"We prepare a face, to meet the faces that we meet." - The Killer
A killer terrorizes teenagers at a movie festival.
Starring: Jill Schoelen, Tom Villard, Derek Rydall, Dee Wallace, Tony Roberts
Link to IMDB
 |
| Maggie |
As the students prepare the theater with decorations, props and gimmicks like buzzers under the seats, they find an old film reel titled "The Possessor." As they watch it they realize it's part of an experimental film that was made by Lanyard Gates, a crazed movie director that killed himself and his family on stage as part of a weird cult.
This bizarre movie spooks Maggie, because what she sees on the screen looks exactly like the dreams she's been having!
The theater is packed full of teenagers for the marathon, but Maggie starts seeing someone lurking around in the shadows and she believes that Lanyard Gates has come back to kill her. The other main students are Toby and Mark, who both think that Maggie's just being paranoid, but they don't realize that someone has already been murdered backstage!
 |
| Toby Mark Mr. Davis |
Instead of a typical slasher, this is much more of a mystery movie for the first half. The killer is a master of disguise with many faces, and his motives and identity are kept hidden for a long time, which builds the suspense of what exactly is going on. Is Maggie delusional, or has Lanyard Gates really returned? And how is she connected to the murders he committed years ago?
"I can't run away from something that's inside of my head." - Maggie
 |
| The many faces of a killer |
The tone of the movie is one of thrills, instead of straight horror. It really feels like a precursor to the Scream movies that would come a few years later. Sure, there is murder and dread, but there's also a sense of self-aware adolescent fun. The kills aren't too gory but they are very creative, and there's some great make-up effects here.
The movie also pays tribute to those wacky and notorious B-Movies of the fifties. We get to see a few scenes from each movie in the marathon, and they add to the melodramatic vibes. (I wish they were real movies, because they look like winners.)
Popcorn knows exactly how to have fun and still be creepy, and it's definitely an underrated gem.
Be sure not to miss:
- I want that creepy 'Shock Clock'
- Toby's landlord.
- "I look like a fucking snowcone."
- Ray Walston has a small role.
Internet review:
"It's a classic horror nerd movie for horror nerds." - OtherPig
Should I watch it?
Yes.
Where can I find it?
Links here.
Popcorn gets...
No comments:
Post a Comment