City of the Dream Demons

When I found out that John Dickie, the director and writer of City of the Dream Demons, is actually just a teenager, I was surprised. It certainly explains the amateur acting and technical aspects of the film, but City of the Dream Demons is just as entertaining as any other Z-grade, Shot-On-Video trashterpiece made by full grown adults - think Gore-met Zombie Chef from Hell. The passion for film making is all there, and the countless homages to old-school VHS culture will be sure to warm the hearts of any old fans.

In terms of the film itself, the plot and concept are very interesting, far from standard slasher fare. However, the execution is choppy at best, and the performances, dialogue, and death scenes are rather awkward. The humor, found throughout the film, is a nice touch, as it shows a certain awareness of what the director is really making here - not a masterpiece, but a fun tribute to a bygone era. That's exactly what this movie is. Fun. If you enjoy bad movies, particularly of the SOV variety, then this one is for you. If you do not, then you probably want to give this one a pass. The effort was good, but the execution was certainly shaky. I look forward to seeing what John Dickie does in the future.