This is the first film project from Dominic Brunt, who according to my mother, is rather a big name in the British soap opera Emmerdale. I saw an interview with Dominic on another TV programme, where he talked aboutBefore Dawn, and waited a few weeks for the film to actually get a release. After watching it, I can safely say that Dominic Brunt sure knows how to make an effective scary movie filled with emotion.
Not only is this movie scary, it is an incredible zombie film. The zombies aren't slow, lumbering corpses. They scream like wild men/women, and run like crazy. They also seem to be completely unstoppable in every sense of the word, which only adds to the fear this movie creates.
The film kicks off with Alex (brilliantly played by Brunt) and his wife Meg (played by his real life wife Joanne Mitchell) retreat to a cottage in the Yorkshire dales to try and rebuild a struggling relationship. The feeling of isolation doesn't take long to creep in, as the couple are arguing before we know it, and you really feel for Alex, as his wife continuously pushes him away. It soon becomes apparent why, and your feelings change. The movie really does play with your emotions, and is all the better for it. It involves you on a level many horror movies seem to lack.
When the first zombie makes it's appearance, you realize you are in for something very different. The movie was made on a micro budget, and has the director of micro budget zombie movie Colin (Marc Price) on hand as executive producer. The gore factor is high, and worthy of a mention is the incredible garage scene, that had me on the edge of my seat. It is incredibly chilling, and shows what lengths someone would have to go to to survive.
I will give nothing else away about Before Dawn, other than to say it really is one of the most chilling zombie movies I have ever seen, and judging from the over saturation of the zombie genre, that really does mean a lot. Dominic Brunt really is a name to watch in horror. If his debut movie is anything to go by, he has an incredibly bright future. The guy really knows his horror, and I for one, will be keeping an eye on what he does next!
You can purchase Before Dawn from Amazon.co.uk by clicking HERE.
You can view the trailer for Before Dawn by clicking HERE.
The Eschatrilogy is an anthology film. It seems that anthologies have become popular again, what with V/H/S and The ABC'S of Death hitting our screens, and Chillerama and The Theater Bizarre yet to see a release here in the UK, but generally picking up favorable reviews elsewhere.
The Eschatrilogy contains three amazing stories, each following the gradual demise of humanity at the hands of the undead, who were reanimated by...well, I think I'm going to leave that as a suprise. If you visit here enough, you know I have no interest in spoilers.
The wraparound story is about a man played by the movies director Damian Morter, who stumbles into the camp of a survivor of the zombie apocalypse, who is played by Tim McGill Grievson. He is detained and searched by his captor, and it becomes apparent that the man who stumbled upon this survivor camp has a book which recounts three stories all telling of different struggles against the zombie outbreak.
The first story is called 'Dead inside', and it tells the story of a young man who leaves his wife and daughter while he heads out one night, only to come across a young injured woman who is lying in the road. The lady dies and comes back to life with a taste for human flesh. You'll have to check out the movie to find out what happens in this story, because I am giving nothing else away.
The second story is called 'Dying Breed', and that tells the story of a young man, who is having a night in with his lover, only to find himself in the middle of a zombie invasion. This segment is action packed and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
The final segment is called 'A Father for the Dead', and tells the tale of a father and son who are desperately trying to reach safety. This segment is definitely the most emotional, as it shows the struggles not only against the undead, but also against other human beings who just can't seem to get along. The ending is incredibly bleak,but amazing nevertheless, and again, the story is full of action.
British horror really is going from strength to strength, and this movie yet again cements Britain's place in horror cinema. The locations used are amazing and shocking at the same time, showing estates overrun with zombies, and the beautiful Yorkshire Moors.
The cast is full of newcomers, and this makes the film feel even fresher. There are a couple of names Brits may recognise, such as Sarah Jane Honeywell (of pre school channel Cbeebies fame) and Stuart Wolfenden ( Dead Man's Shoes). The cast handle their roles well, and are incredibly believable.
I really can't praise this film enough. The acting is superb, the cinematography, as mentioned before, is stellar and even though the movie has a running time of nearly two hours, it never slows or gets boring. In fact, I would say that it works in the movies favor, as each story plays out perfectly, and you get to really feel for the characters going through this hell.
The music is chilling, bringing back memories of classic eighties movies, and it never becomes tiresome, and always seems to fit with what is happening onscreen. For a movie that (according to IMDB) was shot on a budget of £5000, this movie really is incredible (although budget never makes me like or dislike a movie).
This movie is a must see for all Zombie movie fanatics, or all fans of emotional stories with the added bonus of the undead. Go check it out as soon as you can.
You can check out the movies Facebook page by clicking HERE.
Mycho entertainment are hard at work on their next feature, titled Thorn. Thorn is a prequel to Mycho's previous film, Slasher House (which is damn near perfect, if I may say so), based solely around one of the best loved characters from that film, Thorn. We follow Jess, a beautiful young cheerleader whose life is about to be turned upside down as a local urban legend becomes a bloody and terrifying reality. Four years on and Jess can still not escape the unstoppable force of Thorn and so she must face him once and for all.
You can follow all the action on facebook by clicking HERE.
Mycho Entertainment have now launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for the project, and you can see the campaign by clicking HERE.
They are offering all manner of perks for donations, from thanks credits on the film, to a chance to appear in the movie itself.
Mycho Entertainment will begin casting the movie soon, so if any of my readers would like to get in touch with Mycho Entertainment, feel free to Contact Head of Production Anna McCarthy at anna.maccarthy@live.co.uk
Here we have an interview with an amazing and talented up and coming director. Having seen two out of three of his movies (I Spill your Guts and Cool as Hell) I was fortunate enough to be able to question James Balsamo on many things. What follows is a glimpse into the mind of an amazingly talented individual.
D.C. What first interested you to get into movie making?
J.B. Well, since I was 8 years old, I wanted to play a horror movie slasher like Jason Vorhees. My parents enrolled me in The Lee Strassburg acting school in NYC. Years passed, along with acting agents, voice lessons, diction and singing coaches, then acting in small roles on TV, and in movies. All of this with me still hoping I could achieve my dream of being in horror movies. I stayed with the acting gig till college, when I realized I could make my own movies. Then, with all that experience behind me, I could star in them. So I picked up a camera and went to college for film. The rest, is horror history.
Tell us about your directing style.
As a director, I really enjoy letting the actor take control of their scene. I like to come to the set with an optimistic spirit and open mind. Then anything can happen. If it feels right, let it ride. I write a lot of gags, and sometimes they don't always work out. However, on the other hand, I do get ideas on set. For example, the ending of 'I Spill your Guts' was totally different in the script. Dennis was going to impale Joe with the American flags pole and his guts were going to pour out as Dennis saluted him. When we got on set, the owner of the junk yard, Joe Mammolito said we could smash whatever we wanted. He even gave us a car to use. So when life gives you cars, you have to make murder-ade!
You manage to mix comedy and horror really well. Do you find this difficult?
I don't look at writing comedy as a challenge. I just write what I think is funny. It's just a happy coincidence that other people find my warped sense of humor entertaining. Some people may remember that I was a stand up comic for a while, so needless to say, comedy is a natural stomping ground for me. I feel the key to a good comedy horror is going from one extreme to the other. Either the audience is laughing at you, or with you. Playing the lead role of Rich in 'Cool as Hell', I take a lot of comical abuse in the film, as any person would probably take abuse sporting cheetah hair and Hawaiian shirts.
How did it feel when you realized you were actually making your very first movie?
Well, to be honest, I kind of jumped head first into my first feature. That was without really knowing how to swim, so to speak. In high school, I directed some music videos for a band that I was in. After I graduated, I really wanted to make a feature film. However, I had no idea of the process, so I grabbed a video camera and some friends and started filming a Kung-Fu/vigilate/possession film called 'The Mark' which, after alot of reworking became the third story in my first anthology feature film 'Hack Job'.
At the time, I was working at a video game store that also sold used DVD's. A customer was buying a copy of 'The Toxic Avenger'. As I was ringing him up, I said "That movie looks awesome"...[let me just get off topic for a second. I grew up right before the explosion of the internet. That's why most of my horror film intake was just what I picked out from the DVD covers I liked, or what the rental guy would recommend. I grew up on 'The Toxic Crusaders' which was a cartoon spin off of the demented film 'The Toxic Avenger'. The film that this guy was about to purchase. It was then realized that I had never actually seen the film. Amazingly, the stars in the cosmos were about to align]. He said the movie was made by a company in N.Y called Troma, and they were looking for interns. All I had to do was just call and apply. Needless to say, I made the call, and the rest is history. It's funny how things work out. If that customer wouldn't have picked up that copy of 'The Toxic Avenger' who knows if I would be where I am today. Now that I have strayed from the beaten path of the question, let me get back on topic.
I was filming a feature called 'The Mark' and i recently got an internship with Troma. The months quickly turned into a year. I now had Lloyd Kaufman and Debbie Rochon in 'The Mark'. With my acting skills in hand, I even got to play the part of The Toxic Avenger in a few DVD intros. However, in reality, I wasn't getting the film making knowledge I wanted. You see, Troma, when they are not making movies, are essentially a DVD warehouse. I started work for them right after they finished shooting 'Poultrygeist'. So I decided to go to college for film and give the whole Troma thing up.
While in film college, I started a horror movie club. I made friends that I still have today, including Peter Cromwell, who made the title sequences for my films 'Hack Job' and 'I Spill your Guts'. From that club, I had a built in crew to continue filming 'The Mark'. Amazingly, with talent all around me now in the club, I also found members to create my dream band called Mush. Mush was an acronym for Monsters Under Satan's Hand. We were a GWAR knock off band, and I couldn't have been happier. I wore a fishnet shirt and fishnet leggings with a pair of boxers I had hot glued some fur on. With costumes and talent, the band took off.
'The Mark' was at a run time of about forty minutes, and it stayed there. I put 'The Mark' on the back burner, and kept the band strong for about two years. Like all good things, Mush soon came to an end. The other members got tired of wearing costumes and wanted more complicated songs than our town favorites like 'Donut' and 'Robot Badgers'. I quickly jumped ship back to making films. 'The Mark' was haunting me to finish it, but I ignored it's cries. I tried to make a biker flick called 'Death Cycle', but that feature film idea soon dissipated and became a series of shorts. I had often thought about doing 'Death Cycle' as a feature, but being friends with James Bickert, director of 'Dear God No', I wouldn't want to step on his biker genre toes. 'The Mark', now stuck at forty minutes, collecting dust and still calling my name, sat on the shelf. Fast forward a few years later. I rekindled a high school friendship with Michael Shershenovich (director of 'Bloody Christmas'). After about a year of watching bad movies together, I said "Mike, I have this forty minute film called 'The Mark'. Lets put our other short films in it and make a feature film just to say we made one". Mike didn't feel confident enough in his short films to do that, so he was opposed to the idea. I was making short films for long enough, and was hellbent on making a feature. I said fine, then we will make new short films, and use 'The Mark' as the final story. We started making the first short of the anthology called 'Tomb of the SS'. Quickly after that Mike decided he wanted to do his own feature, so he wrote 'Bloody Christmas'. We did a month of pre-production, and then a month of filming. I did all of the FX in the film, and the crew was Mike and I. After all the work on 'Bloody Christmas' was finished, it came time for Mike and I to swap footage. Then, from left field, he hit me with a whopper! He had decided he didn't want to swap, because he thought it would compromise his film. [To spite what we had already agreed on]. I was shocked to say the least, but not deterred. Just another life lesson learned. I realized we just couldn't be a team. By now, my film was just fifteen minutes short of being a feature. So close, yet so far. Out of that loss of friendship, came an outpour of drive and determination. I went above and beyond to make the film amazing. I cast Dave Brockie, the lead singer of my idolized band GWAR. I invited Mike to be part of the short to show him I had no hard feelings. I really have no hard feelings towards Mike. I think all things happen for a reason, and that cameo of Dave Brockie really bought things full circle for me. The reason I had all that back story is because I was actually making my first movie through that entire time span. The time I started 'The Mark' till when I finished the three shorts in 'Hack Job' was over six years!! It felt amazing the whole time, and it still does. Only now, I make movies for a living.
Tell us about Hack Job, I Spill your Guts and Cool as Hell.
Hack Job.
James and Mike are angry that art films are getting all the credit that horror films deserve, so they get a script directly from the Devil, and embark on a mission to make the sickest anthology horror movie of all time. A hilarious film filled with gratuitous nudity, gallons of gore and the most insane psychobilly, punk and metal soundtrack ever! And with legends like Lynn Lowry, Debbie Rochon, Dave Brockie, Troma's Lloyd Kaufman and ODERUS URUNGUS from GWAR as the stars-get ready for the most demented blood drenched horror comedy adventure ever committed to film. This ain't art-this is a HACK JOB!
I Spill your Guts.
This patriotic, retro-horror revenge flick runs red, white and blue with buckets of blood! When two friends are ambushed on the front lines of war, Joe takes all the credit as a hero while Dennis, the true hero, is disabled for life. When they return home to New York City, Dennis makes sure the horrors of war continue on the streets of the city, as everyone is made to pay for his lie...with their lives!! I Spill your Guts features a punk/metal soundtrack from Suffocation, Cannabis Corpse, The Meatmen, Calabrese, GHOUL and In Strict Confidence, and features an all-star independent film cast.
Cool as Hell.
Rich and Benny have always had trouble with the ladies, until they befriend a demon named Az. It's a non-stop party until a killer soul eating beast leaps through an open portal from the underworld and starts terrorizing their city. Now it's up to Az and the boys to send the creature back to the depths of Hades where it came from, all the while looking 'Cool as Hell' doing it. James Balsamo stars in this horror comedy, featuring a killer punk, hardcore and metal soundtrack, and appearances from genre favorites Tom Savini and Frank Mullen.
You manage to get alot of musicans/genre actor persons in your movies, along with amazing soundtracks. How do you pull this off?
Acid Bath productions is a growing independent film company on the rise. What is great about the horror community is that it is a small knit group and horror fans, much to their credit, try to do whatever they can to help and honor the horror industry. Some artists need more persuading than others. Most of the time I pay them with drugs or sexual favors. When that doesn't work, I kidnap a family member and hold them hostage until they act in the film.
What is the most challenging aspect of filmmaking for you?
Audio. Dealing with live sound in a city environment is a nightmare. You can get a great performance from an actor and then a big truck comes honking down the street ruining the whole take. Silent film makers really didn't know how easy they had it.
What filmmakers/movies inspire you?
I like to say that as a film maker, I was created like Freddy Krueger, in the sense that I'm the bastard son of a hundred maniac film makers. Movies with heart inspire me. It's not the budget that makes a movie great, it's the idea of the movie.
What is your favorite horror movie?
I really couldn't pick a favorite because I watch so many of them. I'm a big fan of 'Burial Ground', which is an 80's Italian zombie film. I really love all of those Italian zombie films.
CGI or practical effects?
I say this all time.... I hate CGI with a passion, only because it dates a film with the quality of the CGI of it's time. It's an art that has yet to be perfected. CGI is constantly changing. Say a company spends millions on CGI and it looks great when the movie comes out. Ten years down the line it looks like an old Nintendo graphic. Just try to compare that to the technology to date. If you have a severed head practical effect, it is on set in front of the camera, and it will always look like a severed head no matter how many years pass. Also, I'm an FX artist myself, so I might be a little bias. I'm not saying there aren't CGI FX that can't look good, I'm just saying I know most of them won't stand the test of time. For me it's practical effects hands down.
You seem to have a close affinity with Troma. How did this come about?
As I said earlier, I was an intern for Troma for about a year. I met alot of cool people and made some great connections. I paid my dues taking out the trash for Troma and now my films sell worldwide. It was a great experience and I recommend it to any young filmmakers looking to get some experience if they are in the New York area.
You have an abundance of T&A in your movies. Does this ever become distracting to you or your crew when filming?
Working with nude actors, we always maintain a professional atmosphere on set. Filming nudity isn't the same as enjoying it in a personal setting. Most of the time, I'm in an uncomfortable position lying on the floor trying to get a good camera angle. The Acid Bath Productions crew only participate in consensual orgies off the clock. Besides, I sleep with most of the nude actresses's before they even get on set! I couldn't let that casting couch go to waste now could I?
In your movies, you seem to take on a lot of roles, such as Director, Actor, Producer, Writer etc. How in the hell do you manage taking on all of these titles, when just one would plunge any mere mortal into fear?
First off, let me say I like the way that question eludes that I'm immortal. In the film industry, it's common knowledge that there are few people that do more than one job. That is not the case for independent film making. There are a few peers of mine that wear as many hats as I do. It mostly stems from having to do everything just because I didn't have the budget to pay other people. I have been making films for over eight years now and have been doing these jobs all along. I have become accustomed to doing almost everything and I honestly just enjoy it. I do have alot of help from my Acid Bath Productions crew, family and friends. I'm so thankful for them, and I couldn't make movies without them.
How do you feel about your movies now they are available for all to see? Have your feelings changed about them as time has gone on?
Having worldwide distribution as a filmmaker is one of the most amazing things in the world. Knowing people enjoy my art is more than I could ask for. I'm making movies that I would want to watch. The fact that I can make bizarre comedy/horror films and people actually enjoy them is the best feeling in the world. It's also a scary thought because I have some messed up things in my head and in my movies.
Any words for your fans?
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @acidbathproduct and pick up a copy of 'Cool as Hell' today, as well as other fine Acid Bath Productions films. Live for cinema, and keep it brutal!
Visit the I Spill your Guts website by clicking HERE.
You can purchase Cool as Hell from Amazon by clicking HERE.
The "I Spill Your Guts" Plush American Executioner from Acid Bath Productions and Jellykoe.
Acid Bath Productions & Heart Breaking Dawn's present I Spill your Guts Hot Sauce!
Acid Bath Productions & DWN Productions present the official American Executioner replica mask from I Spill Your Guts. You can buy it by clicking HERE.
Here is the VHS artwork for I Spill your Guts.
Many thanks to James Balsamo for taking the time to answer the questions.
