When I saw the trailer for VHS a few months ago, I saw the promise of a pretty scary looking movie. Although it takes the very overused concept of ‘found footage’ for its basis, it also used a tried and true method of the ‘anthology’ with several stories in the film tied together through one main plot.
VHS stars a cast of unknowns in five segments directed by up and coming horror directors. The anchor of the film’s plot centers on a group of young delinquents who get hired to break into a house and steal a videotape. Once in the house, they discover a dead body, and a mountain of videos each containing disturbing and inexplicable occurrences.
It wouldn’t be cool to spoil the five stories that are contained in VHS, or what happens to the group that discovers the tapes in the first place. I will sum it up by saying the effects in every story are very well done, ranging from creepy to downright gory gruesome. The handheld camera style used is a bit unsettling at times if you don’t like that shaky video look…
Each vignette also rides a spectrum of bizarre to vey creepy, although never as scary as I’d hoped or the trailer promised.
VHS is currently available On Demand BEFORE its theatrical release in October. Watch the very effective trailer HERE:
