Sisters Of Death 1976 (Full Movie)

“Sisters Of Death” 1976 , Directed by Joseph Mazzuca and starring Arthur Franz, Claudia Jennings, Cheri Howell, Sherry Boucher, Paul Carr, Joe E. Tata, Sherry Alberoni, Roxanne Albee and Elizabeth Bergen.

During an all-girl secret society initiation, one of the new members is killed playing Russian Roulette. Many years later the survivors are invited for a reunion to a lavish estate, which turns out to be owned by the crazed father of the girl who died.

Horror Anthology “Late Night Fright”

Who doesn’t love an anthology, especially horror anthologies. They offer us short, impactful films that are but a taste of the talent behind them. “Late Night Fright” is the latest anthology currently in the works. The collection of short films is created with the concept of being a VHS bootleg of late night TV broadcast, featuring several gritty, gory, and outlandish films, each helmed by a different director.

Films featuring possessions, serial killings, VHS druggies, and massive amounts of gore flood the TV screen on a bootlegged TV broadcast, while a young boy tries to hold on to his love of SOV flicks after running afoul of his domineering father.

“Late Night Fright” brings together indie Directors Joshua Bruce, Drew Poulos, K.k. Reaper, Paul Long Jr, Romain Plourde, with stories written by Joshua Bruce, Drew Poulos, K.k Reaper, Paul Long Jr. The anthology is being produced by Blood Flood, Keith Klaw/Z.K.L., TooBloodyForTv, and Betamax Studio. Head over to the film’s Facebook page to keep up with the latest details on this project.

Pagan Festival Shout Out: (Puri) Rath-Yatra

Ratha Yatra (Oriya: ରଥଯାତ୍ରା) or the Car Festival is a huge Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Odisha, India. This annual festival is celebrated on Ashad Shukla Dwitiya (second day in bright fortnight of Ashad month). In 2014 it falls on 29 June. The festival commemorates Lord Jagannath's annual visit to Gundicha mata's temple via aunt's home (Mausi Maa Temple which is near Balagandi Chaka in Puri). As part of Ratha Jatra, the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken out in a procession to Gundicha Temple and remain there for nine days. Then the deities or Ratha Jatra return to the Main temple. The return journey of Puri Jagannath Ratha Jatra is known as Bahuda Jatra.

Ratha Jatra, the Festival of Chariot  : Chariots of Shri Jagannath is celebrated every year at Puri, the temple town in Odisha, on the second (dwitiya) day of shukla pakshya (waxing cycle of moon) of Ashadh Maas (3rd month in Lunar Calendar). The presiding deities of the Jagannath Temple, Puri's main temple, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, with the celestial wheel (Sudarshana Chakra) are taken out from the temple precincts in an elaborate ritual procession to their respective chariots. The huge, colourfully decorated chariots are drawn by multitude of devotees on the bada danda, the grand avenue to the Gundicha Temple (Gundicha – King Indradyumna's Queen), two miles away to the North. On their way back from the Gundicha Temple, the three deities stop for a while near the Mausi Maa Temple (Aunt's abode) and have an offering of the Poda Pitha, which is a special type of pancake supposed to be the Lord's favourite. After a stay for seven days, the deities return to their abode.

The festival is also known as Gundicha Jatra, Ghosa Jatra, Navadina Yātrā, Dasāvatāra Yātrā and by a variety of other names. Rathe tu vamanam drishtwa punarjanmam na vidyate: A glimpse of the Vamana, the dwarf form, an incarnation of Lord Jagannatha, is sure to ensure emancipation, release from the cycle of birth and death. Jatra is an essential part of the ritual of the Hindu system of worship. Jatra literally means travel or journey. Normally, it is the representative deities of temples more popularly known as Utsava Murti in south and Chalanti Pratima or Bije Pratima in Odisha, partake in these journeys. A glimpse of Lord Jagannatha on the chariot is considered to be very auspicious and saints, poets and scriptures have repeatedly glorified the sanctity of this special festival. The sanctity of the festival is such that even a touch of the chariot or even the ropes with which these are pulled is considered enough to confer the results of several pious deeds or penance for ages. In fact, there is a famous Oriya song which says that on this occasion, the chariot, the wheels, the grand avenue all become one with Lord Jagannatha himself.

My Review Of “Scavenger Killers”

Dylan Bank’s “Scavenger Killers” is a 21st century spin on the Bonnie & Clyde construct with a horror/torture porn (I know a lot of people are turned off by the use of that term but I am not one of them) spin. The film stars Robert Bogue, Rachael Robbins, Eric Roberts, Dustin Diamond, Robert Loggia, Charles Durning in what is definitely an all in, psycho-drama, slaughter fest. The plot revolves around a potent judge and a hot criminal defense attorney who go on a maniacal killing rampage. Taylor and Sara are hot for legalese rationality, one another and hunting prey.

“Scavenger Killers” is a creative, modern spin on the serial killer lovers concept, although they are more Mickey & Malory than Bonnie & Clyde but either criminal duo applies with these two characters, Taylor and Sarah. The prose has Kenneth Del Vecchio and Rachael Robbins coming off like the super-hetero-bastard-children, of some twisted love affair between Quentin Tarantino and John Waters. The cast, and it is a recognizable and eclectic one, give pretty convincing -all be it over-the-top performances that really sell this story. I mean considering the subject matter and vision that Bank shoots for in “Scavenger Killers” it is noteworthy that everyone delivers reasonably believable characters. The film is dark, satirical and gory.

