Did I just watch a horror comedy about a murderous genetically mutated creature crawling around in the pipes and looking for its next meal? In short, this apartment building is dealing with a serious plumbing problem, and a plunger won’t be enough to solve it. The speed at which I flew to my laptop to watch this toilet bowl gem, and it did not disappoint. Scared Shitless is a horror comedy, of course! Grab yourself a magazine or your favorite book, have a seat, and light a candle… I promise the jokes are much funnier in this movie.
Don’t forget to flush
First of all, Mark McKinney and firster of all, Julian Richings, made me squeal with joy the moment I saw them on the screen. Dr. Robert (Mckinney) is our evil genius, the mad scientist responsible for creating this killing machine. She (yes, she) is reminiscent of a bloodworm with its sharp, clawed phalanges protruding from its cavernous mouth. Most importantly, she has a killer bite and a taste for blood. Ultimately, Professor Cummings (Richings) arrives to end the project. However, Dr. Robert escapes back to his home with the creature in a small aquarium. Consequently, things quickly spiral out of control once she escapes into the plumbing.
Unfortunately, our monster settles in a charming vintage-style apartment building owned by a small family. Times are rough, and daughter Patricia (Chelsea Clark) shoulders the responsibility of managing the building. Thanks to the frequent calls of the sweet Mrs. Applebaum, they’ve got a plumber on speed dial. Enter veteran plumber Don (Steven Ogg) with his son Sonny (Daniel Doheny) in tow, hoping that this job will cure him of his germaphobia.
Admittedly, I expected something along the lines of Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead (which I never finished). I am happy to report that I could stomach everything I saw. Horror films like REC, Shivers (1975), Infested (2023), and Attack the Block, which are set in apartment buildings, actively add a heightened sense of fear by creating a feeling of entrapment. In this case, it’s an ideal location for a creature to get around from one toilet to the next via the plumbing. Furthermore, attacking someone while they are sitting on a toilet or taking a shower or bath is some nightmare fuel.
It’s not that deep
Scared Shitless relies heavily on its characters, and they are the best parts of this movie. It’s refreshing to have three likable protagonists. The father-son plumbing duo adds a humorous family dynamic. It’s absurd to drag a germaphobe into this environment, and it leads to some wonderful shenanigans. Moreover, Patricia adds an especially charming quality to this threesome while they try to battle the toilet monster.
Altogether, the music and classic B-movie vibes had me hooked. It’s perfectly campy, it’s ridiculous, and I laughed a lot. Watch it for the gnarly creature, the fart jokes and toilet humor, the goop and gross fluids, a floppy penis and other body parts, the freaky egg sacs, the horny old folks, wicked kills, and a charming toilet bowl montage. Scared Shitless is the sophomore feature of director Vivieno Caldinelli, and Steve Kostanski is the creature guru behind our darling toilet dweller. This self-funded indie is set to debut in the U.S. at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 12th.
