Quantcast
Channel: 2013 – MOVIES and MANIA
Viewing all 224 articles
Browse latest View live

Ghost Team One – USA, 2013

0
0

‘Arouse the dead’

Ghost Team One is a 2013 American comedy found footage horror film directed by Scott Rutherford and Ben Peyser from a screenplay by Andrew Knauer and Arthur Pielli.

When roommates Brad (J.R. Villarreal) and Sergio (Carlos Santos) accidentally arouse the dead, they team up with sexy amateur ghost hunter, Fernanda (Fernanda Romero), to expose the evil inside their home.

However, just as the guys start to get close to their attractive new female partner, they discover that a horny demon wants in on the action…

Reviews:

“Sure, it’s spoofing elements from some well known horror movies but it’s never trying to mimic or make fun of certain well known scenes from any of those movies. It makes this movie less predictable with all of its comedy and therefore often also more fun and creative to watch than the average genre spoof.” Frank Veenstra, Boba_fett1138

“Not every joke works, but none fall distractingly flat for three reasons – first, Santos and Villarreal have absolutely impeccable comedic timing, second, the duo never breaks character so even when a gag isn’t laugh-out-loud-worthy, it still feels natural, and third, every single cut in the film facilitates the humor.” Perri Nemiroff, We Got This Covered

“A mostly directionless plot, miserably developed and single-minded characters, and an ending that’s far too bizarre even for a movie of this style, it’s hopefully just Ghost Team One-and-done and try to forget it ever happened.” Martin Liebman, Blu-ray.com

” …there are certainly plenty of laughs, but absolutely no scares to be found. That said, Peyser and Rutherford do achieve a fairly high level of realism from their actors, despite the ridiculous situations; Carlos Santos, J.R. Villarreal and Fernanda Romero all give admirable performances — as does Tony Cavalero, who plays Chuck, the perpetually angry third housemate.” Don Simpson, Smells Like Screen Spirit

“Sure there are some funny bits – a line about sucking the demon out pretty much made me fall to the floor laughing – but the jokes are mainly of the goofy frat house humor sort. Frankly I thought the film would have been better served to eliminate the found footage trope entirely – and just tell the story as a story.”Carlos deVillalvilla, Cinema 365

“As I have no sense of humour when it comes to comedy-horror movies, spoofs or otherwise, I hate to say it, but I was slightly entertained by Ghost Team One in a low-rent Men Behaving Badly (British version, naturally) way. It’s well written, the drama is nicely done, and the characters are stupidly amiable but harmless enough.” Dr. Blood’s Video Vault

“Apart from one or two memorable jokes, like when Sergio calls Brad “the Kobe Bryant of ghost-f@4king,” the film is just dead-light-bulb dumb. The characterizations are so one-note, and the plot, such as it is, is so tired that it feels like the film’s creators were obligated more than they were compelled to finish the film.” Simon Abrams, RogerEbert.com

There’s nothing to learn or gain from this film, as the only point is to make you laugh­—and that it does. By spoofing horror movies such as Paranormal Activity and The Exorcist, director’s Scott Rutherford and Ben Peyser take this film to the next level of film parody, but with their own great clever bits and sense of humor.” Jory Carroll, Slug magazine

Choice dialogue:

Brad: [Talking about an Ouija board] “It’s not a game!? It’s made by Hasbro, dick!”

Cast and characters:

  • Carlos Santos … Sergio
  • J.R. Villarreal … Brad
  • Fernanda Romero … Fernanda
  • Tony Cavalero … Chuck
  • Megan Falcone … Becky

Release:

The film was released in theatrically on October 11, 2013.

Wikipedia | IMDb

HORRORPEDIA on social media:  Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Tumblr | Twitter


Don’t Move- short, UK, 2013

0
0

‘Don’t blink. Don’t speak. And whatever you do…’

Don’t Move is a 2013 British supernatural horror short – part of the Bloody Cuts series of web horror shorts – directed by Anthony Melton (Don’t Go Down to WildorThe Outer DarknessThe Birch) from a screenplay by David Scullion (The Cabinet in the Woods; The Summoning; 6th Sense); it stars Rachel Bright, Jake Hendriks, and Kate Braithwaite.

