Deadtime Stories Vol. 1 (2009)
Director: (Various)
Where to get it: Millennium Media
The first volume of this two volume set consists of an anthology of three short horror films: Valley of the Shadows, Wet, and House Call. Each of which are directed by three different directors. And since they are also billed as “George A. Romero Presents”, we have good ol’ George introducing each film, as well as greeting us and telling us so long at the end. And for what it’s worth, he does seem to be enjoying what he is doing. That helps, a little.
Let us state the obvious, Deadtime Stories isn’t Creepshow. It’s not Tales from the Darkside either. But what it is, is harmless enough. Plus you get the added bonus that the movie is rather short, so you don’t get time to really get bored with one story before it’s time for another one. While the movie does try to be a bit on the campy side, it doesn’t always succeed. And while I’d say some of these tales are a little on the weaker side of things, the casual horror fan might be right at home and enjoy this if you need something to watch with someone who’s a bit too squeamish for the more hardcore stuff. But that isn’t to say that there isn’t any positives to this movie, because we do have a few.
For one, this movie as a whole is hilarious at times. Maybe that’s isn’t it’s intent, but it does make you laugh for various reasons more than once. Valley of the Shadows, has a strong lead and does toss in some gore here and there. It’s probably a little too overly simple, but does benefit from having a strong lead female character..or at least a well acted one. Wet, dives into some mermaid lore and is interesting at different times. It doesn’t pack the best characters ever, but I do think you’ll enjoy the mermaid once she shows up on screen. Last, we have House Call. House Call is by far the strongest story here. It’s stylish, interesting, and packs a very good twist that ends this movie far better than it starts. Even if you don’t like the rest, I’m sure you’ll at least like House Call. So, to sum things up, it’s not the best, but may be worth checking out if you are planning on watching some movies with some friends.
(5/10)
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