TrueHorror Music's Halloween Compilation EP (Free Download)
As many of you know we are avid music lovers here at TrueHorror.net. Last October we released our popular H3: Season of the Synth mix of various Horror themes and music to keep you in the spirit of the season. Earlier this year we teamed up with Canadian artist La Garçonne to launch our new record label imprint TrueHorror Music with her well received debut album As Days Go By.
So here we are in the midst of another October and we have the first of TWO musical offerings to share with you all. While we have another mix in the works for sometime next week we wanted to do something different for you guys to start your weekend with. So we got together with a few friends of ours to put together a compilation of their original music. We did our best to collect songs that have the appropriate vibe of this time of year, whether it is The Ghost In You's tranquil and heartfelt ode to Halloween "Ten Thirty One" or the moody sound of Ryan Harris's "Canadian Pyramids 2". There should be something on here for everyone. We are thankful to be able to include a haunting track from our friends Fleeting Youth Records latest release by a great band Company of Selves entitled "Roman Candles" that we are sure you will all dig and understand why we wanted to include it here. We also know that you have come to expect some synth from our offerings and we made sure to bring that to the table as well with SpaceAceX's pulsating"SpaceHorror" and Ryan Harris second contribution to the project "Zombies Take The Club" while rounding everything out with our very own La Garçonne and her dark, atmospheric song "Vestibule" which we will be releasing the video for very soon. We want to thank all of you who contributed to this project and hope we can work together on something again very soon. Please check out the individual artists pages below for more of their great music. Next week we will also be featuring The Ghost In You as our guest for another entry into our Dissecting Fear series as well.
Last Shift was a film that initially I hadn't really looked into, or heard much about. I had randomly come across and read a few quick comments about how "Last Shift was creepy" and being a huge fan of creepy, I decided to check it out finally. I can now say that I was pleasantly surprised by what turned out to be a pretty solid horror film. The synopsis goes a little something like this :
"Rookie Police Officer Jessica Loren (Juliana Harkavay - "The Walking Dead") has been assigned the last shift at a closing police department and must wait for a hazmat crew to collect bio-medical evidence."
That is all I will give you from the synopsis, because truth of the matter, when I watched it I had almost zero clue as to what it was about going in other than it was a rookie police officer alone in a station as I opted to not watch the trailers and just dive right in. We follow Jessica, whom after an awkward introduction to the on duty Sergeant, becomes acquainted with the sterile, and eerily empty environment of the soon to be closing department. Harkavay is instantly likable and sympathetic in a role that essentially carries the entire film, she plays it low key and believable with only a few missteps in her police procedure reactions that are more a fault with the script than the actress. Everything starts out easy enough for Officer Loren as she is just sitting at her desk passing time reading a book, that is until she receives a strange phone call from a woman in distress.
Last Shift is a difficult film to review without spoiling too much of the good stuff, but the best way I can sing the films praises is to compare it to one of my favorite horror experiences out there, the Silent Hill video games. Whether or not director Anthony Diblasi was inspired by the games or not ( I am going to have to ask him somehow) there is absolutely a heavy Silent Hill vibe here, and I mean the best parts of Silent Hill, not the stuff the movies focused on. The Isolation, Mystery, Creepy visuals, an effective score are all here to enhance the story of our protagonist who has a past connected to the malevolent presence manifesting itself in the now haunted Police department. The few other characters that Officer Loren meets throughout the film are even reminiscent of the other lost characters you meet throughout Silent Hill. The FX work is solid and there is enough red stuff to to satisfy gorehounds as well, even if that isn't the focus of the film. There are revelations that come later in the film that flesh out the why of the story that I will leave out for now in hoping to provide you a better viewing experience than having everything laid out beforehand. There are plenty of reviews that go further in depth if you want to read more about what happens.
Last Shift is definitely worthy of a watch this October as it is a well directed, well acted, and effectively creepy. It isn't perfect but I felt it was one of the better genre offerings in recent memory that really surprised me with it's execution. Kudos to Diblasi for the unsettling imagery seen throughout, I love stuff like that and this did not disappoint. If you are looking for low key horror film that takes itself seriously, this one might be for you.
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Ordinance 103178 prints now available!
