Two couples decide to go camping in the woods. Arriving separately (darn that wonky radiator!), they soon realise that the woods aren't as peaceful and reinvigorating as they first thought. It is in fact a killing ground for a father who mudered his philandering wife, went mad and took his two young children to live in a cave. Unfortunately they got sick and killed themselves. Daddy has been killing anyone stupid enough to camp in his woods ever since and eating their remains. Insanity does that to you.
The Forest is one of the more, erm, extreme entries in the 'City Folk vs Hillbillies' horror genre which is really saying something when you think about how outthere some of the other films in this genre are (Deliverance and it's 'squeal like a pig' sequence springs to mind and that was a studio film!).
The film starts almost like a zany and not very funny comedy movie made for TV about the two witless and dull couples deciding to live in the wilderness for the weekend (you almost expect the TV listing to include the words 'with hilarious consequences!'). Thank God the makers of this decided on making a horror movie instead. In the genre it's quite natural to set up irritating characters to have them despatched by the ruthless killer. It puts the audience firmly on the side of the killer as we root for him to kill the boring couples in even more of a sick and twisted fashion.
I love the fact that the couple of guys decide to eat with the hunter whilst being blissfully unaware that a) he is the killer and b) the meat on the barbecue could very well be the remains of one of the women who arrived before them and was promptly bumped off.
I also love the fact that the ghosts of the killer's children appear to the campers to warn them that 'Daddy's gone a-huntin'!' and to warn them if he's near.
The kills are gory (thankfully) and the scenery is glorious. This isn't some lost gem of the horror genre but I've seen much, much worse. Check out the DVD/Blu ray release of this and compare with the VHS transfer thats on YouTube. The difference is astounding.
The Forest is one of the more, erm, extreme entries in the 'City Folk vs Hillbillies' horror genre which is really saying something when you think about how outthere some of the other films in this genre are (Deliverance and it's 'squeal like a pig' sequence springs to mind and that was a studio film!).
The film starts almost like a zany and not very funny comedy movie made for TV about the two witless and dull couples deciding to live in the wilderness for the weekend (you almost expect the TV listing to include the words 'with hilarious consequences!'). Thank God the makers of this decided on making a horror movie instead. In the genre it's quite natural to set up irritating characters to have them despatched by the ruthless killer. It puts the audience firmly on the side of the killer as we root for him to kill the boring couples in even more of a sick and twisted fashion.
I love the fact that the couple of guys decide to eat with the hunter whilst being blissfully unaware that a) he is the killer and b) the meat on the barbecue could very well be the remains of one of the women who arrived before them and was promptly bumped off.
I also love the fact that the ghosts of the killer's children appear to the campers to warn them that 'Daddy's gone a-huntin'!' and to warn them if he's near.
The kills are gory (thankfully) and the scenery is glorious. This isn't some lost gem of the horror genre but I've seen much, much worse. Check out the DVD/Blu ray release of this and compare with the VHS transfer thats on YouTube. The difference is astounding.