We’re back for a new year talking about stuff that happened last year!

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On this episode we cover:

• Miscellaneous jibber jabber for far too long
• A review of the Rian Johnson film, “Glass Onion”
• A bit of delayed coverage of the amazing Disney+ show, Andor

If you’re joining us from Interdimensional RSS: The Unofficial Rick and Morty Podcast, welcome!

You can find us on Twitter @Apathusiast

Brandon – @BarnyardCruz

Travis – @Jugglemeno

The post Episode 215 – Glass Andor appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

Trick ‘r Treat! 

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 2007
• “Run”time: 1 hour and 22 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by: Michael Dougherty
• Written by: Michael Dougherty
• Starring:
  • Anna Paquin
  • Brian Cox
  • Dylan Baker

Synopsis: It’s a halloweeeeeeeeen movie!

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 10

Review:

 Holy hell!

We did it, everyone! Kevin and I successfully made our way through 31 days of Halloween horror! Splitting up the article writing duties was really handy, especially when there were movies I didn’t even watch (life, uh, finds a way).

Now we’re here at the finale and we’re doing something a little different. We’re both going to post articles about the last movie. This is because we wanted 31 to be a special one that we both like a lot.

So, without further ado, here is my write-up portion about the now horror classic film, Trick ‘r Treat!

BRANDON’S THOUGHTS:

In the mid-2000’s, I’d heard about a Halloween-themed anthology horror movie that was making its way through some festivals getting rave reviews. It wasn’t getting a theatrical release very many places, but critics were digging it. I forget how I first managed to watch it… I might’ve bought the DVD just as soon as I could. Regardless of how or when I watched it, I remember falling in love with Trick ‘r Treat.

The movie has five different stories that are interlocked in one or more ways. All the stories take place on the same evening at various points in time. Some characters briefly cameo as background characters. Maybe you see shambling zombie kids, a kid running away with a pumpkin in a shopping cart, or a character, blurry in the background, stalking a young woman. Other cameo characters may interact for a line or two.  Eventually we see the greater context of those moments later in the film. The dialogue spoken by characters early in the film have double meaning that is only revealed when the audience finds out the truth later.

Trick ‘r Treat, perhaps more than any other horror anthology I can recall seeing, benefits from multiple rewatches. As a viewer, when the revelations happened, I wanted to start the film over again to catch all the little bits of foreshadowing sprinkled throughout the character and dialogue moments. There’s also an aspect of arranging the timelines of all the activities in your head. Again, all these stories are happening in the same night and sometimes at the exact same time.

Unlike movies like Southbound (which I also liked a lot), Trick ‘r Treat is grounded in what feels like our reality. Sure, there are ghouls and ghosts and werewolves, but they are treated as true supernatural entities. The backdrop of the movie is about ordinary people dealing with extraordinary things.

Another thing I love about Trick ‘r Treat is that it never feels overly bleak or mean-spirited. Even the characters that we know are evil, we find ourselves with some semblance of sympathy. As the icon of the movie, Sam, is terrorizing Brian Cox, we still sympathize a little bit when Cox says, “you’ve gotta be fn’ kidding me”.

I do have minor critiques: the incorporation of Marilyn Manson feels out of place with the rest of the movie that doesn’t rely on licensed music. The scene they use his music on makes the whole thing a bit more cringey and melodramatic than it must be. But overall, this is such a minor critique of an overall wonderful movie

On the character of Sam: it’s strange to think of a time when this film and that character was so unknown. After seeing the film, I made a homemade Sam costume with a bike helmet, burlap, and sewed my own Sam head. I went to a Halloween party, and nobody knew who I was.

Now?

Sam is heavily featured in every Spirit Halloween across the nation. He’s become a part of this cultural zeitgeist with Jack Torrance and Freddy Krueger: even if you’ve never seen Trick ‘r Treat, you’ll recognize Sam.

