Sunday, March 29, 2020

Frames of Fear 3


Director(s) - Dustin Ferguson (Meathook Massacre II, A Taste of Phobia), Richard Mogg (Easter Bunny Bloodbath, Teenage Slumber Party Nightmare), Brad Twigg (Killer Campout, Milfs vs. Zombies), and Matt Watts (Fatal Premonitions)
Starring - Jarad Allen (Cheerleader Camp: To the Death, Invitation to Die), Kaitlyn Yurkiw (Teenage Slumber Party Nightmare, Massage Parlor of Death), and Jenni Caroline (Nemesis 5: The New Model, The Legacy of Boggy Creek)
Release Date - 2019
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "It's still not safe to use the VCR"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror anthologies are a favorite of mine.  When I was growing up I absolutely loved nothing more than sitting down and spinning some horror anthologies like the two Creepshow films, From a Whisper to a Scream, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie and so on.  Indie horror anthologies can be really fun but what really makes or breaks an indie anthology for me is the wraparound segment.  If it's weak then you can expect a weak anthology.  One of the reasons I enjoy the Frames of Fear series so much is the wrap around segment featuring John Waters' regular George Stover as Festering Frank as a horror host.  When director Brad Twigg reached out to me to check out the third installment of the series I had to jump on it.  Thanks Brad!
     The film follows horror host Festering Frank as he tells several tales full of horror and fright.  The first tale follows a young man searching for his missing friend when he bites off more than he can chew.  The second tale follows a pair of scientists that resurrects the body of a serial killer who has a hard time letting go of his past life.  The third tale follows a young woman who suffers a severe brain injury while out for a jog.  The doctor replaces her brain with that of a dogs and a series of unfortunate events soon follow.   This takes us to the fourth tale which follows and elderly couple that celebrates their anniversary in a strange way.  The fifth and final tale follows a beautiful young woman who enjoys the finer thing in life...and blood.
     I like what Twigg delivers with his Frames of Fear series.  Each film has a theme so to speak with this one being more open to humor.  It works but you have to really enjoy the oddball side of no budget horror.  The acting in this one is very inconsistent.  Even more so than most horror anthologies consisting of tales from different filmmakers.  The characters are fun for the most part, with others being more memorable than some, but there is several scenes where the cast is extremely awkward.  I don't mean just a little uncomfortable in front of the camera.  When I say awkward I mean they are so awkward to watch that I almost turned the movie off.  These scenes are few and far in-between but they are still there.  The stories for this one are fun if you allow them to be.  Those of you that are way too critical of indie horror and jerk off to extreme horror will not enjoy yourself.  However, if you like high brow comedy and no budget fun then you will really enjoy this one like I did.  I liked most of the segment but it is a little confusing at times.  I think the Frankenstein inspired segment splits up a few other segments throughout the film which is confusing as to why that segment is serving as a partial bookend.  Regardless, it is a solid and humorous installment of an anthology series I already enjoy.  Finally, those of you looking for blood will find plenty of it.  We get several gruesome deaths that range in the quality of the effects.  Some of the segments has some very impressive effects and gore while others were fun but they were lacking.  Overall, Frames of Fear 3 is bloody, funny, and well worth your time.  It doesn't reinvent the horror anthology but it does contribute with another entertaining film.  Fans of no budget indie horror will want to add this one to their collection.  Check it out now on DVD!

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