A group of misfits are hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a
desolate house in the countryside and acquire a rare tape. Upon
searching the house, the guys are confronted with a dead body, a hub of
old televisions and an endless supply of cryptic footage, each video
stranger than the last.
Review: Ever so often I run across a film that gets alot of hype and actually lives up to it, in the case of V/H/S this one had alot of hype in the horror community and it sure as fuck delivered. At first I will say that I was quite skeptical and didn't have any hope for it. I guess that was because I was thinking it was another cliche "found footage" film. It plays out like an anthology and did for me what "Theater Bizarre" did and gave me stories that threw me for a loop and also gave me twists that I did not see coming. Also each story goes in it's own unique direction to keep the film fresh, also like other anthologies this one also has a wrap around story.
Each time the twist came it felt like being sucker punched with a sledge hammer. The stories came on soft setting you up for a roller coaster ride to hell. Total there is 5 stories in all and 1 wrap around (Tape 56, Second Honeymoon, Tuesday The 17th, Amateur Night, 10/31/98, and The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger). Of all the stories I really have a hard time to pick one that I really liked the most because I loved each one in their own way. If I really had to pick one favorite it'd have to be "Amateur Night" and I say that because it has a scary bitch of a monster in it and I have a soft spot for monsters in film. Another one I also will mention as a great segment is "Tuesday The 17th" which take a slasher film tale and turns it on it's head and will blow you away. This is basically the "found footage" film for those who either hate or are not big fans of the sub-genre, those who love those type of films will dig it as well.
There is really only one thing that I could say that anyone would have a complaint with is that it can get nauseating due to the camera movement. Basically take Blair Witch Project and make it way more shaky. I personally found myself immersing myself so much into the film that I really didn't mind the shakiness at all, at first I kinda did. Now one question I know that some of you may be wondering the answer to and that is, is it worth it to just get it on Blu-ray instead of DVD? Really it depends on taste, with alot of it being shot on VHS or being downgraded to look like VHS it will not have the detail film does have. If you get the Blu-ray it will look a bit sharper and less compressed like you get with DVD on the other hand some of you may like that. Personally I go with Blu-ray. The sad part is that this was a very much missed opportunity to release this film on a special edition VHS tape, I really think that would of been awesome. Watching that way would of added that much more to the experience. Also making the feeling that you are like that guys who are in the wrap around story.
Overall this was a really great film and brought much more than I ever expected and then some! True fans of horror that really want something that will take them on a damn good thrill ride should check this out. One last thing I will say is that I can't wait for the sequel that is entitled "S-VHS"!
-Daniel "Damnation" Lee
Directors:Adam Wingard/David Bruckner/Ti West/Glenn McQuaid/Joe Swanberg/Radio Silence
Genre: Horror/Found Footage
Blu-ray/DVD Release Year: 2012
Theatrical Release Year:2012
Time Length: 116 mins.
Company: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Website:
www.magpictures.com
ADDITIONAL SCREENSHOTS:
