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FILM REVIEW: VOLUMES OF BLOOD: HORROR STORIES

Horror anthologies are seldom made any more.  Well, seldom made WELL, I should say.  Remember CREEPSHOW? BODY BAGS? Even TWILIGHT ZONE THE MOVIE was a fun ride through some insanity of the subconscious.  And not since TRICK ‘R TREAT (2009) have I enjoyed a montage of nastiness.

VOLUMES OF BLOOD: HORROR STORIES begins in a typical urban legend/slasher flick fashion, introducing us to a wickedly vicious killer – Atticus Crow.  And just when you think Aticus is going to take us on a journey through his sickening world or repulsion, bam! We are watching a movie within a movie.

Nicely done!

VOLUMES OF BLOOD is really a tour through the past unpleasantness of a “haunted house” if you will.  The haunt is actually scenes from the murders that have occurred in this home on the current market.  Mr. Stine (the slimy real estate agent, played by Christopher Bower) leads a young couple into a normal looking abode with a bloody timeline of events that go unmentioned.  Try and imagine IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK, but with, well…volumes and buckets of blood. Haha!  Each feature has fallen upon a holiday: Christmas, Halloween, Father’s Day…you name it. And so it begins – with each area of the house, we are treated to a gory short of dread.

“Trick or Treat” is a fun little Halloween story, involving a young woman, a creepy, older trick ‘r treater and…a consequence based on an on-the-spot decision.  It actually opens up the doors to a nice little twist.  But no spoilers here!

We get the clichéd monster in the closet story, “Feeding Time” involving a very uncomfortable situation.  An insurance salesman being propositioned by provocative teen, Mallory.  If he kills the monster, she will reward him. In every way possible.  Icky, or inviting?  Definitely intriguing!

“Fear, for Sinners Are Here” is probably the best created short within VOLUMES.  A sad and lonely young woman is wrapping toys for her son, Joey.  Her beautiful house is decorated tastefully for Christmas, as she sips her wine and pauses in between her gift wrapping.  Crying.  All is subdued with an eerie bleakness in the air.  Is Joey….dead? Is she alone for the holidays?  And then, carolers appear at her door. With renewed hope, the mother then brings you into her apparent heartache.  So, what could be so bloody awful in this segment?  I’m not telling. *evil grin.*

My favorite tale is “Blood Bath”.  Nothing says fear like a killer bath tub!

A young couple having a deep conversation about their marriage, emotional state, and prescriptions in the master bathroom, suddenly becomes a horrendous nightmare as the wife is well…sucked in to the drain? And that’s all I got to say about that. *Smirk*

I definitely have to make a mention of the “Deathday Party”.  An older couple have a depraved lifestyle.  They enjoy kidnapping, torturing and killing people for pure pleasure.  Of all 7 terror tales, this is probably the most humorous, with the best kill scene: Knife…and hemorrhoids.  Need I say more?

Horror anthologies are amusing, and VOLUMES OF BLOOD is no exception.  With the twists, comic relief and plenty of gore, this is a cleverly put together film of previous horror experiences all under one roof.  Want to move in?

 

 “If the walls could talk…oh the horror they have seen!”

 

 

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Meredith Brown

Meredith Brown

I began my love of horror when I was 10, after seeing Motel Hell with my mother. My passion for writing started in high school and I became a contributing writer for several Long Island newspapers. After college, I created a column for Heavy Metal magazine (The Trend), covering bands, interviews, concerts, and of course...extreme cinema. My Facebook horror group, Disturbing Horror Cinema has a large following and grows each day. Since my career as a corporate event planner takes up a huge chunk of my life, watching and reviewing this film genre is an outlet for me that I absolutely adore!

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