There is a microgenre of behind-the-scenes documentaries following obsessives of the macabre who spend much of the year staging "haunted attractions" that are targeted at the Halloween trade. Filmmaker Stephen Lackey’s Family of Fear focuses on the players at Arx Mortis, a nationally recognized, grassroots haunted attraction maintained in a rambling compound in Killen, AL. Amusing bookends have a couple—who come off as the Siskel & Ebert of haunted houses—complaining that Arx Mortis disappointed them last October. Lackey’s vérité lens follows the organizers as they try to get their scare game in better shape for a new season, welcoming fresh actors as well as re-energizing longtime participants. A recurring theme here finds Arx Mortis team members complaining of school-age bullying (especially those who are LGBT) and feeling like misfits in their community—so putting on ghastly makeup and gory little shows provides a bit of therapy and a lot of fellowship and otherwise lacking camaraderie. Occasionally repetitious in the telling, this close-up look into the psychological mindsets of lost-and-found souls drawn to horror is nonetheless an eye-catching and often engaging film. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)
Family of Fear
(2018) 91 min. DVD: $39: public libraries; $79: high schools; $150: colleges & universities. DRA. Green Planet Films. PPR. SDH captioned. Volume 34, Issue 3
Family of Fear
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: