Art Photography Series “Necropolis”

This weekend I took some time out to work on a art photography series that blends too passions, photography and cemeteries. It is titled Necropolis and is currently viewable at Flickr and Pinterest. I have decided to show a few of the images here on my blog. I hope you all find the beauty and surreal styled tranquility I tried to capture. The series is still a work in progress with more images to come. I find cemeteries a beautiful place of memory, compassion and peace. Only in death do we truly understand life.

Crowd Funding Started For “Fear Clinic” Movie

There is currently a crowd funding campaign happening over at Indiegogo for the horror film “Fear Clinic”. The feature film is an adaptation of the web series from Fearnet.com. “Fear Clinic” the movie will feature such iconic stars as Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Danielle Harris, and Angelina Armani and will be directed by Robert Green Hall.

Patients suffering phobias undergo radical therapy in the FEAR CHAMBER that animates their worst fears in the form of terrifying hallucinations.

Comic-Con Poster For “Godzilla”

I love love love that this new Godzilla flick is actually about the Godzilla and not some “ooh-I-am-so-smart-as-a-film-that-I-recognize-that Godzilla-is-a-reborn-prehistoric-reptile”. Man that movie was anything but a Godzilla pic. This one here, this Godzilla is the Godzilla-back in action. I can’t wait to see the final product! Check out the newest Comic-Con poster released for the film directed by Gareth Edwards. It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Bryan Cranston and Sally Hawkins. Godzilla starts bustin’ shit up on May 16, 2014.

First Word On Brett Kelly’s “The Bonesetter”

The first details came out about Brett Kelly’s new project “The Bonesetter”. The indie brainchild of such genre bending films as “My Fair Zombie” and “Attack Of The Giant Leeches” and “Jurassic Shark” is in production with this latest horror tale. Read the press release that came out.

Press Release:
Director Brett Kelly (My Fair Zombie) is hard at work on pre-production for his latest horror film THE BONESETTER. The Bonesetter is the tale of a town with a dark secret. A century ago a traveling healer was lynched for killing the town’s children, and now, in the present, the current generation of townsfolk are faced with the supernatural return of the murderous Bonesetter.

If this sounds somewhat familiar, it’s because Kelly originally made a version of The Bonesetter in 2002 and a sequel in 2005, both of which found their way to DVD. In revisiting the tale, Kelly says; “I was never able to tell the story in the scary way I really wanted to back when I first started in this biz.” He continues, “I made the original Bonesetter early in my career and now the tools of production, post-production and my own experience have finally given me what I need to truly scare the pants off of an audience. My previous films have all had elements of tongue-in-cheek to them. Not this new Bonesetter; I want people frightened and disturbed.”

Kelly adds, “I should mention also that the script of this movie is completely new and is not the same movie as my originals. It’s a new take.”

The Bonesetter is based on a folk tale from Quebec (known in French as Bonehomme Sept-Heures). While technically in pre-production, Kelly and his crew have already filmed the opening scene of the movie. This scene is set in the past when the titular villain of the film was still alive and committing his murderous crimes upon the unsuspecting populace.

Production of the film will resume in the fall once Kelly has completed filming a western for Lionsgate.

Characula’s Monster Music Sound Scores Her A Second Hollywood Music Media Award Nomination

CHARACULA'S MONSTER MUSIC SOUND SCORES HER A SECOND HOLLYWOOD MUSIC IN MEDIA AWARD (HMMA) NOMINATION FOR HER INFECTIOUSLY GHOULISH SONG 'MUMMY DANCE'.

The Horror Rocker is Spotlighted on Billboard Magazine's 'Indicator Exclusive' as her Single "Ready For Love” Maintains Steady Rotation on the Airwaves.

The seductive indie horror rocker Characula (www.characula.com) picked up her second Hollywood Music In Media Award (HMMA) nomination for her ghoulish single, "Mummy Dance” in the Alternative category.

Characula and other nominees will be honored at the award show held at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood on November 21, 2013. The HMMAs honor music from visual mediums, individuals who create and produce it, and both mainstream and independent musicians from around the globe.

The emerging rocker scored her first HMMA in May in the Adult Contemporary/AAA category for her single "Ready For Love.” The song has been taking the airwaves by storm with Characula's she-devilish take on the Bad Company hit, and is currently spotlighted in the July 11 edition of Billboard Magazine's Top 40 Update newsletter in the "Indicator Exclusive” section. Her singles are being promoted by Howie Rosen of Howard Rosen Promotion, Inc. (www.howiewood.com).

"Ready For Love” continues to hold steady this week on the Mediabase Activator Top 50 chart, just below the latest hits by such superstars like Kelly Clarkson, Of Monsters and Men, The Jonas Brothers, Jay-Z and DJ Suss One.    

An engineer by trade, Characula may not be able to hide her wild inner truth from anyone much longer, considering the momentum that's been building on the music scene and at appearances at red carpet events in L.A. She is currently wrapping up a video for "Mummy Dance” video and putting the final nails in her debut album with renowned rock producer Dito Godwin (No Doubt, Great White, members of KISS, Motley Crue). The album is slated for a Halloween 2013 release.

My Review Of “The Collective: Vol. VI”

“The Collective Vol. VI” held it’s premiere at Days Of The Dead festival recently and soon to be hitting street release. The new collection features a lot of the film companies that we have all come to enjoy seeing in this unique anthology series. This time around the directors were given the challenge of creating a short film with the concept of fear. ..

...These 10 macabre slices of perspective are very individualized visions of horror. I was a bit disturbed to see how much of the concept of “what fear means to me” seems to revolve around a misogynistic interpretation through the lens of torture-porn. Not that there isn’t a place for that sub-genre in horror because it is a proven and well deserved medium of expression-as long as it expresses some artistic merit and social justification (does it highlight social inequalities or express a victims need for justice?). There are a couple of non-specific genre shorts that just speak to the general horror concept of fear-“spooky tales” but for the most part this collection really speaks more to the community of exploitation, gore-craven, psychorama crowd.

“Speeches” is a surrealistic nightmare that plays of fear of public speaking with a healthy dose of survivor’s guilt/personal hell thrown in. The short is mournful, visual aesthetics filled with emotionality. It uses a real world moment of tragedy and twists it into a groundhog-day stilled, sinister-vision experience. It is haunting and at moments seems practically avant-garde. The short is sort of requiem of guilt and questioning to the point of fear. “Speeches” was a nice way to start off Volume VI and really sets the tone for this more creation of horror that is man which is a theme that seems to run throughout this Volume-save a couple of the shorts.

“Edible Love” was a bit bizarre. The life in ruin aspect of the story I got but the whole fucked-up family dynamic within the this short seemed a bit extreme. I know there are some fucked-up families out there because I have read about theme I just never connected with them personally and watching those types of horrors play out on film is always a bit uncomfortable for me. That being said-this short film plays with modern experimental expressionism stylistically and leaves the final outcome a surprise which I found enlightening because I have often wondered if those very minds existed out there beyond the standard romanticized cannibalism. And hey-the catalyst by which she receives her fantastical wish is a bit of a hottie.

“Play Me” is a straight up fantasized torture-porn piece that I could not finish. It is a bit more snuff that I am comfortable with or ever could find artistically of value to horror film making. I know that seems prejudice but I can’t help it. This came off as more of a romantic visualization of a psycho’s fantasy for me to handle.

“Insomniac” is a nice little slice of psycho-noir that plays on what fear? I didn’t really get that part of the story unless it is my own fear now that people who can’t sleep are probably out there just dying to get homicidal on some ass!  The expressive avant-garde aspect of this short film is something of a different matter- I really liked the whole frustration-rage component of the protagonist. I am noticing a lot more films that come at story telling from the psychopaths point of view. I still am not sure if this was more of a self expressed cathartic piece or if the lady really did become homicidal in her bout with insomnia. So I guess the fear lies somewhere between those to aspects of the story.

“I Am No One” is a fictionalized documentary following a moment in the life of a young serial killer. It comes off very organically believable. At times I thought maybe there where some “not so believable moments” in the title characters portrayal but not enough to make this short film seem hokey. The really cool part of the film is the notion that people like this really are roaming around our society with this very outlook on life playing “red rover” in their psyches. And the dead guy in the tub! Looked a bit too real! Great special effects on that part.

