Trick 'r Treat

Book excerpt: Trick 'r Treatdelves into the four stories that make up the feature film,Trick 'r Treatreleasing in October 2007. It reflects Dougherty's personal take on the filmmaking process, details how the ideas and art came together, and presents it with exclusive special features in a unique format. The genre encompasses drama, horror, thriller...mixed with a good dose of twisted humor. Set in a small suburban town,Trick 'r Treatexplores Halloween traditions while following a group of people trying to survive the most terrifying night of the year. From a serial killer who specializes in poisoning candy; to a group of mischievous kids who unearth their town's dark secret; to a young woman hunted by masked stalker at the local festival; to a cantankerous old hermit confronted by a demonic trick-or-treater, the film is filled with horrifying surprises, nervous laughs and strange creatures of every variety--human or otherwise. The atmosphere Dougherty creates on film mirrors the flavor of his art--whimsical, yet eerie. It seems welcoming from a distance, but the closer you look, the more you see the twisted, dark side of Dougherty's mind. Dougherty's third-grade teacher once remarked on a report card that his behavior exhibited "early evidence of what may be an extraordinary morbid ingenuity." Years later, his drawings and doodles of the youthful, eerily pumpkin-headed character, Sam--a kind of ghost of Halloweens past--along with a number of other creepy, unforgettable characters, have made it to the big screen. There, Dougherty's art and storytelling promise to take a fresh twist. At the launch of his career he's already got a loyal following eagerly awaiting his next spooky project.