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Friday 14 March 2014

Soulseller Records release Necromantia - 'Nekromanteion - A Collection of Arcane Hexes' on 4th April 2014.



A new double CD from cult Greek Black Metal band Necromantia, featuring demos, splits, early works and more is set to be released by Soulseller Records on the fourth of April 2014.

The Magus states:

"Nekromanteion is the sacred place where the art of Necromantia (Necromancy) is performed. A dark haven, hidden from the common eyes where the necromancer practices and evolves his magnum arcanum. Likewise, this double CD compilation is a collection of almost all our works which are not included in our official albums, meaning demos, promos, splits, compilations, early works, covers etc. It is the first time that all of these rare gems are gathered in a double volume. Necromantia was always a band who followed it's own dark path music wise. We created, not followed. We influenced and gave shape to the musical directions of younger bands and musicians. With Nekromanteion, we offer you a full view of our wanderings through the abyss since our profane birth in 1989..... Be not afraid to look into the Everos, although you must know that Everos will look back into you...... Rejoice...".



The double album even features Pre-Necromantia material under the monicker of Necromancy.

As you can see, this is definitely a must-buy for all fans of black metal, as it shows the roots and progression of one of the greatest bands to hail from Greece, and the founder of the Greek black metal scene, which also includes Rotting Christ amongst many more.

Darkest regards......Dani.

Curse of Chucky (2013).



Don Mancini and Ronny Yu managed to take the third Child's Play sequel and make something different out of the franchise. While that film was played entirely straight, it was laced with buddy comedy moments. Then came Seed of Chucky, probably the only film in the franchise which felt like everyone was just going through the motions.

When I heard about Curse of Chucky attempting to be scary again, I obviously became rather excited at that prospect. After seeing the film, it is safe to say that while it is not perfect, Curse of Chucky is the best Child's Play movie since the first sequel.

The film takes place, nearly for the duration of the movie, over the course of a single night. Nica, a girl who was born a paraplegic, finds her mother dead not long after receiving a mysterious package which contains a Good Guy Doll. Things go from strange to worse as more people start dying, and while the deaths all look like accidents, the Good Guy doll is never far away.

This is how a Child's Play movie should be done! The film is incredibly tense, building tension throughout to a satisfying and blood soaked conclusion. Darknessis used to a great advantage, as is Chucky's mischievous nature, and he is made even more mean spirited by events which unfold and secrets which are revealed throughout the film.

That is another great thing about this movie. Everything gets tied up. There are no loose ends (be sure to watch after the credits to see a grown-up Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) receive a very special gift). The plot twists and turns, leaving old and new viewers of the universe Chucky inhabits breathless and totally unable to predict where the movie is going.

While the murders aren't as plentiful or gory as they could have been, it in no way harms the film, as it seems to be more about suspense and building an atmosphere of fear, and identifying with the character of Nica, who doesn't have the ability to run away, or kick (as many who have said they would do) Chucky really makes the viewer feel helpless.

Chucky looks fantastic. There is some CGI, but again, it doesn't hinder the film. Chucky is one 'Rude fucking doll, man' and he is as psychotic and evil as ever, not getting a line of dialogue for at least the first forty-five minutes of the film, and not seen fully on camera (while he is moving) for the same amount of time. In that way, it replicates the original Child's Play, where you catch glimpses of Chucky moving, but there is always that thought in the back of your mind that it could have been Andy you were seeing.

This is without a doubt, the strongest entry to the series since Child's Play 2, and the fact it gives us fans so many chances to 'geek out' over points made in the other movies, while also tying up every loose-end from the previous entries makes this a definite must-watch. Go get it, because this time, Chucky really does want to play.

Darkest regards......Dani.

Thursday 13 March 2014

Necrophagia release brand new song 'The Wicked' for free download.



For all you Necrophagia fans out there, check out their new song, which was released Halloween 2013, entitled 'The Wicked'. Crushing, dark and heavy as a thousand bloated decaying corpses, any fan of horror, metal and really good, dark passionate music MUST check this song, and the band out!



You can download 'The Wicked' for free from Necrophagia's Bandcamp, by clicking HERE.

Darkest regards......Dani.

HazMat available on VOD on March 11 and DVD on April 1st.



The television crew of the Scary Antics hidden camera show sets up innocent chumps for scary practical jokes on national television. For a special behind-the-scenes episode, a group of friends wants to set up Jacob, a disturbed young man who is having problems adjusting after his father's death at a chemical factory. Jacob is convinced that the factory is haunted , and now Scary Antics is going to prove him right.

Friends and crew are having a good laugh at Jacob's expense when something goes horribly wrong. The tables are turned and now they're the ones that are running for their lives. Trapped inside the boarded-up building with an axe-wielding maniac, this is definitely no laughing matter.

Hazmat won Best Horror film at the Berlin Independent Film Festival and the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival. It has also been a selection of Screamfest, Bram Stoker International Film Festival, and The Indie Horror Film Festival.

The film is now available for digital download or rent on iTunes, Vudu and Google Play. In addition, it is available through Xfinity On Demand, X-Box and Playstation.

iTunes:- https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/hazmat/id813357180

Vudu:- http://www.vudu.com/movies/#!content/508275/Hazmat

Google Play:- https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/HazMat?id=ohC02m8wGn8

Darkest regards......Dani.

Murderdrome (2013).







Coming to the UK and Ireland on May the twelfth is a great little film called Murderdrome, which successfully combines Roller Derby, comedy and horror to great effect, recalling the more quirky horror films of the eighties, bathed in neon light and with strong female characters who are as quirky as they are beautiful.

Roller Derby sensation Cherry Skye loves nothing better than competing in her favourite sport. When Skye catches Brad's eye, sparks fly. Unfortunately, she also catches the attention of Brad's ex, her Roller Derby nemesis Hell Grazer. If that isn't bad enough, the heat generated by this romantic rivalry arouses a malevolent demon-spirit, hungry for human souls. Trapped between the wrath of Hell Grazer and damnation at the Gates of Hell, Skye has no option but to throw down and sort this mess out the only way she knows...on eight small wheels.

Managing to blend the world of Roller Derby with gory horror and a great story, Murderdrome gets so much right, it is impossible not to fall in love with it's 80's sensibilities, splatter and attractive alternative women. Everything in the movie looks incredible, and each character is played with such an over the top passion that again, it is virtually impossible to dislike. The fights, the violence, the characters, everything is filled with such a passion, that it is easy to see everyone had a great time making the film, and it really shines through in everything, from the performances, the special FX right down to the camera work.

The story grabs you right away, making you vouch for Skye from the get-go, whilst also doing a great deal to make you dislike Hell Grazer. The demons look incredibly cool, like members of an all girl black metal band complete with spikes, corpse paint and some very nice weaponry indeed. The way they dispatch their victims will have slasher fans clapping with glee!

All of the women in the film wear Skates for the duration of the film, and this lends it a kinetic energy that propels the movie ever forward. The camera work is breathtaking, framing the action and conversations well, and letting the viewer take in the neon lit surroundings. The dialogue is fantastic, and got many laughs from me, especially for using the term "Duck butter" (You are going to have to watch the film to see what it is).

If you want well done blood and gore, hilarious dialogue, a great story it is easy to get behind and women on skates, then look no further than Murderdrome. It might very well be your new favourite movie. It has certainly managed to find it's place in mine.

You can pre-order Murderdrome from Amazon UK by clicking HERE.

Darkest regards......Dani.

Wednesday 12 March 2014

Texas chainsaw massacre: A script analysis.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the perfect horror film script. Showcasing a slow build up with characters totally out of their depth in any situation they find themselves in, it is an uneasy read, but one with many things one does not pick up on when viewing the movie. It is minimalist in it's characterization, but this only helps with the attempted realism of the script, not allowing you to know much about any of the characters featured, but allowing you to absorb the horrific goings on and constant references to death and decay. It also seems to be a commentary on the neuroses of the white male mindset, at least in the latter part of the script. The family of Cook, Hitchhiker and Leatherface have no feminine role model, and all they seem to live for is the procurement of their next meal and the collection of goods they take from their unfortunate victims. When these people are faced with representatives of a progressive society outside of their normal day to day lives, they choose to exert their power and consume them. The protagonists are all young, and seem at odds with the locals, who are always described as strange looking. There is a scene where the characters are drinking outside of a petrol station/cafe, when a young child comes out of the cafe crying. He runs straight at one of the males, sinking his teeth into his leg. Yet another portent of what is to come.

The script begins with an incredible description of the sun,  the giver of life on earth. It then describes the sun fading to an eyeball, and then begins to describe a corpse of a dead dog, it's jaw nearly removed from it's skull. In the first few lines of the script, we are introduced to life and death in both extremes, and it is certainly the death that hits harder. It is also mentioned that the van the characters are traveling in is moving towards the corpse of the dog. This could be seen as the characters in the van approaching death. There are also a few lines of the script that describe the radio mentioning various atrocities and disasters, showing that the world is becoming more violent and destructive place.

There are a few references to space and planets. It is said when the moon is full, crazy people do even crazier things. This is referenced twice in the first few pages of the script, and can be seen as one of the reasons (if you believe it to be true) of the horrors that befall the group of friends. Saturn being in retrograde (where an object is seen to be moving in reverse, but is still in fact moving forward) is mentioned around the same time as the moon, and is also explained as a reason for bad things happening to the characters on their trip to Houston. Again, the script certainly doesn't hold your hand, never forcing these views onto the reader. It only seems to hint at them through conversation between the characters about space and horoscopes.

The character of Leatherface is nearly completely dehumanized, not allowing the reader of the script to identify with him or his despicable actions. He wears a mask of wrinkled skin so his features are never described. He doesn't communicate with words and has a habit of squealing and whinnying when he is chasing his victims, before brutally murdering them with hammer blows or his trademark chainsaw. He is usually described as monstrous and never as human. Later in the script, when he is being disciplined by Cook for allowing someone to escape, the script describes him as a lost child, cowering before the authority of his father figure, and then when he stops being threatened by Cook, he responds by cooing and becoming excitable, again like a small child. This is the only instance where the script even hints at the character of Leatherface showing any humanity whatsoever.

The villains of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre do not see their actions as wrong so much as unpleasant, but only Cook "can't take no pleasure in killing". He considers their actions to be an unfortunate by product of their way of life. This is most prevalent when Cook is talking to main character Sally, and says to her "There's somethings you got to do in life, that don't mean you have to like it". He also complains when the Hitchhiker is toying with Sally when she is held captive. The villains are incapable of change, and go as far as murder and cannibalism to stave off the ever changing ways of society and to keep the old ways of their town alive.

The ending of the script certainly left me with a chill. The final girl, Sally, is driven out of town, screaming hysterically after being chased by Leatherface. The script then tells of another van, full of screaming cattle driving into the town to be slaughtered. This again shows that the villains in the piece, and maybe the whole population of the town, considered the young folk to be nothing more than cattle to be killed, consumed and eaten. Maybe this was due to their dislike of change that the youngsters represented, or maybe a commentary on capitalism which was happening at the time, with small businesses cannibalizing larger businesses of the same kind. Either way, it was a fitting end to a minimalistic yet brutal and disturbing script.

Darkest regards......Dani.

Dolls (1987) 101 Films UK Blu-Ray release.



Out of all the "dolls coming alive and killing people" films that I have seen throughout my life so far, nothing has fulfilled what I have been looking for in these types of movies so much as Stuart gordon's Dolls did. Stylistically perfect in every way (this  may have something to do with the majority of the cast being Italian), with an undiluted fairytale atmosphere and truly jaw dropping special FX, Dolls finally has a release here in the UK on Blu-Ray, and I for one am impressed with 101 Films for finally bringing this film to our shores.

A terrible storm forces a family to seek shelter at the house of a seemingly kind old couple. Soon after, a driver and two punk girl hitchhikers he picked up arrive at the house too. They soon find out that the doll maker and his wife, and their extensive collection of dolls, are not what they at first appear to be.

I guess it is clear already that I am a huge fan of this movie, from seeing it every time I entered our local video rental store, it has always stuck with me. It's fantasy element, and somewhat ethereal moments definitely helped it adhere to my childhood taste in films, and amazingly, to this day it still has the same effect on me.

The dolls are incredibly evil, both in look and in personality (yes, they have personalities, and they certainly shine through again and again), and the explanation for them being the way they are is very satisfying. While the story does become rather convoluted, and the ending is a little silly, it really doesn't stop Dolls from being yet another jewell in Stuart Gordon's crown. The man really can turn his hand to directing anything. From Lovecraft, to stories of murderous dolls, to Honey, I shrunk the Kids! (which Stuart Gordon co-wrote with Brian Yuzna) the man certainly has so much talent.

The extras on 101 Films Blu-Ray release of Dolls are a little non-existent. All you get is a feature length commentary from director Stuart Gordon and writer Ed Naha (who also wrote John Carl Beuchler's fantasy horror film Troll). The commentary is interesting and informative, and it is great to hear both director and writer talking about their experiences while making the film. The picture is crisp and clean, and looks fantastic, showing off the beautiful cinematography and creepy locations to great effect. This Blu-Ray release really makes everything so much better!

Dolls still stands as arguably the greatest 'killer doll' movie out there. I for one will always class it as such, as I cannot express how much I love this movie.

You can purchase the 101 Films Blu-Ray of Dolls from Amazon UK by clicking HERE.

Darkest regards......Dani.


Black Spot, a new short thriller from Luther Bhogal-Jones.





This February, the Sussex based filmmaker luther Bhogal-Jones invites you to six minutes of mayhem, delirium and violence in the short roadside thriller 'Black Spot".

Paul is stranded on a lonely country road when his car fails to start. He walks through the melancholic landscape of missing person posters and floral tributes to roadside deaths, before chancing upon another car, but one which ironically, is also broken down. Not only will this car provide Paul with salvation and suffering, but force him to face his own recent past actions and provide him with a potential chance to redeem himself.

Shot on a miniscule budget, with a £28 3D camcorder a little larger than a Blackberry, Black Spot is another short, sharp shocking ride following the success of “Creak”, Bhogal-Jones’ previous horror short from 2012.
Black Spot was shot in one day in June at the bottom of the South Downs against an increasingly temperamental short lived camera battery life whilst also rallying against constant stop/ start rain showers. Additional shooting was done several months later at a flat in Brighton for the pivotal flashback sequence.
“I’ve always had a love of 3D films even though they’re tarnished with being gimmicky” explains writer/ director Bhogal-Jones “The red/ cyan 3d imagery is such an iconic image from cinema’s history - as well as related so closely with the world of horror and sci-fi - and I’ve always wanted to make a film with that classic look.”
With a relentless soundtrack from Brighton composer Mikolaj Holowko, Black Spot is a 6 minute aural and visual assault with an extra dimension which is sure to stand out from the horror short film crowd.

Black Spot can be viewed online now at www.vimeo.com/fasterproductions.

Three versions of Black Spot are available to view – a 3D version requiring the classic red/ cyan 3D glasses, a stereoscopic 3D version for viewing on 3D tvs and a standard 2D version for those who cannot view the 3D – though Luther recommends a 3D version, as that was the main reason for making the film.

Darkest regards......Dani.

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Antfarm Dickhole (2011).