Ok, this is a long one, so I’ll finish it up. For me, Trick ‘r Treat is light-hearted, fun, and funny. It’s so great, in fact, that it’s part of my rare collection of movies that I never need a sequel for. It perfectly captures the fun, spooky spirit of the Halloween season. Trick ‘r Treat is as closely tied to my Halloween season as The Simpsons Treehouse of Horrors are. It’s an annual watching tradition since that first viewing for the Cruz family.

Trick ‘r Treat rocks.

KEVIN’S THOUGHTS:

There are just some films that you instantly know are going to be fantastic. From the opening scene I knew this was going to become one of those annual tradition type movies. Each segment is well acted, well told, and keeps you glued to the screen. The overall narrative of keeping to tradition is wonderfully wrapped up with each segment and the strings connecting the whole film together.

I think my favorite story is the Halloween School Bus Massacre. There is just something about horror created through tragedy… also, those kids were creepy as hell! This story is tied so well to the conclusion as well. I think it also did the best job at showing if you follow the traditions, you will stay safe.

Brandon and I have talked about this film and we both love it. I’m pretty sure we’ve both watched it numerous times since it came out and know we will watch it many more times. This one is absolutely on my list of recommendations for anybody looking for an annual halloween movie. If you’ve not seen it, I think you probably should… or else Sam might come looking for you!

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 

Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!  

The post 31 Days of Horror – Day Thirty-one – Trick ‘r Treat (2007) appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

The Changeling

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 1980
• “Run”time: 1 hour and 47 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by: Peter Medak
• Written by: Russell Hunter
• Starring:
  • George C. Scott

Synopsis: After the death of his wife and daughter in a car crash, a music professor staying at a long-vacant Seattle mansion is dragged into a decades-old mystery by an inexplicable presence in the mansion’s attic.

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 7

Classic cinema just had a different feel to it. Sure, there is the fact that society and norms change over the years, but I think there is more. Characters just seem to accept things and role with them. Exposition was done in such a matter of fact way and sometimes the ideas and scenes just seem a bit far fetched. Tonight’s movie had a little bit of that, but was it any good? Let’s get into The Changeling.

The story focuses on John Russell (George C. Scott), a composer who recently moved to Seattle after the loss of his wife and daughter. He rents a local mansion and quickly starts to hear bumps in the night. Realizing the presence there is trying to communicate, John starts to investigate the history of the home. This mystery leads to revelations, retribution, and ultimately culminates in a restless spirit finally finding peace.

John was obviously not a skeptic. Once happenings started in the home he almost immediately jumped to “something is trying to communicate with me and I need to solve this mystery.” I found that a bit silly, but it did drive the narrative. Once the investigation started to get pieces, it definitely felt more like a who-done-it mystery with a ghost, more than a haunting type film. I don’t think this really hurt the film, but it subverted my expectations of what I was going to be watching.

One of my favorite things was the music. Deep piano and orchestral pieces added wonderfully to moments of sadness, fright, and emotion. Classic films like this definitely relied heavily on music and they did it well. There are some movies these days that have great scores, but it just does not feel the same as some classic films like this.

Some of the acting felt a little over the top and some was really lackluster. There was one line that I found absolutely hilarious around 14 minutes in, a woman speaking about the home says “it’s so… large.” The delivery was so flat and it felt like a complete throwaway scene with no real purpose. George C. Scott’s performance was not bad, but nothing I would call magnificent… it wasn’t Patton.

I enjoyed the movie for what it was, but I don’t think I like it as much as Brandon. I definitely don’t feel it is one that stands the test of time. Nothing really stood out to me and it felt like there was far too much that you just had to accept and roll with. It’s not a film that I would tell people to stay away from, but it’s also not one I’d say you need to see. Go watch it if you need a dose of some classic cinema.

BRANDON’S THOUGHTS: I like this movie. It makes me sleepy. I always put it on because I like it and I like being awake for it and I don’t want a sleeping pill. It’s a great movie. 9/10

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 

Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!  

