It’s that time of the year again.
For those of you who love horror films, it’s that time of the year all your round. But it’s always extra special when a horror film is centered around Halloween. “Trick ‘R Treat” is one of my new favorite classics, “House of 1000 Corpses” is set on Halloween, and of course, “Halloween”… DUH!
So I was especially stoked to see the preview for “Night of the Harvest.” Not only is it a chance to get back to reviewing horror movies, which I’ve missed terribly, but it’s in that niche I love so well — Halloween horror.
One year ago, Madison survived a brutal attack which sister Ashley wants to help her get over. So if you survive an attack on Halloween, what’s the best way to “get over it?” Go to a Halloween bash where a masked killer shows up who likes to “bash” the revelers with an axe! [INSERT “AXE TO GRIND” JOKE HERE] Throw in a boyfriend, a stranger, a couple of couples, and an over eager Samhain nerd? Party till you’re… in parts!
Now right off the bat, I want to set expectations. We’re talking about independent film here, so don’t expect slick production, cutting edge special effects, or even first-class acting. Hell, even in a mainstream movies you don’t expect that. Or at least you shouldn’t!
I mean, haven’t you all seen “Nightmare on Elm Street?” Hands – down, no movie has scared me on my first watch like that one did, child of the 80s I am. But the acting? It scared me all right, but not for the reason it was meant to.
Sorry Johnny, I had to say it.
And with “Night of the Harvest,” you ain’t gonna see Meryl Streep, okay? But as far as independent film goes, these are not the worst actors I’ve ever seen and do a fair job with the pretty decent script with some good twists. I always like it when a writer can surprise me, because I know all the tricks and can usually figure out what’s going to happen two to three scenes in advance. Sure, there are plot holes, but you need to get over that sometimes.
So if you’re looking for something new to watch this Halloween — particularly if you love Halloween horror like me — it’s a good movie to warm up your Halloween night. I say warm up because I know you all have Halloween movie marathons for at least a day and probably the whole month of October. You always save the most anticipated movie for last, usually a classic like “Halloween.”
Double DUH!
This movie would make a good warm-up for a Halloween or horror marathon. I know many of you want to stick with mainstream movies and shy away from independent horror. I get it. You’re not going to see the same actors and actresses that are in almost every horror movie, you’re not going to get fancy camera angles and slick production, and you certainly aren’t going to get a lot of fancy CGI.
As a child of the 80s, I would consider that kind of a good thing.
What you will get is some bloody fun for your horror movie nights or the big event where you watch those perennial favorites. You could even make a drinking game of it — chug with every swing of the axe!
Bloody Mary, anyone?
FILM INFO:
NIGHT OF THE HARVEST is the third horror feature film created by the Carter Ink Films team of CHRISTOPHER M. CARTER (co-director, writer, and director of photography) and JESSICA MORGAN (co-director, producer, and lead actor). Carter, who has won several awards for directing, says his passion for the Halloween season is what brought the film to life. Exploring the roots of the ancient Samhain tradition and coupling that with a family dynamic is what inspired the story.
The film features a diverse cast, filled with upcoming talent: AERIC AZANA (Fallout 76, Pyramid Game), JIM CIRNER (Shooting Stars, Dark Chronicles), and BRITTANY ISABELL (Dark Chronicles, Omega). The film screened at the Hollywood Independent Filmmaker Awards & Festival and won the Silver award for Best Narrative Horror Feature.
Gravitas Ventures will release the film on digital platforms on September 24, 2024. The film has a running time of 107 minutes and will not be rated by the MPAA.