I just got done watching All Hallows' Eve and I have to say that even though it's not a great movie, I did enjoy it. The movie is a series of three short stories with a wrap-around story as its' tie-in. It's a low budget movie with mediocre acting and some decent gore effects but when it is over you'll be glad you watched it. I wont tell you what the stories are about. I'll let you find out as you watch it but what I WILL tell you is that you'll NEVER look at a clown the same way again!!! The first story is just okay, the second story is just plain awful but you'll LOVE the third story and the wrap-around story starts off slow but you'll LOVE it by its' end. Again, it's a low budget movie and most of the time they are painful to watch but there ARE exceptions and All Hallows' Eve is one of the exceptions...........and NO, I'm NOT associated in ANY way with this film. I am just a horror fan who enjoyed this movie.
148 Reviews
All Hallows' Eve is Underrated As Hell
eyesmalloy22 January 2014
Given the overwhelming popularity of shockfests like Martyrs and the Saw series, the nearly universal disapproval of this film is itself shocking. It's strange how some films can make their mark for the very things that cause others to be rebuked. All Hallows' Eve is low budget and has its mistakes, but overall is a wonderful, very scary exploitation horror film with a memorable villain and surprisingly good production values.
All Hallows' Eve is an anthology film. Like most horror anthologies such as Tales From the Darkside: The Movie, Twilight Zone: The Movie, and Trick R' Treat, All Hallows' Eve has three main stories plus a wraparound story that ties them together. Director Damien Leone chose this format to showcase his pre-existing short films ("The 9th Circle" and "Terrifier"), so only the second story and the wraparound are totally new. The film opens with a woman babysitting two children on Halloween night and the discovery that someone has sneaked a VHS tape into one of the children's trick-or-treat bags. Reluctantly the babysitter plays the tape and the first of three stories begins.
With regard to reputation, there seem to be three primary complaints about the movie: 1) The director used previously created material, 2) The film is excessively gory, and 3) The acting is bad. Each of these is easily negated. First, most people have not seen the two short films, so the director seized his chance to have them viewed by a large audience. Completely understandable. Second, yes the film is graphic, but certainly no more than a hundred others released in the past decade, many of which were very popular. Third, the acting is actually pretty good. It's definitely strong enough to let the audience suspend their disbelief, which is after all the name of the game.
If there's one thing I've learned from reading reviews and posts on IMDb and elsewhere, it's that people will complain about anything. The truth is that All Hallows' Eve is a tense, entertaining horror film alive with creativity, realistic effects, and inspired direction. Its rating on IMDb (as of this writing) is unfortunate and unfair. If you want a polished horror film that's long on plot and every shot perfectly framed, see something else. If you want to have a good time and be scared, see this.
All Hallows' Eve is an anthology film. Like most horror anthologies such as Tales From the Darkside: The Movie, Twilight Zone: The Movie, and Trick R' Treat, All Hallows' Eve has three main stories plus a wraparound story that ties them together. Director Damien Leone chose this format to showcase his pre-existing short films ("The 9th Circle" and "Terrifier"), so only the second story and the wraparound are totally new. The film opens with a woman babysitting two children on Halloween night and the discovery that someone has sneaked a VHS tape into one of the children's trick-or-treat bags. Reluctantly the babysitter plays the tape and the first of three stories begins.
With regard to reputation, there seem to be three primary complaints about the movie: 1) The director used previously created material, 2) The film is excessively gory, and 3) The acting is bad. Each of these is easily negated. First, most people have not seen the two short films, so the director seized his chance to have them viewed by a large audience. Completely understandable. Second, yes the film is graphic, but certainly no more than a hundred others released in the past decade, many of which were very popular. Third, the acting is actually pretty good. It's definitely strong enough to let the audience suspend their disbelief, which is after all the name of the game.
If there's one thing I've learned from reading reviews and posts on IMDb and elsewhere, it's that people will complain about anything. The truth is that All Hallows' Eve is a tense, entertaining horror film alive with creativity, realistic effects, and inspired direction. Its rating on IMDb (as of this writing) is unfortunate and unfair. If you want a polished horror film that's long on plot and every shot perfectly framed, see something else. If you want to have a good time and be scared, see this.
I kind of liked it...
jaredperalta5 December 2013
OK before you go all on me, saying that this movie is horrible. I know. It is don't worry. But you know it has the right amount of goofyness to make it decent. Is it scary you ask, well somewhat yea there are a few great scares that I won't forget and guess what there are barely any jump scares! This film relies mostly on atmosphere and outfits to scare you and it works well besides the really fake looking alien. But that's fine it's an indie flick. The acting actually isn't too bad, it has horrible moments but it's pretty solid. It was directed really well for a first timer. And that's another reason for the high score. If this was a higher budget film I woul give it a 5 or 6. But it's really fun so you know I'll cut slack. But I did have my few gripes 1: it was very slow and repeating at times mostly during the 2nd tape. And the last one isn't really a gripe but an opinion, not enough Art the clown!!!
