Aunt Rose (Horror)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C-     Extras: D     Feature: D

 

 

Wow, it has been a while since we have seen something this bad, but being in the declining Horror genre, that is no surprise.  Sure, lots of low budget pieces get made in the genre, now more than ever since digital video has encouraged so many to try and shoot something, especially since the dim-witted Blair Witch Project came along and made things worse.  James Tucker’s Aunt Rose (2005) is a truly dumb and awful exercise in sub-amateurism about three killers (they always show up in threes lately) go on a murder spree and this time, there is a sick family on the other end ready to kill them.

 

Unfortunately, what could have at least been a workable idea with some fun, we instead get a very badly directed, very badly edited, very badly cast and acted mess that does not know if it is coming or going.  I was shocked how bad this was and that this even made DVD.  The lack of energy in a non-Horror way on every level is embarrassing and how the cast did not fall asleep during production is impressive.

 

Ultimately, this is a mess and the make-up effects are a wreck.  Just like a crime scene where the police are trying to secure the area, there is “nothing to see here!”

 

The letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image was shot on digital video and looks awful.  Color is off, definition is weak (especially some shots which are VHS/Beta level) and the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is one of the worst we have encountered in a long time, with harshness throughout, bad mix decisions and awful fidelity Dolby cannot be blamed for in the least.  The only extra is a behind the scenes featurette, which is like watching a train wreck.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo