PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Hatchet is one of the best yet underrated, gore-filled, hilarious horror comedies of our time. The film also happened to introduce a new, brutal, slash-happy psycho named Victor Crowley. Eleven years later, PopHorror pays tribute to this underestimated cult classic.
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
When a group of tourists on a New Orleans haunted swamp tour find themselves stranded in the wilderness, their evening of fun turns into a horrific nightmare.
Hatchet was brought to us in 2006 by horror director Adam Green. The Ariescope Pictures founder is most known for directing the three part Victor Crowley series, Frozen in 2010, and Digging Up The Marrow in 2014. According to an interview with iconsoffright.com, Adam started filming when he was in the 8th grade! He wrote the script for Hatchet back in 2003, but he was constantly told the slasher would never be made.
When make-up artist John Buechler and legendary horror actor and stuntman Kane Hodder expressed interest in the script, filming finally began and Green was able to prove his doubters wrong. Not only was John Buechler responsible for the impeccable special effects in the film, he also plays the small role of Jack Cracker, the local nut.
There is no doubt that the most memorable thing about Hatchet is the special effects. Nowadays, very few films are brought to life with practical effects instead of CGI. When it came to Hatchet, almost the entire film was done the good, old fashioned way. It was a strict rule that Adam himself created that CGI could only be used for removing on-screen wires and camera set-ups.
Hatchet also brings a hell of a cast that’s chock-full of horror legends. It’s not every day you get Robert Englund (Freddy Kruger), Tony Todd (Candyman), and Kane Hodder (Jason Voorhees) all in one film! But the main characters really kept us entertained. Their constant bickering and insulting brought all of the humor in a terrifying situation. Adam himself had a small cameo in the film. See if you can spot him!
Hatchet brings an admirable, retro slasher that’s reminiscent of ’70s and ’80s horror. Eleven years later, this bloody, gory, hilarious slasher finally receives the cult following it deserves!