It has been a long time since I have seen any kind of Occult horror film, never mind one as good as The Good Sisters. In fact, the last movie of this kind I do remember is The Craft. And I really didn't like that at all. Oh how I miss the days of Witchboard and Warlock.
Director Jimmyo Burril has crafted a sleek and utterly amazing Occult movie, and I really couldn't believe how different, and how amazing it was.
April Monique Burril and Debbie Rochon play Kindra and Breanne good. A pair of sisters who are tenth generation descendants of a great witch who was condemned during the Salem witch trials. They live in an apartment complex with several other people, but when a new neighbor moves in and doesn't unpack his belongings,the sisters become suspicious, thinking he is a witch hunter. This paranoia is spread further when the sisters find messages written in chalk outside their apartment. The suspicion gets too much for the sisters, and they turn to black magic for help.
The first thing you will notice about this movie, apart from the beautiful cinematography, is how well April and Debbie act with each other. You really do believe that they are sisters, and this gave the movie an even more believable feel. Their relationship is so close, if I didn't know any better, I would assume they were sisters! The story movies along nicely, building paranoia incredibly well as the sisters become suspicious of everyone in their apartment block.
The movie comes across as very realistic. It is an incredibly well thought out and well written piece of cinema, and should be viewed by anyone with even a fleeting interest in the occult or Wicca, and everyone who is a fan of slow building, intense horror.
I refuse to give anything else away about this movie, as it really does have to be seen. Gore fans may not be happy with the amount of blood in this movie (even though it does contain rather a lot of blood, just not as much as chainsaw sally, but then again, this is a completely different genre of movie).
This movie managed to keep me on the edge of my seat the whole way through, and throw surprises at me left right and center. I loved every minute!
You can purchase The Good Sisters from The Chainsaw Sally Store by clicking here.
Be sure to visit the Forbidden Pictures website by clicking here.
The slasher movie. The one sub genre of horror that seems to get a torrent of abuse from all but the most die hard of horror fans, but it's always a sub genre that will have a special place in my heart. This new take on the slasher genre is incredibly dark, violent and filled with an incredibly suffocating atmosphere. This movie is killer!!
Just like your typical slasher movie, Cross Bearer has all the typical slasher traits such as gore, a high body count, and an incredibly brutal and ruthless killer. But on top of this, Cross Bearer brings an incredibly gritty atmosphere, an incredibly compelling story and a religious nutcase as the killer.
Heather really isn't enjoying life at all. She works at a strip club, but refuses to undress, and just considers herself a dancer. Her live in girlfriend is a cocaine addict, and her boss at the strip club is as sleazy and vile as they come. Heather also has a lover named Bunny, and makes plans with her to run off with the money from a cocaine deal (not only is her boss the owner of the strip club, but a cocaine dealer also). The deal doesn't go to plan, and the Cross Bearer starts picking off victims one by one with his hammer of god, killing people he doesn't see worthy of life.
The effects work in Cross Bearer is handled by Doug Sakmann, who will also be handling FX on Return to Class of Nuke 'em High for Troma. The movie is filled with brutal murders, and plenty of blood and brain matter splattering every surface.
The direction is incredibly well handled, and the whole movie is amazing in every aspect, keeping the viewer on the edge of their seat up until the blood filled climax.
I thought this movie was incredibly different and fresh, as it doesn't fall into the trappings of the slasher sub genre, and that is nothing but a good thing. It's movies like this that keep the sub genre alive. Cross Bearer managed to make good on all the promises it makes with the trailer. This movie is no pretender, it is the real thing. A certified creep fest with lashings of gore and despicable characters littered throughout just waiting to meet the hammer of the killer.
Director Adam Ahlbrandt is definitely a name to watch out for in the future. Keep your eyes peeled for more of his work. If you enjoy dark cinema, gore movies, horror or are just drawn to the darker side of life, you have to check this movie out. I can stake my life that you will not be dissapointed!
You can visit the Adversary Films website by clicking here. There is information about upcoming movie projects, and on the films they have made, and it is definitely worth a visit to learn more about this amazing production company.
What we have here fellow fiends, is an anthology horror movie from Italy. The pyramid is four separate stories, all connected by a bizarre little pyramid, which through the centuries has been the catalyst for widespread death and destruction, and after being lost for many years, is finally found and reawakened to bring forth madness and mayhem.
Now I cannot speak for anyone but myself, but I certainly like the premise of this one. Let me give you a little synopsis for each of the stories contained within this movie.
Ritual. Directed by Alex Visani.
This is the opening of the movie. An unfortunate guy has found the pyramid and he slowly becomes possessed by the infernal object (which we see was created by demons). It is a story of possession that contains gore and ironic moments.
Dream Door. Directed by Luca Alessandro.
During this segment, we will see the difficult relationship between a young girl and her boyfriend, who is a comic book artist, and the strange effect the pyramid has on them both after it falls into the young girls grasp. This segment is dreamlike and hallucinogenic, and incredibly introspective.
Pestilence. Directed by Roberto Albanesi and Simone Chiesa.
This segment will show the contagious effects of the pyramid, now that it has gained a considerable amount of power. It manages to spread a vile pestilence, in the vein of John Carpenters Prince of Darkness. This segment is the most action packed and aggressive of the four.
Apocalypse. Directed by Antonio Zannone.
This segment shows us the ultimate effect the pestilence has on the world. The world is near it's end, the human race in nearly extinct, but hope still lives in a couple of post nuclear knights who will fight to destroy the pyramid. This is a gory homage to the post atomic B movies of the eighties.
Coming from SRS Cinema is this hilarious gore splattered comedy. If you think Troma movies are offensive, prepare yourself for something a whole lot worse!!
Joey's friends have realized he has spent far too much time trying to be the president of all of show business, that he has neglected ever getting laid. His friends try to fix this by gathering for a party weekend, or as they put it, a 'get laid party' at Blood Stool Creek.
Unfortunately, they are joined by something bloodthirsty, intelligent, eloquent, covered in hair and horny as hell. And no, it isn't Ron Jeremy (as the DVD cover will attest).
This film is absolute comedy gold ( for those of us with a sick sense of humor) and I enjoyed every single minute of it. The plot is completely ridiculous, the acting so over the top, but the movie is made with people who obviously love the genre, and this shines through every minute of the movie.
