Trick 'r Treat

The term “instant classic” is obscenely overused in today’s Letterboxd film review culture.  Usually once the short-term enthusiasm for a particular release runs out of steam it settles into a more realistic “average” historical perspective.  But Trick ‘r Treat (2007) has, if anything, improved its reputation in the horror community since its premiere (on video, no less) 17 years ago.  A dark, gruesome and funny Halloween anthology, writer/director Michael Dougherty captures the essence of the holiday on screen in a way few other films ever have.

 

Bouncing between five different conjoined stories in the town of Warren Valley, Ohio, there’s an elementary school principal hiding a dark secret, a quartet of party girls looking for fresh meat, an urban legend prank gone wrong and a Scrooge-like Halloween hater who gets his comeuppance.  Meanwhile, the framing device introduces us to Sam, a pint-sized trick or treater who takes the holiday’s traditions very seriously.

 

Based on Dougherty’s animated short, Season’s Greetings, his feature directing debut is so elegantly self-assured it feels like something pulled from our collective subconscious.  From the blowing leaves, creepy fog and supersaturated colors, the look of the film is Norman Rockwell meets John Carpenter.  But there’s more to Trick ‘r Treat than just its screensaver appeal; Dougherty’s script cleverly swaps stories in non-linear fashion, dropping in some spooky foreshadowing that pays off when you least expect it.  It’s a perfect combination of scary-story fun and cover-your-eyes gore.  

 

Arrow’s Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD comes from a brand-new restoration and includes even more new interviews (with DP Glen MacPherson, costume designer Trish Keating, production designer Mark Freeborn, actor Quinn Lord and creature designer Patrick Tatopoulos) and commentaries (Dougherty lays down a new track) and all the previous bonus material from the old releases.  Yep, even the aforementioned animated short.  Plus art cards, fold-out poster, comic book and collector’s booklet.

 

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