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Phobias takes b-horror production to surprising level

josh_fin | Seattle, WA USA | 03/22/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I enjoy b-horror but not for the reasons that most do. I usually watch it to laugh at how terrible the acting is, how stupid the plot is and especially at how unrealistic the "50 cent" special effects are.I expected the same from 'PHOBIAS'. However I was pleasently surprised to find that Director - Robert Massetti and his team was able to deliver a real adventure for my money. The plot in the first of the anthology (When Shadows Lie Darkest) was dark and believeable. The acting was exceptional for b-movies and perhaps borderline professional quality! And to top it off the special effects, though I would have liked to have seen more, was actually superb.Blackout, the second film in the anthology, is extremely high quality. The lighting, acting and FX are first rate and something for the b-movie industry to live up to. I found the plot was deeper than I would expect from a b-movie and perhaps a bit deep for those looking quick 'violence fix' from a [violent] film. But for those wishing for a little meat with their potatoes, 'Blackout' serves it up red and rare!Some of the bonus material that I enjoyed about 'PHOBIAS' were the out takes, and the director/producer/actor commentaries. I found them to be quit entertaining, and very informative as well. I hope that in future project releases that they will add more to this portion of the DVD. Over all I felt Phobias was a pleasent surprise. You can still feel the b-movie undertones but on the surface the anthology is a-movie quality and neither the true b-movie horror fan nor the fan of classic suspense thrillers will be disappointed."