RAW REVIEW: VOLUMES OF BLOOD 2: HORROR STORIES

Those of you with good memories may well remember my review of the excellent indie anthology flick, Volumes of Blood, back in June of last year. If you can't, check out the review here.

It was a low-budget but imaginative single-setting genre movie that really impressed me.

So imagine my pleasure when producer PJ Starks over at Verite Cinema reached out to me asking if I'd like to review the sequel, Horror Stories.
This time featuring a selection of spooky tales all taking place within the confines of one house, the film once again gathers some of the most talented up-and-coming genre directors.
Is this a house I'll want to stay in?
Or is it one I'll be ready to condemn?
Read on…

VOLUMES OF BLOOD: HORROR STORIES (2016)




Dir: Sean Blevins, John William Holt, Nathan Thomas Milliner, Jon Maynard, Justin M. Seaman, James Treakle, PJ Starks
Starring: Barbie Clark, Warren Ray, Thomas Dunbar, Aric Stanish, Nathan Thomas Milliner, Kevin Roach, Shelby Taylor Mullins, Jacob Ewers, Erin Troutman, Christopher Bower, Caleb Shore, Kevin Arnold, Bridgette Michelle Hoover, Moses J. Moseley, Jessica Schroeder, Julie Streble, Jay Woolston, Cindy Maples, Eric Huskisson, Anne Welsh

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here but continue at your own risk.

The film opens with a segment, directed by Miliner, in which a group of hardened criminals (Clark, Ray and Dunbar) rob an isolated warehouse. However, while they are there their grizzled veteran leader tells the story of Atticus Crow, a man wrongfully killed on the site who now seeks revenge.

After the group proceed to scheme against each other, they come to realise that they may have more to fear than one another...

However, this segment is abruptly revealed to be a part of a movie within a movie, a modern remake of the slasher film, Murder Death Killer, from the first VoB. In a crowded cinema two obnoxious patrons, Nate (Milliner in an acting role) and Kev (Roach) loudly bemoan the state of modern horror. The pair are ejected from the screen and return home where they settle down with a movie, Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories. But they are soon joined by an unexpected guest.

From here — after a brief interlude entitled Trick or Treat, which features a young woman, Mallory (Mullins) besieged in her own home on Halloween night, with some pretty astonishing gore AND links the events of this movie to the first VoB — we get into (another) framing story, Killer House, about a young couple, Ash (Ewers) and Laurie (Troutman) being shown around a house by a creepy realtor, Mr Stine (Bower). 

As the couple visit each room we are given a terrifying glimpse of the house's troubled past.

The first of these stories, Feeding Time, features a young insurance salesman, Boone (Shore) who is desperate to make a tough sale. When he gets to the house he is met by a distraught and disturbed young Mallory (yes, the same Mallory from the Trick or Treat segment), who begs him for help with a monster in the house. One which needs killing...
In the next story, Blood Bath, a young man, Andrew (Arnold) and his wife Sara (Hoover), decide to start trying for a baby... and then the bathtub eats Sara. Andrew, who it emerges has neglected to take his medication for a psychological disorder, then faces the challenge of convincing his friend Steven (The Walking Dead's Moseley) and the authorities that his bath is a killer.
The following segment, Fear, For Sinners Here, is a timely Christmas tale about a woman, Carol (Schroeder) who seems to be struggling to cope during the Festive period. Then a sinister carol singer (Streble) comes calling...
In the final segment, The Deathday Party, we are given a look at the darkness behind the scenes of the marriage of a seemingly respectable couple, John (Woolston) and Almeda (Maples), when they are visited by their neighbours Fred (Huskisson) and Nancy (Welsh) for John's birthday. It seems Almeda has got her elderly husband an extra special treat this year...

THE BEST BITS (MILD SPOILER WARNING): The first movie was one of those rare indie flicks that manages to mask its modest budget and display impressive production values — well, Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories looks even better!

The multiple cinematographers for the movie are all on top form and deliver slick, polished imagery.

