NIGHT AT THE HARVEST screened at the Hollywood Independent Filmmaker Awards & Festival and won the Silver award for Best Narrative Horror Feature: A young woman struggles with recovery after being attacked one year ago on Halloween night. Her sister and a posse of friends are planning a Halloween get together they want to be the highlight of their year. However, an hellish ancient curse triggers a killer that relentlessly stalks the group.
So Says the WORD
Written and directed by Chris Carter and Jessica Morgan (who also is one of the lead roles), NIGHT OF THE HARVEST filmmakers tell a superbly intricate, grisly story drawing on elements of supernatural horror, family drama and sundry archives of suspense, drama and – believe it not not – comedy about the dark roots of the Halloween tradition. Oops. Not dark roots, rather the deepest unimaginable roots of Halloween – and horror.
The veteran filmmakers’ repertoire and cachet include wiley tricks and aces up the sleeve when not tricks, resulting in a horror movie that can freak the bejesus out of most audiences without relying on gratuitous violence, though there are slice-and-dice-like moments and scenes in the movie.
NIGHT OF THE HARVEST narrative and plot have an imaginative mix of film philosophy, history and traditions for a cinematic vista of the origins of Halloween through the lens of the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a time when so-called ‘Doorways to the Otherworld” opened, allowing supernatural beings and the souls of the dead to strut into this world.
Most Halloweeners probably have little idea about the Samhain festival, which is essentially a fest for “an extradimensional cosmological plane that lies parallel to physical existence.” But they will pick up enough to enhance their movie-watching experiences.
Uh Oh
NIGHT OF THE HARVEST was shot on a limited independent budget and the directors wore multiple hats for cinematography, makeup, and set decoration to name a few. They were determined they would not be holding to anyone about how they told their story. It is on multiple digital platforms as of September 24. Halleluiah, I don’t say I like this film. Rather, it’s more accurate to state: I was possessed by this film and was stunned to learn that I was possessed, that my mind, body and soul had been seduced by incredible story telling that had me suspending belief beyond belief.
The film was shot on a limited independent budget and the directors wore multiple hats, such as those for cinematography, makeup, and set decoration to name a few. They were determined to be not holding to anyone about how they told their story and that seemed to this reviewer-writer that there was a steady stream of juxtaposition-ing, from minute to grand, decisions and resoluting to make this film the scream that it is.
NIGHT OF THE HARVEST is on multiple digital platforms as of today, September 24, 2024. Halleluiah. I don’t dare say I like this film. Rather, it’s more accurate to state that I was possessed by this film early on in story and was stunned to learn that I was possessed, that my mind, body and soul had been seduced by incredible story telling that made me suspend belief beyond belief.
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Publisher, Editor Gregg W. Morris
Gregg W. Morris can be reached at gregghc@comcast.net, profgreggwmorris@gmail.com