Slasher House (2012)

Director: MJ Dixon

Writer: MJ Dixon

Starring: Eleanor James, Adam Dillon, Wellington Grosvenor

Last night, I had the chance to check out Slasher Night, an indie horror film written and directed by MJ Dixon. After watching it, I have to say that it’s films like these that solidify my resolve in my decision to refocus theblood-shed’s spotlight onto indie productions, It boggles my mind that there are gems like this out there and no one even knows they exist, all while Hollywood just keeps churning out more crap for thousands of times larger budgets.

The film is about a girl who we come to know later in the film as Red. She wakes up locked in an old prison with no memory of who she is. And as if that isn’t bad enough, she’s not alone. Some of the world’s deadliest killers are locked up with her! And after the blood has finished spilling, only one person will be left standing…

This film is near perfect! It’s stylish and the characters are each original and imposing. I found the slasher fan boy in me enthralled by the over-the-top killers, especially the hulking Thorn who dual wields machetes that remind me of something you’d see Pyramid-head dragging around. Visually stunning and unique, the film is shot with most of the coloring a pale green, causing the prominent other color, red, to really pop out. This is especially effective with the aptly named heroine and her scarlet hair, dress, and shoes. Of course, being a horror film, it is a given that there is plenty of other red being splashed about as well and its visual presentation is amazing in contrast to the pale green world around it.

If there is a weak spot to the film, it is the acting. There are just a couple scenes where it was a bit weak, but overall I found it ranged from acceptable to actually pretty decent. The killers Cleaver and Corben are especially well done. Thorn doesn’t talk much, but his physical performance is top notch.

The effects are all practical and that’s always a plus in my book. The blood looks good, even dry. What they can’t do, they don’t half-ass. If a wound could potentially look fake, they instead just use clever camera work to keep that area in frame as little as possible. Less is more.

What has me most excited about this film is that it is a part of a planned shared movieverse. Not only is there this film, there is a Thorn movie called Legacy of Thorn (which I also have a screener for and can’t wait to see) and MJ is also making a Cleaver movie with an expected release of sometime next year.

This has been one of the most enjoyable films I have seen in a while and I can’t wait to see what else becomes of this growing shared movieverse! It brings to mind my favorite comic book, Hack/Slash, and seeing as that film adaptation is basically dead in the water, I am glad I seem to have found a worthy replacement in the same vein.