Five years have passed since the last good horror-western was released to the masses, and luckily The Pale Door is here to fill that void. Now on demand and on digital from Shutter and RLJE Films, the latest picture from Aaron B. Koontz is a horror flick demanding attention, a story packed with equal amounts of action and emotion, and a complete masterclass in studio production when it comes to crafting a believable world. Written by Koontz, Cameron Burns and Keith Lansdale, The Pale Door finds a gang of cowboys seeking shelter in a mysterious town after a train robbery goes wrong. Their first stop is, of course, the local brothel, but the women they hoped would sooth their wounds are only looking to inflict more bloodshed. The battle between good and evil is just beginning in a night filled with bullet holes, screams, witches and the great Wild Wild West. Paper Street Pictures presents The Pale Door, now on demand and on digital.
The first thing I really want to acknowledge is how the film-makers created a late 1800’s (right?) setting that was enriching to the senses. Anyone can make a movie that’s supposed to take place in a certain era, but it’s difficult to make one that feels like it’s really there. The gang at Paper Street Pictures and executive producer Joe R. Lansdale really hit the nail on the head with this one. I was blown away by the aesthetics here as well as the departments that contributed to clothing, props and set design. Even the dialogues and dialects were spot on for the time period and the extra effort put into production is bound to make The Pale Door one of the sleeper hits of 2020. It takes a keen sense of style and an eye for realism to pull off a sense of actuality this perfect and a natural flow that’s enviable. Throw in classical acting from stars Devin Druid, Zachary Knighton, Noah Segan, Stan Shaw, Pat Healy, Bill Sage and Melora Walters and, yeah, this one is pretty awesome.
The Pale Door is best described as From Dusk Til Dawn meets The Witches (1990). Again, I was blown away by the intensity in this flick and the way the story went from 0 to 100 in an instant. There’s a shoot-out that takes place midway through the movie and it sets the tone and the pace for the rest of your viewing experience. I wasn’t expecting the level of acrobatics, camera work, and special effects that went into making this particular scene the film’s major take-away. It was crazy, scary and completely surprising! And it all takes place in a brothel. How could you ask for anything more? Couple this story and production with some great settings, fitting scores and capable actors and you get a fulfilling experience well-worth the price of purchase. My only complaint is I couldn’t tell if the main character was a virgin or gay, not that it matters as far as story-line is concerned. I just couldn’t tell if he was a really nice guy the witches needed as a sacrifice or if he was hiding his sexuality. But, hey, if that’s my only complaint, then you know The Pale Door is a gory, rowdy, timeless piece of cinema. Saddle up and go watch this movie today!
Final Score: eh… I’ll say it. 10 out of 10.
