Release Date: 18 Oct 2017
Run Time: 80 minutes
Origin: Canada
Mimi's Rating: 3 abandoned houses out of 5
Four friends on a camping trip take turns telling scary stories related to the nearby Ha Ha Cemetery.
The opening credits of this movie had me pointing at the screen like Leo in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It was filmed very locally to me, and I've driven down the same road the characters take many times. I've even gone camping in the national park not too far from where they are camping. So, you could say I was as giddy as a schoolgirl to see a movie filmed practically in my backyard.
Tales follows a group of four friends on a Camping trip. We meet Sarah, Katy, Ethan and Vincent. Together, they form our movie version of The Midnight Society. Of course, Are You Afraid of the Dark? was the first thing I thought when I learned of the concept of this movie. If you're unfamiliar, Are You Afraid of the Dark? was a Canadian children's horror anthology show that originally ran from 1991 to 1996 and featured a group of friends who would meet to tell scary stories around a campfire. It was a staple of spooky 90s children's television, so I could understand how it could be an inspiration. Yup, this is an anthology movie where each tale is a story told by our protagonists. So sit down by the fire and get ready for some terrifying tales.
Story One
A young woman visits the house where her parents died under mysterious circumstances.
Our first tale is a classic spooky house in the middle of nowhere story told by Katy. We get Evil Dead cam, and the shots of the figure stalking around the woods reminded me of the slasher classic The Burning. This first segment is full of homages to classic horror. There's a shot reminiscent of the classic Micheal Myers window shot, and during the climax, there's some lovely Giallo-esque lighting. My favourite sequence was when our protagonist descends into the basement. It's shot in a way that makes it appear she is entering a black void. It adds a nice level of suspense to the scene. There's a scene in the bathroom that's also very memorable. The segment ends with the protagonist captured by the mysterious hooded figure.
Break
The gang shares their theories on what happened. The banter between stories also reminded me of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, it's a welcome addition that adds to the movie's plot.
Story Two
Jake and Chelsea visit the Ha Ha Cemetery at night.
In story two, Ethan tells us of the mysterious 'Raven'. This segment has some decent kills, and it was fun to see The Raven fight the hooded figure. I liked the axe-stuck-in-skull gag, and the neck-slice effect was well crafted. We end the segment with the hooded figure defeating The Raven. Or has he?
Break
The group argues some more about the authenticity of the stories. When Ethan goes to the bathroom, he gets killed by an unseen figure. Meanwhile, Vincent shares the backstory of the mysterious hooded figure. He is a witch-hunter from the 1700s named Nathanial, who was cursed to kill his men.
Story Three
A group exploring in the woods are attacked by the undead.
Story number three is Vincent's. This segment is in B&W, which helps smooth out some of the rough edges. The characters in this story meet the witch hunter and his zombified men. We get a fun little zombie romp that might have some not-as-good acting but some of the best accents. I also loved that grody scalp rip and the zombie makeup was good for such a small budget.
Final Segment and Thoughts
I don't want to go too in-depth for this final part of the movie out of fear of ruining the ending. I will say that there was a twist that I did not see coming. So bravo, Tales from the Campfire, you managed to surprise me. There's also a decently choreographed fight scene when someone gets their final-girl powers activated.
In my opinion, Tales is a movie crafted by someone with a deep love for the genre. It's a scrappy little movie whose can-do attitude shines through. And the wrap-around segments tied it all together in a nice little bow. Check this out if you're a fan of horror anthologies, or classic horror in general.
Bonus: if anyone is curious, the Ha Ha Cemetery is a real place in New Brunswick.
Why you should watch:
You like anthology horror.
You like Canadian movies that aren't afraid to show it.
You like plucky low-budget films.
Why you shouldn't watch:
You don't like low-budget cinema.
You don't like amateur acting.