The post 31 Days of Horror – The Changeling (1980) appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

The Cursed! 

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 2021
• “Run”time: 1 hour and 51 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by: Sam Ellis
• Written by: Sam Ellis
• Starring:
  • Boyd Holbrook
  • Kelly Reilly
  • Alistair Petrie

Synopsis: A small town is terrorized by some kind of animal that seems like a wolf, but maybe not necessarily a wolf.

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 7

Review: Knowing now that Kevin and I are dedicated enough to at least see it through these 31 days to the end, I think I’ll put more effort into spreading the genre’s out and incorporating as many as possible. This will be something maybe we do for a post 31-day podcast or article… but for now, I mention it because: hey, we’re at day 29 and found our first werewolf movie!  

This one comes by way of writer/director Sean Ellis, bringing us a werewolf tale from the late 1800’s. The movie starts off with a cool series of shots from the trenches of World War I and into the medical tent, where a character is having bullets pulled from his torso… revealing a single silver bullet that isn’t German. 

Shortly from there, we go 35 years back in time to a small village. There the British settler elders are discussing a Romani encampment that has a claim to the land. However, the settlers don’t care nearly as much about the claim and proceed to… evict the Romani’s in the most violent way possible. The set-piece here is a very wide shot that lets the audience see everything that’s happening. It was done as a single shot, with impressive (and chaotic) blocking/choreography. 

This eviction of the Romani kickstarts the titular “curse” on the settlers and the head of the elders, Seamus (Alistair Petrie).  Eventually, events take place, leading to Seamus’ youngest child Edward (Max Mackintosh) being bitten and disappearing. This brings in a pathologist with a history of werewolves into the mix, by way of John (Boyd Holbrook). The attack, the mystery of what happened to Edward, and the root of the curse drive the narrative forward.

That’s good enough for the plot. It follows along with most werewolf stories, so there aren’t a ton of surprises or spoilers here. Even the scenes at the end weren’t particularly revelatory. My enjoyment of this movie came more from the gore effects and the straightforward story. The truth is: I don’t always need to be shocked or surprised by a film to enjoy it. There was more than enough technical skill here for me to be drawn in by. The world war I shots in the beginning were great. A scene in the beginning, at the start of the curse with a scarecrow was brutal. 

On a note of werewolves: silver bullet stories work well as tales of resource management. Setting werewolf stories in the 1800’s with the limitations of firearms is always handy. There’s a moment or two in the film where this could be a factor, but for the most part, they don’t fully rely on a limited ammunition. However, the usefulness of a silver bullet in The Cursed, I thought, was a nice departure on the “effect” it has on werewolves. 

The last thing to bring up is the history of werewolf transformations. From the Wolfman to The Howling to An American Werewolf in London, transformations are a key part of the genre. The hard part is always making a unique way of showing this transformation. The Cursed moves away from the traditional way, more akin to metamorphosis than shape change. I wanted to see it happen more, but unfortunately, it’s not highlighted enough. 

To wrap it all up, The Cursed was a decent entry into the werewolf genre. It doesn’t do anything too far above and beyond what we expect from the genre, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it from a technical and storyteller perspective. Hell, I’m not even a big werewolf fan, but I liked this one. 

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 

Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!  

The post 31 Days of Horror – Day Twenty-nine – The Cursed (2021) appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

Moloch! 

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 2022
• “Run”time: 1 hour 39 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by: Nico van den Brink
• Written by:  Daan Bakker and Nico van den Brink
• Starring:
  • Sallie Harmsen
  • Anneke Blok
  • Alexandre Willaume

Synopsis: A woman searches for answers around a family curse and a legend of an ancient evil.

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 7

Review: Foreign horror is often great. It brings back old tales that most of us are no longer familiar with. Troll Hunter and Rare Exports were both absolutely fantastic and brought a new feeling to very old concepts, steeped in mythology and lore. From the opening scenes, I knew tonight’s movie was going to be one like that. So, let’s get into Moloch.

