Fellow Chewer Travis Newton and I were recently discussing how mid-budget horror seems to be a thing of the past and how much we miss it. While I’ll take any opportunity to shout, “We need more A-list horror movies!”, I completely agree that mid-budget horror (and mid-budget films in general) need to become more prevalent in wide-release. It’s where you get just enough quality with actors and effects to look more sizable than most productions, but you still retain some of that charm of a smaller film.
That’s partially why I love this trailer for Krampus, the new holiday horror film from Trick ‘r Treat director Michael Dougherty. It looks just small enough to feel more personal than a big budget release, but still looks like it put its money where it matters: practical effects. And it looks like there will be some great ones in this. Those evil toys are really cool and perfectly straddle the line between genuine creepiness and endearing wackiness. I dig that none of the actors look like they’re slumming it in some horror flick, and after Fargo we all should be mandated to see anything Allison Tolman does.
Plus, this just looks like a blast of fun in the horror genre. Wide-release horror has become a mostly dour affair, so it’s great to see a flick with a sense of humor about itself that still takes its horror elements seriously. Considering that Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat got screwed when it came to theatrical distribution, I’m hoping that Krampus will fare much better.
Krampus whips you bloody on December 4. Take the whole family!
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