The Midnight Horror Show

Working together at a traveling carnival, a murderous family tries to get by in life by doing whatever devious activity will allow them to remain together, and when this alerts a dangerous hunter to their whereabouts seeks revenge on the family and must rely on those tactics to stay together.

This was enjoyable enough for what it was. One of the better aspects of this one is the somewhat cliched setup that manages to still provide enough to know about the group going on. The first half spends quite a lot of time going through the various members of the group and their different relationships, with the controlling father trying to keep his family together, the ventriloquist son stuck in his head about the supposedly-alive puppet insulting him, the clown son dealing with the trauma of his condition, the youngest son being a constant screw-up that needs reprimanding all the time, and the daughter living the golden life as the perfect child. Knowing who they are and what they're about lets this part come together so that their murderous antics come off with the sense of disgust due to the humanizing efforts done to get them there beforehand. Those scenes involving their murderous antics come off incredibly well here which has some solid aspects at play. Knowing the daily are insane psychopaths who will resort to murder the first chance they get whenever someone wrongs them which they get away with due to the roving nature of the carnival, this sets up their freewheeling ability to strike out against the ruthless talent agent, the disgraceful boyfriend, and the woman he was dating that feature some better-than-expected moments as it ties into established storylines quite well. The second half, turning into a solid enough version of a retribution feature that allows for the hunter to come upon the family leading to some brutal moments offering some additional gore and brutality in what's going on as everything leads to some likable features here. There isn't much to hold it down but there are some slight factors present. The main drawback featured here is the sluggish and slow-going pace that takes things way too slow for this kind of feature. The whole family-based setup that takes an in-depth look at how the group operates is filled with cliches about the nature of what's going on between everyone which makes it all feel quite repetitive from every psychotic carnival family in the genre so even if this section has a lot to like with setting up their behavior there's not a lot here that provides much in the way of interest. The sluggish quality of what's going on here takes a while to sort out and get something happening to bump up the excitement, which might not be a factor for all out there who want a faster-moving genre effort. As well, the low budget being on display does serve as a factor to get over which is quite prominent and could be a factor here which are all enough to bring it down.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

This movie may not have the best special effects, the biggest budget or the best acting. But overall I really enjoyed it! A very original movie that was made with love. Some low budget shots may be funny but also very creepy. It really reminded me of those classic 70s horror movies like leatherface. It may not be the best movie out there, but it's definitely an interesting experience.

Was drawn into seeing 'Theatre of Fear', with a cool poster/cover, an intriguing though far from original premise and as someone with a general appreciation for the genre it fits under. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there (though there are decent to good ones as well), made me though apprehensive.

It is sadly however yet another film seen recently, hence some reiteration because the exact same strengths and flaws present in those films are here, that to me was incredibly disappointing considering its potential which it doesn't do anywhere near enough with. 'Theatre of Fear' is really very weak, with its infrequent decent points but with so many huge flaws and doesn't do anywhere near enough with its potential, which was quite a good deal. There is very little good here.

'Theatre of Fear' does have an eerie setting and was expecting far worse acting than what is seen here, it's not great still, somewhat over-the-top in spots, but effort to engage with what they're given to work with can be seen. The chemistry is there too and it is more natural than expected.

Going on to the negatives, the story does feel over-stretched and some of it comes over as vague and under-explained in the last third where the film especially became duller, more predictable, more senseless and less unsettled and never gaining momentum. All the characters are too sketchy and with nowhere near enough to make one be properly intrigued by them. There is still frustrating decision making going on but that aspect is definitely done much worse in other low-budget recent viewings, sorry to go on about this asset but it has become a bugbear of mine and difficult to ignore.

Sound quality is obvious and utilised cheaply (being too loud in the build ups and people's reactions) and the effects are laughable.

Dialogue can be stilted and rambling while the pace and film drags on forever, apparent from the very start, never recovering that interest is lost fast. The ending has no build-up and just ends ridiculously. Found too many of the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness, a lot of dumb and vague moments and explanations and the lack of tension and suspense. Thrills are none, thanks to stodginess and excessive over-familiarity, and found myself never invested in the drama, which tended to be dully paced and statically directed.

A lot of 'Theatre of Fear' has really dull and going nowhere plot elements and often not so convincing character motivations, while too many of the things to make you shocked are far from creative or unsettling. It all feels rather tame.

Nothing freaky or interesting, no development and too derivative, while everything is unimaginative and are more odd than scary, completely failing to show any sense of dread. There is nothing interesting or illuminating with what the film was trying to do and the drama is overwrought with no momentum and a lot of weirdness. The direction is leaden, got the sense their heart was not in it, and the music is ill-fitting. It is very amateurish visually with its low budget being all too clear, too drearily lit and shows no care in the way it's shot. In this regard only the setting stands out in a halfway decent way.

In summary, weak. 3/10 Bethany Cox

In my opinion the best thing about this movie was the creepy puppet. Especially because he talked by himself. Lee bane did good as always and his performance was alright. Not sure who voiced the puppet but he was good. The rest of the characters were interesting in their own way. Especially the clown. Not much else to say about this film. Not all that scary. The acting was actually ok but overall not that good.

