The Horror Network Vol. 1

I am a huge horror movie buff with a definite weakness when it comes to Horror Anthologies! They are my absolute favorite!! I don't know if it's the "2 for the price of 1" mentality; that feeling that I've gotten just a little bit more then was advertised. Creepshow, Tales from the Crypt, Dead of Night, these are some of my favorite movies. With anthologies, you just get that quick, little, sneak peek. Just a short little, burst of shock and horror to get your adrenaline going. Horror anthologies are just so much fun! Usually... So, imagine my delight at seeing something described as a "frightening anthology" that pays homage to the greats, like Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt! Well, unfortunately, this proved to be a less than accurate description. What I found as I watched the five shorts play out was what felt more like some film student's final project. My God! I waisted an hour and 24 minutes of my life watching someone's senior thesis and I didn't even know anybody involved in the project! I mean, I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, but this just felt like a betrayal. No, a trap! I had been lured by the promise of excellence and was handed a cardboard box. Now, I could have easily overlooked a shoddy production value and low budget work, if only the storytelling had been engaging. But they just didn't work. In the best case scenarios, the acting was abysmal and I had no idea what the hell was going on half the time. The stories dragged, meandered, fell asleep. When we finally did get a little action in some of the shorts, it was tasteless, crass, and absurd. The scenes were bloody, violent, and wholly unoriginal. Ultimately, it's down to me for wasting my eyes on this incomprehensible mess of someone's final project in film school.

I'd read unfavourable reviews of this anthology but despite that I spent my £3 in the cheap section of Asda. Worth a punt. First story, very short, almost pointless. Second story, very boring. Third, filmed in England, probably the best in terms of tension & believability, nicely filmed in the countryside too. Fourth, filmed in Spain, concerns some serious domestic abuse: very gruesome & disturbing, but another story that makes little or no sense. Finally the fifth, with no dialogue & filmed in b&w, is simply an older man killing & sexually abusing a young guy. I like the idea of taking independent shorts from 3 different countries but the reality is that most of these are rubbish & there is no wraparound story. Currently averaging 6.1/10, probably received a lot of high scores from people associated with it. Don't be fooled! It's crap!

The Horror Network Vol. 1 is a very interesting collection of shorts which all examine aspects of the human condition. The first story presents a woman wanting to get away from her stress and problems to a quiet isolated cabin in the country. However we learn that wherever you go, well there you are. Has she snapped or is she in an actual funhoue of horror? The 2nd story appears to be a possession story as a disturbed patient who fears he is committing horrable act when he sleeps as a analytical smug psychiatrist assures him that he suffers from a mental condition. In the end I found a couple viable answers to where we end up at the conclusion. 1. He should have considered the possibility of supernatural forces at work or 2. Stare into the abyss long enough and run the risk of becoming the abyss. The third story was really well done concerning a young girl nearly deaf except for the a hearing aid on one ear that allows her to hear somewhat. Her mom sends a friend of her fathers to pick her up instead. He looks for a girl with a hearing aid and does not find her due to her removing it because of cruel bullying she suffers at the hands of other kids on her bus. When he figures out who she is she is he creepily pulls up to her in a van of all things to finally give her a ride of course causing the girl run away into the woods. After a cat and mouse game it ends sadly for the young girl. This is shot and acted very well and their is a doll that appears to be a representation of the girl mixed in throughout the story. The unseen figure is telling the doll she will love her as long as she can while cutting away the dolls pretty red hair which the girl also has. This feels to me like a warning to being overprotective and not having the tools or courage to stand up for ones self. The mother casually tells police as they search for her that she sometimes takes her hearing aid off for quiet. When asked if she had a boyfriend the overbearing momsay of course not. If this girl would have appreciated her hearing aid as a blessing that she is not totally deaf and that life is not always fair. She may have stood up for herself. She may have found her courage, sense of humor, personality or wits to put an end to it. Even if it did not work on the horrible kids bullying her someone or several someones may have been inspired. They may have admired her courage and she would have made alliances and friends. She probably doesn't rush off leaving her phone. In the end she was a victim who was held back in a way that would destroy her. In the end the doll being told again she will love her as long as she can is pictured stripped bare of its dress, its beautiful hair and is left ruined of all its charms and qualities. Or of course the pursuer may have been el creepo. All these tales give you uncomfortable ends that are for the most part a deeper lesson through imagery and suggestion or actual supernatural horror. The fourth story is visually gutting. A woman and her daughter suffer in a brutally abusive violent home. The husband and father is an unspeakable bastard who should be killed on site by anyone who is close enough to do it. We see through imagery the complete desolation and destruction of people who suffer from such abuse. We also see her brother trying to get her to stop being a powerless victim and leave, change rise above instead of drinking to kill the pain. Of course she has an excuse for that as well. The woman and daughter are transformed into visually horrific creatures of pain an d suffering to break free. The effects here are fantastic and where the cover art comes from. Top shelf creepy stuff. Obviously we are encouraged or disturbed to figure out one should not be a vioctim. No matter hor terrible the antagonists are in the end we accept our lot in life and give away our incredible nearly limitless power to rise up and to break free and create a more fitting destiny for ourselves and our children. The final story has a man who is disgusted by his neighbors lifestyle. This tale deals with religious zealots and hypocracy. A common theme in cinema these days as we head away from judeo christian philosophies and take the bullet train to Hail Satan parkway. I just call's em likes I sees em. A pious man has found some very extreme ways to deal with those who publicly live in ways he finds sinful. Of course a corpse is not subject to any moral obligations and of course God rewards those who eliminate sin from the world of the living. If you are confused wath it and all will become clear grasshopper. Because men of god like this guy will be rewarded in the.........end. Anyways this is not always fun to watch but it is thought provoking, well done and worth your time. Grab some popcorn and be ready to be challenged a bit.

Here's how I would rate the 5 stories : 3Am: ffwd 50% of it. Who can endure this? It's atrocious. 1/10

Edward: ffwd 75% of the conversation. The end was alright. 3/10

Quiet: More boring 2/10

Merry little Christmas (AKA "The one with the monster from the poster".): Made my body shiver, my heart race, my eye tear up as I clench my teeth through most of it. I want to be shocked. I was. No clue what this masterpiece does hiding inside this pile of pure garbage. 9/10

The deviant one: Garbage that was funny for a second. 2/10

So final verdict is, if you need a good fix of hardcore horror, watch Merry little Christmas but dismiss the rest.

Just wanted to write a few lines on each segment in this anthology. I've just seen it and boy was I blown away by the quality that I've yet to see in most recent horror anthologies.

Story 1: It's called "3:00 am" and revolves around a young woman that receives odd calls in the middle of the night. This one highly benefits from atmosphere, sound and cinematography. I have to admit I jumped a few times.

Story 2: It's called "Edward" and focuses on a boy suffering from mental health issues. This one is well written and acted perfectly by it's two leading men.

Story 3: Arguably my favorite segment, it's called "The Quiet" and centers around a young deaf girl on her way home from school one day and the nightmare she endures. Lavish cinematography and well structured sound design elevate an already remarkable piece.

Story 4: Possibly the most disturbing, it's called "Merry Little Christmas" and showcases some award worthy special effects to say the least. It's about a mother and daughter facing demons brought on by an abusive father.

Story 5: The final story is called "The Deviant One" and it's about a man that uses religion to excuse his sick and depraved behavior. Shot in B&W, with no dialogue it's ambitious and worthy closure to an excellent anthology.

Highly recommended to horror fans, especially anthology junkies. This one is at the top of it's genre game! 10/10