i had heard about this movie through some friends of mine and decided that i should see what all the fuss is about. i can say on first viewing that the movie would have benefited from more dialogue from the actors and a less confusing ending. a couple of scenes have acting that's wooden, but I'm sure that could have been fixed. overall a really well acted, interesting horror movie and the final 10 minutes or so are really scary (the sequence with the blonde kid Will is really really disturbing, especially what he does to his caring father). the music is the best part of the movie, which was done by the director (who also seemed to do everything else on the movie). i listened to the commentary which wasn't really informative on the ending of the movie but gave some insight on the overall production and why he chose certain shots. i also recognized the older black guy from the zombie movie maplewoods (which was awful) but this movie was a lot better! better than i expected, at least.
7 Reviews
Creepy little film
MLProperelli15 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
"Glenville: Hell's Homecoming" is a perfect example of a film that would have been better with a bigger budget, but stands on its own merits anyway. I am a HUGE fan of no-budget, independent cinema so I decided to check out this film.
It starts out with some elements of a slasher film, but it turns out to be anything but. There are a few (rather graphic) knife murders, but the movie seems to be interested more on the characters. And there aren't many. I counted 6 total characters in the film, and three of them are limited to a handful of scenes. There's a gay couple with some serious issues, a nightclub owner with some issues of his own, and two private detectives who seem to get their kicks from messing around with other people. The one Asian detective was particularly manipulative.
The film's structure is odd. It starts with a particularly creepy opening credits sequence, molds into a gay love story, then into a slasher, followed by a psychological thriller, and concluding with a sequence that you would find in an "artsy" David Lynch-type movie. You can tell by the setting and one character's hairstyle that the movie was shot over several months, so my feeling is that the director got cold feet halfway through production and decided to jump ship on the slasher idea. Or maybe the director intended this movie to be like this. Either way, I liked it.
I haven't seen the previous films (this apparently is the 4th film in the "Glenville" series and the only one on IMDb), so some of the movie is rather confusing to me. By far, the best part of the movie is the ending (the rest of the movie isn't bad either). I give it a 9 out of 10 because the movie made me smile and it seems like the director has a solid grasp on what works in a no-budget movie.
It starts out with some elements of a slasher film, but it turns out to be anything but. There are a few (rather graphic) knife murders, but the movie seems to be interested more on the characters. And there aren't many. I counted 6 total characters in the film, and three of them are limited to a handful of scenes. There's a gay couple with some serious issues, a nightclub owner with some issues of his own, and two private detectives who seem to get their kicks from messing around with other people. The one Asian detective was particularly manipulative.
The film's structure is odd. It starts with a particularly creepy opening credits sequence, molds into a gay love story, then into a slasher, followed by a psychological thriller, and concluding with a sequence that you would find in an "artsy" David Lynch-type movie. You can tell by the setting and one character's hairstyle that the movie was shot over several months, so my feeling is that the director got cold feet halfway through production and decided to jump ship on the slasher idea. Or maybe the director intended this movie to be like this. Either way, I liked it.
I haven't seen the previous films (this apparently is the 4th film in the "Glenville" series and the only one on IMDb), so some of the movie is rather confusing to me. By far, the best part of the movie is the ending (the rest of the movie isn't bad either). I give it a 9 out of 10 because the movie made me smile and it seems like the director has a solid grasp on what works in a no-budget movie.
Nothing More Than An Artsy Slasher Movie
BriGuy716918 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Everyone kept insisting that this movie,Glenville:Hell's Homecoming,was more than just a slasher movie (though the DVD cover art clearly advertises it as a bloody movie.Even the tagline is 'The Final Bloodbath' or something to that effect.) I wasn't sure what to expect and the director clearly has some talent (the video effects are scary), but he could have spent his time on a much better movie.
The gay love story was unnecessary.Though it has a lot to do with the end of the movie (I don't know why everyone is so confused by the ending! I wasn't at all).I don't really want to see two guys having sex for 5 minutes.Then one of them gets murdered in a truly sickening bathtub death scene (with one too many shots of blood spattered on the walls).
The acting isn't very good.It isn't terrible, but some people sound like they're reading their lines and it gets annoying after a while.Also,it seems like the detectives in the movie served no purpose whatsoever. They don't even die.
But the director obviously spent a lot of time on this movie and I have to give him credit for that. This isn't a bad movie by any standards, just simply an average slasher movie with some artsy elements.I was impressed, just not really entertained.
The gay love story was unnecessary.Though it has a lot to do with the end of the movie (I don't know why everyone is so confused by the ending! I wasn't at all).I don't really want to see two guys having sex for 5 minutes.Then one of them gets murdered in a truly sickening bathtub death scene (with one too many shots of blood spattered on the walls).
The acting isn't very good.It isn't terrible, but some people sound like they're reading their lines and it gets annoying after a while.Also,it seems like the detectives in the movie served no purpose whatsoever. They don't even die.
But the director obviously spent a lot of time on this movie and I have to give him credit for that. This isn't a bad movie by any standards, just simply an average slasher movie with some artsy elements.I was impressed, just not really entertained.
Fails as a movie, with some bright spots
MovieMonsterRomero15 May 2005
Warning: Spoilers
REVIEW: "Glenville: Hell's Homecoming" (2005) 76 minutes. Starring Wayland Harris, Steve Brown, Benjamin P. Ablao, Jr. Chris Erickson, Bobby Hamilton, John Larsen.
It's time to leave the town of Glenville, Ohio.
After four films, it is obvious that director/writer Anthony Spadaccini searches for novelty in far off places. The first two Glenville films were not very good, but competent efforts in the slasher genre (with some particularly disgusting gore sequences in part 2). "Glenville 3" (2001) featured a large cast of despicable characters with self-absorbed motivations and about 4 plots that wove into a 76-minute slasher movie. It was slightly above average and Spadaccini deserved a lot of credit for attempting to do something different with the genre.
Now here we are, with "Glenville: Hell's Homecoming." Technically Glenville 4, it doesn't really require the viewer to have seen the others, except maybe part 3. But even part 3 opens with an epilogue from part 2...oh, never mind.
I could detail the plot, but there isn't much of one. From an opening cross fade, we learn that the child murderer from part 3 is now grown up and been released from a mental institution. Or escaped. Anyway, he has assumed the identity of a nightclub owner (though he more resembles a stripper...nice body) and has a gay roommate who is fighting with his boyfriend. There's a gay sex scene that lasts about 10 minutes, an extremely bloody bathtub murder, a couple of detectives, another murder, then an entirely confusing ending.
OK, before I start on the bad, let me talk about the good. The idea for this movie is definitely a good one. Spadaccini had the balls to pack several different genres into one movie (when's the last time you saw a gay love story morph into a slasher movie?) and the gay sex scene is definitely a risk. The final reel is beautifully shot and the music, especially in the final 10 minutes, is very creepy.
Now, the bad. "Glenville: Hell's Homecoming" is nothing more than a 15-minute short film stretched into 75 minutes. Like I previously stated, the idea behind the film is good and since this is one of Spadaccini's first efforts, I give him credit.
The acting is mediocre at best, with the exception of John Larsen, who returns from the grave to play psychotic father mastermind Warren Sinclair. In fact, Larsen is the only one who looks like he has acted before. Performances are uneven to say the least, with some props given to lead actor Wayland Harris for not sucking at his portrayal of a serial killer.
Spadaccini's overuse of video effects has been mentioned quite a bit in the reviews and I totally agree. While it's nice to see that he was able to put something together without a budget, it also would have been nice to see a movie not rely on Adobe After Effects. It makes the film look incredibly cheap.
There is hardly any dialogue in the movie. There are long, drawn-out scenes in which the characters just walk around bored or angry, maybe even a combination of both. Maybe Spadaccini was going for being subtle, but it came across as just unnecessary.
In all, "Glenville: Hell's Homecoming" fails as a movie, but there are some bright spots. Spadaccini (according to IMDb) loves David Lynch and I think some of that inspiration shines through. He obviously has some talent, but I think he needs to be molded a bit.
Rating: 4 out of 10.
It's time to leave the town of Glenville, Ohio.
After four films, it is obvious that director/writer Anthony Spadaccini searches for novelty in far off places. The first two Glenville films were not very good, but competent efforts in the slasher genre (with some particularly disgusting gore sequences in part 2). "Glenville 3" (2001) featured a large cast of despicable characters with self-absorbed motivations and about 4 plots that wove into a 76-minute slasher movie. It was slightly above average and Spadaccini deserved a lot of credit for attempting to do something different with the genre.
Now here we are, with "Glenville: Hell's Homecoming." Technically Glenville 4, it doesn't really require the viewer to have seen the others, except maybe part 3. But even part 3 opens with an epilogue from part 2...oh, never mind.
I could detail the plot, but there isn't much of one. From an opening cross fade, we learn that the child murderer from part 3 is now grown up and been released from a mental institution. Or escaped. Anyway, he has assumed the identity of a nightclub owner (though he more resembles a stripper...nice body) and has a gay roommate who is fighting with his boyfriend. There's a gay sex scene that lasts about 10 minutes, an extremely bloody bathtub murder, a couple of detectives, another murder, then an entirely confusing ending.
OK, before I start on the bad, let me talk about the good. The idea for this movie is definitely a good one. Spadaccini had the balls to pack several different genres into one movie (when's the last time you saw a gay love story morph into a slasher movie?) and the gay sex scene is definitely a risk. The final reel is beautifully shot and the music, especially in the final 10 minutes, is very creepy.
Now, the bad. "Glenville: Hell's Homecoming" is nothing more than a 15-minute short film stretched into 75 minutes. Like I previously stated, the idea behind the film is good and since this is one of Spadaccini's first efforts, I give him credit.
The acting is mediocre at best, with the exception of John Larsen, who returns from the grave to play psychotic father mastermind Warren Sinclair. In fact, Larsen is the only one who looks like he has acted before. Performances are uneven to say the least, with some props given to lead actor Wayland Harris for not sucking at his portrayal of a serial killer.
Spadaccini's overuse of video effects has been mentioned quite a bit in the reviews and I totally agree. While it's nice to see that he was able to put something together without a budget, it also would have been nice to see a movie not rely on Adobe After Effects. It makes the film look incredibly cheap.
There is hardly any dialogue in the movie. There are long, drawn-out scenes in which the characters just walk around bored or angry, maybe even a combination of both. Maybe Spadaccini was going for being subtle, but it came across as just unnecessary.
In all, "Glenville: Hell's Homecoming" fails as a movie, but there are some bright spots. Spadaccini (according to IMDb) loves David Lynch and I think some of that inspiration shines through. He obviously has some talent, but I think he needs to be molded a bit.
Rating: 4 out of 10.
violent, graphic, and unapologetic
ldunnjr116 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
"Glenville: Hell's Homecoming" Review by Larry Dunn, Jr.
Director: Anthony Spadaccini. Writer: Anthony Spadaccini Cast: Wayland Harris, Steve Brown, Benjamin P. Ablao, Jr., Chris Erickson, Bobby Hamilton, John Larsen
The overuse of weird video effects in this movie has been well-documented by critics and viewers alike. There are a few technical problems here and there (signs of a very low budget). The story is uneven at best. To the average viewer, the ending is confusing.
So why did I like this film so much?
Because director/writer Anthony Spadaccini doesn't give a crap about whether or not the audience likes this film. Because the movie is violent, graphic, and unapologetic. Because the film's alleged main character doesn't even factor into the final 20 minutes. Because John Larsen plays one hell of a creepy guy. Because the DVD cover is really cool-looking. Because despite all the bad reviews by critics, this isn't a critics' movie. Critics have never, ever liked horror movies (even Halloween initially received bad reviews). While I wouldn't call this a slasher movie (though there are some slasher elements to it), I would compare it to Mulholland Drive or Lost Highway in its attempt to completely confuse the audience with red herrings throughout the film. I think with a bigger budget, the film could have been much better.
The acting is serviceable, with John Larsen playing an extremely creepy murderer in the movie's best performance. Wayland Harris is not far behind as a troubled ex-mental patient who has some issues of his own once his roommate is reported missing. Everyone else performs their roles admirably. Curiously, there is no female character in the film (a trademark of Spadaccini's work).
Director: Anthony Spadaccini. Writer: Anthony Spadaccini Cast: Wayland Harris, Steve Brown, Benjamin P. Ablao, Jr., Chris Erickson, Bobby Hamilton, John Larsen
The overuse of weird video effects in this movie has been well-documented by critics and viewers alike. There are a few technical problems here and there (signs of a very low budget). The story is uneven at best. To the average viewer, the ending is confusing.
So why did I like this film so much?
Because director/writer Anthony Spadaccini doesn't give a crap about whether or not the audience likes this film. Because the movie is violent, graphic, and unapologetic. Because the film's alleged main character doesn't even factor into the final 20 minutes. Because John Larsen plays one hell of a creepy guy. Because the DVD cover is really cool-looking. Because despite all the bad reviews by critics, this isn't a critics' movie. Critics have never, ever liked horror movies (even Halloween initially received bad reviews). While I wouldn't call this a slasher movie (though there are some slasher elements to it), I would compare it to Mulholland Drive or Lost Highway in its attempt to completely confuse the audience with red herrings throughout the film. I think with a bigger budget, the film could have been much better.