The Sexsquatch, whose name is Stinkfist, even speaks with an English accent, and definitely has some of the best lines in the movie, along with his crying of "Butthole". The dialogue had me howling with laughter,and I have never heard such a poetic use of foul language before.
Sexsquatch is the perfect movie to watch with a group of friends and a crate of your favorite alcoholic beverage and snacks. It really isn't a movie to be taken seriously at all, and is all the better for it.
The movie is also rather gory, but I feel the gore was played for laughs, and again, it really helps the movie along. You can also tell the cast were having an amazing time making this movie, and want to involve you in the fun and frolics of this amazing movie.
Be sure to check out SRS Cinema at their website here.
You can purchase Sasquatch: The Legend of Blood Stool Creek by clicking here.
Ghostwatch was aired on the BBC on Halloween in 1992. It was presented as a live programme, despite being recorded weeks in advance, and it was only ever broadcast once on British television once, due to creating quite a stir with the British public, who reported such things as glasses smashing, pictures falling and other unexplained phenomena.
BBC reporters give a live on air investigation of an apparently haunted house in Northolt, Greater London, at which there have been a lot of strange things going on. Through footage shot and interviews with friends and the family who live at the house, they discover the existence of an entity who a little girl in the family has named Pipes, due to it's habits of knocking on the houses plumbing.
What follows is a tour de force in the supernatural, and for a TV production, an incredibly effective piece of horror. Believe me, it had me jumping a few times, and it was an incredibly enjoyable experience.
Many of the viewers who watched Ghostwatch on it's original airing believed it to be true, even though at the start it has a 'written by Stephen Volk' credit, and was shown in a regular slot where the BBC showed dramas. I can only assume that the people who did consider this to be real had missed the opening credits.
The film really did manage to send shivers down my spine. The appearances of Pipes are incredibly chilling, and even though some of them are hard to notice, it really does make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when you see the ghostly apparition.
Unfortunately, the ending does get a little over the top, and ruins any kind of suspense the film had built up through its 90 minute running time, but I can overlook it because the previous 80 or so minutes are so effective.
This TV Production has recently been re-released by 101 Films, and you can buy Ghostwatch by clicking here.
Be sure to follow 101 Films on twitter @101_films
You can also follow them on Facebook www.facebook.com/101filmsUK
Finally getting a release in the United Kingdom from Second Sight Films is this classic take on the short story by H.P Lovecraft. Directed by Stuart Gordon, the director of Re-animator and Dagon, this film is one of the most outstanding body horror movies outside of Cronenberg's output and Brian Yuzna's Society and of course, John Carpenters The Thing.
Dr Pretorius (Ted Sorel) creates a machine called the resonator. A machine which stimulates the pineal gland, which allows you to see beyond what normal people can see. What appears isn't pretty. Lovecraft called them 'Jellyish monstrosities'. There are also strange Eel like creatures that float in the air, and as soon as you see them, they see you! Dr Pretorious is murdered, and his partner, Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffery Combs), is the cheif suspect. Tillinghast tells the police the story of the resonator, and as Tillinghast is placed under the care of a psychologist named Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton), the police cannot close the case due to many strange occurrences, one of these being that while Dr Pretorious' body was recovered, his head never was.
Tallinghast is taken back to the mansion where the experiment took place, along with Katherine McMichaels, who wants to recreate the experiment, and a cop named Bubba Brownlee (Ken Foree). At the flick of a switch, all hell breaks loose.
The FX in this movie are still incredible 27 years after the movie was released. The monsters are a combination of twisted limbs and oozing slime, and everything is bathed in a sickening purple light. The pacing of the movie is tight, with only the Hospital scenes feeling slightly out of place, but it more than makes up for it with a sickening set piece involving the removal of an ocular orb and ...well, I really don't want to spoil it for you.
The job Second Sight have done on the transfer of this movie is amazing. Everything looks incredibly crisp, and every bit of detail stands out so you can see every slime covered inch of the creatures. The acting is as over the top as to be expected, with Dr Pretorious coming across as vile and sickening. Just the way any villain in a horror movie should.
The movie holds up incredibly well, and if you haven't had the chance to see it, you should get round to it as soon as possible.
There are also a number of extras on the disc, which are incredibly interesting. You get a commentary featuring Jeffery Combs, Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna, interviews with various members of the cast and crew, a photo montage and much more.
This is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated gems of 80's cinema, and I for one am happy it has finally got a release for all to see.
Be sure to check out the Second Sight website to see what they have coming up in the future.
You can purchase From Beyond on Blu Ray from Second Sight by clicking here.
It is also available from Second Sight on DVD, which you can purchase by clicking here.
As most of you will have probably gathered from reading this blog, I am a huge slasher movie fan. Yes, they may act as a nostalgia trip for me, as slasher's were pretty much all I would watch as a child, but I watch them to rejoice in the slaughter of teens, to see the bad guy/girl get their revenge on the people who wronged them. Any arguments made against these types of movies will be written off without a second thought (pretty much the same way I react to all criticism about anything I enjoy). After all, my opinion is my own.
Anyhow, what I finally got around to viewing last night can bedescribed as a homage to the stalk an slash movies of the 80's. I want to say that Scream Park is that and so much more. It is funny, gory, creepy and has little references to the time in the genre it so clearly emulates.
A failing theme park is about to close down, and the park's manager, Marty is faced with delivering some bad news to his staff regarding pay at the end of their shift. The staff members have decided to stay behind after work for a party, after getting fed up with all of the issues the theme park has had to put up with in the past. The arrival of a mysterious van sets of a chain of events that involve a lot of slaughter for everyone involved. It really is a scream.
This movie has so much for even the casual horror fan. The atmosphere is amazingly creepy, bringing back to mind such luminaries as Black Christmas and John Carpenter's Halloween. The sense of dread that permeates the movie is definitely comparable to the two aforementioned movies. The theme park setting does wonders for this feeling, the rides lit up in an empty theme park just comes across as so eerie.
The kills are brutal and a lot of fun, and the killer is incredibly creepy, which is something a lot of slasher movie makers don't seem to get right. All of the FX are practical, which is another plus. The acting is also above par, with each character played with a little humor, which again, harks back to the 80's.
