Alley Trash, A Choose Your Own Adventure Horror Film

Alley Trash is a brand new short film from Luke Meneok. The major difference between this and other short films, though, is that you get to choose how this one turns out. Inspired by the old Choose Your Own Adventure book series, viewers navigate through the story by picking between two options at various points throughout the film. Alley Trash features characters from some of Meneok’s other films, such as Blackbags and Banana Seat Bloodbath. 

What I love most about Alley Trash is just how original the concept is. Choose your own adventure isn’t anything that’s brand new or revolutionary, but it’s not something we’ve really seen in movies. The short film doesn’t have much of a story behind it, but the scenario you encounter doesn’t require much of an explanation. You’re given two choices, and your choice will determine where the film goes. It brought back some serious nostalgia from elementary school and reading the Choose Your Own Adventure books.

Alley Trash is filmed in black and white, and that adds to the look of the film. It’s taking place in what looks like a dirty back alley. Putting the film in black and white just accentuates the filth that surrounds the characters. The lack of colors leaves significantly more to the imagination.

The only downside with Alley Trash was the dialogue and the acting. At times, the dialogue made me cringe a bit. It did feel like they were trying to be funny, but there were moments where the dialogue fell flat. Instead of making me laugh, I just felt awkward and uncomfortable. Maybe it was a type of humor that I wasn’t getting, but it ended up not working for me. The acting also felt a bit awkward at times.

Overall, though, this is a really cool idea from Luke Meneok, and I’m hopeful that more films pick up on this idea. Alley Trash has the potential to be something more if Meneok ever decides to expand it, and I’m hoping that he does. While it does suffer from some iffy dialogue and acting at times, those aren’t enough to hurt the overall product. Check out the video below and experiment with the various options! It’s best viewed on a computer opposed to a cell phone or other mobile device, as the different links may not work properly on a mobile. Let us know what you think of this Choose Your Own Adventure movie!