Review: John Johnson's The Jester
By William Pattison
For Horror Bob’s Blog
This time I have the pleasure of reviewing a film by one of
my favorite indie filmmakers, that being Mr. John Johnson. The film in question
is John Johnson’s The Jester.
There is a
legend about a jester who fell in love with the daughter of a king and
impregnated her. The King in his rage had the Jester tied to a tree and forced
him to watch as he cut the child from his daughter’s stomach. Then the king
burned down the forest to destroy the jester, baby, and his daughter’s body. While
the Jester burned he cursed the king and the world saying that he would come
back and claim a child to replace that which the king took from him, then the
world would suffer his wrath.
Centuries
later a young female author finds a necklace and a book in an old book shop.
She buys the book and after she starts to read from it the Jester appears to
her. He tells her he has come to get what she owes him, a child, and if she
rejects him three times blood will be spilt. She refuses him and he reminds her
that if she does it two more times blood will be spilt. Then he wipes her
memory.
Soon after
a bunch of her friends come to spend the weekend with her. The jester comes to
her again and she rejects him two more times. The Jester tells her that she has
made a grave mistake. From that point on blood is indeed spilt and the young
author must choose either to concede to the demonic Jester’s request or watch
her friends die one by one.
The Jester
is a low budget horror film done in the classic style of the 80s. Unlike most
films that try to capture the feel of the 80s gorefests, Johnson manages this
feat with ease yet does not turn this film into a cookie cutter 80s horror
homage. This is not a homage it is an after affect of the fact that like those
80s filmmakers before him Johnson uses his limited resources to their full advantage
and effect rather than trying to pretend he is making a Hollywood
film. The result is good honest filmmaking that takes practical FX and character
work, and tight script writing and uses these to create a quality piece of
work. Jester reminds me of some of the great classic low budget horror films
created by the master filmmakers of Empire Pictures and Full Moon. It is an
entertaining horror film that doesn’t take itself too serious yet gives the
horror fan the bang for their bucks. I highly recommend this film. You can find
this and other wonderful films by John Johnson at http://www.darkstone-ent.com/films.html
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