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Trick r Treat - A Surprise Shocker Classic
People all over the webbins have been talking about Trick r Treat for some time now - exploring conspiratorial notions on why the film has sat shelved for so long while rhapsodizing about just how well X-Men 2/Superman Returns scribe Michael Dougherty's directorial debut works. Having recently seen the film, I can tell you that I know why the film sat for years: It's...
A lot of hype, but I can see why it was shelved
I first saw the preview to this movie years ago, and it mentioned an upcoming theatrical release. At the time, the trailer seemed interesting enough, I'd see it when it became a rental. After the release was pulled, I didn't get dragged into the hype, but it still stuck in my mind, "When will this movie get released?".
People all over the webbins have been talking about Trick r Treat for some time now - exploring conspiratorial notions on why the film has sat shelved for so long while rhapsodizing about just how well X-Men 2/Superman Returns scribe Michael Dougherty's directorial debut works. Having recently seen the film, I can tell you that I know why the film sat for years: It's one of the more ruthless studio-funded horror films ever made. It's not very gory or explicit at all - but it has a truly, deeply, bad attitude. If William Gaines penned morality plays this venomous - to hell with the Comics Code. He'd have probably served time. Trick r Treat is overflowing with the kind of anarchic, mean-spirited hilarity that never sits well with the suits.
One of the reasons the film feels so vile is that the people who populate the tale feel so utterly real. It's really hard to explain without spoiling a lot of what makes it work so well, but - to give you an idea - director Michael Dougherty explained to us that one of the notes he received during the production process was that the children he cast were "too young". Couldn't he make the kids older? Couldn't he cast hotter? That's not to say that elements of the cast aren't flat-out "foxy" (witness the sexi-sexi of Lauren Lee Smith and Rochelle Aytes) but there are sequences in the film that work perfectly because they're not about plasticine twentysomethings. Again - I can't explain exactly what I mean without doing you a disservice - but when you finally see the film, you'll understand completely.
Trick r Treat has been described in certain quarters as an anthology film - but that's not wholly accurate. In truth, the film possesses a non-linear narrative structure - it's more a Pumpkin Pulp Fiction than a Creepshow copy (though the EC Comics connection this film shares with Romero's classic make them kindred spirits - and a great double bill). The film moves back and forth between tales that, at first, seem to be related only by the presence of the mysterious, malevolent little creature seen in the film's promotional materials. Over the running time, we come to realize that the tiny creeper pops up for a reason - and even that detail is something I don't want to spoil for you.
Despite the aforementioned EC Comics vibe (wherein the table-turning reveal that hands the petty thief or adulterous couple their just desserts is par for the course), the twisted twistiness of Trick r Treat still manages to surprise. At different points during the running time, the audience could be heard to speculate on how they felt some swerve might play out - very early on, I had an idea of how I thought the tale featuring Dylan Baker should end - but I was convinced that there was no way my resolution would fly. That Dougherty was able to do exactly what common sense told me would be excised by an executive before it was ever filmed completely negated my anticipation of the last shot. The sequence ended the only way an understanding of the horror genre dictates it should - but instead of feeling "been there, done that" - the payoff plays like the reward for sitting through all of the committee-created genre projects that lack the spine to do it right. Another reveal - easily the film's most glorious - made me feel like a complete idiot. Thinking about it now, I still don't understand why I didn't call it with a chuckle the very moment True Blood's Anna Paquin awkwardly stepped out of her fitting room to face the derision of her friends. At least I wasn't alone - by the end of her character's arc, the audience I was part of sat in stunned silence...then burst into reverent applause - a response based on elements converging in a perfect storm: a beautifully-shot and edited sequence featuring a fantastic revelation, a flawless mix of practical and computer generated imagery, an awesome character beat - and one super-cool line of dialogue. You could sell the film with that single scene...if it didn't give so much away.
The most brilliant thing about Dougherty's film is how it uses Halloween holiday iconography to craft iconic visuals (if the film received the 3,000 screen release it so richly deserved, really cool parents would be dressing their kids up as "Sam" for years). It's Jack O' Lanterns and autumnal golds and vacuformed masks and flame retardant costumes that tie in the back and urban legends and classic monsters and tainted candy and everything else you know and love about October 31st. As so many before me (including Dougherty himself) have said, this is not a film that takes place during Halloween - this is a film about Halloween. It's about the reason for the season. Dougherty says his hope was that his film could become a Halloween holiday perennial - the one you watch every year. And trust me - it is. I'll watch Trick r Treat every CHRISTMAS - because the film is a gift.