However, it's not just from a visual standpoint that this sequel surpasses the ambition of its predecessor. The film boasts a more complex and intricate structure, while the density of the plot is refreshingly rich. This is not just evident in the film as a whole, but in each of its segments.
While the original Volumes of Blood clearly had some sections that outshone others, the segments in Horror Stories are more consistent and it is far more difficult to single any out for praise.
If I was to be forced to, I'd probably pick the truly excellent Christmas tale, Fear, For Sinners Here as my favourite. Directed by Milliner, this is a more subdued story, rich with pathos and rides squarely on the shoulders of a pair of spectacular performances by the wonderfully fragile Schroeder and the superb Streble. 
The pair bring the story to life with frightening aplomb, while the majestic shooting and composition by Milliner ensures that this is a story that will live with you long after the end credits roll.
Throw in a pair of legitimately shocking plot twists and this is the finest anthology segment I've seen this year.
Another of my favourite sections, Murder Death Killer (again helmed by the seriously talented Milliner, who also gave us the impressive Encyclopedia Satanica in the first film), is a rip-roaring slasher movie homage combined with a crime thriller and left me itching to see more of Atticus Crow. Much like I loved this fictional movie's equally fictional predecessor in the first Volumes of Blood, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the team responsible for this segment will one day give us a feature length version of Atticus' bloody rampage. Please, guys, we need more!
It looks great (using the desolate, dusty landscape and shadowy interiors to ramp up the atmosphere), while the cast impress (especially the gruff and charismatic Ray).
In truth, the cast are strong throughout the entire movie, with standout performances from the absolutely awesome Bower (who NEEDS to be a continuing part of this franchise moving forwards), and the extremely likeable Caleb Shore in John William Holt's Feeding Time (he has kind of a 'Chris Pratt'-vibe about him that could lead to big things in his future); and his co-star Shelby Taylor Mullins — who more than delivers the goods with what is essentially a dual role. Feeding Time also features one of the more nightmarish pieces of imagery, while Mullins' other segment, the Sean Blevins-directed Trick or Treat, offers the most disturbing gore (no mean feat for a movie that also features an underground torture chamber and lawnmower rampage!).
You see, it's not just the pretty visuals that are polished and effective — the gore effects are also spectacular throughout. The final segment, which draws together both Killer House and Trick or Treat, all while tying in to the That's a Wrap framing story of the original VoB, is a veritable bloodbath and offers plenty of splatter, grue and guts for those of you who look your horror more visceral.
Speaking of bloodbaths, the segment of the same name also impresses, through it's trio of talented leads and the fact that it keeps the audience guessing right up until the conclusion of its brief, punchy runtime. It's also one with plenty of references to other horror flicks, and that's something that eagle-eyed viewers will be able to pick up on throughout the movie. Early on we are shown a message onscreen that this is a horror movie made by fans, for the fans. With these bountiful references, right through to the movie's classy dedication to recently departed genre icons, Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories really is a love-letter to the classic horror movies of yesteryear. It's intense, but it's also good fun, and isn't that what we really want from our entertainment?
Nowhere is this more obvious than in Justin M. Seaman's rip-roaring and surprising Deathday Party segment. With a top-drawer cast of seasoned actors, plus a grim dark vein of humour running through it, Seaman's short walks the difficult thin line of keeping its horror horrifying yet providing some wry laughs, and the segment is a real hit for it.
There are also laughs aplenty in P.J. Stark's Haters part of the film, with most of the quotable dialogue ('It Follows? It SWALLOWS!') coming from this snappy little framing story.
So in short, whether you want fun OR frights, Horror Stories is your place to go.

THE WORST BITS (MILD SPOILER WARNING): There's really very little to find fault with in Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories. I suppose it's worth reiterating that, while the production values are really quite excellent, obviously this movie is less polished than the year's big studio genre flicks such as The Conjuring 2 or Lights Out. That's not saying they're bad at all, but do please adjust your expectations accordingly.

I've seen some criticism for the less experienced members of the cast. Some of the crew do play roles onscreen in this movie, as they did in the first movie, and it's safe to say that not all of them show the same ability as the astonishingly funny P.J. Starks did in the original. However, for the most part I think the vast majority of the actors in this movie are genuinely great and even those who are less experienced deliver committed performances. I absolutely refuse to single out any weak links here, I think each and every person who appears onscreen should take real pride in their efforts.

