Push Play with V/H/S: A Movie Review

Directed by: Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, Radio Silence.

Writers: Simon Barrett, David Bruckner, Nicholas Tecosky, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Simon Barrett, Joe Swanberg, and Radio Silence.

Cast: Calvin Reeder, Helen Rogers, Sophia Takal, Hannah Fierman, Jason Yachanin, Lane Hughes, Mike Donlan, Joe Sykes, Drew Sawyer, Jas Sams, Joe Swanberg, Kate Lyn Sheil, and Drew Moerlein.

Tagline: "This collection is killer."

V/H/S is the latest production to be distributed by The Collective. This is a distribution company that has brought horror film fans Atrocious (2010) and The Woman (2011). Their latest is a found footage horror anthology composed of six short films. Chillerama (2011) is another memorable horror anthology that focused on sexual humour. Here, the film focuses more on extreme horror. There is a lot of gore in this piece, nudity and even some comedy. And like most anthologies, some of the shorts work, while others simply flounder.

"Tape 56" - Adam Wingard

Adam Wingard of A Horrible Way to Die fame directs the first feature. This title is arguably the weakest as characters move the camera about in dizzying fashion. This title also acts as an interlude between the following five horror shorts.

This story follows several youths who make money by assaulting women in dark parking lots. They turn greed and bad behaviour into profit by uploading their sexually explicit footage to the internet. Later, they hear of easy money. All they have to do is break and enter into a home and steal a valuable tape. Things don't go as planned.

This initial entry into the film does not go the distance. "Tape 56" does act as a suitable pause between the other films. Characters enter VHS tapes into a player to introduce each segment. All the characters die. This title ends before the final short. So, who put in the final tape?

Pick a murderous tape...("Tape 56")

"Amateur Night" - David Bruckner

Next up is David Bruckner's (The Signal) "Amateur Night." The three main characters in this film use some spy equipment to film the action. A pair of glasses acts as the camera. These three testosterone fueled protagonists head out into the night to find some girls to bring back to their motel. Instead of finding a case of venereal disease and a night of fun, they find a succubus. This creature preys on the three men. And, one man is pulled heavenwards against his will. His pain does not last long, however.

"Amateur Night" was one of two shorts that made this film fan laugh out loud. The ending is well done and shot expertly. This is truly one of the most humourous clips in the film.

"Second Honeymoon" - Ti West

Ti West of Innkeepers and The House of the Devil directs the third short. This title was innovative. A married couple are on vacation in what looks like New Mexico. Their movements are shadowed by a mysterious figure who films them at night with their own handheld camera.

Events are amped up a notch when the intruder brandishes a knife. There is another comedic moment here as this stalker takes a timeout from terror to put the husband's toothbrush in the toilet. The husband brushes his teeth, unknowingly, the next day. The next night brings some disturbing moments in one of the most grisly scenes of the entire film as a whole.

The interesting use of perspective and the ending made this short one of the best of the bunch for this horror fan. It is both unsettling and smart while offering an interesting ending. This short is not to be missed.

"Tuesday the 17th" - Glenn McQuaid

Glenn McQuaid utilizes the tropes of horror in his segment "Tuesday the 17th." Four friends head out to a cabin in the woods. Wendy (Norma C. Quinones), a strange girl, tells tales of murder and a killer on the loose. If you are a horror fan, then you will know how this plot will develop.

"Tuesday the 17th" does progress in a typical fashion until Wendy starts fighting back. She seems to have a plan in place. Unfortunately, her trap backfires. With no plan b in the bag, Wendy can only wait for the inevitable. And, this serial killer is happy to plunge his knife into Wendy and her supposed friends.

This short seemed to be one of the weaker of the bunch. It is just too predictable overall. There is some tricky use of the camera with the antagonist appearing blurred, but there are too many character and plot cliches to keep this short film interesting.

"The Sick Thing that Happened to Emily when She was Young - Joe Swanberg

Joe Swanberg is no stranger to horror. He created a werewolf film recently titled Silver Bullets (2011). He created this film with horror regulars Larry Fessenden and the already mentioned Ti West. He brings his experience in this genre to this brilliant short, "The Sick Thing that Happened to Emily when She was Young."

This film's story is not fully explained. Perhaps, this is the reason that this title is so interesting. A ghost story is at the heart of this short. A young girl Skypes with her boyfriend and she tells him tales of strange footsteps and unsourced noises. Her boyfriend tries to help, but he seems to be leading the horrifying action. Why is he causing her and another woman so much pain? This question is never fully answered.

Yet, "The Sick Thing that Happened to Emily when She was Young" creates a few great scares. Ghosts appear when you will least expect it and their visages are disturbing. The camerawork and story are really well done in this piece.

"10/31/98" - Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Justin Martinez, and Chad Villella)

Radio Silence is composed of a cadre of filmmakers, listed above. They end this feature with a haunted house styled film. Four friends head out on Halloween in search of a party. They get lost. Eventually, they find themselves in the wrong house. Here, a ritual is being performed on a bound woman. She screams for help and the boys oblige.

That was a bad decision! The woman has supernatural powers and she uses them against these good Samaritans. The final scene is tense and well concluded.

"10/31/98" is another highlight in this series. The twists, turns and CGI effects create excitement. This is a short feature, but the payoff makes up for any breadth.

Of the six short films in this anthology, two are excellent ("Amateur Night," "Second Honeymoon"), one is good ("10/31/98"), two are decent ("Tuesday the 17th," "The Sick Thing that Happened to Emily when She was Young") and one is not that great ("Tape 56"). This is a pretty good track record when looking back at horror anthologies of the past.

With such a good showing, V/H/S is recommended to horror fans in search of films that are sometimes extreme, comedic and surprising. Although there are lowlights in this production, there are many more highlights with the ending of "Amateur Night" the most high-flying piece of the bunch.

Overall: 7.5 out of 10 (enjoyable, lots of surprises, some tropes, twists, turns, solid writing overall, weak interlude).

*releases August 31, 2012 (VOD) and October 5, 2012 (Limited U.S. Theatrical).

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Posted in: 2012,anthology,break,camera angles,hand-held camera,horror movie preview,movie review,serial killer,zombie