Gallery of Fear

Director(s) - Alan Rowe Kelly (Tales of Poe) and Anthony G. Sumner (Slices of Life)
Starring - Debbie Rochon (Exhumed, The Nightmare Box), Benzy (River of Darkness), and Raine Brown (Psycho Street)
Release Date - 2013
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Four tales of terror and suspense"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      Before I started writing for Horror Society my circle of friends that liked horror was extremely small.  Hell, most of the people I called my friends didn't really like horror so joining Horror Society brought about new opportunities to talk to people who share the same love.  A few months back I became Facebook friends with one of the biggest indie horror fans I have ever been lucky enough to meet.  After a few conversations I asked him if he knew of any films I needed to see and he gave me a big ass list of films to check out.  Among those films was the anthology flick Gallery of Fear directed by Alan Rowe Kelly and Anthony G. Sumner.  I did a little digging and found the Facebook page for the film where I reached out to them.  They were nice enough to send me a link for an online screener and for that I thank you guys.
     The film consists of 3 tales held together by one main story.  The first story, By Her Hand, She Draws You Down, follows a street artist who draws portraits of people on the boardwalk. However, things are not that simple.  When she completes her drawing using a special utensil she is then able to suck out their life force killing them instantly.  This brings about a moral conflict between her and her husband.  The second tale, Down the Drain, follows a socially awkward teacher who does not get the respect he deserves from the world around him.  His ex-wife is shitty to him, his students taunt and harass him, and now he has lost his job.  Thing are not as gloomy as they may seem for him when he meets a bloodthirsty creature who has taken a liking to him.  He uses his new found friend as a way to get back at those that done him wrong.  The third tale, A Far Cry from Home, follows an unconventional couple as they stop at a small shop while on a road trip where shit hits the fan.  The couple crosses paths with a small group of religious fanatics who kill in according to their twisted views of the bible.  Finally, the wrap around story, Critic's Choice, follows an art critic who has been abandoned at a gothic style mansion.  She uncovers various pieces of art to reveal the stories underneath.
     I love when I come across an anthology that really gets the true essence of what it means to be an anthology film.  It takes a lot to make a good anthology but it is possible to do.  The best anthologies have segments that have nothing to do with each other that are held together by one story serving as a bookend to hold it all together. Prime examples of this is Creepshow and the original Tales from the Crypt movie.  These films are able to create an atmosphere about themselves that make the viewer feel like they were preparing for story time instead of movie time.  If an anthology can tell me a story instead of forcing me to watch a movie then it is safe to say it did it's job and that is exactly what Gallery of Fear did.  This film really did put me in the same mindset as so many other classic anthology films of the past did.  Sure, some of the stories were not on the same level as others but that is to be expected with any anthology and this one is no exception.  The acting throughout the entire film is great.  Every cast member really brought all they had to the table and it shows throughout each tale.  My only complaint with the cast is Debbie Rochon did not get nearly enough screen time as I would have liked but that is just me showing favorites.  The stories in this one is well written just some unfolds better on film than others.  The wrap around story, Critic's Choice, was a great story to hold the entire film together but is was a bit on the boring side however the weakest point of the film belongs to By Her Hand, She Draws You Down.  This particular story could have easily been adapted into a Twilight Zone episode.  It was so unusual and creepy while still retaining that mysterious atmosphere that Twilight Zone was known for.  However, this tale moved at a snails pace and was a little painful to watch.  That being said, the next two tales were fucking amazing.  Down the Drain is a campy throwback to the monster movies of the 80s.  This one had a great deal of cheese and gore but it also reminded me a lot of other 80s classics.  The way in which this one was filmed reminded me a lot of Street Trash and The Stuff but mixed with the story line from the Creepshow segment, The Crate.  The final tale, A Far Cry From Home, is a fucking masterpiece.  This segment was slow at first but within a matter of minutes it goes off like a shotgun blast to the chest.  This segment packs a lot into it once the ball actually gets rolling.  We get suspense, spectacular kills, and loads of gore mixed with political and religious satire.  Finally, those looking for great on screen kills, visual effects, and practical effects will find all three here.  The visual effects are not the best I have seen but the practical effects and on screen kills are spectacular.  Overall, this is an above average anthology that has more blood and screams to satisfy the most hardcore horror fan.  I highly recommend it.