If you're majoring in English, you might reconsider a career in education after watching Troy Escamilla's newest horror film. Put together a group of high school English teachers, a killer with an extremely creepy mask, and alcohol, and you've got "Teacher Shortage." The blood and gore are plentiful, as are the adroit performances by this award-winning film's cast. From the first beat of music (Guthrie Lowe) to the last, you'll be sucked into this menagerie of murder.
Writer and director, Troy Escamilla (Party Night, Mrs. Claus) has done a really great job of delivering a plot that is believable, enjoyable, and cohesive. It is very evident from the beginning of the film that Escamilla put a lot of thought into each character and how they are woven into their own slice of the plot. As the plot progresses, it does so authentically and doesn't feel forced. The characters seem to get to their various points in the plot because they're driven there by actions and circumstances, and the developments through the plot just make sense, which is something you don't see a lot of in the horror industry.
Chris Jehnert (Killer Unicorn, Trailer Park Princess) shines as Ryan Billings, an English teacher at Prescott High School who is in his first year of teaching. Actress and theatre teacher Uta Hagen wrote in her book, Respect for Acting, about acting genuinely. She said, "Talent is an amalgam of high sensitivity; easy vulnerability." Hagen would have loved Jehnert's vulnerable, innocent portrayal of Ryan because it is genuine and delicate and only makes the audience care more about the fate of Ryan Billings.
Jehnert's chemistry with Roger Conners (Viscera, The Curse of Lilith Ratchet) is really nice to watch. Conners plays Principal Perry, and the two actors build off each other as they perform. Conners lives in the moment, and his attentiveness to small details of his character is evident. The moments in which Jehnert and Conners share the screen are like an old "I Love Lucy" episode because they are actively listening to one another and reacting in the moment. Anyone can recite lines they've memorized, but it takes an actor to really listen and respond organically. On this exam, Jehnert and Conners both score an A+!
David McMahon (The Legend of Kate Kensington) really stands out in "Teacher Shortage" and expertly provides comedic relief as English teacher (and wine sommelier, apparently) James Curtis. McMahon is clearly the fun member of the group and does a good job of reeling the audience back in from getting too serious. His scenes with fellow English teachers Debra Lamb (Evil Spirits, Lake of Shadows), Samantha Marie (Supernatural Assassins), Michael Tula (Halloween Night), and Kaylee Williams (The Lashman) are really enjoyable to watch, and McMahon's fluency in sarcasm is top notch.
Derek Huey (Viscera, Mrs. Claus) deserves all of the awards for his cinematography in "Teacher Shortage." Huey's expert use of lighting makes intense moments of the film extremely creepy, and these moments stand out much more compared to similar scenes from other horror films. In one scene, Huey frames Sue Steel (Debra Lamb) wearing killer black heels and standing next to the dining room table and a broken glass. It sounds simple, but physically seeing the moment as it happens on film is really nice visually, and it contributes to the tone of the film.
After seeing "Teacher Shortage," the amount of awards and recognition being received is not surprising. The film won Best Director - Feature for the Crimson Screen Horror Film fest, for which it also received a nomination for Best Special Effects. The film also won Most Memorable Villain for the Something Wicked Film Festival, for which it also received nominations for Best Female Actor in a Film (Brinke Stevens) and Best Male Actor in a Film (Chris Jehnert). I have no doubt Escamilla and his cast and crew will receive more nominations, wins, and recognition.
"Teacher Shortage" is available right now for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime.
