It’s My Party and I’ll Die if I Want To (DVD)
Steve Barton
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Reviewed by Uncle Creepy
Starring Adrienne Fischer, Angel Marquez, Alicia Kenney, Tom Savini
Directed by Tony Wash
Distributed by Scotchworthy Productions
Interactivity. In this day and age it seems as if we cannot get enough of being plugged in so to speak. We want total control of everything whenever we want it. We surf the Net from portable devices, send texts instead of calling people just because we can, and have found ways to bring every type of conceivable media with us wherever we go. It wasn’t always like that (how did we ever survive?). Way back when if we wanted to control our own types of entertainment, we were left to use our imaginations. We did have a few options, though, such as “Choose Your Own Adventure” books. In them we could have our favorite characters do whatever we wished them to do for the most part. It was a neat idea, and it only makes sense that with the advent of DVD’s this type of interactive mayhem would bleed over into films.
Though it has been attempted twice before (i.e., the Final Destination 3 and Return to House on Haunted Hill DVD’s), a young filmmaker named Tony Wash decided to give it a spin with a fraction of the budget of the aforementioned flicks. The result? It’s My Party and I’ll Die if I Want To, a choose your own adventure horror film. Before we get to the results of this little experiment, let’s tackle the storyline.
Sara has just turned eighteen, and to celebrate, her friends are throwing her a bash at a notoriously haunted house. What makes the house so notorious, you ask? Many years ago old man Burkitt decided to kill his family in really ghastly ways. As a result his spirit, as well as the spirits of his family plus a demon or two, have taken up permanent residence within the blood-stained halls. As you would imagine, these disembodied evils do not take kindly to visitors, much less partying teens looking to drink and participate in *GASP* premarital shenanigans. Nevertheless, it’s party time, and the gore is set to spew!
Overall, the flick itself isn’t too shabby. Director Tony Wash has made a film that is nothing short of cheesy good fun. It’s not to be taken seriously and exists only to give the audience its fair share of spooks, tits, grue, and kung-fu. Fans of Night of the Demons and even Creepshow will find a lot to like here, but things aren’t all sunshine and roses. Despite its innovations (which we’ll get to in a minute) and its energy, It’s My Party and I’ll Die if I Want To falls victim to just about every pitfall indie horror films usually do: sketchy acting, an amateurish look and feel, etc. Yet, it’s saved from the jaws of mediocrity due to an abundance of gore, good sound design, some great make-up work, and the kitschy goodness associated with influencing the fate of your protagonists. Speaking of which …
The choose your own adventure stuff doesn’t start until about halfway through the film. Once it does, the onscreen action turns into a sort of comic book type panel with your choices highlighted. These options will lead to nine different possible endings for the film. Though some feel like throwaways and some are spot-on, the one thing all the outcomes have in common is the coolness factor associated with the mayhem the viewer can orchestrate. For those who want to see everything, there’s also an easy to navigate menu where all of your branching choices are laid out for you. Really good stuff.
Also included as supplemental material are a quick behind-the-scenes featurette, two short films, and of course the film’s trailer. The behind-the-scenes is amusing at times but ultimately cookie-cutter. The shorts provide a bit more bang for your buck with one showcasing some truly unique puppeteering skills. Not bad at all.
It’s My Party and I’ll Die if I Want To excels in the entertainment department by doling out a bloody good time riddled with innovation, bouncing boobs, some shockingly creepy moments, and enough slaughter to keep even the most blood-hungry viewers giggling happily like the demented fuckers that we proudly are. While far from perfect (and I’m sure according to some, far from good), it’s a better than average foot in the door film for Wash, and honestly? I can’t wait to see what he chooses to do next. Or maybe we’ll be the ones choosing again.
Special Features
3 out of 5
Special Features:
2 1/2 out of 5
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