“Evil Little Things” is a 2019 anthology picture that I’m not sure anyone has ever heard of. It was tough finding out production information, other than it’s available on Amazon and may or may not have been distributed by them. I stumbled across it while searching for another movie with a similar title.
The lack of fanfare is a shame. The three tales included in the picture are effectively chilling and successful for tawdry horror. Especially if you’re a sucker for creepy doll films. The 86-minute run time includes three stories: Blood for Gold, Be Careful What You Wish For, and The Clown.
The anthology begins with Zach Galligan (yes that Zach Galligan of Gremlins fame) playing a brutish stepdad. His antics force his wife (L.A. Winters) and her son (Mason Wells) to a toy store. The creepy owner (Geoff McKnight) introduces the young boy to three dolls, each of which will be the catalyst for their respective stories.
Blood for Gold
A cute horror writer named Jess (Hannah Fierman) receives a mysterious gift. A creepy leprechaun doll that begins to haunt her. There are some silly stereotypes, such as Jess nonchalantly brining the doll inside despite not knowing where it came from. There are obvious paranormal issues immediately – the doll grabbing a butcher knife – but Jess seems not to mind. Maybe it’s the horror writer aspect to her character. Or maybe it’s just an excuse to tell the story.
I loved the performance of Hannah Fierman. She’s a perfect fit as the lead in a scary story. Not too over-the-top and never predictable, I believed her actions (save for the acceptance of the leprechaun doll). The doll itself is scary in a plausible way. I can see this being an actual doll old-school Irish lasses spin yarn about. Most of the story takes place at night. There are chilling moments like the faint sounds of tiny feet pitter-pattering around the house.
Be Careful What You Wish For
I would like to see this developed into a full-length feature. Courtney Lakin stars as Abby, a doll-obsessed woman with a large and creepy collection. Abby was burnt in a fire a decade ago. Her rehab, scars, and self-consciousness saw her friends abandoned her. The only constant has been Patty – a doll that survived the fire and is seemingly sentient.
Courtney Lakin does a great job in the performance of Abby. Though brief, we can feel her pain as we watch the story unfold. A beautiful young woman who now wears a thick scar across her face, her embarrassment in social situations is plausible. That she now resides alone with a collection of dolls is not only scary, but sad. She converses with Patty who talks back in a creepy childlike cadence. Abby wishes to be beautiful once again. In Twilight Zone style, her wish is granted.
The Clown
This is the simplest of the stories. There isn’t much to discuss other than how fun it is to see Zach Galligan, an icon of my childhood. The stepson brings home a clown he calls Giggles. Its terrifying to behold, and it doesn’t take kindly to the mean father.
“Evil Little Things” is a fun film to check out. Its digestible in time – three 30-minute blocks. Its available for free on Amazon and is doubtless something you have never heard of.
