Night of the Hell Hamsters
Directed by: Paul Campion
Starring: Paul O'Neill, Stephanie Ratcliff
Night of the Hell Hamsters
Directed by Paul Campion
Starring Stephanie Ratcliff and Paul O’Neill
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/7200256[/vimeo]
Being more than experienced in owning and handling hamsters, I never thought I could see those adorable little creatures as being demonic, but after watching Paul Campion’s black comedy horror, Night of the Hell Hamsters, I’d think twice before owning one again.
On a dark and stormy night, a young babysitter, Julie (Stephanie Radcliff) and her boyfriend Karl (Paul O’Neill) fool around with the occult and inadvertently summon up a demon which possesses the family hamsters. Suddenly Julie and Karl find themselves fighting for their lives against a tiny furry, bloodthirsty supernatural evil from the very pits of Hell!
This 15 minute short is terrifyingly funny and incredibly well shot. From the opening scenes to the demonic takeover of the family pets, the film keeps you locked to your seat. Ok, there are moments of cheesiness but this film is not meant to take itself seriously. Once the possessed hamsters attack, it’s relentless. The amount of blood and gore is quite strong for something as humourous as this. If you happen to be a guy, then close your eyes because parts of this film will make you cringe.
Some of things that stood out for me about this film were the colours used (lots of red, cast in shadow) and the POV shots from the hamsters. The special effects were great too, used sparingly and when necessary. The hamsters, although not real, did have an air 0f menace about them so job well done on that part. The blood and severed…erm… bits looked very real, so this is one film you wouldn’t show young kiddies.
With this short and Eel Girl, Paul Campion has shown major promise which makes me even more excited for his first feature film. Remember the name Paul Campion, as this guy is definately a name that will be cropping up more often in future.
These short films sound fascinating and will find time to watch them soon!