As you can probably tell, Antfarm Dickhole, right down to it's title, was made to provoke a reaction. Whether that be laughter or revulsion, it certainly manages to do just that, and that is what is so special about Antfarm Dickhole. It is a series of conversations, bad special FX, sloppy writing and Bill Zubub espousing his philosophies in a manner you might find hard to take seriously.

Please, don't think I am belittling this movie. I loved it. Bill Zebub is a true purveyor of underground cinema, and he doesn't dilute his vision or his words for anyone, and again, this is another thing that makes Antfarm Dickhole so special.

Ant-drew and Ant-thony are really good friends, who unfortunately find themselves being bullies when they are trying to enjoy the forest. Both are knocked unconscious in the forest, and ants crawl into Ant-drew's dickhole. Ant-thony is spared because, well, he is uncircumcised and the ants managed to mistake his penis for an Ant-Eater, and left it alone.

What follows is Ant-drew's confidence increasing as he finds that the ants are protecting him as if Ant-drew was their home. This sets up some hilarious scenes, and some incredibly bizarre conversations. A scene involving a spider had me shouting out "What the fuck" many many times, while another featuring Ant-drew masturbating into the tail-pipe of a car had me rolling around with laughter. And then there was the banana scene! I'm not going to ruin it for anyone, but it has to be seen to be believed! Also, there are many ant puns littered throughout the dialogue, and while some may find these tiresome, I found them funny, along with each character having ant-related names.

I found Antfarm Dickhole to be something very different. It is honest, crazy and whilst it was shot on an incredibly low budget, the heart of this production beats strong, as Bill Zebub waxes lyrical over many topics throughout the film, whilst also plying many exploitation tropes to the movie. It is also incredibly obvious that all of the cast had so much fun making the movie, which again goes some way to making the film so much easier to sit through.

Fans of offensive/bad taste cinema will find so much to love in this movie, as will fans of absurd creature features and lovers of incredibly bad horror comedies. Go get Antfarm Dickhole and prepare to lose something....be that your virginity, your temper or your mind. Either way, Antfarm Dickhole is an incredible achievement and one that, if you should be willing to take a chance on, you might very well fall in love with.

Click HERE to find out about all of Bill Zebub's movies, from his documentaries, to his horror movies.

Toetag also have a selection of Bill Zebub movies for sale. You can check them out by clicking HERE.

Darkest regards......Dani.



Frankenstein: The True Story (Second Sight release).



Frankenstein: The True Story was made in 1973, and made it's DVD debut on the tenth of March 2014. Originally broadcast in two parts as a television series, it was edited down to a two hour run time for a theatrical run in the United Kingdom. While the film doesn't run close to the original story at all, it managed to re-invent the story of Frankenstein for a new generation.

In 19th century England, Dr Victor Frankenstein, played by Leonard Whiting, bitter over his brother's untimely death, voices his wish that men could have power over life and death. Following a chance encounter with Dr Henry Clerval (David McCallum), a surgeon experimenting in this very field, they join forces and Victor achieves the impossible, the creation of life. He creates a handsome, highly intelligent young man (Michael Sarrazin), but unforeseen problems and the involvement of evil scientist Dr Polidori (James Mason) lead to shocking, unimaginable horror.

While you may think that a three hour running time is far too long, and the fact that it is a TV movie might very well hinder the production, you couldn't be more wrong. The running time speeds by, and the relationship between creator and monster is both touching and frightening as the creature learns all about emotion, all the while Frankenstein becomes ever more repulsed by his creation.

To top off this amazing film, all of the creature make-up was handled by Hammer veteran Roy Ashton, and the way the creatures face becomes ever-more hideous as the film goes on is yet another effective tool this film has at it's disposal, as well as the incredibly well realised characters and spooky settings usually seen in British horror.

