Boy oh Boy, I love it when the Box Office tells it like it is! HORROR RULES!!!

There is a talent that Hollywood doesn't know about that has made an EXCELLENT direct-to-video film entitled THE DIVIDING HOUR. After I saw it, I instantly began e-mailing these guys (Mike Prosser & David Walker) and told them how much I liked it. They were surprised but said that actually it's the least of their scripts, and how they wish they had started with something even stronger. WELL... I don't know about that, but if they are sitting on a pile of scripts better than their first little $7,000 film that they have made... I'd run after it. I showed THE DIVIDING HOUR to Guillermo Del Toro and he was quite excited by it. These guys are very talented.. and unknown.

They don't make films based on last week's latest hit. Instead.. they are writing tomorrow's. From folks like Guillermo Del Toro and Stuart Gordon... to folks like Richard Kelly, Drew McWeeny, Mike Prosser, Scott Swan, and Mike Williamson... There's a shitload of talent you folks are not using.... Look at the numbers from those B-horror films.... get to work

Home-made horror films are a dime a dozen nowadays, but every so often an original effort rises to the surface. Such is the case with THE DIVIDING HOUR, a new feature (debuting on video June 22) that works wonders on an anemic budget.

...this well-crafted burst of indie energy is much needed in today's era of direct-to-video dreck.

You know, there are a lot of low-budget flicks out there and most of them suck. This one has WAY more on the ball - rent it!

How do you pull this off...?

You want to make a movie. You've got NO MONEY. You've got a Hi8 camera, a dedicated DP, actors and crew...and what do you end up with..."THE DIVIDING HOUR." I've seen a lot of indie productions, but I've never seen anything like this pic.
Young filmmakers, pay attention...this is the way to do it,

Hey you dogdicks! THE DIVIDING HOUR made me want to lick my own plate!

From: Gdt
Subject: DIVIDING HOUR
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 23:57:31 -0500

Hi: I'm Guillermo del Toro, Harry showed me your flick: real cool and with genuine moments of malaise. Great narrative drive and a keen eye for the unsettling. Dude, I'll be watching you...

Yours,

Guillermo
AUSTIN
TX

"Easily one of the very best of the underground independents! It has everything - story, performances, production value, even a slam bang monster FX finale! What more could you want? Damn good flick! Well worth checking out!"

Some indie features are a task to endure, but in a refreshing change, these no-budget filmmakers get it right from the start. Four years in the making and with only a $7000 budget, the result is this gritty, impressive effort. A quartet of scuzzy, low-rent bank robbers (a junkie, a bully, a stoned overgrown idiot, plus director Mike Prosser as the driver) pull off their latest gig and head for the Canadian border, and these guys seem so unprofessional that you know the shitstorm is only beginning. Stupidly wrecking their car, they snag a ride from a local good ol' boy, and end up at the country home of nearly-comatose Lewis Gates and his cute daughter Dawn. Invited to stay a spell, the problems begin slow (e.g. an old fridge which has appearing/disappearing food), and finally explodes in the final half-hour, with freaky hallucinations, sudden spurts of violence and psychosis, and some prime plot twists. It also gets points for going against the grain with a genuinely creepy, resonant finale that puts most studio genre releases to shame. Prosser's direction is exceptional, with a well thought out shape and style, and is aided immeasurably by Jeff Yarnall's photography and a savvy script which avoids the usual clichés. Meanwhile, Greg James is a stand-out as the stoner with the bowl-cut hair (who eventually surprises you with his strength), while Brad Goodman is a more predictable, no less potent, evil. Co-writer/co-producer David Walker is currently at the helm of the excellent 'zine BADAZZ MOFO, while the pic's stop-motion animation is by Webster Colcord (who I first encountered with his '89 indie short, DOCTOR DEATH). A dark, vicious comedy of errors, fueled by well-developed, unpredictable characters, this indie HOUR delivers on all counts.

Review by: VIDEOSCOPE MAGAZINE - Fall 1998 #28

THE DIVIDING HOUR (1998)

Writer/director Mike Prosser crafts a compelling RESERVOIR DOGS Meets CARNIVAL OF SOULS variation that, despite the obvious comparisons, manages to support a mood and tone all its own. After pulling off a successful bank heist, four amateur crooks -- Goodman, James and real life 'bros Mike and Brian Prosser -- head for the Canadian border, bickering all the way. When their getaway car breaks down, the criminal quartet take shelter in a remote house occupied by gentle femme Hodges and her deaf/blind dad Yoakum. All efforts to leave the house lead to failure, and it soon becomes clear that Canada isn't the border the boys are about to cross. Earnest perfs, a disturbing ambiance and occasionally inspired dialogue--(e.g., dope-smoking robber James' stoned but cognate analysis of the existential profundity of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck's contentious relationship!)--keep the action engrossing throughout. THE DIVIDING HOUR rates as a legit triumph of talent, vision and determination over obviously extreme budgetary restraints.

Review by: Fears Magazine
http://fearsmag.com/guests/reviews/videodvd/dividhour/dvdghour.html

Shot-on-video movies always end up looking like cheap porn or your family's home movies (or both if you're in the right family, heh-heh!). You just cannot reproduce the look of film with video, and unfortunately, most viewers cannot or will not see past that. Forget the crap that J.R. Bookwalter and Kevin Lindenmuth excrete. The Dividing Hour is--dare I say it--the best shot-on-video horror feature since Scooter McRae's Shatter Dead. For just $7,000 (or, less than the weekly cell phone bill on most films!), co-writer/co-producer/director Mike Prosser has crafted an intense, stylish indie calling card that, if it had been shot on film, would no doubt be mentioned in the same breath as El Mariachi and The Evil Dead.

Prosser contributes a great star turn as Josh, who drives the getaway car for his bank-robbing pals Peter (the gun-toting psycho asshole, played by Brad Goodman), Dean (the goofy pot-head, played by Greg James), and younger brother Zack (played by Prosserís real-life younger brother Brian). When the car breaks down, the gang hitches a ride with a friendly local (Jay Horenstein) to a remote farmhouse in hopes of using the telephone. Naturally, the phone line's down, so the boys wait around and try to amuse themselves with the deaf/blind/damn-near comatose farmer (Max Yoakum) and his saintly daughter Dawn (Jillian Hodges). Immediately, things get surreal, with an empty refrigerator that produces lemonade and apples (except when Peter looks inside). Mysterious, half-glimpsed figures in the woods outside recall the graveyard spooks in Phantasmand the spectre in John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness.Josh's druggy nightmares/flashbacks slowly reveal the sinister forces at work (and the meaning of the film's title).

It would spoil a crucial plot point to compare The Dividing Hour to the 60's indie chiller it most resembles, so I'll leave it to you to figure out. The Dividing Hour's slam-bang climax features some crude but cool stop-motion (a la The Evil Dead) and CGI f/x that are much smoother than the stuff you see in big-budget Hollywood junk. Cinematographer Jeff Yarnall's strong visual style coupled with the tight script (co-written by David Walker, editor of the essential blaxploitation 'zine BadAzz MoFo) give The Dividing Hour the look and the feel of a multi-million dollar effort. If you're tired of wading through the "Spring Break Bimbo Massacre" shot-on-video wasteland (and even if you're not), check out the real deal.

Review by: Psychotronic Movie Madness
http://lavender.fortunecity.com/plan9/338/HP/spotlight/dividing/index.html

Actually more like an hour and a half.

This independent feature is a little bit Reservoir Dogs, a little bit Carnival of Souls, and a little bit o' soul thrown in.

Four bickering slackers get together to rob a bank, then head for Canada. On the way, they have an accident with the getaway car and end up seeking help at an old farmhouse. But there's something strange about the natives, something stranger lurking in the woods, and something really strange about the refrigerator.

Like Ed Wood, Jose Mojica Marins and Orson Welles before him, Mike Prosser writes, directs, produces and turns in a compelling performance as the leader of the gang of four. He even shaves his beard and cuts his hair on camera! It has next to no budget, but it doesn't look that way, thanks mostly to Prosser's and DP Jeff Yarnall's creative hands and the technical know-how that makes cheap video look quite a bit better. There's also some very effective and imaginative special effects thrown in. The relatively simple plot helps keep costs in check - just like so many successful first features set in remote houses and cabins (Night of the Living Dead, Blair Witch Project, Evil Dead).

The entire cast turns in credible performances, and it has the feel of a professional project all the way through.Whereas a few years ago, makers of independent low budget horror films were more concerned with finding females willing to wear nothing but blood in front of a camcorder, it's nice to see a trend toward something more satisfying to horror fans everywhere.

Four would-be bank robbers decide to make a quick withdraw and head for the border, but little do they know that the decisions they make, will forever change their lives. As they speed down an abandon stretch of highway, Josh (Mike Prosser), the getaway driver, seems haunted by a nightmare or is it an omen of the future??? He drifts in and out of consciousness with these visions and then suddenly, a jerk of the wheel leaves these four car-less.

Hoping to find help, they begin to make their way back down road. Josh brings up the rear as he helps his younger brother Zack (Brian Prosser) who is nursing a nasty knee injury from their accident. Along the way, they are able to hitch a ride with a local (Jay Horenstein) who promises to take them to a phone. He drops them off at an old house out in the middle of woods, where they are greeted by Dawn Gates (Jillian Hodges) and her catatonic father Lewis (Max Yoakum). Unfortunately, the Gates' phone isn't working at the moment.

All the while, Josh continues to battle his reoccurring nightmares and decides to go look for help. Back at the house, Peter (Brad Goodman), a gun-toting psycho, begins to assert his will, while taking whatever and whomever he wants. In his trek, Josh happens back upon their crash site where he makes a gruesome discovery. Confused, he quickly returns to the house as the "dividing hour" approaches.

It is really amazing to think that this little gem was made for about $7000. Mike Prosser (Writer/Director/Lead/etc) along with David Walker, Jeff Yarnall, and Greg James crafted a very entertaining and well-made film. The special effects are well above what this nominal budget would normally constrain. Again, the independent arena is proving that a multi-million dollar budget isn't necessary to make a superior film. This film is highly recommended and exceptional for a shot-on-video feature. Buy it NOW!!!!!!

What is Mike Prosser up to these days?
He is working on his next project called ADVERSE EFFECTS which would be comparable to INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS meets AWAKENINGS. Science gone wrong...with some outrageous moments and a whole barrel of monsters with their own unique personalities. Harkens back to the old Universal monsters with a modern twist.

