Recent Reviews
Short Film Review: Jitters
By John Marrone
Nov 9, 2005, 14:26

Young Tom and Suzi have just become engaged - there's flowers and music and soft joy.  Suzi is just so drunk on love as she lays down for the night next to her future husband.  But as sleep sets in, chaos awakens.  Tom returns to consciousness to find himself bound in a plastic shrouded room, where Suzi struts about with her tools, laying down the new laws of their relationship.  A few minor things are going to have to change, now that they're to spend the rest of their lives together.  Nothing a little basement surgery can't fix...

Producer Eric Richter and director Anthony Sumner have been traveling the festival circuit the past couple of months with a 13 minute short splatter film called Jitters.  In what appears to be their second film through TinyCore pictures, Sumner has put together a razor blade and scissor tribute to the age old pre-marital wedding jitters.  Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma and creator of The Toxic Avenger was quoted, saying Jitters "heralds the dawning of two new horror geniuses, Sumner and Richter..." and that it "exceeds Raimi, Romero, and even Troma."  Its a quality bloodbath, but nothing exceeding what you've seen before.  The actors are young and a bit bland - and there's no room for a script to get interesting.  Its basically a torture session in a basement, looking to play on fear of commitment. 

Where Jitters comes up short in storyline and acting, which truly is par for the course in a low-budget film, it makes up for in mutilation and gore.  Maybe fans won't find themselves wrapped in an intriguing story, or amazed by the reality of the situation.  They WILL, however, be treated to wonderful violent treats, such as...  Cutting off Tom's tongue with a razor blade...  Cutting off Tom's nipple with scissors...  Sewing Tom's eyes shut with a needle and thread...  and castrating Tom's pride and joy with a knife...  Each of these deeds are shown in detail, and even though the special effects weren't hollywood quality, they knew where to draw the line and let imagination take over.

The film took a complete left turn in the end, not once but twice.  Tom awakens, only to see that he has murdered his girlfriend while dreaming of his bloody fears - choked her to death.  Tom obviously has issues about commitment, because its happened before.  Dressing Suzi in a wedding dress, he brings her down into the basement, where we find that Tom has three other bodies, rotting away in the darkness.  Setting her down amongst the others, suddenly the dead brides  become zombies.  Tom struggles to get away, but the blood drooling ex's get the best of him.

This movie reminds me of something Hershell Gordon Lewis might have done out of high school.  I'm not sure what Lloyd Kaufman sees as genius in Jitters - but it does pack a bloody punch for a 13 minute short.  Final Anaylsis:  Gore and Mutilation 101 - a worthy introduction for someone just entering the horror scene...

For more on Anthony Sumner's films, please visit http://www.tinycorepictures.com/jitters.html

CAST AND CREW:

Starring:
Laurie Rameriz - Suzie
Keith Ehrenberg - Tom
Daxa Patel - zombie bride Joni
Kamila Stroksik - zombie bride Michelle
Maggie Nadolny - zombie bride Katie

Directed by:
Anthony G. Sumner

Written by:
Eric Richter

Director of Photography:
Eric Richter

Edited and Produced by:
Eric Richter and Anthony G. Sumner

Original Music Score written and produced by:
Daniel J. Moroz

Bride Voice Overs:
Susan Richter
Katie Richter
Cathy Partipilo

Prop Master:
Ryan Young

Special Make-up FX: 
Anthony G. Sumner

Asst. Make-up FX:
Susan Richter
Laurie Rameriz
Eric Richter
Jeff Tomasek

Costumes:
Susan Richter

Prop Effects:
Richard Richter

Production Assistants:
Nathan Baker
Susan Richter