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The Pumpkin Karver
After a Halloween prank goes horribly wrong, resulting in manslaughter, social misfit Jonathan is haunted by the consequences of his good-intentioned actions. The Pumpkin Karver feels a product of the slasher revival in the late-nineties heralded by Wes Craven’s Scream, but missing the mark completely, launching a decade later it feels as if it’s been gestating for that length of time, the script dulled considerably, oblivious to the advancement of its contemporaries. The social stereotyping lacking the self-aware irony, bordering on offensive, the one black cast member talking about the ‘hood’, a girl being far too weak to right a fallen wheelbarrow and needing a man’s help. It features many of the hallmarks one would expect in a horror film set on Halloween, the sheer amount of pumpkins is frequently a glorious sight, and of course there’s a hellfire and brimstone spouting crazy old man. The Pumpkin Karver feels displaced, lacking an identity, aping so many different inspirations it’s never able to knit them all cohesively, nor decide which hanging plot strand to go with for the ending.
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Satan's Little Helper
Satan’s Little Helper is full of charm; from the adorable Satan obsessed Dougie to the lo-fi mask and outfit that Satan wears. Jeff Lieberman’s oeuvre is so varied and distinct, despite a concentration of genre cinema, so consistent in quality, from the hallucinogenic nightmares of Blue Sunshine to the backwoods brutality of Just Before Dawn. Satan’s Little Helper adds a wry wit and playfulness. A case of mistaken identity, Satan’s Little Helper obliviously aids a murderer wearing a Satan mask, on a killing spree straight out of his favourite videogame. It’s a creative and quirky concept, which occasionally lapses into something a little mean spirited, the killing of the cat, using its blood to paint a sign, or the sniffing of panties, giving the film a disconcertingly black edge, a removal of the safety from the trappings of a cute child protagonist. It’s one of those films that feels canon for the season, something to wedge between Hocus Pocus and Trick ‘r Treat, or before Carpenter’s classic Halloween.
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The Slayer
The hauntingly barren coastal setting and dilapidated husk of a villa give J.S. Cardone’s The Slayer a desolate feeling. With a cast of just five characters, it adds to an air of isolation, the protagonist’s dreams an ominous foreboding of ill intent. The small cast of characters limits the amount of murderous set pieces, which the sub-genre typically thrives off, but The Slayer manages to make the few death scenes varied, remarkable in their effectiveness. The ambiguous dream sequences a melding of realities. A brooding, menacing pace builds to a spectacular creature reveal that lingers long after the film’s running time elapses. The Slayer is one of those supernatural slashers that will leave those looking for cheap thrills and kills unsatisfied, but will captivate those looking for something a little less hollow.
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Popcorn
Popcorn is a love letter, not just to b-movies but also to the cinema-going experience as a whole. A group of film students organise a night of b-movie mayhem in a run-down theatre on the eve of its demolition. There’s an unearthing of a lost film, with a controversial history, the murderous final act was played out live in the theatre as retribution of an unappreciative audience, and of course there’s a connection between the tragedy and protagonist. The plot is as hokey as the material it’s sending up. All of the films within the film are gloriously funny, tongue firmly planted in cheek. The film is self-aware; feeling almost a blueprint at times for the sensibilities of Scream, the film class discussion in particular feels a direct foreshadowing of a scene from Scream 2. It becomes a little too bogged down in its nonsense plot and languishes a little at times, but the setting and costumes provide the perfect ambiance for a satisfying midnight movie-like experience.
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Hack-O-Lantern
There’s something captivating about Hack-O-Lantern, it’s completely unconventional, at times feeling neutered and safe, and at others overly risqué. The dialogue is frequently pure filth, but wrapped up in a bizarre ‘50s homely ranch setting. Even the incestuous rapey occultist grandpa, who visits every Halloween bearing a choice of Pumpkin and a pentagram engraved necklace for one of his grandchildren, is played as a mix between Ernest Borgnine and Jim Varney. For a late-eighties slasher the kills are inept, infrequent and late to the party. There’s an amazing rock interlude lucid dream sequence though, if you can’t set your horror film in a mall or a hospital, always throw a rock band in. It’s so oft-kilter; one character takes their best friend to a graveyard to show them specifically where she had sex with said best friend’s brother. There’s a random out of nowhere stand-up segment, curiously outside of the actual party. Often for the wrong reasons, Hack-O-Lantern is an enthralling and unforgettable experience.
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The Barn
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a micro-budget crowd-funded film that is so visually competent, its aesthetic defies the nature of its limited means production. The Barn gloriously embodies the spirit of the season, not just in styling, but at the very core of its being, made by and for people who love the season. The protagonist’s serious attitude to Halloween endears, he is essentially many of the people who seek this type of fare out. The monster designs are superb, Hallowed Jack is possibly the most effective looking pumpkin-headed killer ever committed to screen. Cameos from Linnea Quigley, most definitely playing against type as the local moral crusader, and Ari Lehman delight. The throwback soundtrack is stellar. Occasionally it crosses from cool to cringe, the suiting up of the part-time gardening duo, dubbed ‘The Bushwhackers’, to dispense the antagonists, feels a little Tucker & Dale gone wrong, and the back story for the creatures feels a little shoehorned in. The few faults don’t detract from the experience of pure joy on offer in The Barn.
All over for another year, literally started planning for next year. Think I'll have a whole week dedicated to Hammer next year, especially as four Hammer titles I planned to watch were delayed. There are a LOT of Hammer releases at the moment, and upcoming. Seems the perfect time.