Overview: Dive into the sinister and darkly humorous world of Trick ‘r Treat, written and directed by Michael Dougherty. This anthology film communes with the spirits of classic horror portmanteaus like Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt, weaving together four chilling tales, all taking place during the same fateful Halloween night.

Follow the secretive and disturbing life of a high school principal (Dylan Baker) who leads a double life as a ruthless serial killer; the journey of a young girl (Anna Paquin) looking for love who finds something infinitely more macabre; a group of teenagers playing a prank with disastrous consequences; and an old man (Brian Cox) confronted by Sam, a mischievous trick-or-treater with a terrifying secret.

With its interwoven tales of terror and unforgettable characters, Trick ‘r Treat has cemented itself as a Halloween essential, paying loving homage to the golden age of horror comics and 80’s creature features with a slick modern style sure to send shivers down the spine of any fright fiend. Get ready for the scariest Halloween of your life - and remember, always check your candy!

4K Blu-ray Verdict: To give you a little quick history on it, Trick ‘r Treat, for such a well-known Halloween staple, had a surprisingly slow and stuttering start. Directed by Michael Dougherty, it was originally slated for an October 2007 theatrical release but got pushed back. It was screened at various film festivals between late 2007 and late 2009, including at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con, before it was officially released on video in October 2009.

Honestly, it’s hard for me to believe that this movie didn’t have a theatrical release, but clearly the fans have picked it up and ran with it. Dougherty announced in 2009 that he is planning a sequel, but it’s been slow going, and yet (according to Bloody Disgusting), he’s still planning to dive back into production when he finishes up whatever his latest project will be.

It’s an extremely well done anthology, with all five stories centering around Halloween and the traditions surrounding it. There’s a school principal who moonlights as a serial killer, a legend of a school bus massacre, beautiful women taking part in an interesting nighttime ritual, a grouchy neighbor who finds his home invaded, and a man trying to convince his wife of how awesome Halloween truly is.

I loved this collection, honestly a lot more than I thought I would. I realized that I had been avoiding this film for a long time. Something about it just struck me as cheesy, both because of the name and, truly, because of the character of Sam, the little scarecrow-like creature with the burlap sack over his head. (I still thought Sam was a little bit cheesy but after subsequently watching Dougherty’s 1996 short film, Season’s Greetings, I like him a lot more!)

The stories are all woven together SO incredibly well. There are many instances of overlap — probably more than I even noticed on first viewing — that really tied the whole thing together. Too often horror anthologies are just a string of seemingly random short films, the only relation being the genre they belong to.

But Dougherty paid attention to the most minute details - things like having a werewolf howl in the distance in one short, and circling back around to it in a later story. The stories are happening at various points in the night, but it bounces between all of them, making the whole thing feel very cohesive.

The film had the most nostalgic feeling to it for me — it really embodies Halloween. It walks that fine line between being technically a horror movie but not actually being all that scary - but not in the sense that it failed, more in the sense that it has the perfect air of the holiday to it, of the traditions surrounding it, of the legends and the lore. It’s tough to describe, really, but it felt like slipping back into my childhood, in a way.

Despite all of the terrible things happening, I wanted to live in that small Ohio town — glowing jack-o-lanterns adorning each yard, a lively parade pulsing through downtown, costumes and candy everywhere. It had an extremely homey feeling to it. It brought me back to being a kid and whispering about urban legends or jumping at something rustling in a bush while trick or treating.

Each story had a sort of cruel humor to the individual twists. There were times when it almost felt like a children’s Halloween movie (in the best way) until you were abruptly reminded of how adult it really is (the girls partying in the woods stripping out of their sexy Cinderella and sexy Little Red Riding Hood costumes, for instance).

The one scene that really did freak me out — that tapped into a sort of long-standing fear of mine — is when it briefly shows a woman making out with a masked man in an alleyway during the parade. He reveals his sharp fangs and winds up killing her - and then just props up her lifeless body on the sidelines of the festivities where no one was the wiser.

I think that’s part of the reason that Halloween feels so dangerous, so electric, to me — when everyone’s in a costume and everyone’s striving to be as realistically scary as possible, people tend to overlook what would be horrifying in the cold light of day.

And then there’s Sam, the weird little kid made of stringy pumpkin pulp. I liked him tagging along to each story, being ever-present. It’s amazing how recognizable he was even before I knew anything about the movie. But I especially liked how once he got his hands on a candy bar, he was good to go. Like dude, I FEEL THAT.

You see the message written in blood all over Mr. Kreeg’s bedroom — Trick ‘r treat, give me something good to eat — and you think it’s some diabolical play on words, that he’s actually looking to eat some flesh. Hellll no, kid just wants some CANDY! I appreciate that.

Overall, a freaking great Halloween anthology. Is it going to scare the crap out of you? Likely not. But Halloween is as much about the nostalgia, the hearkening back to childhood fears, than jump scares or psychological thrills. Watch it! [L.B.]

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
Brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films, approved by writer-director Michael Dougherty
4K Ultra HD (2160p) Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Archival audio commentary by Michael Dougherty, conceptual artist Breehn Burns, storyboard artist Simeon Wilkins and composer Douglas Pipes
Tales of Folklore & Fright, an archival featurette with Michael Dougherty, Breehn Burns and Simeon Wilkins
Tales of Mischief & Mayhem: Filming Trick ‘r Treat, an archival interview with Michael Dougherty on the making of the film
Sounds of Shock & Superstition: Scoring Trick ‘r Treat, an archival featurette with Michael Dougherty and Douglas Pipes
Tales of Dread & Despair: Releasing Trick ‘r Treat, an archival featurette with Michael Dougherty and Rob Galluzzo of the Shock Waves podcast, exploring the film’s release and fandom
Season’s Greetings, a short film from 1996 directed by Michael Dougherty with optional director commentary
The Lore and Legends of Halloween, an archival featurette narrated by actor Brian Cox
School bus VFX comparison
Additional scenes
FEARnet promos
Sam O’Lantern
Storyboard and conceptual artwork gallery
Behind the scenes gallery
Monster Mash comic book set in the Trick ‘r Treat universe
Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
Six postcard-sized artcards
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Becky Darke and Heather Wixson

www.arrowfilms.com