Director – Bruce Dickson (Artbound)
Starring – Henry Thomas (E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, Gangs of New York), Kelli Garner (The Aviator, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Forrest J. Ackerman (Curse of the Queerwolf, Dead Alive)
Release Date – 2008
Rating – 4/5
Tagline – “It’s all about the stains”
As a reviewer I always look to the future for films to review. When I see a film is set to be released in the near future I often try to review it before the release date so those of you that give a damn about my opinion can have it before hand. However, that was not my intention when I started writing reviews almost three years ago now. My intentions, at that time, was to review films people forgot about. The low budgeted and obscure films of the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Once I was brought on to Horror Society that changed and I was lucky enough to get films way before their respected release dates.
Recently, a lot of people were talking about the 2008 horror comedy Red Velvet on various Facebook horror collecting groups. This was the first time I had heard of the film and reached out to the producer who was nice enough to hook me up with a review copy and for that I thank you so very much!
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows artist and writer Aaron (Thomas) who just happens to run into his neighbor while washing clothes. This is the first time he has talked to his neighbor, Linda (Garner), but that does not stop her from sparking up a conversation with him. During the conversation he informs her that he is a writer and she asks him to tell her a story. He agrees and makes up a yarn about a trip to a cabin she was supposed to go on that very day with her boyfriend.
He then tells a bloody and gruesome tell involving the deaths of all her friends. As their conversation draws to a close they part ways and head back to their apartments. After some time Linda visits Aaron at his apartment and the two venture off to the cabin to party with her friends but things aren’t going to go as smooth as she had hoped.**Spoiler Alert**
Slashers hardly step outside the box and typically follow the same formula we all know and love. Though it sounds like I am complaining I have to say I am not. There is a reason we love that tried and true slasher formula and that is because it works with no budget. However, several slashers step outside the mold and try to re-invent the sub-genre only to fall short and create forgettable films. Sometimes these films are so bad they become comparison films and we compare other films we see to it and just how shitty they are. The 2008 slasher comedy Red Velvet is not one of those films. This film does step out of the traditional slasher setting to only pop it’s head in to get the slasher look but completely switches it up.
The acting in this one is great. The entire cast did a superb job but stars Henry Thomas and Kelli Garner shine like no other in their performances. These two have real chemistry and it made the film so much more enjoyable. The story for this one is fun and very imaginative. The team behind this one knew exactly what horror fans, and more importantly fans of slashers, liked about the sub-genre and was able to give them all of it in a non-traditional way. I honestly wished more filmmakers thought the way the team behind this one did because we would see a lot more original flicks. The film has a cool story, characters you can love and hate, and a killer that is…well, different.
Finally, the film has some very unique kills to go along with the rather unique movie. The kills are very bloody, gory, and they all have great special effects to pull them off. Overall, Red Velvet is a fearsome force among slasher flicks. It has great kills, amazing special effects, some cheap laughs, and a well written story. Do yourself a huge favor and buy this film now!
