The Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise returns to its Christmas roots with the last entry in the franchise Part 5: The Toy Maker which was co-written and co-produced by the previous entry’s director Brian Yuzna. This latest film is directed by Martin Kitrosser (who also co-wrote) and explores toys that seem to have a mind of their own that go on a killing spree.
Derek is a disturbed young boy after watching his father get killed by a toy that comes to life and strangles him. Since then he hasn’t been the same and his mother Sarah (Jane Higginson) is trying to do everything she can to bring her son back to normal. When Sarah takes her son to the local toy shop owned by Joe Petto (Mickey Rooney), her son is taken back by the possibility that the toy that killed his father probably came this very toy shop. This is also the theory Noah (Tracy Fraim) who is staking out the store and has an even deeper connection to Sarah & her son than he even knows.
There is an interesting (and obvious) parallel between this story and that of Pinocchio that makes this an interesting sequel in the franchise. Although the film has its flaws, mostly the lackluster characters, its an interesting little film. Unlike the previous film, this film pays homage to the franchise in several ways. Noah works as a Santa Claus for a mall (like in the original film) and at one point several characters are seen watching one of the films in the franchise. This is fitting as this is the last film in the franchise.
I’m not particularly a fan of this film but the acting is stronger in this film than in some of the previous films (the biggest flaw of the previous film) but it lacks the style and ambiance of the last first but improves upon Part 3. Rooney is also an interesting choice for the cast and gets the chance to play a broken drunk father to a problem child soon. His treatment of his son could even border on child abuse.
The visual fx in terms of the toys brought to life is lacking and are the only real drawback of the film as the deaths probably come off as more comical than they should (which is not helped by the abysmal score). The film is good for a once over during the holidays but that’s about it.
CITY GARDEN - "The Old Woman & The Park"
On the set of the short film "A Gift"
Showing posts with label Neith Hunter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neith Hunter. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Film Review: SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 4: INITIATION (1990)
One year after the previous sequel debuted straight to DVD horror director Brian Yuzna (Bride of Re-Animator, Return of the Living Dead 3) was brought on board to develop a different story in which to brand the Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise. Yuzna developed the story (with screenplay written by Woody Keith) and directed this in name only sequel Part 4: Initiation, which is more a witchcraft story than a serial killer Santa Clause film.
The film concerns a young reporter Kim (Neith Hunter) who is frustrated with not being taken seriously at her paper and thus wants to investigate the death of an unknown woman who jumped off a building while also experiencing a strange case of spontaneous human combustion. This leads her investigation to a book seller in the same building that the woman jumped from Fima (Maud Adams) and her group of very liberated women. Fima and her group take Kim into their fold and while Kim thinks she is investigating the death the group is putting Kim through a secret initiation process that forces her to confront her inner fears and demons by making them a physical manifestation. All this is done in order to liberate Kim and make her one of the groups newest members after the tragic accident of their previous member.
The story is very interesting in terms of the story taking a very feminist view on a woman’s place in a world filled with men. Yuzna as always crafts some very interesting visuals as Kim’s inner fears are given physical manifestation in the form of world-like creatures and giant cockroaches. What the film suffers from (like many of Yuzna’s films) is bad performances especially from Hunter who comes off as the angriest woman ever. She is so over the top that even the presence of Adams can’t save the overall film.
The theme of Christmas is very loosely displayed in this film and that’s probably because the film was not meant to be a direct sequel to the franchise. The film could have easily been a standalone film but potential profits with the “Silent Night, Deadly Night” brand name probably dictated the change. Regardless, despite the films many flaws this is the best sequel in the franchise simply because it isn’t a standard slasher film but an exercise in mental and psychological fear.
The film concerns a young reporter Kim (Neith Hunter) who is frustrated with not being taken seriously at her paper and thus wants to investigate the death of an unknown woman who jumped off a building while also experiencing a strange case of spontaneous human combustion. This leads her investigation to a book seller in the same building that the woman jumped from Fima (Maud Adams) and her group of very liberated women. Fima and her group take Kim into their fold and while Kim thinks she is investigating the death the group is putting Kim through a secret initiation process that forces her to confront her inner fears and demons by making them a physical manifestation. All this is done in order to liberate Kim and make her one of the groups newest members after the tragic accident of their previous member.
The story is very interesting in terms of the story taking a very feminist view on a woman’s place in a world filled with men. Yuzna as always crafts some very interesting visuals as Kim’s inner fears are given physical manifestation in the form of world-like creatures and giant cockroaches. What the film suffers from (like many of Yuzna’s films) is bad performances especially from Hunter who comes off as the angriest woman ever. She is so over the top that even the presence of Adams can’t save the overall film.
The theme of Christmas is very loosely displayed in this film and that’s probably because the film was not meant to be a direct sequel to the franchise. The film could have easily been a standalone film but potential profits with the “Silent Night, Deadly Night” brand name probably dictated the change. Regardless, despite the films many flaws this is the best sequel in the franchise simply because it isn’t a standard slasher film but an exercise in mental and psychological fear.
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