Looking at the release schedule for October 2009, it appears there is a deluge of horror movies due to be released into movie theatres...providing me with the opportunity to see a horror movie on the big screen on a weekly (sometimes twice weekly) basis, should I so wish. With a backlog of horror movies to watch on DVD, many of which my friends have been urging me to see for a long time, I thought I might devote this month to the genre of scares, gore and political incorrectness.
First off, then, is Trick r Treat, a movie produced by Bryan Singer's production company and directed by Micael Dougherty (the Superman Returns co-writer). Having now seen this often delayed release I find it bizarre that distributers Warner Brothers sat on this excellent release for so long, as it does so many things, so very right.
Dougherty is either a talent to watch or there's a touch of 'Poltergeist' going on here as the direction is confident and assured...perhaps too assured as the economic framing and long dolly shots smack of Singer's influence...we'll see. Regardless, the result is a fun, event filled ride as the clever, tightly weaved script tells five interconnected stories that all take place in the same American town on Halloween night. All the tales are different enough to stand apart, but the script smartly overlaps the timelines, so events in one story are referenced in the others.
The best aspect is the tone of this movie; it's fun. It doesn't adopt the serious thriller vibe of most modern horror films or play the wacky, self-referential, post-modern card of From Dusk Til Dawn, Scream or Evil Dead 2 (non of which are bad things by the way). It has a refreshing, old-fashioned, 80's feel that kind of recalls an Amblin produced film or a Robert Zemekis movie...a film not skewed to one particular age, taste or sensibility...just committed to telling a really good story.
Which it is.
Oh, and the iconic Pumpkin masked kid that adorns the poster. Freaks me out.
1 comment:
This is a great little movie. A perfect ode to Halloween. A story that pays homage to the ghoulish, playful - and above all - fun spirit of October 31st.
The flick is also gorgeous to look at with excellent production design, art direction and photography. It also has a great cast with the likes of Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker and Brian Cox plus lots of other very familiar faces (mostly from great Canadian located tv shows such as Dead Like Me & Battlestar Galactica).
All the interlinking/overlapping stories work vry well with the werewolf tale being my personal fave. And little Sam, the pumpkin masked creature/spirit of Halloween that links it all together is a wonderfully freaky addition to the pantheon of horror icons.
Great stuff!
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