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Reviews
The Hospital (2013)
"The Hospital" is probably not what you're expecting.
About ten minutes into "The Hospital", I realized that this was not going to be the film I was expecting. Billed as a haunted house (or abandoned hospital, to be exact) / psycho-slasher hybrid, I was fully prepared to take in a little indie picture akin to the recent "The Haunting of Whaley House" with a dash of slice 'n dice slasher sauce thrown in to satisfy the gorehounds. What I got was pure B-grade exploitation.
While a supernatural element is present, "The Hospital" has more in common with the grindhouse shocksploitation of the '70s ("I Spit on Your Grave", "Last House on the Left", etc.) than it does any haunted house film. All the staples of the genre are here- shocking deaths, rape, dismemberment, breasts (lots and lots of breasts, all shapes and sizes), and vile depictions of unimaginable acts intended to shock and disgust. Viewed in this context, I found "The Hospital" to be quite an enjoyable slice of sleaze.
In addition to aforementioned genre staples, the film also does feature some of the unfortunate (or charming, depending on your point of view) elements commonly associated with the breed- some sub-par acting, poor lighting and sound design, and shoddy special effects (specifically the ineffective CGI. I understand this was most likely done for budgetary reasons, but in this type of film, I would personally take the cheapest, most amateur practical effects over mediocre CGI any day.). However, none of these issues severely hindered my enjoyment of "The Hospital". This film is not "Citizen Kane", nor does it have any intention to be.
As a fan of horror of all sub-genres, I would recommend "The Hospital" to those with a strong stomach. It's most certainly not a film for everybody, but those with an affinity for exploitation and ultra low-budget indies should find plenty to appreciate here.
Scary Story Slumber Party (2017)
Scary Story Slumber Party
I recently viewed a screener of this film, generously provided by the producers. "Scary Story Slumber Party" is an anthology in the tradition of "Tales From the Crypt" and "Creepshow". The framing device, as the title suggests, involves a group of girls having a slumber party with each attempting to one-up the others' scary stories. This is an enjoyable little film I would recommend to fans of the genre. Some of the shorts worked better than others and, as is the case with many low-to-no budget productions, some of the acting is spotty and uneven. However, this did not hinder my enjoyment of the film. The production values are surprisingly good for a film with such a limited budget; the special effects are adequate and convincing, the cinematography is well done and the shorts are directed with confidence. Fans of extreme gore will not find it here, as this one relies more on atmosphere and storytelling to get the point across. There is a vast amount of talent and potential on the screen here, I look forward to seeing what the filmmakers will bring us next. For fans of independent horror, this one is worth a look.