I’ll be honest. I completely missed out when Ti West hit the horror scene in the face with a hammer with his debut feature, The House of the Devil (2009), and I still haven’t gotten around to checking out that little gem for myself. However, Mr. West’s reputation was enough to peak my interest when I got around to picking up his latest full feature, The Innkeepers. And boy am I glad I did!

Our very own Ash Hamilton recently dropped a review for V/H/S (2012), which featured a chilling segment written and directed by West. Now, while West showed some pretty impressive chops in the found footage anthology, The Innkeepers is where his writing and directing skills get to shine like golden, blood-splattered gods. That may have been an exaggeration…or maybe not. Let’s see!

As I often like to do with a review, I’ll start us off with a very quick round up of the film’s main plot. Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) are two unfortunate innkeepers at the Yankee Pedlar Inn. The two are given the task of running the place during its final weekend of productivity while the owner enjoys some fun and sun in the Caribbean. Since neither of the two live near the inn, and with the owner away, they are forced to stay at the inn with one or two guests they manage to acquire over the weekend. Claire is an enthusiastic young woman with a quirky chip on her shoulder, while Luke is a more down-to-Earth internet geek. Taking advantage of the peace and quiet of the inn’s final weekend, Claire and Luke take it upon themselves to find proof of the fabled ghosts of Madeline O’Malley (Brenda Cooney)—a young woman rumored to have committed suicide in the inn during the Civil War. At first the two are unable to find any conclusive evidence, until Claire digs deep and potentially stirs things up that may have been better off remaining dormant. Did Claire really unleash the ghost of Madeline O’Malley, or is her imagination getting the better of her and those around her? The answer is just as puzzling as the question.

That was a very basic gist of the events that transpire throughout The Innkeepers. There’s so much more to discuss—such as the aged actress-turned-medium, Leanne Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis) and the heart-wrenching story of the Old Man (George Riddle)—, but this film is truly Claire’s show. Sara Paxton’s performance is both endearing and unnerving all the way through. Paxton’s portrayal of the quirky and enthusiastic Claire is so over-the-top that she instills the viewer with this feeling of bubbly warmth. Despite all of her personality flaws, it’s just impossible to dislike Claire. This makes the sinister third act of the film all the more chilling as you are urged to root for Claire to escape the clutches of the disturbed spirits slowly closing in on her. Pat Healy’s portrayal of good-guy-geek, Luke is equally well crafted, but there still lacks a sense of innocence possessed by Claire to make him truly likeable. Now don’t get me wrong, this is exactly how it should be. Luke is a straight up asshole at the best of times, and he proves to be an increasing source of insecurity for Claire. The combination works perfectly. Luke fuels the fire in Claire that makes her so loveable for the audience. Writer/director Ti West did a phenomenal job setting up the film’s two protagonists during the first act. To say that The Innkeepers is a slow burn would not even touch the pacing of the film’s first two acts. Although it takes what seems like ages before the film’s climactic payoff, it’s a well thought out decision by West to do so. Due to the length at which the characters are set up and developed throughout the film’s duration, the final payoff is that much more powerful.

This brings us to that wonderful payoff I keep mentioning. All of you creepy ghosts fans out there, fret not, there be creepy ass ghosts in this film. I understand that creepy ass ghosts alone don’t really make for a great film. So what’s the payoff all about? Well, West’s super slow burn for the first two acts of the film’s three act presentation manages to cause a rather unexpected amount of dread and turmoil by the climax. The first two-thirds of the film are not only rather uneventful; they also don’t feel much like a horror film. While sitting back and enjoying the clumsy banter between Luke and Claire it’s quite easy to forget that you’re not watching a cooky ghost-comedy. Thankfully the third act takes it upon itself to remind you with a boot to the face. Not only is the third act of this film quickly paced, but it’s also downright dark. The imagery alone is a completely unexpected presence amidst the film’s almost comical tone. That’s where the payoff lies, though. West has managed to craft a film that manages to disarm the viewer in such a way that the bleak reality of the situation is all the more unsettling. Helping along this dark twist are Claire and Luke, who stay true to character throughout the sinister events that take place. You’ll find yourself yelling at the screen for the two loveable dorks to get the hell out of there and never look back. However, their characters are set up so well that any stupid decision they make has already been established as logical for them, which makes it all the more frustrating when they cause themselves to be stuck in some mighty precarious situations (literally).

