Scared to Death is as much an homage to film as it is a tribute to horror movies itself. The story kicks off with ambitious production assistant, Jasper (Olivier Paris), scouting a location in his off time. Why? For a movie of course. He wants to conduct a seance there with the cast and crew of the film he is working on for research. Fanboy and property manager, Felix (Bill Moseley), is eager to make it happen. Of course this house has a history. A haunted history filled with ghosts, dead kids, and things under the bed. Paul Boyd writes and directs this playfully silly horror comedy and lets the actors to have fun, even if the story stalls here and there.
I’d like to point out that this film begins with a nice, long opening scene in which Jasper and Felix exploring the spooky house. No jarring cold open, but a chance to explore the setting, to learn about it. It was a refreshing change to the typical slap in the face that so many movies start with lately. Oh god I sound old.
Jasper heads back to the soundstage where tyrannical director Max (Lin Shaye) is attempting to direct The Grog (Kurt Deimer) in a promo for his next movie, DEAD HOUSE. The Grog is one of those Kane Hodder types that every horror fan knows from his countless credits. “Use the back of your throat,” Max tells him, “Like when you yell at women.” Jasper pitches the idea of doing a seance for the production but is shot down. In the next scene Max steals his idea during a meeting. Kindhearted producer Ruth (Rae Dawn Chong) tells Jasper he can shoot behind the scenes footage at the seance and the story is off.
The Grog, Jasper, and Max descend on the expansive mansion along with the other actors in the project, Lena (Victoria Konefal) and Johnny (B.J. Minor). Felix is on hand to conduct the seance and to geek out over meeting The Grog. After some wine, some cocaine, and a little gossip the seance begins. That’s when the circle is broken and things go horribly wrong. That’s to be expected since 5 orphans died there after being scared to death.
The film is funny for sure and allows for a few predictable jump scares now and again. What really makes this movie a standout is the chance to see both Mosley and Shaye chewing the scenery in a broad horror comedy. Mosley is disarming as the well-mannered fanboy in way over his head with ghosts. Meanwhile Shaye is in total bitch mode and it is hysterical. You can’t take your eyes off of either of them.
Of course we learn more about the haunted orphanage, the ghosts cause havoc, and certain characters meet a ghastly, or should I say ghostly fate. The film never really seems to reach the zany heights or the terrifying lows it reaches for, but the ride is too much fun to give up on. Boyd gives us an entertaining 90+ minutes of housebound mayhem with a collection of fun characters, creepy ghosts, and a little possession and I enjoyed it.