The film manages to draw the viewer in to each of the relationships developing in the story, making the viewer invest emotion, and feeling the trials and tribulations each of the characters go through. It also makes you feel incredibly sorry for a number of the characters, not least the creature, as he is so eager to please, so eager to be loved and do good. I also sense a slight Homo-erotic tone between Dr Frankenstein and the creature, as the beginning of their relationship does play out like a romance (this could just be me though, so don't take it too seriously).

While it is a rather unusual take on the original Mary Shelley book, it is a surprising and thoroughly refreshing take on the story, and one that begs to be seen by fans of the original novel. There are a few recognisable nods to the original story, such as the escape to the North, the blind man in the cottage, and the hiss Agatha/Prima (played by English rose Jayne Seymour) lets out when she is threatened.

Filmmaker Seb Godin offered to make comparisons to Frankenstein: The True Story and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (the book, of course). So without further rambling from me, here they are:

- In the book, Victor's brother is very young and only dies later on when the Creature finds him.

- Clerval is Victor's best friend from their childhood, and not a mad doctor.

- Polidori isn't a character in the novel.


- The Creature is monstrous, and doesn't slowly degenerate as he does in Frankenstein: The True Story.


- The Creature in the novel commands Victor to create him a mate, which he refuses to do.


- Elizabeth is strangled by the creature in the book, which sends Victor on a hunt after him, instead of the Creature killing Elizabeth on the boat and crashing it into the ice.


- Instead of the ending where the Creature and Victor forgive each other, the novel ends with the remorseful creature mourning Victor's death and escaping into the Arctic.


Many thanks to Seb Godin for taking the time to point out these comparisons.


Darkest regards......Dani.

Lord of Tears (2013).



Dread. Long has this feeling been absent from horror movies. Lawrie Brewster's Lord of Tears brings this feeling back, and blends it with many classic horror tricks such as the use of shadows, atmosphere and a genuinely chilling ambience to create something entirely different and incredibly effective.

A teacher named James, after the death of his mother, inherits his family's estate. His mother, although leaving it to him, requests that he never goes there. Of course, James defies his mother and moves into the house, where his long repressed memories awaken giving him terrible nightmares about a man with the head of an owl, and enormous talons for hands. The Owlman speaks in riddles and rhymes, and James isn't clear on whether the Owlman is trying to help him, or end his life.

Setting the film in a creepy old mansion situated in the Scottish highlands goes a long way for this film. The location is drenched in fog, heightening the already suffocating atmosphere even more. You are constantly on edge, watching out for the ethereal Owlman, who could be anywhere. When the Owlman does appear, the film seems almost hallucinatory, the filmmakers managing to blend the realms of the waking and the dreaming to great effect.

The blend of a ghost story, religious tales and Pagan folklore are blended extremely well with the story of a man trying his hardest to discover his forgotten past, whilst being haunted by one of the creepiest characters that any horror film has managed to show in such a long time.

I have nothing but praise for this film. The location, the characters, the monster. All are incredible, and go towards making a classic horror film that doesn't have to rely on blood and gore to get under the viewers skin. Everything about the film makes it seem like it was shot on a much bigger budget than it was, and it's ability to creep out even the most hardened horror fan is a great testament to the filmmakers, cast and crew involved.

The Lord of Tears DVD/Blu-Ray comes packaged in a beautiful sleeve along with a CD of the soundtrack and a twenty-four page booklet which contains some beautiful artwork, along with instructions on how to perform your very own sacrifice. The film also comes a downloadable 440 page book, which contains photos, a production diary, storyboards and illustrations. The package as a whole is incredible, and adds to the mystery of the film, as well as giving us a look behind the scenes.

Everyone who is a fan of horror, be it anything from the Universal monsters, up to Jigsaw and Eli Roth's Hostel, should give Lord of Tears to see how horror is still an incredibly effective tool in cinema, and when it is captured, as Lord of Tears has done, it will shake you to your very soul. It really is that good!

You can purchase the Lord of Tears Region Free DVD/Blu-Ray from Hex Media by clicking HERE.

Darkest regards......Dani.