Description

That niche of the horror genre focusing on inner-city terrors has been rife with real stinkers, to say the least. Roll on up to Blockbuster, where copies of Vampiyaz and Zombiez kick back in lounge chairs on the bottom of the video shelf, deservedly collecting dust, and you’ll see what I mean. Leave it to Snoop Dogg to clean house with Hood Of Horror, a vigorous and droll triumvirate of gore-drenched urban morality tales linked by a supernatural figure known as the Hound of Hell (played by you know who). It has a certain level of smarts going for it, along with a generous helping of riotous gag FX that outdo many of the envelope-pushing displays of splatter being seen in theaters today.

There’s not much room for subtlety—or restraint, for that matter—in this Hood. When you find yourself giggling uncontrollably at the sight of a dwarf barfing into someone’s punchbowl, which Hood delivers on in spades, you learn a few things: One, you’re a sicko. Two, this film isn’t exactly destined to join the echelon of, say, The Exorcist. Three, never fall face-first on a 40-ounce. And last but certainly not least, Hood is camp to the extreme, ladies and gents—pure entertainment that goes for the gag reflex and tickles the funnybone. It’s like the guy at a party who tells the crudest joke possible, offending nearly everyone, yet he does it with enough appeal and style to get the laughs he’s pining for. By quickly identifying Hood as such, you never once feel cheated or insulted by the splat-stick strange brew concocted by scribes Tim Sullivan and Chris Kobin (the poisonous pair who brought us 2001 Maniacs), John McHugh and Jacob Hair.

Each chapter is a supernatural parable of either greed and/or abuse of power. As a whole, it lifts its inspiration from EC Comics and the classic Amicus anthologies as much as it does from Tales From The Hood, although this film plants tongue more firmly in cheek than its urban predecessor. If this all sounds pretty absurd, that’s because it is. But that’s okay. Eschewing the caustic approach she imbued 1995’s The Last Supper with, director Stacy Title this time juggles silly guffaws and grotesque, random shock value. It’s a win-win situation all around for cult enthusiasts looking for a new kind of kick.

—Ryan Rotten, FANGORIA

"Sick, funny and fun… The first "studio quality" horror film I've seen in a long time that is unapologetic in its offensiveness and blood splattered gore" – AIN’T IT COOL

Website

http://www.myspace.com/hoodofhorror

Credits

Director: Stacy Title
Screenplay: Jacob Hair, Chris Kobin, Jon McHugh, Tim Sullivan
Cast: Snoop Dogg, Ernie Hudson, Danny Trejo, Lin Shaye, Dallas Page, Billy Dee Williams
Producers: Matthew E. Chausse, Ted Chung, Snoop Dogg, Jonathan Penner, Martin Shore, Tim Sullivan, Christopher Tuffin, C. Scott Votaw
Distributor: Arclight