Cool News
Massawyrm Says TRICK 'R TREAT Is All Treat And No Trick!!
Hola all. Massawyrm here.
Michael Dougherty must have been shitting himself all through BNAT. To discover that your film had been moved from the very desirable horror film Midnight slot to playing last in the same spot films like Fellowship of the Ring, Passion of the Christ, V For Vendetta and 300 had played must have been terrifying. The audience is expecting something like Cloverfield, Iron Man or Rambo and instead they're treated to Trick 'r Treat, a seasonal horror film that was recently pushed back from this year to next. How the hell were we going to react? Disappointment? Rage? Polite indifference? Well, fortunately for us all, his film was up to the task of rounding out this year's festivities.
Trick 'r Treat can best be described as the Love Actually of the horror set. While many people, the director included, choose to compare it to the likes of Creepshow or Tales from the Darkside, this film is a lot more than that. Sure, during the 80's we had a great string of genre anthologies including Nightmares, Twilight Zone: The Movie and Heavy Metal and this film plays into that group tonally. But Trick 'r Treat aspires to be more than just another series of horror stories. In fact it sets out to redefine Halloween as you know it.
Much like Love Actually before it, this film is not content to simply weave a couple of tales and entertain you in short bursts. It wants them to weave tightly together, making each story somewhat inseparable from those adjacent to it. There is no story here that has no bearing on any of the others. And the tale as a whole has no clear beginning or end. It is 5 tales, some longer than the others, that each somehow further the mythology of just why we do the things we do on Halloween. Why do we give out candy, light pumpkins and wear costumes? Trick 'r Treat aims to give us a brand new mythos to surround those institutions, all the while cementing itself as a potential holiday classic.
And it is its pursuit of those themes that elevates this well above the usual splatter or anthology fare. It wants to tell fairy tales of the modern age, an interconnected series of visceral yarns extending their reach into the realm of urban legend, somehow familiar while remaining stories you haven't actually heard before.
This film was a lot fun. At times creepy, occasionally funny and almost entirely devilish. Now that's not to say that it is perfect. It is something of a twisty film, exercising a very liberal use of the classic Twilight Zone big zinger ending – and unfortunately a few of the stories have twists you spot an hour or so out. BUT, despite knowing where the story might be going, each one manages to stay entertaining, even when entirely transparent. And each ending more than lives up to the promise hinted at once you clue into what's going on. The power of each story isn't in its surprise, but its execution. And each story has its own distinct feel ranging from a slasher story starring a mutant child, to the virginal damsel in distress played by the ever-adorable Anna Paquin, on down to this very cool Steven Spielberg/Richard Donner inspired story with the whole kids-as-adventurers motif going on.
The vibe is definitely 80's fun, but the film never gets cheesy or corny. It is light and spooky, the kind of film I plan to keep around on DVD to run while I give out candy on Halloween night. Horror fans are going to have a ton of fun with this and I fully expect this to take its rightful place as the holiday classic that gets pulled out every year, much the same way Halloween was for many of us in our youth. It is a film very much about the holiday and its spirit, and it captures that wonderfully. How I wish I could have seen this earlier this year in the run up to Halloween, and I hope to God that the studio can keep this under wraps until Autumn of next year. This film could really clean up and is something for any genre fan to look forward to. Michael Dougherty has a lot to be proud of here. He capped off BNAT is prime fashion and he's got a film that will long outlive many of the horror films that will no doubt flank it next year.
Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
Massawyrm
Got something for the Wyrm? Mail it here.
-
+ Expand All
-
Hurrah!
-
What's the big deal?? We've seen ensemble type movies before?? Creepshow still ROCKS !!!
-
That's the movie I'm writting. It's called HORROR ACTUALLY. And baby it will drive you nuts.
-
Personally can't wait to see this but I'm glad they are waiting for Halloween. No one even had the foresight to release Halloween on Halloween. Now it's being pimped as THE Christmas gift to give!
-
. . . was this thing getting pushed back. Can't wait for this, and I hope it leads to more horror anthologies. Only if done right, that is. How many Twilight Zone movies could we have racked up by now???
-
Cut your losses WB
-
Giant anything for that matter.
