Save your money for something good and enjoyable

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Some crew members of a company shooting a horror film begin to suspect that the "killings" in the movie are real, and that they are actually making a "snuff" film.There are two things about this film that keep it interesting all these decades later. One is the abundance of George Romero-connected people involved: Tom Savini, John Harrison, Joseph Pilato, Pasquale Buba, Nancy Allen (but not THAT Nancy Allen) and others. Filming took place in 1978, around the time that "Dawn of the Dead" was made; it seems that many involved in "Dawn" were making their own film on the side.The other interesting historical note is how this film for many years just never existed. Although it was shot in 1978 and seems to be copyrighted in 1980, virtually no one saw it in the 1980s or 1990s. Due to a distributor bankruptcy problem, the film never received a theatrical or home video release. It never aired on television, or got passed around as bootlegs either. The October 2005 Synapse Films DVD was the film's first official release anywhere in the world. The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) is now (2017) releasing a Blu-Ray of the film mastered from a rare 35mm print that was made before the distributor backed out, so it can be discovered by a new generation.Perhaps due to this film's misfortunes, Dusty Nelson did not return to directing until the "Tales From the Darkside" episode "The Unhappy Medium" (1986). Others involved (Savini and Harrison in particular) achieved great success in its wake. How such a movie went hidden for so long is something of a mystery. If its existence was known, it would be widely sought after. The film was such a secret, we never see it mentioned in interviews or even within in-depth books such as Joe Kane's "Night of the Living Dead".The most logical reason it would fade into obscurity would be if it was an awful film. But, on the contrary, it actually happens to be quite good. While not the era-defining classic that "Dawn of the Dead" is, it is far better than many other independent horror features of its time. Heck, it even blows away Romero's early works (especially "There's Always Vanilla"). The film-within-a-film is creepy and effective. Dusty Nelson could have been somebody! A historical footnote: The first known use of the term "snuff movie" is in the 1971 Ed Sanders book, "The Family: The Story of Charles Manson's Dune Buggy Attack Battalion". He alleges that the Manson Family was involved in making such a film in California to record their murders. His allegations were, for the record, false. The idea caught on, however, and we received the film "Snuff" in 1975, as well as this film. The most interesting thing about snuff films is not how they have captured the imagination of people who spread urban legends… it is that they don't exist. While it would be nearly impossible for such a thing to exist as an industry, it seems plausible that at least some killer would record their exploits and at least some of those tapes would get traded on a bootleg market. But apparently not.The AGFA Blu-ray comes out August 22, 2017, featuring a new 4K scan from the only surviving 35mm theatrical print. We get an archival commentary track with John Harrison, Dusty Nelson, and Pasquale Buba covering their memories of a bygone era. These should be enough, but wait… there is also a "Beastie" short film by Dusty Nelson and a "Ubu" short film by John Harrison. Heck, we even have the "After Effects" documentary with optional commentary track!

