‘The Pitchfork Retreat’: Tony Todd Shines In Creepy Horror Anthology [FrightFest Review]

Legendary horror actor Tony Todd delivers his final film performance in The Pitchfork Retreat, an effective anthology horror film that proves that no matter how far you run, you can never escape the sins of your past. Directed by siblings Gregory and Nicole Van Voorhis, with Gregory providing the screenplay, and produced by Michael Leavy and Steven Della Salla of Fuzz on the Lens Productions, who are known for the Terrifier franchise, The Pitchfork Retreat is certainly not a getaway you will be forgetting in a hurry.

Todd stars as the head of the titular isolated island retreat, who pressures his guests into telling a series of horrific stories, which may or may not be rooted in truthful events from their lives. The enigmatic Todd oozes charm and charisma whenever he appears, and he also perfectly makes the character seem suitably creepy through subtle gestures and mannerisms, so you know right away that there is clearly more to the host than he initially leads you to believe. Despite not having a lead role, Todd still has a significant amount of screen time, and fans of the great actor will be thankful to see him given enough time to flex his acting skills in his last released role.

The three anthology stories involve demonic children, vampires, and other horrific elements. There are a total of three stories, told by attendees Mandy (Nicole Van Voorhis), Matt (Lukas Hassel), Nikolai (Joseph D. Reitman), with the three actors believably depicting three troubled individuals who clearly have a great deal to hide. And the supporting cast also includes Terrifier franchise star Elliott Fullam, Danielle Harris, Adrienne Barbeau, Andrew Divoff, and the irreplaceable Dee Wallace as an exasperated grandmother. With so many recognisable franchise stars delivering memorable performances, The Pitchfork Retreat certainly proves to be a memorable film, even though some of the anthology segments drag on a little at times.

After the anthology segments end, the horror elements continue, as the retreat is clearly not all that it seems, with some nasty surprises and unexpected twists and turns ensuring that viewers will remain engaged until the end credits start to roll. Few viewers will predict the final outcome of , making it a film which is full of unexpected surprises. And there is also enough gore to keep horror fans happy, especially when it happens to the deserving. Although not as brutal as the aforementioned films, there is still enough carnage on display to satisfy your bloodlust. And the runtime of ninety-five minutes ensures that the plot moves along at a reasonable pace, so you will probably manage to stay engaged for the most part, especially when the twists start coming to light.