Being a ghost hunting team/random documentary team in a found footage movie instantly means DEATH! I wonder how many wannabe filmmaker who met their destiny trying to capture a ghost on video so far? Not that I mind it, not at all. It's a favorite theme in my movie collection by now. 100 Ghost Street: The Return of Richard Speck is another of these films, and also one of those produced by The Asylum. I've been a fan of their found footage productions since Paranormal Entity and Gacy House and this is of course also based on a real crime story.
On July 13, 1966, Richard Speck broke into a house where several nurse students lived and killed eight of them, right out of slasher flick. Scary shit. Now a ghost hunting team will once again visit the place and see if they can catch any ghosts - of either Speck or his victims. Soon they find themselves trapped in a maze of corridors and rooms, and somewhere in the dark a kille roams - the ghost of Richard Speck!
No, it's not original at all. It doesn't offer anything new. But it's actually from now on my favorite found footage film from The Asylum. It might not be as creepy as Paranormal Entity, but director Martin Andersen have so much fun with the idea and delivers a visually creative production, very far from the typical found footage knock-offs. What's interesting is that the characters gets a chance to come alive before they're killed, with some good acting. It's a movie that feels alive. This is not the usual crap.
What makes it stronger is the location, the Linda Vista Community Hospital. A closed-down hospital in LA. It's a popular place for real ghost hunters and have been used in several ghost shows, TV-series and movies. I'm not sure how much they prepared the location for this film, but it sure looks damn eerie and is used to maximum potential. Like Road to L, a movie I reviewed the other day, this also have scenes where the crew examines hard-to-get underground/basement-style locations, trying to almost physically get deeper into the mystery. It's a welcome change from boring living rooms, kitches and bedrooms - I've seen that to death!
Another fun detail with 100 Ghost Street is the effects. Most of them are pretty good, and the ghost himself looks weird and cool. Unique for this kind of found footage there's also gore. Not that much, and most of it is aftermath of kills - but it's still bloody and graphic. Richard Speck is a very violent and nasty ghost and he likes to do it physically. I mean, ripping of someone's head is a little bit more fun than being dragged into the darkness for the umpteenth time!
100 Ghost Street: The Return of Richard Speck is a surprisingly fun found footage. Well-made and violent. It's out in the UK under the title "Paranormal Entity 4: The Awakening", which both is silly and fits the exploitation style perfectly. One day I will watch Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes, released as "Paranormal Entity 3: The Exorcist Tapes" in the UK, but it might take a while. I tried to watch it but it was too shitty!
"On July 13, 1966, Richard Speck broke into a house where several nurse students lived and killed eight of them, right out of slasher flick. Scary shit."
Inside prison he became everybody´s bitch, started eating hormones to develop female breasts etc.
Take a look, at 1:59.......
http://youtu.be/rLXi2L_s8OY
"No, it's not original at all. It doesn't offer anything new. But it's actually from now on my favorite found footage film from The Asylum."
I haven´t seen any of their found footage films yet.
"Another fun detail with 100 Ghost Street is the effects. Most of them are pretty good, and the ghost himself looks weird and cool. Unique for this kind of found footage there's also gore. Not that much, and most of it is aftermath of kills - but it's still bloody and graphic. Richard Speck is a very violent and nasty ghost and he likes to do it physically. I mean, ripping of someone's head is a little bit more fun than being dragged into the darkness for the umpteenth time!"
Yeah, I think most found footage lacks in the gore department, of course, most films in this genre try to create an eerie, creepy atmosphere but it´s hard to achieve.
"100 Ghost Street: The Return of Richard Speck is a surprisingly fun found footage. Well-made and violent."
Well, it sounds fun and entertaining......good review and thanks Fred.
"One day I will watch Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes, released as "Paranormal Entity 3: The Exorcist Tapes" in the UK, but it might take a while. I tried to watch it but it was too shitty!"
You have to watch it!
I want to know what the film was all about.
Posted by: Megatron | April 20, 2013 at 14:43
Is the footage real
Posted by: Kelsey | September 21, 2013 at 18:08