The Frightening

The eighteen years old Corey Peterson (Matt Twining) moves with his mother to a small town due a trauma in the past. On his first day at Hallows End High School, he is approached by the student also new arrival in town Mason (James Foley) that tells him about a death of a friend of him in the school and advises Corey to stay away from the wrestler Perry (Jack Carlisle III) and his gang. When two other students vanish, Corey decides to talk to Principal Rizcheck (Robert Donavan), who does not give any attention to him. Together with Mason, they investigate the secret about the school and disclose the dark truth about Hallows End and the missing students.

"The Frightening" has a good premise, but the screenplay and the edition are terrible. The story is flawed, but entertaining and watchable; however, the use of annoying noises and music score, and the successive cuts in many scenes are really irritating. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Grito de Pavor" ("Fright Scream")

Although the plot looked like something a 13 year old might concoct with his buddies, there was a suprisingly erotic touch to this movie. From the leather clad boy in the opening sequence to the loving shots of Matt Twining's golden body one would think that this was designed for an avant-garde audience. If this were the intent, it would have been a nice touch to see the blonde girl bind Matt's wrists and ankles when she forced him to his knees in the dream sequence. The costume designed could have put her in a nice dominatrix outfit and she could have proceeded to give Matt a nice beating for having intruded on her little session with the underwear boys. Given the goofiness of the rest of the movie, replete with too-red blood and monotone lines, a little s&m in the basement would have made the movie far more watchable.

David Decoteau does it once again. He makes a movie, full of beautiful, well sculpted men in their underwear, but for some reason, he refuses to make a film with an original idea or plot.

I had really been anticipating this film's release. The trailer looked interesting enough, and I thought maybe Decoteau had finally gotten it right. However, borrowing too much from other genre films, we are offered nothing new or original, even for a B-movie. The script really seems to want to go in a decent direction, but in true Matthew Jason Walsh fashion, the ending is rushed and makes no sense and does not tie in to the rest of the film. However, you can't blame him, (though I have before). He is only a writer for hire, and for this film had many restrictions placed on him by the Distrbutor's and Producer's of this film. Oh, well...

Newcomer, Matt Twining really did one of the best jobs in this film. His acting is pretty solid and was executed well. Tanya Dempsey wasn't in this enough to really critique her performance. Most of the other players were just there and did nothing for the film. Brinke Stevens was really upstaged by Twining in the scenes they were in together. Still, she is Brinke, and that is all we need to care about!

As for the ending, which is really what most will hate and rip apart. I really liked the back story of the school and the student being dead since 1925. Though it was vastly underdeveloped...I would like to see the orignal script or a more bigger one from Mr. Walsh. He really had an excellent idea that was turned into a Sixth Sense rip-off!

The editing of the film is by far its saving grace. Danny Draven does a superb job making this look like a psychodelic nightmare though the past and though another world, without really doing it! If that makes sense... Quick flash cuts really helped move the eerie pace the film really wanted to have...but really didn't for lack of story!

Overall I give this film a decent rating. It was worth watching, and for die-hard fans. Alot less homoerotic than previous films by Decoteau, but still enough male flesh to make those it is intended for, quiver with glee!

6 out of 10

Well written, well acted, well photographed, well directed but absolutely hideously edited horror film. Good editing should be invisible. It should never call attention to itself. The editing in THE FRIGHTENING makes the film unwatchable. There are these absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary flashes of white every two seconds. This makes watching THE FRIGHTENING about the same as experiencing Chinese water torture. What were they thinking? Brinke Stevens makes a nice cameo appearance, and the lead actor who plays her son is very good. I can't believe a director as accomplished as David DeCoteau would give his movie to an editor who made the film an unwatchable experience.

A teenager haunted by visions of accidently killing someone during a wrestling tournament moves to a new town w/ his mother (Brinke Stevens) to get away from it all. At his now school though a series of murders have been occuring and it looks like he could be next.

What is frightening about this film is that it was made and got a pretty decent release into video stores. It totally lacks any character development, its gore and fright scenes are poorly excuted, and it seems like more of an excuse to show cute, well toned young men parade about in their boxer briefs then an actual movie. And by the way, the final twist is as lame as they get.

Rated R; Graphic Violence and Guys Running Around in Their Boxer Briefs