31 Days of Drafts and Darkness:

"The American Scream" (2012)

"31 Days of Drafts and Darkness" is a tribute to all things Halloween, not simply horror. Thus far, we've seen plenty of comedy alongside horror, and even a musical. For a change of pace, let's tackle a documentary. It loves Halloween, but not in the bloody or dark way. Rather, like a child in costume, asking hopefully for candy.

Note: You can currently find this film on Netflix Instant Streaming. Be sure to check it out, especially if you're a Halloween-nut!

The Plot:

Taking place in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, "The American Scream" follows three families, each from different social and economic backgrounds, as they ready their yards for All Hallows Eve. Each household is famous for performing annual 'house hauntings' whereby their yards are tranformed into haunted houses for all the neighborhood  to tour on Halloween night. We're taken on a month-long journey of each family's plans, some intensely detailed and expensive, others improvisational, but all for the purpose of entertaining the neighborhood trick-or-treaters.

Beginning October 1st, "The American Scream" starts off by introducing us to the three families and establishes their level of involvement in the community and house hauntings. Some do it just because they get a kick out of it. For one father, Halloween has become a project in which to pour his artistic passion. Another family is active in community service and fundraising. No matter the intent behind the house hauntings, the love each family has for their community and the holiday is evident.

As October 31st draws closer, the viewer is run through the surprisingly-stressful undertaking of transforming a yard into a full-scale haunted house on a small budget and with few resources. With these families now being well-known for their house hauntings, the pressure to raise the bar from year to year intensifies. We get to watch each of their visions go from idea, to blueprint, to fully-realized haunt. The final revelations on Halloween night will make you feel like a kid again.

The Flavor:

Okay, I'll grant that my "31 Days of Drafts and Darkness" list has featured plenty of gore and creepy moments. Sure, there was comedy in there too, but much of  it was dark humor. There's nothing wrong with that, but to keep things fresh, let's cleanse the palate.

Tonight's entry is a different sort of Halloween love; one born from fond memories of trick-or-treating and spooky decorations. "The American Scream" is most certainly a Halloween movie through-and-through, but it's also a very heart-warming and nostalgic film.

Though some of the home-haunters go to extreme lengths with their craftsmanship, even going at-odds with their families, the level of commitment to seasonal creativity and sheer love for Halloween is always there. These folks wear their love for the holiday on their sleeve, and you can't help but get caught-up in their passion. Each family charmingly approaches the holiday with little money to work with, and yet manages to give something spooky to their neighborhood by October 31st. There's stress and headache involved, but it's all worth it come Halloween night.

Best Paired with:

Kids will eat up every little synthesized skeleton and alien these families put together. The sort of excitement children get when shopping for Halloween costumes runs healthily throughout "The American Scream", and they'll be sure to pick up on that cinnamon-scented vibe.

As such, it's a kick-ass family film.

For nay-saying grown-ups, "The American Scream" offers  an interesting study on how adults express their appreciation for what's mainly thought of as a kids-only holiday. It's easy to scoff at the efforts of these families on the surface. After all, these are just haunted houses, right? No, they're memory factories.

For the children that get to tour these house haunts, each represents all that we've come to love about Halloween. Maybe the things that scare us can be funny, too? If for one night we can dress up as zombies and vampires, creatures that usually terrify us, and still manage to have fun, are they really so scary? Halloween, for a child, is not only about facing your fear, but conquering it. 

I guess "The American Scream" makes me realize why I became fond of horror movies in the first place. 

I hope it can do the same for you.

Accompanying Brew:

 As a Halloween love-letter rooted in the holiday's celebrations, tonight's brew should be sweet. Memories of grocery bags and pillow cases bursting with candy come to mind. As does the traditional drink of the Halloween.

Harpoon Pumpkin Cider manages to win me over where many hard ciders often turn me away. Putting the dry tang of apple before the sweetness and spice prevents the cider from ever getting overpowering as you drink. I can't stand when a cider or beer gets cloying sweet, almost syrupy, half way through a pint. Though many ciders and pumpkinheads prominently feature very sweet notes to go along with the cinnamon and nutmeg, Harpoon's offering eases up and lets the dryer taste help cleanse the palate in between sips.

What's more, with both the level of sweetness and spice dialed back, the added pumpkin flavor gets a chance to shine through. Though we all know pumpkin flavor from the variety of seasonal food featuring it (coffee, donuts, etc.). In truth, pumpkin tends to be quite a mellow flavor on its own. The slight vegetable taste melded with a sweet-potato like zing sounds like an odd choice for beer/cider additive, but when you take out all the spices, that's what pumpkin flavor actually is.

Now, Harpoon Pumpkin Cider is sweet. It is a cider, after all. But it's also mild enough to let you enjoy all the flavors going on, from the dry and tangy apple to the mellow tone of pumpkin. Just as "The American Scream" ushers you into Halloween with warm arms, so too does Harpoon's Pumpkin Cider give you that seasonal flavor in a warm and inviting sort of way.