The Importance of the Indie Horror Anthology Movie and Some You Need to See-Fitz of Horror

Written by Bryan Fitzgerald (Fitz of Horror) August 13, 2018

An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a subgenre of films consisting of several different short films, often tied together by only a single theme, premise, or brief interlocking event (often a turning point). Sometimes each one is directed by a different director.

The first anthology horror movie I ever watched was Creepshow, shortly followed by Creepshow 2. I never liked them because they were anthologies, I loved them because they were great and engrossing films, plus I didn’t really know what an anthology was.

As the years have passed and my understanding of what exactly an anthology was, my love for them has grown. Films like Tales from the Darkside, Vault of Terror, Creepshow, Cat’s Eye, Tales from the Hood, From a Whisper to A Scream and Body Bags proved to be some of the most rewatched in my collection and more recently anthologies have seemed to make a triumphant comeback with the V/H/S series, A Christmas Horror Story and Trick r Treat, to name a few.

But some of the best anthologies being made over the past few years have been coming from the independent horror world and people like P.J. Starks, Justin Seaman and Rocky Gray, to name just a few, are at the forefront. Not only is the anthology format a great way for directors to show their “chops” but it is also an effective way to market and raise the much needed funds for production by including several talented people in the mix to conquer this crazy terrain of social media to help spread the word.

I like to think of the anthology horror film as a sort of “Short attention span theater” or the ADHD friendly viewing experience for horror lovers. Give us great and scary (or in some cases funny) horror short stories with a creative wraparound and we will keep buying it up!

Below are some of my favorite indie horror anthologies available and a few that I am very excited for:

10/31- This is by far one of my favorite recent horror movies and it just happens to be a great holiday themed anthology as well. Read my full review HERE.

A Halloween treat bag of all the things that go bump in the night. 5 spooky tales from masked killers to scarecrows, witches and tricksters. There’s a scare for everyone in this anthology of horror written and directed by indie horrors best and brightest such as award winning film makers Justin M. Seaman and Zane Hershberger (The Barn), Brett DeJager (Bonejangles), John William Holt (The Dooms Chapel Horror) an original score and segment directed by award winning film and game composer Rocky Gray (The Barn, Killing Floor 2, Close Calls) and features web horror host Malvolia: The Queen of Screams (Jennifer Nangle). These blood soaked tales of terror and the macabre in the vein of Creepshow, Body Bags, Tales of Halloween and V/H/S are sure to chill horror lovers to the bone.

Available at Screamteamreleasing.com

aka 10/31/16

Volumes of Blood- This one took a second watch for it to really grow on me but it is now a staple in my collection. Filled with original stories that are both well told and filled with suspense as well as the occasional healthy dose of practical FX gore and humor.

A sociology student gathers several friends at the local library on Halloween night to help him create a new urban legend with deadly consequences; Lily is in for a late night of researching and needs something to keep her going. It isn’t until she’s approached by a stranger that her luck may change – for the worse; a typical night of work for a librarian becomes a classic ghost story with a modern twist. Sometimes you can’t keep a bad book down; Sidney is allowed to stay after hours to study for a test. It’s not until she awakens in the darkened library that she realizes the truth of what lurks among the books after midnight. She better pray she doesn’t become the prey; Paige faces regrets that she’d do anything to take back. When an ancient and arcane spell book falls into her lap, she decides to make a grave decision. Be careful what you wish for, it might just kill you.

 

Available at Screamteamreleasing.com

Available now in a special KILLectors edition!

Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories-I love this one! It’s a great premise and covers several holiday themed stories all related to a vacant home and an interesting real estate agent that is giving an unsuspecting couple a tour. Read my full review HERE

This critically acclaimed anthology sees a young couple planning to purchase an old home, but would like one last tour before the closing. They’re guided around the estate by a realtor that may have more in store than they bargained for. Searching floor by floor, they begin to discover seven tales of terror, that will leave you asking…How many stories does your home have?

 

Available on Amazon

Great for “Holiday horror” lovers

 

The Carnage Collection- This one is a bit rough around the edges but the originality and jaw dropping subject matter make it more than worth it! Read my full review HERE

In the vein of some classic horror anthologies, The Carnage Collection features multiple short stories of violence, gore, carnage, and horror. 