The acting is serviceable, with John Larsen playing an extremely creepy murderer in the movie's best performance. Wayland Harris is not far behind as a troubled ex-mental patient who has some issues of his own once his roommate is reported missing. Everyone else performs their roles admirably. Curiously, there is no female character in the film (a trademark of Spadaccini's work).
Unique slasher movie
movie_missy_641 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
"GLENVILLE: HELL'S HOMECOMING" is a risky way to continue Anthony Spadaccini's horror, serial killer story of Glenville, Ohio. While it definitely isn't the way I would choose to continue the story, it was nevertheless interesting and a unique slasher movie in its own right. The movie suffers from some confusing plot twists and an ending that made absolutely no sense, until I asked the director what it meant. The acting is better than most people say, the lead guy Wade Harris is a creepy psycho killer and I thought the two private detectives did their jobs well (sexy stage actor Steve Brown from MAPLEWOODS plays a good detective here and I've seen Benjamin Ablao in AFTERMATH, another one of Anthony Spadaccini's films). The music I think is the best part of the movie, which Spadaccini did himself. I would have preferred an explanation as to what the ending meant and more murders would have been nice (theres like 1 or 2 from what I can remember). I liked the last Glenville movie better than this one, but the risk taken by Spadaccini was semi-worth it and GLENVILLE: HELLS HOMECOMING is entertaining.
Eerie sequel
Maniac1862349 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I remember back when 'Glenville 3' was being filmed, back in summer 2001. I wanted to be a part of the cast but unfortunately, everyone has been cast in their characters so I wasn't able to be a part of it. Once I saw the final product of that movie at the premiere, I couldn't wait for the director to write the next installment. I got his email address and sent him emails back and forth for the next couple of years, wondering when he would come out with the sequel. Then, he wrote me last spring and said he was working on casting for 'Glenville: Hells Homecoming.' When I saw the first trailer, I knew that something was odd. The movie didn't seem like a slasher movie, like the previous films were. I asked the director and he told me to sit tight and the movie would come out soon. I was one of the first people to buy the DVD when it was released and I couldn't wait to pop it in my DVD player.
I'm glad I didn't expect a slasher movie, because this isn't one. I don't know why some of the other people who commented on this movie thought it was slasher, because there's only two murders in the entire movie. They are bloody, yes, but the movie focuses on one character's insanity, then makes a quick turn into the surreal. Its almost like we enter his mind. Or so I think. Either way, the film isn't clear at all as to where it wants to go. The first 20 minutes are consumed by love scenes between two young gay men and I was wondering if I had purchased the same movie as in the trailer. One of them gets killed and I immediately suspected the boyfriend's roommate. The roommate (who was the child murderer at the end of the last movie) suspects himself too, but I was wondering if he was even guilty of the murder.
A couple of private detectives enter the picture and start questioning everyone. IT wasn't clear as to what their motivations were and I often wondered why they were even in the movie in the first place. Things keep getting weirder and weirder and finally, the movie turns around and does something i didn't expect. Characters start completely changing their traits, the homicidal father who died in the last movie isn't really dead at all and seems actually nice, and i started to question everything that had happened.
The movies greatest strength is the music. its really really creepy. especially in the last 20 minutes.
While it wasn't what I expected, i will say that "glenville: hells homecoming" is a eerie and worthy sequel. Too bad its the last one.
I'm glad I didn't expect a slasher movie, because this isn't one. I don't know why some of the other people who commented on this movie thought it was slasher, because there's only two murders in the entire movie. They are bloody, yes, but the movie focuses on one character's insanity, then makes a quick turn into the surreal. Its almost like we enter his mind. Or so I think. Either way, the film isn't clear at all as to where it wants to go. The first 20 minutes are consumed by love scenes between two young gay men and I was wondering if I had purchased the same movie as in the trailer. One of them gets killed and I immediately suspected the boyfriend's roommate. The roommate (who was the child murderer at the end of the last movie) suspects himself too, but I was wondering if he was even guilty of the murder.
A couple of private detectives enter the picture and start questioning everyone. IT wasn't clear as to what their motivations were and I often wondered why they were even in the movie in the first place. Things keep getting weirder and weirder and finally, the movie turns around and does something i didn't expect. Characters start completely changing their traits, the homicidal father who died in the last movie isn't really dead at all and seems actually nice, and i started to question everything that had happened.
The movies greatest strength is the music. its really really creepy. especially in the last 20 minutes.
While it wasn't what I expected, i will say that "glenville: hells homecoming" is a eerie and worthy sequel. Too bad its the last one.
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