10/31 Part 3

Director(s) - Michael Ballif (They Live Inside Us, The Witching Season), Jed Brian (13 Slay Till Xmas, Unlisted Owner), Jonathan Patrick Hughes (Tales from the Grave, Bad Hare Day), Jacob Perrett (Weird Fiction, Spine Chiller), Brad Twigg (Killer Campout, Wrestlemaniac), Zane Hershberger (Force to Fear, 10/31), and Jennifer Nangle (Theatre of the Deranged III, 60 Seconds to Di3)

Starring - James Morris (He Never Left, Curse of Crom: The Legend of Halloween), Emily Ashby (American Murderer, Count Spookula's Horrorthon), and Vickie Becker 

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Some of my favorite horror titles are anthologies. I grew up on Creepshow, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, Twilight Zone: The Movie, From a Whisper to a Scream, and Two Evil Eyes. I’m always up for a new horror anthology so when I saw some social media friends share news on the indie horror anthology 10/31 several years back I knew I had to see it. It was a great indie horror anthology that not only spawned a sequel but it spawned two. I really enjoyed 10/31 and 10/31 Part II so when I had the opportunity to order Part 3 I jumped on it. I added it to my Scream Team Releasing marathon as part my annual October horror binge. 

      The film once again follows horror hostess Malvolia who once again brings us a collection of shorts that will chill you to the bone. The first tale follows a recently divorced man who wants to turn his home into a haunted house attraction. He finds the perfect decoration in the form of a mummy at a local shop but this Is more than just a mummy prop. The second tale follows a couple that move into their new home and realize they are not the only ones there. The third tale follows a group of twenty-somethings who decide to break into the home of a former teacher only to discover that he has a dark secret hidden in his basement. The fourth and final story follows an evil Jack in the box. 

      I went into this one really excited and it did not disappoint. I absolutely love horror anthologies especially when they have a solid wrap around segment that ties everything together nicely. While I did enjoy this one I think I prefer the first two films to this one. It deserves an occasional revisit but I don’t see myself trying to add it to my annual October horror binge. The acting in this one is very well done and consistent with the other films. We have a lot of fun characters that may be cliched but are still very enjoyable. The segments have great energy, some great dialogue, and the cast does not hold back. The stories for this one is a bit hit or miss with me. Once again, I find myself not caring for the wraparound segment. I like the idea of a horror host showing viewers some horror tales but we only see her at the beginning of the film and at the end. She doesn’t appear between each segment to deliver horror puns or entertain the viewer. I feel like that is a big missed opportunity. The first segment from Michael Ballif really set the tone for the film. It was a lot of fun and really fits the October feel that this anthology series is known for. The second story from Jacob Perrett is a parody/tribute to Italian giallo. This is probably my favorite short in the film. It doesn’t really represent the time of year but it was a lot of fun and something I can see genre fans enjoying. The third story is probably the weakest in the film. This one is from filmmaker Brad Twigg who I am a big fan of. I was looking forward to this particular segment but it was the weakest of the film. While it does bring us back to the Halloween setting we are given characters we don’t care for with a story that was ridiculous. Who breaks into someone’s home through the front door to take pictures of the homeowner getting busy? The final tale is from Force to Fear director Zane Hershberger. This story was a loving tribute to the killer doll sub-genre and was very well done. It doesn’t fit the Halloween aspect of the film but I thoroughly enjoy it. Finally, the film has plenty of awesome practical effects along with some fairly decent make-up and visual effects. Some of the segments are a little bloodier than others but they are very consistent in the quality of effects even though they were done by different crews. It’s not the bloodiest entry in the trilogy but there is enough blood to satisfy those of you with a taste of the red stuff. Overall, 10/31 Part 3 is a solid entry in a very popular Halloween horror anthology series. It’s not my favorite of the three but it was enjoyable for a first time watch. Check it out.