Ok, so the The Innkeepers is intense and well written, but how does it look? Surprisingly nice, actually. The visual clarity throughout the film is rather pristine, yet a bit “off” at the same time. This creates a rather unique visual tone for the film that compliments the world and characters that have been established in the film’s world. Claire can be overbearingly silly at times, but it’s ok due to the camera’s insistence that such behavior just belongs in the world presented to the viewer. Now, as I said before, I have no idea how The House of the Devil played out or looked, but I can only hope that the visuals, writing, and performances complimented one another as well as West managed to accomplish with The Innkeepers. Part of the film’s misleading tone is directly linked to the visual presentation of the world surrounding the Yankee Pedlar Inn. When things take a turn for the dark, the camera provides accordingly. The black levels of this film are as thick as oil and suffocate the image at times. And I mean that in the best way possible. You only see what West wants you to see, and trust me…you see exactly everything you want to see. That said, the makeup and effects work in this film are just as well crafted as the camera work. I am thoroughly convinced that if it weren’t for the superb ghost make up and design present here, the film’s payoff would not have been near as unsettling as it was. The Innkeepers has some of the best ghost make up I’ve seen in a long long time.

That leaves with the last remaining element of what makes The Innkeepers pack such a punch: the sound design. Sound is an easily overlooked aspect of a good horror film. If done well, the sound design and score of a film can meld so seamlessly with the visual presentation that it’s often forgotten. If done badly you’re left with an overbearing and dramatic music score that seems to have a life of its own. Thankfully, The Innkeepers falls into the former category. The sound design in this film is a rare gem as it acts as the “burn” of the slow burn. Every time Claire picks up a pair of headphones and a microphone, the viewer is bombarded with a deeply droning bass that represents her expectations and fear perfectly. There were moments I had to actually turn the volume down just to double check that the bass I was hearing was really coming from my speakers. The deep rumbling of the bass complimented the bright and vibrant visuals so well. Furthermore, the film plays with subtlety very well. During the first two acts the sound design maintains a sort of subdued, yet bubbling sense of “the possible”. Whereas the high octane third act unleashes a slew of blasts and whipping music score that confirms all of your worst fears. When things get dark, the film’s score tags right along and blasts you away where appropriate while staying silent where it’s most uncomfortable. Without spoiling anything, perhaps the film’s most intense scare develops through the use of well-timed silences. This is A+ sound design on display.

So with all of that in mind, what’s the general consensus? To put it simply, if you haven’t checked out The Innkeepers, you’ve done yourself a great disservice. Emerging in a sea of reboots, rehashes, and Horror-101 formulaic cash-cow films, Ti West has crafted a truly original take on the haunted house genre. Not only has he managed to write an original story in a vast amount of adaptations, West has also managed to present a truly original take on an already beloved genre in the world of horror. Do yourself a favor and get a breath of fresh and bloody air. Go check out The Innkeepers as soon as you can!

Tags: 2011 , haunted house movies, haunting horror films, indie horror, Thriller, 2011 , Chandler Bullock, Horror-Fix Review, Kelly McGillis, Pat Healy, R, Review, Sara Paxton, The Innkeepers, Thriller, Ti West

I always say, "If you're gonna do something, make sure you incorporate a man-eating club goer that sheds her clothes faster than a pedarast at a Toys R Us”, and in that respect, V/H/S delivers. In fact, its fair to say that V/H/S delivers more often than not, and when it does it doesn't pull back on the reigns. The film, which successfully expoits the OVERLY tired found footage approach, is an anthology in nature, giving us 5 vignettes and a wrap around story that, although short in length, have no lack of money shots to make up for their running time.

The stories range from serial killers to the aforementioned man-eater and the film accomplishes to use its format to hit upon many of the major notes prevalent in the industry. Variety is a definite strength of V/H/S and probably saves its weaker entries from dillutng the strength of the others. In fact, if V/H/S has a flaw that works to negate its intent it is its uneven volume of stories. While half of the tales here are not only well rounded and well executed, but are genuinely creepy and at times shocking, the other half limp along in tired convention and risk to threaten the impact of the others.