Very uneven, middle movie is a joke, but the clown is awesome
Finfrosk8618 November 2017
Huh. This is a bit of a shame. Because this movie could have been a lot better, had it not been for the horrible middle movie.
This is three short movies, tied together by a background movie, and they are slightly mixed together. The background movie is OK, actually.. and the first short is not bad. But the second one is awful. I mean, jeez, pretty much everything about it sucks. The costumes being the very worst thing about it. It looks like you sent a kid to a junk yard, with 2 minutes to put together a costume with what he/she could find there. It looks totally ridiculous, and not the least tiny bit scary. It also relied way to heavily on crying, begging and screaming which I HATE. Such a cheap, tiresome, dumb way to try to make something scary.
The third movie.. uhm, well, it's not that bad. Shoddy acting drags it down some. But it had some awesome gore.
Art the clown is the only really good thing in this, he looks awesome. Really scary and creepy.
I really just wrote this review to tell you how sucky the second/middle movie is. It's almost worth checking out for the stupid looking costume.
This is three short movies, tied together by a background movie, and they are slightly mixed together. The background movie is OK, actually.. and the first short is not bad. But the second one is awful. I mean, jeez, pretty much everything about it sucks. The costumes being the very worst thing about it. It looks like you sent a kid to a junk yard, with 2 minutes to put together a costume with what he/she could find there. It looks totally ridiculous, and not the least tiny bit scary. It also relied way to heavily on crying, begging and screaming which I HATE. Such a cheap, tiresome, dumb way to try to make something scary.
The third movie.. uhm, well, it's not that bad. Shoddy acting drags it down some. But it had some awesome gore.
Art the clown is the only really good thing in this, he looks awesome. Really scary and creepy.
I really just wrote this review to tell you how sucky the second/middle movie is. It's almost worth checking out for the stupid looking costume.
A horrifying and silly flick made for Halloween - and that's OK!
DrDanielChallis31 October 2013
If you're going to close your mind off to the fact that this is supposed to be a cheesy, low-budget creepfest with some silliness mixed in, then you aren't going to enjoy it.
However, if you want something twisted, demonic, and just flat out sick at times - I say you'll enjoy it. Do yourself a favor, unlike others, don't go into this thing with high expectations. It is supposed to make you cringe, be creeped out, and laugh all at the same time. It is not supposed to be taken seriously.
For an independent low-budget horror film, it did a solid job. Did I roll my eyes? Absolutely. Did the Carpenteresque score, isolated atmosphere, and one helluva creepy character balances this out? Yes. Give it a shot, especially around All Hallows' Eve. 7/10 on entertainment value alone.
However, if you want something twisted, demonic, and just flat out sick at times - I say you'll enjoy it. Do yourself a favor, unlike others, don't go into this thing with high expectations. It is supposed to make you cringe, be creeped out, and laugh all at the same time. It is not supposed to be taken seriously.
For an independent low-budget horror film, it did a solid job. Did I roll my eyes? Absolutely. Did the Carpenteresque score, isolated atmosphere, and one helluva creepy character balances this out? Yes. Give it a shot, especially around All Hallows' Eve. 7/10 on entertainment value alone.
What a Waste of a good Character
joeywyss14 June 2014
Warning: Spoilers
***Spoilers Ahead*** You know you're in trouble when you see 'written,directed, and produced' by the same person, but in this case Leone also grabs the editing and Special Effects slots too. The only silver lining here is Art the Clown, who is brilliantly conceived and executed by both the director and actor. He is demonically delicious and could have been the tentpole for an endless series of sequels, so bravo to Mike Gianelli. His cutscenes steal the movie, if not so much his actual section. Unfortunately, everything else Leone crafted is half- assed at best, and at worst falls back on the worse aspect of the horror genre : "I like to rape, torture and slaughter pretty young women! Cuz it's Scary Right!?!?!" Nope, it's dull and unoriginal, and I'm sorry you didn't get dates in high school Mr. Leone... Where the Art the Clown costuming/make up is concise and effective, the Scuba Alien is like something you could buy at Wal-Mart for Halloween. Where the art painting of Art is fantastic, the subway demons are unfinished and silly. I would have been more impressed that Leone crossed the horror film taboo line with the brother/sister, but the pregnant assault (for NO apparent reason to the story) and the final 'slut/whore/cu*t' carvings scene were too ludicrously misogynistic to accept seriously. This had cult potential but unfortunately is failed by not enough cooks in the kitchen.
The eerie and underrated feature-length debut of horror's newest icon
NightlySun2 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Though I was lucky to catch The 9th Circle on YouTube long before it made its way into this movie, and before Art the Clown become a widely-renowned horror icon. I had nearly forgotten all about it until I watched All Hallows' Eve several years later. I was taken aback by just how truly creepy he is.
Slashers are a dime a dozen. Many of them are just rehashes of Michael, Jason, or Leatherface with just a vague amount of personality added. Not Art. While he shares Freddy's sadism and the way he toys with his victims and Michael's holiday of choice, he's still very much his own villain.