Moloch tells the story of a family that is possibly cursed. It opens on Betriek (played by Sallie Harmsen as an adult), hiding in a pantry while somebody above her is being attacked. Screams are heard and soon, blood is pouring down into the pantry from the floorboards above.

Time then jumps to 30 years later; Betriek is back home with her mother and has a daughter of her own. In the nearby bog, a body has been discovered and a research team is there to investigate and document what has been found. The lead researcher, Jonas (Alexandre Willaume) develops a bit of a relationship with Betriek and this leads to talk of her family curse, local myths of an ancient evil, and whether or not they believe in them.

As the film goes on we’re given clues and pieces of the truth and eventually those pieces can be put together without much effort. That is not to say that everything is handed to you, but much of the exposition lets you deduce what is going to happen and what has happened. This all leads to a conclusion that may or may not be what you expect.

I enjoyed this film. It’s refreshing to watch something that is based in mythology outside of the norm for US Horror. There are parallels and common themes for sure, but it was obscure enough to feel like something new and different. I can’t say that stopped me from predicting how the movie was going to end though.

There was not much gore and the scare moments were done more in a sense of what might be there, rather than jump scares. The cinematography was well done and the settings were well shot. It definitely had that European small village feel and that’s not a bad thing. Nothing really stood out too much, but none of it was done poorly.

While I felt the ending was a bit predictable, there were some turns I wasn’t able to piece together until the end. I don’t want to spoil anything with some of my other thoughts, but I will say I did enjoy the film. If you don’t like subtitles, this may not be for you; it is about half and half Dutch and English. If you’re looking for something a little different, this is a good choice.

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 

Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!  

The post 31 Days of Horror – Day Twenty-eight – Moloch (2022) appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

Today we’re covering… 

Southbound! 

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 2015
• “Run”time: 1 hour and 29 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by: Roxanne Benjamin, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, David Bruckner
• Written by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Roxanne Benjamin, Susan Burke
• Starring:
  • Chad Villella
  • Matt Bettinelli-Olpin
  • Dana Gould

Synopsis: Five terrifying tales taking place on a road that leads… south…. it’s southbound…

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 7

Review: The other day, Kevin and I were going over our list for this month. For whatever reason, we had the conversation about switching one or two of the movies around. This was right around the time we were talking about Creepshow and horror anthologies in general. This was about the time Kevin exclaimed, “Have you seen Southbound?!”

The answer he was seeking was not the answer I gave him.

So, in the talks about swapping movies around, Southbound found its way on our list for this month. 

This film has five different tales that include little hints and nods to each other. It starts in the middle of a mystery and by the end of it, you’ll get the answer to a few of them. It’s a film that wants you to rewatch it to catch all these hidden pieces (much like Trick R’ Treat does… but that’s a movie for another article). 

The first story is about two men being chased down by reapers. The second is a group of girls that get roadside assistance from a strange family. The third is a man trying to save his hit and run victim. The fourth is a tale of a brother looking for his sister. The fifth is a case of home invasion. 

What I really enjoyed was that the thread that tied each story together. Some of the transitions were more seamless than others, but they still followed a sort of supernatural logic that made sense. 

As with any anthology, some stories are better told than others. However, I felt that all five of these felt decently even in quality. Looking back at the five, I had a difficult time putting one strongly above the other. That even-keel delivery makes this a stronger anthology outing than others, for sure. 

I know that Kevin is a big fan of this film (one of the men in the first short looks like a shorter version of him, oddly enough), so I’m interested in reading what he has to say. It is a solid outing in the genre, and I will say that the way it wraps together at the end was a twist I saw coming but was still happy to see. 

I’ll add it to my list of anthology recommendations, needless to say.