The fist installment, an exercise in keeping your late night revelling and the lack of morality that it keps company with in check, suggests a larger, more robust anthology and is a great way for the film to really kick open the starting gate and start the thrills of at a brisk cinemaic sprint. This first story is so strong (despite the similarities to a pre-existing franchise) that V/H/S immediately piques the viewers interest, especially after the introdction of a wrap-around story whose characters are so expendable that its difficult to dedicate yourself to the film in the beginning. Sure, wraparound stories are difficullt. They are the frames that hold the prettier pictures in place and although they might provide a necessary nuance, they rarely shine as bright as their centerpieces.

Moving along is a nice piece by Ti West that probably contains one of the more shocking and abrupt displays of gore and violence in the film. West, who has been a mixed bag for me as a director, shows some of the most adeptness behind the camer here and although his segment might not be the most traditional as far as horror goes, it is probably the most polished for the format.

"V/H/S does manage to be a hell of a lot of fun using a format that seems anything but in an industry glutted with Paranormal Activity rip-offs and sub-par "shake and bake" indie entries"

The other stories, which include ghosts, a webcam romance with a twist, and a tale of revenge and a supernatural psycho killer are interersting in their own respect and have enough surprises to keep our interest. Some feel more developed than others, but as far as shorts go, we could definitely do worse. Let's be honest. I'm not making excuses for V/H/S. It’s a strong enough film that it doesn't have to apologize for its weaknesses, which are definitely fewer than its strengths. V/H/S does manage to be a hell of a lot of fun using a format that seems anything but in an industry glutted with Paranormal Activity rip-offs and sub-par "shake and bake" indie entries. In fact, isn't having fun one of the reasons we love this industry so much? Well that and living vicariously through masked maniacs who manage to deftly thin the gene pool in just under two hours. So be kind, rewind and pop in V/H/S. Recommended.

V/H/S is currently available on demand. Check your local entertainment provider for details

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Tags: found footage, V/H/S, V/H/S review, Ti West

Telling stories in a short amount of time is a grueling and painful task, but the results are usually to die for. Horror and short film fans have been all a buzz for the upcoming feature length collaboration of horror shorts entitled The ABC's of Death. ABC's will feature 26 different short films delivered by 26 unique directors in a high octane, terrifying, and bloody mass of thrills and horrific fun. 

It was confirmed just a few days ago that The ABC's of Death will have its world premiere at the prestigious Midnight Madness event of this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film will presented alongisde other highly anticipated films such as Rob Zombie's latest, The Lords of Salem, and Don Coscarelli's John Dies At The End.

According to the official synopsis:

FROM THE DIRECTORS OF

HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, A SERBIAN FILM, TOKYO GORE POLICE, YOU'RE NEXT & Many More

COMES THE GENRE EVENT OF 2012

Twenty-six directors. Twenty-six ways to die. The ABC’s OF DEATH is perhaps the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived with productions spanning fifteen countries and featuring segments directed by over two dozen of the world's leading talents in contemporary genre film. Inspired by children’s educational books, the motion picture is comprised of twenty-six individual chapters, each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free reign in choosing a word to create a story involving death.

Provocative, shocking, funny and ultimately confrontational, THE ABC’s OF DEATH is the definitive vision of modern horror diversity. Drafthouse Films, Magnet Pictures and Timpson Films are proud to present this alphabetical arsenal of destruction orchestrated by what Fangoria calls "a stunning roll call of some of the most exciting names in horror across the world." 

The film's premiere date has been slated for September 14, 2012 at TIFF. So if you're a fan of the art of short films and eccentric horror, it's time to get your tickets ready and head on over to Toronto for a very special treat!

The ABC's of Death features short films from directors Ti West, Xavier Gens, Jason Eisner, Jake West, & many more, and stars Lucy Clements, Erik Aude, Kim Richardson & much much more!

Tags: Anthology, Chandler Bullock, Erik Aude, Horror collaboration, Horror shorts, Jake West, Jason Eisner, Kim Richardson, Lucy Clements, Midnight Madness, Short films, Ti West, TIFF, Xavier Gens