The special effects used in “Scavenger Killers” is a standard assemblage off practical (small amount of CGI) effects that is necessary for this sort of film. Trust when I say that this is a visceral, all out, gory film filled with plenty of kill scenes and blood splatter. Considering the budget and the lack of fear to put the effects in your face, it is commendable the amount of care Bank and his team put in to giving us the gruesome. Some of the sequences are obvious and don’t quite reach the “reality” mark, but the quality of the effects in “Scavenger Kills” is equal to that of most blood soaked horror effects of films with a much higher budget. My only turn off was the little bit of CGI that was used for blood splatter and kill effect. Most scenes embraced straight-up, practical effects, and since the CGI was very minimal it doesn’t hurt the film or the kill sequences that featured them.

The soundtrack and sound effects are pretty tight, atmospheric madness that really frame the complete psychotica that unfolds in “Scavenger Kills”. It keeps a high energy excitement that accents the carnage and semi-surreal, semi grindhouse performances. The timing and style offer a bizarre blend of mentally-unstable insanity and emotionally charged melodrama that fit in every scene that sound was key in “Scavenger Kills”. Let’s face it, this film will be seen as either complete garbage or beautiful trash by horror fans. I for one see it as the latter. The film is a schizophrenic tirade of satirical camp, American psychotica and torture porn gorefest.

Overall “Scavenger Kills” creates a wicked, modern spin on the Bonnie & Clyde concept with total homicidal depravity. The style is a Sado-sexually charged, exploitation blend of torture-porn and serial killer celebration which normally is not my favorite subgenre in horror, but the over-exaggerated, insane characters and dark humor make everything fun, and entertaining. “Scavenger Killers” is not like other films in this category. The film will offend some, irritate others but for those special, slightly disturbed few, this film will be pure, unadulterated fun. Which ever column you fit with your reaction to seeing “Scavenger Killers” , the film is definitely an instant cult classic. 

Exclusive-Check Out First Character Poster For “Christmas At Dracula’s”

The first character poster has been released for Simon McKeon’s “Christmas At Dracula’s”. The film is an indie horror/comedy with a noir-esque feel that stars Conor Dwane, Michael O Dowd, Noelle Clarke, Jonathan O'Dwyer, Jerry O Mullane, Art Kelleher, John Browne, Lorraine Comisky, Dave McGuire, Conor Slattery, Lochlainn McKenna. “Christmas At Dracula’s” features all the iconic horror movie monsters-The Invisible Man, Dracula, Wolfman, Medusa, The Wicked Witch, Frankenstein, and Dr Jekyll join in the satirical holiday affair.

The first character poster, in what will be a series featuring the movie monster icons, is the Psycho Killer played by John Brown. “Christmas At Dracula’s is told through the eyes of The Invisible Man. Count Dracula has hit rock bottom, so with the help of his noble companion Igor, he decides to throw the greatest Christmas party of all time. He invites to this - The Wolfman, Medusa, The Wicked Witch, Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and The Invisible Man. But when two killers arrive at the door, things slowly begin to spiral out of control. And Dracula's faith lies in the hands of one creature...death himself!

 His identity is unknown and McKeon is hoping to really play up the mystery as to who really is this assassin from Hell? Of course, his name is revealed in the movie....it is a pleasant surprise who this "historical" hitman is.....and what connection he has to Count Dracula. 

Also check out the sneek peak clip from “Christmas At Dracula’s” , plus my interview with Director Simon McKeon.

Trailer No. 2 Released For “Into The Storm”

A second trailer has been released for “Into The Storm”. The severe weather nightmare is directed by Steven Quale and lays waste on August 8th, 2014. “Into The Storm” stars Richard Armitage, Sarah Wayne Callies, Matt Walsh, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Arlen Escarpeta, Nathan Kress, Jon Reep, and Jeremy Sumpter.

In the span of a single day, the town of Silverton is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes. The entire town is at the mercy of the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run towards the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Told through the eyes and lenses of professional storm chasers, thrill-seeking amateurs, and courageous townspeople, “Into the Storm” throws you directly into the eye of the storm to experience Mother Nature at her most extreme.

Trailer Released For Zombie Flick “Disaster L.A.”

The official trailer has been released for zombie apocalypse flick “Disaster L.A.”. The film is written and directed by Turner Clay. “Disaster L.A.” stars Justin Ray, Jerod Meagher, Stefanie Estes, Ron Hanks, Michael Taber, and Dennis Leech.

Apocalypse L.A. follows a group of friends who have just celebrated their first year living in Los Angeles. However, the mood quickly changes when on the following day, a group of glacial meteors strike the city causing chaos and panic to spread abruptly. Unbeknown to them, the smoke that covers the city carries a foreign amoeba that when inhaled, causes the body to physically change as well as possess extreme violence. The group must now work together to battle through life threatening obstacles that they encounter on their journey to safety.







DISASTER L.A. --- Official Trailer from Tbird on Vimeo.

Pre-production Starts For Erotic Slasher “Candie’s Harem”

Erotic Slasher “Candie’s Harem” has begun pre-production with casting/crew call announcements. "Candie's Harem" is described as throwback to the 80's/90's whodunit horror mysteries that showcases Candie as we watch her world slowly unravel around her. The film is slated to be shot in the Chicagoland area in October and early November 2014.


“Candie’s Harem” is being directed by Michael Wade Johnson and produced by Faux Pas Films. There is a disclaimer posted about anyone interested in acting or crew work: “..graphic in content and language. If you aren't a fan of vulgar words and sexual content, this film will NOT be for you.” Check out the details about casting/crew positions on the film’s Facebook page.

Trailer Released For “Dracula Untold”

The official trailer has been released for “Dracula Untold”. The film hits theatres and IMAX October 17th, 2014. “Dracula Untold” is directed by Gary Shore and stars Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon, Dominic Cooper, Diarmaid Murtagh, Samantha Barks. The film creates an origin story bringing the legend of Vlad with the myth of Dracula.

Luke Evans plays Vlad, in this action-adventure origin story of how the man became the myth.

Crowd Funding Started For Retro-Slasher “Headless”

A crowd funding campaign is happening right now for the retro-slasher “Headless”. The film comes from the twisted minds behind 2012’s “Found”. And let me just say that that movie fucking rocked. I still worry about that child’s psyche and fear that his brother is just around the corner. You can read my review of the film here.

“Headless” is being directed by Arthur Cullipher from a screenplay by Nathan Erdel. The crowd funding campaign is happening over at Kickstarter. “Headless” is the video-nasty, slasher movie that Marty, watches with a friend late one night in “Found”.  Only  10 or 15 minutes of “Headless” is in “Found”, it had enough dramatic impact on the entire film to get it banned in Australia!.

DVD Release Date For “The Den”

Zach Donahue’s “The Den” hits DVD shelves in July. The video-chat themed horror stars Melanie Papalia, Adam Shapiro, David Schlactenhaufen, and Matt Riedy. IFC Midnight is releasing “The Den” on July July 29th with new cover art. Check it out below.

After receiving a grant for her graduate thesis, Elizabeth Benton (Melanie Papalia) logs onto a video-chat site known as THE DEN, on a mission to explore the habits of its users. During one of her random video-chats, Elizabeth watches in horror as a teenage girl is gruesomely murdered in front of her webcam.

While the police dismiss it as a viral prank, Elizabeth believes what she saw is real and takes it upon herself to find the truth. Her life quickly spirals out of control as she gets pulled deeper into the darkest recesses of the internet. And eventually, Elizabeth finds herself trapped in a twisted game in which she and her loved ones are targeted for the same grisly fate as the first victim.

Trailer Released For “At The Devil’s Door”

The official trailer has been released for upcoming horror “At The Devil’s Door” . The film is directed by Nicholas Mcarthy and stars Naya Rivera, Ashley Rickards, Catalina Sandino Moreno. “At The Devil’s Door” formally known as “Home” hits VOD August 8th, 2014, with a limited theatrical release to follow, on September 12th.

When ambitious young real estate agent Leigh is asked to sell a house with a checkered past, she crosses paths with a disturbed girl whom she learns is the runaway daughter of the couple selling the property. When Leigh tries to intervene and help her, she becomes entangled with a supernatural force that soon pulls Leigh's artist sister Vera into its web — and has sinister plans for both of them.

Teaser Trailer Released For “The Guest”

A teaser trailer has been released for Adam Wingard’s “The Guest”. The film stars Ethan Embry, Dan Stevens, Joel David Moore, Lance Reddick, Candice Patton, Maika Monroe, Chase Williamson and Brendan Meyer.

A soldier introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence.

Teaser Trailer For “Road Trip Of The Dead”

Press Release:
We are in production of a reality-based horror film, Road Trip of the Dead, in the Pittsburgh, Monroeville and Evans City/Cranberry area. Our film stars celebrity and effects artist Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, From Dusk Till Dawn and Django Unchained) and Gary Streiner (Night of the Living Dead).

Our film centers around a group of friends (fans of George Romero films) that are attempting to complete a documentary about filming locations of Romero films in and around Pittsburgh. The friends set out on the tour not knowing the horror they love is about to become a reality.

This is NOT a zombie film, but a reality-based slasher, horror-fiction tale.

This film will not only be an entertaining tale but will also be combined with documentary style information on filming locations of classic Pittsburgh films. Ninety percent of all locations used in our film will have been in other films. Think of them as location cameos, so fans will not only get cameos from stars like Gary Streiner, but they will get to see great locations like the Monroeville Mall (Dawn of the Dead), Evans City Cemetery (Night of the Living Dead) and Wampum Mines (Day of the Dead).

Fans come to Pittsburgh by the thousands to see Romero filming locations, and these fans are “dying” to see them!

New Surrealist Poster For “The Damned”

A haunting surreal poster has been released for supernatural horror “The Damned”. The film formerly known as “Gallows Hill” is directed by Victor Garcia and stars Peter Facinelli, Sophia Myles, Carolina Guerra, Nathalia Ramos, Juan Pablo Gamboa, Sebastian Martinez, Gustavo Angarita, Julieta Salazar. “The Damned” is due out July 25th on VOD thanks to IFC Midnight with a limited theatrical release scheduled for August 29th, 2014.

he story follows an American (Facinelli), widowed from his Colombia-born wife, who flies to Bogota with his new fiancée (Myles) to retrieve his rebellious teenage daughter Jill (Ramos). After a car accident leaves them stranded in a rundown isolated inn, they discover the old innkeeper has locked a young girl in the basement and their decision to set her free has unintended consequences.

Two New Posters Released For “Life After Beth”

Check out these two character posters for fantasy/horror “Life After Beth”. The film is set to be released on August 15th, 2014 and is directed by  Jeff Baena. “Life After Beth” stars Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly, Dane DeHaan, Paul Reiser, and Anna Kendrick.

Zach is devastated by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. But when she miraculously comes back to life, Zach takes full advantage of the opportunity to share and experience all the things he regretted not doing with her before. However, the newly returned Beth isn’t quite how he remembered her, and before long Zach’s whole world takes a turn for the worse.

Terrifying New Images From “Bunnyman Massacre”

 
Midnight Releasing has released several new stills from writer/director Carl Lindbergh’s “Bunnyman Massacre”.

Midnight Releasing is set to unleash the demented Bunnyman Massacre this August on DVD and VOD across North America. Also known as "Bunnyman 2", the film is a drastically improved sequel to the 2011 cult hit Bunnyman which gained notoriety from a huge amount of press, as well as being in heavy rotation on the cable TV channel CHILLER. Availability information is forthcoming.

"Inspired by the fans requests, Bunnyman 2 aka The Bunnyman Massacre was born," explains Lindbergh. "With Bunnyman 2 we were able to realize the potential of Bunnyman 1, and at the same time create a franchise that will continue with Bunnyman 3 (which is currently in production.) What I appreciate with The Bunnyman Massacre is that we were able to make a film that really stands apart from all the countless slasher films, and deliver a film that is very unique."

Read my review of “Bunnyman Massacre” and get ready for the August 12th release date.

My Review Of “Hanging Shadows”

“Hanging Shadows” by Paolo Fazzini is a documentary offering perspectives on Italian horror from the maestros of giallo. The 60 minute film is a truly informative gem for any horror fan, especially the fan that loves Italian horror. “Hanging Shadows” has originally only been available as an education tool for film students but it is now being made available to the general public. I have to say it is a must have for any collector. It presents the giallo genre from the directors themselves through continuous interview sequences that weave first-hand accounts of Argento, Bava, Deodato, Cozzi and others relationships to projects and one another.

“Hanging Shadows” is a wealth of knowledge, shedding light on the horror genre from Italian points-of-view. It gives insight to very specific projects like “Demons”, “Cannibal Holocaust”, and “Once Upon A Time In America”. Plus the documentary gives us an understanding on the love-hate relationship the Italian film community held for the masters of horror and the whole “fantasy” film concept. It goes without saying that the Western, English speaking world had a higher respect and love for the films than Italian counterparts. Not my American pride, the issue is addressed in the documentary.

This is a film to get, I imagine watching it over and over. Mostly because the stories, collaborations and perspectives come from men whose films I have watched over and over. “Hanging Shadows” is a fascinating collection of information, Italian directors discussing how they met one another, experiences on set, and the publics reaction to the films at the time of their release. There isn’t much more that I can really say other than this, “Hanging Shadows” is necessary for horror fans, if you want to understand the films and the people responsible for giving them to us, then why not let them tell you in their own words. Which is exactly what you get with this documentary. It is the best perspective on Italian horror on the market.

My Review Of Fairy Tale Murders By Kelly Money

Kelly Money’s Fairy Tale Murders is a straight forward crime-thriller, that follows a dual point-of-view story about the Fairy Tale Killer, Stan and the detective hot on his trail, Kate Kingsley. The story takes place in Topeka where women begin disappearing as a new serial killer is on the prowl. His m.o. has him mailing fairy tale books with ominous, riddle-like clues written inside. Each book represents a specific victim that plays the princess in his nightmarish fantasy. It is a classic set-up that pits a predator against an equality aggressive hunter hot on his trail.

Fairy Tale Murders has a strong enough concept that seeds a pretty dark story. It plays upon the very trendy subject of fairy tales which have become very popular in recent years. The basic set-up of killer and detective works smoothly with plenty of suspense that builds as each of the character’s story opens up. The elements that have predator selecting and taking his prey does at times feel a bit too convenient and concise, eliminating any real chance for horror to permeate in the scenes. If it were a television series or movie then Fairy Tale Murders would be more Lifetime or NBC. Not that the story Money gives us is bad, I just like my thrillers a bit more exploitative or darker. The author tends to err on the milder side when describing the murders or victims suffering.

The novel does develop nicely, giving us well rounded characters and the situations are in scenarios that bring the creepy to common locations. The character of Stan seems only partially complete which is kind of annoying. Some of his logic and behavior doesn’t really feel authentic at times. It isn’t enough to kill the character or harm the story completely, I just felt that Money could have went deeper and darker into the mind of the killer, with more understanding of how a killer thinks. I guess I would have liked Stan to have read more scary. ON the other hand detective Kate Kingsley was totally believable. Her character seemed to be developed with more care. I did feel that the relationship between the protagonist and antagonist felt contrived at times, but for the most part the story pit them perfectly in a classic, entertaining, cat-n-mouse game.

Overall, Fairy Tale Murders is a nice, PG-13 thriller (in my personal opinion) with a standard set-up. Minus the few moments where the story moves a bit slow, the novel creates a thrilling story with a creative concept. Certain moments where the “fairy tale” m.o. are addressed do seem forced but the connection never feels continuously forced, most moments the concept fit nicely and feel authentic. Fairy Tale Murders is creative novel that should entertain most readers of serial killer/crime fiction, and with the strong female character of Kate Kingsley, the story fits the contemporary design that flows in this genre both in literature and live-action scenarios. 

Crowd Funding Kicks Off For Animated Film “Mountain Of Madness”

"Mountains of Madness" will be an animated feature film based on H.P. Lovecraft's novella "At the Mountains of Madness". This novella is considered one of Lovecraft's greatest and most cherished works, but it has never before been realized cinematically. The use of classical animation allows the grand concepts, gruesome violence and colossal set pieces of this epic story to be realized by a relatively small team of artists. Modern advances in the technology of digitally assisted animation allows this independently-minded film to be produced for a modest budget.

“Mountains Of Madness” is being directed by Stephen Sloan and is being produced by Upon Animation and Lux Digital Pictures. The film’s crowd funding campaign is ongoing over on Kickstarter.com. The screenplay is co-written with Steven Wintle, Peter Colley who join Sloan in adapting Lovecraft’s novella. Head over to the campaign page to check out all the rewards for funding “Mountains Of Madness”.

Over the years there have been numerous attempts to bring the Lovecraft novella to the big screen. It is a terrifying story about a doomed scientific Antarctic expedition that is hunted down and slaughtered by horrific creatures unleashed from the frozen wasteland. Its period, locations, horrendous monsters and unique story have presented significant challengers to filmmakers trying to make live action adaptations. The feature film version of this epic story remains buried – until now.

“Developing Mountains of Madness as an animated project seemed like a natural idea to me,” said Sloan. “The extraordinary settings and vivid Lovecraft creations are well suited to be brought to life through digitally assisted, classical animation.”

In 1930, a team of researchers traveled to the southern end of the world in an attempt to discover the unknown history of our planet. They found a series of gigantic, alien-looking fossils resting in an ancient cavern. The scientists believed they discovered an unknown species of prehistoric animal. Soon, however, they realized that those creatures were far from extinct and more dangerous than any primeval predator.  

When the scientists failed to return, a search party was dispatched. The rescuers pursued a trail deep into the Antarctic tundra where they discovered a titanic mountain range that hid a sophisticated pre-human civilization. In the deepest recesses of the city, they learned the shocking fate of their friends and worse: the horrifying truth about the origins of mankind.

Hunted by supernatural creatures of infinite evil and sinister intelligence the men struggled to escape the bounds of “The Mountains of Madness”.

First Look At Hardy And Theron In “Mad Max: Fury Road”

EW has given us our first look at Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron for their new movie “Mad Max: Fury Road”. The film is due out May 15th, 2015 and also stars Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.See the issue cover plus some movie stills below.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” is the fourth film of George Miller‘s Road Warrior/Mad Max franchise co-written and directed by Miller. The post-apocalyptic action film is set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world of fire and blood exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order…

There’s Max (played by TOM HARDY from The Dark Knight Rises), a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And… Furiosa (played by CHARLIZE THERON from Prometheus), a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.

Trailer Released For Turkish Horror “Muska”

Check out the trailer for the Turkish horror film “Muska/Amulet”. The film hits theatres in its native land on July 25th, 2014. “Muska” is directed by Ozkan Steel and follows a young writer, forced from his normal life into circumstances that are dark and mysterious, as he moves into a new place. The film stars Sezgin Erdemir, Tanju Tuncel Aslı Şahin, Taylan Güner, Hakan Karsak, Efe Karaman and Cenk Dinçsoy.

Newspaper columnist Celal is kicked out when his girlfriend discovers his philandering ways. He is forced to evaluate his life as he seeks a new place to live. Celal’s life becomes dark when strange things begin to happen after moving finding a room to rent in an old house. At first Celal is unresolved to move into the place when the landlord shows him the room, but once he sees a young beautiful woman living there, he changes his mind.

My Review Of “Mad In Italy”

Paolo Fazzini’s 2009 psychological thriller, “Mad In Italy” , is the story of a budding serial killer, who takes a young lady from a prominent family in the neighboring town, and holds her captive. The film examines the the young girl’s plight as she faces a very human terror, and fights for survival. “Mad In Italy” stars Eleonora Bolla, Giovanni Maria Buzzatti, Andrea De Bruyn, and Philippe Guastella. It is a dark, contemporary story told in a haunting giallo style.

The story is based on true events, yet imagines the horror that may have unfolded in absence of actual evidence. The body was never found and the killer never caught. “Mad In Italy” brings to life a serial killer protected by members of the very community he terrorizes in the Italian countryside. It is a stark, menacing prose that unfolds in a enthralling and chilling narrative. The characters are only partially developed, but instead of seeming unfinished, they display a hollowness that must exist in such cold, sinister people. The emptiness present in the characters echo the despair of film’s setting- a country in economic collapse, and a people facing ever growing hardship and struggle.

Fazzini brings a blend of verite and giallo together in blunt, disturbing resonance. “Mad In Italy” creates a dark, malevolence to the mundane side of life, where harsh circumstances can create harsh personalities. The cast manages to bring a measured depth to the characters, while giving us some disconnect that allows authenticity to settle into the film’s intent. There is nice bit of neo-noir mixed into the “Mad In Italy” that keeps the film from falling too far into the surrealist style. Paolo Fazzini manages to use these various styles smoothly so that the film has a nice dramatic consistency during transitional moments between the different styles. There isn’t that choppy look that some directors present when blending different genres.

The special effects are more visual aspects to create atmosphere and enhance the thrilling context of the film. There is some gore, however it is minimal, and blunt. Most giallo over exaggerates the gruesome elements of Italian horror, playing up the brutality of kills, but “Mad In Italy” makes those moments a bit softer and matter-of-fact. They become just one part of a bigger story driven by more psychological effects. The color and cinematography effects common in giallo are still present in “Mad In Italy” which gives us the surreal elements that define the mood of the film, but they don’t define the whole film. The style is blended with a slight noir and the shaky, natural style of verite also. It all comes together nicely.

The soundtrack is what you would want and expect from a film like this, haunting-hypnotic-chilling. The atmosphere is as sinister as the material expressed in “Mad In Italy”. The only thing that may bother horror fans is the amount of time between the horror elements found in the kill sequences and the dramatic portions that bring to life the psychological and suspenseful. Overall, I found “Mad In Italy” mesmerizing, and entertaining but I was irritated somewhat by the more subdued and minimalist approach to the gore and kill scenes. I thought they could have been a bit more theatrical and exploitative. Still this is a strong thriller from Paolo Fazzini that Italian horror fans should check out.

Trailer For First Ever Puppet Snuff Film

It has been well established that Dustin Mills is a special kind of twisted. He has found a niche market in creating stories that are ever bit as dark as giallo and just as satirical as any camp film. His films are nothing, if not original and creative. Now Mills has shown that twisted humor that makes him known in the indie community with “Snuffet”, the first ever puppet snuff film. Check out the trailer below.

Snuffet is a found footage snuff film with a psychotic twist. The victims are all puppets. This is an out and out sleazy gorefest, where Mills asks the question- Have you ever wondered what it might be like to watch a masked maniac reach into the chest cavity of a screaming puppet and extract his tiny little heart? Well, now we will all know the answer to that one.

Imagine a world exactly like our own except for one crucial detail... puppets are real and they coexist with humanity. Just like our world there is a seedy underbelly beneath the surface. Puppet racism, puppet hate crimes, puppet civil rights issues, and of course puppet serial killers. Human serial killers who hunt puppets to be specific. Our story follows a maniac's video diary as he hunts, mutilates, dismembers, and violates poor hapless Puppet Americans. Watch as they scream, bleed, and beg for mercy as a masked psychopath dismantles them one stitch at a time.

Crowd Funding For Thriller “Throuple”

“Throuple” is a psychological thriller is a dark, character study that focuses on the unraveling of relationships, and the bitter jealousy that can set in and tear people apart. The film originally went into production back in 2007 but just as the film was nearing completion and set to hit the market, one of the film’s stars passed away. The full story surrounding “Throuple”, and the sudden shut down of the LGB&T niche thriller is on the Indiegogo campaign page where the project is currently seeking funding support.

Coming out of a bad relationship, Shane finds it too easy to fall for the outgoing David after a few drinks and a night of tangled sheets. But, realizing his heart leaped too fast, it isn't long before patience is lost and a chance is given to someone new yet again. Now, as lives intersect and the philosophies of love are challenged, the three young men find themselves venturing into an emotional world of confusion, heartbreak, jealousy and more... It is always safe to say that three is a crowd!!!

Scott Spiegel To Direct Easter Horror “Wrath”

“Evil Dead 2” producer, Scott Spiegel, to direct Bloody Bombshell Entertainment/Fatality Films’ upcoming horror film “Wrath”. The film has also signed Ricardo Pagano (“Alien Resurrection”, “X-men: The Last Stand”) as casting director. Also check out the cool poster artwork for the film that is framed around Swedish Easter, a totally different holiday concept than the Western contemporary Easter we celebrate here in the States.

In Sweden, common Easter traditions include egg painting. Children dressed up as Easter witches with long skirts, colorful headscarves and painted red cheeks, go from house to house in the neighborhood and present the occupants with paintings and drawings in the hope of getting sweets in return. According to Swedish folklore, during Easter the witches fly to Blåkulla (the Blue Mountain) to meet the devil.

Small branches and twigs of willow or birch are a common sight in every Swedish house during the Eater holidays. Feathers and small decorations are also placed on these twigs in a vase. For lunch/dinner on Holy Saturday, families traditionally feast on a smörgåsbord of herring, salmon, potatoes, eggs and other kinds of food. Most businesses are closed in Sweden during the Easter holidays. Keep the national holidays in mind when you plan your trip and activities. "Easter" in Swedish is Påsk.

The plot to “Wrath” : In 1986, two brothers, Reid and Colton Bergstrom, will come face to face with the town’s very own, very real, ghost story. As night falls on Swedish Easter, they must run for their lives and survive the night against the deadly Easter Witch or never see the light of day.

My Review Of “Monkey Boy”

2009’s “Monkey Boy” is a dark fantasy, giallo film directed by Antonio Monti. The Italian horror is a bit of an odd, fairy tale story that follows the journey of Monkey Boy and Agata, a young princess. The fairytale is played out in a urban drama that has a strange humanoid “freak of nature” who’s destiny crosses the path of a young girl Agata. “Monkey Boy” stars Giampiero Bartolini, Gianni Fantoni, Giovanna Gardelli, and Andrea Melli.

The official synopsis reads: A freak lived his entire lifetime closed down in a cellar far in the country. But one day the Monkey Boy, after the death of his "keeper", an old lonely woman, is forced to explore the world outside. Set during one night only, a short time to discover the world, but enough time for Monkey Boy to find Agata, an autistic young girl, the only creature that seems to be able to communicate with him. In the darkness of the night, they share an adventure filled with strange discoveries and unhappy creatures called human beings.

The story is an odd mix of fantasy, drama, and horror with stoic characters that seem to be a little bit nonsensical. It has plenty of heart, even as dark a fairytale as it is. “Monkey Boy” plays out in a surreal melodrama with characters that are only partially defined. These aspects of the story come off more intentional instead of in error. This is probably due to the fact that the two main characters are a mutant and an autistic girl. Either way the style of storytelling used for “Monkey Boy” works wonderfully, and creates a captivating adventure with actors that give believable characters.

The special effects are on the milder side and only used to enhance the harsh world this fairytale world creates. The effects are practical and habitual tricks common in Italian horror. The overall outcome of the special effects and visual style that Monti uses is reminiscent of 80’s spaghetti thrillers. More importantly they work. The cinematography is haunting, shades of poor lighting, tight frame shots and atmospheric surrealism. “Monkey Boy” gives good giallo vision. A style that is as contemporary as it is classic. Considering the story content and creature effects required of the film I was pleasantly surprised to see that things came together as well as they did. The sounds used aren’t really anything major but the instrumental effects accentuate the already dark fairytale theme nicely, giving an added emotional energy.

Overall “Monkey Boy” is a nice Italian fantasy, horror film. There is some odd moments that were a bit confusing but I think that they were more cultural difference than directing or writing flaws. The film will not appeal to all horror fans, and the parallel drama that mirrors fairytale with actual character prose (the monkey boy and Agata of the fairytale kingdom and that of the “real world” characters) has moments that are not as authentic as intended. However the total result of “Monkey Boy” is a well directed, oddly entertaining fantasy that delivers both in story and horror.

New Poster For “Lead Me Astray”

Check out the new official poster for “Lead Me Astray”. The film is directed by Tom Danger and stars Jace Pickard, Alannah Robertson, Tim Page, Logan Webster, and Addi Craig. “Lead Me Astray” is an Australian independent thriller feature film written Danger and filmed in Australia on a budget of 10,000 dollars. The film takes borrows from the atmosphere-heavy and synth-driven films of the 1970's and 80's such as John Carpenter's “Assault on Precinct 13” and Dario Argento's “Suspiria”.

“Lead Me Astray” follows a young veterinary student, Alexis Willard, as a single act of violence causes his life to come crashing down around him, putting the one person he loves in unspeakable danger as his mysterious past claws its way back into his present. The poster was designed by The Dude Designs.

Pagan Festival Shout Out: Festival To Fors Fortuna

Fors Fortuna (Latin: Fortūna, equivalent to the Greek goddess Tyche) was the goddess of fortune and personification of luck in Roman religion. She might bring good luck or bad. June 24th was sacred to her. The festival of Fors Fortuna on June this date was celebrated with a pilgrimage to Her temple(s) that proceeded along the Tiber, both on the banks of the river and in the river itself on boats and barges which were decorated for the day. It was a festival of much mirth and joy, and much wine-drinking. It may also have been traditional to play games of chance or place bets at Her parties, for She was the Goddess who brought luck in gambling as well.

Fors Fortuna had several temples in Rome, though exactly how many and where is rather hard to pin down as the written sources can be contradictory. One, said to have been built by either Ancus Marcius or Servius Tullius (in some tales the son of a slave-woman), both early Kings of Rome, was built on the right (north) bank of the Tiber. Its festival date, which usually commemorates a temple's founding.

Fors Fortuna represents Fortune in the classic sense as Goddess of luck or chance, who was acknowledged as sometimes being fickle or wanton. However She was especially worshiped by slaves and the common people, as the Goddess who could bring about rags-to-riches transformations, and at least two of Her temples were founded by former slaves in gratitude for their changed luck. At her temples Fors Fortuna was given votive offerings by worshipers, in the hopes that their prayers for good luck would be answered; and many small offerings to Her of bronze have been found in the area of Her temples.

Eli DeGeer To Star In Eric Stanze's Road Trip Odyssey “Stoplight”

Filmmaker and actress Eli DeGeer will play the lead role in STOPLIGHT, directed by Eric Stanze.
DeGeer played supporting parts to lead roles in short films and commercials before starring in CHINA WHITE SERPENTINE (2003), co-directed by Eric Stanze and Robin Garrels. CHINA WHITE SERPENTINE received high praise in reviews from around the globe. For its ten-year anniversary, CHINA WHITE SERPENTINE was invited to screen as the Special Showcase Selection of the 2013 PollyGrind Film Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DeGeer directed the short film NOTEWORTHY (2012) which won a Women Filmmakers Award Of Merit at the 2012 Best Shorts Competition, La Jolla, California.


She has just completed playing a lead role in the web series THE KILLERS RESOLUTE, directed by Chris Grega, slated for release later this year.
Wicked Pixel Cinema's STOPLIGHT is a road-trip odyssey, a stark thriller, and a harrowing descent into madness. The film is directed by award-winning indie film veteran Eric Stanze, who helmed the critically-acclaimed films RATLINE, DEADWOOD PARK, SCRAPBOOK, and ICE FROM THE SUN. Stanze was the 2nd Unit director for horror hit STAKE LAND and Official Selection of the Sundance and Cannes Film Fests, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE.


To fuel up the production budget for STOPLIGHT, Wicked Pixel Cinema has launched an Indiegogo campaign. Please support this unique film by driving directly here.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stoplight--2
The STOPLIGHT Indiegogo campaign perks include a numbered, limited edition advance poster. Only 100 of these posters will ever be printed. It will be autographed by director Eric Stanze, star Eli DeGeer, and the rest of the cast and crew. Additional perks include actual props used in the filming of STOPLIGHT, an autographed copy of the screenplay, YOUR NAME in the credits of the film (includes submission to imdb.com), and much more.