Review by: Demoriam Magazine
By: Jeremy Lybarger

It's a rare occasion when one stumbles upon an independent horror film that offers not only raw talent and determination, but also a cast of intense young actors who clash skillfully against a wholly original backdrop. The Dividing Hour, however, is one such film. The spawn of first-time director Mike Prosser, The Dividing Hour is a powerful cornucopia of images, ideas, and performances. Allowing influences as versatile as Sean Cunningham, Herk Harvey, Tobe Hooper, and Wes Craven to seep through; as well as film tributes like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Sentinel, and Carnival Of Souls, The Dividing Hour is a rich and meaty stew of horror. Whether experiencing the brilliant juxtaposition of characters or the chromatic matrix of dialogue, this film is quite possibly the most startling debut in recent indie history.

The movie begins conspicuously enough with four friends, Josh (Mike Prosser), Dean (Greg James), Peter (Brad Goodman), and Zack (Brian Prosser), robbing a bank and then fleeing to the border, making quick stops along the way to discard their clothes and alter their identities. As they continue their miniature exodus towards Canada, the audience and the characters are thrust into a fragile sense of security, for moments later their car is flipped and left wasted in a roadside gully. Although everyone survives the unexpected crash, Zack suffers a potentially serious leg injury. Requiring immediate medical attention, the quartet begins a sluggish march down a dusty Oregon road, victims of a prodigious fate that looms above them throughout the remainder of the picture. When they are offered a ride by a backwoods farmer named Al (Jay Horenstein), the four gratefully accept, not realizing that the uncanny Al is delivering them to a solitary house of Hell that is occupied only by Dawn Gates (Jillian Hodges) and her eerie father, Lewis (Max Yoakum).

Pitching in everything from supernatural apparitions that guard the woods to a refrigerator that literally makes food vanish, the full meaning of these friends' damnation quickly becomes clearer as the final nightmarish strike of the dividing hour rings ever closer. I was impressed and fascinated by the manner in which Prosser balanced both good and evil throughout the picture, establishing a strict agenda for both forces. Even the tone of the film itself suggests that there is something much more relevant at work than mere misfortune beneath the subtle texture of reality. The Dividing Hour, for example, begins with a bright and nearly charming atmosphere, but we quickly descend into a mantra of increasing weirdness that Prosser achieves brilliantly and without effort.

As each of the characters experiences their own tides of insanity and doubt, the audience is overcome with the sheer passion of these actors' performances. Personally, I have yet to see an indie actor deliver a more taut portrayal than that of Greg James in the role of the slightly unbalanced Dean. Whether it is in the secretive confessions of evil or the Quentin Tarantino inspired rants on humanity, the characters in this film depict a complicated and ultra-realistic definition of right and wrong. Despite all of that, which is intriguing enough in itself, the plot of the movie is compelling and bold enough to fuel an entire franchise.

Mike Prosser's real talent shines through in the prementional dream sequences, arguably the most resonant images in the film. Taking cues from both Gus Van Sant and Bryan Singer, Prosser is able to convey a sense of elegant terror to the audience, thereby creating an effective relief from the vivid scars of the film's true nature. Other high marks must go to the fun animation and effects that, although a little cheesy, add a great deal of substance to the brooding darkness of the Dividing Hour's closing half.

Speaking of the closing half, the characters' transformations here warrant a serious mention. It is in these final frames that the characters' fleshes of civility begin to peel away, exposing raw viciousness and blaring derangement. Prosser's direction also undergoes an accompanying transformation, becoming more gritty and stark; sometimes even slumping into a stiffness that actually adds rather than deducts from the picture's enthralling power. And it is also within the closing half that the lonely farmhouse of the Gates family emerges as a principal archetype of horror, which in Prosser's heated imagination begins to acquire a personality all its own. The age-besmirched walls, the creaking floorboards, the rust-infected hinges - all mutate together to become jurors of morality which allude to the true sinister purpose the Gates' residency.

Simply put, The Dividing Hour is an original and creepy experiment that leaves the audience frightened, provoked, and surprisingly moved...no small feat for an indie horror flick. Despite the sometime annoying comedy routines that each character tries to pursue, and despite the rough-hewn appearance of Prosser's virgin direction, The Dividing Hour is an entertaining and equally thoughtful examination of both fate and justice. Combined with stunning, genuinely eerie atmosphere, this debut marks the commencement of one of the more interesting and aggressive careers in the genre. And I am certainly anticipating Prosser's future work, as I predict he will inevitably helm his own enviable "hours" of success.

Review by: Horror Bay
http://www.horrorbay.com/Reviews/Dividing_Hour.html

I just got through watching The Dividing Hour and this movie clearly shows that bigger is not always better. On a budget of 7,000 dollars, Mike Prosser has made an excellent horror film. It is a formula movie influenced by other horror movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the Evil Dead but Mike Prosser has added his own perpective to it. The movie is filled with snappy dialogue and good special effects. One of the greatest tools Mike Prosser uses in the movie is he lets the audience determine what moments are scary. He gives you hints and lets your imagination run wild. Even though the movie starts off slow the ending makes it all worthwhile.

Peter, Dean, Josh, and Zack rob a bank and have decided to go to Canada. While on their way, Josh wrecks their car. The four friends walk up to an old house in which they encounter Dawn and her father, Lewis. While at the house, strange occurrances take place and the friends try to unlock the mysteries of the house.

Out of all the characters the two that really that stand out in my mind, Josh(Mike Prosser) and Lewis(Max Yoakum). Josh is the most complex of the four friends. He reminded me alot of Ash from The Evil Dead because both had to make tough decisions about their friends. Lewis never says a word but his performance speaks volumes. He has a Leatherface quality about him and although Lewis does not have a trademark weapon like Leatherface he still is an imposing figure for the friends. My favorite line in the movie is when Josh says, "Sometimes you make decisions and you've gotta live with them. But sometimes those decisions have consequences. Consequences that make living difficult."