Another area in which I've seen some criticism levelled at Horror Stories is the overly convoluted and complex narrative. Now, while I can sort of see the problem here, I also disagree with this argument. While no film NEEDS two (or possibly even three) framing stories to tie it together and, yes, this can be a little confusing at times (I'll admit, it's pretty easy to lose track of exactly which story is meant to be fiction within fiction), it's also brave and shows some real skill and intelligence. I applaud any effort to take risks and try something new in our genre, so I utterly support the filmmakers' decision.

A related critique could be that this causes the movie to run a little long, and clocking in at nearly two hours is quite lengthy for a horror movie. However, while the film may feel a little indulgent to some, I'm hard-pressed to think of any areas in which it could be trimmed without losing some of the charm that makes it so enjoyable. Maybe there's the odd minute or two here and there, but if anything, I wanted to see some of the stories EXPANDED upon, not cut back!

It can be argued that by the end of the movie the film loses a little momentum and perhaps this is true. There's a lovely twist reveal late on that suggests we'll be seeing more of the extended Volumes of Blood mythos, but this is then followed by a lengthy massacre sequence that doesn't really grip in the same way that a similar set-piece during the first film's It's a Wrap segment did. It's not bad by any stretch, it's just that it doesn't quite hit the height of some of the earlier stories.

THE VERDICT: The first Volumes of Blood was an easy recommendation. If you've seen that movie, you'll want to know how this sequel measures up. Rest assured, this is a natural extension and expansion on everything that has come before. It's a great second entry in what I really hope will become an ongoing genre franchise.
It's great fun and has some legitimately scary moments. With no real clunkers and a couple of genuinely brilliant segments, this is a fine horror anthology. I return to the message in the movie that this is a film made for love of horror and I think that really shines through. It's wonderful to see filmmakers so passionate about the genre that we all love and I hope that we see more of them, especially the truly great Nathan Thomas Milliner. If the original Volumes of Blood established P.J. Starks in my sights as a talent to watch in the future, this movie has made me a Milliner fan.
Is Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories worth your time? Absolutely, and I can't wait to see what everybody involved will come up with to entertain us next. 
Check out the movie's official Facebook page here for more information. Be sure to give it a Like while you're there too, show some appreciation!

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

RAW REVIEW: VOLUMES OF BLOOD

The ongoing horror anthology trend seems to be showing no signs of slowing down.

Given a well deserved shot in the arm with the release of the likes of V/H/S and ABCs of Death, it's become a genre staple once again.

I've reviewed my fair share of indie anthologies recently, from the low-fi charms of Voices From The Grave to the flamboyantly theatrical Tales of Poe... and now I've another to add to the list.

A collaboration by a talented group of filmmakers, Volumes of Blood sets all five of its stories of murder, madness and the macabre by five different directors in a library.

So is this a movie to book some time with? Or will you want to turn the volume down?

Read on...

VOLUMES OF BLOOD (2015)

Dir: Jakob Bilinski, Nathan Thomas Milliner, John Kenneth Muir, P.J. Starks and Lee Vervoort

Starring: Jason Crowe, Roni Jonah, Alexandria Hendrick, Garret Smith, Gerrimy Kieffer, Louisa Torres, Jim O'Rear, Todd Reynolds, Jordan Phillips, Elissa Grant, Louisa Torres, Kristine Renee Farley, Kevin Roach, Paige Ward, Grant Niezgodski, Vixen Lucy Lynn/Courtney Eastmon, Kevin Clark, Alex Vanover, Jeff Armstrong

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here, but continue at your own risk.

A wonderfully Eighties slasher style opening shows bimbo Linda (Lynn/Eastmon) and the tough-talking jock Rod the Bod (Clark) who find themselves stalked by a mysterious masked maniac... however, this turns out to be a movie within a movie, being watched by lovable slacker Loomis (Vanover). Loomis is in a lecture at college and the subject discussed by Mr Roth (Armstrong) turns to urban legends.

After a lecture theatre shock, we join one of Roth's students, Bryan (Kieffer) as he meets three friends, handsome movie enthusiast Reece (Smith); smart and sassy Kaelin (Jonah) and loudmouthed Tyler (Crowe) in the library. The four each decides to create their own urban legend which they plan to circulate. Each then takes turns to tell their own creepy tale...

