By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The project is intended to launch a feature-film version.
Hawthorne House Films and Barton Ct. Productions’ HALF-O-WEEN is set to shoot in the Los Angeles area this summer, and P.J. Starks (NEW FEARS EVE), who’s producing with Tim Robinson, sent over the teaser trailer and poster seen below. Directed by Stephen Wolfe (DOLL FACTORY) and written by Mike McPherson (10/31 PART 2), the satirical slasher short stars Lestonja Diaz, Robinson, Sara Gaston, Joe Grisaffi, Joshua Kennedy, Josh Spiegel, Matt Baca and Xavier Flores as murderous maniac Eddie Mangas. Special effects will be created by Ryan and Salina Ward of Little Shop of Gore FX (TERRIFIER 3). According to the official synopsis, the movie “blends the irreverent humor of GHOST WORLD with the bloody kills of the HALLOWEEN franchise, leaning on its richly detailed ensemble cast. Leading the quartet is Cam White, a horror fanatic and recluse, whose only companion, a normie boyfriend named Jeremy, just broke up with her. In the immediate aftermath of their ugly breakup, their landlords arrive with news of an escaped serial killer. Winnie, nosy and overbearing, insists her husband, the prideful and sleazy Vern, will protect them. But as the night winds on with the foursome cooped up together in Sam’s tiny living space, she begins to wonder whether she ought to take her chances.”
“Fans of classic slashers and those who appreciate more unconventional, boundary-pushing horror in the vein of A24 and Neon will find plenty to love here,” Wolfe tells us. “At its core, this is a character-driven, emotionally charged story–but it’s all wrapped in a darkly comedic, bloodsoaked slasher that both honors tradition and subverts expectations.” Adds Starks, “I’ve known Stephen for years and he’s a very talented filmmaker that I’ve worked with before. HALF-O-WEEN has the same irreverent sensibilities as his previous work. The script is funny and dark and shocking in the right ways. It’ll be great to see what he and Tim do with this next genre outing. As a true lover of slashers, I’m excited to be part of it.”