Set on one fateful night, six friends gather for their monthly ‘games night’… and accidentally unleash a demonic force that might tear them – and their friendships – to pieces…

Reviews:

“I loved everything about this short: the demon look (clearly inspired by Hellraiser’s Chatterer Cenobite), the gore (especially the last kill), the sound effects (creating the perfect tension) and the believable acting (often a weak point in some short movies). Don’t Move is a great achievement…” Daily Dose of Horror

“The film creates tension and drama with very little physical movement, with the characters playing the deadliest game of musical statues of their lives. It comes with a simple but effective twist at the end, and a gory surprise. Overall it’s a well made film, with suspense and some fairly good gore.” Gore Blimey

Filming locations:

Manor Farm Barn, Norfolk, England, UK

IMDb | Facebook | TwitterYouTube

Related: Don’t Read This!!!! Movies that use ‘Don’t’ in their title or tagline – article

Unlisted Owner – USA, 2013

0
0

‘There goes the neighborhood’

Unlisted Owner is a 2017 American found footage horror film directed by Jed Brian (who also stars) from a screenplay co-written with Tyler Landers.

The film was edited as crime scene video evidence, with law enforcement placards showing the date time and whose camera was filming in the next sequence.

A small Illinois community in fictional Lawford County that has been shaken to the core by the murders of a Roth family who had recently purchased a house with a dark history unaware to many.

A radio broadcast of the deaths is heard by a group of friends: Gavin Landers (Gavin Groves), Griffin Potts (Griffin Groves), Tyler Brian (Tyler Landers), Jed Groves (Jed Brian), Andrea Mills (Andrea Potts), and Haidee Summers (Haidee Corona).

The teens realise the murders are only a mile away from where they are going camping. Since the murder scene is so close, they decide to investigate themselves…

Reviews [may contain spoilers]:

“Because the events in the beginning of Unlisted Owner take so long to get through, the ending of the film is very rushed. This leaves viewers feeling like they have just gone through a rollercoaster effect of deaths since all happen within minutes or seconds of each other. ” Samantha Andujar, Cryptic Rock

“Yes, it looks and feels realistic enough but you just want it to move on to the fun bits. You almost wish that there was more footage of the family in the first video but we do not stay with them long enough to care for them. Clocking in at 65 minutes, it is a quick watch and you know what to expect.” Phase 9

“I wouldn’t say Unlisted Owner was a flop, though if there had been more attention taken to adjusting certain elements of the plot to make into something truly terrifying than I think the film would have done well!” Popcorn Horror

” …the last twenty minutes was solid horror and effectively filmed, especially the clever way each of the characters vanish one by one. Despite being obvious in this type of genre it had some good moments, such as the camera battery running out at a key moment, the final (if predictable) shot and a reason for filming that just about holds up.” Daniel Simmonds,  The Rotting Zombie

” …the acting in this no budget feature is actually quite good. Unfortunately the douchebag dialogue is so convincing, I wanted to kill the characters myself. I certainly didn’t care when any of them died. A long build leads to budgeted pull-away kills which would have been okay, except I wanted to see these immature assholes die.” Jason Minton, Without Your Head

Cast and characters:

  • Jed Brian as Jed Groves
  • Chris Ash as Chris Martin
  • Levi Atkins as “The Owner”
  • Chloe Benedict as Chloe Roth
  • Haidee Corona as Haidee Summers
  • Gavin Groves as Gavin Landers
  • Griffin Groves as Griffin Potts
  • Tanner Hoke as Tanner Lweis
  • Tyler Landers as Tyler Brian
  • Mark Nation-Ellis as Mark Roth
  • Amber Newlin as Amber Roth
  • Andrea Potts as Andrea Mills
  • Graycie Sapp as Graycie Roth
  • Travis Trainner as Officer Travis Diggs
  • Trenton Wilkinson as Trenton Roth

Release:

The film premiered to a focus group in Vincennes, Indiana on June 14 and 15, 2013, and screened again November 24, 2013, in Evansville, before screening at festivals and the American Film Market (AFM) in November 2015. Lawford County Productions signed a distribution agreement with Tom Cat Films/Summer Hill Entertainment in October 2016. Unlisted Owner was released on Amazon.com on November 14th, 2017.

Wikipedia | IMDb

Billy Club – USA, 2013

0
0

‘Strike three: You’re dead’

Billy Club is a 2013 comedy slasher horror film written and directed by Drew Rosas (Blood Junkie) and Nick Sommer. The latter stars alongside Marshall Caswell, Erin Hammond and Max Williamson.

