Honeyspider [Review]
A year or so ago I got word of a little indie flick entitled Honeyspider, (the title is influenced by The Smashing Pumpkins song of the same name) a film written by Kenny Capeton and directed by Josh Hasty, and basically, I’ve been waiting ever so patiently to finally check the film out, especially after I got a look at the badass poster art. Thankfully that day has come and it did not disappoint.
The film follows college student Jackie Blue (Mariah Brown) who is about to celebrate her 21st birthday and it just so happens to be Halloween in 1989. However, unlike many of her peers who are anxious to get out and party the night away, poor Jackie is more determined to work on her College work to please her father, rather than get wasted on Halloween.
Thankfully her friends manage to persuade Jackie to let her hair down, even if it is just a bit, so they can go to the annual Monster Mash party at the college campus after her late shift at the local movie theatre. But before the night unfolds, Jackie begins to see strange apparitions, a bizarre symbol. Is she dreaming? What does this mean? As the movie progresses the symbol appears more often, but Jackie seems to just shrug it off and continue into the night.
Very soon Jackie appears to be almost tormented by tarantulas as they seem to appear from out of nowhere, turning up at random locations and it soon gets worse as Jackie arrives for her shift at the local movie theatre, where they are playing Sleepover Slaughterhouse Part III, and we are treated to a movie within a movie. While Jackie is battling her demons, or perhaps tarantulas, a masked killer is hacking up half-naked chicks on the big-screen in the theatre.
At the same time, a mysterious masked killer is hacking up his own victims away from the screen and soon has his sights set on Jackie. As the night draws in, Jackie appears to be under some sort of mysterious spell or perhaps she is simply hallucinating and from here on out she is caught in her very own spiders web. She has fallen prey into a sort of cult with no way out and no explanation as to why, but will she survive the night?
You guys will just have to check this one out for yourselves and see what fate awaits our protagonist in Honeyspider, which is destined to become a great little Halloween classic.
The film almost plays though a host of different sub-genres throughout. First we enter the slasher films of the 70’s, then we take a jump forward to say slasher films of the 80’s and finally we delve into the realms of the occult and satanic rituals, it’s an interesting progression and most definitely ambitious. I loved it. It’s a slow-burn horror flick which is only helped by the awesome soundtrack which plays throughout the feature.
I have to admit, I’m still scratching my head as to what happens and thank them wholeheartedly for letting the audience think for themselves, it’s a film that requires multiple viewings but at the end of the day I think it’s up to the viewer to decide for themselves.
Don’t forget the movie within the movie, Sleepover Slaughterhouse Part III, it’s an awesome little throwback to slasher films of the 80’s with a killer song to boot and of course copious amounts of boobage and blood, it’s just what you’d expect and they absolutely nailed it! It was a great little treat.
Anyway, if you guys get the chance to see this one, do it. It’s well-played out and it just feels “real,” it’s hard to explain, but when you watch you’ll know, it’s cleverly done and I can’t go without mentioning some killer performances by Professor Lynch (Frank Aard) and Vevila (Joan Schuermeyer). who added to the creepiness of it all. So it’s safe to say that this will be a regular play for me on Halloween, and hopefully you too.
