by Matt Donato
While Universal has failed to relaunch its shared horror universe for decades, Larry Fessenden’s beloved bloodsucker Habit was released in 1995 and laid the groundwork for his own successful Monsterverse. Quietly, out of the mainstream’s eye, Fessenden assembled his take on the Wolf Man, Dracula, and Frankenstein for a graveyard smash of a crossover that premiered at this year’s Overlook Film Festival: Trauma or, Monsters All. It’s Fessenden’s signatures in totalum: an emotionally torn, low-budget take on the horrors of humanity as guided by cursed creatures. Don’t expect Stephen Sommers’ Van Helsing; more the mumblecore-value, Glass Eye Pix version of a Universal multi-monster classic.
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Fessenden shines a light on the warts marking Talbot Falls, visible in broad daylight. The booze-soaked sheriffs, or aggressive yokel thugs who become violent and territorial about the “evils” they perceive. Trauma or, Monsters All has a broken Americana vibe to its contemporary commentary, especially in how Cassie’s inquiries dredge up controversy rather than curiosity. In the vein of Frankenstein’s monster being chased by pitchforks and torches, Fessenden tests Talbot Falls’ moral compass against those characters who’ve failed such genre experiments. There’s anger in Charlie’s voice as he confronts Cassie, pre-transformation, and prods about whether she’s proud of her work in print, knowing he’ll have to ditch Adam and start over. There’s a melancholy to Trauma or, Monsters All that nails the title “trauma,” drawing a thin line that separates townsfolk and beasts.
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The question is simple: did you like any combination of Habit, Depraved, or Blackout? Splendid, Trauma Or, Monsters All is for you! Fessenden’s iconic independent horror voice is on display, as his under-the-radar monster series reaches its crescendo. He creates a world any audience can slide into: a rural creature feature built on humble intentions and honest depictions. Fessenden’s read on Universal’s legendary monsters is his own, drawing on themes of vulnerability and ostracization into our modern hellscape. Luckily, despite its blemishes, Trauma Or, Monsters All is a minimalist take on fabled figures with plenty to say, and another notch in Fessenden’s ever-mounting legacy.
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