Shadows in the Woods is actually quite the surprise. You look at the trailer and you think : Oh, no, another micro shlock fest ! But, it is actually a little more than just that. Travis Bowen has created a film that is both a loving throw back to B-movies of the past AND that creates a style all it's own, mixing elements of good vs. evil fantasy stories and elements of classic horror films.
The Story is fairly simple : Years ago, a group of demons and angels did battle on earth. When the lead Angle and the lead Demon killed each other, they were banished from their respective realms, the angels now being turned into vengeful, dark angels. Now, a young girl, her group of friends and her wise Grandfather (Conrad Brooks of Ed Wood's films in a surprisingly very strong supporting part) must survive the return of the creatures.
I think the best way to review this would be to break it all up into sections, so I'll do just that.
Story : Fun and actually very interesting. The characters are memorable, the script has a nice pace and it's just very enjoyable.
Direction : Travis Bowen does what the best he can with what he had, and I think the direction is good, with some very nice camera shots here and there.
Special Effects : The demons look great, for the most part. At times their costumes seemed a little off to me, but the face make-up is great. They look like humanoid reptiles crossed with trees. Bill Bankey did a nice job here. Gore wise, there really isn't much, but there is a decent amount of blood.
Cast : The cast is AMAZING. Let's go through all the big names we got here : Conrad Brooks, Syn DeVil, Lloyd Kaufman, Eric Walker and UK film and television icon Michael Sheard. Most of them are only cameos, except for Conrad who plays the Grandfather and Syn DeVil who plays the angel leader, but Kaufman and Walker do a fine job with what are little more than glorified cameos. This was Michael Sheard's final film performance before passing away. His screen time is limited, but he leaves an impression and he gives a great performance.
Music : I love the soundtrack here. Some of it done by Matt Jefferson, who also appears in the film, and it features some great surf music by Gein and the Graverobbers.
All in all, this is a fun, little B-flick. Travis clearly tried and really cared about the project and it shows. Not for everybody, but if you like this sort of thing, I suggest you give it a watch and support independent cinema.
