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That's how siblings Tia and Timmy (Sydney Freihofer and Cole Mathewson) describe their first time watching Art the Clown (Mike Giannelli) on a strange VHS that was slipped in their Trick or Treat bag. Turns around that a lot of people like the clown. Just this weekend, the third installment in the Terrifier franchise slashed its way to the #1 spot in box office while shoving Joker: Folie à Deux to the sidelines. Not too shabby for an independently produced film with a $2 million budget.
But that's how filmmaker Damien Leone likes it. After creating the character of Art the Clown back in 2008, he has made a career out of him, featuring him in two short films (The 9th Circle and Terrifier) and three feature films, each more successful than the previous one because, again, a lot of people like the frickin' clown! All Hallows' Eve is an anthology film that combines those first two short films in an effort to put Art in the spotlight as part of an actual feature film.
The main story revolves around the aforementioned siblings, Tia and Timmy, as they explore that mysterious VHS, along with their reluctant babysitter Sarah (Katie Maguire). Of course, things will go awry as the VHS unleashes some strange occurrences and dark evils upon them. The content of the VHS is, obviously, the two Leone short films which bookend the film, with another short in the middle specifically produced for this feature.
I had already seen The 9th Circle and, although it had things I liked, I wasn't overly impressed by it. However, Leone filmed some extra footage for it here that I think improves the original short and makes it feel more complete. The second short film features a woman settling at her new home only to be terrorized by an alien. Finally, the last short in the VHS is the original Terrifier short that was released in 2011, which focuses primarily in Art the Clown terrorizing a costume designer trying to find her way in the city.
The three short films are definitely not without their flaws, but there is a lot to appreciate and champion in all of them, especially Leone's affinity for practical effects. Granted, you can see the seams of some of his effects here and there, but considering the circumstances, being his first shorts and counting with limited budgets, it puts it on a different perspective. Leone more than delivers with effective jumpscares, dread buildup, and well staged gore. There are elements within the fate of a certain character in the last short that are puzzling, but I see it more as an expression of "shock horror" rather than anything else.
The wraparound story around the three shorts, with the babysitter and the two kids, is fairly well constructed. It does feel like what it is, a vehicle to put forward these shorts and introduce more people to the graciousness of Art the Clown. Yet here we are, 11 years later, Terrifier 3 is killing it (literally and figuratively) at the box office and Art the Clown is already being described as a "horror icon". But who can blame them? We all like the clown.
Grade:
ALL HALLOWS' EVE
(2013, Leone)
Horror film from the 2010s
(2013, Leone)
Horror film from the 2010s
"I liked the clown."
"Yeah, he was great. I liked when he honked his horn at the lady."
"Yeah, he was great. I liked when he honked his horn at the lady."
That's how siblings Tia and Timmy (Sydney Freihofer and Cole Mathewson) describe their first time watching Art the Clown (Mike Giannelli) on a strange VHS that was slipped in their Trick or Treat bag. Turns around that a lot of people like the clown. Just this weekend, the third installment in the Terrifier franchise slashed its way to the #1 spot in box office while shoving Joker: Folie à Deux to the sidelines. Not too shabby for an independently produced film with a $2 million budget.
But that's how filmmaker Damien Leone likes it. After creating the character of Art the Clown back in 2008, he has made a career out of him, featuring him in two short films (The 9th Circle and Terrifier) and three feature films, each more successful than the previous one because, again, a lot of people like the frickin' clown! All Hallows' Eve is an anthology film that combines those first two short films in an effort to put Art in the spotlight as part of an actual feature film.
The main story revolves around the aforementioned siblings, Tia and Timmy, as they explore that mysterious VHS, along with their reluctant babysitter Sarah (Katie Maguire). Of course, things will go awry as the VHS unleashes some strange occurrences and dark evils upon them. The content of the VHS is, obviously, the two Leone short films which bookend the film, with another short in the middle specifically produced for this feature.
I had already seen The 9th Circle and, although it had things I liked, I wasn't overly impressed by it. However, Leone filmed some extra footage for it here that I think improves the original short and makes it feel more complete. The second short film features a woman settling at her new home only to be terrorized by an alien. Finally, the last short in the VHS is the original Terrifier short that was released in 2011, which focuses primarily in Art the Clown terrorizing a costume designer trying to find her way in the city.
The three short films are definitely not without their flaws, but there is a lot to appreciate and champion in all of them, especially Leone's affinity for practical effects. Granted, you can see the seams of some of his effects here and there, but considering the circumstances, being his first shorts and counting with limited budgets, it puts it on a different perspective. Leone more than delivers with effective jumpscares, dread buildup, and well staged gore. There are elements within the fate of a certain character in the last short that are puzzling, but I see it more as an expression of "shock horror" rather than anything else.
The wraparound story around the three shorts, with the babysitter and the two kids, is fairly well constructed. It does feel like what it is, a vehicle to put forward these shorts and introduce more people to the graciousness of Art the Clown. Yet here we are, 11 years later, Terrifier 3 is killing it (literally and figuratively) at the box office and Art the Clown is already being described as a "horror icon". But who can blame them? We all like the clown.
Grade: