The V/H/S series has become a near annual event at Fantastic Fest. Resurrected in 2021 after a 7 year hiatus, Fantastic Fest has seen a new V/H/S film every year for 5 years now. Each one has offered both a fun and gory ride through an anthology usually based around a loose theme, as well as a sneak peak at upcoming horror talent in the scene. It’s something that I’ve looked forward to every year since the fest came back after the pandemic.
Which is why I am happy to report that not only is V/H/S/Halloween an absolute blast, it is arguably one of, if not the, best of the entire series. Filled with shorts that bend the genre, V/H/S/Halloween truly has no weak entry, each of them their own interesting take on the theme of “Halloween”.
Since it is an anthology, I’ve broken it down by segment below, chronologically.
Coochie Coochie Coo: Arguably the most classic example of a V/H/S short; which is to say, it’s a “haunted house” segment. We’ve seen very similar ones before (enough so that I would be surprised if these are re-used sets from previous installments), and while this kinda hits all the familiar notes, it is also real gooey and gross, with each room feeling like it is just sticky with milk residue. A good warm-up to what’s ahead.
Ut Supra Sic Infra: This is where the shift happens, where V/H/S/Halloween starts to feel different. Following a police investigation, we are led through a home where a deeply violent crime occurred, following the one survivor and prime suspect. The segment cuts between archival footage of the night’s events, and footage of the police moving through a quiet old Spanish mansion. It doesn’t take long for the footage, both archival and present, to sync up, as both groups encounter an impossible ringing phone. Violent in all the right ways, with a great pace and excellent editing, Ut Supra Sic Infra is a top tier VHS segment.
Fun Size: Shifting back into a more classical V/H/S style (read; pitch black comedy), Fun Size follows a group of way-too-old trick’or’treaters who decide not to follow a “only take one” sign, and pay for their sins. Fun Size is able to both be outlandish and fun, while also being quite creepy and off-putting, as our hapless couples are put through a myriad of violent, cartoonish contraptions while being stalked by a frightening candy mascot. Top tier final moment, too!
Kidprint: This is where V/H/S/Halloween becomes something wholly unique and special, but also deeply disturbing. Kidprint is a violent, mean-spirited, and genuinely harrowing segment that I feel will go down as one of the best, if not most disturbing, segments the V/H/S series has produced. Occurring in the wake of a mass kidnapping event in a small town, Kidprint follows the owner of a small town electronics store who is attempting to build a library of video biographies of the town’s children to help expedite search efforts. The way this shifts may not be specifically surprising, but how incredibly vile and mean it all is shifts it into something else; something dirtier, like an accidentally stumbled upon LiveLeaks video you quickly turn away from. A lot of that goes to both director Alex Ross Perry, a newbie to the genre, who creates an incredibly bleak world, but also to Carl Garrison, who puts on a truly chilling performance, especially in the quiet moments of conversation with the children, his mocking tone making the whole proceeds far darker. A truly vile, nasty little masterpiece.
Diet Phantasma (Wrap Around): The wrap around essentially ends before the last segment, so felt right here. Diet Phantasma is a classic V/H/S wrap-around; in that the focus is a bit more on the practical effects and comedy, rather than the scares. Which is fine, honestly; the continuous ways they are able to show people being violently killed by a soda can is pretty great, and it’s all held together by the central crew of soda technicians and executives, whose growing frustrations become funnier and funnier with each bloody death.
Home Haunt: The grand finale of V/H/S/Halloween, and boy is it grand; looks like it might be the most expensive V/H/S segment there’s been, as it features several locations, extras, and some pretty awesome effects, both digital and practical. It helps that the main family, made up of a goofy father, an annoyed son, and a quiet but strong mother, bounce off of each other quite nicely, both in a sweet and humorous way. Feels the most like one of these being a “test for a feature”, so wouldn’t be surprised if we see some sort of announcement in the future.
As the credits rolled, I once again found myself really appreciating these releases. Great to have these slices of horror, both humorous and harrowing, and always cool to see where the genre is going. Can’t wait to see them again next year!
V/H/S/Halloween Drops October 3rd On Shudder!
