Dark Woods

I generally have a frustrating time sifting through a lot of the new independent films coming out. Most are trash, some are treasure and a few fall right in between. Anytime I find one that falls in the latter two categories it's always a plus. Recently I sat up late watching `Dark Woods', ready to role my eyes at yet another low-budget horror film. However, director/producer Jake Daniels had other plans in store for me.

As `Dark Woods' is an homage to all the slasher flicks of the eighties, it has everything you would expect. There's the obligatory quiet and peaceful campground, which of course has been closed or over 20 years due to a series of unsolved murders. And now there's a new owner is trying to get the place in shape for re-opening, with the aid of several victims. I mean.counselors. Let's run down the menu offering from the `Dark Woods' website shall we?

We have `a lonely cook searching for her lost love and lost son.... young lovers, a jealous friend, a starry-eyed vixen, a free-spirited mistress... and among them, a dark hidden past, waiting to be unleashed...And all the while, someone lurks in the shadows, stalking them at every turn. Which of them will make it through the night, and make it out alive?'

When dealing with independent films, the first things most viewers have to deal with are the budget restrictions and how they affect the overall quality of the film. `Dark Woods' is no exception It was made for only $5,000 US Dollars. So sometimes the lighting isn't quite right, the dialogue is a little hard to catch, or the acting isn't really the best, but overall these problems are few and far between and don't detract from the film itself. When I can, I try to look past these problems and focus more on what the filmmaker was trying to accomplish, and how well he was able to do it with what little he had to work with. It's here that 'Dark Woods' succeeds.

Interestingly enough, Daniels originally got involved with the project as an actor, but over time moved into the role of director/producer. And considering he had no prior filmmaking experience, I have to say he created one damn good movie. `Dark Woods' held my interest all the way through, and despite some of the familiar conventions used to produce a `Friday the 13th' type movie; he was actually able to throw in quite a few surprises. Several times, just when I thought I had it all figured out, Daniels took me in another direction altogether.

Being that `Dark Woods' is a slasher film, there was no way to do without the requisite 'gruesome deaths' of our characters. This is one of the areas where a low budget can really hurt a film. Either you can't show the deaths at all, or what you see doesn't look very good. Here Daniels did a great job of making the deaths, not only imaginative but also fairly realistic.

Currently Daniels is working on getting a distribution deal for the film, and he has been able to get some theatre showings in various parts of the country. Watching `Dark Woods' made me hope I might get the opportunity to see what he could do with a larger budget. If you get a chance to see it in your area, take the time to do so. Check out the official website, for more information on future showings and to read about Daniels new project, `The Deviants.' (another $5,000 flick)

I give Dark Woods a B.

My mistake. I rented the wrong movie. This was hilariously bad. Every scene you never hear dialogue. They are so quiet. All you hear is background jukebox or birds TWEET TWEET TWEET TWEET while people mumble to each other. Crickets, frogs, wind, feet scuffling, birds, music, car engines you name it, loud as heck. Then people are talking and they sound like they are whispering or talking from 30 feet away. TWEET TWEET TWEET!!!!!! At the bar a guy asks for a "cold one". The sound effects are awesome! Someone gets hit with a car and it's a punching sound. Blood squirts on the window and it's the sound of a ketchup bottle that's almost empty. Someone's walking on dirt and leaves and it sounds like someone's walking on glass. It's like they have a casio keyboard with 12 generic sound effects and they reuse them over and over.

when you take it in the context it was intended to be... a parody of the cheesy 70's slasher crap movies, this one was actually better than most of those. Sure, it had it's amateur moments, but my wife and I had a ball watching this in the Cascade Theater in Redding (and so did most of the audience), and I wish someone would give these guys a real budget to work with. Here's looking forward to more movies being shot in Redding California, and hopefully on a decent budget. I would recommend watching this movie if you like parodies, and are not expecting Steven Spielberg production values. Good soundtrack too by Craig Padilla, if you like new wave/space music check out his site on the web.

Fuzzy Q Jones

This film is genuine in its attempt to re-introduce modern audiences to the style of 80s slasher film, right down to the visual style. There is a certain degree of subjectiveness in the camera style, with not many closeups, mostly wide shots, as if spying on the action taking place, it lets the drama unfold before us and does not distract with all the cutting of camera shots.

Plot is simple and familiar, as it is a basis for allot of slasher films - but you know what they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Murders cause a camp to be closed for decades then bunch of horny counsellors gets together and struggle to get it in shape for re-opening, while the person who caused it to get shuttered in first place, returns to ensure it stays so.

There is not an abundance of nudity but there is glimpses of it, teasing audience, and there is some cool deaths. Certainly a must-see.

This obviously is true for the characters, the movie and the way you will feel about this. It is supposed to be comedy horror, but don't be surprised if you don't really feel that (working). This is low budget at best (probably can be categorized lower, though some of the special blood effects are not half bad considering and being one of the few reasons I didn't rate it lower) and should be viewed as such, even if that is difficult.

It's not that many will watch this and think about how tough it must have been assembling this, getting friends or associates, which is likely to play in it. Apart from the gore there is also some nudity, though don't expect this to go overboard in that department either. Watching some outtakes in the end credits makes the actors likeable and might give you a bit of a sentimental view on it ... Just remember: You can't knock on a tent and that's not funny