Fifteen years after a gruesome triple homicide devastated their Little League baseball team, four friends reunite to commemorate their dead coach and fallen teammates.

A mystery unfolds as the secrets from their past return to haunt them and a vengeful killer, hidden by an antique umpire’s mask, returns to even the score…

Reviews:

Billy Club is a slasher that does a pretty solid job of capturing that 80’s vibe. It has some of the best editing I have seen, some good laughs, cool practical effects (I just wish there were more), and a fun little twist in the final act. I don’t know if this warrants multiple viewings (unless your with friends), but if you know what you are in for you can have some fun with it.” Adam the Movie God

“The visual template of the film is adeptly complimented by the balance the script achieves between horror, comedy, and absurdity. The film is funny, especially early. The script gives us easily likeable characters and develops them very quickly, something many horror films try to do, but take forever when trying. This lets the action develop very quickly with characters like and have an interest in, almost immediately.” Mister Joshua, DreadWorld

“The cast is strong with Erin Hammond standing out as the final girl, Alison McKenzie and a smile-inducing extended cameo role from Animal House star Mark Metcalf. Billy Club understands what is wants to be and makes the most of it managing to excel beyond its limited budget and modest beginnings. Many larger budget, even studio driven, films have trouble getting the slasher genre as well as Billy Club does.” HorrorNews.net

“Overall, the film was first-class, a solid slasher flick. Nick Sommer, wearing multiple hats in this film, along with his writing/directing  partner, Drew Rosas, hit an unyielding double-play (to use little league vernacular). Not quite a home run, but for young directors, Billy Club is a very strong step in what looks like a promising career.” Influx magazine

“The directing/writing duo of Drew Rosas and Nick Sommer’s love for 80s slasher films comes shining through in a horror movie that is better then it has any right to be. Tributes to 80s slasher films are nothing new, but if they at least got one thing right it was a great back-story with a gimmicky killer.” Mr. DuLac, Letterboxd

“You’d expect a film so ripe in so many places to be equally as gory and we are treated to some outrageous kill scenes. These do aim more for realism than extremity though and I believe that suits the film’s set-up perfectly. Whilst the chase sequences are suspenseful and the bogeyman does have that hulking Jason Voorhees-like frame, the best chills for me came from the discovery of the killer’s lair and the childlike score that accompanied it.” Luisito Joaquin Gonzalez, A Slash Above…

Billy Club is a great revenge horror with everything to please horror fans. Sommer and Dunlop provide huge laughs for the film. Every moment with them provides great entertainment. We are also given a strong female lead in Erin Hammond. Apart from the laughs come excellent and gory kills.” Cody Landman, Slasher Studios

“Aside from the acting, the execution is all great. It’s a well-shot, well-directed film with a great killer and fun kills. Unfortunately, when the script is bad that doesn’t matter.” Wicked Horror

Main cast and characters:

  • Marshall Caswell … Bobby Spooner
  • Erin Hammond … Alison McKenzie
  • Nick Sommer … Kyle Tripper
  • Max Williamson … Danny Evans
  • Mark Metcalf … The Umpire
  • Mathew Dunlop … Devon

Filming locations:

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

IMDb | Official site | Facebook | Twitter

Image credits: Adam the Movie God | HorrorNews.net

Follow us via social media: Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Tumblr | Twitter

Rise of the Zombie – India, 2013

0
0

‘India’s first zombie origin film’

Rise of the Zombie is a 2o13 Indian horror film co-written and co-directed by Luke Kenny and Devaki Singh. It stars Luke Kenny, Kirti Kulhari and Ashwin Mushran.

Neil Parker is a passionate wildlife photographer who pays more attention to his wildlife than his human life. As a result, his relationships with the real world suffer. When his girlfriend walks out on him he resigns himself to isolation and nature…

Review:

Now here’s something utterly bizarre. Indian films sometimes copy the plots of western films. I’m not talking about shameless, copyright-busting cheapo clones like the old Turkish stuff. Just a tendency for Bollywood producers to use the plots of successful American (and sometimes European) films with an Indian setting and an Indian spin.

