The Horror Zone is a series of nine short videos of which Amazon Prime only shows three ("The Night of the Vamp," "Who Kidnapped Kamilia," and "Return to Savage High,"). Each resembles a part of a first project put together by a few high school kids. Manny Velazquez, the leader of the group, sorry, the director, appears to have mastered his craft immediately after sitting through a two hour Intro to Video Production class at the local community center. Given that, there's nothing to see here, meaning nothing that rises to the level of passable talent or cinematic skill.
The three episodes demonstrated effectively that Manny Velazquez has the remarkable inability to turn the intriguing ideas he has swirling in his head into coherent and comprehensible written stories, let alone functional screenplays. Hence, the overworked Velazquez (who is nearly every member of the crew at any given time) must function as the camera operator with nothing of value to shoot other than a collection of pointless and redundant scenes to fill time. Many such scenes are of his individual friends and family members on their way to "do something."
There is a noticeable scarcity of dialogue, though when it is used, one understands why. These aren't actors. Their lines are brief and silly and there aren't enough expository lines to explain what is being shown. When it finally comes time to "do something," we finally get to see Velazquez in his full directorial mode. The action consists of perhaps a stabbing, a bite, or a uniquely choreographed fight sequence. When it comes down to fisticuffs, the characters seem to be punching at air. Meanwhile, their intended victims recoil from a synchronized impact from the incoming fist of an unseen force. A ghost, maybe. I haven't read the script, but I don't think my takeaway is what the writer/director, stunt men and editor, intended. I'm kidding, there is no script. Simply, action sequences are brief, few, short on action and seldom make sense.
Many potential viewers understandingly discount legitimate reviews of horror movies. Horror fans don't need award-winning actors, they're looking for the adrenaline rush generally set off by things that go bump in the night, copious amounts of blood, dismembered body parts, special effects that make the impossible come to life, often inside of mind-blowing costumes and makeup effects. Not much of that going on, here. I cannot find anything in these "stories" that would appeal to horror fans. It's as if kids are filming themselves playing a harmless game of "let's pretend," with no clear concept about that which they are pretending to do.
Production quality is hampered by an overwhelming melodramatic music track, which, in at least one episode, introduces an annoying repeated clicking noise. In yet another episode, of which I should be able to tell you the title (but can't), the audio of a crowd sound effect plays as if it is a five second clip looped endlessly. Worse, it doesn't coordinate with the video; one of many problems that are all too common.
In a nutshell, there are no stories, at least as defined by my grammar school teachers, and the production values, aren't. This is what happens when an adult lies to kids, telling them that they're talented in something, when they aren't. They become, "Bully Bait."
For that reason, I feel that I must include an addendum. I challenged myself to find a hint of the good. Something of limited value that shows promise. I chose to highlight the opening credits. These include an alien spacecraft hanging out near mountains, stock footage of bats flying into a still shot of outer space (I'm saving the best for last). The 3D scene in which a flying jack-o'-lantern repeatedly hurls itself at a plate glass window actually has a story in the most minimalist sense of the word! The seemingly sentient gourd seems to be frustrated at a CGI glass window. The pugilistic pumpkin lobs itself at the window, with each successive impact damaging the glass, until the pumpkin finally breaks the window! Beginning, middle and end! Where the segment came from is unknown. It is unlike anything else in the series: it makes sense and looks cool! I say program it as an app for iPhone and Android users. 'Tis the season!
Velazquez has the desire to make films people want to see, just not the ability. That doesn't make him a the worst filmmaker ever. It takes a lot of effort and manpower to put on even a fifteen to twenty minute short-film. With a $0 budget, there's only so much a person can do. A low but workable budget for an unknown would be $15,000 per episode. Maybe if Manny Velazquez had the luxury of such a budget, he might just have what he needed to establish the signature Velazquez "look & feel." Then again, he might put the same thing on video and blow $45,000 doing it. At least he'd know.