KEVIN’S THOUGHTS:

When I found out that Brandon had not seen this, I insisted that we swap out something on the list to insert this. I watched this years ago when it came out and absolutely loved it. Each story stands on its own very well, while still maintaining an overarching story tying everything together. The effects were well done (especially that shot with the leg…), the scares were there, the creepy ambiance throughout, I just loved it all. If you love anthology horror, I feel this is a must see.

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 

Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!  

The post 31 Days of Horror – Day Twenty-seven – Southbound (2015) appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

Today we’re covering… 

Extra Ordinary! 

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 2019
• “Run”time: 1 hour 34 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by:  Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman
• Written by: Demian Fox, Maeve Higgins, and Mike Ahern
• Starring:
  • Maeve Higgins
  • Barry Ward
  • Will Forte

Synopsis: A driving instructor needs to return to her paranormal past to save her crush’s daughter.

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 7

Review: Horror comedies are often hit or miss. Many of the films struggle with the balance between the jokes and the scary elements. I think when they are done well, you get a good amount of chuckles and also care about the story and what happens to the characters. So let’s talk about where tonight’s film falls on that spectrum. Let’s talk about Extra Ordinary.

The film is centered around Rose (Maeve Higgins), a driving instructor who seems to have a paranormal past. Rose’s father Vincent (Risteard Cooper) had a series of self-help tapes instructing people on the use of their paranormal gifts, which he calls Talents. We find out early that as a child, Rose was his partner and also the reason for his death. Because of this, she swore to never use her gift and that is how she got into her current line of work.

Rose still receives calls begging for help with ghosts and the paranormal, but she ignores them all, until Martin (Barry Ward) comes into the picture. Martin and his daughter Sarah (Emma Coleman) are haunted by the deceased mother of the house, Bonny. Rose gets tangled further into their haunt when Sarah falls victim to a Satanic spell and is set to be a virgin sacrifice. Feeling an obligation to help, and a crush on Martin, Rose steps back into the world of helping people with their paranormal problems.

This was definitely filled with a lot of dry British humor, which I quite enjoy. All the characters had their own little charm, aside from one who was just completely annoying throughout (that was her character’s purpose though, so I can look past it). None of the jokes were the type to bring out deep belly laughs, but I found myself chuckling enough.

The way the paranormal moments were done all had humor mixed in, but they all helped drive the narrative forward. I appreciated that very much. As opposed to something like Scary Movie, where all the jokes feel like bits, the jokes in Extra Ordinary were an accompaniment.

There was not a lot of gore or effects, but what was there was decently done. Some visual effects near the end were a bit lackluster, but this seemed like a rather low budget affair, so they were good for what it is.

While I wouldn’t be recommending it for any awards, I did enjoy the film. Definitely worth giving a watch, if you can’t figure out what to put on.

BRANDON’S THOUGHTS: I could use some levity here and there. I liked this movie. I watched it with the wife. We liked it. Will Forte is great in everything.

8 out of 10!

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 

Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!  

The post 31 Days of Horror – Day Twenty-six – Extra Ordinary (2019) appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

Vicious Fun! 

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 2020
• “Run”time: 1 hour and 41 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by: Cody Calahan
• Written by: James Villeneuve
• Starring:
  • Evan Marsh
  • Amber Goldfarb
  • Ari Millen

Synopsis: A confidence lacking 80’s horror critic finds himself in the presence of a serial killer self-help group!

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 7.5

Review: One of my favorite past times is falling asleep on the couch to whatever is on Shudder TV. Part of this experience is waking up in the middle of a random film and being confused on what is going on. This is especially fun if I wake up to something particularly absurd or avant-garde. It’s sometimes disconcerting and sometimes helpful to go back to sleep. Sometimes it’s striking enough to remember, even if I don’t finish it all.

Clearly there’s a reason I introduce that part of my life for the 2020 film Vicious Fun. I can’t quite remember when I’ve seen it before, but after starting it up for today’s article, I started piecing together bits and images from one of those Shudder sleep nights. 

