Trick 'r Treat
Directed by: Michael Dougherty
Release Date: 2007
What an underrated horror picture this was! Talk about being way under the radar. I know friends who are horror friends who I'm sure haven't seen this picture yet. I watched this on Halloween. By myself. After watching Halloween: Resurrection and the creepy theme music. Needless to say, I had to turn every light on in every room as soon as I entered.
Michael Dougherty's film is one of the best contemporary horror pictures I've seen in a long time. Not only was I freaked out but this had the right amount of campiness and humor that brings to mind another horror/comedian that can seamlessly make these two elements work (Sam Raimi). What I rarely see in horror pictures is the Pulp Fiction approach of interwoven stories the way it was done here. This stylized editing worked so well in this picture and I loved Dougherty for it!
First story with Leslie Gibb and Tahmoh Penikett (sexy BSG actor) with a scarecrow and then some.
Then Dylan Baker playing someone creepy (he's the best!) which was expected but his comeuppance? Even better! And Brian Cox in a role as a curmudgeon and crotchety old man getting his just desserts was just as awesome. Additionally, with the appearance of Anna Paquin for some pre-True Blood popularity that was a nice treat (no pun intended).
The salient aspect of this particular movie was its foundation in the history of Halloween. The movie spends a nice amount of time establishing Samhain as the ritual of Halloween. I thought the movie would go deeper but the mere mention of this ritual and its thread throughout the stories was a neat touch. Dougherty was never condescending to his audience, made us laugh, and frightened us with Sam, the pumpkin headed child. The humor and horror in this picture reminded me of a little picture called Satan's Little Helper that I was able to catch at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2004. Funny and petrifying in the same breath, I thoroughly enjoyed myself while watching this movie.
Trick 'r Treat is definitely a movie I'd own and re-watch over and over again. Thank you Bryan Singer for producing this and for aiding in the contribution of a new horror director, Michael Dougherty. Welcome and Cheers! May you have many more successful pictures (and horror) in the future!
Below, the trailer for your enjoyment:
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