And Now For the Drive In Totals:

• 4 Dead Bodies
• 0 Breasts
• 1 Motor Vehicle Crash
• Gratuitous forest scenes
• Gratuitous blue truck scenes
• Dream Fu
• Door Fu
• "Farmer's Daughter" Fu
• 3 stars... check it out.

Review by: Merle Bertrand of Film Threat Magazine
http://www.mail-archive.com/filmthreat@egroups.com/msg00014.html

THE DIVIDING HOUR * * * 1/2

(89 min., Playground Films, directed by Mike Prosser)

There is an instant at which the endless possibilities of the future give way to the inescapable consequences of the past; an infinitesimally tiny pinpoint of time called "the present." Director Mike Prosser stretches this microscopic moment into something he calls "The Dividing Hour"; a bit of temporal creative license one should be more than willing to give him given how impressive and surprisingly captivating his spook story is. For ringleader Josh (Prosser), his kid brother Zach (Brian Prosser), and their buddies Dean (Greg James), a harmless stoner lunkhead, and the dangerously brooding Peter (Brad Goodman), this moment of truth comes when they carry out their plans to rob a bank and head for the Canadian border. Everything proceeds by the book until an exhausted, road weary Josh dozes at the wheel, launching the getaway car and its occupants into a roadside lagoon. Trudging wearily along the nearly deserted road, they're more than happy to accept a lift from good-natured local Al (Jay Horenstein). He takes the battered band to a dilapidated farmhouse, where they meet Dawn (Jillian Hodges) and her blind and deaf father Lewis (Max Yoakum). Naturally, the primitive phone is out, forcing them to wait until it's repaired...allowing plenty of time for the desolate farmhouse's inherent creepiness and Dawn's subtle chameleon-like flirtations with all of them to inflame the accumulated stress and tensions within the foursome and lead to mayhem and murder. On the surface, there's nothing all that original about "The Dividing Hour." With occasionally shaky dialogue and acting dipping down into the lame range from time to time, the film is essentially an eerie goose bump-inducing spin on the Eagles' "Hotel California" with a handful of mixed bag special effects thrown in. And yet...and yet, this film has a certain earnest, intangible cool vibe about it, which is all the more unusual given that it was shot on video, (although it seems to have been run through some sort of rudimentary film-look process). Even when you can kinda see where it's heading, even after the on-the-nose expository dialogue waters down the film's climax, a viewer passing through "The Dividing Hour" inevitably emerges more creeped out on the other side.

A funked-up fairy tale unfolds as you watch The Dividing Hour. The creation of a very promising group of indie filmmakers, The Dividing is both modern and an age-old look at death, and what it means. The film opens with four young men; Josh, Peter, Zach and Dean, robbing a store. It's a fairly common sight in modern society, but writer/director Prosser does not allow the audience to settle in 1990s America. Escaping from the scene of the crime, the getaway car is involved in a horrific crash. Miraculously, all four men walk away from the wreck. What they walk into is the heart of The Dividing Hour.

Having escaped the crash, the gang is picked up by Al, a mysterious truck driver. Al takes pity on these guys and brings them to a friend's house where, he tells them, they can make a phone call and their escape. Knowing the quartet in question is fresh from a robbery, we as audience fear for Al's safety. He is, after all, on his own in a very quiet, sparsely populated piece of America. The trepidation we feel on Al's behalf diminishes somewhat when the criminal group is dropped at an isolated farmstead. Explaining that a phone lies within, Al closes the door of his pickup and disappears from whence he came. In the jolly chauffeur's absence, we now fear for the safety of the pleasant, attractive Dawn Gates. Living alone with her blind and deaf father, Dawn seems a certain target. However, as was the case with Al, we seem to be on the wrong track. Maybe the gang just wants to use the phone and perhaps to be fed and watered? It's at approximately this time in the narrative that we suspect that something is going to happen. I don't mean that we anticipate a story twist but there is certain inevitability about the whole thing. Clever uses of dream sequences serve to suggest that the gang is in trouble. Precisely how this is achieved gets to the root of how The Dividing Hour works, and so I will elaborate a little.

From the opening shots, Prosser's film looks low budget. However, beyond the lack of veneer inherent in a $7,000 budget, The Dividing Hour is concerned with, and composed of, the ordinary and realistic. The film feels fresh. In fact, it oozes a kind of primal fear. The foreboding dream sequences bear a certain similarity to the legend of Avalon. Like that Arthurian tale, the sequence involves water, a boat and a skull-faced grim reaper figure. In common with ancient Biblical tales, blood mixes with water, water that supports dead bodies. But there is something in the way in which these bodies are shot (and in the extremely effective and unnerving soundtrack) that suggests they're not really dead at all. Perhaps it's that the bodies are so close to the source of all life: water. Prosser handles these sequences, and indeed The Dividing Hour as a whole, very intelligently. He never shows the half-submerged bodies in long shot. It's a calculated effort on the director's part to avoid the impression that these bodies are cast adrift in the middle of nowhere. Instead the body/water shots employ exclusively close up shots. This, coupled with the eerie and unusual soundtrack, suggest the body is part of the water, an unnatural pairing rather than a picture of isolation. As abruptly as they began, the dream sequences end, and we rejoin our gang and their hosts. Dawn gives freely of the house's food and drink, but informs them that the phone is broken.

