As we all know, low-budget Horror can be very hit or miss. Sure. Plenty of B-movies are entertaining without actually being quality films. Quality isn't always an easy thing to come by, or necessary. But there are low-budget Horror directors who can not only pull off a crazy, entertaining B-movie, while rising above their meager budget. Today, we're going to talk about a guy named Tim Ritter, and more specifically, his Truth Or Dare series. Despite most of his work being "micro-budget", his little movies always have a great script, entertaining actors, even if some of them can't act for shit, and of course, a lot of heart, as a love for the Horror genre always shines through. His movies may not even get theatrical releases, but one thing is clear. Tim Ritter knows what he's doing.
Following in the footsteps of fellow Florida filmmaker, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Ritter always offers plenty of trashy violence and gore. But not without substance. Ritter's films have a reoccurring theme that started with the original Truth Or Dare? Cheating wives and the unexpected damage they can do. That's what these Truth Or Dare movies are mainly based on. In this first installment, We begin with Mike Strauber, a decent, normal guy, heading home from work to find his wife getting it on with another man. At first, Mike seems heartbroken just like any normal guy in his situation. But underneath his heartbreak, lies madness and an urge to harm himself and others. Along with a life long obsession with a game called Truth Or Dare? Mike takes a camping trip out in the woods, but picks up a hot, young hitchhiker on the way. As the two sit by a campfire, they start a game which ends with Mike pulling his own tongue out. As we discover the girl never existed, we also discover Mike has completely lost it. Now put away in the looney bin, Mike is eventually let out on good behavior, and ends up murdering his wife's lover. before he knows it, Mike is back in the looney bin. But these idiots can't keep seem to keep track of him. Mike makes himself a copper mask after disfiguring his own face, and once again bolts to go on a killing spree in style.A couple years earlier, Tim Ritter had made an anthology called Twisted Illusions. One of the segments, which was entitled "Truth or Dare?", was the inspiration for this movie. Personally, I've always found the copper mask a bit silly, as it makes this movie seem a bit too much like a poor man's Halloween, and Mike Strauber a poor man's Michael Myers. Truth or Dare? is definitely no Halloween, but it's still damn good and is a totally respectable low-budget film that is very easy to get sucked in to. It's far from Ritter's most entertaining work, but most would agree that this is his all around best movie. 6/10
Fast forward to 1994, and Tim Ritter only has one more film (Killing Spree) under his belt. And that was years ago. Obviously, funding isn't as easy to come by as it once was, because we have officially entered S.O.V. territory. Wicked Games was shot on video. The new title is apparently due to a movie that came out not too long beforehand, which starred Madonna, entitled Truth or Dare. Just to avoid confusion, I guess. This sequel also does not star the same actor who played Mike Strauber. Wicked Games barely involves the character at all. Like all Truth or Dare sequels, Ritter dances around the legend of the copper masked killer without actually making him a major part of the story.
Wicked Games begins much like the original. A guy named Gary (who looks and sounds like Dante from Clerks) has just caught his wife in the act. Unlike Mike, who ran off to have a cry, Gary pulls out a gun right then and there and forces his wife and her lover to finish their fuck session. He taunts them, intimidates them, but ultimately leaves to go get drunk. He doesn't seem quite as fragile as Mike did. Later, Gary pays his friend Dan Hess a visit, looking for a place to stay for a while. Dan is hanging out with a woman played by the same actress as Gary's cheating wife, which is weird, but just go with it. Gary explains his situation, and Dan takes him in. Later on, a string of murders take place. And it's discovered that all the victims were spouses in the act of cheating. Dan, who is a doctor at Mike's loony bin, is already starting to think something is up with Gary. But when he discovers that Gary is actually Mike's cousin, it looks very possible that he may be the second coming of the copper masked killer.Regardless of who the killer in this movie turns out to be, it's clearly none other than Joel D. Wynkoop under that mask. Wynkoop, who plays Dan Hess, as well as quite a few more colorful characters in many of Tim Ritter's films. For far better examples of how vital Wynkoop was to Ritter's success, check out Dirty Cop No Donut (1999) and Creep (1995), which are both far better than Wicked Games. This second installment leaves a little to be desired in several areas. But any fans of Ritter's superior movies, or unusual 90's S.O.V might want to give this a chance. 4/10
Fast forward to 1998, and Tim Ritter has now made his third installment of what is now known as the Truth Or Dare trilogy. Once again, avoiding Mike Strauber, but basing everything on his actions from the first movie. We relive one little moment which sets the stage for this bleak sequel called Screaming For Sanity. We witness Strauber's escape from the looney bin, where he drives off, not looking where he's going, Mike plows through a woman pushing a baby carriage, destroying them both. And as we now find out, this incident also destroyed the mind of the woman's husband, as he's been in and out of the looney bin ever since. And we now learn he is, once again, being released into society. But there's more to this story. Not too long ago, Dr. Dan Hess ruined his own career when he took liberties and decided to beat the hell out of Mike Strauber, which he got caught for, and was fired, disgraced, and now lives with suicidal tendencies, hallucinations, along with a gnawing guilt, because it was because of him that Strauber originally escaped and killed that mother and child.
