5.8
Summary
Anthology of famous, scary urban legends done with a modern twist.
Cast
Jay R. Ferguson
Cliff (segment "The Campfire")
Christine Taylor
Lauren (segment "The Campfire")
Christopher Masterson
Eric (segment "The Campfire")
Kim Murphy
Alex (segment "The Campfire")
Ron Livingston
Rick (segment "The Honeymoon") / RV Driver (segment "The Campfire")
Jennifer MacDonald
Valerie (segment "The Honeymoon") / RV Passenger (segment "The Campfire")
Hawthorne James
Cole (segment "The Honeymoon")
Alex McKenna
Amanda (segment "People Can Lick Too")
Devon Odessa
Katherine (segment "People Can Lick Too")
Jonathan Fuller
'Jessica' / Internet Man (segment "People Can Lick Too")
Glenn Quinn
Scott Anderson (segment "The Locket") / Paramedic #1 (segment "The Campfire")
Jacinda Barrett
Heather Wallace (segment "The Locket")
James Marsden
Eddie (segment "The Hook")
Amy Smart
Jenny (segment "The Hook")
Rick Lawrence
Rockin' Rob (segment "The Hook")
Stewart J. Zully
Deputy Manson (segment "The Honeymoon")
Paul Salamoff
Crew Man #1 (segment "The Honeymoon")
Bill Zahn
Crew Man #2 (segment "The Honeymoon")
Gary Jensen
Crew Man #3 (segment "The Honeymoon")
Ben Jensen
Crew Man #4 (segment "The Honeymoon")
Suzanne Goddard-Smythe
Mom (segment "People Can Lick Too") / Paramedic #2 (segment "The Campfire")
Michael Dempsey
Dad (segment "People Can Lick Too")
Otin
Himself (segment "People Can Lick Too")
Denny Arnold
Heather's Father (segment "The Locket")
Meleva Barbula
Heather the Locket (segment "The Locket") (voice)
David Cooper
Policeman #1 (segment "The Campfire")
Eric Fleeks
Policeman #2 (segment "The Campfire")
Mike Terner
Policeman #3 (segment "The Campfire")
Matt Cooper
Policeman #4 (segment "The Campfire")
Larry Weinberg
Willy the Hook (closing scene)
Crew
Director
David Semel
Director, Screenplay
Matt Cooper
Director, Screenplay, Story
Martin Kunert
Screenplay, Story
Eric Manes
Reviews
John Chard
October 31, 2015
8
Anthological Urban Legend Blast!
The horror anthology movie has been a popular source of enjoyment for horror fans for a number of decades. As is pretty much always the case, the quality of each segment of the films varies - and this always will be the case. Case in point Campfire Tales.
Something of a little treat for those inclined, this offers up four main stories and a wraparound device which involves four teenagers telling the tales around a campfire after their car has crashed. In my own anthology experiences, the main stories have tended to improve in quality as each story plays out, Campfire Tales is different, it opens weakly - has two great stories in the middle - and then closes on a damp boring squib. leading into the big - if unsurprising - reveal at films end.
The poster for the film puts Amy Smart and James Marsden up at the front, which is a bum steer given that their screen time is not massive. Their story, "The Hook", opens the film and it's poor, devoid of scares and tension, and it obviously gears itself up for a chilling reveal but it ends up more funny (even baffling) than creepy.
"The Honeymoon" is up next and things significantly improve. Based on one of the most famous of urban legends, this finds a young couple of honeymooners stranded out in the woods when their camper van runs out of petrol. Choices are made, menacing terror begins, which all leads to a genuinely shocking finale.
Next up is "People Can Lick Too", which finds a young girl home alone and stalked by a paedophile she met on line. The whole episode has a sinister eeriness to it, with some reveals sending chills down the spine. The ending is heart stopping and blood curdling.
The last segment is "The Locket", which is well acted but ultimately more wistful and ethereal than anything scary or unnerving. Though the denouement is sure to appeal to many. Nice musical score here as well. And on to the reveal, straight out of The Twilight Zone and from any number of films of the same ilk. Great fun even if not all the stories knock it out of the park. 7.5/10
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00
