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All Through the House (2015) - Blu-ray Review

2 beersGarden shears.  It had to be garden shears.  Ho! Ho! Ho!  Let the stabbing begin! 

Written and directed by Todd Nunes, All Through The House is a Christmas-themed slasher that makes for a better trailer than it does a movie.  I’m not saying that, as far as independent filmmaking goes, his film is a total disappointment.  It’s not.  The script; however, does spread itself a bit too thin as one family is reunited over the holidays through a series of grisly murders.  So, yeah, take away my cool card because - in spite of the praise found elsewhere on the intergooglysphere - this one just fell flat for me.

The horror film opens with a rather nice scene in which three boys challenge each other to knock the head off of a Santa decoration with a snowball.  Success!  They scamper away.  We focus on the Santa mask sitting there on the ground.  A barefoot dude scoops up the mask and trudges off, slipping it on.  A serial killer is born!  If the film had developed this scene and other sequences a bit more, I might be writing a totally different review.  Unfortunately, the film presents some itsy bitsy gold nuggets – like a haphazard unfocused shot of the killer - and then leaves them behind in favor of familiar scenes.   

No showering woman is safe as the sins of the Garrett family finally catch up with them and their neighbors.  With ample practical effects from Josh McCarron and Tommy Pietch, the “Santa Slayer” at the center of this flick breaks into home after home, stabbing women in their unmentionables and cutting the third leg off of any man within reach.  The gore factor is high and so is the audience’s discomfort level.  A knife in the tit anyone?  OUCH.  There’s little rhyme or reason to a lot of the kills, but they are pretty creative and technically crazy to pull off as successfully as they are here.  I’ll bet this was a blast to see on the big screen with a large group of like-minded goreheads.   

It is unfortunate then that the film (as a solo act) is neither as funny as the filmmakers seem to think it is nor as creative as they want it to be in the storytelling department.  The “twist” is a transparent one and the whole 80’s throwback vibe is definitely undeveloped.  There are funny bits scattered throughout, but the many characters thrown in the mix of this simple tale challenge the film’s forward momentum.  The lesbian couple featured in the film – each prepping for a night of sex with their significant other – doesn’t need separate drawn out introductions.  And the boyfriend backstory of Ashley Mary Nunes’ character is simply dull, adding little to the picture in the film’s climax.

All Through The House ends on a high note with a nice reversal, even if it is about 10 minutes too long.  It truly does bring everything together, but getting there – especially when the best bits are mistaken for more boobs, more blood, and more bodies and not recognized in the subtle moments along the way – is a bit of a chore.  Not all slashers are remembered for their parade of boobs.  Some actually thrive on the demented characters that populate the narrative.  This holiday-themed horror story could have used a couple more pinches of paranoia.

Santa’s making a list.  He’s checking it twice, but All Through The House only needs to be seen once.

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[tab title="Film Details"]

All Through the House (2015) - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime:
88 mins
Director
: Todd Nunes
Writer:
Todd Nunes
Cast:
Ashley Mary Nunes, Jessica Cameron, Melynda Kiring
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
There is a CREATURE stirring...
Memorable Movie Quote: "Mom Look, it's Santa."
Theatrical Distributor:
The Readmond Company
Official Site: http://www.allthroughthehousemovie.com/
Theatrical Release Date:
No theatrical release
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
October 4, 2016
Synopsis: A deranged masked Santa-Slayer comes to town for some yuletide-terror. He leaves behind a bloody trail of mutilated bodies as he hunts his way to the front steps of the town's most feared and notorious home.

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

All Through the House (2015) - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Filmrise
Available on Blu-ray
- October 4, 2016
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Language
: English
Discs: Single disc
Region Encoding: Region A

Released from FilmRise, the 1080p transfer is surprisingly sharp for this independent release.  The colors are crisp and bold; bordering on a warm palette.  Even the ground is flecked with details.  The black levels are deep and shadows are well defined.  Overall, it is a great HD presentation.  The surround sound, while nothing to write home about, is adequate for the release.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • There’s no knocking the film’s director.  Nunes knows his stuff.  The commentary is actually more interesting than the film.  Go figure.

Special Features:

Blu-ray features surround sound, the official "All Through the House" trailer, audio commentary and English subtitles for the deaf and hearing-impaired.  There’s nothing else. 

  • All Through the House Trailer

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All Through the House (2015) - Blu-ray Review

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