Release: August 18, 2007 (Fright Night Film Festival)
Directed by: Tom Dolan, Adam Gilliam and Steve Hudgins
Written by: Steve Hudgins

Starring:
Tom Dolan as Howard
Steve Hudgins as Buck
Victoria Parrish as Sandy
Marsha Cash as Mrs. Fish
Philip Counts as Father Malone

Every so often a low budget Independent Horror offering comes around, out of nowhere, which is so incredibly good that it can take the film industry by storm. I’m talking, of course, about The Blair Witch Project. The Third Floor, on the other hand, is not likely to be the source of a tempest, but perhaps will command a mild gale.

One morning at 4:00 AM the troubled and alcoholic Buck (Steve Hudgins) wakes his brother Howard (Tom Dolan) and his wife Sandy (Victoria Parrish) from a sound sleep with some important news: An apartment has come available in his complex. The timing of the call aside, Howard and Sandy are indeed looking for a new domicile and decide to inspect the place the next morning…at a reasonable hour.

The apartment is perfect, but there is something strange about the building itself. All of the windows to the 3td floor are covered in cardboard, the “3” in the elevator has tape over it, and all access to the floor is locked. The building manager, the eccentric Mrs. Fish (Marsha Cash) explains that the 3rd floor is unused because of “tradition”, and offers no further explanation. Howard and Sandy accept the apartment on the 4th floor.

Not long after the happy couple move in to their new apartment strange things start happening. Bumps and scratching noises seem to be coming from below the apartment – but that can’t be – there are no tenants in the floor below. When Howard decides to investigate he is treated to eerie whispers coming from the reportedly abandoned area.

Howard decides to get to the bottom of his strange experiences, and thus begins the strange trek into the unknown origins of The 3rd Floor….

�I do believe that this entire movie was created, beginning to end, for about a buck fifty. With that in mind it is actually pretty amazing that the production quality is as sharp as it is. There are a few unforgivable annoyances such as action shots obviously filmed by the actor carrying a camera themselves and pointing it toward their faces while they go about their business and others where it is clear that the Sony Digicam is sitting on a small tripod on the coffee table – but I’m not here to nit-pick. The�“Independent Horror Death Wish” elements of bad and inconsistent sound quality along with stupid sets and ridiculous lighting are NOT committed by the filmmakers of The 3rd Floor. For this I applaud them.

There is a bit of a problem with the multi-director scenario as well as the “I’m the Director and I am also the Star” complex that the film demonstrates. Steve Hudgins as Buck, for example, seemed well cast and well suited to the role and the film, but the performance would have benefited from some direction that he wasn’t able to over ride because he himself was also a director and the writer. It’s pretty tough to say to that guy “dude, you’re doing it all wrong…”

�There are two primary stand-outs in this film. The first is the story. Well crafted, intriguing and original, the story has the power to draw the viewer in and not let go. I could have done without the (seemingly) five hour monologue by Father Malone to tie everything together, but this is a freshman effort after all. The second is the diamond in the rough Marsha Cash as Mrs. Fish. Cash gave a performance that absolutely carried the film. Her character was crazy, eerie and believable. I am certain that Ms. Cash can use footage from this film to secure character roles in as many horror movies as she cares to act in. There is always a place for an effective wacko creepy eccentric woman…always.

It is hard to say whether we will have the opportunity to see The 3rd Floor anywhere outside the festival circuit. Even if we don’t, if Hudgins keeps writing eventually he’ll score a winner – of that we can be certain. Questions or comments about The 3rd Floor? Contact us!

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