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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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The Macabre Pair of Shorts (1996)

Rating: 2 Stars (out of 4)

Revolving Drawers

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy The Macabre Pair of Shorts on DVD

I couldn't figure out the title of this thing. No one ever wears any shorts, and there are more than two short segments, so what does it mean? It begins with two technicians working late at a film studio on Halloween. They find an old film canister and thread it up. It's a film-within-a-film; a couple of vampires sit around and watch horror movies on TV (making it a film-within-a-film-within-a-film). None of the shorts have any real spark (one is a predictable homage to "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"), but the wraparound sequence has its own little moments of life. After a while, the mysterious film canister turns out to be something else entirely, leading to a kind of chase/fight. The DVD box advertises David Boreanaz ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel") as one of its stars, but he only appears for a moment.

DVD Details: Troma released this "gem" on DVD with deleted scenes, a commentary track, and lots of promotion for other Troma products.

Starring: David Boreanaz, Patrick Bradley, Erik Emmons, Tony Ferriter, Kara Flynn, Robert Harvey, Ashley Hill, Scott Mabbutt, Shannon K. MacDonald, Sean Manton, Kathryn McAlister, Aaron McNally, Michael Overton, Albee Patnesky, Alan Sanborn, Vance Weaver
Written by: Scott Mabbutt, Sean Manton
Directed by: Scott Mabbutt
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 80 minutes
Date: June 10, 2006