Director Matt Stuertz’s second feature film is a combination of classic horror tropes and a nostalgically glorious shout out to the 80’s with a contemporary twist. Cabin Fever-meets-Pet Sematary-meets-Texas Chainsaw Massacre – combined with classic POV shots reminiscent of Black Christmas and Friday the 13th, TONIGHT SHE COMES is a smorgasbord of over-the-top gore, sex, evil hillbillies, satanic blood sacrifices and the supernatural – what more could you want?
The film connects a group of strangers after a girl goes missing. As the truth about her disappearance is revealed, her friends are left fighting for their lives; running from a seemingly unstoppable killer. What follows is a surreal set of events that cements the future cult status of this 70’s and 80’s slasher-inspired horror.
Lovers of early slasher cinema will feel right at home in the arms of this insanely disturbing and outrageous take on the genre. The extreme body horror and often comically excessive gore will have audiences in stitches one minute and searching for a pillow to hide behind the next. The film doesn’t just stop at slasher territory either: Stuertz has successfully destroyed any lines that could restrict the rich tapestry of horror sub-genres this film brilliantly weaves together.
This unrelenting gore-fest is a must for fans of grind-house.
With underlying themes of female sexuality wrapped in a horror guise, TONIGHT SHE COMES has the power to provoke discussion as well as gag reflexes. Stuertz has clearly had fun with this but hasn’t forgotten the substance which busts through the film’s blood-soaked aesthetic.
The synth score alone, courtesy of Wojciech Golczewski, is something to behold and the way Stuertz exaggerates the audio means a phone ringing is enough to make you jump. As the film so generously suggests: This film should be played loud as hell.
This unrelenting gore-fest is a must for fans of grind-house and for those just looking to get their yearly horror fix in one sitting. The merging of classic genre conventions and with its pick ‘n’ mix of horror tropes from across sub-genres, makes TONIGHT SHE COMES an homage that horror fans have been waiting for.
TONIGHT SHE COMES screens at Cambridge Film Festival at 11:00pm on Wednesday 25th October at The Arts Picturehouse. Click here to book tickets.