------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------The last time I watched a compilation of horror shorts was when CREEPSHOW 2 came out, many years ago (yes, I realize I'm showing my age). So when Hayes offered this one to me to review, I eagerly jumped on it. And wow, was I glad I did! AAAAAH!! INDIE HORROR HITS VOL. 1, from Crypt Club Productions, is a collection of seven very well made short films that vary in regard to sub-genre. Represented here are ghost stories, outbreak scares, horror-comedy, and more.
One of the best aspects to this collection is that ALL of the stories are interesting and pulled me in immediately. The script writers do an excellent job of creating the tension and suspense they are striving for in such a short period of time. The films range in length from three minutes long all the way up to 32 minutes long. But even so, they are each perfect in length for their stories.
Also, the acting is superb. I was a little unsure about what I was going to get, given the fact that these are indie films and low-budget in most cases. But I was pleasantly surprised. Each cast is top-notch in all categories.
Two of the films that stand out above the rest are THE CRYPT CLUB and OCULUS.
In THE CRYPT CLUB, an initiation gone wrong leaves two girls dead and the ring-leader of the group fighting for her life to escape a graveyard. I love everything about this piece. The story was excellent and suspenseful, the acting was perfect, and the cinematography was stunning. I hope to see future work from these folks soon.
In OCULUS, a young man's obsession with an evil mirror leads him to the brink of madness. This film is the longest in length, but is also excellent in every way. The story, acting, and filming are great as well, but the fact that there's only one character in the whole piece really makes it for me. Bottom line for this one: excellent.
Overall, I highly recommend AAAAAH!! INDIE HORROR HITS VOL. 1. The intriguing blend of genres on this disk makes me want Volume II very badly. So if you're a fan of shorts, pick this one up for sure.
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
Dude, you should buy Small Gauge Trauma. It's another collection of Short horror films from Synapse and it's got some of the best stuff I've ever seen. Also, Fangoria put out BloodDrive 1 and 2 and those have a few OK shorts as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion about Small Gauge Trauma...I will check it out for sure! I saw BloodDrive 1 and wasn't too impressed, so I never checked out the 2nd one....
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words. Much appreciated. Volume 2 is now available for your viewing dis-pleasure.
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