Trick r Treat Movie
I finally got to watch it after two years of longing. It is a kind of horror anthology although the stories are not told in a limner way. You have to be engaged while you watch it.
Why this went straight to video, had to be somewhat personal because it nothing to do with the quality of the film. Michael Dougherty was strongly connected to Superman Returns, which many hoped would launch the Superman franchise once more. It failed.
It was written that they did not feel it could compete with the Saw 4 and 5. Where I can see that, they are very different horror movies and I, among others would have liked to have seen Trick r Treat go forward and become its own franchisee. It would be easy to see Sam going on to force the rules of Halloween.
The film, Trick r Treat is glossy, well-acted, great effects, well edited, good score and the stories in themselves were good. I would not go so far as great. The opening credits reminds of mix of Spiderman and Creep story.
There are several stories that place in the same place and on the same night.
The opening is about a couple that calls Halloween a night before midnight. It is not revealed till the end who has done the wicked dead.
Principal Steven Wilkins, catches a kid stealing all the candy and intimidates to sit and talk. This is of course a mistake the boy quickly regrets. The principal's son nags his father to do something fun as he tries to deal with the hefty body. At the end father and son do bond or a family Halloween tradition.
Four young woman, one of which is dressed as Little Red Ridding Hood, come to town where Halloween is huge. (I'd love to live there.) Her friends pick men up and go the party leaving Red alone to do the same. They give her a hard time for still being a virgin. (This is nice because it ties back to the original tale, which subtext is about virginity.) There is a hooded serial killer and the two hook up.
A group of trick or treaters, gathers pumpkins and when they have eight follow the leader to a levy where a tale of bus driver and its occupants, a small group of mad children, drive over the edge and drown. Most of the kids take the elevator down to bottom of the quarry. The others follow. Tricks do not turn into to treats.
The last story we met Sam, the little imp who we have seen in background of the other stories. An old man and his dog Spite, (love the dog's name) scar kids because it is fun and to steal their candy. Sam does not like and they have a confrontation.
There nice tie ins for all of the tales.
If you love Halloween, pick up the movie, but remember, keep Halloween, and check your candy.
Here is the short animated film that is done by the director and writer of Trick r Treat. Sam is in it. The short is nicely done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVtqW4vdA6I