Saturday, May 19, 2012

My Review Of “Fell” 2012



     “Relationships can break you down” is the stress inducing tag for this horror/suspense movie from Chemical Burn Entertainment. It hits shelves on June 10th 2012. The story follows Bill who has lost his job, running low on meds, lost his girlfriend and wakes up to find a dead girl in his bathtub. Now that is one shit filled day. The only good thing going for Bill is his best friend Derrek’s undying devotion. “Fell” is directed by Marcus Koch and stars Jeff Dylan Graham, Kattie Walters, Kristian Day, and Barron Christian.

     This movie has its moments where the melodrama surrounding Bill’s psychotic break really takes control of the scene. The sorrowful slow pace as he takes meds that are obviously for depression and emotional issues as he calls his ex-girlfriend constantly almost makes you sympathize with this character. Then there are the moments in the movie that the shear slowness seems frustrating, almost loosing context. This is truly a look into a fast downward spiral of a deeply disturbed man.

     The coolest aspect of this film is how Bill doesn’t check to see who the dead girl is in his tub. Ignoring the situation only to have fragmented memories come back to him through static filled conversations on the stereo combined with the flashbacks. This gives “Fell” the only real pulse of suspense building up to the twisted reveal at the end.

      The story is haunting with the memories of happier times overlapping darker days where depression rules. The way it escalates from a subdued melodrama into a slow burning angst as Bill remembers more and the anger of the break up comes back to him is intense. The downside is the actual long wait for the heart of the story to really take off.

     “Fell” is not a movie I normally would watch, mostly due to the long melodrama moving into a slow crawl. There is not enough gore or action for me. I think the story is great for what it is and this movie is well directed. It is one that I am glad I watched but probably will not watch again. Mostly I am glad I watched because Jeff Dylan Graham portrayed Bill with honest and believable psychosis. I did learn some kind of moral with this flick. “If the medication ain’t working then tell the doctor and get that shit changed!”
You can check out “Fell” at ChemicalBurn.Org

The Most Sinister Gathering In Cinema Ever!? That is “Disciples” From Joe Hollow


Tom Lodewyck (Incest Death Squad), Linnea Quigley (Graduation Day, Silent Night, Deadly Night), Brinke Stevens (The Slumber Party Massacre, Delta Delta Die!), Tony Todd (Candyman, Final Destination), Debra Lamb (Stripped to Kill), Angus Scrimm (Phantasm II, I Sell The Dead), Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre II, Repo: The Genetic Opera), Camden Toy (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” Chromeskull: Laid to Rest II),Debbie Rochon (Tromeo & Juliet, Santa Claws), Rachel Grubb (Camp Kill, Strip Club Slasher), Tawny Amber Young (“Rock of Love,” Cut), Nick Principe (Laid To Rest II), Shannon Lark (Psychic Experiment, Cut), Kaylee Williams (Porkchops, Slices of Life), Melanie Robel (Bikini Monsters), and Elissa Dowling (Raymond Did It). That is the list of horror insanity this film promises. Man this is gonna be the coolest evil little devil worshipping flick! Disciples is the sinister demon child of Joe Hollow. Check out this teaser trailer for the bitchin’ movie.

Poster For “Punishment” And Trailer From Cannes


Jason Christopher’s “Punishment” gives rise to the new nightmare of an Urban Legend. The film stars Jen Dance, David J. Bonner, Chelsey Garner, Shaun Paul Costello and Matthew Nadu.

Hunter Isth is a father who’s little girl is killed by a drunk driver. The depression forces him to retreat from life and soon rumors suggest he moved away from the area.  Hunter and his devastating story evolve into a myth, a myth that many consider being just that, until a group of partying teenagers are brutally murdered one by one…

The Reawakening: The Living Dead Trilogy Book 1


Book 1 of  The Living Dead Trilogy is titled The Reawakening and is a novel in a new series that finds a small town in Maine dealing with some apocalyptic shit due a scientist’s reactivation of genetic experiments. Written by Joseph Souza the story unfolds as animals begin to develop more aggressive character traits, spreading an virus among the populous. Soon the animals come back to life forcing a small group of survivors to take refuge in a farmhouse as virulent undead herds swarm outside. Not long after cannibalism swells to a horrific level that threatens humanity.  


Here is an excerpt from Joseph Souza’s site:

     The snow didn’t stop. It was relentless and unforgiving. Once it started that first day it kept on coming, which meant that Dar and I stood no chance of returning to     Boston until the roads had cleared. Every couple of days we received a fresh coat of powder. It glistened and radiated in the sun’s sallow glow, obscuring the debris that lay strewn across the hardening crust. We took turns shoveling in order to keep clear the path between the doorway and the barn. Every day Rick plowed the snow until the banks built up like a massive wall in front of the driveway. He plowed it up all around the farmhouse so as to provide a natural barrier from the creatures. Other than the flying ones, it would be difficult for the dead to reach us. We made sure to have two sharpshooters tag along with the people shoveling just in case the dead flew down from the roof.
     The power died and never returned, which meant that we had to rely strictly on the generator. Rick turned the generator on for about two hours a night. At around nine we lit candles and read or played cards by the flickering light. He’d insulated the house a few years back by spraying foam in the walls and laying loose insulation along the attic floor. That combined with the fireplace kept us relatively warm and dry. We ate cereal and canned goods for breakfast and lunch, and we took turns preparing hot meals for dinner. Coffee in the morning got reheated over the fireplace.
     We learned to live with each other, to put up with each other’s idiosyncrasies and help deal with the post-traumatic stress we suffered on account of living among such cruel demons. As a result, we worked to tolerate each other’s needs as best we could. The children behaved relatively well, considering the situation we found ourselves in, but they acted up like most children do. Gunner had his hands full taking care of them, especially when Emily cried out for her mother. We all tried to help out as much as possible, but there was only so much any of us could do. Thorn was the exception when it came to the kids. He didn’t want anything to do with them. He did, however, make up for it by performing many of the laborious tasks that no one else wanted to do. In his defense, he claimed he’d rather fight hand-to-hand combat against five flesh-eaters than have to deal with kids.
     The snow piled up against the house in long, sweeping arcs, and the temperatures often dropped below zero. Most days the wind whipped hard down from Canada and whistled through the snow-swept valley.
On Thanksgiving Day we ate a hearty meal cooked up by Kate. Instead of turkey we had one of the chickens Rick processed this past summer and stored in his freezer. He kept three freezers filled with poultry, beef, deer and moose meat out in the barn. Though the freezers stopped working because of the power outage, the arctic temperatures did the work for us. Rick had a room in the basement filled with canned goods, dried foods and other supplies, which he figured would last us until the end of spring, assuming we rationed the food in a sensible manner. Had it been just him and Susan, it would have lasted much longer. Although we all changed our eating habits, Thorn seemed to have a hollow leg when it came to his appetite. If we made it to spring, I had high hopes that the government or military would have a handle on the situation and we’d all be allowed to return home.
     We played cards often and broke out the board games that first month. I became quite good at chess, though not good enough to beat Thorn, who was quite adept at it. I studied one of his chess books for hours on end, trying to understand the complex strategies involved in the game, imagining the opposing pieces as the dead. I also read a lot. Rick had a considerable library out in the barn that we helped ourselves to. He also had a vast collection of DVDs and VCR tapes that contained everything from old TV shows to movies. Every night at seven he switched on the generator and we all settled in and watched a movie or television show. We even made popcorn from the kernels stored in the large plastic container he kept downstairs.
     When not reading, playing chess or performing one of our required daily chores, I began to write. I found myself writing constantly. It kept my mind off the evil that awaited us outside. At first I jotted down a few random notes, but after awhile I began to become more expansive, writing pages at a time about our daily life inside the house. Upon waking early each morning, I made sure to perform my ritual of one hundred push-ups and sit-ups. After that I would jog in place for fifteen minutes. The physical exercise kept my mind focused and helped reduce the stress caused by this suffocating existence. (finish reading here!)

check it out here!

“The Barrens” Starring Stephen Moyer Poster & Synopsis


Darren Lynn Bousman’s “The Barrens” stars Stephen Moyer, Mia Kirshner, Allie MacDonald, Erik Knudsen and tells the story of a father who takes his family on a camping trip. Soon the father begins to believe that they are being stalked by the jersey devil.


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Cool “Birdemic II” Image Packs Some Heat


“Birdemic II: The Resurrection” is the sequel to the wild original that has produced quite the cult following. So James Nguyen has answered the call of his much appreciated fan’s demands for yet another trip to Half Moon Bay.
The film stars Alan Bagh and Whitney Moore as well as some familiar characters. Plus some interesting new ones as well.


Bill is a struggling filmmaker; Gloria is an aspiring actress.  Rod, a Silicon Valley millionaire finances Bill’s film, a dream come true until eagles and vultures attack Hollywood and its up to Rod, his girlfriend Nathalie, new friends and old to mount the resistance.  Who will survive? Birdemic II, you asked for it.”



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Iconic New Poster For “Stitches”



Check out the slasher heavy poster that is sure to become a new iconic image on the horror front. Director Conor McMahon’s “Stitches” is one of the coolest projects to come out since “BTM : The Return Of Leslie Vernon”. I love this new darker, sinister image of the “bad clown”. A classic in the making in every way.

The film stars Ross Noble and Tommy Knight and tells the story of “Richard ”Stitches” Grindle, a jaded workaday kids’ birthday clown, whose one-liners are witty in a way that’s just not for kids. He falls victim to a fatal party mishahp at the hands of a group of particularly nasty children. Years later, the group of now teenagers attend a party at which Stitches is the uninvited guest of honor, returning to avenge his untimely death.

My Review Of “The Collective Vol. III: 10 Minutes To Live”


     Jabb Pictures third Volume in the Collective series is quite a gem. It offers something unique and far too under appreciated in the horror genre field. The perspective of female imagination, talent, and fervor to the directors chair. This collection of short films gives us the woman’s point of view in raw, emotional scenes both compelling and provocative. All ten of these shorts were created and directed by female filmmakers, a collection unlike any other out there.

     “Conclusion” explores the last ten minutes of life by taking us to an alternate reality where a company provides sterile and orderly ways to die. Under medication each person is shuffled into stark rooms and given a method of death to be exacted by their own hand. It is a crisp and fresh nightmare world that harkens back to the days of “Outer Limits” and “Night Gallery”. An emotionally charged horror story where death is only as painful as our own regrets.
     “Home Security” is a wicked funny short film that flips the script on home invasion. My multi-racialness did come out with this one though. “Why did the black guy have to be the burglar?” Still it was a great little short. Of coarse the gay in me wished the criminal would have been the hot guy who came for his partner who was the homeowner’s best-y.
     Perverts and Peeping Tom’s, it’s scary to think about what might live next door. The third installment is called “Suffer Well” and peers into that notion with morbid curiosity. This short flowed between film noir and cinema verite that made me think back to movies like “Night Stalker”. Yet this tale mixed in a bit of the vengeful spirit element giving an artistic and sentimental point of view. The coolest aspect here is the ball’s out embrace of nudity and gratuitous sex that was shot both tastefully and raw.
     “He Who Watches” is a gothic tale of death. The final moments of life and how the mind responds to the explosion of emotion fuels this piece. This is a classic nightmare of how a person being taken over by disease deals with finality and regrets. The ending is a devilish treat.
     “Pact” has a sweet yet tragic flow as the music plays and we follow a single guy into the woods as he makes his way to his own ending. A straight up suicide short that sends chills down your back as the black&white scenes tug at your emotions. One of the best short films on Vol. III. So poignant for these times today.
     “Stay” explores the issue of domestic violence with raw intensity. It is a wicked story that shows karma really is a bitch. I say “let the motherfucker die as well”.
     “Snapped”, what to say? Wow! Show us how you really feel about cheating. This is a full throttled angst revenge piece. The story is dark and focused. An in your face response to the anger from a woman scorned. It is fresh and entertaining to watch this play out. Now what does that say about me!?
     “The Key” borders on the romantic. A truly gothic tale of ominous destiny and the paranormal. There is a slight hint to an action element not fully explored yet perfectly held back teasing a plot of evil forces bent on destruction. It is a perfect blend of two styles melding in a phantasmal flirtation. It makes me want more! A clever story indeed.
     “Jog” is a classic film noir shot from the point of view of the jogger. The story keeps you disoriented with a limited view that works beautifully. It creates a natural build of suspense. Finding the carnage as the joggers sees the environment along the route is a delightful twist that is vintage gamer vision. You never see the death happen but anyone can tell by the bodies the jogger passes just before the panic sets in that it isn’t a pleasant death. By far the best short on Vol. III.
     The last short “Palindromist” is a strange visual play that follows a dying woman around the city. I assume to her favorite haunts. There is no dialogue at all which normally can work in a short film. This time however I did not feel the connection. Still the cinematography was beautiful and the representation of emotional fore longing was evident as this was the woman’s last moments of life. I feel sad that I did not share the remorse the way I normally do with this extremely artistic short. Still this one is kind of an avant-garde.
     There is so much bitter sweet darkness in this emotionally driven third collection of short films that it would be hard to find fault in “The Collective Vol. III: 10 Minutes To Live”. There are some shorts that affect the viewer more than others but all are great insight in to a greatly under acknowledged section of the horror genre. The female point of view is often left behind like the carnage of body parts lying on cutting room floor with all the scream queens. It is great to see how women see horror not as just woman but as great story tellers equal to their male counterparts.

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Friday, May 18, 2012

My Review Of “The Collective Vol. II: The Box”



     “The Collective Vol. II is the second in a series of short film anthologies from Jabb Pictures. This next installment brings back to the genre ten more directors creating new nightmares based on one simple synopsis. This time each story focuses on a small brown box. Equally as evil and variant of dark possibilities.
     “Fertility 2.0” is a bit over my head when it comes to stylized filmmaking especially when blending science fiction fantasy with horror. The questions just explode in my brain causing me to question every aspect of a film such as the case in this first tale from Vol. II. Not that I did not enjoy it, because I feel it was revolutionary in concept, much like “Existenz” was for it’s time. There are obvious signs of the Clive Barker inspired artistry and the sci-fi cleverness. It just went over my head. It is an original and dark story that given more attention to would make a brilliant feature. Who doesn’t like stories about gothic vampire lesbian aliens using infertile couples to cross over into our dimension.
     “Illusion” is a smart and disturbing story that reminds me of classic Twilight Zone tales. It is a twisted observation of obsession to the point of insanity that is delightful and entertaining.
     “Snapcase” is pure filth. Ultimate grindcore trash and I loved every minute of it! The profanity, brutality and total adrenaline that exploded from this wicked short was gore-tastic heaven. A short but sweet homicidal holiday of violent pleasure. Oh yeah, there is some funny in there too!.
     “It Crawls From Within” is an awesome haunted nightmare tale that finds a man having found a box that contains an eye experiencing strange dreams and ghostly images. A great horror story of evil infecting a person like some paranormal virus. It reminds me of a Lovecraftian tale of terror.
     We need you to open this box is all I can pull from this fifth tale that sends us into a lunatics dream where a child finds a box with a hole in it. It offers a view into a fantastical scene of shear nonsense and repetition. I am sure there is a metaphor in there somewhere. It was just hidden from me.
     “2 Guys 1 Box” is classic grindhouse sleaze that manages to entertain and offend with perfect evil delight. A sadistic joint echoing the 70’s style of exploitation torture-porn mania that was twisted and visually powerful.
     “Exile” takes a more psychoanalytical approach in this story of a lunatic under the care of a self serving therapist. This horror short just proves the point that evil can’t always be packed up and tucked away. Some darkness is greater than psychotherapy.
     “Boundary” has a true classic indie feel to it. Shot in black&white and told in a flashback frame of terror. It was nail-biting and intense. For me this is one of the best grindhouse horror shorts on Vol. II. It’s what happens when psychotics clash.
     “Keepsake” is a new urban legend and a clear warning to all who text while driving. A true testimonial nightmare of karma. Like a ghost story that is both hauntingly familiar and frightfully entertaining.
     The last tale of terror on Vol. II: The Box is a leap into the sci-fi realm of horror. The story shows what happens when theoretic quantum physics go wrong and good scientists don’t sleep. It is a demented view into the world of a mad scientist that proves not all theories should be explored. A creepy and intense thriller from start to finish. More please! I think this is my favorite of this set.
“The Collective Vol. II: The Box” is more brilliant than Vol. I . The stories are grittier and darker. These are ten stories that every horror fan should see. One of the best anthologies of nightmares I have ever watched. You must own these collections.!

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My Review Of “The Collective Vol. I : The Meat Eaters”



     “The Collective Vol. I: The Meat Eaters” is an award winning horror anthology of ten short films from ten different directors featuring the same simple synopsis. Since each director can take liberty with the story as it revolves around this simple subject matter there are myriad horrific ways to tell a story. This is a brilliant challenge and concept that can only be appreciated by horror fans around the world.  Short films from some of the newest and brightest upcoming filmmakers in the genre are featured on the collections. Vol. I features ten twisted tales for sure and is the brilliant design of Jabb Pictures who posed this challenge to various filmmakers to give us some truly dark tales of demented madness sometimes humorous, but always devilish.
     The first tale of terror is “The Cult Of Moi and Voius”. The story takes place way in the future- like 25 million years in the future with a sinister vegetarian, a small boy holding the hope of mankind’s future, and giant costume monsters. A true nod to B-movie glory days as well as other genres while giving total props to our beloved horror gatekeepers, the Horror Host. There are cult classic shout outs from the sci-fi to the exploitation wrapped in cult classic scenes. Not to mention the cast is full of today’s most colorful horror movie hosts. “The Cult Of Moi and Voius” is a hilariously woven tale of delightfully twisted fun.
     The second tale takes us into the world of rednecks on a quest to capture a Sasquatch beast. It is a funny tongue-in-cheek short film shot in the found footage perspective. The cast of characters are crazy as hell, the dialogue is hilarious and the ambience is voyeuristic. The best line in this short is “damn sure don’t like a bunch of idiots runnin’ ‘round out here with guns, ain’t no good to come of it.” A hilarious statement from an extremely comical character. “Meat Eater” is a fun tale with a sinister end.
     Now “Whistling Past The Graveyard” explores the concept of ‘meat eaters’ with darker vision. Focusing on a superstition driven story this is a classic witty tale where a superstitious community cross paths with a cannibal psycho killer. The gags hit the mark and the gore is prevalent. This is one of the best shorts on Vol. I. I love it when directors explore creative ways to get the gore on limited resources. Such a classic tale.
The fourth story is a more sadistic short that pushes the theme into the crotch by introducing urban legend into the bedroom. There is a witch who manipulates locals to get their “mandangle” in order to feed it to her cat. A true consequence and retribution tale both devilish and funny.
     “Snow Angel” at first feels slow and needless as you watch this fifth installment that is more artistic in vision. At least that is what you think, however it is a brilliant twisted joint that will prove first impressions wrong. From a visual point of view this one of the best dark shorts on the Vol. I set. It is smart, sinister, and poignant.
     “Graveyard Blues” is a gothic blend of vampirical beauty and film noir. It is a dark and mournful tale reminiscent of black&white European gothic story telling. A haunting retrospective of death and loss told in a visually delightful way.
     “The Meat Eater” by Jason Hoover is a cannibal corpse driven last man standing tale both epic and deep. An ominous short film that finds a sole survivor about to face the zombie stalking his place of refuge. A great story with tight dialogue shot beautifully. An awesomely twisted story indeed.
Now Mike “The Meat” Eader is a classic cult of personality styled short film. A brutal break by text message, no less sends a scorned lover to call a late night radio disc jockey who has the ability to manipulate his listeners. It is a story of clear revenge that has at one time or another pulsed through all of us at some point in a break up. A devilishly clever tale.
      “Corn-fed” is a dark, dark story story about a deranged killer going from town to town killing and eating victims then writing in a food journal how well they tasted! More of a nod to Hannibal Lecter than crazed mutant cannibals  it is a short and savory walk into the day of a lunatic chef.
     The last short film in this series is called “A Mark Of Wholesome Meat”. It is a film worthy of institutionalization. The almost stepford-gone-haywire film cuts between Early American propaganda videos and skipped voice overdubs are dark and entertaining. It is like waking up inside the mind of a true lunatic. The film almost plays like a PETA ad. I might switch to vegetarianism after seeing this!
What does all this mean? Well it should be simple. Just like Jason Schneeberger of BeyndTheRealm says “If you can’t find something to love about this set of short films then you might as well quit watching movies.” It is a true statement to make. There was not one of these shorts that I did not find witty and entertaining. Some more than others really stood out but all are worthy of praise. “The Collective Vol. I : The Meat Eaters” is a must have for any horror anthology collection and more to the point any horror fan. An honest independent collection of twisted brilliance.

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My Tribute: Dee Wallace Is A True Queen Of Horror



     Dee Wallace has truly molded and shaped the female character within the horror movie genre. Her first job in the field of nightmare story telling came in 1977 when she played Lynn Wood in Wes Craven’s “The Hills Have Eyes”. One of the most disturbing gore pictures of the 70’s. Here character in the film that finds a family on vacation stranded in the desert
and ruthlessly attacked by mutant cannibals gave us a truly horrifying glimpse into a young mother’s worst fears. The screams that came from Dee Wallace coupled with the shear terror in her eyes set the tone for horror movies to come.
     After that film Dee Wallace moved to television but not from mine nor any other horror fans heart. Then finally after the four year hiatus the original queen of scream returned to the horror scene in the 1981 movie “The Howling”. A film that is always on my top movie list and never far from the forefront of my thoughts. 
Right from the beginning her character in this werewolf film gets put to the test of her nerve and sanity. She plays Karen White, a television anchor who does investigative work. We watch her go into the seedy underworld of sex-n-murder as she makes contact with a purported serial killer. Then to get away she lands right into the cradle of horror by temporarily vacationing in a denizen of lycanthropes. Dee Wallace gives us great desperation, fear, and later strength in her numerous scenes where she deals with infidelity, werewolves and the return of the serial killer that started her stress in the first place. A great horror classic and a true horror diva that has always remained in my mental repertoire through the years.
Then after “The Howling” Dee Wallace done the sci-fi flick we all know so well “E.T.” and a television movie about an American cult. Until once more she found herself planted firmly in the minds of horror fans yet again when she tackles the role of Donna Trenton in Stephen King’s 1983 film adaptation of “Cujo”. Truly one of the best films of all time. Despite the obvious exclusion of the true depth of terror that Stephen King manages to portray in his writing but somehow never lends itself to the movie versions. A point that fades when talking about “Cujo” mostly because of Dee’s ability to portray such panic and desperation while trapped in a compact car in the heat with almost no food and water while a rabid dog tries to tear them apart.

In 1985 Dee Wallace was most scene in television where she found her self in the genre again in the Twilight Zone reboot series before going further into the paranormal in the 1986 movie “Shadow Play”, a film about a playwright haunted by the image of his dead fiancé who committed suicide.  Not long after that she played Helen Brown in one of the best sci-fi/horror blends of all time, the original “Critters”. I love this film. Yet again Dee is a distressed mother fighting and fearing over the welfare of her family only this time the beast is truly alien and yet still bent on tearing her apart.

She went back to television again for five more years before finding her pathway again by razer sharp jaws in the 1991 sequel “Alligator II: The Mutation”. She played Chritine Hodges. Not quite what we call horror per se but creature features offer gore and fear just the same. I love them as much as any of the horror subgenre’s but that isn’t saying much because I love all of the horror genres equally. Yet that same year she graced us with another horror cult classic “Popcorn” where she Suzanne. This true horror flick was kind of a Leatherface styled slasher flick that gets very little love at least not like say Friday or Chainsaw. It was an average slasher film. Dee Wallace with the brunette do is actually iconic in the movie.

She went on to be in the 1993 short “Alone In The Dark” and another cultish movie “Prophet Of Evil” which was made for television which was followed by a ton of more TV series and TV movies before once more showing her skills in the horror genre when she played Patricia Ann Bradley in “The Frighteners”. A cool blend of horror/comedy which did not go over back in the day like it has now.
In 1999 Dee Wallace held a small role in “Deadly Delusions” a film about a series of brutal murders that take place in a town only discovered when it is cut off by an earthquake. She really gripped the horror world in 2005 by completely showing her comfortable ease of playing in scary movies by showing up in “Boo”, “Scar” and “Headspace”. Solidifying her dominance in the horror movie realm permanently. She has practically been a constant in the movies of nightmares through the 21st century reintroducing herself to her scores of fans and showing some of the new crop of fans what it really is to be a queen of horror. Between 2007 and 2011 Dee Wallace has gone on to do films like “Halloween”, “Little Red Devil”, “The Stalker Within”, “House Of The Devil”, “Stem Cell”, “Raven”, “Pound Of Flesh” and “Exit Humanity” not to mention the strange horror film Doug Schulz “The Dark Fields”. Right now she is slated for the upcoming films “Lords Of Salem”, “Beyond”, “Unhallowed”, and “Nightmare On Elm St. 2” showing that she has no desire to slow down. Also next to Betty White, Dee Wallace may be the hardest working woman in show business. I know she is my one true original Queen of Horror!

My Review Of “The Medusa Touch” 1977



      Now I know that “The Medusa Touch” is not a horror movie but because of it’s dark nature this paranormal thriller is one that I wanted to check out in exploration of classic cinema. The film is about a writer played by Richard Burton who’s telekinetic abilities spark disasters. Shot in 1977 the movie was directed by Jack Gold (The Reckoning, Conflict). Also in the cast are Lino Ventura, Lee Remick, and Harry Andrews. I picked this film because of two reasons: One-I loved the title “The Medusa Touch” conjures dark ominous images of death and fear. Two- The subject of telekinesis. I am prone to watch anything, no matter how dated, if it has some paranormal element to the plot line.


      From the beginning the story keeps the intent of the plot hidden. The movie shows pieces of the mystery surrounding Burton’s character John Morlor from the point of view of the people who new him best in those last days leading up to his brutal beating in his own apartment. These details unfold in flashback sequences. “The Medusa Touch” is reminiscent of classic British murder mystery theater most notably Sherlock Holmes. Our only discoveries come through the vigilance of the investigator who is working the case after Morlor has his head bashed in while watching a NASA tragedy unfold on the television. These types of stories require patience and an appreciation for dialogue as most British films do.
     
The best parts of this movie come from Richard Burton himself whose character starts out more like a serial killer in the making venturing into demonically possessed child rivaling Damien Thorn. His dark and disconnected presence brings an eeriness to the film which is the only supernatural draw to the movie’s ambience. There are plenty paranormal and theological references that elude to evil and the true nature of Burton’s character coupled with several scenes of his willingness to kill those who offend his twisted morality. There is an air to “The Medusa Touch” that is much like watching classic Hammer films like Scream and Scream Again and the MGM movie House of Usher. The story moves in a subdued manner with limited action which forces the slow build of the suspense. This movie is not action driven but the paranormal matter laden plot flows evenly and easily through the movie. “The Medusa Touch” is not one that you would run out and get so it can set in your classic movies collection unless you’re a big Richard Burton fan or you are fanatical about Jack Gold’s work. However the movie warrants acknowledgement for it’s ability to hold attention when addressing the arguments of mental paranormal abilities such as telekinesis and telepathy versus man’s understanding of the brain through science. To watch this film at least once is to have a greater appreciation of the paranormal/supernatural genre’s heritage.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Garbage “Blood For Poppies” Video



One of the coolest bands back around. And Shirley Manson rocked as a Cyborg in Sarah Connor Chronicles!

Teaser Trailer For Werewolf Feature “Hallow Pointe”


578246_10150909072558804_124612033803_11785541_1958006418_n“Hallow Pointe” stars Ashley C. Williams, Leslie Easterbrook, Kane Hodder, Tiffany Shepis, Cody Deal, Lar Park Lincoln, Allison Kyler, Belinda Balaski, Brad Loree, Eileen Dietz, Sarah French, Cody Matthew Blymire, Stacey Dixon, Steven Barton, and Tony Todd. The lycanthropic themed horror flick is directed by Thomas J. Churchill and harkens back to the days of old when good wolfie movies like “The Howling” were made. Check out the trailer below…

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HALLOW POINTE is a chilling story about love, life and what lengths you go through to try and save someone; all told within the classic horror staple, a creature feature. The film is centered around Madeline's Closet, a quaint bed and breakfast hidden away from the world on a hidden dirt road in the woods. Henry and Jane are hoping a weekend there will help rekindle their love for each other. Staying there, along with a few other guests, everything seems to be going as planned until the sun sets and the full moon lights up the sky. Instead of trying to save their marriage they must now work together to try and save their lives.

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Flesh Sweat & Archery In Teaser For ‘Green Arrow’ Series


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Check out the hot new teaser for CW’s ‘Green Arrow’ series poised to take the spot of the well ended ‘Smallville’. Stephen Amell plays the Oliver Queen role in this spin-off series. Until this very teaser I wasn’t to happy about that call from the network. Good fuckin’ call- though.

Elvira’s Horror Hunt

A Stranded Christian Slater


Stranded-350x454Christian Slater has signed on for the sci-fi horror “Stranded” that pits a crew against a genetic abnormality of horrific proportions where a female crew member becomes preggers and gives birth in a mere few days to something deadly and infectious. My guess is a parasitic creature that thrives on symbiotic union with a host much like the creature in “The Thing” did except this time it isn’t other worldly but more of an abomination of human science and exploration. “Stranded” will be directed by Roger Christian and here is what he said to Dread Central about the film:

“[It's] quite scary. We don’t have a creature. Our alien entity, which it is, is born on board. This woman gets pregnant and gives birth in a few days. It’s one of those weird things that happens very fast. The thing that’s on board imitates one of the crew members and takes him over… Our familiar character becomes the monster.

Blood And Feathers By Lou Morgan



bloodandfeathers_250x384“What’s the first thing you think of when I say ‘angel’?” asked Mallory.

Alice shrugged. “I don’t know... guns?”

Alice isn’t having the best of days: she got rained on, missed her bus, was late for work. When two angels arrive, claiming her life so far is a lie, it turns epic, grand scale worse.

The war between the angels and the Fallen is escalating; an age-old balance is tipping, and innocent civilians are getting caught in the cross-fire. the angels must act to restore the balance – or risk the Fallen taking control. Forever. Hunted by the Fallen and guided by Mallory – a disgraced angel with a drinking problem – Alice will learn the truth about her own history... and why the angels want to send her to hell. What do the Fallen want from her? How does Mallory know so much about her past? What is it the angels are hiding – and can she trust either side? Caught between the power plays of the angels and Lucifer himself, it isn’t just hell’s demons that Alice will have to defeat...

check it out here!

What Is On The Disc In “Gut” Trailer!?


There is this dark psychological thriller called “Gut” that will be screening at the 11th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival this coming June. In the trailer the two men star at a screen dumbfounded by what they see, what the hell did they see? Is this a view into the dark and disturbing underground world of snuff films? “Gut” stars Jason Vail, Nicholas Wilder and Sarah Schoofs.
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Something is missing in Tom’s life. His marriage has lost its spark, his job is suffocating him, and his childhood best friend Dan still clings to the past. Every day he goes through the motions, becoming increasingly detached from those around him. Dan thinks he has the solution, a mysterious video Tom’s got to see to believe… tonight. What Dan shows him leaves Tom unsettled, flooding his mind with disturbing images and desires, and binding the two friends together with its ugly secret.

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“The Captured Bird” Short Premiere At Cannes


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Produced by Guillermo Del Toro, Jason Lapeyre and directed by Jovanka Vuckovic. “The Captured Bird” short will premiere at Cannes. this is the debut short film from Jovanka Vuckovic.
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In this dark fable, a little girl is drawn to a mysterious mansion where she witnesses the birth of five horrifying apparitions.
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Davey Suicide’s Video For “Generation Fuck Star” Out Now


First off I have to say listening to Davey Suicide’s sound gives me the same hot throbbing in my crotch that I first got as a teenager listening to W.A.S.P. Then later I got that same bulging love again when Manson hit the scene with Portrait Of An American Family and later even with Powerman 5000! Now once more that feeling has swept me over and you can so see why when you watch this video for “Generation Fuck Star”.
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“Generation Fuck Star” was directed by Chad Michael Ward and according to Davy himself “(this video) feels like visually, this video is what the soundtrack of this generation should feel like.”

Watch The Cult-astically Bloody Trailer For “Alpha Girls”


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"Alpha Beta house is the oldest and most elite sorority in the world. Some of the most influential politicians, celebrities and scientists are Alpha Girl alumni. After performing long hidden rituals, some of the sisters suspect that their good fortune is tainted by demonic evil. They quickly realize firsthand that the consequences of their curiosity are much more gruesome than any of them could have possibly imagined."

“Maniac” Teaser Trailer Online

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The first footage for the remake of “Maniac” as envisioned by William Lustig has come online. The film’s reboot from 80’s cult classic into this new era of shock horror grindcore fast paced genre has been all the buzz since it was first announced. My biggest eyebrow raise came over word of Elijah Wood cast as the psycho killer! How awesomely questionable is that move?! It will either be brilliant and jaw dropping or a big fat failure. Gods I so hope for the first, this is one of my favorite cult films were the killer is not just a masked slasher but an actual homicidal flesh n blood maniac!

Cool New TV Spots For “Snow White & The Huntsman”


The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Stewart, Ian McShane and Charlize Theron.
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In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman (Hemsworth) ordered to take Snow White (Stewart) into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen (Theron).

Heard Of Captain Battle? Well You Have Now!