Anjaane: The Unknown is an Indian version of The Others. The first half of Koi… Mil Gaya is an Indian version of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the second half is an Indian version of E.T. Why bother coming up with an original storyline when there are proven plots out there which can be easily reworked to make them attractive to a huge domestic audience?

The thing is: the source material for these films is usually well-known, successful movies – not obscure little British indies. Yet here we have Rise of the Zombie – an unofficial, unacknowledged Indian remake of Andrew Parkinson’s 1998 indie feature I, Zombie: The Chronicles of Pain!

Luke Kenny (Indian born to Irish and Italian parents) stars as wildlife photographer Neil Parker who splits up with his girlfriend Vinny (Kirti Kulhari: Shaitan, Jal) and seeks solace in a trek into the woods. He hires a tent and has a local man bring him hot food every day. He cycles around the mountains and sometimes goes down into a local town for provisions.

Things start to go wrong when he is bitten by a strange bug. The bite on his arm spreads, the flesh rotting away, and his body starts to reject cooked food. Instead he takes to eating bugs, and then lizards and birds, ripping the raw meat from the bones. Unkempt and bloodied, he staggers around the woods, increasingly unaware of what is going on.

Eventually, he starts attacking people that he meets, ripping into them and eating their flesh. Meanwhile, Vinny is worried about Neil and teams up with his best friend Anish (Ashwin Mushran, who was in supernatural comedy Hum Tum Aur Ghost) to try and find what has happened to him. Benjamin Gilani (Alaap, Mirch Masala) plays Neil’s father, a hospital consultant with the very un-Indian name of Dave Parker.

There are a lot of differences from I, Zombie, obviously. A bug bite rather than a crazy lady. The couple split up before he disappears. He’s a wildlife photographer rather than a biology student. The setting is rural rather than urban. And he doesn’t kill himself at the end with chloroform. (Nor does he masturbate over a photo of the girlfriend he can never see again.)

But… I could come up with a similar list of differences between The Others and Anjaane. So what? The derivation is obvious. The basic story here is clearly modelled on I, Zombie. A young man, isolated from his previous life, becoming more and more ill from an infectious bite which rots his flesh and gives him a desperate hunger for human flesh – cannibalistic necrosis – while his family and friends are concerned about, and mystified by, his disappearance. Andy Parkinson’s film is completely distinct and utterly unlike any other zombie picture (even Colin, which shares the basic concept of a zombie as the central character but is otherwise utterly dissimilar). Somehow Luke Kenny – or more likely, writer/co-director Devaki Singh – has seen a copy of Parkinson’s film, or maybe just read a review of it, and decided to make an Indian version.

I’m not criticising. Unofficial remakes happen. Julian Richards took the basic concept of The Wicker Man and turned it into Darklands. Jason Impey took Andreas Schnaas’ Violent Shit and turned it into Sick Bastard. Even if this was a clone, there are enough differences to make it worthwhile: not just the geographical switch but the passage of twenty years (no digital cameras or Blackberries in the 1990s). I bet the budget for Rise of the Zombie was not dissimilar to what Andy Parkinson spent on I, Zombie but that much money buys you a lot more nowadays – in India or England – in terms of technology. No grainy 16mm here; just crisp, clean digital video.

Ritu Jhanjani has the main make-up credit and was cited in publicity as responsible for the zombie make-up, although Saved Ismaile gets the actual credit for ‘prosthetic make-up’. Whoever did it, I’d be lying if I said it was particularly good. Pranab Lahkar is credited as ‘Creative VFX Supervisor’; his previous credits include Dhoom-2, Rocket Singh and even 28 Weeks Later.

Luke Kenny came to prominence in the 1990s as a VJ on a video music channel. He now fronts a rock band (called Luke Kenny LIVE) and DJs as well as making films. Since Rise of the Zombie he has shot a short film called Stephen King, I am Your Biggest Fan. Devaki Singh, who was described in publicity as the first woman to direct a zombie film (actually, Kerry Anne Mullaney directed The Dead Outside in March 2008), is an artist whose first exhibition was in 2009.

In 2013 three films vied to be ‘India’s first zombie film’: Kenny and Singh’s angst-ridden drama; Goa Goa Gone (a fun action-horror-comedy); and Rock the Shaadi, a rom-zom-com set at a Punjabi-zombie wedding (!). Kenny’s film was originally going to just be called Zombie but the makers of Rock the Shaadi had registered that title so he went for Rise… instead and somehow avoided confusion with the contemporary Danny Trejo picture Rise of the Zombies.

The end of Rise of the Zombie promises a sequel in 2014, Land of the Zombie, and includes shots of numerous zombies shuffling around, implying that the virus has spread beyond its initial host. Kenny apparently had plans for a trilogy but Land… has yet to appear.


Truth be told, Rise of the Zombie isn’t a bad movie. Kenny gives a spirited performance and Pagdiwala’s camera-work captures both urban and rural locations well. The film runs 86 minutes and has a few songs on the soundtrack (but no dance numbers).

What’s missing is the bleak nihilism of the original, and there’s not really anything to replace it. Instead of cutaway talking heads of the people he left behind, the film simply lurches into Vinny and Anish’s story in the third act, which goes nowhere. Instead of social comment or character development, we’re treated to lots of fast-edited flashbacks and dream sequences which look flashy but don’t give the movie any substance.

Nevertheless, one must grudgingly admire Kenny for taking such a non-commercial tack on his zombie film. It would have been easy to just go for a standard living dead siege and throw in a few culturally specific gags. The story of one man’s lonely descent into a zombie state was radical when Andrew Parkinson made it nearly twenty years ago and it’s still pretty radical now.

In March 2013, when promoting the film, Luke Kenny was interviewed by Bollywood Life: “If we were telling a zombie survival story, there are forty years of zombie survival films to see who did what, and what we could try to do differently. … In this case, there was no precedent; there has been no zombie origin film ever been made. There is no story that has ever been written that tells you the story of this one human being and what happens.” Now, that’s not strictly true, is it?

MJ Simpson, HORRORPEDIA

[NB. A slightly longer version of this review first appeared on MJ Simpson’s Cult films and the people who made them blog and is reproduced here with the author’s full permission.]

Main cast and characters:

  • Luke Kenny … Neil Parker
  • Kirti Kulhari … Vinny Rao
  • Ashwin Mushran … Anish Kohli
  • Benjamin Gilani … Doctor Dave Parker
  • Tasya Stepanova … Bachelor party dancer
  • Vithal Pujari … Police inspector
  • Prem Thapa … Thapa Ji
  • Pinky Negi … Lata
  • Rekha Negi … Lata’s friend
  • Mazhar Khan … Mazhar
  • Shiv Charan Singh Bisht … Vishnu

Release:

V One Entertainment picked up the film for international distribution and there is an English-subtitled version available on Amazon.co.uk Instant Video

IMDb

 

 

Cruel Will – USA, 2013: free to watch online

0
0

‘Your inheritance awaits’

Cruel Will is a 2013 American horror feature film written and directed by Arthur Romeo. It stars Arron KinserMarissa Pistone and Spencer Garrett.

Tragedy strikes married couple Paul and Lily, when Lily’s father dies. Lily has her father cremated, brings the urn home and now Paul has to come to terms with the death of his father-in-law whom he had despised.

The situation becomes frayed when the lid to the urn mysteriously disappears, and Paul begins to experience happenings no-one else is aware of…

Reviews:

“This is a slow starter, no two ways around it. And it does get a bit confusing early on, especially with some special effect related edit flaws. In fact, the plot kinda meanders a bit, giving us flashbacks and dream sequences that really don’t seem to make any sense. But the story does finally settle in to itself, unfortunately almost at the end.” Horror News

The ambiguity here sets up for a decent mystery that pays off in the worst of all possible ways. When Paul finally loses his mind, actor Arron Kinser loses all remaining credibility what is easily the most absurd performance of the year. Kinser is laughably bad, but his supporting actors do their best to distract from his ridiculous display with their own poor portrayals of the other characters. Cruel Will is not the least bit terrifying or entertaining.” Jason Vored

” …it seemed as if the entire cast was trying to outdo each other in a contest for “the most ridiculous acting ever”! There’s only one brilliant moment and that’s at the final scene. Had the complete movie looked like this excerpt, then it might have been something worth while to watch. Stunning slow-motion images, a hallucinatory scene and a rather surprising end.” Peter Pluymers

IMDb | Facebook

Image credits: Horror News

HORRORPEDIA on social media:  Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Tumblr | Twitter

Extraordinary Tales – USA, 2013

0
0

Extraordinary Tales is a 2013 international animated anthology horror feature film directed by Raul Garcia comprised of five Edgar Allan Poe stories (‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’, ‘The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar’, ‘The Pit and the Pendulum’, and ‘The Masque of the Red Death’).

