Asian-based horror films seem to be dying down recently. We have not seen an overflow of American remakes in a while (although another batch is on the way). But in the independent market, there has been an influx of Asian horror films that have caught the attention of the genre’s fans, and they seem to be going strong with their cult like status. GHOST MONTH is not really a film straight out of Asia, but it is geared toward that medium. It is another ghost story that is similar to films like THE GRUDGE and THE RING.
GHOST MONTH is about Alyssa, who takes a job as a housekeeper. Her employer, Miss Wu, is a very wealthy woman who lives in an expansive home with a lot of property. Alyssa really seems to enjoy her job there. She’s away from city life and recently has broken off an abusive relationship. All seems fine until Miss Wu stats doing rituals in the yard at night to ward off evil spirits. Alyssa mistakenly sweeps up some sacred ashes one morning, thinking they are just dirt. Miss Wu stops her and explains why the ashes are there. This angers the ghosts who then begin to haunt Alyssa. Miss Wu learns of this and warns Alyssa of the many rules that need to be followed to please the dead. But, as is to be expected in a horror film, things do not go as planned. Alyssa finds clues around the house that seem to be leading her toward a mystery. Something is not right with the house, and the problem extends even the next door neighbor. To make matters worse, Alyssa’s psycho ex-boyfriend is tracking her down as well.
This movie has the feeling of a film that Full Moon Pictures would have put out in its heyday of making great direct-to-video horror releases. It was not until I read the press release that I realized that Danny Draven had directed this film. I have enjoyed his work in the past, with films such as DARK HARVEST and DEATH BED. While those films were not perfect, they were very enjoyable, and the same can be said for GHOST MONTH.
While the film’s premise has been done a million times over, the pacing and overall flow of the plot work well. The fact that there are so few characters allows the audience to know and relate to them better. The script’s weakness, however, is its dialogue, which is nothing special. The characters seem to spend more time asking each other questions than advancing the plot. I am not saying that the acting is bad, but it is very linear, and the performances are affected by the poor dialogue.
The production values are good. The sets and locations are basic, but they do the job. The visual effects are not very impressive. Most of the time they look fake, but generally do not detract from the overall feel of the film. Really, what makes this film look so good is director Danny Draven’s use of lighting and shots, and the editing is especially impressive. In most independent horror films, the shots usually do not cut together very well and tend to be a bit jumpy. This film has a nice, smooth flow of shots to go with the pacing of the story. It is an overall very well-constructed film.
While GHOST MONTH does have its flaws, it is actually not a horror film. It does not rely on heavy special effects or gore to make it stand out, and it is not that scary, but the story is decent. I would say it is more of an American horror film with heavy Asian influence, but the story does not really dwell solely on the Chinese influence. It is more of a character piece about Alyssa and all the secrets that she has become part of and is running from. It is an overall decent ghost story that I am sure fans of Asian horror films will enjoy.
– Horror Bob
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- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
