PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Every decade spawns a new horror slasher icon. The 1970’s introduced us to Leatherface and Michael Myers. The 80’s brought upon Jason Vorhees, Freddy Kreuger, and the infamous Chucky doll. While screaming into the 1990’s we were given Candyman and Ghostface. The early 2000’s sprung life into Leslie Vernon and Victor Crowley. What would the late 2000’s bring? Look no more, because this is the age of Pitchfork!
In his directorial debut, Emmy Award nominee Glenn Douglas Packard takes us on a journey with the 2017 film Pitchfork. On September 23rd, 2016 it premiered at the Hot Springs Horror Film Festival, where Packard scared up the award for “Best First Time Film Maker Horror”. Uncork’d Entertainment acquired the rights to Pitchfork and it was released theatrically for a limited time on January 6th, 2017 and then sent to VOD on January 13th, 2017.
Official Synopsis of Pitchfork:
After sharing a secret about himself, Hunter brings a group of friends from NYC back to his family farm for a weekend break. They quickly learn that secrets can be deadly as they are stalked by a twisted and disturbed beast, Pitchfork.
Let’s break down why I personally think this slasher film is amazing. This film is a bloody forking good time. It has all the elements of your favorite slasher movies filled with that campy 1980’s cheese vibe. Plus it has those characters you love to hate with absolutely no redeeming qualities, which has you rooting for the bad guy aka Pitchfork.
Like any good backwoods slasher flick, you better not have sex otherwise you will be delivered with the most brutal death of anyone. Pitchfork follows this formula above and beyond your typical psychopath.
The characters are really what drives the story. This is one slasher that likes to bond with his victims, which ironically isn’t even the most disturbing part of this film. I won’t even go into detail because it’s just something that you are going to have to discover all on your own.
Brian Raetz as Hunter and Lindsey Nicole as Claire are extremely likable in their given roles. Daniel Wilkinson as Pitchfork is maybe the most adorable fucked up killer I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. I mean, who wouldn’t fall in love with this baby bear face even if he is slicing you up with his pitchfork?
The two stand alone performances for me, however, were from Andrew Dawe-Collins wearing his holey long johns shirt as Pa and Rachel Carter with her disgusting relentless smile as Ma. She made this film special and seriously had the song, “He’s got the whole world in his hands” stuck in my head for two days. There is also a really fun barn dance which is so completely random that you can’t help wish you were doing the ho-down with them.
Final Thoughts:
Pitchfork is most certainly an underrated gem that everyone needs to see! The first part of the movie is a little bit all over the place, however, the last half is down right cringe-worthy in the best way possible. Overall: I laughed, I cried, I may have even threw up in my mouth a little and had to look away in disgust… but man, could we ask for anything more in a horror film? For this being Packard’s first directing debut, I am very excited to see what he comes up with next. Hopefully, he will become a big name in horror as the years go on! Do yourself a favor and watch this lovable “forked “up story that is Pitchfork!