“Captain Battle: Legacy War” is based on a Golden Age Comic series that I have never heard of but there are a lot of comics that I have missed over the decades. Anyway here is the trailer for Tomcat Films “Captain Battle” and man I so hope this is closer to soft-core porn than indie action hero seriousness. I mean hot actors, superhero's, and Nazi's- porno! right?! Well it oozes like it wants to be one anyway!
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Sam Battle follows in the footsteps of his great grandfather, a WWII super hero known as CAPTAIN BATTLE, by accepting an experimental drug while in the military. The drug turns him into a super-being with strength, agility and intelligence beyond that of a normal human. After his tour of duty he returns home to see his hometown over run by ruthless neo Nazi thugs who serve and evil mastermind known as, THE NECROMANCER. They plot to raise the Third Reich again by re-animating Himmler. Only Sam, as the new Captain Battle, can save them!

The Back Of Beyond By Alan Peter Ryan


ryan02the Back Of Beyond is a trip into the realm of darkness that lies within all men. Alan Peter Ryan has spun four tales of terror that find different men dealing with different demons all of which are told in different places and different times. He weaves together original nightmares of how evil and humanity can be so entwined.


In Brazil, there are signs that say "Sexual Exploration Is a Crime," and Jerry Crenshaw has traveled to the country in search of a girlfriend. He finds one and he has never known a girl like Renata. She is friendly and vivacious. She stands very close to him and looks up straight into his eyes and keeps one hand resting lightly on his arm. But Jerry's going to find a lot more in Brazil than he bargained for, including something in a bag that will change his world forever....

"The Winter's Tale" tells the story of a man who lives by a churchyard that is widely and firmly reputed to be the haunt of sprites and goblins. The man cares not for such tales, but he should have paid heed to the warnings because he's about to find out the hard way that he is not alone in the cold winter night...

In "Starvation Valley," a man and his son are on a cross country drive that is not going according to plan when they end up at a place called Janey's, which may or may not be real. It certainly feels real while they're there, but when the man goes back to find it again, he learns that some places in the world, once visited and then left behind, seem never to have existed at all...

In "Mountain Man," there's an old man named Hiram Fuller whose hands are thin and gray with dirt, the nails long and broken, each with a black crescent of dirt. He reeks to high heaven, not just of old sweat but of something thick and suffocating like the smell of a savage animal unwillingly caged... and when you meet him on the old trail he says he "ate his horse," and he "might just have to eat you as well..."

check it out here!

Tales Of The Weak & Wounded By Gary McMahon


front_med_400px__56544_zoomWho doesn’t find inspiration in the horrific circumstances of mental illness? These are stories of those who are deemed broken and fragile teetering on the edge of societal bounds pivoting toward the long dark fall into insanity.


The sound of shuffling footsteps across the old cell floor…

A soft voice like a strange tune echoing along the empty corridors…

Dim lights in the windows of the abandoned asylum…
Discarded case files that flip open to reveal the dreams of broken minds…

Welcome to a place where the boundaries of fact and fiction meet.

Acclaimed author Gary McMahon raids the archives of a notorious derelict mental asylum called the Daleside Institute to bring you stories of madness, horror and emotional trauma. In locations as diverse as suburban Germany, the London Underground, an Italian seaside resort and the inhospitable polar icecap, you will meet damaged people with broken lives. Here are terrifying accounts of love, hate, death and madness…

These are the Tales of the Weak and the Wounded

check it out here!

Check Out This Puzzler “I Will Die Tonight”


Spanish director Miguel Angel VIVAS is asking “How Can You Fight An Enemy You Can’t See?” in the first sales art for “I Will Die Tonight” which is currently making the rounds at festival’s most notably Cannes.

Synopsis:

Marcos and his family have found themselves the victims of a cruel fate. He is currently the only suspect in a murder case, his trial is about to begin and the only witness who could save him has disappeared without trace. Marcos discovers something much more sinister is behind all this. Someone has been plotting this revenge for a long time and is planning to see it out until the bitter end…
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Finally A Trailer For “The Possession”


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The film is a fictional retelling of Los Angeles Times writer Leslie Gornstein's article "Jinx in a Box" about an antique wooden box purchased on eBay which reportedly had been brought to America by a Holocaust survivor after World War II. The box, supposedly containing an evil spirit, brought devastating effects to a series of buyers. Inspired by these real events, "Dibbuk Box" centers around a cursed relic containing mysterious familial tokens that is mistakenly purchased and its new owner must solve its mystery to save her own family.

Killjoy Goes To Hell


The same team that gave us “Killjoy 3” have reunited once more to send the psycho demon clown to hell. In the next installment of the Killjoy series Full Moon Direct has gotten writer and director John Lechago in an attempt to bring even more twisted vision to the franchise than his previous venture in “Killjoy 3”.
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Trent Haaga will once more be donning the make up again. Which is fucking awesome because I couldn’t see anyone else making this nightmare happen so beautifully. Actually the whole posse will return to the next film as well so Punchy, Freakshow, and Batty Boop probably will be going to hell too! Kudos to Lucifer for being able to snag such great and demented talent. According to the Full Moon site : “Killjoy Goes To Hell promises to be the most insane Killjoy movie of all time, so start dusting off those clown shoes now.” I for one am very excited about this news.

Find Out The Ultimate Zombie Warrior!


Prepare for the new ultimate challenge!
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New Graphic Novel Releases From Dark Horse



https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/1916.bprd-hell-on-earth-the-devils-engine-1/click on comic to go to preview of B.P.R.D

Caught between bat-faced monsters, a devastating earthquake, and the mad-science experiments of Zinco, Devon and Fenix form an uneasy alliance in order to get to safety!

• From the pages of Hellboy!

• "Crook's art here brings the world of the B.P.R.D. to life in a manner that disarms you, making you feel like it's sweet and innocent, only to sneak up on you."—Comic Book Resources

It's all going to Hell in 2012!