The story centers around Joel (Evan Marsh), a horror critic who pines over his roommate, but is quite unrequited. He’s iffy about her current boyfriend and so Evan follows the man to a bar. This stalker act eventually gets Joel into what turns out to be a self-help group for serial killers. This is what drives the rest of the story.

One of the fun things about Vicious Fun is the different types of serial killers. The collection of them, with their preferred methods and choices of victims was a fun concept to explore. From the John Wayne Gacy-ish to hulking brute to pure psychopath. In some ways, it reminded me of the underrated Predators film, in that it was a chance to bring together different… predators (I’m high on Dayquill, give me a break). Julian Richings as Fritz did a particularly solid job of embodying his character (seriously, if they wanted someone to play the Joker, he’d be a great fit)

Eventually, the killers find out that Joel isn’t one of them and this is where the killing takes off. I’ll say the gore is pretty good and plenty bloody. I was happy to see more practical effects here than CGI, which is always more fun. He ends up being protected by one of the killers (Amber Goldfarb) who has motivations of their own and he gets to learn a lesson about not being a creepy little stalker creep and stuff. 

The action doesn’t all take place in the bar. Eventually it moves over to a police station with mustachioed police officers that I liked. I mean, they were assholes, but they were fun. 

The movie is fun, vicious fun, in fact. I watched it when I woke up this morning and rewatched the last half in the afternoon. I wanted to be able to write about it coherently even with medicine coursing through my veins. Though I’m not sure of the coherent part worked, the fact that I was willing to put extra effort into it says more about the film than I could write.

Go check it out on Shudder! I’m going to go to sleep (maybe I’ll wake up to it in a bit)

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 
Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!

The post 31 Days of Horror – Day Twenty-five – Vicious Fun (2020) appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

Today we’re covering… 

The Dark and the Wicked! 

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 2020
• “Run”time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by: Bryan Bertino
• Written by: Bryan Bertino
• Starring:
  • Marin Ireland
  • Michael Abbott Jr.
  • Julie Oliver-Touchstone

Synopsis: Two siblings go back to their family farm to help with their dying father, but a dark presence is also there.

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 10

Review: This is another film on the list where I’m going to give as little plot and spoilers as possible. I’d watched the trailer for this one a while back and thought I had a good idea of what it was going to be about… I was wrong. Perhaps that is why this one had an impact on me, but I think it is because it was well made and well told. It was a film that truly lives up to its name, The Dark and the Wicked.

Michael (Michael Abbott Jr.) and Louise (Marin Ireland) are a couple of siblings who’ve come back home to their family farm. Their father is dying and their mother is struggling to take care of him in his final days. Their mother had told them not to come, but both Michael and Louise insisted that they should be there to help. Their mother seems on edge, as if there is more going on than just her husband’s poor health. She seems frightened and throughout the movie we find out why. There is some sort of presence that is there for their father.

From the opening shots I was filled with a sense of unease. You can tell that something isn’t right, but can’t quite tell what it is. Being set on a farm adds to the growing feeling of being isolated with nowhere to run. As it goes on, you’ll be questioning what is real and what is imagined, and you may not receive the answers you want.

Michael Abbott Jr. and Marin Ireland gave outstanding performances. Their growing fear and paranoia came through the screen in such a heavy and effective way. While there were some good supporting characters, Abbott and Ireland’s time on screen drove the narrative and elevated the film to a wonderful level of scary.

The cinematography was incredibly well done. There was a muted lighting which gave everything a sense of darkness, even during shots in the middle of the day. Certain angles used gave a sense of claustrophobia, mixed with wide shots giving a feeling of complete isolation. Mixed together these shots made it feel like you were trapped with no way to escape.

The musical score gave a sense of dread throughout. It was used in a way that didn’t “warn” you that a scare was about to happen, but added heavily to the frightening moments. Moments of sadness, fear, and anxiety felt that much more impactful thanks to it.

