Trick R' Treat

Trick R' Treat
Directed By: Michael Dougherty
Rating: 3 out of 4 Pentagrams
Reviewed By: Jeff Deth

Not to be confused with the 80's film of the same name staring Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne, this is a completely different film. For those of you fiending for some Halloween slasher goodness, look no further. Deep into this season I've watched several bad slashers recently and this happens to be one of the diamonds in the rough.

Trick R' Treat is an anthology of 4 stories loosely tied together by a wicked little kid in a burlap mask. The stories all appear to be taking place in the same town on the same night, Halloween. Anthologies can really suck at times. Anyone remember Body Bags? The difference here is that the same filmmaker is directing everything. There is no disconnect between the parts. In fact they are tightly woven together for the most part. What is most enjoyable about this is the fact that we get a bunch of different staples of the horror genre mixed together. There's a vampire, werewolves, kids running around in costumes, teenagers having sex, ghosts, a psycho neighbor, and the tiny tot miniature murderer.

Stylistically, I loved this movie. The visual landscape has been carefully and lovingly crafted. The colors, tones and the set design really stand out. I was particularly in awe of the second segment, The School Bus Massacre Revisited.

The effects and gore do not disappoint. There are some really gruesome violence consistently throughout the film. There are some weak moments here and there that seemed forced, but this was an overwhelmingly fun and spirited tribute to the holiday.

I typically stick with tried and true classics leading up to and on Halloween but if you're willing to chance it on any newly made film, this is the one. Sure to become a cult-classic that will become a part of the classic Halloween line-up.

Megadeth

Megadeth
Endgame (2009)
Roadrunner Records
Rating: 4 out of 4 Pentagrams
Reviewed by: Jeff Deth

For all long time fans of Megadeth, this is truly the record you’ve been waiting for. United Abominations certainly gave hint to how good Dave Mustaine’s songwriting can still be but Endgame takes it to a whole new level. This is a complete return to the form of Rust in Peace/Countdown to Extinction. Every single track shreds. There’s not a single misstep. Its seems as if Mustaine pulled together touches of his best work spanning over his whole catalog to create this record. The first track Dialectic Chaos is an instrumental nod to the first track from So far, So Good, So What and 1,320 is a lightning speed track that sounds right off the Killing is My Business… album. It’s truly amazing to hear all these eras mashed together and still sound completely fresh and relevant today.

The riffs on every track are incredible. The solos that get put down are as energetic and inspired as anything recorded by any of the previous Megadeth lineups. The addition of lead guitarist Chris Broderick must certainly have put some wind in the sails for Mustaine. I feel like Broderick is the best fit in this band since Marty Friedman. His chops are just mind-blowing.

As indulgent as the musicianship is, the songs are still very compact and to the point. Endgame also has very sharp and pointed lyrics, political at times but also personal in classic Mustaine style. Every element showcases classic Megadeth. Mustaine is making a very bold statement with this record. At his age there’s no explanation as to how he can be writing music as aggressive and fast as he is. Endgame blows away just about everything I’ve heard in the past few years by contemporary metal bands. This is just a case of the veterans showing everybody how metal is supposed to be done.

If I were ranking the Megadeth catalog, Endgame would be 4th on my list out of the 12. While it doesn’t quite top Rust in Peace, Peace Sells… or Countdown, it closely follows. To be able to come back after all these years and create music of this caliber is very impressive. The band clearly has assessed their strongest attributes and what their fans have loved about them. It’s refreshing to have a band give the fans what they want while staying true to themselves. All the miscues and experiments are over. This is classic Megadeth speed metal!

Slumber Party Massacre II

Slumber Party Massacre II (1987)

Directed by: Deborah Brock

Rating: 1 out of 4 Pentagrams

Reviewed by: Jeff Deth 

I was looking for a brainless 80’s slasher to get things going this Halloween season and Slumber Party Massacre II seemed right on the money. Walking down the aisles at Family Video the box art jumped out at me bringing back childhood memories. I gleefully snatched it up.

I knew what I was getting myself into and hoped only for some bloody laughs not horrific genius. The liner notes described the plot as a cross between Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Nightmare on Elm Street. Hhhhmmmm. Way to set the bar guys. This cheese fest exists squarely in Sleepaway Camp territory, no better.

But like I said, if that’s what you’re looking for you won’t be disappointed. People should just be more up-front about what they actual have to offer. I for one would not be off put in the least if they just told me, “This here is a gory teensploitation tit’s and ass slasher!”

There are scenes in this movie that are just flat out embarrassing to watch for everyone involved with the making of it. No one goes unscathed. The first half of the story is a ridiculous high school melodrama focusing on Courtney and her girlfriends who jam together in a garage band after school decked out in the worst 80’s fashion trends every created.

Not having seen the original film I was somewhat at a loss concerning the back-story of these characters. Most of the holes get filled in through dream sequence flashbacks. Apparently Courtney’s sister is locked away in a nuthouse after surviving the first film. Big sis keeps trying to give her spooky warnings about not having sex with the dude she’s in love with. But those dreams are flooded over by dreams of her going all the way with Matt the hunky lover-boy.

Warnings go unheeded, and the girls spend the weekend in a vacant house in the hills, getting hammered on champagne and eating corn dogs. Dudes show up to make things all hot and sexy, but I’m just glad the body count is going up.

Aside from the unbearable corniness of the story and acting, there are some great death’s to make this a worth wild slasher. The killer, or the “driller-Killer”, is a grease-monkey guitar player with an Ax that puts W.A.S.P. to shame. The custom guitar has a huge drill attached to the head making it a shredding instrument of death. 

I have no idea whether this guy is real, alive, dead or even human. It’s not really explained, he just appears and starts drilling holes in people. I wasn’t interested in logic at that point, I just wanted those annoying idiots to die!

I was fairly happy with the last 20 minutes of the movie, as it contained the only hints of a true horror film. The thing that throws it all off and prevents it from having any real balls is the awful soundtrack of goofy 80’s rock tunes which relentlessly undermine every effort to scare the audience. Driller Killer even breaks out into Rocky Horror song and dance for Chris-sake!

Bottom-line: Slumber Party Massacre II is mostly a joke of a film, a complete mockery of serious horror. On the other hand taken as an extremely campy slasher/comedy, it ain’t half bad. And I’m just trying to play nice here. I give everyone the benefit of doubt and enjoyed what little there was to enjoy, because hey, it was my Friday night.