DVD review: Deadwood Park (2007)

The small community of Eidolon Crossing once boasted a flourishing economy and great prosperity, fueled by Dogwood Park, and amusement park at the edge of the town. Then the childmurders began. When the first child´s corpse was discovered at Dogwood Park, the town knew that they been pulled into horrible nightmare. As more murdered children were unearthed on the amusement park, property, attendence began to decline. Finally, the macabre publicity shut the park down entirely. Dogwood Park was abandoned. The old amusement park became known as "Deadwood Park" by the locals. Eidolon Crossing quickly withered into poverty. Over the course of 35 years, 26 children disappeared at the hans of the elusive murderer. In 1979, Jake Richardson´s little brother Francis was the last of the children to be abducted. Jake (William Clifton) and his parents moved away from Eidolon Crossing shortly thereafter. Now an adult, Jake is drawn back to Eidolon Crossing, the town where his brother was taken from him. The spirits of the many murdered children begin to contact Jake. He glimpses  them in the shadows of his house. He hears them whisper in the darkness of the surrounding farmland. Jake is led back to the abandoned Deadwood Park. Here, in this decaying park, Jake will unlock the horrible secrets of this sinister, blood-soaked town. Deadwod Park is written by Jessie Seitz and Eric Stanze who also is the director, cameraman and editor. The acting is mostly good, the camerawork and editing is nice. I must give special praise for the locations and setting which are fantastic. The soundtrack is unsettling and fantastic. The atmosphere is great in this, Stanze and his crew has performed miracles on a tight budget. There are a numerous flashbacks providing the backstory and clues. The pacing is slow which might put some viewers off.  There is some gore, practical make-up fx, but I fear that gorehounds might be disappointed as this flick is more about mood/atmosphere than blood and guts. There is no T & A in this.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Cinema Epoch.
Rating: 7 out of 7. Deadwood Park is really good, the set design and the locations are great! And I feel the need to once again to mention the soundtrack which is fantastic! Deadwood Park has great atmosphere and there are scenes that really oozes of creepines. Deadwood Park gets my strongest recommendations and it is yet another hallmark in Eric Stanze´s career as a fimmaker.

/JL