The horror community can be as big as the worldwide fanbase for Jason Voorhees, or as small as a group of townsfolk from Keyport, New Jersey. Princess of the Murder, a Halloweentime, demon-possessed slasher, is the culmination of citizens of this town coming together to make something fun.
On Halloween, Jackie, a trans woman in Keyport NJ, chases her escaped crow. After tragedy strikes, she’s possessed by Baphomet and seeks revenge. Lucy and Max get caught in the chaos while heading to a party.
Princess of the Murder, IMDB
From the beginning, we’re thrown into small town charm and are given vignettes of several individuals whose lives would change forever following the death of Jackie (played by writer/director Jacqueline Sophia London). Boxer Rachel takes her troubles out on a punching bag and a local baker. Detectives Parker and Johnson discuss the yearly budget while shootin’ the shit with locals. Teens Lucy and Max take a short cut through a cemetery where the night of murder begins. All of their stories collide as Jackie’s now-possessed body goes on a rampage through the town, seeking revenge from those who had wronged her that day; drive-by eggings, being a terrible roommate, and killing her pet bird turned this pleasant princess into a Slasher goddess.
Of course, no indie horror film would be good if it was as extremely polished as a Hollywood movie. Princess of the Murder is full of store-bought blood, amateur acting, and a few sound issues here and there. What makes indie horror great is a feeling. Princess of the Murder originated out of an idea to bring a politically-divided community back on the same page. With small-town sets and actor-owned props, you get the feeling that everyone really did come together to make this work. Characters felt like they really knew each other and just had fun with the filming. The town felt lived-in, almost like I was a resident myself.
As for the story, Princess of the Murder already gets a 100% for basing itself around Halloween. Add that to kitschy costumes and a playful-turned-terrifying romp through the graveyard, it has all the makings of a straight-to-video slasher. Jackie’s possessed murderer persona isn’t necessarily scary, but she is still a force to be reckoned with as she roams the streets looking for her next victim — Michael Myers style. Blood streaking across faces and plastering itself on walls and windows adds that physical element we all love — low-budget CGI gore just wouldn’t have gotten the job done. Other technical aspects like POV chase scenes, reddened eyes, filters, and video speed gave Princess of the Murder an extra artsy push.
While still one-note, the characters weren’t our stereotypical tropes, giving us something different and new people to root for. And I would be remiss to not mention the jokes peppered throughout Princess of the Murder; the Mayor’s sultry walk had me laughing for a good few minutes (and looking back now, she’s even list as “Sexy Mayor” in the credits).
Princess of the Murder has a message both within the movie and for its audience: be nice to each other, because working together will lead to better lives and a prosperous community. Otherwise, y’know, someone might get possessed and go on a murder spree.
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I still laugh out loud every time I see even a snippet of the “Mayor’s “ walk. Too bad you didn’t see the outtakes when we mock her “Six – Seven remark.
Omg, even my boss (I have a daytime job) is using “6-7” and it is the funniest combination of cringe and hilarity. I would’ve loved to see those outtakes!