 

Available at Point & Shoot Films

Also a Fitz of Horror edition available!

The Fear Footage- One of my favorite recent horror movies, it’s just a huge bonus that it is an anthology. This is an extremely effective and very original found footage horror movie that plays on your senses and delivers the scares! The director has also intentionally kept this film mysterious, only letting a handful of reviewers check it out. Read my full review HERE

On April 19th, 2016, Deputy Leo Cole vanished. The next morning, his body camera was found.

This one is near impossible to find!

The Witching Season- Lacking a true wraparound, this is more a collection of really good short films but the presentation and Tales From the Crypt feel make it a great addition to the Halloween rotation. Read my full review HERE

Fueled by nostalgia, this anthology of short horror films tells original tales of terror set during the Halloween season.

Perfect for Fall

Empire State of the Dead-The recently deceased rise, feasting upon the living as a zombie outbreak spreads across the globe. In Central New York, a small Marine patrol, led by Seargent Ritter, tries to keep order. But while battling the living dead they are also faced with roving gangs going unchecked and entire military units defecting. Amid the chaos, a drug lord named Ray sees an opportunity to rule the new world rising, and he is sabotaging rescue centers and military bases to help further break down the Government’s attempts to restore order.

Available at SRSCinema.com

Beyond the Valley of Belief: Real or Unreal Vol 1- Anything from Rock Bottom Video is great but this is an anthology so it’s double great with a side of WTF!?

Filmed live on Halloween night for the first time in the show’s long running history, your host Jonathan Fritz takes you through five stories full of darkness and the macabre. 

Available at RockBottomVideo.com

Beyond the Wall of Fear- From Skullface Astronaut and arguably the underground “King of Anthologies”, Joe Sherlock, this anthology follows suit with what we have become used to for him, Monsters, blood and boobs!

Monsters and boobs…..

Morris County- Another collection of short films that is vaguely an anthology but it does have a common small town thread throughout the twisted tales that Matthew Garrett puts on the screen. This is one of the darker and more sadistic subject matter anthologies I’ve ever seen but since it is being distributed by Unearthed Films, I would expect nothing less.

A horror anthology with three stories connected by the thread of alienation and confusion within the seemingly ideal backdrop of suburban America.

Available at UnearthedFilms.com

A Taste of Phobia- This is one of the more creative anthologies I’ve watched. Directors from around the world are tasked to make shorts about real phobias being tested in extraordinary and very strange situations. Very well done and engrossing anthology…..The Italians steal the show by the way. Read my full review HERE

What is it that YOU fear?

Fireside Tales- This is an extremely low budget anthology where the wraparound story is actually stronger than the individual tales. I believe director Ian Messenger was trying to pull off something unique in the anthology genre by doing this and on some levels it works. This one is actually available direct from the distributor for fairly cheap on eBay. Read my full review HERE

A low-budget anthology film focuses on a young group of friends, gathered for a night of fun and drinks around a campfire. Every year they try to outdo themselves telling scary stories. Will they survive another round? One story showcasing 5 unique macabre tales to frighten audiences everywhere.

CatchMeKillMe Productions

Tales From the Campfire- This one was a lot of fun, very creative with a unique wraparound story and several shout outs to popular genre films! Read my full review HERE

Four friends plan a camping trip at a small campground to spend an evening around a fire, telling each other campfire stories that all supposedly happened close to the area that they’re staying at.

From Tim Bell and Night of Terror Films

Cryptids- I am probably more excited for this film than I have been for any in a while. With a super crew of directors that include Billy Pon (Circus of the Dead), Brett DeJager (Bonejangles), Justin Seaman (The Barn), Jonathan Straiton (Night of Something Strange), Zane Hershberger (10/31) and being produced P.J. Starks, This anthology promises a unique monster story from every director and if you’ve seen anything from the direectors involved you know you’re in for one hell of a ride!

An anthology film about a paranormal radio show accepts calls from individuals who have encountered creatures from the unknown.

No trailer available yet

Tales From the Creep- There isn’t a ton of info on this one yet but I have seen producer/director Brooklyn Ewing (She Was So Pretty, SWSP2) post about it and I am excited to see whatever she does next, in this case it just happens to be an anthology!

Stay tuned for more details

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