Good evening, everyone! I'm Mr. C Reviewer, and tonight we'll be diving into the film The Midnight Horror Show, It's also known as Theatre of Fear. I had the opportunity to watch the movie on Netflix. This movie originally premiered on September 8, 2014. The movie had a runtime of 1 hour and 21 minute. It is rated for viewers aged 15 and older. Notably, parts of the film were filmed in Wales, UK. As an individual on the autism spectrum, I've experienced first-hand the significant benefits of subtitles. They have been instrumental in improving my comprehension of dialogue, allowing me to fully engage with the film's narrative. The film was directed and written by Andrew Jones. I appreciate how several crew members were featured in the opening sequence as part of the audience for the show; personally I find it to be a delightful touch when filmmakers include such details within their movies.

Summary: The Moreau family, a group of outcasts, travels across the United Kingdom, performing an underground show that hides their sinister activities as the late-night hours transition into early morning.

Review: -I found the film's opening, introducing the show's host, initially intriguing and well-executed. However, this positive impression quickly dissipated. The narrative then shifted to two characters attending the show, one of whom volunteers and enters a box, only to vanish when it's reopened. I believe the film would have benefited from starting sooner, allowing for more character development to enhance the impact of their disappearance. I appreciate how the film delves into the intricate dynamics of family dysfunction and unwavering loyalty, alongside profound explorations of evil's essence and the compelling drive for retribution and revenge. I found the movie's pacing to be quite slow, especially during the initial half, which struggled to build excitement and capture my full attention early on; it never truly gained momentum, even in its final part. I found the film's atmosphere to be dreary and lacking in genuine tension or suspense, primarily due to its excessive obviousness and numerous vague. The attempts at creating fear often came across as more peculiar than frightening, and I was largely unimpressed by the supposedly shocking scenes, finding them neither surprising nor particularly scary. I felt the movie leaned more towards unintentional comedy than horror, yet it wasn't even effectively funny, leaving me mostly shaking my head in disbelief rather than experiencing any sense of dread. I found the acting to be surprisingly decent, with the cast making a noticeable effort to engage with the material and exhibiting more natural chemistry than anticipated. While not always seamless, and at times feeling a bit stilted as if actors were waiting for their cues, the performances were generally acceptable. A particular highlight was the compelling performance of the creepy puppet, especially its autonomous speech. I believe the film would have benefited from a more robust exploration of the two main brothers' characters. I found the dialogue to be unnatural and excessively wordy. Despite these shortcomings, I did find myself somewhat drawn into the character interactions, even with the dialogue's noticeable flaws. I found the sound design to be a significant detractor, particularly the overly loud and often misplaced music during build-ups and audience reactions, which contributed to an amateurish feel. The overall musical score felt ill-suited to the film, though the heart-beating sound effect, while a nice touch, also seemed somewhat out of place. The extended scenes featuring only music and lip-syncing, without dialogue, felt excessive and detracted from the viewing experience.

-I appreciated the film's commitment to practical effects for its gore, which provided a welcome tangibility compared to digital alternatives. However, I found that much of the on-screen violence, especially in close-ups, lacked realism; the prosthetics often looked unconvincing, with unnatural skin movement and injuries appearing too rubbery or overtly fake. The vibrant red blood, while visually impactful, frequently struck me as artificial rather than genuinely lifelike. I appreciate the dual perspectives offered by the show host and their family, as it allows for a deeper understanding of their personalities. While a gang focusing on missing persons investigations was compelling, I would have preferred the film to initiate with the team actively engaged in an investigation, rather than introducing such scenes seemingly at random later in the narrative. I found the film's cinematography to be notably constrained, with a preponderance of close-up shots and a distinct absence of wide-angle perspectives. This stylistic choice, I believe, likely served as a cost-saving strategy, minimizing the necessity for extensive location scouting and elaborate set designs. I appreciated how the film, despite its low budget, skilfully crafted a somewhat creepy atmosphere, demonstrating a colourful sense of artistry. While the visual colour palette and overall cinematography were amateurish, drearily lit, and clearly indicative of a low-budget production, they nonetheless contributed to its unique aesthetic. I found the editing to be choppy and disorienting, particularly during the horror sequences and transitions between segments. While I appreciated the unconventional editing style somewhat, interpreting it as an intentional artistic choice to enhance the film's chaotic and unsettling atmosphere, the rapid-fire cuts and disjointed narrative ultimately hindered the storytelling, even if it aimed to evoke unease.

-I found the film's conclusion to be quite satisfying, particularly because it mirrored the opening, creating a pleasing sense of narrative symmetry. I felt the ending of the film suggested potential for a sequel, and although I initially looked for one, I found no indication of a newer film. Even if a continuation were released, I doubt I would personally invest my time in watching it, unless I had absolutely nothing else to do. I found the song accompanying the ending credits to be a perfect fit for the film's conclusion. The visual presentation, featuring still images from the movie enhanced with a subtle motion effect, complemented the music beautifully and provided a reflective closing experience.

I rate each film I watch out of 10 and for this one, I give it a 4.4 Remember this was what I thought about the movie personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.