‘Dr. Saville’s Horror Show’ VOD Review
Stars: Allen Valor, Michael Hanelin, Honda King, Ashlieya Mariano, Kristina Cat, Kirk Levingar, Harley Queen, Christina Sbraccia, Dan Weisberger, Vienna Hayden, Crystal Inzunza, Jaykumar Shah, Kristi Lawrence | Written by Craig W. Chenery, Kevin R. Phipps, Allen Valor, Kirk Levingar | Directed by Keith R.Phipps
Dr. Saville’s Horror Show sees loving husband and father Michael finding himself stranded in an airport lounge during a winter storm. When a mysterious woman buys him a drink and invites him back to her hotel room, his mind wanders from his wedding vows for the briefest of moments and he blacks out. He wakes up strapped to a chair in the dark lair of the mysterious Dr. Saville.
Dr. Saville tortures and manipulates Michael to coerce a confession from him. As he slowly digs deeper into Michael’s mind and fractures his reality, Saville weaves together three dark and twisted stories with a common theme. Be careful what you wish for, as you never know who might be listening.
First up is Consume, which sees unhappy bride-to-be Anna take drastic actions before her wedding day when she swallows a bioengineered tapeworm to help with her weight loss goals. As her big day approaches, she discovers she may have ingested more than she bargained for. A blood-soaked, slimy effects-led tale, Consume is the best of the three stories in this anthology, at least in terms of being focused solely on horror – in this case, grisly Cronenberg-esque body horror as Anna turns from worried bride-to-be to bridezilla. Literally. The only downside to this one is that it drags on a little too long to be truly effective.
It’s Complicated continues the anthology and follows a recently separated bachelor who, after a string of bad dates, awakes one morning to find the woman of his dreams curled up on his kitchen floor in a puddle of black slime. As their whirlwind romance escalates, he discovers a dark side to his new lover which causes him to rethink his views on dating and what he thought was love at first sight – in a tale that takes Fatal Attraction to horrific new heights… It’s Complicated really ups the gore quotient from the previous short, with hands cut off, throats torn out and fingers chewed off in what is essentially a ridiculously monstrous take on those legendary “just add water” seas monkeys from kids comics of old!
The final tale in Dr Saville’s Horror Show is Break, which tells the story of a loving father who struggles to keep his children safe from harm after barricading them in his home during an undead outbreak. His efforts to protect his family are hindered by a dwindling supply of food and weapons. However, the greatest threat to the family’s chances of survival lies closer than the horde of bloodthirsty zombies clawing their way in. Break is a more understated tale, but it’s more impactful for the true nature of what’s happening in this short story. A story that unfolds in such a way that brings together the wraparound story, and the first story in this anthology, Consume. It’s a clever play on the anthology format AND a refreshingly brilliant take on zombie films… But to say any more would spoil the remarkable truth of this segment!
Unfortunately for Dr Saville’s Horror Show, the very thing that gives the film its name – the wraparound featuring the ritual doctor – is the weak link in a chain of brilliant storytelling. Some over-the-top acting and nonsensical plotting do not a good wraparound story make. Honestly, if it weren’t for the fact that there is only one filmmaker credited in directing this film I would’ve sworn the shorts were helmed by totally different filmmakers – it not only feels out of place but it looks totally different too!
Taken alone, the trio of stories on display here make for a near-perfect anthology film, one that sits up there with some of the best. Sadly the film is dragged down by the aforementioned wraparound, which outstays its welcome with performances that feel shallow and inauthentic, in what is the antithesis of the rest of the film!
**** 4/5
Dr. Saville’s Horror Show is available on digital platforms now.