-
The studio was afraid the box office would be hurt by the "big hit" that was Saw IV. I don't think I've ever seen a movie arrive and leave a theater so quick. -
I'm so glad that this one's been getting such good reviews. I was pissed that this got pushed back, but I'll gladly wait if it's as good as everyone is saying. Awesome review!
-
...were some of my favorite TV ever. Some of those old ones still stand up today. The late 80's and the most recent ones were hit-and-miss, but still had some classics. If Trick 'R Treat (wasn't that originally starring Ozzy and Gene Simmons?) is anything like that (with Goonies influences? Nice.), then I'm all for it.
I'd like to think that Star Trek and other odd TV programs that popped up in the 60's wouldn't have had a chance if it wasn't for The Twilight Zone.
Wyrm, always entertaining. Sorry it took awhile to post. Love that you're using all the different pictures. Not that I'm any artist, but it'd be cool to see more artists submissions. When are you gonna have round 2? Or better yet, just keep adding to your collection with your favorite fan submissions? Just a thought. -
Keep your eyes peeled - I've recieved a few great new ones in the past few months alone. You might have seen the Barbarian Wyrm, Massa and Hobbes and a few others not so easy to describe which are al entries from later this year. Always game for more, though.
-
I'm so happy to see this guy in another film - and he's STILL FAT - just slightly older. He was fantastic in Bad Santa. Kudos to the fat kid for just being fat and not going out, getting himself a personal trainer and moulding himself to fit the bullshit Hollywood male body image crapola ala Mathew McConaughey (says I with a wink). Paquin? Adorable? She's not dogmeat but she's no Amanda Bynes. Film looks pretty decent (thought that "r" was a typo and this was a remake of the 80's dead musician revived flick). At least someone's making something different. I raise my hand in support. Looking forward to giving this a view when it hits cinemas.
-
Why? What, exactly, would be slashed in that situation?
-
and that is a damn fine movie. So i know we are in good hands.
-
..and then praises it? I hate baits like this! And what's with the title, "as treats but no trick?". I thought he meant that it sucked.
-
tell me, dear genie
-
Dec 15, 2007 11:19:28 AM CST
cool..I'll try to remember this a year from now when its release
by mike_d
...finally. pfft.
-
on wanting to see this movie. Trailer looked great. Cannot wait to finally see it.
-
Hey, Harry Potter Jr gotta eat.
-
The Puttermans finally got themselves a pet. But they never even got a chance to give it a name.
(Because they're swingers, the dirty bastards.) -
Dec 16, 2007 1:06:33 PM CST
I heards it's almost as good as the original HALLOWEEN...
by spud mcspud
Ro Zombie's already planning the remake. Starring Sid Haig and Sheri Moon Zombie. As redneck psychos. Again.
-
I SAID LADY! THANKS FOR THE RIDE!!!
-
I heard it wasn't all that from a lot of other reviews. Do I listen to them? Should I believe the 'Wyrm here? I'm gonna make up my own mind when it makes its way across the pond to the ol' UK.
We need more decent horror comedy. About fucking time for another James Gunn flick a la SLITHER - anyone else think so? -
Go? Huh? Did you get your IMDb pages mixed up or something?
-
is weird and disturbing, really, really disturbing and yet, somehow interesting.
-
Check out the Facebook group, "Horror Awards" to vote for the best in horror films from 2007.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 171 total posts 169 posts
- AVENGERS enemy revealed as pink boardgame pieces... You might suffer some form of elation... SPOILERS!!! -- 157 total posts 111 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 138 total posts 75 posts
- Here's The Red Band Trailer For Drafthouse Films' THE FP! -- 67 total posts 67 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 479 total posts 62 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 59 total posts 59 posts
- Does ‘SNL’ Rhyme With ‘Deschanel’?? Learn Which SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Vet Hosts After Sexy Zooey!! -- 62 total posts 59 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 48 total posts 45 posts
- Friday Brings SWEEPS DAY NINE!! Gab Here About Tonight’s FRINGE!! Plus Einstein on TIM, Wiig On PORTLANDIA, MAHER, CLONE, GIFTED, GRIMM, SPARTACUS, SUPERNATURAL, GOLD RUSH And More!! -- 116 total posts 32 posts
- SPACE 2099!! -- 181 total posts 30 posts