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Horrorfest 2006!
19 years ago
General
Yep, I did Horrorfest last weekend. For those not in the know, it was a special screening of 10 horror flicks that were given a chance to play theatrically rather than go the usual direct-to-DVD route. Here's a spoiler-free (but opinionated) breakdown of the flicks I ponied up my hard-earned cash to watch in the comfort of a local theater that often played Coke commercials upside down (and backwards), had screwed-up audio and was full of drunk people. Whee!
UNREST: What starts off as a nicely directed, cleverly written quasi-supernatural thriller about a group of med students who begin to suspect that their dissection cadaver is projecting some kind of malevolence into their lives makes an unfortunate slide into ridiculousness about halfway through and never fully recovers. Nice atmosphere, but the plot's a dud.
PENNY DREADFUL: One of the most relentlessly unpleasant horror flicks I've seen in a while, mainly due to its claustrophobic setting (the inside of a derelict car, wherein the titular waif is being menaced by a creepy psycho killer who lurks in the surrounding woods). For most of its running time, this is a genuinely tense and cruel little gem, but (as so often happens in genre flicks) it too takes a nosedive toward the end with a perplexingly unsatisfying final act.
THE GRAVEDANCERS: Sigh. So much potential, so much of it wasted in the service of a story full of unbelievable characters doing unbelievable things. The film manages some truly creepy thrills early on, but quickly devolves into a string of annoyingly trite setups and laughably over-the-top effects sequences. Horror movie rule of thumb: it's always better to merely hint at the beasties lurking in the dark than to render them in full-blown CG and have them smashing through walls like Hulk Hogan.
THE HAMILTONS: Proof-positive of what you can accomplish with a troupe of dedicated actors and some skill behind the camera, this is one seriously rough and nasty little flick that suggests a contemporary 'Last House on the Left' in its relentless cruelty. Only in its final act does it take an unfortunate 'twist' that renders the horror null and void, but until then its an effectively grim little flick.
REINCARNATION: J-horror cliches abound, but at least they're done with a certain amount of skill. Undead kids, past lives, gruesome murders, vengeful ghosts and one of the creepiest dolls since 'Poltergeist' make this one an enjoyable enough time waster, though the story ultimately doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
DARK RIDE: Cheesy slasher thrills like they don't hardly make anymore, this one is a genuine throwback to the mid-1980s with its story of a mutated psycho in a mask hacking his way through a cast of thoroughly unpleasant young losers. Moderately stylish and featuring a few memorable kills, its the sort of numbskull flick you're embarrassed with yourself for having gotten a kick out of.
THE ABANDONED: For my money, this was the true highlight of the fest. A beautifully executed ghost story that's more concerned with sustaining a mood of lurking dread than with hiking up a body count, this one gets under your skin in ways that few horror films do. Nacho 'Aftermath' Cerda, the writer/director, is one to watch.
WICKED LITTLE THINGS: Probably the best flick you'll ever see about undead zombie coal miner children who bludgeon their victims to death with pickaxes and then eat them. Probably the only such flick you'll ever see, actually. Some nice Appalachian atmosphere early on, but again, this is one of those movies that slowly unwinds under the weight of its own preposterousness.
SNOOP DOGG'S HOOD OF HORROR: You either just grinned at the title, or you rolled your eyes and snorted. The latter group need not apply, but those in the former group will doubtless enjoy this surprisingly snappy, rough-around-the-edges little treat, which features jaw-dropping amounts of gore, a sense of cruel irony which harkens back to the old EC horror comics of yore, and an exploding chihuaha. All this plus Snoop Dogg as your zombie pimp host. You know you want to see this.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to catch the 10th flick, a sneak preview of David Arquette's comedy slasher THE TRIPPER (they cancelled the damn showing in my area). Ah well... even though it was a mixed bag, I'd still do Horrorfest again next year.
UNREST: What starts off as a nicely directed, cleverly written quasi-supernatural thriller about a group of med students who begin to suspect that their dissection cadaver is projecting some kind of malevolence into their lives makes an unfortunate slide into ridiculousness about halfway through and never fully recovers. Nice atmosphere, but the plot's a dud.
PENNY DREADFUL: One of the most relentlessly unpleasant horror flicks I've seen in a while, mainly due to its claustrophobic setting (the inside of a derelict car, wherein the titular waif is being menaced by a creepy psycho killer who lurks in the surrounding woods). For most of its running time, this is a genuinely tense and cruel little gem, but (as so often happens in genre flicks) it too takes a nosedive toward the end with a perplexingly unsatisfying final act.
THE GRAVEDANCERS: Sigh. So much potential, so much of it wasted in the service of a story full of unbelievable characters doing unbelievable things. The film manages some truly creepy thrills early on, but quickly devolves into a string of annoyingly trite setups and laughably over-the-top effects sequences. Horror movie rule of thumb: it's always better to merely hint at the beasties lurking in the dark than to render them in full-blown CG and have them smashing through walls like Hulk Hogan.
THE HAMILTONS: Proof-positive of what you can accomplish with a troupe of dedicated actors and some skill behind the camera, this is one seriously rough and nasty little flick that suggests a contemporary 'Last House on the Left' in its relentless cruelty. Only in its final act does it take an unfortunate 'twist' that renders the horror null and void, but until then its an effectively grim little flick.
REINCARNATION: J-horror cliches abound, but at least they're done with a certain amount of skill. Undead kids, past lives, gruesome murders, vengeful ghosts and one of the creepiest dolls since 'Poltergeist' make this one an enjoyable enough time waster, though the story ultimately doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
DARK RIDE: Cheesy slasher thrills like they don't hardly make anymore, this one is a genuine throwback to the mid-1980s with its story of a mutated psycho in a mask hacking his way through a cast of thoroughly unpleasant young losers. Moderately stylish and featuring a few memorable kills, its the sort of numbskull flick you're embarrassed with yourself for having gotten a kick out of.
THE ABANDONED: For my money, this was the true highlight of the fest. A beautifully executed ghost story that's more concerned with sustaining a mood of lurking dread than with hiking up a body count, this one gets under your skin in ways that few horror films do. Nacho 'Aftermath' Cerda, the writer/director, is one to watch.
WICKED LITTLE THINGS: Probably the best flick you'll ever see about undead zombie coal miner children who bludgeon their victims to death with pickaxes and then eat them. Probably the only such flick you'll ever see, actually. Some nice Appalachian atmosphere early on, but again, this is one of those movies that slowly unwinds under the weight of its own preposterousness.
SNOOP DOGG'S HOOD OF HORROR: You either just grinned at the title, or you rolled your eyes and snorted. The latter group need not apply, but those in the former group will doubtless enjoy this surprisingly snappy, rough-around-the-edges little treat, which features jaw-dropping amounts of gore, a sense of cruel irony which harkens back to the old EC horror comics of yore, and an exploding chihuaha. All this plus Snoop Dogg as your zombie pimp host. You know you want to see this.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to catch the 10th flick, a sneak preview of David Arquette's comedy slasher THE TRIPPER (they cancelled the damn showing in my area). Ah well... even though it was a mixed bag, I'd still do Horrorfest again next year.
The problem with the horror genre is that far too many filmmakers rely exclusively on trying to generate 'boo, gotcha!' scares and creepy atmosphere, often ignoring such essentials as character and plot. Unfortunately, when those elements inevitably have to come to the forefront, the movie then stalls like a gear-stripped Winnebago.
Ah well... as you say, it was fun all the same. It makes a huge difference when you can watch these sorts of flicks with a theater-full of enthusiastic horror fans. :3