Foxwood: Blind Date Turns into a Night of Terror

Blind dates are perfect fodder for horror films, and the short Foxwood takes that notion to highly entertaining levels.

Claire (Kalen Marie George) and Nick (cowriter/codirector Ian Hock) meet in person at a bar after some online introductions. After Claire reluctantly accepts a drink after Nick insists, they take a for-hire van to her rather upscale-looking home. They kiss for a bit before Claire excuses herself. Nick hears some noise from a bedroom closet, and the mayhem kicks into high gear.

It would be unfair to give any more plot away, but I can tell you that Foxwood serves up some creepy, fun suspense, with a dash of gore and a nice twist. The short is set in the present but has a bit of a 1980s vibe in its slasher-style story, cool synthesizer score from Andrew Scott Bell, and its washes of color. This latter element has to do with the film being set right around the Christmas holidays – though it can certainly be enjoyed year ‘round! – a nifty, clever way to work in the familiar reds and blues, for example, of some beloved Italian horror filmmakers.

Hock and cowriter/codirector Trevor Dillon obviously have a love for, and keen knowledge of, horror films, particularly slashers, because they take some familiar tropes and play around with them successfully here. The filmmakers also show a collective deft hand at keeping up the level of suspense.

George gives the strongest performance in Foxwood, going through the widest range of emotions among the two lead characters. Hock also turns in a nice performance, and his character also works through some different levels.

You can watch Foxwood now, for free, at the short’s official website, http://ghostpartypictures.com/foxwood/.

(3.8 / 5)

Joseph Perry

Joseph Perry fell in love with horror films as a preschooler when he first saw the Gill-Man swim across the TV screen in "The Creature from The Black Lagoon" and Mothra battle Godzilla in "Godzilla Vs. The Thing.” His education in fright fare continued with TV series such as "The Twilight Zone" and "Outer Limits," along with legendary northern California horror host Bob Wilkins’ "Creature Features." His love for silver age and golden age comic books, including horror titles from Gold Key, Dell, and Marvel started around age 5.

He is a contributing writer for the "Phantom of the Movies VideoScope" and “Drive-In Asylum” print magazines and the websites Horror Fuel, Diabolique Magazine, The Scariest Things, B&S About Movies, and When It Was Cool. He is a co-host of the "Uphill Both Ways" pop culture nostalgia podcast and also writes for its website. Joseph occasionally proudly co-writes articles with his son Cohen Perry, who is a film critic in his own right.

A former northern Californian and Oregonian, Joseph has been teaching, writing, and living in South Korea since 2008.