https://oldies.scdn5.secure.raxcdn.com/i/boxart/simu/11/96/674945119693.jpg?v=6 This damaged widower is still far too fragile to be free, and is hanging by a thread. Hearing about Mike Strauber's new found celebrity status, and obsessive female following, has pretty much done it for him. That as well as some influence from someone with their own agenda, has made him snap. There is now a new copper masked killer, whose mission is to decimate anyone trying to capitalize financially off Strauber's notoriety. But things always seem to go back to Dan Hess, as his girlfriend has been kidnapped, and he's just about ready to finally get his shit together and put an end to this Truth or Dare? madness once and for all.
Once again, shot on video, Screaming For Sanity doesn't really wrap up this series much at all, as we still have no real closure when it comes to the original copper masked killer. These first two sequels are no masterpieces, but for 90's S.O.Vs, they're pretty good, and far from dull, with a somewhat haunting tone, which has a lot to do with composer, R.M. Hoopes, who has done the score for many of Ritter's films over the years. One thing that I've always found odd about these sequels is the new mask, which Mike, as well as his copy cats, now wear. I'm not sure what the point is in changing the mask, as we all remember what the original one looked like. Although, it's a sweet mask, so, whatever. 5/10
And for years, this series would be known as a trilogy. A fourth Truth or Dare? movie is not something I ever expected to happen, or really ever saw as necessary. After Screaming For Sanity, Tim Ritter made a few more movies, culminating in 2004's Reconciled Through The Christ. A tame, Christian-themed movie, with little to no Horror, which was inspired by his new found faith. A film which was to be Ritter's last, at least for a while, as he had moved up to Kentucky, and no longer had access to his usual Florida cast and locations, and was planning on concentrating on writing novels from then on out. If this had been IT for him, that would have been one hell of a sad way of ending things, in my opinion. After year had gone by, I had given up on the idea of Ritter ever making another movie. And if he ever returned to directing, would any future projects be nothing more than watered down Christian movies? Fuck, I hope not!
Fast forward to 2011, and Mr. Ritter has finally returned to directing. And would you believe this guy is throwing yet another Truth Or Dare movie at us? I would have much preferred a Killing Spree or Dirty Cop sequel, but I'll take what I can get, because I really thought this guy was done. Welcome back, Tim Ritter! You were missed!
13 years have passed since Screaming For Sanity. Deadly Dares: Truth Or Dare IV is different than any past Ritter movie. This is very much a new flavor and a new beginning. No more Florida, no more Wynkoop, no more looney bin. But plenty of violence and twists. This story, which is even further removed from that of the original, drags us into the 2010's, as it mostly revolves around the internet. Deadly Dares is about a boring loser named Tunor who has a red nose, and just got fired and broken up with by his girlfriend for being a boring loser. Depressed and looking for something new to take his mind off his woes, Tunor gets involved with a young girl over the internet. Dara is obsessed with legendary serial killer, Mike Strauber as well as playing cyber-truth or dare. Tunor, eager to impress, agrees to anything she dares him to do. At first, it's silly shit like sipping water out of the toilet with a straw, and spraying bleach in his eyes, but before he knows it, Tunor is being dared to go out and hurt people and film it, which eventually leads to murder. Tunor gets very into this, as it provides a rush he's never experienced, and hope for a brighter future. He even goes so far as to paint his face copper when fulfilling dares. Whatever it takes to keep this girl wet, Tunor is up for it. But when Dara dares him to go to Florida to break Mike Strauber out of the looney bin, things take quite an unexpected turn.Deadly Dares is just different. That's all there is to it. It's good, but doesn't feel like much of a Tim Ritter movie. Maybe because it was shot on digital video, and and lacks that trashy B-movie feel. The Kentucky setting and cast is just something that doesn't feel right, as it takes away from that Ritter vibe we're so used to. And ultimately, it just lacks that special something that most post-2000 B-Horror flicks lack. Nobody's fault, really. It's simply a different time. Deadly Dares comes off more like a fan film. A tribute to this long running series. I liked it, but perhaps I'm not a big enough fan of these movies to love it. But well worth a watch for anyone who missed the Ritter. 5/10
Love his movies or hate them, no one can deny that Tim Ritter has left his mark on the Horror genre, and especially underground Horror. A truly underrated director with plenty of interesting stories to tell, who's never really got to show us what he was capable of due to such tiny budgets. But always made the most of what he had. And as we approach the 30th anniversary of the original Truth Or Dare, I am pleased to announce that yet another installment is on its way, and I assume will be released later this year. I don't know much about it, but it will feature the return of Joel D. Wynkoop as Dr. Dan Hess, and as usual, will have very little to do with the original copper masked killer. what is in store for this series 30 years later? Well, I guess all that's left to say is to be continued...
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