All Hallows' Eve

I just got done watching All Hallows' Eve and I have to say that even though it's not a great movie, I did enjoy it. The movie is a series of three short stories with a wrap-around story as its' tie-in. It's a low budget movie with mediocre acting and some decent gore effects but when it is over you'll be glad you watched it. I wont tell you what the stories are about. I'll let you find out as you watch it but what I WILL tell you is that you'll NEVER look at a clown the same way again!!! The first story is just okay, the second story is just plain awful but you'll LOVE the third story and the wrap-around story starts off slow but you'll LOVE it by its' end. Again, it's a low budget movie and most of the time they are painful to watch but there ARE exceptions and All Hallows' Eve is one of the exceptions...........and NO, I'm NOT associated in ANY way with this film. I am just a horror fan who enjoyed this movie.

The 4.6 rating seems a bit low, but this movie isn't a masterpiece. Actually it's pretty far from being a masterpiece, lol. The acting was really awkward at certain points and some of the material is really questionable, but that f***ing clown is freaky as hell. And I'm not one of those types that are "afraid of clowns." But... the awkwardness of it all actually sort of enhanced the feeling of creepiness, in a weird way?

Also, how they linked and wrapped up the story was really clever. It didn't help that something crashed outside my window when the movie was over.

I usually don't watch movies below a 6.0 rating and I would never watch a movie below 5.0 (yes, I'm that type of person), but I was bored and I thought the clown looked scary so I gave this movie a try. Really glad that I did.

OK before you go all on me, saying that this movie is horrible. I know. It is don't worry. But you know it has the right amount of goofyness to make it decent. Is it scary you ask, well somewhat yea there are a few great scares that I won't forget and guess what there are barely any jump scares! This film relies mostly on atmosphere and outfits to scare you and it works well besides the really fake looking alien. But that's fine it's an indie flick. The acting actually isn't too bad, it has horrible moments but it's pretty solid. It was directed really well for a first timer. And that's another reason for the high score. If this was a higher budget film I woul give it a 5 or 6. But it's really fun so you know I'll cut slack. But I did have my few gripes 1: it was very slow and repeating at times mostly during the 2nd tape. And the last one isn't really a gripe but an opinion, not enough Art the clown!!!

This movie is basically the original Terrifier (which is just a diabolically tremendous short) with two pretty terrible stories beforehand.

The first one, the 9th circle features some pretty gnarly-low budget but effective imagery. But that's it.

The second may as well be an Ed Wood short minus the humor. Just god awful.

Then the reason this movie exists: to propel Art the Clown into an icon

(which they have succeeded with the balls to the wall blood fest that is Terrifier 2 and 3 coming this year)

The only reason I'd recommend watching this and not just the original Terrifier short is the wrap around story. I won't spoil that---but the ending outside of the shorts reminds us were watching a film by Damien Leone who's seemed to corner the "breaking every rule torture rampage" market atm.

Lastly, I found both actors who played Art to be utterly terrifying but it was interesting seeing minor aesthetic differences.

This film starts with a grainy, realistic 90s feel, I loved the elements of vulnerability with the babysitter and two children. However, after the initial unveil of the VHS it began to slip Into a much softer variation of Terrifier.

There are three short stories shown from the VHS however, all are reminiscent of an anthology of short stories, crafted into one feature film, and too be honest it is confusing since it has limited foundations.

Not only do we not know what any of the creatures are, from the cultists in masks, a demon, a scuba- diving alien, and Art the Clown himself, there is no motives it seems other than to capture, torture, kill or rape which leaves a gaping hole on trying to discover any meaningful connection to anything other than an evil entity.

The VHS scene involving a baby being cut from someone's stomach to a leathery faced demon about to have a sexual ritual with a girl sensed it had inspiration from the cult classic Rosemary's baby.

Otherwise, what starts as an old-school Halloween horror fest gradually loses interest, and while the are some macabre scenes, nothing really jumps out and grabs your attention.

Art the Clown played by Mike Giannelli doesn't have the same charisma and clever comedic expressions as David Howard Thornton in Terrifier, and so Art doesn't seem have the same unique spark, or feature improvements such as make-up affects which makes him feel more delightfully "Terrifying"

A notable dislike comes from the fact that Art is a supernatural character and that while being whacked, stabbed, and shot doesn't seem to mortally wound, or impede the crazed psychopath whatsoever. Therefore, Art manages to catch up to his victim on every occasion with little effort or hinderance leaving no likelihood or genuine possibilities for escape. I for one like to see survival, and the arduous journey of self-discovery, but with this franchise the predictability of seeing everyone slaughtered leaves nothing to chance and therefore leaves no legitimate surprises.

It's a shame that an intriguing idea gets caught up too much is the sacrificial gore instead of solid storytelling. There is much we don't know, but also don't understand. While I don't think All Hallows Ever is a completely meaningless gore-filled slasher, I don't think it serves a hell of a lot of purpose at this point other than to shock and terrify the audience on different and resourceful ways to showcase brutal acts of violence.

5/10.