Strange Harvest

Strange Harvest
Starring Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Jessee J. Clarkson
Directed by Stuart Ortiz

For the last decade or so, the idea of true crime has fascinated the American populous. Television series like "Dateline," "Forensic Files," "The First 48" and so many more draw in viewers in the millions who are intrigued by the latest murder. Podcasts litter the landscape centering on the whos and whys of killers and what motivates them, and there's an odd fascination with the prolific serial killers like Bundy and Dahmer. What is it that draws people to such things? Not really sure, but Hollywood has capitalized on this wave for awhile, and "Strange Harvest" is one such medium - a horror film shot like a "Dateline" expose on a prolific serial killer in California that feels as real as watching an actual show.

From 1995 to 2010, the serial killer known as Mr. Shiny brought fear to the citizens of San Bernardino, California. Not only has his murders been incredibly gruesome and seemingly random, but he leaves a mysterious calling card at each scene - a painted triangle with four dots.  For Detectives Joe Kirby (Peter Zizzo) and Lexi Taylor (Terri Apple), their quest to find the killer was an unyielding one - especially as the killer leaves cryptic notes stating that he only needs a few more kills before he can unleash an ancient deity that will occur on a rare planetary alignment.

"Strange Harvest" is a unique film in that it was shot exactly like one of those true crime shows, and it's easily attainable to feel like you're actually watching a true crime documentary, even though it isn't. In some ways it's pretty scary to think that this could easily happen, due to the over-exposure of such serial killers in today's society, while in others it points to the filmmaker's style and use of a small budget to make something so believable and well put-together, and the cast of unknowns give great performances that come across as authentic. 

The story itself centers on a serial killer who kills people and takes parts of them, all culminating in a final sacrifice to an ancient god that's supposed to appear during an alignment of three planets - an event that happens once every 800 years. The film takes place years later, and is told through eyewitness interviews, body cams, surveillance cameras, and police investigators, and again it's done so well it's like you're watching something from the ID Channel. While the ultimate goal is a fantastical one - the killer kills to welcome a god's arrival - it's also all too grounded in reality when it comes to the murders themselves.

Here is where the film really shines, and how it utilizes its small budget to great effect. The kills are extremely brutal, with not even children being immune to the most ghastly demises. It builds the mystery and suspense, and has some surprising turns you don't see coming, and you can tell the passion that everyone puts into this project and it more than shows.

Using a unique method of filmmaking that makes the events seem believable, and by using their budget to great effect and showcasing up-and-coming talent, "Strange Harvest" really shines in the specifics as well as the grander scale, giving a haunting, mysterious story where you don't know how it all ends.

The Score: A