“It’s Halloween; everyone’s entitled to one good scare.”
Brackett- Halloween (1978)
Well made film anthologies are rare, but the good ones typically exist in the horror genre. Anthologies like Creepshow, Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt, and Black Sabbath are some of the best anthologies ever made. Trick ‘r Treat is another great entry into the subgenre.
Trick ‘r Treat is five interwoven stories that occur on Halloween in a small fictional Ohio town. An everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the guy for her; a group of teenagers pulls a mean prank; a woman who loathes the night has to contend with her holiday-obsessed husband; and a mean old man meets his match with a demonic, supernatural trick-or-treater. These five stories are tangentially connected, but they build on each other to create a masterful story about the holiday spirit.
Michael Dougherty is a talented director and writer. I reviewed his film Krampus earlier, and my only complaint was the lack of gore. Trick ‘r Treat doesn’t hold back. There were multiple times I had to turn away. Dougherty’s ability to build the story and utilize an anthology’s loose narrative to his advantage is rare.
The cast isn’t packed with big names, but there are few familiar faces. Anna Paquin plays an innocent red riding hood trying to find a date. Brian Cox stars as a crotchety old man who hates Halloween. Both performances are terrific, but my favorite performance is by Dylan Baker as principal Wilkins. You won’t recognize his name, but you’ll definitely know the face.
The only real negative about his film is that I wish it were a little longer. Each story is told deftly, but they all seem so rich I was left wanting more. I realize that’s the point of an anthology, but Dougherty is extremely skilled. Any of these stories could have been turned into a feature-length film.
If you are looking for something a little different this month, check out Trick ‘r Treat. A funny, smart, scary, and gory horror film is hard to find, but Trick ‘r Treat is all those. It should be a cult classic like Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt!
