Haunt-tober 2024 is here and it’s time to dive into the macabre, the strange, and the frightful during this beloved time! Join me as I spend the month discussing new and classic films.
This delightfully silly slasher is a bout of supernatural fun. Hanky Panky doesn’t take itself too seriously but delivers sharply written humor in a delirious package.
And of course, the strange that encompasses this horror comedy.
Directed by Lindsey Haun, Nick Roth and written by Roth, this zany treat follows a group of friends in a snowy cabin, trapped while a battle of good and evil ensues.
It’s a big cast with a lot of subgenres at play, but it starts with a simple story of a man and his handkerchief.
After the unintentionally invited Sam (Jacob DeMonte-Finn), arrives, he secretly chats with his talking handkerchief, Woody (voiced by Toby Bryan) who encourages him to flirt with Diane (Ashley Holliday Tavares) one of the other guests. When something seems amiss, that very same talky (and horny) cloth, may just be what saves the day.
The film features a quirky ensemble of characters: Carla (Christina Laskay) and her dull husband Cliff (Anthony Rutowicz), Dr. Crane (Nick Roth) wife Lilith (Azure Parsons), and the campy, incestuous siblings Rebecca (Lindsey Haun) and Norm (Toby Bryan). A suspicious neighbor (Clare Grant) who keeps returning with more baked goods (that are clearly not home made) and of course, Seth Green as Harry the Hat.
It is a spirited film that has a level of absurdity which climbs beyond what you may expect as it bounces between whodunnit, sci-fi and several horror subgenres. In many ways, this is more of a weird pick than a horror, as comedy is the strongest asset that just so happens to be accompanied by qualities found in slashers. The cast is great and are having a fantastic time making this homegrown indie. It’s just 86 minutes, and you get a battle between a top hat and a handkerchief.
Yes. You do.
While this witty yet bizarre film isn’t changing the game of horror, it is comfortable within its own unique skin. The inventiveness is admirable and the talent is on full display as this is not a film you’ll forget anytime soon.
Hanky Panky exists in its own self aware bubble that is both charming and odd as hell. You won’t see another quite like it.
Stay tuned for more Haunt-Tober!
Have you seen Hanky Panky? Let us know your thoughts!
Hanky Panky is currently streaming on Dark Matter tv!
Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying 