Welcome back to the newest, and at times goriest, column here at Film Inquiry: Horrific Inquiry. Twice a month, I will be tackling all things horror, bringing two films back into the spotlight to terrify and frighten once more. And occasionally looking at those that could have pushed the envelope further. Join us as we dive deep into the heart of horror, but warning, there will be spoilers.
We are finally here! The final days leading up to the spookiest event of the year – Halloween! And what better way to celebrate the upcoming day than with a film grounded in the traditions of the holiday – Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat.
Trick ‘r Treat was a film that always managed to escape my Halloween binges, forever on the radar but never quite making the cut. This year, I was determined not to miss this film, its availability on HBO Max this month reinforcing the need to make this a must-see film of the season. Based on his animated short film, Season’s Greetings, Dougherty‘s Trick ‘r Treat lives up to its reputation taking the traditions of the holiday and wielding them into a horrific tale of lore, murder, and revenge.
“It’s Tradition”
The idea of tradition is instantly invoked at the start of Trick ‘r Treat, the rituals and rites of the holiday dictating the behaviors of the citizens of Warren Valley, Ohio. Setting the film’s expectations and direction early, Emma (Leslie Bibb) and Henry (Tahmoh Penikett) arrive home fresh off their Halloween festivities. Exhausted from the evening, and seemingly the season itself, Emma is quick to move away from the night, blowing out their jack-o lantern – much to the disapproval of her husband. As he warns, creating the first sense of foreboding, you are supposed to keep your pumpkin lit and that she needs to be more careful as there are rules to be followed on Halloween.
As Michael Myer’s perspective takes over, audiences watch as Emma disregards her husband’s warning, going one step further and removing the Halloween decorations from the yard in preparation for her mother’s arrival the next day. As her rule-abiding husband heads inside, Emma finds that rules are not meant to be broken – they were created to protect.
It is a brutal opening, not only satisfying the gore aspect early on but reinforcing the traditions that will follow each of the stories Trick ‘r Treat tells. Through five interweaving tales of horror, Dougherty merges humor with horror, the film never taking itself too seriously yet dedicated to its central theme. From werewolves to serial killers, from ghosts to children with burlap sacks, Trick ‘r Treat remains unpredictable, campy, and one wild Halloween ride.
Sam
As the theme of tradition runs through Trick ‘r Treat, so does its central figure. Appearing in almost every story told throughout the film, in varying amounts, Sam appears. A small child in footie pajamas and a burlap sack for its head, and frequently seen with a sack for candy, Sam is the film’s overseer, ensuring that the night adheres to the rules. He is a mystery and the original inspiration carried over from Dougherty’s Season’s Greetings short film.
No matter how long Sam is in each of the stories, he is the heart of the film – and Halloween. The enforcer of the rules, he first appears at the end of the Halloween School Bus Massacre. Quietly raising the dead, Sam utilizes the thin veil of Halloween to allow the spirits resting at the bottom of the quarry a chance to seek their revenge – all while seeking justice for a loyal and devote Halloween resident. As Rhonda escapes the quarry, her supposed friends left to die, she and Sam exchange a knowing nod at one another, Rhonda (Samm Todd) returning to the evening’s festivities and Sam returning to his watch.
Sam returns at the end of the next story as well, his approval undeniable even with the burlap mask shielding his expressions. As he witnesses a werewolf selecting her victim and changing into a werewolf for the first time, Sam seems to bask approvingly as the she-wolves dance in the euphoria the night has provided and the continued survival of their pack. The moment is brief, with no movement or sound reaffirming his reaction or emotions to the scene he has witnessed, but as an audience member, you know that Sam has been satisfied and his watch will once again continue.
While Sam has been limited to appearances thus far, his biggest scene is at the film’s end. As the character’s individual stories have intertwined with others along a non-linear course, Trick ‘r Treat brings viewers to the mysterious happenings surrounding Mr. Kreeg’s (Brian Cox) story. As Principal Wilken (Dylan Baker) buries one of the children he has killed that evening, he witnesses Mr. Kreeg begging for help, audiences catching “something” crashing into him before Wilken’s story is allowed to continue. As we finally discover, Sam has arrived to punish Mr. Kreeg for a variety of reasons – namely, for his failure to provide candy. In a climatic showcase of strength and ability, Sam’s appearance in Mr. Kreeg’s story is explosive and terrifying, the creature beneath the burlap finally revealed.
In the film’s final moments, it is revealed that Sam has truly been present through the film’s entirety, whether we saw him or not. As he leaves Mr. Kreeg’s home, audiences are met with the horrifying understanding that Sam was Emma’s murderer. As we see the opening scene play out again from a new perspective, Sam becomes an almost omnipresent force, always watching, waiting, and delivering judgment.
An Ode to Horrors Past
If there is any tradition in horror, it’s the tradition of honoring those films that came before. And Trick ‘r Treat is no exception. First and foremost, there is a feeling of Wes Craven’s Scream that ruminates through the film’s opening scene. Coupled with Michael Myer’s perspective (as seen through the supposed eyes of a child once more), Halloween also receives a nod. Trick ‘r Treat does not leave the Halloween references there either, the name Laurie (played by True Blood’s Anna Paquin) utilized in the film.
One of the biggest references, lending the film more to a Kevin Williamson reference when coupled with the Scream feeling of the film’s opening, comes during the film’s werewolf and vampire narrative. Bitten by a vampire in the alley, a woman tries to escape, running frantically towards a Halloween parade on the town’s Main Street. As she nears the parade, audiences will hold their breath expecting the vampire to appear just as she is about to reach the end of the ally. But unlike Helen (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in I Know What You Did Last Summer, she makes it, even running into people she knows. While they wave her off, dressed for the season, she finally succumbs to her assailant.
Conclusion: Keep the Candle Lit
Trick ‘r Treat is a film about the details, little nuances that lends themselves to multiple viewings. With its light and almost holiday upbeat music, it elevates the film beyond a collection of stories interlaced by time and a demonic rule keeper. And as the film closes, I find myself wanting more, longing for a sequel and the return of Sam. And while a follow-up has been a possibility for years, all we can do is hope Michael Dougherty keeps the pumpkin lit.
What are your favorite Halloween films? Let us know in the comments below!
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