tmz_99 This movie basically has 4 plot lines running through it, the main plot (featuring Penny Dreadful) which acts as the showcase for the three other short movies.The first movie is only minutes long and feels out of place in terms of length and quality against the other two.The second and third movies are longer and the acting is solid, although both the premise and the level of horror/gore appear to be something aimed at a more teen audience, similar to the popular "Goosebumps" books.It's probably a good ''family horror'', something you could watch with younger/more squeamish/easy to frighten viewers to introduce them to the genre. That being said, it's an enjoyable watch, what it is lacking in fright and gore it makes up for in production values and originality.

Paul Magne Haakonsen "The Penny Dreadful Picture Show" was essentially a snooze fest wrapped up in an interesting packaging.This is not really a movie as per se, but more something in the likes of "Creep Show" - an anthology of short stories if you will.The opening segment of "Slash in the Box" was just downright embarrassing to watch. The story was non-existent and it was just toe-curling to witness.On to the second segment which is titled "The Morning After", it is a vampire story unlike most others. That being said, then it was lacking conviction, impact and turned out to be just plain.The last segment is titled "The Slaughter House", and that was actually the best of the entire experience. It was a nice treat to have Sid Haig and Jeffrey Combs appear in this segment. This sort of was like a low budget parody on "House of 1000 Corpses", whether intentional or not, I do not know. It wasn't particularly outstanding, but compared to the other two segments, then this was a bright star.What made it actually interesting was the intermissions with Penny and the run down movie theater. There was really a nice feeling to this and a lot of details put into this.The overall experience was less than mediocre. And for an addition to the horror vault, then "The Penny Dreadful Picture Show" was a fairly weak addition.

Woodyanders Daffy undead gal Penny Dreadful (a delightfully zany and charming performance by lovely redhead Eliza Swenson), her smitten zombie pal Ned (a likable portrayal by Collin Galyean), and lycanthrope Wolfboy relate three tales of terror in an old rundown movie theater. First, most terse and to the point vignette, "Slash-in-the-Box" - A young couple find themselves being stalked by a lethal jack-in-the-box. Simple and straightforward, director Nick Everhart builds a good deal of tension and concludes this baby with a great gory punch line. Second, most stylish and intriguing anecdote, "The Morning After" - Mousy young lady Alice (sharply played by Samantha Soule) tries to figure out what exactly happened to her last night. Steeped deep in groovy 60's period atmosphere, director Swenson elicits top-rate smooth and predatory work from the enticing Ramona Mallory as seductive bloodsucker Jez, ably crafts a compelling aura of mystery, and delivers an intoxicating sexy vampire chic vibe that's comparable to "The Hunger." Third, best, and most chilling segment, "The Slaughter House" - A group of friends encounter an eccentric backwoods family after their van breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Director Leigh Scott offers an ingenious reversal on the standard conventions of the formula premise, vividly evokes a right-on funky 70's drive-in grindhouse cinema flavor, provides several startling moments of savage violence, and tops everything off with a wickedly amusing sense of pitch-black gallows humor. The always welcome presence of reliable veterans Sid Haig as an amiable storekeeper and Jeffrey Combs as a geeky gimp helps matters a whole lot. Kudos are also in order for Scott's sumptuous widescreen cinematography and Swenson's spirited shivery score. Recommended viewing for fright film fans.

Jared Davis "The Penny Dreadful Picture Show" is a quirky little movie. It's comprised of three little horror movies and a framing sequence of the undead red-headed girl Penny Dreadful watching movies in her ancient movie theater with a couple of her undead buddies. She's demented and rather fun to watch, even as she lures in a couple guests.Penny watches three films: "Slash in the Box" is first and features a young couple examining a strange Jack in the Box. I didn't time it, but this certainly under 10 minutes.Second is a film about 20 minutes about a woman dying of a terminal illness who mysteriously gets a shot at a longer life for a pretty horrible price.Third is "Slaughterhouse." In many ways, it brings to mind movies like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" as it finds a group of young adults coming across a backwoods family and brutal and grisly results soon follow. The fun thing is, in many ways, you expect one thing and get a bloody good twist.The DVD release comes with a fourth short film called "The Scout," featuring boy scouts going on an overnight "Snipe Hunt." However, late at night, they become the hunted.Perhaps the films aren't Hollywood gore and snuff-film caliber, but they are a lot of fun. Speaking of gore, it's there, but it's not excessive. (I typically do not enjoy gory movies, I cannot even look at the screen of a "Saw" movie for ten minutes straight, but I was able to sit through this just fine.) There aren't a lot of big names in the cast. The biggest are Sid Haig and ex-wrestler Al Snow. But that doesn't mean the acting is poor. Each film had a completely different world and sold it completely. Eliza Swenson is an excellent actress as Penny and a character in "Slaughterhouse." Overall, "The Penny Dreadful Picture Show" is a fun Halloween movie that doesn't take itself too seriously and is better for the result!