Movies
[BD Review ’12] ‘The American Scream’ A Celebration Of The Haunted House Fanatic
From Michael Stephenson (the director of Best Worst Movie), comes a new documentary, The American Scream – a celebration of the average Halloween fan who commits their own time and money into creating a local haunted house. While it lacks punch, there’s a profound sense of joy in watching these hard working individuals get the much-deserved spotlight they long for. Many want to be remembered, and Chiller (airing October 28) has landed them an eternal place in horror lore.
The American Scream follows the lives of a handful of American families who prepare, and launch, their local haunted houses. They sacrifice their house, their money and their family for an obsession that’s absurd when you think about the fact that it’s all for one night of attention. Still, the joy and happiness it brings the children makes it all worthwhile.
The biggest issue with the doc is that it’s a bit too rudimentary. It occasionally touches on family resentment (one wife says she didn’t want the house they have, and their daughter wishes she could have a tree house), but gets lost in showing the audience the construction and completion of the haunted houses. As a fan of documentaries, I wanted to see a bit of behind the scenes drama, like in Best Worst Movie when George Hardy starts to believe he’s a super star.
In the end, it’s obvious this was made to be a celebration of Halloween and not some in-depth look at the obsession of creating a local haunt. It’s the film’s biggest flaw, but also its most admirable trait. If anything, it’s about the American dream beyond the American dream, where the deep desire is to be remembered when you leave this Earth.
The killer tomatoes are back in Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence, and the offiical poster for the brand new movie has been unleashed tonight.
Additionally, we’ve learned that the film’s theatrical release is set for this August, with a panel set for San Diego Comic-Con this month featuring the world premiere of the trailer.
While you wait, check out the official poster down below.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence will be released in select cities across the US beginning August 7th in major cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Diego, and others, and expanding to further locations throughout the month.
The fifth installment in the horror-comedy franchise pits the eternal power of nature against AI’s best and brightest.
In Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence, a young biotech prodigy develops a revolutionary genetically engineered vegetable designed to solve humanity’s problems. But when the experiment spirals out of control, it unleashes a new generation of killer tomatoes, setting the stage for another outrageous chapter in the long-running cult franchise.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes co-creators Costa Dillon and J. Stephen Peace return to write and executive produce. David Ferino directs.
The film features an ensemble cast led by franchise icon John Astin (The Addams Family), reprising his role as Professor Gangreen, comedy legend David Koechner (Anchorman), Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), horror favorite Catherine Corcoran (Terrifier), comedy veteran Dan Bakkedahl (Veep), Myrna Velasco (Star Wars Resistance), Vernée Watson (Shrinking, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), and Paul Bates (Coming to America).
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes launched in 1979, followed by 1988’s Return of the Killer Tomatoes, 1991’s Killer Tomatoes Strike Back, and 1992’s Killer Tomatoes Eat France.
The franchise also spawned an animated series in 1990.
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