Directed and co-written by Mark Murtha The ’78 Slasher: A Halloween Fan Film offers fans of the genre a nudge and a wink to horror films in the “slasher” category. Owen Simcox shares writing credit here and the film stars Patrick Johnston, Camden Bristol and Mark Murtha. “Slasher” follows “the shape” after leaving Laurie Strode and Dr. Loomis in the ’78 original.
This is clearly a loving homage to not only John Carpenter but to all things “Halloween” and a big wink to the third in the franchise that had nothing to do with Carpenter. There are a few peeks at this reference in the party scene.
The filmmaker also tosses “a nudge and a wink” several times to other “horror” films. Without giving anything away, there is at least one comedy/horror movie that is alluded to here. Allusions aside, this is a fun ride. Thomas Angeletti and Tyler Ronk; the cinematographer on the splendid short: Friends Forever, handle the cinematics adeptly.
The film quality has a ’70s look with a sort of “grindhouse” touch. Those who watched the original Halloween slasher film at its umpteenth appearance at Drive-In Dollar Night will remember that visual crackle all too well. *Although crackle is perhaps a slight misnomer as it is more “pitted” than cracked. * However, this look will give the viewer a nudge in the right direction.
Sporting the now familiar William Shatner mask from the original slasher, Myers starts off lurking around things in the neighbourhood. He soon elevates to full scale mayhem. He then removes a large amount of the cast with extreme prejudice. Quite a few of the Halloween party goers stand up for themselves with a panache that is admirable. It must be said that this is far removed from the old slasher films.
Fans of the horror genre will enjoy this offering. The ’78 Slasher Film: A Halloween Fan Film gives us a plethora of young actors. All these do a brilliant job of acting naturally as the camera rolls. *Kudos to all involved in those party scenes.* In terms of FX, Team “Slasher Film” do a lot with very little. A combination of camera angles and a smoke and mirrors approach allow for some deft death scenes.
Running just over 32 minutes,The ’78 Slasher Film: A Halloween Fan Film is a pleasurable romp in middle American suburbia. Just like the orginal. The vast majority of the action takes place in close quarters. The moviemakers use natural lighting to convey mood and to enhance the action. Conversely, this dark setting works well for this slasher fan film.
The ’78 Slasher Film: A Halloween Fan Film is a solid 4.5 star offering. Murtha makes great use of his young cast and his accomplished crew. Angeletti, a Mike’s Film Talk favourite, work wonders here with his colleague Tyler Ronk and the director puts it all together wonderfully. The movie premieres this weekend. Have a look at the trailer below.
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