Wednesday 28 October 2009

Halloween Horror Films: Trick R Treat


Back in the history of horror films, there was the morality tale, a warning that if you wern't good then you'd end up being killed or worse. They were the kind of films that they should show children at a very very young age, to deter them from doing anything at all wicked. Tales from the Crypt was a show dedicated to these kind of tales. Where you'd have some person who'd wronged someone else and end up getting their just desserts.


Sam Raimi's seminal Drag Me To Hell was a whole film dedicated to a morality tale, but usually these morality tales are short stories which are compiled into one film with three or four parts.


Creepshow was one such film that gave us some great little stories all in one package, and Stephen King's Cat's Eyes was another that had some great plots and interesting ideas.


So this brings me onto Trick R Treat, a film with five short horror stories, but this one differs from the usual formula, as all of them happen in the same town, on halloween night and are all interwoven.


None of the stories are scary, but they're all decent stories none-the-less. The character that is in all the stories is a little creature called Sam, who represents the spirit of Halloween. He's a little kid with a burlap sack over his head, and does look creepy. I'd like to see more of him in the future, but was a little dissapointed at the reveal of what's under the mask.


Brian Cox was especially fun to watch too, and I was racking my brain trying to figure out why he deserved the treatment he was getting, other than being a grumpy old guy there seemed to be nothing wrong with him. I was happy for the payoff of his story.


The whole thing is very enjoyable and has high production values. You won't be hiding behind your sofa, but the writing and subtle twists make it a pleasure to watch.

No comments: