‘Wait. There’s another tradition. Always check your candy… ‘
Director: Michael Dougherty
Starring: Leslie Bibb, Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Brett Kelly
Plot: A small town on Halloween night: a young couple find what scary surprises are in store when they blow a jack o’ lantern out before midnight; a high school principal has a secret life that hides a sinister alter-ego; a female college virgin might have finally found a date but is in for a shock at the party; a group of teen bullies play a prank that becomes all too real; and a reclusive old man is paid a visit by a special little trick or treater…
To celebrate the first ever big-screen appearance of Michael Dougherty’s TRICK ‘R TREAT (showing tonight at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theater at 7pm), today’s HalloweenFest edition takes a look back at the underrated (and under-appreciated) horror anthology shot way back in 2006!
Now we all know the festive Halloween calendar in Hollywood is more often than not all about the horror. The aim of most in the genre is to terrify, disturb, chill and generally shock as we follow the helpless victims of ghouls, ghosts, killers, monsters and such the like. What most of these features sometimes forget – especially those set on the ‘scariest night of the year’ – is the pure fun and excitement of dressing up in macabre costumes and going door-to-door with family and friends, collecting candy (or ‘sweets’ for us boring buggers in the UK).
Since I was a kid, it’s always been a dream of mine to experience Halloween in the US, as it’s portrayed as such a fantastic tradition. I grew up envious of those across the pond as I walked the streets, knocking on neighbours with a poxy hollowed-out turnip rather than a skillfully carved pumpkin (‘You can only get those in America,’ my parents would falsely claim). Living in the North East really is grim when your parents are liars! (What else are they not telling me?)
Writer/director Michael Dougherty’s pet project TRICK ‘R TREAT is a little different to most, and one he masterminded during the making of X-MEN 2 (X2’s Brian Cox and Anna Paquin both appear and director Bryan Singer produces). It’s also the genre film that best captures the spooky mystique and mischievous menace of the 31st October. Like most anthologies, Dougherty has fun toying us with short, segmented stories that thrill and chill in equal measure, but most importantly, makes the film hugely enjoyable. The tales each play a pivotal part in the overall story, interlinking with each other before ultimately coming full circle.
What threads the five creepy narratives is the presence of mystery character Sam, a child/scarecrow-like hooded figure sneaking amongst the shadowy suburbs, making sure the traditions of All Hallows Eve are kept in check. Whether on or off-screen, he’s the heart and (darkly comic) soul of the film, and trying to spot him throughout the frames is a throughly entertaining game, almost like a eerie Where’s Wally (or Waldo, for our US readers). There are obvious nods to a number a familiar fright flicks and best of all, genuine surprises alongside a few neat twists that always feel fresh.
Horror Highlights: Any scene with Sam is a horrific hoot, and each atmospheric story gets under the skin of the townsfolk’s ‘fucked-up’ nature. Tiny tearaway Sam always seems to know their deep secrets, and as he watches from the sidelines, occasionally joining in on the demented fun. Also, Dylan Baker brings his disturbing charm to a character not-too-far away from his controversial role in HAPPINESS, while Brian Cox’s John Carpenter-inspired resemblance is damn hilarious too.
Best Scare: Watch as Anna Paquin’s timid Laurie pops her ancestral lycan cherry (not as filthy as it sounds unfortunately) with a familiar masked man, as her equally stunning (and ravenous) sisters watch on. All change!
Thankfully, despite a short running time (just under 80 minutes), we haven’t seen the last of cult character Sam as he’s popped up a few genius short clips (check them out below the film’s trailer ), his own comic-book, action figures/models and will no doubt appear in the planned future sequel. We just hope the follow-up film is marketed a lot better and doesn’t undergo the same three-year delayed release that ultimately saw TRICK ‘R TREAT lost amongst a deluge of other straight-to-DVD genre films. Demand it NOW people!
We’ll have another terror for you tomorrow at THN and you can view them all here