Do your part to keep Haddonfield safe with our Ordinance 103178 print. This 11 x 17 print from the Haddonfield Sheriff's Department will give you and your home a sense of community pride during the Halloween season as well as help spread the word around town about the dangers of this infamous mask. These will perfectly compliment any Halloween, or Horror fans domain!
Back by popular demand we are excited to offer an all new orange variant of last years sold out print. These orange variants are in limited supply and once they are gone, they will not be reprinted.
It is finally here, the month all of us have been eagerly awaiting. October. While September has seemingly become the official pre-season of the Halloween season, the stakes are raised once October arrives. If you are like us, all your preparation and planning has already taken place, and will continue to do so throughout the first week of our beloved month. We have been slowly preparing the site for this month's festivities. In all honesty we weren't quite sure of everything we were going to be doing or attempting to be doing till yesterday when a moment of clarity hit and everything started to fall into place quite nicely with ideas and discussions with everyone who will be involved.
Last year we had a great deal of fun as it was our one year anniversary. We had a blast shooting our Blood, Babes, & Boogeymen photo series as well as our other photo sets like "Carved" and our Evil Dead and Trick 'r Treat inspired sets. We hosted an online Halloween themed art show that was fun to put together and helped us meet new friends and collaborators. We also our free H3: Season of the Synth music mix and our Ordinance 103178 Myers prints, that we hope helped everyone get into the spirit of the season. This new Halloween season marks our two year anniversary. It has been such an incredibly fun journey, we have had the pleasure of creating with and meeting so many great people, collaborated with awesome talents and get to share it with all of you! This year we have a fun lineup of photoshoots, music, articles, interviews and more to help you get hype for October and stay that way all through the month, capping it off with the big day, Halloween!
Juli welcomes you to October at TrueHorror.net
To start the season and our 2 year anniversary off right, we are proud to present the above photo featuring Juli. It is without a doubt one of our favorite images to date and perfectly captures the spirit of Halloween, the holiday, the classic film, and TrueHorror.net all at once. It is no secret that Halloween is our all time favorite film as we have done Myers and Halloween themed shoots before, We wanted to put a new spin on it with something that felt almost elegant to match the vintage makeover the site has also received this month. We feel it was a no brainer in deciding to choose it to kick things off and be the face of our Halloween campaign for 2015 and are happy to have it be the first image people will see when they hit the site.
Here are some of the things you can look forward to this October on TrueHorror.net!
TRUEHORROR PHOTOSETS:
As always, and as you can see above, our main priority and attraction will always be our photoshoots. This season we have some fun stuff lined up that we hope all falls into place as planned. We look forward to conceptualizing and shooting these to share with you all and hope you enjoy what we come up with this year to help make October that much more fun!
KEEP HADDONFIELD SAFE:
Due to popular demand last years sold out print is back! An all new orange variant of our Ordinance 103178 print has been reprinted in limited supply,and are sure to move fast so grab yours while you can! This print features the banned Myers mask notice directly from the Haddonfield Sheriff's dept.
DISSECTING FEAR:
Our popular interview series will also return this October! We will continue to find out what films horror fans and artists found scary during their childhood and how those fears have changed enterting adulthood. To get caught up on all our previous entries, click here!
A VISIT TO SLEEPY HOLLOW:
An annual destination every season for us, we will take you on a virtual trip to the famous home of the Headless Horseman. Whether familiar or not we feel this will be an insightful look at the real life town known for it's fictional spooky history.
TRUEHORROR.NET'S ESSENTIAL OCTOBER VIEWING:
Everyone has their own list of must watch films during the month of October, and everyone has their own reasons for said list. This is what we will be watching and we tell you exactly why we feel these are the films you too should watch!
HALLOWEEN AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME:
Much like films, everyone has their reasoning for loving Halloween. It's time to get up close and personal as I delve into my history with the holiday exploring why it has been such a major part of my life for as long as I can remember. I am really excited to share this story with you all as it means a lot to me.
TRUEHORROR MUSIC:
This year we will have three music related offerings for you. We will be debuting the video for "Vestibule" by TrueHorror Music's very own La Garçonne. We will also be following up last years H3 Mix with an all new October Mix for you all to download for free! Lastly we will also be releasing a compilation EP by various artists with tracks that will feel right at home in our favorite month. Keep an eye out for the announcements for all of these releases.
