The Fair Haired Child<\/p>\n
Malone Strikes Gold Again. \u00a0Once again, the director, cast, and crew all put in an excellent effort.<\/p>\n
A brief synopsis, then I’ll just shovel some praise.<\/p>\n
Based on a story by Matt Greenberg. \u00a0A socially awkward girl is kidnapped on her way home from her prep school. \u00a0She is cast into the basement of her kidnappers. \u00a0There she finds both Johnny and many warnings to beware the Fair Haired Child.<\/p>\n
Now the praise.<\/p>\n
Lindsay Pulsipher is about as perfect of a teenage heroine as any horror film could hope for. \u00a0Her performance as \u201cTar\u201d brings back a glory day in horror, when teenagers actually looked like teenagers. \u00a0Awkward, less than glamorous, and charming as all hell. \u00a0I hope the right people have seen this episode, and it leads to more work.<\/p>\n
Jesse Haddock performs brilliantly with all of the same grace. \u00a0\u201cJohnny\u201d is awkward, wide-eyed, and again looks like an honest teenager. \u00a0I’d like to hope the right people for Jesse are watching this, too.<\/p>\n
Horror fans are almost as starved for teenagers portrayed by teenagers as they are for good horror. \u00a0Even the extras in Tara’s classroom look like they are still young enough to be in a classroom.<\/p>\n
The longer these two characters remain in the dirt, the dirtier they get. \u00a0Both of the younger actors endure this very well. \u00a0As the story unfolds and becomes more intense, their performances make that transition from awkward to desperate with fluid precision.<\/p>\n
Lori Petty practically pulls double duty as the \u201cbefore\u201d and \u201cafter\u201d mother. \u00a0The transformation is violent, sudden, and final. \u00a0William Samples portrays the cowardly father Anton with terrific grace and honesty. \u00a0The dream sequence style of Anton’s memories were so well put together that they truly do resonate more fright into the rest of the story.<\/p>\n
This set is absolutely amazing. \u00a0The various props and decorations are no doubt even more of a treat to anyone who ever lugged their band equipment to and from school several times a week.<\/p>\n
William Malone mainstays that are welcome in the Fair Haired Child:<\/p>\n
Camera Tricks. \u00a0Yes, yes, and yes. \u00a0These movies are proof that although there is a time and place for the computer to do the heavy lifting, there is still very much a time and a place to let the camera do it as well.<\/p>\n
Piano Quartet in G Minor, Opus 25, Movement IV, composed by Johannes Brahms. \u00a0First heard in House on Haunted Hill, the same tune finds a bigger role in Fair-Haired Child. \u00a0Despite this one excerpt lending itself so well to creepy moments in horror, the entire piece is very soothing. \u00a0Crying kids, angry co-workers, even your own road rage. \u00a0Everyone needs this on their mp3 player.<\/p>\n
Gore where it’s needed. \u00a0Not excessive. \u00a0Not cowardly. \u00a0Logically, fifty gallons of blood don’t spray out of a violently attacked corpse. \u00a0Neither do five milliliters. \u00a0The Fair-Haired Child gets it just right.<\/p>\n
Evil Nurses. \u00a0I don’t know what any nurse ever did to this man, but I suspect she did it (if indeed there was a she to have done it, and if the it in question was truly done) some time between 1985 and 1999.<\/p>\n
Sound. \u00a0Our eyes are not our only sense. \u00a0Everything from the monster breathing to the tense score is spot-on.<\/p>\n
I’m honestly trying to think of any complaints. \u00a0I honestly can not.<\/p>\n
One final note, to segue naturally into the next review. \u00a0William Malone has stated that the inspiration for Parasomnia struck him while working on the Fair Haired Child. \u00a0Some of the art for Parasomnia was also developed in this period.<\/p>\n
Up next: \u00a0Parasomnia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Fair Haired Child Malone Strikes Gold Again. \u00a0Once again, the director, cast, and crew all put in an excellent effort. A brief synopsis, then I’ll just shovel some praise. Based on a story by Matt Greenberg. \u00a0A socially awkward girl is kidnapped on her way home from her prep school. \u00a0She is cast into … <\/p>\n