"The Selling" (2012, Emily Lou, Gabriel Diani, Redwood Pictures, Diani & Devine Productions) is an indie haunted house comedy. It is one of the Kickstarter success stories, managing to meet its target to get a cinematic release in America. As a non-American who donated to the Kickstarter, I was treated to a free digital copy of the film, since I probably won't be stopping by any L.A. Cinemas anytime soon!
The plot is creative and the comedy is fun and lighthearted. The characters are likeable and strange (which I appreciate), and the ghostly action is moderate but fun. The film pays homage to some of the greats; 'Poltergeist', 'The Shining', every ghost film with a bathroom cabinet scene and so on, and points for those who spot the play on the classic 'Jaws' line!
Richard Scarry - pronounced 'Scary' - (Gabriel Diani - who reminds me very much of a young David Tennant!), is a terrible real estate agent who is duped, along with his
business partner, Dave Ross (Jonathan Klein), into taking on the house of a now deceased serial killer, by pretty and ruthless real estate agent, Mary Best (Janet Varney). Naturally, they find it quite hard to sell the house, due to it being haunted by the ghosts of the killer's victims and all....
With the help of local looney, Ginger Sparks (Etta Devine), a waitress who moonlights as a ghost expert and blogger, they attempt to cleanse and sell the house. Richard is particularly keen to sell the place in order to pay for his terminally ill, but oh so entertaining and awesome, mother(Nancy Lenehan)'s treatment.
Some key cameos include Simon Helberg (Howard from "The Big Bang Theory"), Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show") and Harry Groener (The Mayor from "Buffy The Vampire Slayer")!
The script is excellent, I must say. And the film is well produced and edited (unlike that travesty of a film I tortured myself with yesterday!).
A nicely self aware project, "The Selling" is good fun and does justice to the horror comedy genre, which is fast becoming bloated with half-assed efforts featuring zombies and Simon Pegg wannabes.
The only thing missing was the dancing goat from "Drag Me To Hell"! Well done guys!
Also, I like the tagline:
"Five Bedrooms. Four Bath. Twelve Ghosts"
The film is available on iTunes and also on Amazon for downloadable formats. And if you're in America, I suppose you could go see it in the cinema!
[Image: Diani & Devine Productions, Redwood Pictures]
Hani
