A detective investigates a missing film star, leading him to enquire into a house’s tragic history. Brisk Amicus anthology horror based on Robert Bloch short stories (with one standout yarn) – four twisty tales plus a wraparound story – delivering value for money and some genre-friendly faces.
Here’s the trailer.
Three stories each set during and in the aftermath of the same extra-terrestrial invasion event. A very mixed bag, this: moments of interest compete with awkward linking, a reliance on stock footage to give scale, and a terrible second story. Still, it’s only 80 minutes long in human time.
Here’s the trailer.
Three couples reunite to scatter the ashes of a friend from their university days. The horror anthology meets a Big Chill/Return of the Secaucus Seven/Peter’s Friends-style relationships flick. A strong cast of UK TV comic faces helps, though the movie falls apart when the framing narrative plays its awkward, clumsy hand.
Here’s the trailer.
A horror anthology, linked by the contents of a video tape. Overlong (there’s a short movie too much) and at times repetitive, this is nevertheless a generally solid found-footage horror compilation, even if the dudebro-ness on display doesn’t always translate into critique. Two standout stories and the interesting credits (acting and direction) make it worth your while. Sequels followed.
Here’s the trailer.
A woman held hostage by a bloodthirsty doll tells it stories to keep it from killing her. Superior Anglo-French anthology horror with no weak episodes. The tales tend to the EC style twist narratives, covering some unusual ground as well as riffs on zombie, ghost and vampire yarns. A solid job all around.
Five horror shorts concerned with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females, and with the legacies of colonialism. Not a dud among them either, with a range of subgenres and stylistic approaches (from human trafficking to vampirism, and from moody b/w to Raimi-esque splatter comedy). Each stand-alone story is brisk and effective enough to earn its place and more. Recommended.
Three adaptations of Stephen King short stories: “Old Chief Woodenhead”, “The Raft” and “The Hitchhiker”. Cut-price anthology sequel that short-changes the viewer (there were five tales in Part 1), making up in rubbery gore for what the yarns lack in comedy and chills. A couple of oddly-effective moments, but that’s about it.
One Halloween, a gang of geeky teens disturb a fabled local ghost. Starts well, but soon gets bogged down in undernourished anthology stories and a pedestrian puzzle seen a hundred times before. Interesting late 60s setting, though never made relevant to the narrative.
A paranormal investigator is given three cases to solve which will apparently prove the existence of the afterlife. Hugely entertaining and clever reworking of old-as-the-hills material, perhaps better enjoyed on a second viewing so its construction can be appreciated.
For another perspective, here’s Xussia’s view.
Six tales of the Old West, each taller than the last. Splendid Western anthology, packed full of quirky moments and character actors, with a few stars plainly having fun. Not exactly commercial, though; Netflix is a good home for this Coen brothers confection.
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