Truth be told, Art is the main reason to watch All Hallows' Eve. The characters are nothing to write home about, the acting isn't great, the plot is generic, and the second segment - which Damien Leone has admitted is only in there as filler - is totally out of place. There are some moments where Leone does a decent attempt at making the audience connect with his characters, like when Sarah is trying to reassure Tia in her bedroom, but otherwise, nobody's particularly interesting in my opinion.
The movie's strongest point besides its maniacal mime is its atmosphere, helped by the fact it's often underscored by an eerie soundtrack courtesy of Noir Deco. Even when nothing blatantly scary is happening, there's always the fear that something is ABOUT to go down. One particular exchange stands out to me:
"I want the both of you to go to bed."
"Maybe we could if you'd stop checking in on us every five minutes."
"What are you talking about?"
Unfortunately, it kind of loses its creep factor when Sarah tells the children to go back to bed instead of grabbing them and fleeing the house like a sensible person would. Granted, many characters in horror movies are the furthest from sensible, but I expected better. Nonetheless, even when Art is not on the screen, you get the feeling - more often than not - that something terrifying (no pun intended) is about to happen.
Besides The 9th Circle, the third segment, the original short film Terrifier - after which two new movies were named - also stood out. It's here that we first get to witness Art in all his vile, sadistic glory as he chases down a young woman unfortunate enough to witness one of his murders, mutilating and killing everyone else he comes across before slicing her up and carving some... let's say nasty words into her that IMDb isn't gonna let me use, but keeping her alive while he laughs at her. Leone has said that he wants to try and top that scene, and while the two Terrifier movies do have some pretty nasty and over-the-top killings, you really can't get any worse than that.
The ending of the movie is flat out haunting, as Art takes notice of Sarah and menaces her before trying to kill her, ultimately leaving her with a gruesome surprise for her in the children's bedroom. It cemented him as one of the most outright EVIL slashers since Freddy. So many attempts to get the next horror icon off the ground have failed. Chromeskull and the Collector had potential, but their respective franchises were cancelled before anything could become of them. If there is anyone deserving of that title, it's Art.
While the movie itself doesn't bring much in the way of uniqueness to the table, it's worth seeing the genesis of a truly worthy and iconic horror villain. Special mention goes to the fact that Art is not played by an actor, but by a friend of Leone's who was doing it as a favor to him. And he pulled it off to unsettling effect. Showed that silent slashers can still be scary as hell.
Slashers are a dime a dozen. Many of them are just rehashes of Michael, Jason, or Leatherface with just a vague amount of personality added. Not Art. While he shares Freddy's sadism and the way he toys with his victims and Michael's holiday of choice, he's still very much his own villain.
Truth be told, Art is the main reason to watch All Hallows' Eve. The characters are nothing to write home about, the acting isn't great, the plot is generic, and the second segment - which Damien Leone has admitted is only in there as filler - is totally out of place. There are some moments where Leone does a decent attempt at making the audience connect with his characters, like when Sarah is trying to reassure Tia in her bedroom, but otherwise, nobody's particularly interesting in my opinion.
The movie's strongest point besides its maniacal mime is its atmosphere, helped by the fact it's often underscored by an eerie soundtrack courtesy of Noir Deco. Even when nothing blatantly scary is happening, there's always the fear that something is ABOUT to go down. One particular exchange stands out to me:
"I want the both of you to go to bed."
"Maybe we could if you'd stop checking in on us every five minutes."
"What are you talking about?"
Unfortunately, it kind of loses its creep factor when Sarah tells the children to go back to bed instead of grabbing them and fleeing the house like a sensible person would. Granted, many characters in horror movies are the furthest from sensible, but I expected better. Nonetheless, even when Art is not on the screen, you get the feeling - more often than not - that something terrifying (no pun intended) is about to happen.
Besides The 9th Circle, the third segment, the original short film Terrifier - after which two new movies were named - also stood out. It's here that we first get to witness Art in all his vile, sadistic glory as he chases down a young woman unfortunate enough to witness one of his murders, mutilating and killing everyone else he comes across before slicing her up and carving some... let's say nasty words into her that IMDb isn't gonna let me use, but keeping her alive while he laughs at her. Leone has said that he wants to try and top that scene, and while the two Terrifier movies do have some pretty nasty and over-the-top killings, you really can't get any worse than that.
The ending of the movie is flat out haunting, as Art takes notice of Sarah and menaces her before trying to kill her, ultimately leaving her with a gruesome surprise for her in the children's bedroom. It cemented him as one of the most outright EVIL slashers since Freddy. So many attempts to get the next horror icon off the ground have failed. Chromeskull and the Collector had potential, but their respective franchises were cancelled before anything could become of them. If there is anyone deserving of that title, it's Art.
While the movie itself doesn't bring much in the way of uniqueness to the table, it's worth seeing the genesis of a truly worthy and iconic horror villain. Special mention goes to the fact that Art is not played by an actor, but by a friend of Leone's who was doing it as a favor to him. And he pulled it off to unsettling effect. Showed that silent slashers can still be scary as hell.
