Tobias Canto’s Knock Knock (2017) opens on an advertisement for a psychic pizza joint; ‘Amadeus von Nostromo’. This place can predict your pizza order with their amazing soothsaying pizza chefs. This cheesy advert really sets the tone for what’s to come.

Sam “Stonefish” Grant (Kerry Tartack) is a retired boxer who just wants to live out his retirement in peace. Unfortunately, his peace is disrupted when his quirky neighbor Olivia (Sisi Berry) invites herself over to deal with the building’s vampire problem. Olivia has with her a strange box that she stole from the latest resident to move into the building. Sam listens incredulously as Olivia explains that the box contains some mystical voodoo and that it will prove the new neighbor is a vampire.

They are soon joined by more bizarre neighbors; high energy lumberjack-stoner, Dragon (Chuk Hell) and intelligent science geek, Gretchen (Rachel Atterson). Sam is regaled with spooky stories of their mysterious new neighbor who just moved in down the hall. Gretchen, Dragon, and Olivia are absolutely convinced that the new neighbor is a vampire and that they need to take great measures to destroy him.

Sam remains unconvinced, none of his neighbor’s stories have been particularly believable. As with any horror movie, things go even further downhill for Sam very quickly.

Knock Knock is a light-hearted romp, giving off heavy ‘Tim and Eric’ vibes. It is essentially a comedy with a whole heap of horror elements and references. If you are a classic horror fan, there are plenty of cheeky references in this film just for you. E.g. the pizza joint being called “Amadeus von Nostromo”, clearly a nod to the ‘Alien’ franchise.

Director Tobias Canto has achieved a lot with this film, considering it was entirely funded by donors. Canto has leaned into the low-budget vibe, giving Knock Knock a 90s student film vibe. This paired with the cheesy and spooky script makes for an aesthetically consistent, and pleasing film.

Most commendable is the film’s score, created by Stephen Canham. The music matches the visuals perfectly, with a soundtrack akin to ‘Stranger Things’ or ‘It Follows’. It has that low droning synth, setting the mood perfectly. Props to Stephen Canham for sneaking a Garageband loop into the score, in any other film this would be a terrible idea, but Canham made it work.

If you are a fan of Tommy Wiseau’s ‘The Room’, or ‘Tim and Eric’, and love 90s horror, this will hit all those notes for you. It’s fun from start to finish, and I mean literally finish; the credit reel is hilarious and has a post-credit scene for all you ‘Evil Dead’ fans out there.

Pop Art Pictures‘ 80s-Inspired Horror Comedy Knock Knock!! Available on Vimeo and Amazon