Accepting her invitation to stay until it was repaired, the gang begins to disperse a little. It is here, for the first time, that we get to know the robbers. Early on in the film, we know that Peter is bad news. If anyone is going to snap, it's him. Ranting and raving seems to be his trademark. So, Prosser and Co. has established one character. His overflowing anger and downright arrogance makes the character of Peter one of two significant ones in the movie as a whole. The other, played well by Greg James, is without a doubt, Dean. Probably wishing he could blame the cloud of hash always swirling about him for his close encounters with a hazy other world, Dean is the first to show fear. Already quite a nervous lad, Dean's witnessing of a resurrection before his glazed eyes, throws his mind completely into turmoil. The motif of the clock (heralding The Dividing Hour, a time when our world and the next conjoin briefly... view on to see for yourself!) becomes ever more consistent and persistent in an age-old house with a magical fridge and an equally fantastical pair of owners. Of course, let's not forget a mystical courier, in the form of Al, and those Shadows fleetingly populating the woods, always threatening to enfold the weird farmstead. What The Dividing Hour lacks in characterization (and anyone surprised at a deficit in that department should move in with Dawn and her father, so they can all share an unreal world), it supplies in abundance in terms of visual style and overall archetypal base level horror. I don't want to say that The Dividing Hour would have been a poorer film if it had a bigger budget, but the fact is, it would have been a very different film. And who can say what that would mean... it could well have been a weaker effort. What is surprising, and all concerned are certainly to be congratulated on this, is the sense of continuity flowing through Prosser's movie. Shot in the cast and crew's spare time over roughly five years, the film does not just barely hold together at the seams; rather it's a very nice piece of surgery indeed. If you can comfortably watch an ultra-low budget film, and not expect too much in terms of special effects (though the film's effects are of a much higher standard than the budget would seem to suggest... we're still talking Ray Harryhausen rather than KNB or Rob Bottin) and characterization, The Dividing Hour is for you. Those reared on and nourished by big budget films will balk at the eerie simplicity of this funked-up fairytale.

If you think that such terms as "shot on video" or "direct to VHS" automatically imply a substandard product, then this marvelously-executed feature from independent filmmaker Mike Prosser will change your mind. Masterfully shot on digital video, this dark morality tale proves that if talent and a deft knack for storytelling are involved, the limitations of the medium become incidental.

The Dividing Hour is the tale of four friends who rob a bank and strike out on the road. Driving the getaway car is Josh (Mike Prosser), who is fiercely protective of his introverted younger brother Zack (Brian Prosser). In the back seat are Peter (Brad Goodman), a gun-toting narcissist with a penchant for bullying and womanizing, and Dean (Greg James), Peter's pothead friend who is clearly the "follower" in that relationship.

A car accident finds the four on foot on a deserted highway, where they are offered a ride by a local (Jay Horenstein) who takes them to a nearby farmhouse. There, he explains, they can use the telephone to get help.

The inhabitants of the farmhouse are a mysterious young woman (Jillian Hodges) and her deaf/blind father (Max Yoakum), who welcome the four fugitives into their household. The telephone lines are temporarily down, she explains, but they might as well make themselves at home. Something deeper is at work in this scenario.

From here, bizarre happenings ensue. Josh's recurring nightmares from his youth figure into the predicament, whereas Peter's forceful behavior eventually instigates a series of confrontations that ultimately decide his and Dean's destinies. And in the woods surrounding the farmhouse lurk mysterious, flighty figures who duck and cover as the camera skittishly scans the area, recalling some of the best moments of such classics as Phantasm and The Evil Dead.

It would be criminally spoiling to reveal more in this review. Suffice to say that the revelations made late during the movie vastly remove the story from a mere "criminals on the run" premise and elevate the tale to embrace near-religious concepts. The climax of the film even features some rather impressive CGI effects, none of which are over-used; rather, the CGI is employed only when needed, and the result makes for some genuinely startling images.

At 89 minutes, The Dividing Hour is a slick, finely-written piece of independent filmmaking which repeatedly demonstrates that talent--not technology--is the salient focus of creating a good piece of work. Anyone interested in ordering a copy should follow the link at the bottom of this page. It's some of the best twenty-three bucks you'll ever spend.

I've read the hype surrounding Playground Film's The Dividing Hour, in Fangoria and some other horror news sites. After reading the premise I didn't think I would like the film, and to be honest, at first I didn't. The story didn't seem to be going anywhere, but half way through the film, a wonderful thing happens, a plot twist. A genuine twist that I didn't see coming. The film revolves around four men who, during the opening sequence, rob a bank. This goes off without a hitch. It's there escape that goes wrong. What seems like a near perfect getaway, is thrown askew when they crash their getaway car. Of the four, only one seems to be unhurt. On their quest to find a phone, they come across a house they can't seem to escape. As the hours pass we watch the group break down and turn on each other as they try to come to grips with their surrounding. In the end they have to face up to their actions. To give away too much would spoil the fun (not to mention, there is nothing more boring than a T.P.S.- Tedious Plot Summary, a.k.a. a play by play).

As I said before, I didn't like the first act. It seemed a little flatly written and so did the acting. A little tightening would have been nice. Everything after the first act is about as near to perfection as you can get with a Shot on Video feature. Once the group arrives at the house, all levels of the film rise dramatically. From the story, dialogue, and acting to the editing and camera work. The film becomes genuinely creepy. Which today, is possibly the greatest compliment you can give any horror film. Most deliver "paint-by-numbers" story lines with a formula so solid you can chart the scares on a graph. It's nice to see a film that not only aspires to be better than its competition, but also achieves its goal.

There has recently been a campaign to get The Dividing Hour onto the shelves of large, chain video companies. I can't think of a more deserving S.O.V. feature.

Each year a movie comes along that renews my faith in low-budget films. With The Dividing Hour, filmmaker Mike Prosser has done just that. I didn't know what to expect when I sat down one evening to watch this video, but what I got left with was a renewed faith in the low-budget industry.

Following a car accident, four bank robbers venture to a farmhouse in hopes of using a phone. We are then thrust into a surreal world where each must face the consequences of their actions. As paranoia begins to creep into their minds, and supernatural events build around them, each faces off against the other, while doing a dance of survival with the house's strange inhabitants. Jillian Hodges delivers a fantastic performance as the mistress of this house, and the male leads each deliver convincing performances filled with emotion and realism.

This is a top notch psychological journey that proves low-budget films can be original, contain strong acting and be frightfully entertaining. The Dividing Hour is a genuine triumph that competes with most studio thrillers: a five-star feast of the senses.

Review by: B-Side Hollywood
http://www.angelfire.com/on/bsidehollywood/reviews.html

Wow! This movie impressed me. I was expecting the typical b-movie stuff but this movie not only aspires for more. It acheives it. This movie is well written, well acted , well directed and knows it limitations. Many small budget movie makers try to make Independence Day with no budget. The makers of the Dividing Hour spent every dollar wisely to make an exceptional low budget gem. Check it out.

Review by: GoreZone
http://www.horror.net/gorezone/anglais/index.html
September 29, 1999

** I finally got a chance to watch a cool new independant film, THE DIVIDING HOUR. Peter, Dean, Josh and Zack are on the run from the law. Their successful bank heist couldn't have gone smoother. The run for the border proves to be a bit more difficult when car problems lead them to a old house in the middle of nowhere. The inhabitants of the house, Dawn Gates, a friendly and unassuming young woman and her mysterious and dark father, Lewis Gates, welcome the four into their simple country home.

The house is deemed an ideal hide-out until they can get their car back in working order. One problem... the Gates' phone is inoperable. Josh's reoccurring nightmares become reality as he makes a gruesome discovery... a discovery which sets "The Dividing Hour" into motion... the hour when souls are split between the powers of Darkness and Light.

Made with a budget of only $7000, this cool little film took four years to make (just like THE EVIL DEAD and a bunch of other horror films - 4 years seems to be the magic number!). The film starts off slowly, bulding itself as we get to know more about every character. Director and actor Mike Prosser gives without a doubt the best performance. The character of Dean is a little too stereotyped but his speech about the love-hate situation of Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny is great! Peter is your average dickhead who the only thing that he knows in life is: "me, myself & I." Jillian Hodges, who portrays the character of Dawn Gates, has great potentiel. It would be cool to see her in another feature but with a bigger role.

This film is not a gorefest, its more characters/story-driven. There's some nice stop-motion animation in the ending. I wished the film was a little longer so that the whole idea of the Dividing Hour could have been more explained and exploited.

Review by: FAUST at http://horrormoviefans.com/netscape/reviews.html
September 14, 1999

The Dividing Hour

5 out of 5 Fausts. In fact, I will go ahead and give this film 6 out of 5 Fausts. Yes, it is that good. It is not the usual visceral fare that I report on, but it has something that most genre films don't: Unpredictability. I expect big things from co-writer/co-producer/director/star Mike Prosser. The story centers on 4 guys who pull a bank heist. They do the job and then get on the road. We spend some time with them in the car getting acquainted with their personalities. Who is strong, who is weak, etc.... In their travels, Josh (driver played by Mike) falls asleep at the wheel and wrecks the car. They set out on foot looking for a phone and a doctor for Josh's brother's (played by Mike's real life little brother) injured leg. They receive a ride form a mysterious stranger, who drops them off at a little house in the woods. That is where things get really surreal. I really can't go into what happens, because I fear that any little bit of info I give might ruin the experience. Suffice it to say that it is very creepy, and highly suspenseful. I liken it to watching a 90-minute Twilight Zone episode.

There is one effects heavy sequence at the end which is reminiscent of Evil Dead, but that is not a bad thing. I really enjoyed the end. It was just so refreshing to see this level of writing. It did what a good film should, regardless of genre: It holds the attention completely. You will not find your mind wandering during this film.

Order a copy. Tell Mike that Faust sent ya :)

Directed by Mike Prosser
Written by Mike Prosser and David Walker

They all started somewhere, and Mike Prosser's journey to join horror's elite begins with the ultra-low budget, indie production of The Dividing Hour.

Prosser's knowledge and appreciation of the genre is apparent. A variety of classic influences were carefully woven and culminated into an original vision.

This refreshing and entertaining film is not perfect and that's only because of the restrictive vice called money. Made on a shoe-string budget of $7,000, contributions and discounts from businesses, and the demanding labor of friends and colleagues, a little gem called The Dividing Hour came to be.

This is a movie that was made with passion and commitment. It's not fair for me to compare The Dividing Hour to legendary indie films like Evil Dead or Night of the Living Dead simply because of the massive gap in cost. I'll say this much - of all the ultra low budget films I have seen that were made for $10K or less - this can very well be the BEST in that category.