Somewhat of a jumbled storyline...
paul_haakonsen26 October 2022
I tracked down this 2013 horror movie from writer and director Damien Leone after having watched the 2016 "Terrifier" movie. And while I wasn't overly impressed with "Terrifier", I still opted to watch "All Hallows' Eve" simply because I hadn't watched it already.
The storyline in "All Hallows' Eve" was a little harder to buy into in comparison to the 2016 movie, as the concept here just didn't really make much of any sense. I found less enjoyment and entertainment in "All Hallows' Eve" as in comparison to the 2016 "Terrifier" movie.
The acting performances in "All Hallows' Eve" were quite a mixed bag of nuts because some of the actors and actresses were quite capable at their craft, while others put on wooden and rather amateurish performances. And it didn't really help much that the characters were very forgettable and difficult to take a liking to.
For a horror movie then "All Hallows' Eve" wasn't exactly groundbreaking or top notch. It was pretty generic stuff from beginning to end. But hey, if you are a newcomer to the horror genre, then I guess you will find more enjoyment and entertainment here than I did as a seasoned horror veteran.
While I sat through all 83 minutes of "All Hallows' Eve", then I can honestly say that this is not a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time, nor is it a movie that I would recommend to fans of the horror genre.
My rating of "All Hallows' Eve" lands on a four out of ten stars.
The storyline in "All Hallows' Eve" was a little harder to buy into in comparison to the 2016 movie, as the concept here just didn't really make much of any sense. I found less enjoyment and entertainment in "All Hallows' Eve" as in comparison to the 2016 "Terrifier" movie.
The acting performances in "All Hallows' Eve" were quite a mixed bag of nuts because some of the actors and actresses were quite capable at their craft, while others put on wooden and rather amateurish performances. And it didn't really help much that the characters were very forgettable and difficult to take a liking to.
For a horror movie then "All Hallows' Eve" wasn't exactly groundbreaking or top notch. It was pretty generic stuff from beginning to end. But hey, if you are a newcomer to the horror genre, then I guess you will find more enjoyment and entertainment here than I did as a seasoned horror veteran.
While I sat through all 83 minutes of "All Hallows' Eve", then I can honestly say that this is not a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time, nor is it a movie that I would recommend to fans of the horror genre.
My rating of "All Hallows' Eve" lands on a four out of ten stars.
the one that started Terrifier
trashgang17 May 2019
Never heard of this flick until I watched Terrifier (2016). And seeing this cover I immediately picked it up because this was the original flick with the scary clown. It isn't as good or say, gory as Terrifier but still worth watching.
The story you will have seen a thousand times. People watching an old VHS to see some story on it, and by the end they are on the VHS. So it starts off rather on a low base of scares and horror and effects are one the cheesy side but it's until the last story that this low budget turns intoa gory flick. Naturally Terrifier is based on the last part and killings and slaughtering are the same. Nevertheless, it's worth to see how a flick can evolve in 3 years time.
So a flick that starts way below mediocre but the further it moves the better it gets, recommend it for horror geeks, gorehounds better skip it and move towards Terrifier.
Gore 2/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
The story you will have seen a thousand times. People watching an old VHS to see some story on it, and by the end they are on the VHS. So it starts off rather on a low base of scares and horror and effects are one the cheesy side but it's until the last story that this low budget turns intoa gory flick. Naturally Terrifier is based on the last part and killings and slaughtering are the same. Nevertheless, it's worth to see how a flick can evolve in 3 years time.
So a flick that starts way below mediocre but the further it moves the better it gets, recommend it for horror geeks, gorehounds better skip it and move towards Terrifier.
Gore 2/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
Oddly watchable, but it's hardly a good film.
Sleepin_Dragon17 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not really sure what to say about this film. I feel I was misled a little bit by the trailer. There are some good elements, sadly they don't really start until fifty odd minutes, and being that the film is only eighty odd minutes do the maths. Some of the sequences and music used made me check IMDb 3 times to make sure this wasn't made in 1986, it felt oddly dated at times. The Clown was really well designed, very sinister, I can understand why people hate them, it's the mix of funny, sad, and hidden nasty. Some pretty shocking special effects, definitely made on the cheap, but for some bizarre reason, don't ask me why it's rather watchable. 5/10
I watched it for free but still want a refund.
Triviagrasshopper21 May 2019
Man. Where to start? The clown had potential. Creepy even though it was no Tim Curry or Bill Skarsgard. But he had potential. That's where it ended though. The babysitter's acting wasn't horrible, until the last 3 minutes. But the stories? Oy. The first one simply made no sense. It had no conclusion, as did the second story. That alien was more of a robot. No fear factor whatsoever. The last story COULD have been good had the actress playing the costume designer been able to fake anything except her calling herself an actress. The gas station attendant was more believable. Maybe I'm too much of a horror critic, but right now I'm wishing I could get the past 1:23 minutes of my life back.