You even get cameos from Kevin Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy) and Doug Bradley (Hellraiser). How could you not want to see this??
As I have mentioned previously, this movie is tight, movies along at a beautiful pace, and is even shot like a big screen release, so even though this is an indie movie, there are none of the mistakes some indie movie makers litter their movies with.
I loved this movie, every minute of it made me smile. The situations, the characters, The killer and especially the murders. Movies like this don't come along very often. Go check it out, because I can guarantee you, you'll have an amazing time.
You can check out the official Scream Park site by clicking here where you can even pick yourself up a copy of the movie.
You can also go on over to the Scream Park Facebook page by clicking here, and don't forget to hit 'Like'.
Many thanks to Cary Hill for allowing me to view a screener of Scream Park.
Having read about this movie in an issue of Fangoria in 2004, it instantly struck me as something I would love to see. The fact that Herschell Gordon Lewis and Gunnar Hanson have cameo roles only made me want to see it even more.
It has taken me nearly nine years to get the chance to see it, but finally, I had the chance. And I can safely say it was everything that I had imagined it would be, and so much more!
Jimmyo Burril has crafted a sleek and funny splatter movie that betrays its small budget in every way it can. The acting is amazing, especially April Burril, in the lead role as Chainsaw Sally and Alec Joseph as Sally's brother Ruby, who provides some amazing moments of comedy.
Sally and her brother Ruby witnessed the murder of their parents fifteen years ago, and have now taken refuge in an old trailer just a few yards from their family home. By day, Sally works as a librarian, but by night she wields a chainsaw, and dishes out her own brand of justice against people who have wronged her or who threaten her families existence. They also dispense of their victims corpses in a very novel way.
The story works incredibly well, telling the tale of what happens when a greedy land owner who wants to build condos on the land where Sally and Ruby's family house is, and showing the relationship between Sally and Ruby. There is so much more to the movie, but me spelling it out for you isn't going to do the movie any justice. It's one of those films that just has to be seen!!
Also worth a mention are the cops Zeke and Earl. A great comedy duo, they had me in stitches every time they were on screen.
Chainsaw Sally is a rarity in Indie horror in that it has sufficient technical ability behind the camera, the writing is above par, the characters are strong and not throwaway in any shape or form, the script is funny, the FX are always amazing and the film has so much heart. There really is some serious talent on display here.
The movie also comes across as a loving tribute to the 'grindhouse' movies of the late seventies. There are hints of the great H.G Lewis and Tobe Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre throughout. Just look at the wicked sense of humour, the chainsaw dance Sally does, and the gory all practical FX. Sally and her brother are also massive horror fans in the movie, re-enacting their favorite scenes in the games they play with each other, and regularly breaking out into an argument. Their behavior when they are together is incredibly childlike, and that's something else that makes the characters so well realized and intelligently written.
Chainsaw Sally is a fun, incredibly memorable little splatter comedy that pays homage to everything that inspired it, all the while keeping a style that is very much it's own. Through an amazingly engaging storyline and amazing characters the movie comes across as having so much heart, and so much love for the genre.
Be sure to visit the official Chainsaw Sally website by clicking here.
Coming soon will be reviews of the first and second season of The Chainsaw Sally show and Jimmyo Burrils movie The Good Sisters, which stars April Burril and Debbie Rochon.
It has been quite a few years now since a band has hit me as hard as the first time I ever heard Necrophagia. Nothing could have prepared me for the audio horror experience that bled forth from the speakers when I put in a sampler CD I got free with a British metal music magazine. The track was 'And you will live in terror', and I loved everything about it, from the sledgehammer like riffs, to the truly possessed vocals. I instantly went on the lookout for more material from this band, not finding anything for a good few years (we didn't have the internet back then, so my only options were my local music shop, or the music chain stores in the city. I managed to find a copy of 'The divine art of torture' and fell in love with Necrophagia's music all over again. In between finding the CD of The divine art of torture, I was fortunate to speak with Killjoy a few times, and although those conversations (which were sent by email, as my cable provider had an email function on the set top box) are long gone, I have still followed the band since the very first time I heard them. No one else seems to be able to capture true horror in music, but Necrophagia have perfected the art.
I was lucky enough to be able to Interview Killjoy DeSade, and what follows, is the full and complete interview. Many thanks to Killjoy for taking the time to answer the questions.
D.C - What was the metal scene like back in the early days? Was it hard playing a different style of metal than anyone else?
K.J - The metal scene was awesome and extremely varied in the very early days. Lots of fledgling sub genres. I come from more of a punk background. I grew up with Elvis, The Beatles, Sabbath and KISS. I was fortunate that I hung around some guys that were several years older. They introduced me to bands like The Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Stooges, The Dead Boys etc. I pretty much stuck to those bands and that genre for a long while. I then discovered The Plasmatics and they instantly caught my attention and became my favorite band. I was always skateboarding while other kids were playing football/baseball and creating music. I heard The Plasmatics and knew I wanted to form a band. A couple of years later, I finally did. The band was called 'Leppers Revenge'. We were very much a punk band with horror themed lyrics and subject matter. I had a lot of fun with that band. It was nothing serious, just fun. I heard a song from Venom and then a demo from Hellhammer, and my world was forever changed. Those bands had the raw energy of punk and a look and attitude like no other band I had ever seen or heard. I knew I wanted to do something like that, but only more depraved and hideous. Soon after, I quit Leppers Revenge and formed Necrophagia. We didn't fit in anywhere at the beginning. We were too 'metal' for punks, and 'too punk and non musical' for fans of modern metal (i.e Motorhead, Venom, Raven, Iron Maiden etc). The beginning was definitely not easy. We were the black sheep in many aspects.
What attracts you to the dark side of life? Be it horror, metal or any other subculture.
I wish I had an easy answer for that question. I really don't know. It's never been an image. I have always liked things of this nature. It's been with me since childhood. I would keep the Halloween decor up all year round in my room. I would only eat Boo berry cereal. I would watch horror matinees on TV. I watched cartoons like Groovie Goolies and Scooby Doo and Frankenstein Junior. I collected Famous Monsters magazines from the age of six years old. My entire world was always horror based back to my earliest memories. I never grew out of it, and I never will. I have literally run out of room for anything. I have so many posters, models, lobby cards, films and horror related decor. Much of it is in storage right now. I have forced myself to cut back alot in recent years.
