The Forgotten Horror Anthology You Can Find On Amazon
If history has taught us anything about he horror genre, its that the form is adaptable to a variety of narrative and stylistic approaches. As such, genre gurus from every era have used the horror realm as a cinematic incubator of sorts, utilizing all manner of disparate styles to tell wild tales of terror rife with knife-wielding madmen, grotesque creature confections, and sinister demonic presences. Of course, some of those stylistic approaches are tougher to effectively pull off than others. Most genre diehards would agree that the horror game has a spotty history at best when it comes to both anthology films and found-footage affairs.
There have obviously been a few major successes on both the anthology and found-footage fronts, but for every "Creepshow" and the genre-redefining "Blair Witch Project," there seems to be a dozen of so lesser films better lost to history. Back in 2012, however, genre-lovers were gifted a rare treat in the guise of a clever, low-budget creeper that boldly combined the anthology approach with the found-footage style to deliver one of the more memorable additions to both cinematic camps. It did so under the direction of a group of spirited filmmakers, all of whom have gone onto bigger, better things in the years since.
That film is called "V/H/S," and if you're intrigued by what you've already read, you'll be happy to know you can now catch up with this largely forgotten anthology horror gem in the streaming realm, 'cause it's currently playing on Amazon Prime Video.
V/H/S is a found-footage horror anthology for the ages
Most horror fans have at least heard of "V/H/S," as the film made waves in genre circles upon release. Unfortunately, "V/H/S" generated less buzz outside of those circles, and has been largely relegated to "overlooked and underrated" status of late. As the film is now available to stream in the comfort of your living room, there's really no time like the present to discover the supremely twisted thrills of this unique anthology film.
Once you've tracked "V/H/S" down on Amazon, you'll want to take note of some of the directors behind the six short films contained within, as there are some very distinguished names represented. Among them are Adam Wingard ("You're Next," "Godzilla vs. Kong"), Joe Swanberg ("Digging for Fire," "Drinking Buddies"), David Bruckner (Netflix's "The Ritual"), Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett ("Ready or Not"), and Ti West ("The House of the Devil"). As for the short-form offerings those esteemed filmmakers conjure for "V/H/S," there's not a weak one in the bunch, with each mini-film testing the bounds of the found-footage genre in intriguing, often horrifying fashion.
As for the anthology approach, it largely works for "V/H/S," as the film finds a truly brilliant frame story to support it. That frame follows a band of petty criminals who get off on filming their exploits. Promised a major payday by a mysterious stranger, the gang is tasked with breaking into an out-of-the-way cabin to procure a rare videotape. Once onsite, they find hundreds of unlabeled cassettes to sort through, with each video depicting heinous scenes more disturbing than the last.
There's more to the story, but to tell you more would be to ruin the ghoulish surprises within. Just know that if you're a horror fan, "V/H/S" is as worthy of your queue as any genre treat you'll find on Amazon Prime Video.