10/31

 



Director(s) - Brett DeJager (The Legend of Cooley Moon, Bonejangles), Rocky Gray, Zane Hershberger (Devilution), John William Holt (The Dooms Chapel Horror, Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories), Hunter Johnson (2 Jennifer, Grindsploitation 2: The Lost Reels), and Justin M. Seaman (The Barn, Volumes of Bloods: Horror Stories)
Starring - Hanleigh Baker, Chad Burns (The Devil's Night, CarousHELL), and Barry Clifton (God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness, The Boo)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Blood soaked tales of horror and macabre"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love horror anthologies.  I hold them to a higher standard than other horror films.  I know I shouldn't but I'm an asshole.  Creepshow set the standard for anthologies and over the years I've seen several indie productions tackle anthologies.  Some really surprised me but others really let me down.  Last year I remember sharing news on the Rocky Gray fronted horror anthology 10/31 featuring segments from several filmmakers that I know and respect along with some relatively new faces to me.  I was excited to check this one out but several friends had got the DVD when it was available and told me it was one I should probably skip.  I wanted the blu anyway so I skipped on the DVD.  A few weeks ago I was informed that the film finally got a blu release from Scream Team Releasing.  I wanted it for my collection regardless if it sucked or not so I went ahead and ordered one.  I'm glad I did.

       The film follows late night horror host Malvolia as she delivers 5 horror tales on Halloween.  The first, The Old Hag, follows a production company invited to an old inn to film a commercial in hopes of revitalizing the old tourist attraction but she also has another reason for needing them.  The second, Trespassers, follows a young couple on their first date who investigate a local legend and learn that it was more than a myth.  We are then taken to the third tale, Killing the Dance, which follows a young girl working at a roller rink during Halloween when a mask killer makes an appearance putting her and her little brother in danger.  The fourth tale, The Halloween Blizzard of '91, follows a family who are snowed in during Halloween are visited by some not so nice trick or treaters.  The fifth and final tale, The Samhain Slasher, follows a group of party goers who are visited by a serial killer who escaped captivity. 

     I had heard a lot of mixed things about 10/31.  Some told me it was boring, others told me it was a huge waste of time while some told me it was fun for a Halloween watch but could be easily forgotten.  The acting in this one is solid.  The cast in each story works very well with each other.  Some have more experience than others and that shows but the consistency is there.  There was some characters that were a little more fun than others but they did not overshadow the rest of the cast which is a good thing.  The stories for this one vary.  Like most anthologies we have some that stand out and others that just don't find their mark.  I really enjoyed Trespassers and Killing the Dance with The Samhain Slasher almost reaching it's potential.  Trespassers has a fantastic story that I was not expecting.  I thought I was going to be treated with a supernatural scarecrow slasher but I was given something completely different that I really enjoyed.  Killing the Dance is easily my favorite of the film.  I love the character and the story...until the very end.  I just want to know why?  The Samhain Slasher had so much potential but finds itself turning into a very generic Wal-Mart Halloween slasher.  The Old Hag is one that I really wanted to like but it just couldn't do anything for me.  I enjoyed the atmosphere and location but the story was predictable and extremely slow burning.  The Halloween Blizzard of '91 was one I just couldn't get into at all.  The story had an interesting premise but it felt cluttered with the supernatural trick or treaters and Santa.  If this segment would have just stuck with one theme it would have been fun but it just felt all over the place.  Finally, this film has several death scenes.  Some are more fun than others but the effects are consistent throughout each tale.  Sadly, there is a few deaths that take place off screen forcing the viewer to use their imagination.  Overall, 10/31 is a fun late night Halloween flick that has that Halloween charm but some easily forgettable stories.  I recommend checking this one out with some friends and a few cold ones.