Can you tell us about Necrophagia's soon to be released WhiteWorm Cathedral?
Whiteworm Cathedral is the most straightforward Necrophagia release of our entire career. We have always taken chances and experimented in the past. Songs like Akuma, Hymns of Divine Genocide, Blackblood Vomitorium and A Funeral for Solange are definitely outside the norm by metal standards. Whiteworm Cathedral contains none of these elements. It's thirteen songs that are very heavy, horror filled and direct. Over the course of our career, I have learned to become a better songwriter. I know when to end a riff, or institute a change that flows seamlessly. I think in the past a cool riff was driven into the ground. It went on a bit too long. It can hurt a song immensely. I won't say Whiteworm Cathedral is the best Necrophagia record. I believe that's for the listeners to decide. It's gonna sound amazing production wise. James Murphy (Testament, Death, Obituary etc) is mixing and mastering the release. We are really pleased with the songs and the results. Noted horror artist Joel Robinson has done the entire layout and artwork for Whiteworm Cathedral. It's going to be a lenticular/changing cover. Now it's up to the fiends to decide if we have hit the mark. We put alot of time and effort into Whiteworm Cathedral. Way more than any of our past releases. The songs are sick and heavy but they are also catchy at times. There are alot of witchcraft and necromancy themes. It's a very personal subject matter that I have wanted to bring into Necrophagia for a long time.
What was it like working with Toetag Pictures, and creating what is possibly one of the most perverse horror movies ever made?
We love working with Toetag. I was there at the beginning while they were forming. We have both grown and made some really depraved offerings together. We are very like minded on many levels. Visceral carnage has always been one of the foundations of Necrophagia. Together with Toetag, it's easy to accomplish the visions we share.
Tell us about your Bloodsick Movie with Ryan Nicholson.
Ryan and I have wanted to shoot this movie for many, many years. It's a sick ride into total dementia. A downward spiral of depravity, murder, torture and black magick. I dont want to say much more than that right now.
Do you have any plans to tour the United Kingdom or appear at any festivals?
There is so much in the planning stages. Nothing is set in stone as of right now. We absolutely love playing in the UK. We have done almost a dozen shows there already. We have a show in London on May third with Repulsion. I think it's safe to say we will return to the UK after that show and before the end of 2013.
Are Wurdulak, The Ravenous, Viking Crown and Eibon still active, or have they all been laid to rest?
Right now, my only focus is on Necrophagia. In the past I didn't give this band the time and consideration it deserves. The only other active project is Haxxan. I have learned never to say never. But for now I have no plans to do any recordings with any of the past projects/bands.
What do you think of the horror and metal scene nowadays?
I don't pay attention to the metal scene. I was very active in it during the eighties. I just really don't care about whats going on with it now. There are very few newer bands that I like. I guess that's kind of closed minded. If I said otherwise, it would be half hearted. When I want a dose of metal I genuinely listen to bands like Sabbath, Venom, Savatage, DRI, Mercyful Fate etc. I'm more likely to be cranking Elvis, The Smiths, The Sonics, Motown artists or soundtrack composers like Goblin and Fabio Frizzi. I keep up with horror. There have been some real gems in the past decade. I loved The Strangers, Martyrs, Let the Right One In, Wolf Creek, Inside, Imprint and countless others.
What inspired your vocal style for Necrophagia? It is incredibly unique, and sends shivers down the spine. It reminds me of Mercedes McCambridge from The Exorcist because of the rawness and bestiality of it.
I'd say you nailed it perfectly. I have always thought from the earliest days that if I could emulate the vibe that Reagan McNeil's possessed voice delivers, it would be something genuinley frightening.
Do you have a favourite era of Necrophagia?
I'm always going forward. I prefer the current line up to any from the past. I loved working with all the previous line ups. This one is best for the simple reason that we get together in the rehearsal room and have the ability to feed off of each other. It's a real working band again. To me that makes everything easier and more special. I'm thankful to have worked with so many amazing musicians during Necrophagia's long career. I wouldn't change anything.
Do movies inspire your music, or do other musicians/bands inspire you, or is it both?
Movies definitely inspire Necrophagia. I write alot of songs based on my favourite films. I also write songs based on ideas of my own and view them as mini movies in audio format. At times they can also be a form of morbid poetry (Akuma for example). Necrophagia hasn't been influenced by a single band since our formative years. In the early days we were inspired by The Plasmatics, Venom, Hellhammer, Septic Death and Black Sabbath and even Mercyful Fate. We have also been equally inspired from the earliest of times by films like The Exorcist, Zombie, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Omen and Halloween.
Do you have anything else to say to all the Necrophagia fans out there??
We really appreciate the years of support. It's getting harder for bands to survive. We are always going against the grain. We won't conform or change. We always do things our way. It's tough because we don't fit in with any particular genre. See you on tour soon. FULCI LIVES. GORE FOREVER!!!!
Many many thanks to Killjoy DeSade for the amazing interview. Coming soon will be reviews of each Necrophagia album/EP, and a review of their London show. Yes, I am finally going to get the chance to see one of my favorite bands in the flesh!!
Ryan Nicholson and crew have done it again. Another amazing movie from the Canadian King of splatter, Famine tells the story of Sloppy secondary school, where a twenty four hour famine is being held to bring awareness to the millions of starving people in third world countries. At the time of the last famine, Mr Balszack (I dare you not to let out a childish laugh when reading that name) falls prey to an accident that leaves his face melting across the hallways of Sloppy secondary school. Five years later, another famine is being held, and it seems someone is picking off the participants one by one.
This movie is a pure throwback to the High school slasher movies of the eighties, but the sexuality and gore are amped up to incredibly high levels, as is the body count. It is also incredibly humorous, with every character being so over the top, and the majority of them incredibly obnoxious, you'll be cheering when you see them die.
As always, the FX are absolutley killer in this movie (as they are in every Plottdigger movie I have seen) with tons of the red stuff on show!! Ryan Nicholson sure knows what gore hounds crave!! The killer takes the form of the high school's mascot who is known as Nails, and yes, he really does use nails to great effect.