Creepy, Unsettling, Scary, and Way Underrated
filmguyCI25 March 2016
I am a horror film fanatic and am always excited to find a film that isn't well known, but does it's job. This film completely surprised and at times, terrified me. If there was ever a horror movie murderer ripe for a franchise, Art the Clown, is the one.
A brother and sister return home from trick or treating. Their babysitter finds a VHS tape in the boy's bag and decides to watch it (with the kids!). The tape shows three short films revolving around a killer clown. These are pretty brutal and this clown is pure evil.
The babysitter gets more and more unhinged as she watches it and finally puts the kids to bed. But the fun doesn't stop there and shutting off the tape is not an option.
I started to become increasingly paranoid as the film took a final strange and unexpected turn. I literally couldn't move for a couple of minutes after it was over. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to watch this alone on Halloween night.
A brother and sister return home from trick or treating. Their babysitter finds a VHS tape in the boy's bag and decides to watch it (with the kids!). The tape shows three short films revolving around a killer clown. These are pretty brutal and this clown is pure evil.
The babysitter gets more and more unhinged as she watches it and finally puts the kids to bed. But the fun doesn't stop there and shutting off the tape is not an option.
I started to become increasingly paranoid as the film took a final strange and unexpected turn. I literally couldn't move for a couple of minutes after it was over. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to watch this alone on Halloween night.
Better Than Expected
hellornola29 October 2015
I sat down to watch this movie, expecting the absolute worst, based on the 4.6 rating. What I found instead was actually a pretty decent movie, with a creepy atmosphere, an even creepier clown, and entertainment worth more than such a low rating.
I admit, along with everyone else who liked it, that the acting was somewhat stiff and awkward at times and some scenes seemed to drag on way too long, but the fun cheesiness of the movie far outweighed a little bad acting.
If you can enjoy a campy, low budget movie and/or are terrified of clowns, you shouldn't overlook this one. Just don't sit down with high expectations or you'll probably be disappointed.
I admit, along with everyone else who liked it, that the acting was somewhat stiff and awkward at times and some scenes seemed to drag on way too long, but the fun cheesiness of the movie far outweighed a little bad acting.
If you can enjoy a campy, low budget movie and/or are terrified of clowns, you shouldn't overlook this one. Just don't sit down with high expectations or you'll probably be disappointed.
Abomination (and not in a good way)
declancampbell9214 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is supposed to be a 'found footage' movie, the videos are supposed to be of 'real' murders, and yet it's filmed like a b movie. The video tapes are filmed like a horror movie, not something that actually happened like the film is telling you it did. Terrible acting, particularly in the first short movie of the girl who gets abducted by the clown. The writer/director/makeup artist of this film proves he can't write or direct, and the only trick in his wheelhouse in senseless gore for attention. Should've stuck to the makeup and effects cause he does a good job of that at least.
It was actually pretty good? Lol.
s0hc4ht0427 October 2014
The 4.6 rating seems a bit low, but this movie isn't a masterpiece. Actually it's pretty far from being a masterpiece, lol. The acting was really awkward at certain points and some of the material is really questionable, but that f***ing clown is freaky as hell. And I'm not one of those types that are "afraid of clowns." But... the awkwardness of it all actually sort of enhanced the feeling of creepiness, in a weird way?
Also, how they linked and wrapped up the story was really clever. It didn't help that something crashed outside my window when the movie was over.
I usually don't watch movies below a 6.0 rating and I would never watch a movie below 5.0 (yes, I'm that type of person), but I was bored and I thought the clown looked scary so I gave this movie a try. Really glad that I did.
Also, how they linked and wrapped up the story was really clever. It didn't help that something crashed outside my window when the movie was over.
I usually don't watch movies below a 6.0 rating and I would never watch a movie below 5.0 (yes, I'm that type of person), but I was bored and I thought the clown looked scary so I gave this movie a try. Really glad that I did.
"All Hallows' Eve" - review by Jamie DeCourley Moviepilot.com
jamiedecourley9 November 2013
To be honest I sat down to watch this film about a week ago, and have been trying to decide if I liked it or not ever since. Finally, I realized the problem. I really didn't like the film at all, but the whole time I was watching it I could see all the reasons that someone else would. "All Hallows Eve" is best described as a horror anthology that is somewhat derivative of "VHS." The problem with that is some of the footage in Damien Leone's "All Hallows Eve" was shot as far back as 2004. The movie starts out with a babysitter (Katie Maguire) and the two kids. (Sydney Freihofer and Cole Mathewson) After returning home from trick 'r treating they discover an unlabeled video tape has been treated to one of the kids. After some pleading from the kids the reluctant babysitter allows them to view the first part of the spooky tape. There are three fairly basic horror stories on the tape and each one of them ties in somehow with a very disturbing clown who pops up occasionally to have a laugh or two.
The individual stories are a little less than well thought out and really seem to exist only to fill the required criteria of an anthology treatment. The acting is sub-par and annoying this is especially true in the performances given by the kids in the wrap-around story. "All Hallows Eve" is a decent attempt that never really gets going in the right direction. That being said, it does deliver in the gore department, and every time that damn clown pops up the movie does seem genuinely creepy. I give this movie 5/10 and recommend it to true fans of B horror films, especially those who don't get hung up on things like production value. I can see some enjoying it far more than others. What's your opinion of this Halloween movie? Trick or Treat.