A LITTLE PICK ME UP — Late at night a female student (Hendrick) is desperately trying to finish a paper. Exhausted, she is surprised when a mysterious man by the name of Lucem Ferre (O'Rear) appears and offers her a free sample of Ka-Pow!, a brand new energy drink produced by his company. At the end of her tether, will the shattered girl accept his offer? And with what consequences?

GHASTLY — As a Librarian (Phillips) closes for the night a strange woman (Grant) hands in an unfamiliar book. After the building empties, the Librarian looks to put the books away before leaving. However, as we slowly come to realise, he isn't as alone as he first believes…

13 AFTER MIDNIGHT — Sidney (Ward) is attempting to finish an assignment in the library but is interrupted by her wacky goofball boyfriend Norman (Niezgodski). Despite his insistence, she tells him that she cannot join him at a party until she's finished her work, but eventually acquiesces to join him later. However, the next thing Sidney knows she's waking up in the abandoned library... and being stalked by a fur-covered beast. As her plight becomes more desperate she realises that she has to fight for her life... or lose it.

ENCYCLOPEDIA SATANICA – Librarian Paige (Farley) is guilt ridden  after the suicide of her ex Derek (Roach). As she talks with her kindly boss Travis (Reynolds), the pair chance upon an eldritch tome, The Encyclopedia Satanica. 

Full of ancient and otherworldly rituals and incantations, Travis soon deduces that this is not one of the library's books. As he flicks through the pages he finds a way to summon the dead, by simply kissing the book and calling their name. He wants to throw the book away, but Paige says she'll put it in lost property and sends him home.

Left alone with just her guilt and memories for company, Paige faces a dark temptation. Can the book really bring Derek back... And at what cost?

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): A collaboration between five directors for Verite Cinema and the Unscripted Film School, Volumes of Blood feels very much like a collection of high-quality shorts. Each has its own feel and tone, ranging from seriously scary to gruesomely gory via funny frights. Essentially, it's a tasty little horror buffet that offers something for any genre fan's appetite.

Each segment offers its own unique charms. John Kenneth Muir's A Little Pick Me Up, feels the most like an old-fashioned Creepshow or Tales From The Crypt portmanteau segment. The story, by Todd Martin, is punchy and the deadly energy drink hook is pretty damn good. Think a diabolical Limitless with a cool as Hell gore effects conclusion. With a great lead performance from the clearly very talented Hendrick and a creepily charismatic turn from horror stalwart O'Rear, this is a fun little short.

Speaking of gore, there's what seems like a rather random, but incredibly well-executed blood and guts sequence early in the movie. It was only after doing a little research that I discovered this was the conclusion of P.J. Starks' Preylude short, the story of a fifth student that was released to help generate some buzz for VoB. If you're at all interested in watching this awesome short film, you can catch it right here! Check it out!

While these sequences are most certainly all about building to their blood-drenched climaxes, Jakob Bilinski's 13 After Midnight is a Carpenter-like exercise in tension, a suspenseful chase sequence with eye-catching Argento-esque lighting. Written by Martin once again, this features another central pair of great performances from the cute and bookish Ward and legitimately funny Niezgodski. I think it's vital to stress that the character of Norman could have been massively irritating (how often is the 'wacky funny guy' the character you can't wait to see get a chainsaw enema in a horror flick?), so it's a testament to the charming Niezgodski's acting talent that you end up liking him by the time he exits the library. With a zigzag twist in the tale, this is a very strong effort that combines some cool visuals, interesting characters and some clever tension-building.

I've mentioned some fantastic acting talent thus far and arguably the strongest cast is that of Nathan Thomas Milliner's Encyclopedia Satanica. The segment (which is written by Milliner and Martin) feels like it is portrayed as the crown jewel of the anthology, given the prime final slot and a longer runtime. Having seen it, I can totally understand why it is treated as such. The plot is layered, it deals with some wonderfully dark and deep themes and, given a little breathing room in which to tell its story, is a creepy and compelling short. First, let's talk about the solid trio of leads. Putting it simply, Farley is excellent. I wasn't familiar with her work prior to watching Volumes of Blood, but you can be assured that I will be looking out for her from now on. 

