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[Blu-ray Review] ‘Hellions’ is a Must-Add to Your October Watch List
I love love love movies that take place on or around Halloween. Most horror fans probably feel the same way, but it’s my favorite holiday and because of that there’s a special joy I get when a movie uses Halloween as a setting. Seeing the costumes and the decorations and others celebrating a day I love is a real treat. No matter how many movies I’ve seen that take place on Halloween, I’m constantly looking for new ones to add to the October rotation. I am very happy to say that Hellions absolutely belongs on everyone’s mandatory October watch list.
Hellions is the newest film from Canadian director Bruce McDonald (Pontypool). Chloe Rose stars as Dora, your fairly typical 17-year-old. She dresses in a lot of black, in a fashion I suppose kids today would say is Goth. I wouldn’t say it’s Goth, but she has that Hot Topic look. There’s actually a great scene with her early on in the waiting room of a doctor’s office. Its Halloween day and a little girl in a Halloween costume is waiting next to her. Dora compliments the girl’s costume and then the little girl says, “I like your costume as well.” Puzzled, Dora informs the girl that she’s not wearing a costume. This was cute, funny scene, in a movie that is otherwise quite dark.
Once Dora sees the doctor (Rossif Sutherland) she learns that she’s pregnant. She’s completely stunned by the news. She can’t believe it. There’s no way she could possibly be pregnant. She’s only had sex with her boyfriend Jace (Luke Bilyk) once. But hey, once is all it takes!
Back at home her little brother Remi (Peter DaCunha) is getting ready to head out for an exciting night of trick-or-treating with their mother (Rachel Wilson). Dora is supposed to go to a Halloween party but given her recent pregnancy development she doesn’t much feel like partying. She decides to stay home but changes her mind after he mother convinces her to enjoy her youth.
Dora gets dressed, calls up her boyfriend and waits for him to arrive. As she’s waiting a couple of trick-or-treaters knock on the door. These kids have incredibly creepy, old timey costumes. These are like the type of costumes you see in old Halloween pictures from the 1930’s. One kid is wearing a metal bucket on his head and the other has a canvas, Scarecrow-like sack. These little creeps have no manners as they refuse to say trick-or-treat, but Dora still gives them candy.
Some more times passes. Dora’s boyfriend never shows up, so she calls repeatedly but gets nothing. The trick-or-treaters come back and things begin to get really weird. These little freaks want Dora, and more specifically want the baby in her tummy and they’ll do anything to get it. The movie then becomes a battle between Dora and these freaky kids.
Hellions is incredibly scary. McDonald does a terrific job building the tension and suspense early on. I was on the edge of my seat just waiting for something terrible to happen to Dora. I literally had to get up and turn some lights on because it freaked me out that bad. Major kudos to McDonald and crew for being able to accomplish that.
The film also has a really cool style. About halfway through the film, when shit really begins to get real and pick up, the color filter shifts. I’m not sure it goes to full on sepia or something similar, but it sorts of takes the movie into this dream-like world. It’s a really nice touch and helps the movie start to mess with your mind. There is also one superb shot of Dora running with the moon in the background with an orange sky. It’s beautiful and reminded me of the scene Halloween III: Season of the Witch with trick-or-treaters from around the world out and about.
My one complaint is the story isn’t completely coherent. I can’t tell you what was real or what was fake. Ultimately I’m not even sure why these kiddie creatures want Dora’s baby. There are some references to some history these creatures have with this small town, but nothing is really that clear. I think this actually makes me appreciate Hellions even more. The story isn’t that tight or clear and yet I still loved this movie.
Hellions is scary and nails the Halloween vibe. Remember this title – when October 2016 rolls around you’ll want to give it a watch.
Hellions is now out on Blu-ray from Scream Factory.
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‘Herencia Diabólica’ – 1993’s “Mexican Child’s Play” Finally Has a Blu-ray Release [Review]
Did you know that there is a Child’s Play-inspired film from Mexico? If you didn’t, you can thank Vinegar Syndrome’s new label Degausser Video for making 1993’s Herencia Diabólica available for the masses to watch. Or at least for the VS hardcore fanbase, Chucky completists and anyone else who needs something like this in their lives.
Director Alfredo Salazar, known for his writing connection to the 70s Santo film series, also serves as the writer here to bring us a film seemingly inspired from the Child’s Play franchise. While it has been recently labeled as the “Mexican Child’s Play” (there’s a special feature on the disc with that very title), the killer doll concept is where the comparison should start and end. Despite having some seeds planted by that franchise, Salazar delivers a story that blossoms into something unique.
Tony (Roberto Guinar) receives a letter informing him that his aunt has died, and he has inherited her estate in Mexico. He quits his job and uproots his life in New York with his wife Annie (Holda Ramírez) to relocate south of the border and move into his new crib. Now I know what you’re thinking, what person just quits their job and drags their wife to another country without having reliable monetary income? Tony does, everyone, Tony does.
And what’s the first thing they do once they arrive in Mexico and check out the estate? They hit the bedroom, naturally. We are treated to a sex scene with an erotica song that feels like a knockoff of “Sadness” by Enigma (remember them?). Sounds fun and all, but the scene takes place completely in the dark and we see absolutely nothing. Maybe that’s why the sexy-time tune was pumping, so we could know what was exactly going down.
While Tony goes on a job interview, Annie explores the estate’s grounds in a tedious chore to experience, going room by room, plodding along. But it does lead us to her discovery of our antagonist—the evil clown doll, Payasito! Of all the things in the house, she decides to bring this monstrosity down to show Tony when he gets home. What an exciting way to celebrate (sic)! Then out of nowhere, she spouts off some exposition about rumors that Tony’s aunt dabbled in the dark arts and now we know where our title Diabolical Inheritance (the English translation for Herencia Diabólica) originates. For those of you who keep score for things like that.
Before proceeding with this review, you really need to visualize what Payasito looks like to truly embrace the rest of the film’s shenanigans. While Chucky resembles a cute ginger child, Payasito resembles a small clown that is much larger in stature than Chucky. That’s because Payasito is performed by an actor (Margarito Esparaza) in clown cosplay whenever he’s on the move (like Mannequin 2), and makes some really horrible facial expressions. Chucky dresses in “Good Guys” overalls and a striped shirt, but Payasito wears a new wave Santa hat while sporting a Sgt. Pepper jacket and Peter Pan tights. As you can now tell, he is quite beautiful.
Back to our story, Payasito begins to spook Annie cerebrally until she becomes unnerved to the point of having a complete mental break down, making her easy prey to eliminate. She dies but the unborn child survives, with Tony believing that her death was caused by her mental instability. Fast forward some years later and the couple’s surviving spawn has grown into child Roy (Alan Fernando), who at this point has already bonded with Payasito to help him over the loss of his mother. Dun-dun-duuunnn!
Meanwhile wealthy Tony remains single, still grieving his late wife, until his blonde assistant Doris encourages him to move on with his life and start seeing other people. And by other people, she naturally means herself. As the old Kanye West song lyric goes, “I ain’t saying she’s a gold digger…”, and it seems that she might be until we learn more about her character. Doris is played by the stunning Lorena Hererra who has an extremely extensive resume in Mexico, and she carries most of the film quite well during the feature’s second half. The singer and former Playboy centerfold for their Mexico edition is by far the most recognizable face in the cast.
Doris and Tony do indeed hookup and she moves into La casa de Herencia, where she does her best to impress Roy and lessen his obsession with the doll. There is a scene where they go to a nearby park without Payasito that is filled with famous fairytale figures, such as Pinocchio, Cinderella and King Kong! What, you didn’t know King Kong is a fairytale? Me neither. But Roy continues to be obsessed with Payasito after their trip, much to Doris’ chagrin.
Her actions to separate him from Roy gets Payasito angry, setting up the film’s most memorable scene. We already know that Payasito is a devil doll like Chucky, but now we learn he also has the power to invade people’s dreams like Freddy Krueger! Does Payasito enter the dream world and concoct a creative way to kill Doris in her sleep? No, he harnesses his power to sexually assault her instead. Yes that actually happens. After she awakens, Doris grabs the doll and tosses him into a lake, only to find him waiting for her by the time she gets back to the house. So now we know he also maintains the ability to “transport” like Jason Voorhees too. This doll is the total package!
More insanity happens before we close out the film with the longest victim chase sequence ever. It makes the previously mentioned painful house search scene seem like an eyeblink. It feels like it’s the film’s entire third act, filled with so much padding that you could soundproof an entire three-story house.
So how’s the transfer? Considering it was created using a mix of VHS and film source elements from 1993, they did one heck of a job! The work they put into it is especially noticeable in the dream invasion sequence, with the pulsing multi-colored psychedelic visuals. Super trippy stuff. Even the film’s score provides a pretty chill vibe, during the times when Payasito isn’t on the prowl.
If anything you read has piqued your interest in the very least, you should give it a shot. But if not, it is best to leave this doll on the shelf.
Herencia Diabólica is now available to purchase at VinegarSyndrome.com.
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