Matt Myers’ first feature film a love letter to ‘80s horror
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The spooky season is here, and it’s time to get “Hex”-ed!
Local filmmaker Matt Myers has produced “Hex,” a feature-length horror movie that feels like it crawled out of a grave dug in the 1980s. It’s low-budget, high-camp, and full of slasher fun.
The plot of Hex is rather straightforward. A group of friends decide to have a little Halloween fun, but they inadvertently unleash a curse that manifests and hunts them down. The plot builds to its bloody conclusion as the friends try to undo their mistake while the killer whittles them away.
The result is a bit corny and campy, by design. The art is found in the intent, which is to provide a nostalgic ride to a time when amateur filmmaking began to truly emerge. Myers was deliberate in his attempt to emulate low-budget films that develop a cult following, and it works well.
The screening of Hex will take place Thu., Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Diana Theater, 137 W, Jefferson St., in Tipton. Tickets are $6. The film is unrated but is appropriate for viewers ages 18 and up. There will be a short Q and A session after the screening.
While Myers has produced several short films over the past 10 years, Hex represents his first foray into feature filmmaking. The move to the larger format was influenced by his family.
“It was because my mom passed away, and then my uncle passed away,” said Myers. “They were big influences on me. That gave me the push to make my first feature. I told myself even if it’s going to be horrible, I gotta at least do it once because that’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Myers categorizes Hex as an “indie B horror movie with a low budget.” And he shaped his vision for the film around other films in that genre that emerged during the heyday of the slasher film in the 1980s.
“I always have different stories or plots going on, and I’ve had this one, a slasher, for a while,” said Myers. “I wanted that concept of having something in the past where a witch like does something and releases some kind of killer. I wanted it to fit in that generic slasher-type thing.
“A ‘80s, early ‘90s feel is what we were hoping it would hit, especially with some of the music.”
Those strong callbacks to the horror films of that era are definitely present, especially with the synthesized music that builds with each progressive kill. It is further enhanced by off-screen kills, typically used in the genre to minimize costs, and tight shots that force viewers into the scene as if they are experiencing the action alongside the actors.
Myers was especially pleased that his daughter, Imagine, agreed to fill one of the lead roles in the movie, playing the younger sister, Becca Clark. She and actress Kelly O’Neill, who plays older sister Courtney carry the bulk of the story, supported by a cast that successfully delivered the performances he hoped to see.
Timothy Macuski plays boyfriend Ethan, and Bridget Ann plays best friend Emily. Nathan Adams fills the role of James, Emily’s boyfriend, while Kaleb Sample debuts as Bobby, the troublemaker who gets the story started.
Other cast members include Georgia Wiggins as Sarah, Brian West Jr. as John Clark, Heather Harlow as Elizabeth Miller, and Jimmy Shaw as Elwood. Noah Cameron appears in an untitled role.
“Imagine did a short with me for a 48-hour film contest, and she enjoyed that,” said Myers. “When I told her I wanted to do a horror film, she said she wanted to be in it. So, I wrote the character for her and changed some things up.
“I think she enjoyed it, and I think I think she’s gonna like the movie. She hasn’t seen the movie yet. She’s gonna wait until the premiere to see it.”
While Myers was the director, producer, and screenwriter for Hex, he was aided by Greyson Bolding as director of photography and Kristin Montgomery as assistant director.
The shoot took nine days over a fall school break in 2025. Myers longed for more time to film, but schedules and the colder season limited his window. Those low temperatures threatened to cut the entire production short, but Myers credits the actors for pushing through discomfort to deliver their performances.
The production crew showed similar resolve and dedication, Myers explained. With a staff of just 10, and most of them without deep filmmaking experience, everyone had to take on multiple tasks. Even some of the actors stepped behind the camera to assist.
“It was a really small crew, and they worked really fast,” said Myers. “I think after the first day, they started getting into a better rhythm, having a better understanding of what was going on.
“I think they did a great job of working together and pulling everything together. Everybody got along and were very friendly with each other. I think they really ended up finding some friendships, which is awesome. This is their film, and I hope people will enjoy it for what it is.”
Myers made sure to credit those who helped in ways a little less directly involved with the production. He was appreciative of Crystal Wand Creations for allowing the use of their store for some scenes, and he valued Kingdom Cards and Games and Kitchen Witch for their assistance in keeping the cast and crew nourished during one of the shooting days. Even fellow filmmaker Ben Rutz, administrator of the Kokomo Howard County Public Library’s Digital Den, had a hand in securing locations for the film.
Myers is happy to report that Hex has a distributor, Blood Pact Films, and the movie will be available on Blu-Ray, hopefully before year’s end. It also will be available for streaming on the Tubi platform.
There also will be a “definitive edition” of the film, which leans heavily into the genre by including the audio crackle and blur associated with an old VHS recording. Myers even reformatted the film out of widescreen to simulate how it might have appeared on a CRT television of that era.
For more information on “Hex,” visit its Facebook page, or better yet, head to Tipton on Oct. 29 for some scary throwback fun.