As brilliant as Farley is, it was Reynolds who best impressed me. This is an actor with real gravitas, whose delivery was impeccable. In a movie full of great performances, his stands out. Kudos sir!

Finally Roach adds some seriously sinister creepiness to his role. Marvellous work!

Like all the best ghost stories, this segment has a unique and timeless feel, not least due to Farley's quirky costume. With some fine scares (the creepy devil mask stands out as particularly memorable) and a nice pace, plus some cool visuals, this is a barnstormer of a chapter with an excellent conclusion.

Yet, for me, arguably the finest segment of the whole movie was P.J. Stark's black-and-white Ghastly. Largely without dialogue, this is a fine example of cultivating a scare through tension and suspense. The story is simple, and Phillips gives an assured performance, but here it is the camera that does the vast majority of the work. With some nightmarish and decidedly unsettling imagery, combined with some clever framing and editing, this is a genuinely frightening short. One of the characters jokingly mentions Insidious as he dismisses it, and I suppose some comparisons can be drawn between the eerie, black-clad phantoms in each story, but I found it more reminiscent of J-Horror, especially the Ju-On: The Grudge series. For those who don't know, I adore Takashi Shimizu's Grudge movies so this is strong praise indeed. I'd love to see Starks put together a feature-length American J-Horror-style flick (A-Horror?). Fingers crossed!

Speaking of Starks, his work in Lee Vervoort's That's A Wrap section of the movie (it's the wraparound story, see what they did there?) is very nearly show stealing. I'm talking laugh-out-loud hilarious, especially in a scene that smacks of great improv (I shall be saying 'Bring your A-Game, not your Ass Game' for some time after witnessing the side-splitting way in which Starks delivers the line). The finale gives the talent behind the cameras an opportunity to strut their stuff in front of the lens and, for the most part, they handle it admirably in a fun, gory slasher sequence. 

So we've got some smart and cool stories, a uniformly great cast and a versatile mix of genres from torture p0rn to campfire ghost story. What else could I possibly rave about? How about the super-assured direction from all five helmers and D.P. Bonnell's eye-catching, visually striking cinematography!

Despite its pretty small budget, Volumes of Blood looks amazing. These are talented filmmakers with real vision and a determination to make — and love of — great horror movies. I think they did a good job of it too.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): While the movie's plan to set all of its stories in the one location is an interesting gimmick (and I'm sure it certainly helped to keep the budget under control), it does come with some drawbacks.

First, while the filmmakers do their best to give each section a very different look (from the black and white of Ghastly to the garish lighting of 13 After Midnight and even the yellow motif of Encylopedia Satanica), unfortunately the rows upon rows of bookshelves become a little repetitive.

Don't get me wrong, it's an atmospheric setting, but it loses a little lustre after some time. 
Sadly this repetitiveness is not helped by the fact that each of the stories starts from one of two set-ups: frazzled student trying to get an assignment finished late at night or lone librarian attempting to close up for the evening. These are good starting points, but I can't help but wonder if there was something else that could have been used? Thankfully the stories do differ significantly once they get going, so there is less repetition than there may first seem and the plotlines and strong casts are more than good enough to overcome any set/location deja vu.
I have been very complimentary towards the acting, however, it wasn't always so polished. There were a few amateurs in the That's A Wrap segment (which is understandable, after all, these are people that usually work on the other side of the lens) and every now and then there was a little wobble with delivery. Luckily these are quite few and far between — and the less experienced performers tend to get less screentime than those who are more accomplished — so there's no real barrier to enjoying the movie.

THE VERDICT: Volumes of Blood is a blast! It's a fantastic example of what an anthology movie can offer — a variety of creepy tales to suit any taste, brought to life by some seriously talented filmmakers and actors. It's clear that the folks over at Verite Cinema are sitting on a wealth of promising directors and I shall watch them over the years ahead with great interest. This is an easy recommendation for any fans of portmanteau tales, or even those who just want to see some up and coming genre talent. Check it out, you won't regret it. 

Now can we please get the rest of Rod and Linda's slasher tale as a feature? Pretty please????

For more information on the movie, head over to Volumes of Blood's official Facebook page. While you're there, you should definitely give it a Like too, these guys deserves it. 

If you haven’t already, do please check out and like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House@HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.