After all that, and a one-star rating; what is my advice to those who are still reading? Watch these short films. Add your own dialogue if you must, make it a party! Your friends could invent the dialog & story or play as if everyone is one of the snarky Mystery Science Theater guys. Have some good, clean, harmless fun. Trust me, you'll tell your friends about these films. They might become cult classics — they're that bad!
The three episodes demonstrated effectively that Manny Velazquez has the remarkable inability to turn the intriguing ideas he has swirling in his head into coherent and comprehensible written stories, let alone functional screenplays. Hence, the overworked Velazquez (who is nearly every member of the crew at any given time) must function as the camera operator with nothing of value to shoot other than a collection of pointless and redundant scenes to fill time. Many such scenes are of his individual friends and family members on their way to "do something."
There is a noticeable scarcity of dialogue, though when it is used, one understands why. These aren't actors. Their lines are brief and silly and there aren't enough expository lines to explain what is being shown. When it finally comes time to "do something," we finally get to see Velazquez in his full directorial mode. The action consists of perhaps a stabbing, a bite, or a uniquely choreographed fight sequence. When it comes down to fisticuffs, the characters seem to be punching at air. Meanwhile, their intended victims recoil from a synchronized impact from the incoming fist of an unseen force. A ghost, maybe. I haven't read the script, but I don't think my takeaway is what the writer/director, stunt men and editor, intended. I'm kidding, there is no script. Simply, action sequences are brief, few, short on action and seldom make sense.
Many potential viewers understandingly discount legitimate reviews of horror movies. Horror fans don't need award-winning actors, they're looking for the adrenaline rush generally set off by things that go bump in the night, copious amounts of blood, dismembered body parts, special effects that make the impossible come to life, often inside of mind-blowing costumes and makeup effects. Not much of that going on, here. I cannot find anything in these "stories" that would appeal to horror fans. It's as if kids are filming themselves playing a harmless game of "let's pretend," with no clear concept about that which they are pretending to do.
Production quality is hampered by an overwhelming melodramatic music track, which, in at least one episode, introduces an annoying repeated clicking noise. In yet another episode, of which I should be able to tell you the title (but can't), the audio of a crowd sound effect plays as if it is a five second clip looped endlessly. Worse, it doesn't coordinate with the video; one of many problems that are all too common.
In a nutshell, there are no stories, at least as defined by my grammar school teachers, and the production values, aren't. This is what happens when an adult lies to kids, telling them that they're talented in something, when they aren't. They become, "Bully Bait."
For that reason, I feel that I must include an addendum. I challenged myself to find a hint of the good. Something of limited value that shows promise. I chose to highlight the opening credits. These include an alien spacecraft hanging out near mountains, stock footage of bats flying into a still shot of outer space (I'm saving the best for last). The 3D scene in which a flying jack-o'-lantern repeatedly hurls itself at a plate glass window actually has a story in the most minimalist sense of the word! The seemingly sentient gourd seems to be frustrated at a CGI glass window. The pugilistic pumpkin lobs itself at the window, with each successive impact damaging the glass, until the pumpkin finally breaks the window! Beginning, middle and end! Where the segment came from is unknown. It is unlike anything else in the series: it makes sense and looks cool! I say program it as an app for iPhone and Android users. 'Tis the season!
Velazquez has the desire to make films people want to see, just not the ability. That doesn't make him a the worst filmmaker ever. It takes a lot of effort and manpower to put on even a fifteen to twenty minute short-film. With a $0 budget, there's only so much a person can do. A low but workable budget for an unknown would be $15,000 per episode. Maybe if Manny Velazquez had the luxury of such a budget, he might just have what he needed to establish the signature Velazquez "look & feel." Then again, he might put the same thing on video and blow $45,000 doing it. At least he'd know.
After all that, and a one-star rating; what is my advice to those who are still reading? Watch these short films. Add your own dialogue if you must, make it a party! Your friends could invent the dialog & story or play as if everyone is one of the snarky Mystery Science Theater guys. Have some good, clean, harmless fun. Trust me, you'll tell your friends about these films. They might become cult classics — they're that bad!
