13 Days of Halloween: Horror Movie Review: All Hallows’ Eve (2013)

More famous now for introducing the horror world to Art the Clown, All Hallows’ Eve is a horror anthology written and directed by Damien Leone. It stars Katie Maguire, Catherine Callahan, Marie Maser, Kayla Lian, and Mike Giannelli.

The wraparound story surrounds an unmarked VHS tape that ends up in the bag of a young boy when he was out trick or treating with his sister. Their babysitter Sarah refuses to let them watch it initially but eventually relents and that leads into the first story.

In this story, Art the Clown (at his maniacal best) kidnaps a young woman and when she wakes up, she finds herself chained up in a room with two other women. Don’t worry about the Saw-vibes, this story is about to go off the rails. Turning into a maddening blend of horror that features a monster with a cleaver, a cult of Satanists and even the horny one himself. Making the trip out of Hell to rape the lead.

It’s baffling, in bad taste and delightfully entertaining. So much so that Sarah sends the kids to bed and then decides to continue watching the VHS alone.

The second story is less contrived and thus, less captivating even if it does tell a fun alien-related horror story. One that sees a woman alone at home assaulted by a recently arrived extra-terrestrial being. One with tentacles and a lust for blood.

Lastly, the final story is all about Art the Clown as he sets about chasing down and attempting to murder a young woman who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Easily the best story, simply because it features the homicidal clown and his gleefully violent ways are incredibly entertaining to watch.

Of course, in between the stories, strange things have begun to occur in the house Sarah is in and the ending will see her have her own run-in with the clown.

All Hallows’ Eve is an excellent anthology provided you enjoy the character of Art the Clown. He is the connection that ties them all together even if he isn’t always the focal point. As Terrifier would later prove, when he is, the experience is downright transcendent.

It’s a movie with a great wraparound and some really interesting story ideas. The first is so off the wall, it’s incredibly entertaining. The second lacks punch and the third is a contained example of what we would get with the movie Terrifier. Lots of violence and lots of gore. That’s a bloody good return for an anthology.