Doppelbanger Review by Jen Bush

A film by John Skipp

Karaoke can be like a horror movie.  Doppelbanger is a horror movie about karaoke.  Belle is an out of town drifter who decides to make a pitstop at a karaoke bar.  Most of the other singers are as awful as expected.  Belle’s singing is a slow burn and then she knocks it out of the park.  She is quickly befriended by Brandi and her boyfriend Randy who own the bar.  Drinks are free flowing till Belle becomes very drunk and disoriented.  Brandi and Randy offer Belle a helping hand but their intentions seem nefarious.  Will the belle of the karaoke ball get her bell rung?  You’ll have to “tune in” yourself to find out.

Legendary horror master, John Skipp, pulled quadruple duty as writer, producer, director, and scorer of the film… and succeeded on all counts.  Your brain will try to trick you and make you think you’re listening to songs typically sung at karaoke establishments.  If you listen more closely, you’ll hear how cleverly Skipp emulated the music and lyrics of karaoke songs.  The songs also have great titles like Tiparillo Ghost and Don’t Fight the Civil War Again (my Friend). 

The artsy freaky fantasy opening of the film definitely establishes that it’s a horror film.  The cinematography was spot-on with accurately portraying the atmospheric and lighting aspects of a karaoke bar.  Kayla Dixon with her outstanding vocal prowess was a strong lead as Belle.  Ashley Song and Timothy Krahill as Brandi and Randi were ideal for the characters they portrayed.  A standout quirky performance was given by Cody Goodfellow as Cowboy Rusty. 

The audiences are sure to sing the praises of this short and effective horror film.