Shudder presents the cleverly written and wickedly fancy Trick ‘r Treat, starring Anna Paquin, Rochelle Aytes, and Brian Cox. Writer/director Michael Dougherty uses nonlinear storytelling to quickly establish quirky personalities and relationships before delivering the essential horror goods.
Interwoven stories demonstrate that some traditions are best not forgotten as the residents (Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker) of a small town face real ghosts and goblins on Halloween. Tales of terror reveal the consequences of extinguishing a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight and a grumpy hermit’s encounter with a sinister trick-or-treater.
Here are 5 reasons why you should watch Trick ‘r Treat on Shudder:
5) Anna Paquin!
My personal favorite segment, Anna Paquin is incredibly engaging to watch as the somewhat naive Laurie. Notice the small details and how homemade Laurie (Paquin)’s Little Red Riding Red costume is. In a narrative that serves as a metaphor for womanhood, Paquin is quite charming and bashful as she explores Laurie’s self-consciousness.
4) Brian Cox!
In the last segment, Mr. Kreeg (Brian Cox) is mean, hardened, and gruff as he plays the Ebenezer Scrooge of Halloween. Kreeg (Cox) has withered away in age because he has been carrying the burden of a dark secret. If you’re not nice on this particular day, the spirit of Halloween is going to get you.
3) Sam!
Everything at once, Sam, short for Samhain, is an original monster that happens to be huggable, deadly, and friendly. Notice how childlike Sam is as he plays around with Emma (Leslie Bibb) before going in for the kill. Sam then unleashes his violent spirit during the pulse-pounding final act.
2) The Direction!
Writer/director Michael Dougherty has such an engaging cast, gathered from your favorite TV shows such as True Blood, Popular, Las Vegas, and Battlestar Galactica. As characters come and go in-between segments, everyone in this movie has such great screen presence. The cinematography by Glen MacPherson captures the fall season within suburbia and its backwoods in a 24-hour single day.
1) A Cult Classic!
Trick ‘r Treat has become a cult classic in its own right and now a new generation of horror fans can watch it on Shudder. This why you should be getting AMC Networks’ premium streaming video service, especially since its offering new members 31% off a Shudder annual subscription for a VERY LIMITED time!
[Writer’s Note: I watched Michael Dougherty’s animated short film, Season’s Greetings, during my attendance at New York University. It’s quite inspiring to watch how a single idea can evolve into a modern day classic.]
Trick ‘r Treat arrives on Shudder November 1st, 2019.