STOPLIGHT is from production company Wicked Pixel Cinema, which has been creating award-winning independent film for global release since 1995.

My Review Of “City Of Lust”

“City Of Lust” a.k.a “Yellow” is a modern giallo-horror directed by David A. Holcombe, set in Chicago. The film stars Margaret Grace, Jill Oliver, Derek Ryan, Shelley Nixon, and Kyle Greer. “City Of Lust” tells the story Arianna, a young woman who moves to the city to escape a traumatic family life in the suburbs. She works as a cosmetologist and is showing early signs of formaldehyde poisoning. New to the city and lonely, she reaches out to a female sex line operator. They agree to meet and soon begin a volatile relationship. An altercation at work results in Arianna losing her job. Then, people in her life begin to turn up dead. With Arianna's health, career, and new relationship all disintegrating before her eyes, how much longer can she, and those around her, survive?

The story that Holcombe weaves together, of  building a future-facing a dark past-and struggle, is one of nightmares told is surreal horror. From start to finish “City Of Lust” creates a strong, chilling prose. The characters are twisted representations of over-exaggerated flamboyance. The most subdued and grounded character is the mousy Arianna. It as if all her world is developed of dreamlike perversions of her reality. This directorial style gives us a framework that manages to stay dark, even in it’s heightened theatrical state. The camp is even a sinister spin of hypnogogic that reminds me of a blend of cult-camp and Argento’s, 80’s giallo style. It could be off-putting but combined with the deep horror element, “City Of Lust” stays true to the genre.

The special effects is low budget, but done with enough care not to be seen as cheesy. Pretty much every scene where the blood flowed and the body dropped works in “City Of Lust”. Practical effects are used and used the way you expect in a film that is paying tribute to both the classic giallo styles while telling a timeless nightmare of personal transition of a character. There are visual effects that do enhance the surreal into areas of German expressionism, and the avant garde concept direction. Colors, stylized camera angles and shadowing keep everything in specific territory so some people may not get into “City Of Lust”. I loved it but these styles of storytelling hits my sweet spot in horror. A similar feel runs through “Alyce Kills” and I loved that film also.

Sound effects and soundtrack are similar to classic horror films, creating a haunting, emotional atmosphere. The sound effects offer short changes in attitude, raising the suspense of the film while the instrumental soundtrack creates a hypnotic pull. “City Of Lust” doesn’t really give us anything new in these areas but the effects are used right, creating cool crescendos of emotional changes in the story. Thought went into how the sounds were used and when. This film could go either way with horror fans, those that get it –get it and those that won’t get –won’t get it. I found it to be a smart celebration of the elements of the giallo / arhouse horror styles, and gives us a nice bloody horror story with heart.

Crowd Funding Started For Retro Creatur- Feature “Insectula”

Creature-feature and retro sci-fi “Insectula” has kicked off a crowd funding campaign to raise the funds needed for post-production. The film is part practical effects, part CGI and 100% b-movie madness. Directed by Mike Peterson, “Insectula” blends horror and comedy in a story that has a giant alien insect that comes to earth to feed, drawn in by the CO2 emissions.

The crowd funding is taking place over on Indiegogo. The funds will go toward scoring, 5.1 mixing, final grading, finalizing, and packaging for markets. “Insectula” stars Arielle Cezanne, Harrison Matthews, Pasquale Pilla, Sarah French, Yasmin Moon, H.T. Altman, Nicole Kruex, Joel Thingvall and Antonia Kurtz. Also keep up with the film’s latest on the “Insectula” blog.  The film is described as a celebration of the classic studios like Hammer, AIP and Toho.

"The Harsh Light Of Day” Gets North America Release Date

Jinga Films and MVD are pleased to announce the North American DVD release of Oliver S Milburn's vampire revenge horror THE HARSH LIGHT OF DAY with a street date of July 22nd 2014.

Daniel Shergold (Dan Richardson), a writer on the occult, is a happily married man until the day his wife is murdered, and he is left paralysed in a brutal, seemingly random attack, by a group of masked intruders. When the police are unable to find the perpetrators, Daniel is left in a pit of bitterness and anger. Desperately seeking vengeance, Daniel is brought to the attention of a mysterious stranger who changes everything. He offers Daniel something he hadn't dared hope for, something that shouldn't even be possible. He will help him walk, help him search, help him find vengeance - and it soon becomes clear that his wife's murder wasn't entirely without purpose. All this, but at one hell of a price...

First Images From Horror Film “White Settlers”

“White Settlers” is an upcoming horror film directed by Simeon Halligan and written by Ian Fenton. The film stars Pollyanna McIntosh, Lee Williams, Joanne Mitchell, James McCreadie, and Dominic Kay. “White Settlers” pitches the modern urbanites' dream - beginning a simple life in the country - against the possibility of a very different and horrific reality.

It's Ed and Sarah's first night at their new home - an isolated farmhouse on the Scottish borders . This is should be a new beginning away from their stressful London lives. And at first it is: as they enjoy supper al fresco at sunset, riverside skinny dip.

But as darkness falls, things become eerie. Sarah suspects they’re not alone; Ed goes to investigate and the evening swiftly becomes a nightmare. It dawns on them; they do not belong here. And they certainly aren't welcome either.