Terry's Reviews Page
Terry reviews the latest Movies, Music and Books

 
Movies Music Books

 

Movie Reviews:

Chill Factor.jpg (18081 bytes)

 Tom Savini’s Chill Factor – Episode 1: Housecall
The Chill Factory – 2004

Directed by Tom Savini
Written by Jeff Monahan
Starring Bingo O’Malley
Maryanne Nagel
Jason Hoehnen
Running approximately 25 minutes long, this is the first episode of a planned anthology series and if this is any indication of the quality, we are in for a treat. Besides a movie that honestly looks and sounds great, you get The Making of Housecall, interviews with Tom Savini and Fangoria Magazine’s Tony Timpone and the trailer for the movie.

In "Housecall" a concerned mother, Mrs. Norman (Maryanne Nagel) calls Dr. Marsten (Bingo O'Malley) who is the town doctor, to check out her son James (Jason Hoehnen), who lies in bed with some kind of strange sickness that is making him violent. The mother explains that there have been disappearances in the small town and her son has demanded to be tied up because he believes he is responsible. The doctor checks him out doesn't seem to know what's wrong with the boy until it seems too late. In the end, the doctor closes the door to the boy's bedroom and we are almost left to imagine what happens behind the door. I don't want to spoil anything for you so I'll just say you should like the way the film plays out.

Tom Savini has not directed a film since the remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and he has honestly improved his craft since then. Telling this story with slow purposeful camera moves, Savini allows the production design, music and sound effects to seep in with the performances for an atmospheric little gem. This film has the feel of an older movie captured with today’s technology. Savini engineers startling scene transitions between the camera and digital editing effects. You may assume that the make-up effects would be the spotlighted because of Savini’s vast experience as a special make-up effects artist, but that is thankfully not the case. Savini focuses on telling the story.

From a production standpoint everything is stellar and it’s all the more impressive that the film is a period piece. Mark Fallone excels as a cinematographer as he makes the most of lighting the early 1900’s wood house, which is drenched in a thunderstorm.

I highly recommend this film and encourage you to visit the website to pick up this DVD.

www.tomsavinischillfactor.com

back