An edited version I created for Safehouse Horror, still R-rated but just over the line from PG13. My notes on this edit - For a Slasher film, I was pleased to not have to remove any over the top gore, the film leans on imagination and what you sometimes don't see, which adds to a dark feeling once things get rolling. Don't worry, for a Slasher movie it still serves up it's goal. Majority of sex stuff is cut out. Lots of cussing, nothing to be done to alter that, it's mixed with dialogue necessary to the story, so just be aware of your personal household tolerance level if you watch with your kids.
This is a guilty pleasure horror movie for me, it's been one of my favorites for over a decade. No, I'm not an idiot, I know it's not great, but it is good, and a fun horror movie to have on late at night. Some solid performances of characters, especially Billy Bob (Nick Boraine) who is my favorite Horror Movie Redneck ever. They could have seriously given this character his own sequel. He pulls off a smartly menacing role, always on the edge of becoming a comedic caricature, but walks that line brilliantly. Steve Railsback is always amazing to watch bring a weird charisma to any role. Zuleikah Robinson is too talented for a role that was written to be played by any generic lead female, thus completely upstaging the actual lead of Mac, played well enough by James O'Shea. Zuleikah delivers a legitimate 'Final Girl' performance in a script that doesn't need one, and this imbalance in the leads ends up a bad distraction by the time the credits roll. Craig Kirkwood is another legit actor in this who because of his talent and resume a that time seemed out of place and he's used as the comedic foil to Billy Bob, but ultimately discarded without any development. Most of the remaining cast are the usual generic 'casualties to be' from any other slasher film. They have one purpose in the film and it isn't to perform Shakespeare in the Park, or in this case, the Farm.
This film was produced in South Africa, you can tell the production company poured their heart into it and really made a genuine effort, not like some of the stuff that got churned out in America in the early 2000's. Yes I know there were some great ones. Go to Wikipedia's list of ALL horror films from this time and you'll remember why you could only think of the great ones. This film is like Citizen Kane compared to some of them. Just keep that in mind when judging this against the strong improvement in horror which has emerged this decade.
#Safehousehorror #Slasher #KillerScarecrow
