When Death Calls

When Death Calls is straightforward indie horror fare but is saved by having both Tina Krause and Suzi Loraine featured prominently. Has all the indie horror tropes from loads nudity, masked killers, lots of blood. It's pure escapism nothing more nothing less.

Don't watch if you don't like indie horror!

Tonight I was treated to a rare experience. A Double Feature. Even more rare was that they were both Horror movies and I was able to meet with the Director and some of the cast before and after the movies. AND EVEN MORE RARE THAN THAT I didn't spend $1000 just to get in the door. Movie prices are scarier than the most of the "Horror Flicks" I've seen.

This film, "When Death Calls" by Yellow Ape Productions was very reminiscent of the old HBO series "Tales From The Crypt". It was a "Fun" horror movie experience. Similar to movies like "Planet Terror" (with an old style Cinematography)and or "Zombie Land" because it also refused to take itself "TOO" seriously. If you just want a good laugh and if you're "Jumpy" a good scream. I truly believe you would enjoy this movie.

It's Halloween, and sexy DJ Roxy Richards is making her scariest broadcast yet - but she may not realize how scary things are going to get when an old friend calls in... Running the gamut of horror, WHEN DEATH CALLS is like a two hour horror film festival, except it's only 90 minutes long and not so good! Starring legendary scream queens Suzi Lorraine and Tina Krause!

For a 40-something chick, Tina doesn't look half bad and she strip naked in the first 2 minutes of the movie for no reason whatsoever. A bit plump but then aren't most MILFS?

Cut to some other younger thinner brunette who can't act at all, excepts she's naked too. In her bed. Without covers. And she's cold. Does any of this make sense?

And all these girls (most who for some reason are 20 pounds overweight making them uninteresting) seem to have dreams of a guy coming to kill them. Like the plump girl in a green dress who for some reason has a butchers knife upstairs when a guy in a tux comes to kill her. Who he is is your guess. And why he can walk slowly while she runs in the street but still be right behind her is never explained.

It could be all these overweight girls can't get a guy and the knives are phallic in nature. Who cares? The exposition sucks a big wet one.

Are you getting the picture? The movie unfolds as a bunch of 3 minute stories because there is no plot. The movie is stoopid. Poorly written, poorly acted, poorly directed. There's even a meaningless cat fight at the end with a cow. A huge waste of time.

This is a really fun anthology of scary stories. Lots of dead bodies, blood, creatures in the basement and old school things going bump in the night. Unlike the new horror films that are more like torture tales, this has fun - and downright scary - elements that I've always loved in horror: there's a monster story, a killer's-coming-to-get-you-how do-you-run-away? tale, a super natural thriller and more (sorry for being vague, I don't want to give away the plots). The tales are very well told with some superb acting, a soundtrack that gives you all the right creeps and jolts, and some nice flashes of blood and gore.

I recently had the privilege to attend a theatrical screening of this film. Right off it was obvious to me that Jim Haggerty loves what he is doing. He put great care into the making of When Death Calls. While there is some devious humor, it is never to the point where it distracts from the horror or destroys the viewer's suspension of disbelief.

Characters are developed so that their individuality stands out. Of course no matter how well written a script may be, the characters cannot work without strong performances by the actors and actresses involved. Mr. Haggerty was wise to have cast Suzi Lorraine in a lead role, but everyone put in their best effort. Actress Nathalie Bryant had a role not everyone could pull off, yet she made it work wonderfully.

Writing this as someone who grew up on Amicus anthology horror films I can recommend it to anyone else who is a fan of the genre. The film is full of surprises and beautiful women, well edited and well paced. I look forward to seeing more of Jim Haggerty's work.