 

click on comic to go to preview of Kult

Fondly remembered for its philosophical complexity and controversial content, Kult has achieved legendary status among role-playing gamers. Melding gnostic and kabbalistic lore with a contemporary-horror approach, the story of humanity's escape from an illusion masking a hellish reality is a one-of-a-kind experience.

The Kult series introduces this setting anew with parole officer Tomas Zenk, one of the few who can pierce the illusion. As he overcomes monsters sent to kill him, Zenk discovers the true extent of his powers, including the ability to exert control over the machinery of humanity's enslavement. But will he aid the forces attempting to bring down the illusion…or succumb to the temptations of power?

• The legendary RPG comes to comics!

• A unique tale of horror and the supernatural!

• For fans of The Matrix and Hellraiser!


 

click on comic to go to preview of “Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi”

For millennia, the Je'daii Masters have protected the planet Tython and maintained a balance within the Force. But now a stranger from another world has come, destroying the balance and engulfing the world in a Force storm that threatens every inhabitant!

The ancient Je'daii Order stands on the brink of a powerful discovery. But will this knowledge bring wisdom…or peril? Three young Je'daii students may hold the fate of the world in their hands!

• Establishes the beginnings of the Jedi!

• The Ostrander/Duursema team returns!

Learn More About Spirit Rescue


Here in the real world Paranormal Activity has increased causing thousands more people around the world to be burdened by spiritual energy left over from so much life and emotion expended on this planet. Lately Ghosts and Entities have swarmed our world through pop culture, mostly television and movies. There has been such a craze for the unexplained phenom around the world that we sometimes forget that real people in our towns and across the wide world are dealing with paranormal experiences that are not all that entertaining for them. Well now there is some help. I ran across this website that offers help through non-profit work reaching out to all those lost souls, living and deceased. I think that is cool as hell.

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Here is Spirit Rescue International’s mission statement :

Spirit Rescue is the ability to help an earthbound spirit leave this earth plane and reach a higher dimension. Some people who have died have difficulty moving on, and for the best part, and it is not always the fault of the deceased.

We are often asked exactly what it is that we do. The following is a primer to rescuing spirits.
Many of you may recognize this feeling...the chill in the air and/or the feeling of being watched. You keep telling yourself that it is your imagination, but your gut feeling tells you differently. You know there is someone else in the room, but you cannot see them. You can feel the presence but don't know exactly where it is.
These feelings suggest the presence of an earthbound spirit. You may call it a ghost, but that is not so. A ghost is a memory or residual energy that replays itself over and over, like a battle taking place in a field or a Scottish piper playing his bagpipes on the battlement of some Scottish castle. An earthbound spirit was a person who is now deceased. A spirit whose mind and consciousness have moved to a different vibration to that of ours. For some reason they have not moved on to the next stage after death, and need to be led to the light. Most of us believe that when we die we will automatically go to what some call Heaven or the next stage in the spirit world. This is not always so, we all have free will and have three choices of what we do next. (read more here!)

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If you find yourself in the situation where you need their help they have a contact form on there website. Go to it by clicking here!

Hide In The New “Chernobyl Diaries” Clip


Chernobyl-Diaries-International-Poster1-350x540Starring: Jonathan Sadowski, Devin Kelley, Jesse McCartney, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Nathan Phillips, Ingrid Bolso Berdal and Dimitri Diatchenko. “Chernobyl Diaries” hits theaters May 25th. Check out the latest clip from the original story by Oren Peli directed by Brad Parker.


“Chernobyl Diaries” is an original story from Oren Peli, who first terrified audiences with his groundbreaking thriller, “Paranormal Activity.” The film follows a group of six young tourists who, looking to go off the beaten path, hire an “extreme tour” guide. Ignoring warnings, he takes them into the city of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, but a deserted town since the disaster more than 25 years ago. After a brief exploration of the abandoned city, however, the group soon finds themselves stranded, only to discover that they are not alone…”

#ThePossession


I am so excited about “The Possession” aka “The Dibbuk Box. I am not crazy about the name change for the films title but oh well moving on. I am really stoked about the story and my new found awareness of this little box. Hell until “The Uninvited” I had never heard of ‘dibbuk’s’. I just thought of demon possession as a catholic induced phenom or third world superstition. But I am not really into religion anyway unless it is a kick ass horror or sci-fi movie plot. The trailer comes out later today for “The Possession” and from everything released thus far on this film I am really excited, yeah I know I said that already! Also you can let Lionsgate know what you think by using the hashtag with the movie title on twitter.
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Based on true events, ‘The Possession’ is the terrifying story of how one family must unite in order to survive the wrath of an unspeakable evil. Clyde (Morgan) and Stephanie Brenek (Sedgwick) see little cause for alarm when their youngest daughter Em becomes oddly obsessed with an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. But as Em’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, the couple fears the presence of a malevolent force in their midst, only to discover that the box was built to contain a dibbuk, a dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host.

New Found Footage Ghost Story Seeking Support


“The Ghost Is A Lie” is a new spin on the “oh fuck we were wrong about ghost” story. The found footage styled film comes from Twisted Muse and currently has a campaign on indiegogo for the project. Twisted Muse is a personal project of Jason Armstrong aimed at bringing talented filmmakers, actors, musicians, and other specialists together to create quality, independent films. Entertaining movies that can also be profitable for the talent involved because they are debt free!
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Hoping to cash in on the final stages of the found-footage phenomenon, a shady LA producer hires a small crew of cult-icon, has-been and never-were filmmakers to 'whip up' a supernatural, first-person perspective ghost story on a pitifully low budget. Along with a handful of amateur actors, the group heads into the woods and sets about rigging up 'scares' and planning the story with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
After filming the first gag, the actors return to base camp to find the crew has been brutally murdered. MOST of the crew, anyway...
Now the actors are lost far from home and being hunted by a vicious killer with an eye for cinema.

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