“Security Violation” is a fear driven moment that seemed to skip the actual fear. I have the fear because lately more home invasion films have put it in me but in this short the fear would have come from the victim who was more of a stage prop in this little psycho ballet. It was still a very disturbing piece and as an actor, the guy playing victim has balls to be that trusting of someone to wrap them in plastic and duct-tape their ass. Not sure I wouldn’t have wanted to film the very real elements of fear from the resulting reaction of that moment. There’s your fear! See that is why I don’t allow myself to enjoy torture porn! I might find I enjoy it too much!

“Devotion” is more my speed. The short film focuses on extreme fanaticism and fear driven loyalty to religion. Oh you crazy cult leader-homicidal maniac you! This one is 90’s grunge-horror meets 70’s grindhouse. It was visually twisted and powerful. It doesn’t play out much story but the scene we are shown in this psychodrama is chilling and almost surrealistic mind-fuck macabre. Kind of like if Charles Manson would have been inspired by Alice-In-Chains instead of the Beatles.

“Trepidation” is totally a fear driven short that I am very familiar with-the fear of something that may happen. I live that shit. This one doesn’t really built to any real chilling moments or true moment of horror. Most of the fear comes verbally thanks to dialogue and not actual scenes of horror. It is more a little play with phobias. Fears of basements and closets. Total Freudian expressionism. The think that had me from moment one is the 80’s video style the short was shot in, I love the retro nostalgia of that whole visual aspect. It was a cute short film but nothing epic really happens and it kind of just fades away.

“Mercy” is more modern stylized horror that deals with abduction, man as a tool for personal gain, lack of human compassion and oh-yeah a deathly fear of small-cramped spaces-at least where the victim in this sorted tale is concerned. Kind of a really quick nightmare ransoming off a kidnap victim that ultimately doesn’t pay off. The short didn’t really offer much on creative style of surprise. Actually it really didn’t affect me much at all.

“Skeleton” is back to the spooky little moral concept that I really dig in modern horror. That not quite real, fantasy where by supernatural means justice is dealt. All be it a twisted justice dealt out from the mind of a pre-teen outcast bordering on anti-social behavior.-but justice still the same! It is a fun black-n-white joint that finishes off this anthology perfectly. More of a “reap what you sow” aspect than a straight forward fear component but still I enjoyed it. It was simple and devilishly sweet.

For the most part “The Collective: Vol. VI” is 40/60 for me. 40 to the good as far as my personal enjoyment based on direction, style and story creativity. This series of short films is not as great as some of the previous volumes – Vol. I IV and V come to mind when I think of this anthology collection on the whole. Still several of the shorts in hear are worthy and depending on your view of gritty, torture-porn elements of horror and exploitation, this Volume could very well appeal to a broader audience. It isn’t my favorite in the series but it is still a pretty cool anthology that shows why I have come to anticipate each “The Collective” volume as they reveal themselves.

Red Band Trailer For Demon Spawn “Hell Baby”

A new poster and red band trailer for horror/comedy “Hell Baby” has been released. The brainchild of Reno 911 alumn Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Grant. “Hell Baby” stars  Rob Corddry (Warm Bodies, Hot Tub Time Machine), Leslie Bibb (Trick ‘r Treat, The Midnight Meat Train, Iron Man 2), Keegan-Michael Key (Wanderlust), Michael Ian Black (This is 40), Riki Lindhome (The Last House on the Left, Fun Size), Rob Huebel (The Love Guru) and Paul Scheer (Piranha 3DD). The story is one that really accents the unnatural joys buying a first home and of birthing a Hell spawn to herald in a new apocalyptic time in a couple’s life.

ELL BABY, a comedy scripted by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (Night at The Museum, Reno 911!: Miami) marks their co-directing debut. Jack (Rob Corddry) and Vanessa (Leslie Bibb) are an expectant couple that moves into the most haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans — a house with a deadly demonic curse. Things soon spiral out of control for Jack and Vanessa, as well as their-not-so-helpful neighbor F’Resnel (Keegan-Michael Key), Vanessa’s friendly psychiatrist (Michael Ian Black), Vanessa’s Wiccan sister Marjorie (Riki Lindhome) and the detectives assigned to look into the rising body count (Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer). Only the Vatican’s elite exorcism team (Garant and Lennon) san save them — or can they?