Audience Member
Wickedly smart, creepy, haunting and brooding. Deadwood Park is a true example of an Independent Horror film that can keep you entertained from start to finish on its low budget and execution. Deadwood Park tells the story of a man name Jake Richardson who returns to his hometown in Eidolon Crossing, the place where he grew up as a child and also where his brother was kidnapped by a child abductor who has claimed the lives of many kids. When he arrives in town, the voices of the dead children began to haunt him as Jake delves deeper into the mysteries of the town while also finding out the identity of his brother's killer at the same time. Its clear from the get to go that Eric Stanze is now the king of low budget Horror movies. Of all his films, this is his most entertaining one yet since Savage Harvest. Where as Savage Harvest was like a tribute to Sam Raimi's Evil Dead, Deadwood Park is more of a dark, slow burn Horror film that combines some of the best elements in the genre for a long time. One of Deadwood Park's highlights is how filmmaker Eric Stanze like in his previous films, can tell a good story with wit and intelligence from beginning to end on a relatively small budget. He proves it here as this film is different compared to most big budget Horror films, this is the only movie that can stand on its own without relying on jump scares than most big budget Horror films today; I would call this film true art over 2018's Hereditary. I love how this film captures lots of gorgeous scenery that builds up the haunting atmosphere (abandoned houses, churches, creepy forest shots and the big dilapidated amusement park that made the film more eerie and mysterious). I like how this film combines the genre of Supernatural Horror and Mystery in one go at the same time. There are loads of scenes that are chilling and creepy (Scenes with the dead kids appearing outside of the main character's house, the creepy atmospheric bathroom scene, the spooky bloody hand prints appearing in the mirror and the shocking finale). Plus the gore effects are great here despite that it is used only for the finale (nasty beheading, amputations and some brilliant and disgusting bite sequence before the antagonist burns to the ground) and lastly, the use of flashbacks from past to present sets the tone and mood of the film in the best way, giving this movie the look of a true masterpiece in Low budget cinema. Now the acting is really good, all of Eric Stanze's collaborators are great with their performances from William Clifton, Emily Haack and more. Director and Writer Eric Stanze has proven once again that he can do a good Horror movie on a small scale without losing its magic touch throughout the heart of its story. I admit that both this and Savage Harvest are pure art in the Horror genre, if Savage Harvest was a gore fest from start to finish, Deadwood Park is more of a Supernatural, Murder, Mystery with lots of creepy imagery, a chilling tone and a spooky atmosphere. Overall Deadwood Park is a Horror film that works on every level thanks to Stanze's stylish directing and execution. This film will keep you interested, entertained, spooked and frightened in all the right places and is also an example of a true artistic Horror film that in my opinion can be easily compared to 2018's Hereditary for all the right reasons. This film gets a 10/10.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/12/23
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Audience Member
While it's a good looking low budget horror feature, it's too damned long and I was only about halfway invested in after a certain point, because it does feel overlong and meandering at times.
Rental?
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/07/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Slow, boring with a twist that you won't bother waiting for.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
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Audience Member
Eric Stanze has been a leader of the underground/no-budget film movement for the last decade. His work is usually as thought-provoking as it is visually striking. This time around he presents a ghost story where nearly everyone, and thing, is haunted, either physically, meta-psychically, or metaphorically. But just because your subject is lifeless, doesn't mean the film should be too. Stanze's static camera doesn't so much reinforce the thematic subtext as it brings things to a screeching halt. Long sequences where characters just stand and talk about the story, doing nothing else, barely even interacting with one another, attempt to create a sort of slow burn but instead fizzle out from dullness. My thought is that Stanze has always fallen in love with his footage (justifiably so, his camera work is often fantastic) and should probably have someone else edit his work - DEADWOOD PARK only reinforces this belief.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/09/23
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Audience Member
The story is fairly original and quite engaging. It develops slowly, at times too slowly, but its slow development and lingering scenic shots serve to build a sense of eerieness that reminds me of an M.R. James story. The cinematography and editing are both very well done and the musical score is good. The acting isn't great but it is good. The multiple flashbacks are very simply and effectively handled and do not create the confusion that flashbacks often can. The special effects work is not all that good (with the major exception of an excellent creature in the WWII flashback) but this film is not so reliant on special effects for that to matter much. All in all, this unusual twist on the idea of a vampire movie is an exceptional low budget horror movie and well worthy of three-and-one-half or maybe four stars.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/13/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Not bad for a low low budget film...
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/07/23
Full Review
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