The horror genre is, I believe, one of the hardest to do. It is usually the worst offender of my biggest rule in moviemaking - NEVER INCLUDE ANYTHING IN A FILM FOR ITS OWN SAKE. Now, I'm not a prude. I really don't care what is in a film so long as it is serves the story. Whether it be language (Bad Boys, My Cousin Vinny), sentimentality (Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Field Of Dreams), very disturbing themes (A Clockwork Orange, Irreversible or Wild Things), graphic violence (Saving Private Ryan, Pulp Fiction, Robocop, The Sixth Sense, The Reanimator) or even graphic sex (Basic Instinct, Boys Don't Cry, Boogie Nights). If it serves a point, it should be included. If it is there to titalate or shock, it is gratuitous and unnecessary, and frankly, desperate. Horror usually breaks every rule, mostly because we've seen it all and the only way to make a dent is to up the ante in gore and nudity. While V/H/S has a lot of both, it is spellbinding and totally original.
The plot is incredibly simple. A group a small-time scumbags who videotape all of their illegal exploits, are hired by a mysterious contact to break into the house of a man to steal a particular videotape. When asked which one, he says, "You'll know it when you see it." The group breaks into the house to find the owner dead and scores of unlabeled VHS videotapes. So, they start watching them. What follows are five vignettes of different horror stories, all directed by up and coming young bucks in horror. It is another one of the "found footage" films popularized by The Blair Witch Project.
First, I'll say what's right about this film. It is the most original presentation of found footage I have seen yet. What a great idea to show off the talents of some new guys on the field, with short stories. The stories are engaging, genuinely creepy and a hoot to watch. A word of caution though. The subject matter is EXTREMELY disturbing and not for everyone. Now, all the stories may not have the same effect as it depends on what gets under your skin, but there is something in here for everyone. Whether it be a succubus, haunted house, alien abduction, demonic possession, supernatural killer or home invader, there is something guaranteed to scare you. They are extremely violent and disturbing, all of them, and there is not really a touch of humor at all. This harkens back to truly scary films like Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween and The Silence of the Lambs. They are not misunderstood comedies, but are truly horrifying. That said, they all use my much hatred vomit-cam, the bouncy, hand-held look so common by younger directors today, especially by the "found footage" genre. It literally makes me nauseous to watch and I can't sit through an entire movie, thus significantly lowering the enjoyment for me. This is why it only gets 3 stars. I know younger filmmakers like it due to its perceived "realness," but it just looks like you're a hack who flunked out of film school when you use it primarily. I would love to see some of these stories made into full-length film, especially the first, which is my favorite.
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