STIF Entertainment film DEAD STORY Review – Haunted House, Family Nightmare

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The horror genre can be broken down into much smaller and more specific sub-genres (zombies, monsters, found footage, etc.).  Suneel Tripuraneni’s debut feature DEAD STORY falls somewhere between the haunted house and family terror sub-genres.  

Dead Story
Photo courtesy of STIF Entertainment

Dead Story - Ghosts and hateful relatives

We meet Harold and Ann, a married couple, as they are moving into their supposed dream house.  With Harold away doing long hours at the office, Ann is left at home unpacking, wandering the vast estate, and trying to ignore all the strange things going on around the house.  As usual, her husband doesn’t believe her when she starts telling him of all the strange happenings in and around the house.  All of this is enhanced and made more horrible by her overtly cruel mother-in-law who gives new meaning to the word overbearing and never even attempts to hide her disdain for Ann.

Since we only see the ghost through Ann’s eyes throughout the film, it does make the viewer wonder whether she is, in fact, a reliable narrator.  Perhaps she really is hallucinating as her husband believes she is and is merely being driven to mania from the overt mistreatment and harassment she is constantly made to endure.  

The horror genre can be broken down into much smaller and more specific sub-genres (zombies, monsters, found footage, etc.).  Suneel Tripuraneni’s debut feature DEAD STORY falls somewhere between the haunted house and family terror sub-genres.  

Never Straying from the Convention of the Genre

The creative team behind DEAD STORY is most definitely compiled of horror fans.

Every convention is present and accounted for in this film.

We live the scares through the terror of the main character, we hear ominous music when we believe something may jump out and scare us, and there’s always the spooky imagery of the large house on a vast and barren landscape with dead trees and far too much space for two people.

Dead Story
Photo courtesy of STIF Entertainment

Horror fans will enjoy it while those not so much into the genre may not. 

The creative team made a clear choice and stuck with it. If you want surprises, you won’t find them here. Unfortunately, awkward acting and long scenes of inane activity take away from any tension or actual fear-evoking occurrences. 

STIF Entertainment-Dead Story
Suneel Tripuraneni - Director

 

Availability:

STIF Entertainment has slated DEAD STORY for a January 20th VOD release, and will be available on all major platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and Vudu.  The movie will later be available on major subscription services such as Netflix.

2 out of 5 Stars

Top Pick For: Horror Movie Enthusiasts

Not recommended for: Horror Haters

Website:

http://www.deadstorymovie.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DeadStoryMovie/

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