For any fans of the horror franchise V/H/S/ it would not be crazy to say that these films feel quite different than when the series first launched in 2012. With nine films underway the series which for those that are unaware is an anthology film made up of several horror segments that normally are a launchpad point for new filmmakers and voices. Some of these names have gone on to dominate the horror world while other established names happily join the series to let their own freaky mind run wild. It is a films series that once seemed to allow anything and everything but when it Shudder fellow producers revamped the series in 2021 with “V/H/S/ 94” it wanted the segments to match the overall theme whether that be a genre of horror or more so to look and feel like it came out in a certain time period. All this to say like any anthology series the films are ebb and flow of entertainment often never leaving a devastating mark that makes you want to never return. In fact even the worst segment still has you excited for the next one maybe in hopes that can only get better or more so just for the pure notion of its all good fun. Brutal fir the characters but harmless for the audience. V/H/S/ MIXTAPE the latest installment hits Shudder’s streaming platform along with AMC+ Friday October 9th. And while it may not be rare for streaming services to upload new horror films and shows during the October month it is still less common than one might expect making it all the more exciting knowing a long work week can meet a comfy couch and a bloody good thrill. If MIXTAPE succeeds on this thrill is not a simple yes or no. Does it stay true to the theme of a lost mixtape from the 90’s? Certainly. But does every segment deliver the needed frights to make this one of the best in the series? Far from it. MIXTAPE is just that, a mix. A mix bag of two truly excellent shorts, one middle of the run and a couple forgettable ones. But one cannot argue that its overarching story doesn’t keep things in line no matter how outrageous it gets.
Instead of breaking down every short, (something that requires one too many spoilers) it is easier to look at what MIXTAPE is trying to say…if anything. We are introduced to the film by American heavy metal band GWAR who if you do not know don outlandish and often grotesque costumes that looks like a mix between gargoyles and frankly just a bucket of puke. They are hard to look at but in a can’t look away sort of fashion. In other words they fit right in to any and all horror. Directed by Flying Lotus this segment is our wraparound as members of GWAR in humorous MTV meets Eric Andre Show sense of style tells us of mysterious Mixtapes they have found that have driven people to go insane and even death. The segments then being show to us in typical insert tape here fashion can feel a little jumbled in that GWAR’s storyline while fun never feels connected to the tapes shown. Perhaps this is more because using GWAR as our guide speaks to a bigger issue that travels throughout MIXTAPE as well as recent V/H/S/ installments; they aren’t scary. Now before the pitchforks are thrown any critic can and should understand that a horror film should not be based purely on frights alone but over the year’s a lot of V/H/S/ segments seem to have abandoned frights in favor of horror comedies all together.
MIXTAPE is no different. While it kicks off with a kooky and wonderfully produced segment from Renee Zhan titled “Dance Dance Dance Dance” it is easy to see why this is a great fit for a new wave of horror fans that flocked to nostalgia horror comedies like Casper Kelly’s “Buddy” or can only interpret “Obsession” as a comedy. But this segment while bloody at its end is in fact just a comedy. What makes it work best is the fact that Jim Henson’s Company own puppets are being used in a twisted fashion. Henson’s puppets are no stranger to the weird but there is not a ton of truly adult usage of them given their family friendly origins and you can only do so much with a Muppet until it gets very uncomfortable. But “Dance Dance Dance Dance” is fun and an enjoyable way to start the film not knowing that MIXTAPE’s best moments will be its bookends.
As MIXTAPE continues and we are introduced to a fully animated short again by Flying Lotus titled “Another Cabin” or “Premature Burial” by Tobias Forge of the band Ghost something is very clear. These are just music videos and in fact one could argue just fillers. They have their own excitement but both playing with a combined total of five minutes feels like we’ve been cheated especially when we’ve seen what Lotus can do in the franchise (he directed the superb “Ozzy’s Dungeon’ for “V/H/S/99). Then there is a weird balance of David Moreau’s (MadS) “Heartbeat” which runs too short cutting by the time its premise hits a sweet spot pinned up against renowned cinematographer Ernest Dickerson’s “The Music of Mr. Sze” which runs too long that the premise of a musician harboring an evil entity is never all that compelling. Both segments are based around music keeping up with their required quota, but they also seem like a means to an unsatisfying end.
Perhaps that is why MIXTAPE saves it best for last. RZA of WU Tang Clan fame spreads his directing chops again with the final segment “Death Tone” featuring a young woman (Neela Jolene) who after the passing of her musician father struggles to create the perfect beat. Neela performs her in perfect V/H/S/ fashion which is slowly revealing the madness scene by scene until nothing can be contained. Mixed with its cutthroat editing “Death Tone” heavily relies on the audience both connecting with the music and wanting more carnage no matter the cost. And while it can still be seen in the more lighthearted fare of horror “Death Tone” has more than enough to make you wince between chuckles.
MIXTAPE struggles to bring back what once made V/H/S/ so fascinating but it is hard to put the blame on one film. The franchise has had its ups and downs and again seems more invested in horror comedy and while there is nothing wrong with that it comes with a predecessor of knowing the big frights may be far and few. And yet it still remains a franchise that can swoop many (including this critic) back in an instant. A mixtape is meant to be messy, some songs hit others get skipped. MIXTAPE seems to be living in that sweet spot of the middle never knowing when it will be played again next.
C
V/H/S/ MIXTAPE WILL BE RELEASED ON SHUDDER AND AMC+ ON OCTOBER 9
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