Trick ‘r Treat (2007 film)

Trick ‘r Treat is a 2007 American-Canadian anthology comedy horror film written and directed by Michael Dougherty (Krampus) and produced by Bryan Singer (X-Men and sequels; The Taking of Deborah Logan).

The film focuses on four Halloween-related horror stories. One common element that ties the stories together is the presence of Sam, a mysterious child trick-‘r-treater wearing shabby orange pyjamas with a burlap sack over his head.

Despite its release being delayed and a very limited theatrical outing, the film received largely favourable reviews and has since garnered a strong cult following.

Main Cast:

Dylan Baker (Fido; Hide and Seek), Rochelle Aytes, Brian Cox (Manhunter; Kiss the Girls; Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword) Anna Paquin (Darkness; Scream 4), Quinn Lord (The Possession), Lauren Lee Smith (Pathology).

Plot:

Interwoven Halloween-themed stories occur on the same block, on the same night:

Opening: A couple finds what happens when they blow a jack o’ lantern out before midnight.

The Principal: A high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer.

Surprise Party: A college virgin might have met the right guy for her.

The School Bus Massacre Revisited: Five mean teens play a prank that they take too far, and a hermit is visited by a special trick ‘r treater.

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“Trick ‘r Treat neatly apportions scary and campy elements while cleverly interlacing four storylines on Halloween night in an Ohio hamlet. It’s only fitting that, since the ’70s pics that inspired him were themselves inspired by ’50s EC Comics, Dougherty uses comic book graphics for intros and transitions. Wisely, however, he doesn’t overplay the gimmick.” Joe Leydon, Variety

“Things aren’t always what they seem in Trick ‘r Treat; often they’re much, much worse. But the scares feel organic to the stories, and the film manages to stay away from the realm of camp, though it certainly flirts with the concept at times. The abundance of stories to tell provides a momentum that remains steady without ever faltering. Every Halloween memory and tradition is touched upon here and twisted just a bit, from carving pumpkins to dressing up in costumes to the stories you used to hear about strangers with candy.” Cindy White, IGN

“There’s no surprise this film has waited two years for release. The only shock is how Brian Cox and Anna Paquin ended up in something so atrocious. In trying to span so many genres, the film fails to hit the mark with any of them. The real problem, though, is it just isn’t scary.” Nick Clark, The Independent

“Trick ‘r Treat is backed by beautiful art direction by Tony Wohlgemuth and photography from Glen MacPherson. The FX are also a true delight – I can’t single out any examples for fear of ruining some of the key revelations. This is an absolute killer of a directorial debut on Dougherty’s behalf. He’s made horror fun again without completely succumbing to campy kitsch. It can be mean and scary (Amen!) yet it doesn’t embrace the doom ‘n gloom mantra sung by many genre entries today.” Ryan Turek, Shock Till You Drop

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“Tone wise, it had clever yet grounded dialogue, a quirky sense of humor that rubbed me the right way, sported a bag-full of mucho suspenseful set pieces and even managed to be a tad sexy within one of its tales. The lump of ice cream on the pumpkin pie was the film’s knack at addressing our many Halloween customs and turning them on their severed heads for our viewing pleasure. Sweet!” The Arrow, Joblo.com

“It’s fun to watch, there’s incredible innovation, a magnificent cast, awesome effects, a nice soundtrack and a killer beginning and end.” Tara Romero, Blood Red Reviews

Cast and Characters:

Dylan Baker as Steven Wilkins
Rochelle Aytes as Maria
Anna Paquin as Laurie
Brian Cox as Mr. Kreeg
Quinn Lord as Sam / Peeping Tommy
Lauren Lee Smith as Danielle
Tahmoh Penikett as Henry
Moneca Delain as Janet
Brett Kelly as Charlie
Britt McKillip as Macy
Isabelle Deluce as Sara
Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Schrader
Leslie Bibb as Emma
Patrick Gilmore as Bud the Cameraman
C. Ernst Harth as Giant Baby
Christine Willes as Mrs. Henderson
Samm Todd as Rhonda

Filming locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Comic books:

Wildstorm Comics had planned to release a four-issue adaptation of Trick ‘r Treat written by Marc Andreyko and illustrated by Fiona Staples but the series was instead released as a graphic novel adaptation in October 2009. Legendary Comics has set Trick ‘r Treat: Days of the Dead for an October 2015 release date. Read more about horror film-to-comic adapatations