Trick ‘r Treat (V); Poster, Synopsis, Movie review and Trailer

Last weekend, I attended my first-ever “Weekend of Horrors,” the yearly convention thrown by Fangoria magazine, the almighty beacon of all horror publications. Wearing my nerd hat with pride and vigor, I walked into NYC’s Jacob Javits Center expecting a massive eye-and-wallet-fucking orgy of badass collectibles, vintage horror comics, B-list celebs, and chicks strutting their physiques covered in fake blood and S&M get-ups.

Sadly, however, what I saw in reality was a miniscule, somewhat-lackluster version of that. You had who-cares cast members from Friday the 13th sequels endlessly regurgitating facts about the franchise that any self-respecting horror head already know, side by side with old, tired-appearing has-beens looking more depressing than Randy the Ram at his autograph session in The Wrestler.

The day wasn’t a total washout, though. I was there with a friend who shares my love for the genre, so that was cool, and I just so happened to be there when Michael Dougherty (screenwriter of X2 and Superman Returns) was showing exclusive scenes from his long-delayed anthology flick Trick ’r Treat. Set up similar to Paul Haggis’ Crash, Trick ’r Treat weaves in four separate yet interconnected tales all taking place on Halloween night, and stars the likes Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, and Bryan Cox. There’s a magificent trailer out and about on Youtube, but the problem is that Warner Bros. has been acting like a company of pussies, delaying the film’s release for two years now, even though every person (whether a horror fan or casual moviegoer) that’s seen the film absolutely adores it. Some call it the best horror anthology of all time, even.

I had a chance to see Trick ’r Treat last October, but, thanks to Fangoria’s terrible RSVP policy for advance screenings, I was shut out at the front door. The scars still sting from that debacle. All good, though, because the film is officially coming out straight-to-DVD (fine by me, at this point) this October. In fear that I’d be spoiling the film in any way, I was reluctant to post this following bootleg-shot clip, one of the three scenes shown at the “Weekend of Horrors,” but it’s too great to bypass. Besides, I can’t see this not enticing those who’ve yet to hear about Trick ’r Treat to get excited. If so, that’d be a mission accomplished on my end. [Nine minute Trick R Treat clip, after the jump, as well as the film's trailer]:

Trick ‘r Treat also co-stars this girl…..Moneca Delain. No idea who she is, but I certainly wish I could “get to know her.” Get it? Wink wink. “Wanna fight about it?”
Trailer for upcoming horror comedy starring Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, Brian Cox, and Leslie Bibb. Produced by Bryan Singer. Directed by Michael Dougherty.

SYNOPSIS

The film features four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: An everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank; and a woman who loathes the night has to contend with her holiday-obsessed husband.

MOVIE REVIEW

“TRICK ‘R TREAT a trip back to the 80’s when the goal was to excite and entertain, not torment you… it’s the type of movie you can bring anyone to, whether it’s a date or your kid.”

By: Brad Miska (MrDisgusting)

I know this is going to sound like a backhanded compliment, but I really didn’t expect Michael Dougherty’s TRICK ‘R TREAT to be as good as it was. Not only was this Dougherty’s feature directorial debut, but it’s a film that tells four different stories intermingled into one… for most this would mean instant disaster, for Dougherty it means instant cult classic.

TREAT takes place in an unnamed town during All Hallows Eve (Halloween) where four groups of people all have their own unique, yet terrifying story to tell. One follows Dylan Baker and his son who have too much fun with trick or treaters; then Anna Paquin and her friends lour a bunch of guys to the forest for a night of partying; all the while a group of kids are taking pumpkins to the site of a bus crash where the spirits of the dead are said to be haunting; lastly, an old-bitter man gets visited by a costumed boy who teaches him the seriousness of the holiday.

Dougherty has been trying to get this film off of his artwork and into theaters for a long, long time now… it was worth the wait. The best way to describe TRICK ‘R TREAT is that it reminds me of a live-action NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, or a film that takes place in the same world. The character designs are colorful, unique and completely unnerving, especially the final ‘creature’ who torments the old man. The gorgeous set design only added to the atmosphere of the film, really bringing this artists vision to life. Welcome to Michael Dougherty’s world.

Dougherty’s screenplay was extremely well written as the conversations were realistic and there wasn’t a single taste of cheese to be found… it was all sweet as sugar. Not only was he able to mingle together four intricate stories into one feature film (without breaking into segments like CREEPSHOW), but he also threw in homage after homage to some of our favorite old-school horror films (EVIL DEAD 2, THE THING). The only flaw was that this film was extremely ambitious, a tad overwhelming and confusing at early points in the film - but once things began to flow it was all cherry from then on out.

The film ends extremely strong and I could hear the audience really soaking it in; they were screaming, laughing, jumping, chattering and hooting as the final scenario unfolds. The audience is very representational of what type of film this truly is… in short, TRICK ‘R TREAT is F-U-N. It’s a trip back to the ‘80s when the goal was to excite and entertain, not torment you. Dougherty’s film is the type of movie you can bring anyone to, whether it’s a date or your kid. It’s not overly violent or too funny, it’s as Goldie Locks says “just right!” This is the type of film that will ensure you forget about all your worries and will captivate you until the very end (maybe even bring back the spirit of the holiday, which feels long lost).

With all sorts of uber-violent movies hitting theaters every October, this is the next MONSTER HOUSE, the horror film made for every single person who enjoys going to the cinema. And don’t count on seeing it only once, you’ll find yourself watching sucker until the day you die.

Release Date: October 06, 2009
Director: Michael Dougherty
Writer: Michael Dougherty
Starring: Anna Paquin Brian Cox Dylan Baker Leslie Bibb
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Rating: R

TRAILERS AND CLIPS

Trick ‘r Treat Trailer