13 Nights of Hallowe'en 2010: #2 Ring Around the Rosie

Tonight's movie is Ring Around the Rosie (2006). This movie stars Gina Philips, whom you might remember from such horrors as Dead & Breakfast, and Jeepers Creepers. She is joined for most of thefilm by Tom Sizemore. Tom isn't generally known as a horror actor but he gets the occasional parts that diverge from his mostly police dramas and action roles. You may have seen him in Stephen King's Dreamcatcher, and The Relic. Here he plays the creepy handyman to the house Gina's character has inherited, a haunted house, in more ways than one. You might also recognise Jenny Mollen from the final season of Angel. Along with the haunting, and the mystery surrounding it, as if that isn't enough, there is isolation and stranger paranoia. If you think that's a lot crammed in, there's more, but I don't like to spoiler. In any event it's all good.


There is one scene I really wish I could tell you about, but you'll probably know it when you see it. I like the overall haunting elements in this movie. I love the paint job in the house--I want walls that gorgeous red colour. The lighting and shadows are really exciting too. If this were a review I'd certainly rave about Sizemore's character. I've always been a fan of his acting and here it's hard to tell where the writing ends and his acting takes over, but for me his role certainly made the film much more than it would have been on just the strength of the haunting alone. There are shades of Boogeyman (2005) in the movie too. So, you just noticed I didn't mention the director yet. Well that's because this is the only movie listed for his director credits. Pity that, considering I like this little low budget horror--the budget didn't need to be high for the few effects. It runs fine on just acting, story and atmosphere.

Mood: steady.

Music: Spookshow Baby by Rob Zombie. MP3s