Slay Belles Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Slay Belles Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 6, 2019

The Christmas season receives a jolt of the macabre with “Slay Belles.” Co-writer/director SpookyDan Walker turns to comedy and horror to spread holiday cheer, reawakening the plague of Krampus, who’s become a popular fixture in the genre, becoming the go-to menace for many filmmakers. Walker tends to view the monster in a more lighthearted manner, creating something of a cartoon with “Slay Belles,” which delights in being over- the-top, hoping to conquer a limited budget by being as colorful and loud as possible.

Kristina Klebe, Susan Slaughter, and Hannah Minx star as YouTube celebrities embarking on an “urban exploring” mission inside an abandoned Christmas-themed amusement park. They end up encountering the real Santa (Barry Bostwick) and attract the interest of Krampus, who’s eager to devour the trespassers.

Walker certainly earns points for his enthusiasm, delivering (with co-writer Jessica Luhrssen) an inviting premise that tracks the exploration efforts of three character who end up in a place they shouldn’t go near, unleashing all kinds of trouble. However, “Slay Belles” is wacky, not scary, often playing to the back row with broad comedic beats, while genre magic is somewhat muted due to budgetary restrictions, though visuals effects show some spirit, and Krampus has a proper demonic look. What’s truly maddening about “Slay Belles” is cinematography by Graham Robbins, which takes shaky-cam to whole new levels, with something as basic as an establishing shot of a police station quaking uncontrollably. Handheld is never the B- movie Band-Aid many believe it to be, making the feature tiring to watch a times.

Slay Belles Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Color is a major event during the "Slay Belles" viewing experience. The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation does very well with Christmas hues, blasting the screen with reds, blues, and greens from direct lighting sources and background mood enhancers. Skintones are natural. Sharpness carries throughout, with defined facial surfaces and costuming, which is loaded with all sorts of soft and shiny textures. Krampus construction is defined as well. Delineation handles adequately, though the HD-shot feature isn't always interested in presenting pure blacks. Some banding is detected.

Slay Belles Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound mix handles loudly, trying to raise some hell with scoring selections and soundtrack cuts, which come through crisply. Dialogue exchanges are defined in full, with excitable performances easy to follow. Sound effects retain punch. Surrounds are more circular than specific, feeling out theme park atmospherics, and low-end is satisfactory.

Slay Belles Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features co-writer/director SpookyDan Walker and co-writer Jessica Luhrssen.

• Making Of (46:01, HD) is an extensive overview of the "Slay Belles" production process, heading all the way back to the first location scouting trip in 2013. The featurette primarily details the shoot, with the cast and crew working around an actual abandoned Santa park in California. Technical challenges are examined and camaraderie is shared, delivering a full sense of the labor required to create a low-budget monster movie.

• "Hannah Minx Tours the Set" (7:32, HD) equips the actress with a camera as she makes her way around SpookyDan's house, which is littered with horror art and props for "Slay Belles." We reunite with Minx on the set of the film, where she explores just how the elements were assembled, surveying the work.

• "Hannah Mix Makeup Tutorial" (3:57, HD) takes a seat with the actress to watch as she's transformed into her colorful character, Sadie.

• "Cookies and Conversation" (21:03, HD) returns to SpookyDan's house, where the director prepares to decorate treats with help from actresses Kristina Klebe and Susan Slaughter. While topics change quickly, the trio do manage to discuss the ways of ghost hunting, offer some particulars about "Slay Belles," debate the mystery of Hannah Minx (apparently she disappeared after the shoot), and assess various cast members. The crafting ends with a display of cookie art and a sampling of the work.

• "Istanbul" (3:12, HD) is a short film starring Bad Ass Russian.

• And a Trailer (1:24, HD) is included.

Slay Belles Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Slay Belles" offers committed performances, an enticing setting, and plenty of bloody chaos. It's certainly an acquired taste, but perhaps some viewers will find it easy to tap into the spirit of the picture, which truly does contribute a Christmas vibe.