The Hook of Woodland Heights

Last updated
The Hook of Woodland Heights
TheHookOfWoodlandHeights.jpg
VHS released by Donna Michelle Productions
Directed byMichael Savino
Written byMark Veau
Michael Savino
Produced byMark Veau
Michael Savino
StarringRobert W. Allen
Michael Elyanow
Christine McNamara
CinematographyJeffrey Bagdasarian
C. Douglas Frauenholz
Edited byR. Collins Dickinson
Music byJeffrey Majeau
Production
company
Media House Productions
Distributed byDonna Michelle Productions
Release date
  • 1990 (1990)(United States)
Running time
40 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3,500

The Hook of Woodland Heights is a 1990 horror short film written and directed by Michael Savino, and co-written by Mark Veau.

Contents

Plot

Mason Crane, a one-handed man who went on a murderous rampage after committing familicide, is set to be moved from one section of a Woodland Heights psychiatric hospital to another. As soon as Mason's cell is opened, the deranged man crushes an orderly with the door, cuts another's skullcap off with a clipboard, and escapes. Mason makes his way to a wilderness-adjacent home, where he kills a dog, and replaces his missing hand with a bent two-pronged grilling fork. With his new weapon, Mason attacks a group of children playing in a cemetery, stabbing one to death, and scattering the rest.

Mason returns to the woods, where a young couple (Tommy and Katie) have set up at a cottage for some alone time. Nervous due to all the news reports about Mason's escape, Katie convinces Tommy to take her back into town, but the car fails to start. Tommy goes off alone to seek help from a friend named Jimmy who lives nearby, and encounters Mason, who has disemboweled Jimmy. Tommy and Mason fight, with Mason coming out victorious when he stabs Tommy in the crotch. Next, Mason goes after Katie, chasing her through the forest, and into town. Just as Mason is about to kill Katie, he is shot in the head by a bystander.

The film is then revealed to just be a story being told to a group of Cub Scouts. When the storyteller asks the boys if they believe the ghost of Mason Crane still haunts the town, they answer with "No!" The man laughs, turns to the camera (revealing himself to be Mason) and screams, "I do!"

Cast

Release

The Hook of Woodland Heights was released on VHS in 1990, in a double feature with the fifteen-minute short Attack of the Killer Refrigerator. The tape also included a making-of featurette, cast and crew interviews, promotional footage, and footage of a theatrical screening. [1]

Reception

Critical Condition called the short "fun to watch" and "humorous, gory, and cheesy as hell". [1] eFilm Critic found the film "appealingly goofy" despite the many flaws, and gave it a score of two. [2] Cranked on Cinema wrote "this is a mildly entertaining film" and said that while it was not groundbreaking it was still "impressive as a micro-budget movie". [3] A four out of ten was awarded by Horrorphilia, which concluded "The short running time really saves it. If this was a full-length movie I doubt I could have even made it all the way through". [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scouting</span> World-wide youth movement

Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports. Another widely recognized movement characteristic is the Scout uniform, by intent hiding all differences of social standing in a country and making for equality, with neckerchief and campaign hat or comparable headwear. Distinctive uniform insignia include the fleur-de-lis and the trefoil, as well as merit badges and other patches.

<i>Goodfellas</i> 1990 American film by Martin Scorsese

Goodfellas is a 1990 American biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and produced by Irwin Winkler. It is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book Wiseguy by Pileggi. Starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino, the film narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980.

Scouting in New York Non-profit organization in the USA

Scouting in New York has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. The first National Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Headquarters was in New York City, and the Girl Scouts of the USA National Headquarters is currently located at 420 5th Avenue, New York, New York.

Molly Shannon American actress and comedian

Molly Helen Shannon is an American actress and comedian who was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2001. In 2017, she won the Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film Other People.

Benson Fong American actor (1916-1987)

Benson Fong was an American character actor.

Tommy Bond American actor (1926–2005)

Thomas Ross Bond was an American actor, director, producer and writer. He was best known for his work as a child actor for two nonconsecutive periods on Our Gang comedies. Also, he is noted for being the first actor to appear onscreen as "Superman's pal" Jimmy Olsen, having portrayed the character in the film serials Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950).

<i>Foxs Peter Pan & the Pirates</i> Television series

Fox's Peter Pan and the Pirates is an American animated television series based on J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan that aired on Fox Kids from September 8, 1990, to September 10, 1991. 65 episodes were produced.