CARVED II
Last year, Carved featuring our good friend Holly, was one of our more popular projects that was meant to be more but due to circumstances beyond our control, we did not have the time to do everything we had planned.This year we are back with Carved II as Holly is eager to reprise her role as...well, Holly. We already have some cool things lined up for this and will keep those under wraps till things progress further. Needless to say, we are excited about it.
So that concludes our first look at what we have planned for October, there will almost certainly be more stuff that pops up that is not listed here as time goes by and we get inspired to do something additional and new. Still we cannot end this without thanking you all for a truly awesome 2 years and hope we deliver everything you have come to expect and then some for the new month. Stay tuned, as we are just getting started!
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TrueHorror.net's Essential October Viewing List : Part 1
October brings out the horror fan in all of us, for those that watch it year round, it is just an excuse to watch even more, or makes those viewings more special. For those who get into it simply as part of their seasonal celebration, they may not always know what to watch. Either way, it is always fun to discuss horror films and the reasons why we love them and why we feel you should watch them. Everyone has their opinion on what film constitutes a watch during the Halloween season. However, as far as I am concerned, not all horror films are created equal and certain films play better at certain times of the year. For me, Jason Voorhees during October is a no-no. I feel Friday the 13th films should be watched on Friday the 13th or during the summer, everything has it's place. Many will disagree with me on that, but that is okay. We are selecting movies that fit into October and Halloween for various reasons. Now rather than just give a list of films for you to watch and say "Good luck!" we are going to explain just WHY we feel these films are worthy of your valuable October viewing time. So get ready to take some notes or since it's 2015 just bookmark this list on your phone, tablet or laptop as we bring to you TRUEHORROR.NET'S ESSENTIAL HALLOWEEN VIEWING LIST...2015.
1. TRICK 'R TREAT (2007)
One of the most obvious picks anyone can make, yet there is a reason for that. Trick 'r Treat has become a classic film for horror fans and Halloween lovers alike. The entire film plays out like the best Halloween night anyone could ever hope for. The imagery throughout is absolute Halloween perfection. The film also does a wonderful job of covering the spectrum of ones Halloween life cycle showing how each generation spends All Hallows Eve. Child, Teenager, Young Adult, Middle Aged, and Elderly are all represented here. This is the film that when I watched it I said to myself, I really wish I had made that movie, because for me they nailed every single aspect of what makes the holiday so special. Lastly and perhaps most importantly it introduces us to one of horror and Halloween's newest icons in the pumpkin headed demon, Sam. His popularity grows each year and the demand for his merchandise is always high. There were a few years where I actually was not feeling the Halloween spirit and was in a bit of a doldrums for the month, this is the film that brought back the love I had for the Holiday throught most of my life and I am so thankful for that. I would say it is a great film to watch on Halloween night when all is said and done, but if you need a little help getting in the spirit of things to start the month, Trick 'r Treat will help you get back into it immediately upon viewing. It is the BEST film ABOUT the actual holiday and everything I love about October and Halloween is on full display here.
2. FRIGHT NIGHT (1985)
Vampires and werewolves have long been associated with the holiday, though there are plenty of vampire and werewolf related films that for me, don't feel at home during October. Fright Night is my favorite vampire film and it oozes with a great Halloween atmosphere that hits all the right notes.
It is a perfect late night 80's horror film that tells a "boy who cried vampire" story when Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) moves in next door to Charlie Brewster, a high school kid with a penchant for watching, well...late night horror films. He begins to suspect his new neighbor is something much more than the friendly guy he appears to be. Fright Night has it all, a spooky atmosphere, vampires, fog, vampire babes, werewolves, zombies, a modern day vampire hunter, a great soundtrack all wrapped up in a film that delivers the horror as well as the humor. It is a spooky good time highlighted by some impressive FX work and great performances. This is one of those films that is great for a night watch with a big bowl of popcorn and the lights turned down.
3. NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986)
One thing I love to stress about film watching in October is that there needs to be a balance of fun and horror, if all your selections get too serious, you suck all the fun out of the month, if they are all too goofy, well then you lose the fun out of being scared and/or creeped out. Like anything in life, it is all about balance. Night of the Creeps is one of the more fun horror films you can watch this month. It just might be the MOST 80's horror film on this list, it has it's humor, but it also has some great thrills and horror fx as well. So if you want to watch the story of space slugs invading a college campus and subsequently turning it into a zombie crawling warzone, then this is the film for you. I would definitely put this in the watch with a group of friends category and have a blast with it. Top it all off with one of Tom Atkins most iconic performances and you will undoubtedly have a good time with this one! "It's Miller Time!"
4. RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
Like Night of the Creeps, this is another that falls into the watch with your friends category, in fact it would make an awesome double feature night with the right crowd. Return of the Living Dead is one of the best zombie movies ever made. Again it is very 80's in the best way possible and it delivers on all 80's fronts blending humor, gore and a famous scene of nudity to boot. While primarily a horror comedy, Return of the Living Dead boasts quite possibly the creepiest zombie ever committed to film in "Tarman". It was one of the scariest and unsettling things I had seen as a kid, and now it's simply awesome. The other zombie effects are equally cool and Return of the Living Dead boasts plenty of zombie mayhem, skeletons crawling out of graves and plenty of cemetery based action to fit right at home in your October viewing. There are "More Braaaaains!" behind this punk rock infused zombie film than at first meets the eye.
5. MONSTER HOUSE (2006)
Hey guess what? Kids love to enjoy Halloween too, and I have no problem saying the movies I have listed above probably aren't great for your little ones to watch just yet. Sure that is all up to the individual parent, but there definitely has to be something more appropriate to watch for them right? Hence, our selection of Monster House, I know this cgi animated film gets a bad rap from some people, but truth be told it is a Halloween film through and through and is ideal for kids as well as adults to watch during the season. The film about three friends and their conflict with the haunted house across the street has a great "Goonies-Amblin-esque" feel to it. It literally opens up with a shot of a bright orange leaf floating through the street giving way to a little girl riding her tricycle through a bed of raked leaves on the sidewalk, the autumn colors are in full effect as is plenty of humor and spooky imagery. The film even takes place on Halloween weekend. Sometimes you just want to watch something light and fun, but still in the spirit, this will fit the bill.
6. FRANKENWEENIE (2012)
In keeping with the theme of our previous selection, Frankenweenie is a perfect addition to your watch list for October. It is a beautifully put together stop motion film and one of Tim Burton's best films since Big Fish and then if you want to go further back, Sleepy Hollow. Corpse Bride could fit in well to watch this month, but Frankenweenie is a superior film in many ways. The story of Victor and loving bond with his dog and best friend Sparky is one that will undoubtedly cause a few to shed some tears, as you truly buy into not only their relationship, but the fact that Sparky is a fully realized character with a personality all his own. By now you know that after an unfortunate accident Sparky is resurrected by Victor (Frankenstein) and all types of hijinks ensue, but what you may not know is that (SPOILERS AHEAD) Frankenweenie turns into a full blown monster movie that homages plenty of classic horror films complete with beautifully animated spooky visuals. It really is a combination of all of Tim Burton's best instincts when it comes to film. The choice to film in black and white was a risky choice for a studio, but the movie would have nowhere near the same atmosphere or impact with out it. This is one film that I find myself wanting to watch the most this year and as of the time of this writing, I will probably throw it on this first weekend of October as my first at home watch of the season. It's truly a work of art that fits in seamlessly among your Halloween activities. Bonus points for anyone that realizes Sparky is modeled closely after another Tim Burton project "The Family Dog"
7. VINCENT (1982)
There is no way we can recommend Frankenweenie and leave out one of Tim Burton's early masterpieces. By now most of you have probably seen or at least heard of "Vincent". The 1982 stop motion short film is a pure work of art, which displays hints of things to come throughout his career including Frankenweenie. Narrated by the one and only Vincent Price, it tells the tale of a creepy boy with an overactive imagination. At only six and a half minutes long, it wont take much time to watch this, but it is best viewed (like any of these films) in the dark. It again like Frankenweenie, captures Burton's best. It is one of those films that I watch and say yes I wish I made this because it is that awesome and in line with my own sensibilities. Stop Motion will forever be my favorite art form and this is one of the reasons for that. Vincent can be found on various Nightmare Before Christmas releases, but you can watch it right here right now!
8. TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE - VARIOUS EPISODES
Any child of the 80's worth a damn knows that eerie intro seen up above all to well. As a kid (and quite honestly to this day) that music made a bunch of streams and trees seem like the scariest thing ever. Many horror fans hold a special place in their heart for this series, some episodes were great, some were absolutely terrible, but such is the power of nostalgia. I personally will always remember watching episodes of this with my dad late at night, with popcorn or whatever snack he might have chosen that day. He also taped a bunch of episodes on VHS for me to watch as well.
Now everyone has their favorite episodes. There is a general consensus on a few, one that is a must watch however is the Tom Savini directed "Halloween Candy" which is the story of an old grumpy curmudgeon who becomes the victim of an overzealous trick or treater. It is this episode that I will always feel is the inspiration for the Sam and Mr. Kreeg segment of Trick 'r Treat. Regardless it is an effectively eerie and fun slice of the 80's tv horror craze.
The other episode which actually terrified me most as a child is "Inside the Closet" the story is pretty straight forward and actually brilliant in the end. Girl rents a room in an old spooky house and something is going on with the tiny closet in her room she cannot open. I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it but it is probably my favorite episode overall. This episode was also directed by Tom Savini with FX by him as well.
Finally the last episode I will bring up is "Trick or Treat" which if I am not mistaken is the first ever episode aired of the show. It follows the story of a mean old man who every Halloween has a strange contest that revolves around towns peoples children entering his house which he has set up as a sort of haunt, and challenges them to last through the scares while trying to find these vouchers for the money the families owe him. By doing so they will alleviate the families debt to the man and he has the best time ever scaring the hell out of the kids. Again without spoiling it, the end is pretty great and appropriately Halloweeny. These three episodes will make for a great hour and a half of frightful viewing, late at night, as it was meant to be with this show. Tales From the Darkside is available on DVD everywhere, but we have included them here for your convenience. It is an awesome trio that will take you back to a different time of television horror.
Trick or Treat :
Inside the Closet:
Halloween Candy:
Can't recommend enough that you give all three a watch!
9. IT FOLLOWS (2014)
One of the most divisive horror films in recent memory, It Follows has seemingly split audiences in down the middle. It has plenty of detractors, and everyone is entitled to their opinions, but for us it is a chilling and atmospheric nightmare captured on film. The film is an exercise in dread and it's believable teen cast go a long way to making you care about their plight. Armed with an incredible musical score, It Follows delivers an off kilter horror experience complete with a very fall like atmosphere that make it a solid choice for your viewing needs this October. Need more convincing? read our full review here !
10. THE FOG (1980)
It's a safe bet that this won't be the last John Carpenter film on this list, The Fog is a perfect watch, for the middle of the month. After all what says Halloween more than fog, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins and a good old fashioned ghost story? The Fog is one of my favorite Carpenter films and we know it will be one of yours as well after you throw this on, during one chilly October night.
11. THE GUEST
As far as I am concerned the Guest is not a horror film it's much more of a thriller/action flick that kind of defies categorizing, still that doesn't mean that it cant be a Halloween film, and what a Halloween film it is. Every scene of October set film is bursting with Halloween imagery, from pumpkins to skeletons and clever nods to the Halloween film series (specifically part 4 and 3). It also features star making turns by Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe. Stevens plays the Menacing David who is equal parts Terminator and Michael Myers. Top it all off with a heavy dose of carpenter-esque synth from Steve Moore and a pulsating Dark Wave soundtrack and you have the perfect flick for a mid October watch when you still want to keep it Halloween but need a break from the ghosts and goblins that populate most of the other horror fair. The Guest wears it's Halloween love on it's sleeve and we love it for that and you will too!
12. Classic Disney "Silly Symphony" Cartoons - "The Skeleton Dance" and "Mickey Mouse in the Haunted House" (1929)
Easily two of the greatest pieces of Halloween animation ever created. The famous Skeleton Dance lives up to it's reputation as one of the coolest things Disney by way of artist/animator Ub Iwerks has ever done for the Halloween faithful. As a big fan of classic Black & White cartoons (Man I miss Late Night Black and White) I always had an affinity for these two shorts. They capture the Halloween mood in all it's glory, watching them in the dark on a cold night, there is just something really comforting about them. These two pieces of animation really are remarkable, especially when considering that they are both from 1929! The animation back then was incredibly fluid due to the techniques used and the backgrounds are all works of art. These are two MUST watches that I can't recommend enough. All the visuals are just iconic Halloween imagery brought to life.You would be remiss if you did not take the time out to appreciate these two spooky masterpieces of a time long gone by.
As a bonus here is an MGM Flip the Frog cartoon "Spooks" from 1931, also animated by Ub Iwerks that is very similar to Mickey in the Haunted House but still just as fun and spooky.
13. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2
So in my introduction to this article I stated how there are certain films, I just don't consider right for October viewing, I mentioned how I felt Jason and the Friday the 13th Films have no place in October and are much better viewed in the spring or summer, and always more fun ON Friday the 13th. Well I sort of feel that way about Leatherface and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. To me it just feels like a summer horror film and that is always a more appropriate time to watch it. THAT rule goes out the window though when it comes to this amazing film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre part 2. This movie is just too gonzo, creepy, funny, and gory to not be watched this month. As my good buddy Dan would say "It is very macabre!" and that is an understatement. This is my favorite Texas Chainsaw film, from the opening bridge scene that scared the hell out of me as a kid, to the having the best incarnation of Leatherface to his insane chainsaw duel with an equally psychotic Dennis Hopper, this film takes what came before it and expands it into a whole new type of film and mythology, sort of the way Gremlins 2 just went all out berserk after the original Gremlins. There is so much weirdness going on here, I recommend it to everyone I know that will listen. It also introduces audiences to Leatherface's other brother, Choptop, played to disgusting creep perfection by none other than horror legend Bill Moseley. Oh and while we are on the topic of Leatherface, there is only ONE Leatherface and that is Bubba Sawyer, not Jeb, or Thomas Hewitt, no, it's Bubba Sawyer and the Sawyer clan. TCM2 is a horrifically psychedelic, gore fuled trip into madness, if that isn't something to watch near Halloween I don't know what is. Truthfully it deserves it's own article but that will be a story for another day!
This concludes part 1 of our Essenital October Viewing list Hope you all enjoyed reading it and that you get to check out some or all of the titles listed. Stay Tuned for Part 2 next week!
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Review: Tales of Halloween
There are some films that when you hear about you hope you end up loving them, even if you know in your heart it may not live up to the hype or your expectations. Sometimes, you get the movie you expect but that doesn't mean it is the film you want or hoped for. That was the case for me with Tales of Halloween, the newest horror anthology film that features 10 stories (thinly connected) taking place on everyone's favorite Pumpkin infused holiday.
I was lucky enough to catch this early screening on the opening night of the Popcorn Frights Film Festival, which is south Florida's first horror film festival. It seemed fitting to kick off October with this film and as stated above, I was pretty excited to check this out. On a related note I must say before I get into the review, that I did have great time at the screening and meeting like minded horror fans in festival organizers/founders Igor and Marc was a pleasure. It was great to see horror fans getting together to make something happen in a place where it is sorely needed. Have to also shout out Mercy as well who was one of the volunteers there for being so helpful and cool. I look forward to what these guys do next and anything I can do to help, you guys let me know!
As for the film, was Tales of Halloween the film horror/Halloween lovers have been waiting for?
Depends who you ask I suppose, There are a lot of possibilities with the subject matter at hand, and with 10 different segments you just know some are going to be hit or miss, so the best way to discuss them is to tackle them all one by one, spoiler free as possible as always.
1. Sweet Tooth directed by Dave Parker
This hands down was my favorite segment in the film, I personally wish it would have been the final story told as it for me would have ended everything on a high note. It is a simple story about an urban legend told to scare a young boy and what happens when that urban legend turns out to be more than just a story. The segment is shot well, appropriately creepy,gory and manages to be humorous without losing it's edge, it was also well acted. It captures the Halloween vibe very well and only helped to build my hope that this whole thing would be of the same quality and tone. It is the perfect example of how a horror short should work.
2. The Night Billy Raised Hell directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
I did not like this one bit, think Satan's Little Helper but with a slight twist. On it's own this short could have been amusing as something to watch on like youtube and never watch again. The story of a young trick or treater being taught a lesson about playing pranks is a solid idea for a Halloween themed short, but the execution is just so cheesy (complete with cartoonish sound effects) that it quickly took me out of the film. There is plenty of great humor to be found in horror films, I am not opposed to that, but here it just felt as if it were trying to hard while being too cartoonish for any of it to have any real impact other than being obnoxious, something that unfortunately I found to be prevalent throughout many of the segments.
3. Trick directed by Adam Gierasch
This was another standout, it's a wonderfully shot segment that tells story of two couples hanging out, watching a horror movie, who suddenly become the victims of a rather violent group of Trick or Treaters, The segment has some great shots in it and has some truly shocking moments found within. The payoff is what elevates it from being just another mean spirited home invasion film to something much more creepy and satisfying. Definitely one of the best of the bunch.This one got the film back on track after the previous short derailed it.
4. The Weak and The Wicked directed by Paul Solet
A bizarre modern take on a Halloween western, this short worked for me for the most part, It really doesn't have the same suburban neighborhood aesthetic as the rest of the stories as it takes place in the back alleys of Los Angeles (presumably) and features Keir Gilchrist (It Follows) out for revenge on three lifelong bullies. It was an interesting concept, that should have a great supernatural payoff, but it is cut far too short and leaves you wishing for a bit more chaos before we leave it. Still I felt it was one of the more engrossing entries even if the "bullies" weren't exactly well cast, they played the roles well enough.
5. Grimm Grinning Ghost directed by Axelle Carolyn (who put together the entire project)
Starry Eyes alum Alexandra Essoe stars in one of the stronger segments to be found in the film. Essoe is at her mother's (Insidious's Lin Shaye) Halloween party and decides she has had enough and it's time to go home, what follows is a spooky walk through a dark neighborhood, the cinematography here is top notch and adds to the eerie locations that Essoe must traverse to get home, all while she feels she is being followed by someone or something, with plenty of faint glimpses of her would be stalker, the segment might be my second favorite, even if it could have used some more meat to it's story before the eventual payoff. More shorts like this would have been welcomed.
6. Ding Dong directed by Lucky McKee
This one was just weird, there is no way around that, there was some sort of message of abusive behavior strewn about, relating to the featured couple lamenting not having a child of their own to take trick or treating, and some heavy handed Hansel and Gretel references and imagery becomes far to silly and exaggerated to really have any impact. It is almost nonsensical in the end and for me, would have been much better off not being included at all as it is really just all over the place. Even with an admittedly fun performance by Pollyanna McIntosh.
7. This Means War directed by Andrew Kasch and John Skipp
The story of two neighbors with differing views on just what Halloween decorating and partying should be that culminates in a goofy brawl. It's fun enough but still turns into a total cheesefest that has nothing much to offer passed it's extremely thin premise. Again, this is another segment that might have been fun to watch on youtube or vimeo but not in a full on film.
8. Friday the 31st directed by Mike Mendez (mild spoilers)
Starts off strong with us being dropped in the tail end of what is essentially a Friday the 13th film, the hero girl, running into a shed where she discovers bodies while searching for a weapon to fend off the obvious Jason Voorhees homage character. Things take a turn for the worse when a UFO shows up and a trick or treating claymation alien shows up, yes claymation, and possesses the final girls body Once possessed she takes on the form of a green glowing eyed deadite from Evil Dead and she/it begins to fight the backwoods killer. This was the segment where I really checked out of the film.
You may be reading this and thinking "oh whats your problem, that sounds like it could be fun?" Well sure it could be if it wasn't SO extremely goofy and cheesy. I am not opposed to goofy or cheesy, but this segment actually could have still had the same sense of fun and been really cool and violent to boot WITHOUT the excessive goofiness. It was just too much for me by that point, especially with it being the third segment in a row to have an almost immature tone. I delve more into this during my recap. Even though I didn't like it, I expect it to be a favorite of many viewers.