The practical and visual effects were not over the top, but highly effective when implemented. There were more than a few moments that had me squirming in my chair (a couple that will make you squirm a lot). The blood was very real looking and used in a way that added to the fear, but did not overpower with gore. Again, this was done in a way that just added to the overall feeling of angst.

We’re 24 days in and this one is definitely in my top three, maybe the top. From start to finish, I was filled with a sense of foreboding that I just could not shake. It’s been a long time since I watched something that made me feel this way and it was an absolute joy to experience it. I cannot recommend this one enough. Go watch it!

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 

Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!  

The post 31 Days of Horror – Day Twenty-four – The Dark and the Wicked (2020) appeared first on Apathetic Enthusiasm.

Tourist Trap! 

Movie Details:

• Release Date: 1979
• “Run”time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Where to watch it: Streaming
• Directed by: David Schmoeller
• Written by: David Schmoeller & J. Larry Carroll
• Starring:
  • Chuck Connors
  • Jocelyn Jones
  • Jon Van Ness
  • Tanya Roberts

Synopsis: A few friends get stuck in a small town and are hunted down by a supernatural slasher type person thing

Open Stab Wounds (out of 10): 6

Review: You got to love early slasher films. A lot can be said about the beginnings of this genre and just how far it’s come. 

This brings us to the 1979 horror classic, Tourist Trap. I mean, I think it’s a classic. It’s a movie saw at Blockbuster on the shelf, or heard people talk about. I’d always mentally categorized this along with films like Motel Hell… 

To get the summary out of the way quick: 5 friends break down in a little town and find themselves trapped… like tourists in a trap. Here’s where a seemingly supernatural killer haunts the place. If this sounds like the familiar trappings of a slasher film, you’d be right. You can even see some of its influence on later films, for example, the Paris Hilton blockbuster House of Wax. 

As a heads up: this review is going to be a little everywhere. Part of that is because the movie is a little everywhere. There are times when the movie seems like a very straightforward slasher flick. Other times, it feels like it’s meant to have little spurts of intentional absurdity. Other times, there’s a supernatural aspect that drives certain scenes. The movie picks and chooses these at disjointed times. Not that this is entirely a bad thing, it’s a 70’s horror film. 

If you come into this film understanding that, expecting the low-quality shots, overacted deaths, and grandiose and melodramatic music, then you’re really going to appreciate the experience. I started watching the film and stopped it after a little bit. When I came back, it was with a renewed sense of enthusiasm for what to expect. 

The moral: a little expectation management goes a long way. 

To talk about the killer, there’s not much of a spoiler. Chuck Connors plays a variety of different types of personas. It’s not a multiple personality; he can shift from sinister to low-key passive aggressive to goofy and beyond. The music compliments these shifts between moods decently, adding in discordant notes to otherwise serene bits of dialogue. 

Speaking of the music, I mentioned it previously, but I really like the way it’s used. Although the death scenes go on five times longer than they should (the introductory kill is obnoxiously so), the music does its job with ratcheting up the tension. This makes the absence of music even more noticeable. 

Final thought I’ll add is that final shot is a great way to end the movie. The final girl living somewhat happily ever after is heartwarming, to be sure.

Look, this movie is a part of horror history. If you’re not fond of low-budget slashers, this won’t change your mind at all. But for the 70’s absurdity in there, I had a good time.  

KEVIN’S THOUGHTS:

There are just some 70’s horror flicks that make you go “Wow! They were on some crazy drugs!” This was definitely one of those. It felt like I was watching a bizarre, live action, extended episode of Scooby-Doo. The acting was so over the top, the music was dramatic as can be, and each death scene was probably three times longer than necessary. One part slasher, one part supernatural, and all parts 70’s. Films like this really make me appreciate how far the craft has come.

7 out of 10

Thanks for reading and watching along with us! Be sure to keep up with all 31 days of our Halloween Horror Film coverage! 

Oh, and make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter @BarnyardCruz and Kevin @Solucid!  

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