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The Independent Critic

STARRING
Ian Tomaschik, Jennifer Sorika, Postell Pringle, Chris Keveney
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY
Richard W. Haines
MPAA RATING
Rated R
RUNNING TIME
74 Mins.
DISTRIBUTED BY
Celebrity Video Distribution (DVD)

 

 "What Really Frightens You" Review 
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Having been on the film festival circuit since its June 2009 premiere at the New Jersey Film Festival, What Really Frightens You? is headed for an international DVD distribution on October 19th with Celebrity Video Distribution releasing the film.

Written and directed by Troma vet Richard W. Haines (Class of Nuke 'em High, Splatter University), What Really Frightens You? centers around a mysterious "Ghost Writer" who's penning a proposed feature column for "Ghastly Magazine" centering around our innermost fears. Ghost Writer (Ian Tomaschik) interviews three subjects- 1) Attorney Drew Evans (Postell Pringle) is afraid of the gang members from the neighborhood where he grew up, 2) Chloe Brooks (Jennifer Sorika) has recurring nightmares about being in her underwear in public while stalked by predators, and 3) Brett Andrews (Chris Keveney) is still afraid of those ever frightening monsters underneath the bed from childhood.

Can you guess where we're going?

After the article is published, suddenly the worst fears of our three interviewees suddenly begin coming to life.

While the acting in What Really Frightens You? is a bit hit-and-miss, the film works as a true homage to old time monster fanzines ever so slightly updated with contemporary characters and special effects that take advantage of advanced technology. Haines gives the film the look of a Hammer film, complete with some very cool lighting effects and special effects courtesy of Brian Spears and Pete Gerner (I sell the Dead, Stake Land).

The result is a film that has a contemporary setting yet has a decidedly retro feeling to it complete with actual latex creatures rather than the all too often utilized CGI effects of this decade.

For the most part, Haines nicely intertwines the present and the past into a horror flick that is intriguing to watch even when the acting itself occasionally betrays the suspense.