The individual stories are a little less than well thought out and really seem to exist only to fill the required criteria of an anthology treatment. The acting is sub-par and annoying this is especially true in the performances given by the kids in the wrap-around story. "All Hallows Eve" is a decent attempt that never really gets going in the right direction. That being said, it does deliver in the gore department, and every time that damn clown pops up the movie does seem genuinely creepy. I give this movie 5/10 and recommend it to true fans of B horror films, especially those who don't get hung up on things like production value. I can see some enjoying it far more than others. What's your opinion of this Halloween movie? Trick or Treat.
Very solid anthology film
www112528 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Let's face it, we're all here for Art the clown, and this movie definitely delivers. Although we're not given any indication as to exactly what he is(human/demon/evil entity), it's nice to have an evil clown that's actually scary(Pennywise just never did it for me). The surrounding story with the babysitter and the kids is a nice touch, and all three act it well. The first story(utilizing a short film the director made before) is definitely eerie, easy to follow, and introduces Art to the world. The whole Satan thing at the end is weird and never explained, and I'm not big on rape in these films, but it's still well done. Definitely had me curious for more. The second story(filmed for this movie) dumps Art in favor of an......Alien? Ok, Art has a cameo on a painting, but......what!? Maybe this would work better if all three stories were vastly different, but the final story is about Art! How do you make two Art stories, with a weird alien story slapped in the middle!? Anyway, lazy obvious filler aside, the alien tale is decent, and contains some well done scares.....though the costume is pretty hilarious. The third story is probably the best, and really shows off Art. His stalking nature is beyond unsettling, and what he does to his victim is beyond terrifying. The ending is abrupt, but a satisfying twist. Overall, I enjoyed myself. Definitely a good intro to this newer horror villain.
But an alien? What!?
But an alien? What!?
- Wes Wall.
This could have been so much better ... Not that bad after all
peterp-450-29871624 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
"All Hallows' eve" is not exactly an easy film and will surely enchant few. It is clearly a low-budget film with a somewhat sinister and absurd atmosphere, mixed with some gore scenes and an atmosphere that reminded me of 80s horror movies. That is the strongest and most positive point why I could actually appreciate this movie. That nostalgic feeling and mood in this "Haloween"-like film. It seemed indeed a rented VHS with a dated movie. Complete with a bad image caused by age and noise on the videotape. You only needed the monotonous music of an old synthesizer and it is complete.
It all starts on a Haloween night. Sarah (Katie Maguire) has to babysit that night and the two teenagers, Timmy and Tia, are back from a round of "Trick or Treat". Just before they go to sleep, Timmy discovers a VHS tape between his candy. They convince Sarah to look what's actually on it , assuming that it is probably a scary Haloween movie. Eventually there appear to be three short horror films with "Art the Clown" as a central figure.
"All Hallows' eve" is a so called anthology film : a collection of different stories. The different stories are actually the downside of this movie. They are not very original and the first two are downright bad. The first story is pretty absurd and confusing. Besides a claustrophobic feeling and the intention to make a kind of demonic torture story out of it, it didn't make a big resounding impression on me. A content-free and completely insignificant whole. The exhibit of gross pictures didn't make it any better. And then it seemed as if they cut and chopped some marzipan. Not exactly a successful part of the movie. The clown came here briefly in the picture, but more as a prop (and also the cause). So this was just a warming up.
The second story took a completely different turn, but it was completely ruined by the design of the creature. It looked like the figure portrayed in "The Scream", but with all kinds of attributes. Total nonsense, no suspense or fear moments. "Art" was not even there in person.
The third story was the highlight. A gross and extravagant final story with Art as a conductor in a bloody tragedy. A collage of bloodstained knives, a hacksaw with remnants of human flesh, and a still life of the girl fully carved with obscene words. Clearly the better story of the trilogy ...
Ultimately the story then progresses as expected. The film has similarities with "V / H / S" and "Playback". The whole movie revolves around Art and I must admit that this is a truly deranged clown with a bloodthirsty, spooky and creepy look. A successful representation of a humorous nightmare, innocent but deadly at the same time. A devil in a box that always plays on his horn, and who makes a transition from the imaginary world to reality. A real collection of curiosities with many incomprehensible creatures, interspersed with some ghoulish images and gory moments. The other characters were not exactly bad. Most looked really just frightened out of their eyes throughout the whole film. Katie Maguire played a persuasive role in which she has to put the two teenagers at ease and overcome her own fears at the same time.
Many will think this is a very bad movie. Others will judge it as a sublime work. I'm right there in the middle. With the first two stories better developed, this wouldn't have been a clownish display.
Make sure you watch this movie completely, because the sting is in the tail.
