Released in 2003, before digital downloads were a viable platform for distribution and just before DVDs really took off as the leading format, The Last Horror Movie attempts something new by using the very format of VHS to induce terror. Enough said about that the better, but suffice to say that if viewed in 2003 and in the way the filmmakers intended, the final scene could possibly deliver a sense of lingering terror.
However, as this is not 2003 and my time-machine is on the blink again, I was unable to fully experience the desired impact but I certainly did admire what the filmmakers intended to achieve.
So what’s it all about?
It’s a highly entertaining and violent journey into the mind of a psychopath who kills for the thrill and poses some interesting questions along the way.
Max, a serial killer who believes himself to be more intelligent than he actually is, documents his killings on a handheld video camera and ponders the morality of both fictional and genuine murder, and the morality of those who enjoy watching horror films.
The basic premise is nothing new, but don’t let that put you off.
Yes, Kevin Howarth who plays Max is a bit hammy at times, especially in the final scene but the film does attempt to do something different and hold the mirror up to us, the audience, forcing us to look into it.
And perhaps that is the most terrifying thing of all about this movie.
Directed by Julian Richards.
Written by James Handel and Julian Richards.
Starring Kevin Howarth, Mark Stevenson and Antonia Beamish.
