Beneath the Old Dark House

Director - Matt Cloude (Johnny Ghoulash Escapes from Creightonville, Bloodbath in Creightonville)

Starring - Brinke Stevens (The Slumber Party Massacre, Savage Streets), Christy Johnson (Mortuary, April Fool's Day), and Kaylee Williams (Porkchop II: Rise of the Rind, Leaf Blower Massacre 2)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Terror is at the door"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     A few weeks ago I placed an order on Scream Team Releasing’s website for several films that I needed to add to my collection. I needed to snag The Barn Part II, 10/31 Part 3, and a few others that they had put out in the last year or so. One of those films was Matt Cloude’s Beneath the Old Dark House. This is one that I had been looking forward to for sometime but always forgot to order a copy. Once they arrived I decided to have a Scream Team Releasing marathon during my annual October horror binge. After HeBGB TV, The Barn Part II, and 10/31 Part 3, it was finally time to check out this indie horror anthology. 

      The film follows a beautiful young woman who finds herself abducted by a masked man. He takes her back to his “dwelling” under the house where he shows her three shorts. The first story follows a man who finds himself infatuated with a waitress. He slashes her tire while she is working and then offers her a ride home after her shift. He tricks her into going to his home where the real fun begins. The second story follows a young woman who inherits an old home. While cleaning she finds an old doll in the attic which is never a good sign. The third and final story follows a self proclaimed history buff who visits an acclaimed author in her historic home. He later reveals that he suspects of her being something dark and sinister with a horrible lineage tied to the home. 

      I was really looking forward to Beneath the Old Dark House. When it was first brought to my attention I didn’t know it was directed by Matt Cloude. I’ve known Matt for years through social media and I respect the hell out of him. No one can question his dedication to the genre and what he has contributed to it over the years. Beneath the Old Dark House is a decent enough film but there was some things about the movie that I didn’t care for. It’s a decent enough horror anthology that deserves a sequel. The acting in this one is fairly decent. Some of the scenes are better acted than others. My biggest gripe with the acting is the scenes that involves the characters in distress or terrified. Their screams were just screaming. There was no emotion behind them and their faces seem blank behind the screaming. With these scenes aside I actually enjoyed the acting. I liked the cast and found myself digging through their imdb credits in hopes of seeing them in other genre efforts. The stories for this one is inconsistent but not that bad. The wraparound segment was a bit of a letdown. I’ve seen several horror anthologies where people are watching or forced to watch movies on VHS. I like the character we see and wish more of him was utilized in this wraparound segment. The first story is probably my favorite of the film. I liked the characters and how methodical and calculative the killer is. Honestly, I wish this one was a little longer as well. I could see this one being stretched into a feature length film and still able to hold the viewer’s attention. The second story is another solid entry in the film. I liked the atmosphere, the location, and the set up for the story. It did lose me with the whole “rewind” angle but it didn’t necessarily ruin the story. The third story was easily the weakest of the three but had the most promise. I love a good demon/vampire hunting story and this one stated out so well only to fizzle out. It had an amazing beginning but the middle and end just wasn’t there. Finally, the film has some blood, decent make up effects, and beautiful locations. The film has some fun practical effects and I loved the look of the monster in the wrap around segment but I was expecting a little more gore or memorable deaths. Overall, Beneath the Old Dark House is a solid indie effort that works. It does have some room to grow and not without faults but if you stick with it you will enjoy this horror anthology. Check it out.