More reviews at http://opinion-as-a-moviefreak.blogspot.com/
It all starts on a Haloween night. Sarah (Katie Maguire) has to babysit that night and the two teenagers, Timmy and Tia, are back from a round of "Trick or Treat". Just before they go to sleep, Timmy discovers a VHS tape between his candy. They convince Sarah to look what's actually on it , assuming that it is probably a scary Haloween movie. Eventually there appear to be three short horror films with "Art the Clown" as a central figure.
"All Hallows' eve" is a so called anthology film : a collection of different stories. The different stories are actually the downside of this movie. They are not very original and the first two are downright bad. The first story is pretty absurd and confusing. Besides a claustrophobic feeling and the intention to make a kind of demonic torture story out of it, it didn't make a big resounding impression on me. A content-free and completely insignificant whole. The exhibit of gross pictures didn't make it any better. And then it seemed as if they cut and chopped some marzipan. Not exactly a successful part of the movie. The clown came here briefly in the picture, but more as a prop (and also the cause). So this was just a warming up.
The second story took a completely different turn, but it was completely ruined by the design of the creature. It looked like the figure portrayed in "The Scream", but with all kinds of attributes. Total nonsense, no suspense or fear moments. "Art" was not even there in person.
The third story was the highlight. A gross and extravagant final story with Art as a conductor in a bloody tragedy. A collage of bloodstained knives, a hacksaw with remnants of human flesh, and a still life of the girl fully carved with obscene words. Clearly the better story of the trilogy ...
Ultimately the story then progresses as expected. The film has similarities with "V / H / S" and "Playback". The whole movie revolves around Art and I must admit that this is a truly deranged clown with a bloodthirsty, spooky and creepy look. A successful representation of a humorous nightmare, innocent but deadly at the same time. A devil in a box that always plays on his horn, and who makes a transition from the imaginary world to reality. A real collection of curiosities with many incomprehensible creatures, interspersed with some ghoulish images and gory moments. The other characters were not exactly bad. Most looked really just frightened out of their eyes throughout the whole film. Katie Maguire played a persuasive role in which she has to put the two teenagers at ease and overcome her own fears at the same time.
Many will think this is a very bad movie. Others will judge it as a sublime work. I'm right there in the middle. With the first two stories better developed, this wouldn't have been a clownish display.
Make sure you watch this movie completely, because the sting is in the tail.
More reviews at http://opinion-as-a-moviefreak.blogspot.com/
Decent horror flick!
maleficarus1 November 2013
When you first start to watch this movie you think this is going to be another low grade B movie. But to my surprise this movie turned out to be rather good. Very interesting way they filmed it and this is a movie I actually would recommend to any true horror fan.
I rated this movie an 6.5 out of a possible 10. It had pretty decent makeup, the acting was not what you would call top notch but it was good enough for this type of movie. Overall worth the watch. The movie was interesting enough to watch it to the end. As long as you are going into this with horror in mind you should enjoy it overall. Give it a try you might just like it like I did!
I rated this movie an 6.5 out of a possible 10. It had pretty decent makeup, the acting was not what you would call top notch but it was good enough for this type of movie. Overall worth the watch. The movie was interesting enough to watch it to the end. As long as you are going into this with horror in mind you should enjoy it overall. Give it a try you might just like it like I did!
The Atrocious Final Act of All Hallows' Eve
scootmandu-662-30560020 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Hey, I know the whole Art the Clown violence from the "Terrifier" series is amazingly creepy. I respect that they pulled off the realistic gore. I also do not think the acting was especially bad. So, I had checked out this film from Damien Leone on TUBI because I knew it incorporated his earlier work.
I was prepared for the gore. I thought it was interesting as a low-budget indie. And, like many, I thought the weakest link was the alien in the 2nd part, which just looked like a truly bad Halloween costume. But there were genuinely scary moments initially.
But then I got to the final act by Art the Clown, which was sick beyond words.
It wasn't just the gore. And the way he killed the 2 children was just simply amateurish and unnecessary. Fortunately,, they did not show that killing and the heads on display did not look remotely real.
It was what he did to the still living woman, carving obscenely, misogynistic words into her body, along with cutting off her limbs. That was beyond sick. And it angered me that he would present something so sadistic and mean and, sorry to say, unredeemable.
It is the sole reason that I lowered the rating (from an initial 7, to a 3) and the reason I would never recommend this particular film to anybody. It was not the gore so much as it was the accompanying hate speech. That was just plain vile.
I was prepared for the gore. I thought it was interesting as a low-budget indie. And, like many, I thought the weakest link was the alien in the 2nd part, which just looked like a truly bad Halloween costume. But there were genuinely scary moments initially.
But then I got to the final act by Art the Clown, which was sick beyond words.
It wasn't just the gore. And the way he killed the 2 children was just simply amateurish and unnecessary. Fortunately,, they did not show that killing and the heads on display did not look remotely real.
It was what he did to the still living woman, carving obscenely, misogynistic words into her body, along with cutting off her limbs. That was beyond sick. And it angered me that he would present something so sadistic and mean and, sorry to say, unredeemable.