<i>Wild in the Streets</i> 1968 film by Barry Shear

Wild in the Streets is a 1968 American comedy-drama film directed by Barry Shear and starring Christopher Jones, Hal Holbrook, and Shelley Winters. Based on the short story "The Day It All Happened, Baby!" by Robert Thom, it was distributed by American International Pictures. The film, described as both "ludicrous" and "cautionary", was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film Editing and became a cult classic of the 1960s counterculture.

Regis Toomey American actor (1898–1991)

John Francis Regis Toomey was an American film and television actor.

Katie Holmes American actress

Kate Noelle Holmes is an American actress. She first achieved fame as Joey Potter on the television series Dawson's Creek (1998–2003).

Scouting in popular culture

Since Scouting began in 1907, it has entered into many elements of popular culture, including movies, TV and books.

Tom Brown (actor) American actor (1913–1990)

Thomas Edward Brown was an American actor and model.

Jack Mulhall American actor

John Joseph Francis Mulhall was an American film actor beginning in the silent film era who successfully transitioned to sound films, appearing in over 430 films in a career spanning 50 years.

Harry C. Myers American actor (1882–1938)

Harry C. Myers was an American film actor and director, sometimes credited as Henry Myers. He performed in many short comedy films with his wife Rosemary Theby. Myers appeared in 330 films between 1908 and 1938, and directed more than 50 films between 1913 and 1917.

<i>I Wonder Whos Kissing Her Now</i> (film) 1947 film by June Haver, George Jessel, Lloyd Bacon, Lewis R. Foster

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now is a 1947 American musical film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring June Haver and Mark Stevens. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now is a biographical film about Joseph E. Howard, the "writer" of the popular song of the same title.

<i>Kick-Ass 2</i> (film) 2013 black comedy superhero film by Jeff Wadlow

Kick-Ass 2 is a 2013 black comedy superhero film written and directed by Jeff Wadlow, based on the graphic novels Book Two and Book Three of Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr., and serving as a sequel to 2010's Kick-Ass. It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Jim Carrey, with the former trio reprising their roles from the first film. The film follows Dave Lizewski / Kick-Ass (Taylor-Johnson) who joins a vigilante team called "Justice Forever", while Mindy Macready / Hit Girl (Moretz) attempts to live a normal life, and Chris D'Amico (Mintz-Plasse) taking up the mantle of The Motherfucker and forming a supervillain team to take revenge on Kick-Ass.

<i>In the Heights</i> (film) 2021 film by Jon M. Chu

In the Heights is a 2021 American musical drama film directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay by Quiara Alegría Hudes based on the stage musical of the same name by Hudes and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The film stars Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace in her film debut, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, and Jimmy Smits. The film follows a similar plot to the musical, telling the story of a corner in the predominantly Dominican Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, where every member of the community pursues their sueñitos for a better life.

<i>Kick-Ass</i> (comics) Comic book series by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.

Kick-Ass is a creator-owned comic book series written by Mark Millar and illustrated by John Romita Jr. It was initially published by Marvel Comics under the company's Icon imprint and republished under Image Comics. It is the story of Dave Lizewski, a teenager who sets out to become a real life superhero. His actions are publicized on the Internet and inspire other people. He gets caught up with ruthless vigilantes Big Daddy and Mindy "Hit-Girl" McCready, who are on a mission to take down the Genovese crime family.

<i>Hit-Girl & Kick-Ass</i>

Hit-Girl & Kick-Ass is a British-American media franchise based on the adventures of real life superheroes of the same name. It began in 2008 with the Marvel comic Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years, with two stand-alone sequel series, Kick-Ass: The New Girl and Hit-Girl, following in 2018, and a crossover series, Kick-Ass vs. Hit-Girl, following in 2020. The comic series were created by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.Hit-Girl is a young vigilante going around the world stopping crime in violent ways,while Kick-Ass has had several people taking on the mantle trying to save the day.

References

  1. 1 2 Dominick, Mario. "Films on the Fringe". criticononline.com. Critical Condition. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  2. ↑ Sommersby, Jack (5 April 2010). "Hook of Woodland Heights, The". efilmcritic.com. eFilm Critic. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  3. ↑ Lisk, Jamie (26 March 2009). "The Hook of Woodland Heights". crankedoncinema.com. Cranked on Cinema. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  4. ↑ C, Jeff (11 June 2011). "The Hook of Woodland Heights (1988) Short Film Review". horrorphilia.com. Horrorphilia. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.