Arbor Day is an unsung hero of our calendars, saving one day a year to really appreciate our forests and woodland areas. Though it’s practically unknown to the horror realm like other bigger holidays, Big Damn Films aims to bring the terror with Arbor Day: The Root of Evil.
Each Arbor Day, a New Jersey campground closes while locals whisper about disappearances and eerie sightings. A curious visitor hears five chilling tales revealing the deadly force stalking the woods.
Arbor Day: The Root of Evil, IMDB
Boasting practical effects and indie filmmaker spotlights, Arbor Day is an anthology that walks us through decades of disaster. From the origins of our new slasher “the Arborist” to police files and renditions of those deaths, Arbor Day manages to take something as pristine and beautiful as the woods and make it a harbinger of doom where evil lurks behind every branch.
As many anthologies do, we start with our main storyline that sets off the rest of the film.
Wrap Around Story (written and directed by Michael Jayne)
Becoming wildly interested in the stories surrounding “the Arborist” and his murderous Arbor Day killing sprees over the years, a man takes his daughter to the Winding River Campground, only to be stopped in his tracks by the grounds manager. Trying to persuade the man to leave the grounds, the manager reads accounts of gruesome happenings at the hands of the infamous Arborist, which gives us the set-up for each section of this anthology. A nice break from the “we found a VHS tape” trope in recent films, this wrap-around not only gives us the background behind the Slasher, and is a rather believable entry point for each story.
Festooning (written and directed by Brooke Mulkins)
Extremely over his wife’s penchant for leaving the Christmas tree up well into Spring, a man angerly drags the festive follies into the woods to be buried for good. When the Arborist sees this, the man is roped up and turned into decor himself, giving a new look to the act of “festooning.” Not taking too kindly to his tree-napping attempt, his wife is left to find his body mutilated beyond repair. With a fun twist toward the beginning and some pretty gnarly squelching sounds, this short chose to spare our eyes and give our ears a taste of death instead. As a “Halloween is ALWAYS better than Christmas” girlie, this one tickled me pink — or should I say, red and green.
Head Plant (written and directed by Karrie A. Lyons-Munkittrick)
Three men manage to assault a local Arbor Day enthusiast and piss of the Arborist all in one go. Chasing a woman through the woods, she finds refuge behind a tree while the men find themselves newly headless. Head Plant features some very fun practical effects (the “head plants” in question) as well as call backs to other slasher tropes, such as having no signal to call for help, being chased in the woods, and one of the men being a virgin. Though there is a small bit of sexual assault at the start (no nudity, but still not a kind act), the men get their comeuppance, which I’m always rooting for.
Familiar Roots (written and directed by Joe Raffa)
Drugs are bad, kids — and so is partaking in party-time on public campgrounds. Two brothers — one very straight-laced and the other very high — dig a hole to plant their biodegradable dad’s ashes in. You would think the Arborist would be alright with people planting more trees, but seeing as how the brothers have a strained relationship, it makes sense that they’re both better off dead. The Arborist is unrelenting, taking an ax to their bodies and instead providing the burial meant for their dad. It’s sweet in a way! I liked the funky, fish-eye shots of the drug use, as well as the little bit of background story as to why they disliked each other. You don’t need to do much to build out a character’s world; a few lines of dialogue will do it.
Halfway through, I’d also like to mention how each segment is reflected on by the camp manager and the dad from the wrap around. Their back-and-forth conversation gives context and provides a little comic relief as well.
A Quartet of Screams (written and directed by John Johnson)
Contrary to one friend’s beliefs, a closed gate is indeed a stop sign and not a suggestion. Four friends (and horror fans, I might add) make plans to camp lakeside where they have a run in with the Arborist. Lulled into a false sense of safety as they debate the pros and cons of the “Baby Face” horror series and settle down for the night, the friends meet their fates — ax throws, rope catches, pointed spears, you name it. Of course the kills deserve their time in the spotlight, but one scene that stood out to me was the Arborist slowly walking into the woods and disappearing into the darkness. Sure, this film is more on the entertaining side with as many laughs as there are scary points, but that scene in particular is such a beautiful — and ominous — shot. The Arborist is not only consumed by the woods, he is the woods.
The Forest of Retribution (written and directed by Justin Timpane)
A woman tells the story of hoping the Arborist would one day do her a solid and kill her abuser, or even herself. Craftily written as to not traumatize the audience too much (queue the well-placed censor bar), the woman lays out her plans to finally rid the world of this filth of a man. When the Arborist makes his appearance, she finally finds her sweet relief. The writing here was incredibly well done, making the story harsh without the unnecessary brutality of what he did to her.
Arbor Day: The Root of Evil is six times the fun in just over an hour. Filled with shoutouts to other famous woods-based Slashers, tree puns, and an expansive universe where all of the stories make sense and fit well together, this anthology is a treat to watch. Paired with the Arbor Day Foundation partnership to plant a million trees, it’s a sure-fire way to let the horrors do some good. Arbor Day doesn’t hold back, and sure-as-hell doesn’t let a small budget get in the way.
Want to hear some BTS stories from writer/director Michael Jayne? Check out his interview on Let’s Talk Terror — with Friends!
For more Arbor Day, visit the movie on web and Instagram, as well as Big Damn Films on web, YouTube, and Instagram.
