take it at all well, retreating to the bathroom where she has a primal fit that includes actually tearing out her hair. See More 14 Horror Films Inspired by Real-Life Events (Photos) The night before she has a nightmare of a literally bloody audition, and the real one doesn’t go much better, with the stone-faced casting director ( Maria Olsen) and her equally creepy, bowtie-wearing cohort ( Marc Senter) delivering the response that strikes dejection in heart of aspiring performers everywhere: “We’ll be in touch.”

Starry eyes