Chillers (1987)

Directed by Daniel Boyd

Anthology films are fun like how Chinese buffets are fun. You can have some General Tso Chicken, but also have a little Kung Pao Chicken, then you can scoop up some Moo Goo Gai Pan, and even grab some eggrolls while you’re at it. Another reason why anthology films are also like Chinese buffets are that you never know the quality of what you about to ingest no matter how good it looks. When all is said is done, you either have a delectable meal…or you wind up sick to your stomach with food poisoning. That brings us to the film on our agenda today, Chillers.

Waiting for their heavily delayed bus to arrive at the station, a group of people tell each other about their recent nightmares to pass the time. You know, because skipping on a game of Uno to tell horrifying nightmares is a better way to ease boredom. The first story is about a girl who has the hots for her swimming instructor, only to learn that he is a ghost trying to kill her. The following tale involves a boy scout being terrorized by his scout master deep in the woods. The third story tells the tale of a woman with a crush on a TV weatherman who shows up at her crib after sending him a lover letter, only to reveal that he is a vampire. The next one involves a man with the power to bring the dead back to life, but resurrects a deceased axe murderer instead of his dead parents. The final nightmare is about a professor who accidentally brings an ancient Spanish demon, Ixpe, into the present which proceeds to possess one of his students to disastrous results. Then we call it a day with our wraparound story.

Bottom basement budget restrictions aside, each nightmare is pretty lackluster. Forget that it looks to be shot on a camcorder, the flick’s installments are quick, boring and nearly forgettable. Even in its best moment with the fourth nightmare, the concept is intriguing but the execution is terrible. Others like the boy scout and vampire weatherman stories are plain laughable, even though they are intended to be deadly serious. There are weak makeup effects and voice reverb overkill, but again the quality of the stories, not the budget, are to blame. 

Chillers is a low budget anthology horror film that has one of those cool VHS covers you probably saw in your local Blockbuster back in the day, but you might have never rented it out. Actually, that might have been a blessing for you, but it is the best thing about the movie. Unfortunately, it is also gives away the ending! In all fairness, you’ll probably correctly guess the wraparound story’s conclusion about ten minutes into the film, but it is likely to make you groan out loud with how it is portrayed as well.

Available on DVD as part of Troma’s Triple Terror Vol. 2, along with such other mindblowing cinematic masterpieces Evil Clutch and Beyond Evil…with DVD menu screens that give away their endings as well. If you are glutton for punishment, you can get the whole set from Amazon.  
Chillers is just another reason why bus travel is widely known as the worst form of public transportation. Apparently this won the "prestigious" Silver Scroll Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films...which is either completely a made up award like the ones you parents gave you for getting an A on a Math test or else it is a leg lamp.

RATING: WARNING! YOU HAVE ANGERED THE CREEPER SANTA!

1 out of 5 Creeper Santas

TRAILER...WHICH LIES ABOUT THE PLOT!!

LINKS:
OFFICIAL SITE