Trilogy "Street of Fear" is unlikely to scare, but will delight you with references and intricate plot

In fact, director Lee Janyak and her permanent partner, screenwriter Phil Graziadey, did not take too much from the original: the setting, some names and a couple of plot twists. Moreover, in some cases, the latter are completely turned inside out. So the films will turn out to be equally unexpected for connoisseurs of Stein's work and for beginners alike.

Just don't expect a real horror from them. Although the pictures are rated "18+", they try to hide almost all the creepy moments in the shadows, sometimes leaning too much towards the drama. But the authors delight with an unusual structure and many references to classic films.

Non-standard plot construction

The first part takes place in 1994 in the town of Shadyside, in which terrible murders take place with frightening regularity. The simplest people, for no particular reason, turn into maniacs and attack their loved ones and just strangers. And very close by is another city - Sunnyvale, inhabited by the elite of the society, where crimes have not been heard for many years.

In the center of the plot is high school student Dina, who was abandoned by her beloved Sam, having moved with her family to Sunnyvale. In an attempt to re-establish communication, the heroine travels to a neighboring city, but after an accident on the road, a ghost begins to haunt her together with her friends. Rumor has it that this is how the witch Sarah Fir, who was hanged in Shadyside three centuries ago, takes revenge on people.

The plot of the plot seems even too standard for a typical teenage horror. And the entire first film follows the traditional structure. But then the authors act in a very unusual way. The action of the second part is transported back in time - to 1978. In a summer camp for schoolchildren, on the very first day of rest, a maniac begins to hunt for children from Shadyside and Sunnyvale. Younger versions of minor characters from the first film will have to figure out the reasons for what is happening.

A still from the film “Street of Fear. Part 1: 1994 "

And most of the third picture does take place in 1666. And the audience is already being given the opportunity to find out what really happened to Sarah Fir and led to future horrors.

This approach to plotting looks fresh and unexpected. Moreover, the creators of "Street of Fear" manage not to turn the films into a simple anthology. It's all one story with non-linear development.

A still from the film “Street of Fear. Part 2: 1978 "

The events of 1994 and 1978 are close and have something in common thanks to the heroes, but 1666, it would seem, should stand alone. However, the mystical basis of the plot allowed the authors to get out: in the final part, the actors from the first two films play. This is organically woven into the plot, and at the same time makes you think about the heredity of the characters of some characters.

And most importantly, a journey into the past at a certain moment completely changes the perception of history.

Styling and quoting classics

Already from the introduction of the first film, the authors make it clear that the viewer is watching another nostalgic project dedicated to classic horror movies. The plot clearly refers to Wes Craven's The Scream, which came out in the 90s. By the way, it is ironic that Lee Dzhanyak managed to work on the serial restart of the film on MTV.

Further, the first "Street of Fear", fortunately, does not copy the plot of the famous postmodern horror film, but plays up recognizable techniques. For example, it is not complete without frightening calls to future victims. However, more often than not, the film simply awakens a longing for the era of the 90s, constantly reminding of Internet chats and cassette players to the music of Radiohead, Pixies and other legends.

It is not hard to guess that in the sequel the story is stylized as slashers that originated in the late 1970s. In the same way, they show all the necessary attributes of the genre: the action takes place in a summer camp, the heroes are a standard set of types, and an unkillable monster with an ax is chasing them.

By the end, the villain will pull a sack over his head, turning into a copy of Jason Voorhees from the second part of "Friday the 13th". And in the background there is even a glimpse of Michael Myers from "Halloween". The soundtrack will be replaced by the stars of those times - Neil Diamond and Kansas (the latter will immediately make Supernatural fans smile).

Although one move in terms of music selection is worth highlighting: in the second film, when the action takes place in the 90s, The man who sold the world plays in the version of the Nirvana group. And in the finale from the 70s - the original from David Bowie. And this is perhaps the best reflection of the difference between the eras.

True, it should be understood that the stylizations in "Street of Fear" are very conditional. The authors do not try to create believable copies of old films or even deconstruct the classics. They are simply reminiscent of stories from the past. Shooting in all three parts is similar, the creators only play a little with the color scheme. For example, in the third picture, she is yellowish-brown, which is traditional for stories about the distant past.

A still from the film “Street of Fear. Part 3: 1666 "

Moreover, even heroes everywhere behave about the same: in "Street of Fear" teenagers from the 90s, 70s and even from the 17th century are more like typical buzzers.

Therefore, the closest analogue of the trilogy is not the old films about witches or maniacs, or even "The Scream", but the show "Stranger Things". Moreover, Maya Hawke and Sadie Sink from the famous Netflix project even starred in "Street of Fear". The heroine of the first in both stories works in a shopping center, the second has a nosebleed, like the Eleventh from the series.

As in Stranger Things, the plot does not rework the ideas of the old horror movies, but, on the contrary, brings them back to their origins. In Scream, Kraven showed a slasher maniac in the real world, in the metaironic Cabin in the Woods, Drew Goddard did a compilation of standard horror films and explained them all.

And in "Street of Fear" witchcraft really turns out to be witchcraft, there is no deception.

Little fear, but lots of sociality

However, those who want to watch "Street of Fear" for the thrill may be disappointed. It would seem that Stein's original is intended for a more adult audience, as opposed to children's "Goosebumps", and the films were made "18+". And after watching, you can remember very harsh scenes, right up to chopping off the head and grotesque death in a bread slicer. But all this is presented so carefully and sterile that even the most sensitive spectators will only scream a few times. During the massacre, the camera almost instantly switches to other characters, the audience is left to be content with aesthetic shots like glasses lying in a pool of blood. And many disturbing moments will be hidden in an almost inadequate darkness, so turn the brightness to the maximum.

This can hardly be called a shortcoming of the series. The films were conceived like that from the beginning: this is not a real horror, but just a funny stylization. You just don't have to wait too much.

But the authors do not forget to throw several social statements into the pictures. This is quite expected from Janiak: her only full-length work "Honeymoon" with Rose Leslie and Harry Treadaway (by the way, quite a good underappreciated film) in the same way combined elements of horror and a story about human relations.

But don’t worry: “Street of Fear” will not go too deeply moralizing. The films, as expected, talk about the stratification of society and about bullying, and they carry these themes through all the times of action. But for the most part, it remains within the framework of pretentious statements, which flashed in the classics of horror. Heroes will often claim to fight for all that is good against all that is bad. And even in the most stressful moments, they will have time to talk about family values.

Perhaps the authors also laid a serious subtext in the action. But taking into account the general ease of presentation, the social component also looks like an obligatory element of stylization, except with slightly more modern themes.

The Street of Fear trilogy can hardly be called a real horror: even the most violent scenes from the films are not too frightening. On the other hand, this series continues the fashionable theme of nostalgic stylizations. Given that Stranger Things season 4 is still a long time coming, Netflix intelligently entertains viewers with a similar story, and with overlapping cast.