9. The Ransom of Rusty Rex directed by Ryan Schifrin
This segment boasted some of the best acting as it featured Sam Witwer(the Mist) and Jose Pablo Cantillo(Walking Dead) as two would be kidnappers who ultimately chose the wrong victim to mess with. As it turns out the child they kidnap for ransom is not one who the millionaire father (John Landis) is interested in getting back. Once they realize their hostage is not what they expected things get weird. I won't go too much into depth, but the lead performances are what carry this piece and make it work. It is yet another segment much more interested in jokes, however they are handled much better than those in the previous three segments. I didn't LOVE this one but it felt as if it was handled with a steady hand and a good cast kept it mostly lighthearted, fun and amusing instead of grating, childish and crass. It definitely had a good Tales From The Crypt vibe going for it.
10. Bad Seed directed by Neil Marshall
After directing so many great films such as The Descent, Dog Soldiers and even Doomsday, not to mention one of the greatest episodes of Game of Thrones ever. I was excited to see what Neil Marshall would do here to hopefully close out the film on a positive note. I don't know what the hell
happened here, but this might have been one of the worst if not for at least having a much more fun and interesting premise than the others. Bad Seed is the story of a killer pumpkin...complete with vine tentacles that it crawls along with. Starring Kristina Klebe ( Rob Zombies Halloween) as a miscast police detective, this one just completely goes full blown camp and while that can be fun, it was just embarrassing here. Again before i get called a downer, I AM THE EXACT PERSON THAT WOULD LOVE A KILLER PUMPKIN FILM. Just not this one. The killer pumpkin FX were far too clunky, I just could not get into this at all after it's initial setup which was yes fun, but once that was over it was all down hill for me, and after it's extra silly climax, ends the film with a whimper, even if it was more than likely an homage to one of my favorite horror films, Halloween III.
It also must be noted that the "narrator" for the film is Adrienne Barbeau "reprising" her role from the fog as the unseen voice on the radio throughout town. That was cool but should have been utilized more.
So there you have it. Tales of Halloween is a film that I wanted to love upon hearing about it, but it just isn't my kind of horror film or even my kind of horror comedy. Now I will say two things, One I realize there are plenty of people who will read this review and think I don't like any fun or cheesy horror films, that is not true, I do, I love Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Bride of Chucky, Return of the Living Dead and Night of the Creeps, I also love Creepshow 2! What I love about those films is that while cheesy, they are actually very funny and deliver their horror bits well. The problem I have here is a lot of this stuff just isn't actually funny. It's mildly amusing and comes off as extremely juvenile not clever and in some cases it's rather embarrassing. I will compare it to Trick 'r Treat, granted Trick 'r Treat has one director, this has eleven. Still what I am referring to in the comparison is Trick 'r Treat has charm for days and it's humor is present without being overbearing or eye roll inducing. I was literally rolling my eyes through half the segments in Tales of Halloween. For me personally that is a problem .
With that being said, there is absolutely an audience for this film. There will absolutely be people who love it and think I am an idiot for disliking segments that they will undoubtedly love. I am okay with that. There have been plenty of films I dislike for these very same reasons that people I know loved. All Hallows Eve comes to mind, I despised it. Many people thought it was great. I actually would still recommend any fan and lover of Halloween watch this film, as I know many people will find much more entertainment in it than I did. Again there is nothing wrong with that. I would never condemn a film completely if I know that many in it's target audience will enjoy it. Especially this month. It was a fun way to kick off October. I myself will have no problem watching the few segments I enjoyed again. Still, I know I will not be the only one who was disappointed with Tales of Halloween, for us, we can sit here and try to patiently wait for Trick 'r Treat 2.
We were also treated to a separate short film prior to the screening entitled "INVADERS" by director Jason Kupfer. I personally really enjoyed this one and the crowd seemed to love it too. It is definitely worth watching whenever you come across it. It is quick, gory and fun.
Thanks again to Igor, Marc and Mercy with Popcorn Frights. You all did a great thing for horror fans in South Florida and despite my mixed feelings on the film, the screening and atmosphere was top notch fun. I look forward to attending future screenings and talking more to you all soon!
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