KILD TV is one of many horror films that blur the line between real and reel. There are films like Red Woods and Effects where a film shoot masks the making of an entirely different kind of production. Or like Porno and Final Girls where the killer comes off the screen, or the audience is pulled into it. Or One Cut of the Dead where the filmmaking process and reality blend together. Director William Collins and writer Channing Whitaker take this approach as the cast and crew of KILD TV’s late-night horror show have to convince their viewers that this time the deaths they see aren’t a part of the act.
It’s Friday night at KILD TV, the news is ending and Dr. Perseco ( D.C. Douglas, Isle of the Dead, Sharknado 2: The Second One) the station’s horror movie host is about to start his show. And introduce his new assistant Adel (Astrea Campbell-Cobb, Till We Meet Again). However, this week the horror will be all too real. Along with the good doctor and his small production staff, Conrad (Bill Ross) the head of the news department is there, working on a project he can’t talk about. And Ira (Dan Braverman, Lars the Emo Kid, Conjoined) the obligatory suspicious janitor. Soon they’ll find that they’re locked in with a killer who wants them all dead.
The first difference you’ll notice is the cast of KILD TV isn’t a bunch of partying kids. They’re professional adults with careers and responsibilities, even if they don’t always act like it. Another nice twist is having them trapped in a tv station but unable to get help. The landline is dead and the broadcast antenna messes with cell phone signals. I’m not certain about the science of that, but it at least sounds credible.
Since the show is all pre-programmed except for the hosts’ segments, they have to use them to convince viewers to send help. Of course, the viewers think it’s all part of the show. And we see some pretty funny reactions from them as they watch.
Somewhat similar to Late Night Double Feature and Dead by Midnight (11pm Central), KILD TV has fun playing off of both genre clichés in the film being broadcast and in the events unfolding in the studio. It also has fun with showbiz stereotypes, especially the megalomaniac Dr. Perseco who has let his regional celebrity status go to his head. And other organs for that matter. D.C. Douglas deserves a mention for doing a great job both as Perseco and as Milton Web, his real identity. It’s especially impressive as most of his credits are for voice work in animation and videogames.
The kills in HILD TV aren’t overly bloody but they are plentiful and well done. They’re rendered with practical effects, including an impressive one involving a computer monitor. And, as with the original wave of slasher films that inspired it, there is a bit of inappropriate behaviour involving illegal substances, immoral activity and nudity.
KILD TV has a big enough cast to provide plenty of victims and red herrings to keep you guessing as to who the killer is. The script is well enough constructed that I didn’t guess who it was either. Well actually I did, but then changed my mind a couple of times as the film went on. It’s nice to have a bit of mystery rather than another legend come to life masked maniac or random serial killer committing the murders.
KILD TV is available to stream via Green Apple Entertainment., you can check their website for more details. The film’s website and Facebook page are still available though they haven’t been updated in a while.