As we approach Halloween night, you may find yourself searching for some seasonal thrills to enrich your dark holiday. Sure, it is always fun to go back to an old favorite, but with a genre of such depth and inventiveness as horror you owe it to yourself to branch out. That being said, you would be forgiven if you do not find yourself flocking to the 1982 slasher dark comedy Trick or Treats. Despite a title guaranteed to conjure up a modicum of hope for good quality, the reality is that if you have not heard of this one, it is for good reason. The slasher genre is a territory that has been beyond saturated over the years which makes separating the good from the bad that much more important but time consuming. While this particular title has a few standout performers to lure you in, it never becomes funny enough or thrillingly violent enough to note this one as a hidden gem.
The film begins with the psychiatric incarceration of Malcolm O’Keefe (Peter Jason, 48 Hrs.), a man who unlike someone like Michael Meyers does not actually deserve to be there. He has been wrongfully committed by his wife, Joan (Carrie Snodgress, Diary Of A Mad Housewife), who was looking for a way to be out of her marriage so she could be with her boyfriend, Richard (David Carradine, Kill Bill). Pretty extreme if you ask us, but at least it gets the story rolling. Five years later and these two are now married while Malcolm has slowly been losing the sanity that was intact thinking of how he would get back at the people who committed him. This culminates in a grand escape on Halloween night which sends Malcolm heading for a homecoming rapidly. Unfortunately for him, Joan and Richard are attending a Halloween party while the babysitter, Linda (Jacqueline Giroux), is at home with their now ten-year-old son, who has a penchant for pranks that borders on sadistic. There is a potential for laughs and thrills, and this film achieves neither.
As a so-called dark comedy, Trick or Treats derives a lot of pleasure from showcasing the young boy, Christopher, terrorizing Linda in various inventive ways. One scene after another, Christopher sets up a scenario where Linda will think he has died in some horrible way; drowning, guillotine, etc. Christopher has a blast with this, but not even once does the audience come close to cracking a smile. After the fourth time, you just beg for Linda to stop being so gullible, until of course the film goes into “the boy who cried wolf” territory when real danger is inside the house. The film has several absurd instances of humor, but nothing really sticks out as memorable or particularly amusing. The horror side of the equation never really gets off the ground either, as Malcolm is just not a very menacing killer. He does murder some people who gets in his way or he mistakes for his targets, but it would be surprising to hear there were moments of fear from any viewers. The direction from Gary Graver is just very limp, which is particularly amusing considering the prolific career he had as a director of adult films.
Even at 91 minutes, the film feels overlong for what it delivers. There are numerous moments where you will find yourself wondering what tone the film is trying to strike and why certain scenes exist in the first place. Seeing David Carradine playing a creep early on for about ten minutes is slightly intriguing, but the way in which he disappears from the film makes him feel more like a marketing technique rather than an essential part of the narrative. With a curious lack of effective kills on screen, you are left to wonder exactly who Trick or Treats is supposed to appeal to. It is not hilariously bad; it is very dull which is much worse.
Video Quality
Trick Or Treats returns to Blu-Ray via Kino Classics and Code Red with a 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. The source of the transfer is stated to be an HD master from the Original 35mm Camera Negative, which is likely what was used for the previous Code Red Blu-Ray before it went out of print. The results are pleasing enough given the low-rent nature of the production with an organically filmic presentation that only occasionally suffers from hazy looking shots. For the majority of the film, the transfer is moderately detailed, but there is the occasional shot that runs on the soft side or experiences some fluctuations in density. The presentation features some pleasing detail in the production design and texture of clothing. Colors are fairly vibrant and bright, especially in the brighter interiors of the film. The black levels could be a bit stronger as they struggle with depth. There is the occasional nick or scratch present in the print, but overall this is free of blatant damage. This is a fairly solid presentation for a film that was probably not ever that gorgeous to begin with.
Audio Quality
Code Red brings us this new Blu-Ray with an DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that offers a very strong audio experience. The dialogue holds up quite nicely, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely including the chatter at the mental institution and the sound of various pranks. This track does not present with any glaring instances of age related wear and tear. This is a track that represents the film in a very pleasing way. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Stars Jackie Giroux, Peter Jason, Chris Graver and Cameraman R. Michael Stringer provide a track moderated by Sean Graver. Hearing the talent reflect on their experiences making the film and their relationship with it since the release is actually a bit more entertaining than the film.
- Bucket List Theater Mode: An option to watch the film with an opening introduction offering some background on the film along with an outro reflecting on what was just seen. The host is not the most natural, but you might as well throw it on if you are going to check this out.
- Audio Interview: A four-minute audio interview with actor Steve Railsback in which he shares a few brief memories about the film and his thoughts on his co-stars. Not incredibly in-depth, but it is nice to hear nonetheless.
Final Thoughts
Trick Or Treats is a bit of a misfire with no real excitement coming from the narrative. The performers do a passable job, but the most interesting ones are not in the film long enough to make an impression. Code Red and Kino Classics have brought this one back to Blu-Ray with a good A/V presentation and a couple of entertaining special features. Only those with a high tolerance for iffy horror-comedies should seek this one out.
Trick Or Treats (Special Edition) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Code Red and Kino Classics have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