Jason Pollock
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I had a chance to see Trick 'r Treat at the Midwest Premiere in Chicago on the big screen and I am mystified as to why this excellent film was never given a full theatrical release? It far exceeded my expectations and I believe it to have already become a classic film for horror aficionados and lovers of the greatest holiday ever, Halloween.
The film is set up as a sort of anthology of short stories, yet they all intertwine and complement each other in the end. There is some great artwork in the tradition of Creepshow and at times reminded me of that film, but the main difference is Creepshow's stories are all their own and Trick 'r Treat follows one night with several groups and characters that each have their own encounter with a very evil character indeed. The film has lots of suspense, violence, gore, and some sexy nudity in one story involving werewolves. We also have a serial killer principal, some rotten teens trying to scare a nerdy girl, and a story told that is destined to be some type of urban legend in the future involving mentally disabled kids and a disastrous fate. The greatest thing about Trick 'r Treat is its style and campy flavor that truly stuck to the evil side of the tracks. The film was so much fun to watch and destined to be a genre classic.
It's too bad that an original idea comes to Hollywood and and they respond by not giving it a release in theaters and snubbing it. I was very lucky to see it in a theater at all. It really is a shame Hollywood is only pumping out atrocious sequels, remakes, and reinterpretations left and right. I guess seeing indie flicks is the only satisfaction I will be getting anytime soon, for the major studios are filling the theaters with boring horror crapfests!
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Halloween just happens to be one of Sid's favorite times of the year. When the cool weather starts moving in it just seems to inspire the need to watch horror films from laughable b to really great flicks, like our favorite and annually watched Halloween. One portion of horror that has always been our favorite is films comprised of shorter stories just like Creepshow 1&2 along with great t.v series like Tales from the Crypt/Darkside. There's just something great about getting to see multiple ideas within one film, which is why Trick 'r Treat was such a welcomed release.
The film is made up of four short stories all intertwined in someway all taking place in a small town. The stories are somewhat built on Halloween folklore taking a very original and creepy twist the entire way through. You'll get to enjoy a serial killer teacher, sexy werewolves, young vengeful zombies, and an extremely creepy half pint pumpkinhead. Overall a really enjoyable film which kicked off Sid's Halloween season just right. Despite a few negative reviews, we'd have to agree with most who loved it. Sure it's not something that's going to scare you to death but it's very entertaining and perfect to watch this time of year. This is one we did and would have enjoyed years back.
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This movie is a fun and creepy movie that will become a staple to watch over and over each halloween. It has (and will)stir up a cult following in the same fashion of a Christmas Story. The now classic christmas movie did not do well in the theaters when first released, but now has become a beloved Christmas tradition. I think the same will happen with Trick 'r Treat for a halloween tradition.
Do we really need Saw XXV or another lame remake of a classic? I am fed up with movie studios and executives lack of imagination, green lighting remake after remake. I don't know what they were thinking (although thrers alot of speculation online) when this was not released in the theaters. Is this the best horror movie ever? No, but it is better than 90% of the genre out there.
Finally on a technical note, the Blu-ray looks great and it has more extra features and additional scenes than the dvd release. I highly recommend it.
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To have just seen this last night and know it has been sitting at Warner Brothers doing nothing for two years is a sad sad thing.I've known about this movie in the vaguest of ways for about two years now.Watching this last night was damn amazing.This really should be seen by people,it is a great anthology of Halloween stories.The group of kids pulling a prank was the highlight.You can understand the way WB was thinking by how the writer/director afterwards said the studio wanted hot 20 somethings instead of real kids.Sometimes thinking about the projects that don't get funded or sit in a vault like this,and then think about the garbage that does come out makes me mad.I can't wait to see this again.
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It's been awhile since I've written a review for anything on Amazon. Still, I recently saw Trick 'r Treat and I felt it was time to say something new, so, here I am.
I'm just gonna throw it out there: Trick 'r Treat is the best horror film I've seen so far this year. It's a well crafted, original horror movie. That's saying a lot after the plethora of sequels/remakes (Saw, Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc) films we've been hit over the head with lately. Going back to my title, this film is a return to form. It feels like an '80s film, but it also feels fresh. It's a horror anthology but it isn't disjointed. On top of everything, it's FUN.
I have no idea why Warner decided to shelve this film for two years. I would gladly have paid to see this in theaters multiple times. On the other hand, I've given up on the Saw franchise.
