Matthew Percefull
The V/H/S series has become a seasonal tradition for horror fans. The first two installments have become rewatchable Halloween classics. After V/H/S: Viral disappointed fans, the series took a long hiatus before returning to form with V/H/S/94. Since 2021, Shudder has released a new addition to this found footage anthology franchise every October. The V/H/S franchise has shifted to themed collections, starting with the year-based films, then last year’s science fiction-based V/H/S/Beyond. This year’s entry, V/H/S/Halloween, is a collection of horror shorts all involving the holiday. Like every V/H/S film, not every segment is equal in quality, but the best here truly stand out.
One of the most exciting parts of these films is the new batch of filmmakers they bring on to make these shorts. These anthologies usually feature a mix of experienced genre filmmakers and newcomers to the style. The series has showcased shorts from filmmakers such as Radio Silence (Ready or Not, Scream 5), Ti West (X, House of the Devil), Scott Derrickson (Sinister, The Black Phone), and many other horror mainstays. In many ways, this series serves as a testing ground for effects, concepts, and aesthetics. V/H/S/Halloween’s batch of filmmakers is lesser known than previous years, but all have some serious talent. Brian M Ferguson, Anna Zlokovic, Paco Plaza, Casper Kelly, Alex Ross Perry, and Micheline Pitt & RH Norman take the directors’ chairs this year.
The framing narratives are routinely the weakest aspects of these V/H/S anthologies. They’re usually meandering and just take you out of the film instead of transitioning you from segment to segment. I was surprised to find the framing narrative in V/H/S/Halloween to actually be pretty worthwhile. Brian M Ferguson (mostly known for music videos) directs Diet Phantasma, about a mysterious corporation testing out a deadly new soda product. It’s schlocky fun that harkens back to vintage horror films like The Stuff or Season of the Witch. It doesn’t really connect the other shorts, but I don’t need it to. I don’t need a fictional reason to be watching these spooky shorts, so just give me another short, which is basically what this one does.
Our first official short is Coochie Coochie Coo, directed by Anna Zlovic (Appendage). It starts in typical V/H/S fashion. A group of unlikable youths trotting around with a cheap camera, filming their debaucheries until they encounter something horrifying. In this case, that happens to be a trick-or-treat house from hell. Heavily inspired by Barbarian, Coochie Coochie Coo is no-holds-barred. It’s extremely gross, fast-paced, and has some downright disgusting imagery. It’s fun enough, but it doesn’t truly go anywhere by the end. It mostly felt like an excuse for vomit effects and gore, despite how well-crafted the action and scares are. It did set the tone for this collection, however. The mean-spirited grossness carries over to the rest of these segments.
Paco Plaza’s (REC) Ut Supra Sik Infra is the complete opposite when it comes to tone and pacing. The second segment of V/H/S/Halloween is a genuine slow burn with more of a true crime feel. We follow a group of police officers and a witness as they try to figure out what caused a massacre on Halloween night. Most of this short is set up for the eventual reveal. It’s shallow and doesn’t have much going on for most of its runtime, but that finale is so bonkers it makes it all worth it. A high-flying possession sequence sends this from 0 to 100 in an instant. Plaza’s confidence in the found footage realm is obvious here. The way he’s able to capture such carnage without losing the immersion of found footage is nothing short of impressive.
The most unique short of V/H/S/Halloween is Fun Size. Casper Kelly (of Adult Swim fame) directs this unapologetically campy gore fest about a group of teens who are transported to a demented candy factory after taking too many pieces from a strange house. Fun Size is an amalgamation of the best and worst of this entire series. Despite poor acting performances and silly creature costumes, the over-the-top kills, gross-out gore, and laugh-out-loud comedy are enough to make it worthwhile. It’s not taking itself seriously, but knowing what comes next, we definitely needed a humorous detour. Don’t eat anything while watching this one. Especially not chocolate bars.
Alex Ross Perry’s (Her Smell, Pavements) Kidprint segment is easily the standout for me. It’s probably the most disturbing short film to ever appear in a V/H/S installment, and it’s not like it’s lacking in competition. Perry takes the outdated concept of Kidprint tapes and takes it to its most depraved. Kidprint is grounded, unnerving, and downright hard to watch at points. It satirizes a particular brand of suburban paranoia that was rife in the mid to late 90s. This is the segment that has the most to say. It’s both an indictment and explanation for modern society’s obsession with true crime and how that can lead us down dark paths. It also features the best performances of this set by far. The performances Perry pulls from his child actors are particularly impressive. Even when the anthology is hit-or-miss, segments like Kidprint are the reason we return to this franchise every year.
V/H/S/Halloweens finale, Home Haunt, is another solid scare fest. RH and Michilene Pitt-Norman direct this effects-heavy romp through a homemade haunted house. Everyone’s been in one of these low-budget neighborhood haunts before. The type of an excitable dad runs with his sons every year. Home Haunt shows what could happen when that goes totally wrong. Our final segment is propulsive and packs so many fun kill moments that horror heads will appreciate. This short is bound to become a classic segment, especially for the Halloween season.
Despite the best stuff mostly being loaded toward the second half, V/H/S/Halloween is another fun entry in this franchise. It may not reach the heights of fan favorite V/H/S/2 or last year’s V/H/S/Beyond, but it contains plenty of disgusting fun to go around. For me, it’s hard to be disappointed by these films. As long as there are at least a few segments that stick with me, I’m good with it. V/H/S/Halloween passes the test with flying colors. I didn’t love every segment, but they all had something that made them interesting, even the frame narrative. The V/H/S franchise doesn’t need to be groundbreaking or perfect. It just needs to continue being a platform for exciting genre filmmakers.
