I’ve been inundated lately with a slew of micro-budget horror films to review. Since I first started browsing video stores in the ’80s, I just can’t get enough. It seems that a large percentage of genre filmmakers churn them out under those conditions to make a quick buck.
You don’t always see the type of filmmaker who is really trying their best with the resources they have. Thanks to Visual Vengeance, we’re getting films like The Screaming (2000), a little-seen movie from filmmaker Jeff Leroy (Werewolf in a Woman’s Prison), who really seemed to care about what he was making.
Bob Martin (Vinnie Bilancio) is a college student who looks to rent a room from the gorgeous Crystal Traum (Wendy Winburn). She seems great and even introduces him to Crystalnetics, a New Age religion. Bob’s health quickly improves, and he’s convinced it’s because of his newfound beliefs.
When a detective reveals that a recent string of murders is tied to Crystalnetics, Bob begins to question what’s really going on. The truth turns out to be far more frightening than he could imagine.
The Screaming isn’t without its flaws, but writer-director Leroy went above and beyond, embracing the tools at his disposal and making the best film he could. The acting is quite strong, and the story is relatively tight and well-thought-out. The effects are what they are. They’re not great, but they get the point across and do the job they were meant to.
There’s a bit of parody and social commentary that still feels relevant today. If you watch the alternate version included on this disc, you’ll notice quite a few differences. The original version uses practical effects for the monster, while the alternate adds some CGI. It’s weird. I kind of prefer the alternate version, mainly because it feels tighter.
On the flip side, I wish they’d stuck with the practical effects. Rough CGI doesn’t have the same impact as practical effects (good or bad). However you look at it, The Screaming is more than just a cheap horror flick. It has imagination, satire, and a director who is truly skilled.
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As always, Visual Vengeance delivers your money’s worth. You get the much-needed, director-supervised SD master from the original tape elements, a commentary track with Tony Strauss of Weng’s Chop Magazine, a making-of, an interview with composer Jay Woelfel, The Screaming: Reborn, an alternate version of the film, and commentary on that from Leroy, producer Dave Sterling, and star Vinnie Bilancio. You also get the CD soundtrack, image gallery, trailers, mini-poster, and more.
While it’s far from perfect, The Screaming feels like a labor of love by a filmmaker who was really trying to prove himself in a genre that has welcomed him.
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