I don't want to oversell this film because, like everything, too much hype sets expectations too high. On top of that, not everyone will share my opinion. All I can say is, if you're a fan of horror, watch this film, give it a shot. If not just for the success of this film, for horror films in general. As a horror fan, I'm tired of the 8th sequel in a franchise and I'm tired of only seeing remakes in theaters. Let's get some original thrills back in the cinema.
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I'm not sure if this is the best Halloween movie in 30 years, but there is not much here not to like (how anyone could give it one star is beyond me). Excellent pacing, rarely a dull moment, and it is shot in a style you'd expect to find in the cinema. The acting is beyond what you'd get in an average slasher movie, and the variety makes this film a treat. You get fangs, deadly children, demented neighbors, and curious little imp that appears in each of the stories.
Aside from the comic book comparison, I find little in common with Creepshow, and it has more intensity and less black humor than Tales from the Crypt. Each of the four tales in the story are unique, though with a common theme, and occur in the same town on Halloween night. The stories are seamless and at times interweave with each other, making for a satisfying, if not fairly hurried, conclusion. It's a town with a secret, and the journey through its frightening underbelly is a treat.
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Everyone has something they like the most about Halloween, whether it be dressing up, the free candy, or the rush one gets from the frights. For me, it's the Halloween movies, and over the years, it's been harder to find new selections that really catch the feeling of a true Halloween movie. Trick R Treat, thankfully, is one of the few.
What makes this a good Halloween film? It's a word that is heard in the film itself: tradition. This film isn't about a group of horny teenagers running from a crazy guy in a mask. It's all and everything to do with the tradition that comes with Halloween.
The film is a collection of "ghost stories" that all happen to take place on the same night. Each one crosses another at some point within the film, and each one definitely hands over the tricks AND the treats. A principal who holds dark secrets, a group of young women being stalked by a masked man, a group of children visiting the grounds on which a massacre occurred, and a man who is visited by a ghoul. Sounds generic, but in reality, none of them are. There is a twist to each and every story that makes this film quite memorable.
There is solid acting all around from this ensemble cast. The scares feel very organic, not forced and campy. The way each line is delivered adds multiple layers of curiosity to all the crazy things seen in this movie. The film score is fitting, not memorable, but very fitting to the movie. Great directing tips off a great atmosphere to accompany and reinforce what is already a uniquely written fright.
As said, it's the theme of tradition that holds this film up. Its a reminder that it's not "knowing" what is out there, it's "not knowing" that makes this an effective Halloween film. It's not knowing what just happened, not knowing the motivation behind it all. That's what a lot of horror films lack, or rather, should lack. It's the mystery that makes it truly frightening.
This movie is on DVD and Blu-Ray right now, and I recommend it to everyone who loves this holiday. A warning, this is rated R, and is recommended for those at least 17 years old, not that I can stop you from enjoying it.
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I watched this movie yesterday and was not sure what to expect. I am really glad to say that I really enjoyed this movie. I had wanted to see this film for so long and had doubts about it when it didn't get a release. But I have learned over the years that sometimes a movie doesn't get a theatrical becasue the studio is unsure how to put it out there as oppose to being just bad. I really think this film is an example of that.
This film really touches upon topics that may make the audience feel uncomfortable. Theames that studios may view as taboo.
**VAGUE MINOR SPOILERS** (These are really for the people who have seen the movie and help me make my point about the film)
Think of the Jack-O-Latern that is being carved, by father and son, in the basement. Think of who was in the bus when it went off the cliff.
**END OF SPOILERS**
These are not ideas that the studio usually gets behind. And, that makes it a scarey film for the studios to market.
Also, the way the film is edited is kind of uncommon for horror films. It is structured like Pulp Fiction. A group of stories that are really sort of morphed into one huge story and plays with time structure. Again not a safe formula for the studios to get behind when putting out a horror film. A genre that has depended on a stale formula for decades
All in all I really liked this movie and I hope more people will see it. I highly suggest this film as it has become a new Halloween film favorite of mine.
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I'm glad to finally have the opportunity to watch Trick r Treat. As most horror fans know, WB pulled the movie from release 2 years ago for reasons unknown, but I'm glad they finally got the good sense to release it to the public. As a DVD, is is lacking a bit. There is only one extra feature on the disc, an animated short called Season's Greetings. Apparently the Blu Ray has all the extras.
As for the film itself, it perfectly accomplished what it set out to do. It is a finely crafted tribute to the season of Halloween, and every single frame is jam packed with Halloweern atmosphere. This is the perfect DVD to pop into the player and watch on a chilly October evening while you kick back with a bowl of candy and the wind howls at your windows. I strongly recommend it.
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