I will watch this film again and it belongs in my video collection. If Prosser continues his journey with the same dedication and originality, he may not only join horror's elite, but also pass them.

So I give The Dividing Hour a BIG thumbs up. Congrats Mike Prosser on a job well done.

I managed to get a look at what sounds like one of the best indie films since "Blair Witch". This supernatural thriller was made for a mere $7,000 - around 1/8th the budget of "Blair", but with FX work that would make a million dollar production jealous.

Genre: Drama/Horror
Cast: Brad Goodman, Greg James, Mike Prosser, Brian Prosser, Jillian Hodges
Synopsis: Peter, Dean, Josh and Zack are on the run from the law. Their successful bank heist couldn't have gone smoother. The run for the border proves to be a bit more difficult when car problems lead them to a old house in the middle of nowhere. The inhabitants of the house, Dawn Gates, a friendly and unassuming young woman and her mysterious and dark father, Lewis Gates, welcome the four into their simple country home. The house is deemed an ideal hide-out until they can get thier car back in working order. One problem... the Gates' phone is inoperable. Josh's reoccurring nightmares become reality as he make a gruesome discovery.

Pros:
* Amazing FX
* Good sense of mystery & a great twist
* Good performances
Cons:
* Script needs a little work
* Rushed ending

Summary: You've probably already guessed but I'm not a big fan of indie films. In a majority of cases, nine out of ten are pretty bad quality attempted clones of major big budget features, but involves everyday people rather than professionals - leading to some pretty bad quality product. But now and again, there's normally a handful of indie films each year that are most definitely worth a mention - this is one of them. After a feature film quality opening credits sequence, and an all too short bank robbery shown from a security camera perspective - the action follows four guys trying to make a cross-country getaway. This 10-15 minute segment is the part of the film that drags the most, mainly because the characters seem pretty average at this point and it almost feels like a road movie. Then things start getting interesting after a quite imaginatively shot car crash (all shot from the P.O.V. of a headlight it seems), the gang arrive at the mysterious house. This establishing shot of the house is a completely flawless FX shot which ILM would be proud of and which you're only likely to spot if you see the true house in its original form on their website (they altered a two-story house into a one-story home). It's here where we meet the young woman and her deaf, blind & mute father. While the other performances creek at times, Jillian Hodges gives her delivery perfect each time and thanks to her character's personality, is easily the most likable of the characters in the film. It takes a little while to get things going, but the mysterious secrets of the house begin to appear and the film itself turns from a conventional drama to a more horror-oriented style with some shocking brutality as well (including a violent rape scene, and a flash of full frontal nudity). Some scenes do cause one to jump, though in others the creepiness doesn't work. Mike Prosser's performance as the lead crook really shines in these scenes, especially regarding a very clever twist a little over an hour into the movie that will catch you completely off guard. After that the full supernatural secrets are revealed in a way that seems rushed and forced. A little more planning on the script to give away some more clues earlier on would've made the last half hour a bit more even. Still, the FX become even more elaborate and frequent - and you'll really scratch you're head wondering how in the world they could afford all this with only seven grand. The ending is slightly cheesy and predictable but leaves you wondering about the fate of these characters. "The Dividing Hour" is ambitious, dark, eye-catching, and in some areas it raises the bar for filmmaking on a budget.

This film is independent in every sense of the word. Can you imagine shooting a feature film entirely on a single Hi-8 camera for a budget of no more than $7,000.00. Well that is what director Mike Prosser has managed to do. The film is available to purchase over the internet and is well worth the price. I will take you on a short road trip of the story, Prosser's style, my favorite sequence, characters and context of viewing the film.

The film opens on a bank heist. The four guys taking down the bank are Dean, Peter, Josh and Zack. They elude the police and head for the Canadian border, which is when they have car trouble. After a dream sequence/"possum" jumps in front of the car, Josh crashes it. Josh's dreams begin at this point in the film and we slowly find out about his haunted past. The four guys leave the wreck in search of a phone booth, and as they walk the road, a car drives up beside them. Al, the driver gives them a lift to a house with a phone. The house is owned by the Gates family. After entering the house, the tensions between the four rise and The Dividing Hour moves closer as Josh's dreams begin to amalgamate with reality. To tell you how this film ends is the equivalent to scratching out someone's eyes with rusty nails. It needs to be seen to be believed.

As confessed in an interview on http://come.to/horrorfansanon, Mike Prosser is a fan of Sam Raimi, David Cronenberg, Clive Barker and John Carpenter (earlier work). The setting is very reminiscent of EVIL DEAD - the computer renovated 2-story to single-story made for the resemblance. Also the attention drawn to the clocks was very Raimi in essence. The way that the film's scares come from within and projected external or internally is something I associate with the HELLRAISER films. The film also plays on an extremely empty vastness of nothing without being stark, which is something I'd put down to Cronenberg. With suspense that builds in the background of the frame and out of the corner of your eye as it does in Carpenter's earlier work. Not only these influences were present, but there were also some very David Lynch characterization. Then somehow "another" America shone throughout the film. The movie seemed to live in an American reality that is seldom shone or glorified. But essentially what is noticeable most about Prosser's direction is his ability to trap the films characters in URBANOIA HELL as Carol J. Clover might call it.

Okay, what sequence did I get the biggest buzz from? After viewing previews from the web page, I was expecting it to be hard to better the opening sequence and subsequent robbery. But the truth of it was that I found myself beside myself while watching the dream sequence where Josh is in a public toilet cubicle conducting his secret business (not to give it away) while all the toilet doors to the right of his are being kicked open, one by one, the camera stays focused on Josh the whole time and I swear I did not breathe until the door of Josh's cubicle swung open.

