Times were different for independent filmmakers in the 1950s and early ’60s. Mavericks like Roger Corman, William Castle, Herschel Gordon, and others, plus the more accepted yet largely forgotten John Cassavetes, made their unconventional product and put it out for the people. Horror Stories, written and directed by Lukas Disparrow, is a modern example of filmmaking in the hands of the people.
Nine stories, including the wrap-around, make up this anthology, for which Disparrow plays the role of The Host. It might be unfair to compare anyone to the likes of Corman and others; however, look at what is on the screen. This 90-minute affair comes across as uneven and cliché in moments, but it features some good practical effects considering the low budget and engaging narratives on display.
Horror Stories opens with people attending a book reading. The Host urges everyone to place their hand on the object. Once done, they enter the story being told. Yes, it has been done before in countless films and series. But, it is how you work the tropes of the genre as opposed to trying to avoid them entirely.
Forest Clown is about a killer clown who menaces two lovers in a park. Jump cuts galore make the murderer appear magical with an irritating laugh that brings the idea straight out of Twisty the Clown from American Horror Story: Freak Show. The next segment, My New Girlfriend, is a fun yet predictable story about necrophilia, the dead coming back, and mother love. Oddly, this reminded me of the notorious West German nasty Nekromantik.
“…urges everyone to place their hand on the object. Once done, they enter the story being told.”
Dancing Lady is about a dancing female in the forest at night that dispatches people with a knife. A Klaus Kinski-inspired Dracula is next. It follows a hooker seeking revenge on the vampire. It features excellent night street cinematography and direction with lots of shadows, streetlights, and alleyways.
The Devil’s Feast is about a woman in danger of becoming possessed. Mother sees demonic forces mess with a lady looking into her mother’s dark secrets. These two, which follow each other in close succession, are more generic than some of the other tales. Style-wise, they seem to be fueled by the EC Comics style, which is the basis for the ongoing series Tales from the Crypt. Oddly, Horror Stories as a whole knows the power of silence, as many of the best moments are without music, just an actor moving in shadows up some stairs or down a corridor.
The film picks up when we meet a date-seeking doll in Lola the Doll. It’s a lovely satire on the love doll date some people may want and perhaps vacuous people one may find. There’s a scene with the doll in the window just watching that is truly scary. The most promising story is She Lives in Me. This concerns a transitioning male who confronts his female killer self in the flesh. There are strong moments of patient-doctor discussion, yet one wishes the story went deeper into things such as Roman Polanski’s The Tennant. The Madonna/W***e complex gets a workout in Divine Retribution. In this final story, a revenge-seeking and rather fetching nun stabs people with a pointed crucifix while lecturing them about marriage vows.
Horror Stories takes inspiration from the creepypasta phenomenon. Disparrow has crafted a true example of the spirit of independent horror. Yes, parts are cliched or rely on tropes, but the segments are eerie. The actors are committed, and the practical effects are very good considering the budget. Just remember not to make too much tea without checking your windows.
"…features some good practical effects..."