I for one am happy that Ryan Nicholson realizes that Horror movies are one of the last bastions of so called 'Bad taste' left. Horror is one of the last remaining places in the whole of the entertainment industry where you don't have to be nice and inoffensive and kind, and I can safely say that those words have never applied to any Plottdigger movie I have seen, nor do I think they ever will be!
With Famine, you get buckets of viscera, puerile comedy of the lowest (and in my opinion, funniest) order and characters you love to hate!
Nearly every student we meet at Sloppy High school comes across as oversexed, selfish and mean spirited. Perfect slasher movie fodder I hear you cry. And, in another nod to the slasher movies of yore, none of the characters are in their teens, so there is something else to laugh at!
Death arrives by the bucketload in this movie. You get death by disemboweling, railway spikes, nail gun, and, in what is probably the most inventive scene, an industrial kitchen dishwasher which bought a huge smile to my face!!
Im very sure Ryan Nicholson and crew, and Plotdigger Films, are going to continue making a huge name for themselves in the horror industry, and as movies like Famine will attest, they have so much more to give!!
Wont you all visit Plotdigger.com to learn more about Plotdigger's movies, and purchase them too!!
Coming soon from Plotdigger is a movie called Dead Nude Girls. Now if that doesn't whet your appetite, then what the hell are you doing here??
From the makers of Hack Job and I Spill your Guts.
Rich and Benny are a couple of losers. They have never had much luck with the ladies, until Rich realizes he has control of a demon named Az. Their lives turn into one big party, until a soul eating beast leaps through a portal from Hell and begins terrorizing the city where Rich and Benny live. Now it's up to Rich, Benny and Az to send the creature back to the depths of hell from whence it came. Who would have thought Rich would have to save the world just to get laid??
This movie is so much fun!! Every actor plays their character perfectly, and James Balsamo is brilliant as the loveable loser Rich. Everything about this movie screams funny. From the way Rich takes the demon under his control, to the way Rich is put down by pretty much everyone around him. And then there is Az. He is just so much fun, and has a very novel way of using his tail for a certain exploit.
The humor is incredibly juvenile, which is no bad thing, and suits the tone of the movie perfectly. Again, there are a whole heap of blink and you'll miss them cameos, this time from the likes of Tom Savini, Raven, Tommy Dreamer (I can almost hear the shouts of ECW ECW) and many more. Also worthy of a mention are the musician cameos throughout, coming from Anderw W.K, Obituary, Municipal Waste and the vocalist of Death Metal legends Suffocation, Frank Mullen ( to name a few).
The story telling is perfect, getting straight into the thick of it, and not ever moving too far away from the main storyline. It's another movie I cannot see anyone being bored with! James Balsamo certainly has a knack for putting across a fun filled tale filled with nudity, monsters and lashings of gore!!
Damn, the back story of the movie is done in a metal sing along with karaoke style bouncing skull moving across the lyrics at the bottom of the screen. Again, it shows that the entire cast and crew have worked so hard to get this movie made, and it contains so much heart, it really is impossible not to enjoy this fun filled horror/comedy.
Most of all though, this movie is different. It isn't another found footage movie. It isn't about haunted houses, or another masked slasher (not that there is anything wrong with any of those things).It feels fresh, exciting and manages to shock aswell as tickle your funny bone. This film is here to entertain you, nothing less. It is pure escapism, and all the more fun because of it.
Did I also mention this movie has zombies? Oh yes, the living dead make an appearance too!!
Cool as Hell really is another piece of amazing cinema from James Balsamo. Definitely a director/actor/producer/writer/ to keep your eyes on. Check out Cool as Hell as soon as you can! It'll brighten your day no end! Believe me, Hollywood would not have the balls to make a movie as daring and fun as this, and even if they did, I'm sure it'd be nowhere near as much fun!!
Crazy characters? Check. Awesome storyline? Check. Insane amounts of the red stuff? Check. A scene that will make every male watching cross their legs in shock? Hell yes! Gutterballs has all of this, and so much more!! A slasher movie for the misanthropist in us all!!
Gutterballs is a throwback to the slasher films of the late seventies/early eighties as well as the Giallo movies of the early seventies. You know the type, where someone is wronged in the first few scenes, and comes back for revenge on the people who wronged them.
Gutterballs tells the story of two rival cliques ( one consisting of the most despicable group of humans I have ever seen in a movie). Tensions rise between the two groups at an after hours bowling session until a fight breaks out. As one of the groups leave, one of the women realizes she has forgotten her purse, and enters the bowling alley once more, only to be brutally raped by the group of obnoxious friends. The following night, both groups return to the bowling alley, but as they begin their game, they seem to be going missing one by one. The name B.B.K appears on the score keeping screens. As each person disappears, the bowling alley will run red with blood. Will anyone survive?
Gutterballs oozes sleaze. Even more so than Ryan Nicholson's previous movie Live Feed (surprising seeing as Live Feed was shot in a real working Porno theater). From the very graphic rape which kicks things off, to the infamous 'Death by 69' ( I'm sure I don't have to go into detail) the film is a grime filled sleaze fest.
It is also incredibly nasty, and the FX are amazing, especially the aforementioned scene which made me and my friends all wince and cross our legs, and an inventive and foul mouthed ball polisher which does a fair bit of damage in ways in which I will not go into, for fear of spoiling the surprise.
The movie definitely doesn't skimp on the gore either. The movie does have a slow build up, but as soon as the characters come back to the bowling alley after the rape, the red stuff starts flying. And believe me, it does get incredibly messy in every way!
Gutterballs attempts, and succeeds in shocking, with it's constant profanity, brutality and sex/murder one two punch. It is probably the most mean spirited movie I have ever seen, and I love it all the more for that.The soundtrack is awesome too, full of 80's style synth.
Watch out soon for a review of Ryan Nicholson's Live Feed.
You can purchase Gutterballs, and other Plotdigger films by clicking Here.
Support these awesome filmmakers, so they can keep making movies that arent censored, that play to every horror fans worst nightmares, and that kick so much ass!!!