It is the sole reason that I lowered the rating (from an initial 7, to a 3) and the reason I would never recommend this particular film to anybody. It was not the gore so much as it was the accompanying hate speech. That was just plain vile.
Anthology of Art
Stevieboy66614 October 2018
Earlier this year I was blown away by the slasher "Terrifier" (2017) and when I discovered that Art the clown, the maniacal killer, had already appeared in a feature length movie, that is All Hallows' Eve, I just had to see it. And I was not disappointed!
AHE is an anthology, three short stories, all featuring Art, plus naturally a wrap around story. It's Halloween, we have a baby sitter looking after two excited kids, Night of the Living Dead is showing on TV (a regular occurrence due to it's public ownership status) and a mysterious VHS tape (a format that I still enjoy watching) which features said stories.
Each one is sick & twisted, there is gore galore plus dare I say actually quite scary in places. Yes the budget is very low & the special effects aren't very special, but this is a movie that deserves much credit for the skill, effort & passion put into it by it's makers. Obviously it isn't everybody's cup of tea but personally I loved it and hope to see more of Art in the future.
Had originally scored this 8/10, however after a repeat viewing I have down graded to a 7. Still good, but nothing more.
The old movie within a movie gag.
donaldricco4 August 2023
A babysitter finds a VHS tape in a boy's bag of trick-or-treat candy. Weird. And then they watch it. Weirder. The video features three sinister stories, one of which is performed by a psychotic clown. And we get to watch the babysitter watch the videotape. Weirdest.
This is the first appearance of Art the Clown, who gained fame from the movie "Terrifier". He's not really in the movie per se. He has one scene in the first story, appears only as a painting in the second, and is the main bad guy in the third. So it's a little over 1/3 of the movie for the creepy black and white clown. It's definitely not as good as "Terrifier", but it has it's moments. Except the second story, that is one that can be skipped entirely, in my opinion.
This is the first appearance of Art the Clown, who gained fame from the movie "Terrifier". He's not really in the movie per se. He has one scene in the first story, appears only as a painting in the second, and is the main bad guy in the third. So it's a little over 1/3 of the movie for the creepy black and white clown. It's definitely not as good as "Terrifier", but it has it's moments. Except the second story, that is one that can be skipped entirely, in my opinion.
This is an underrated horror gem that is an absolutely must see
kevin_robbins18 October 2021
All Hallows' Eve (2013) is a movie I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a house with a babysitter who is watching two kids. The little boy is given a VHS tape in his trick or treat bag that they decide to watch together. They uncover a unique clown who appears to be on a killing spree. Is it real or not? This movie is directed by Damien Leone (Terrifier) and stars Katie Maguire (Billions), Catherine A. Callahan (The Blacklist), Sydney Freihofer (Hush) and Brandon deSpain (Frankenstein vs Mummy). This movie is absolutely awesome. There's a few scenes where the lighting and cinematography could have been better, but the villians, kills and gore are outstanding. Art the clown is excellent and in fantastic form. The gas station scene is horror gold. The makeup, costumes and masks are all good in this. The ending of this movie couldn't be better and wraps the film up perfectly. This is an underrated horror gem that is an absolutely must see and a solid 8.5-9/10.
Not the greatest but super entertaining
anne_bloom6 November 2022
I just got done watching ALL HALLOW'S EVE as I was forced to watch it by someone else who is a true horror fan and while I can't say it is great movie it definitely had me hooked.
The film is combination of 3 short films but it still plays as a feature. I guess this is what you do when you have a low budget. The this is that it had me engrossed and afraid not only in the suspense but even in the gory scenes which is pretty cool.
I had to look away at times but may watch it again for the more comedic elements as the first time is a bit too frightening for me to fully enjoy it.
In summary it is a low budget but I recommend it.
The film is combination of 3 short films but it still plays as a feature. I guess this is what you do when you have a low budget. The this is that it had me engrossed and afraid not only in the suspense but even in the gory scenes which is pretty cool.
I had to look away at times but may watch it again for the more comedic elements as the first time is a bit too frightening for me to fully enjoy it.
In summary it is a low budget but I recommend it.
Oh my dear Lord...
jgriffi14 November 2013
Don't misunderstand. I didn't give this movie a 1 star rating because it was awful. I gave it one star because there was nothing lower. Not only is this movie just plain sick, it's not even entertaining. It's the kind of crap you'd see in a Halloween fun house created by a couple of Junior High Schoolers high on weed. The only redeeming factor is that it helped the red Kool-Aid industry tremendously. You see, in the old days, when gore served as part of a story, there was some redeeming factor, like an inventive way to kill someone in a horror flick. Here, it's just some freakin' clown cutting someone's head off with a hacksaw. Besides it's lack of entertainment value, it's really disturbing that this s**t is in somebody's head! Honestly! I feel like writing to my cable provider and asking for the $6.99 back! If you want some good scares and legit gore, watch something else. If you just want to watch something disgusting and just plain disturbing, go find some road kill and watch it for 2 hours.
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