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 SAVAGE
HARVEST
(Wicked Pixel)
Independent Horror. 72 Minutes. Color. Not Rated. Long ago, an elder
leader of a Cherokee tribe brought forth evil spirits that wiped out his
people. Those spirits have stayed dormant since then, imprisoned in the
rocks that covered the elder’s grave. Now the unknowing descendant of
the tribe’s medicine man has awakened those spirits. These evil phantoms
have the ability to possess living beings, and threaten to overtake and
destroy a group of friends, unless they can discover the spirit’s
weaknesses and defeat them.
Savage Harvest was produced in 1993, and
shows some of the limitations of shot-on-video movies made during that
period. Some of the night scenes (there are many of them) look a little on
the grainy side, and even at only 72 minutes, a little tightening of the
final product, editing-wise might have helped the story move along a
little better. To me those are minor issues, however. Writer/Director Eric
Stanze is one of the more accomplished SOV indie directors working today,
and Savage Harvest reveals his growing potential as a filmmaker. Sure,
there is a more than passing resemblance to earlier horror films, such as
the original Evil Dead, but there are many inventive touches as
well. In particular I was impressed by the makeup work by Tony Bridges,
which rivals in some instances the examples you see in current releases in
the horror genre. On the technical side, the movie sounds great, and there
is some creative use of the camera. The acting also is above average, for
this kind of production. In the very scattershot world of SOV horror, Eric
Stanze is a talent that continues to evolve and improve. I suggest you
pick up Savage Harvest and check out other Wicked Pixel releases.
And no, they didn’t pay me to say that! - Budd Layman
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