The four main characters are split down the middle with Peter (Brad Goodman) and Dean (Greg James), and the two brothers, Josh (Mike Prosser) and Zack (Brian Prosser). Peter and Dean appear straight off to have a long past together and the brotherly love thing is present between Zack and Josh from the shaving scene on. The development of Zack seemed to dry after he arrived at the house, he remained at that premature moment of brother. Dean and Peter began to show their love/hate relationship particularly verbalized in Dean's monologue to Lewis Gates (Max Yoakum). The character of Lewis evolves around mainly the action about him as he is deaf, blind, mute. Lewis' daughter Dawn (Jillian Hodges) plays up the country girl image while remaining passive physically and persuasive mentally. The character of Al (Jay Randall Horenstein), when on screen, plays up an all-American good ol' boy image. Essentially, at the end of the film the characters have to fit into one of three categories and by the end of the climax of the film they arrive there.

As for the context of viewing this. Well, I received the tape from Mike Prosser and was unable to get the NTSC function to work on my VCR. So I took it in to watch on the Griffith University Library machines and had to wear the headphones and keep my verbal reactions to a minimum. Nothing interfered with the viewing of the film as I had completed my final exam for this semester minutes before.

But the film still cast an "A" class shadow of Hollywood.

And Praise from the Fans who KNOW their Horror/Sci-fi Films!

Review by: Jinx, an industry fan

Topic: The Dividing Hour
posted 08-08-99 05:22 PM

The first thing that struck me when I received my copy of The Dividing Hour in the mail was the box. I mean, the cover art is so frickin' cool. I know, commenting on the box art is kinda shallow, but hell, I thought I'd mention it anyway. Now, onto the review. There may be some potentially big spoilers peppering my review, and I thought I'd be a nice guy and let you know beforehand, UNLIKE OTHERS ON THIS BOARD!!! Anyhoo, off we go. . . First, let's talk about the story. If you like a certain tale by Ambrose Bierce called An Occurrence at Owl Creek, or even the films Carnival of Souls or Jacob's Ladder, you should dig this movie. It begins as a character piece concerning four low-rent bank robbers doing what they do best. They are Josh, a criminal with a heart of gold-type; Zack, Josh's sympathetic brother; Peter, a loud mouthed lug who likes to throw his weight around; and Dean, a chronically stoned individual prone to dissecting the relationship between Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck and applying it to his own love/hate relationship with Peter. After the group pulls a bank heist, they quickly run into problems when they wreck their getaway car and are forced to shack up in a nearby house that seems to be completely cut off from the outside world. Their hosts in the house are a young woman, who bears a resemblance to Josh and Zack's dead sister, and her blind and deaf father. Soon, tensions run high as Peter becomes increasingly violent, then the mystery of the house (and the title of the film) is revealed in a creepy and intriguing climax.

Despite how great the stories can be in independent films, elements such as acting, special effects, music and even the film's look can destroy a movie's potential. Fortunately, The Dividing Hour succeeds in these areas as well. Granted, the film does have some unfortunate drawbacks (occasionally unrealistic violence, acting that doesn't hit every note), but all in all the film's technical aspects complement the story well. The acting is generally very good, with the standouts being Mike Prosser, Jillian Hodges (a good actress and wow, she's cute!), and Max Yoakum who, with no lines whatsoever, creates one of the creepiest onscreen characters I've seen this year (along with Peter Stormare in 8mm and Tim Robbins in Arlington Road). Brad Goodman, who plays the thoroughly unlikeable Peter, shifts between playing an intense William Sadler-ish villain to being little more than a violent buffoon with a gun, while Greg James begins the film as the cliched stoner type but winds up being a well drawn and sympathetic character. The special effects are also quite good, featuring a nifty creature and some cool morphing effects. Finally, the soundtrack is very cool. The songs are perfectly in tune with the mood of the film and are never overused or out of place.

Ultimately, this is one of the better horror flicks I've seen this year. In a market flooded with high budget/low quality films such as The Haunting, it's nice to see and independent film which takes its subject seriously and treats its audience with respect. This is a fine debut film from a group of people I hope to see more of in the future. Now, what're you waiting for? Check out www.playgroundfilms.com and buy a copy of this flick immediately!!! Oh, did I mention that Jillian Hodges is really cute?

*** out of **** stars.

Review by: Gore Boy (Shane Gavin), an industry fan

Subject: Re: FANTASTIC WEEK ON THE WEB!
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 23:12:44 +1000

Congratulations Mike.. I hope this launches you and Playground films onto bigger and better things.. I've watched "The Dividing Hour" at least 10 times and am still picking up a lot of different things..

Oh and I've just got to say.. I have been using the line "Fucky-Wucky" a heck of a lot lately.. I think that is because of the car sequences..

I hope I was of some assistance in the eventuation of the film becoming the success it is currently becoming.. I'm sure after AICN gets it and DR. Casey reviews it.. The film will make it to every video shop in the US.. And secure an international video release.. Hope the DVD goes well.. As with any other projects you might have on the horizon.

Endorsement by: The Evil Dr. Faust, an industry fan

Subject: Bravissimo!!!!
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999

What can I say, I am in awe!!! Truly a fabulous film, the end scenes truly had my flesh crawling. Best $15 I have ever spent, and that is real deal Holyfield :)