A cinematographer/special effects man(Joseph Polito, Capt. Rhodes of Romero's "Day of the Dead")finds himself caught in a real snuff film, a tragic example of life imitating art.A demanding director, Lacey(John Harrison)secretly puts in motion a planned real snuff film, having his camera and f/x pro Dominic(Pilato)and gaffer, Celeste(Susan Chapek)a major part of the central horror. Dominic believes he's finally arrived in film-making having taken the position with his director as they currently work on a slasher film. We see how the cast and crew participate behind-the-scenes as they prepare for various scenes in the film they're working on. A troubled married couple, Barney(Bernard McKenna)and his wife, and the supposed star, Rita(Debra Gordon)portray the couple on the film and we see how their relationship off-camera is crumbling. Dominic believes he has a chance at romance with Celeste, but has no clue that she is portraying a role. Dominic is indeed the tragic character of the film for he's completely in the closet about the REAL movie being made. He brings up a point to his director about slasher films..he complements his director yet complains that in order for the film to really capture an audience there must be a chase scene. He doesn't even have an idea that he would be a part of that exact argument. We bare witness as the director has a hidden film crew operating in a secret room within the house they're shooting. The director even has his effects man(..and true star)Dominic watch a snuff film reel he claims he made himself as a film student..this is both macabre and clever for the director openly admits, in a way, to having made the film, with Dominic shell-shocked at it's realism. Lacey has shown Dominic an example of what he's capable of creating..in a grand sense of irony, Dominic will be the part of a snuff film, only on a much larger stage.I have to respectfully disagree with others who have commented on "Effects", a small independently produced, acted & directed horror flick from Pittsburgh talent, that it should've stayed lost. I personally thought it was a nifty, well crafted take on "guerrilla" film-making. The closing scene at the end, the name of the real movie being made, adds a nice little sick twist to the proceedings. I think many will indeed, as some user comments attest to, find this film a laborious, often confusing, film to sit through, but I think everything comes together quite neatly by the end. I also thought it was exceptionally photographed..this explains that independent films can have cameras which don't shake like crazy giving their audiences nausea. The opening of "Effects" pleased me because I'm a movie buff, and I was truly satisfied as the whole film, from director Dusty Nelson, comes together explaining certain odd actions(..and behavior) from our director, not to mention, why Dominic and Celeste were being shot in blue hidden from within the woods, and how it spies on them. Little moments Nelson provides us informing the viewer that something completely sinister is amiss. This might work for Backwoods horror fans, specifically the ending as poor Dominic runs for his life having no clue that there are cameras everywhere capturing/covering every move he makes, except inside one particular house. The most creepiest scene for me is the reveal of Lacey's snuff film to Dominic..it's quite masterfully staged(..a hint as to who the masked man cutting the tied female might be can be seen at the BBQ camp fire, by recognizing how the person sticks the knife into the floor)in B&W with the film stock quite shoddy displaying scars and jumps. There's a unique film score put to the film, by actor Harrison on piano he dubs "neo-classic", along with a chilling melody which shadows Lacey's scenes where his face is lighted(..while Lacey remains blanketed in darkness like a sneaky thief cautiously peeking from within a closet on the verge of snatching jewelry), and a series of drum beats during Dominic's terror in the woods. Debra Gordon has a nicely gratutous shower scene where the camera glides down her body following the soap as it travels. Violent film, but ultimately not gory.I think the character of director Lacey is the key factor in "Effects". He seems mysterious for a reason. Too quiet..there's something not quite right about him. You know the feeling where you come across someone with a hidden agenda you can't quite put your finger on. Tom Savini(as Nicky)has a crucial part, masked in secrecy which comes out at the end..he seems, at first, to merely cause trouble to Dominic and Celeste always bringing up to his director a certain role he plans to play wondering when it would be time. In hindsight, he's ALWAYS been playing a role. Charles Hoyes portrays Lobo, a crew member who also plays a part at the end.

With the exception of "Peeping Tom", this was one the first films to address the subject of snuff movies. Produced in Pittsburgh, it has a few surprises up its sleeve and is reasonably well photographed, but it also has too many slow spots and the actors are unappealing. It takes a film-within-a-film approach and focuses on a bunch of low budget filmmakers who are struggling to make their horror film "realistic". There is a sting in the screenplay's tail and the last twenty minutes really hit a horrific stride. Not great by any means, but certainly a worthy attempt to make something different with limited resources. A black and white snuff film watched by several characters in the movie is potent.

I knew nothing about the film "Effects" going into it. I'm glad I avoided reading any reviews or summaries because in the end I walked away from it feeling like I had not watched just another 70s exploitation or slasher flick- and those are most of my collection by the way.I have a feeling that there will be a large number of Tom Savini gore fans who will go into it expecting a slice 'em up blood fest in the tradition of Maniac or Dawn of the Dead. Instead, what you get is a film that resembles more of a drama about a group of people making a low budget horror film. It isn't really until the 3rd or 4th quarter of the film where the true horror begins; and it throws the story into a spin. This is why i'm glad I didn't research this film and spoil it. I was really impressed with the way these actor performed. This film could have easily given any "high brow" dramas a run for there money. For you Day of the Dead fans, Joe Pilato doesn't play an "out of his mind" military man in this one. Instead he plays one of the main characters, and his performance is on the mark. He is a likable guy in "Effects". That is one of the strengths of this film; there is a decent amount of character development. What may confuse people is that a few of the characters in this movie are also actors in the horror movie they are shooting. So you get sort of a duel role from the same people. So for all you pot smokers or slow people out there, this may mess with you- LOL.All and all this is a much better film then a lot of horror fans may give it. And if it rubbed you the wrong way the first time, give it another try. If you want to watch a zombie-slasher movie with lots of blood and guts, then pick up any of the classic zombie flicks- hey Cannibal Holocaust just got re-released on DVD!