“You don’t see shit like this every day.”

Story: Have friends across the pond that don’t get the American obsession with Halloween? Show em this documentary about three families in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, who really, REALLY love the holiday.

Scares: It’s a documentary, so even with walk through’s of the haunted decorations? More awesome than eerie. But be warned; there are clowns. CLOWNS. *shudder*

Splat factor: Fun FX, and tons of how it’s made. But nothing that will freak you out, because you’re seeing it from construction/creation to finish.

Closing scene “shocker”: Nup. Again with the documentary.

Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original.

Trick or Treat?: Happy Halloween y’all! This year I decided to go with the penultimate Halloween thang, the decorations that we love to drag out. And here, those decorations are cranked up to levels that make my fairy lights and window clings look puny.

I often say that Halloween is The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, and I mean that. But with these families and their love and dedication? Wow, I feel like a poseur. I so have to step up my game! I bow to these people, for they are the masters. And they’re cool, normal folks, not weird obsessives (see: Room 237.) Bonus! Director Michael Stephenson doesn’t shy away from showing all sides of these families, including what they give up. With a little girl saying that her dad forgets about what she’d like, it broke my heart a little. It’s like he’s so focused on the kids in the neighborhood that he forgot his own.

Did you know there are Haunt Conventions, like HauntCon?  Sweet, right? That’s just one of the many things you learn watching this film. Note to self, try to get there next year, and cover it for y’all. Because I care.

The only thing I hate about The American Scream? The fact that I was in Boston – north of Fairhaven – last week and didn’t know these places existed. I could have visited! Dammit!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Score: 5 out of 5 pumpkins.