Each story is narrated by a different actor; the voice cast includes Christopher Lee (“Usher”), Bela Lugosi (“Tell-Tale Heart”), Julian Sands (“Valdemar”), Guillermo del Toro (“Pendulum”), and Roger Corman (“Masque”).

Cinedigm released a Blu-ray + DVD combo in the United States on February 2, 2016.

Extras include:

  • The Art of Extraordinary Tales
  • The Making of Extraordinary Tales
  • Audio Commentary by Director Raul Garcia
  • US Trailer

Reviews:

“Overall, for the big Poe fan, there isn’t much new ground struck here, nor are many of these versions decidedly memorable (I’d have to say that “Valdemar” and “Masque” were the standouts by far, the other three not doing too much for me visually), but it’s still an entertaining watch. At a mere seventy-three minutes, it’s a relatively quick sit…” Kyle Saubert, Allusions of Grandeur

“Animation rarely touches on horror- at least in the West- perhaps many assuming that animation simply can’t be scary. Yet this film proves that animation can deliver atmospheric chills with the best of them, and create memorable imagery that you won’t be able to get out of your head for some time. The ‘Usher’ segment is particularly strong in these regards.” Chris Perkins, Animation for Adults

“Aside from the annoyingly unimportant frame narrative, Extraordinary Tales is an enjoyable look at some classics of the horror genre by perhaps its most important founding figure. It demonstrates that the best stories age gracefully, and may just encourage some viewers to revisit (or discover for the first time) some of the earliest works of horror fiction.” Horror Talk

“The films can vary in overall quality, so they actually work better as a whole, as each builds on its predecessor’s sense of dread and misfortune. And while it may not live up to its titular “extraordinary” title, as a Poe primer, “Tales” is wonderfully wicked introduction for those who are willing to dance in the graveyard.” Rob Rector, Influx Magazine

” …in almost every case, the story has not been adapted so much as it has one of the various actors conducting an audio reading of it, which the animation is then used to in effect illustrate. Thus what we are getting are the stories told as they should be as opposed to their being padded them out.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“Director Raoul Garcia did a nifty feat in adapting five Edgar Allan Poe stories into animation form. Many of the stories have been done to death, so the animation is a novel way to keep them feeling fresh. He was also able to get a couple of genre all-stars to narrate the tales, some of them from beyond the grave. While the results are uneven at best, it’s no worse than most anthology horror films.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

Release:

The film premiered on 28 February 2013 at the Luxembourg City Film Festival.

IMDb

Ghostlight – USA, 2013: free to watch online

0
0

‘The dead never sleep…’

Ghostlight – aka Ghosthouse – is a 2013 American supernatural horror feature film written, produced, edited and directed by Jeff Ferrell (Holiday Hell; Dead West). The Morella Films production stars Brian Sutherland, Lisa Coronado, Dennis Kleinsmith and Russel Hodgkinson.

Andrew (Brian Sutherland) wins a radio contest to spend one night alone in a haunted theatre on the 80th anniversary of the bloody murder/suicide that occurred within its walls. His prize: $50,000. His task: To spend twelve hours alone inside. The catch: The theatre has been reportedly haunted ever since the tragedy 80 years ago, and has been plagued by a series of mysterious deaths in the years since.

As Andrew is locked inside the theatre for the night, the ghosts and secrets of its past begin to reveal themselves to him…

Buy Point Blank DVD: Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

” …Jeff Ferrell and company put forth a sincere effort to make a classy ghost story.  They come close enough to deliver a respectable production, although it is one that doesn’t have enough polish to earn a recommendation. From minor slips like a crew person’s errant hand reflected in a mirror to bigger gaffes in over-emphasized line readings, the component parts of Ghostlight are unable to achieve the broader goals that the movie has.” Ian Sedensky, Culture Crypt

“The story offers nothing revolutionary or that novel but it just goes to show how the simplicity of darkness, shadows, and the possibility of silence being interrupted by things other than the building settling are still the basic requirements to get the imagination – of the protagonist and the viewer – working overtime.” Eric Cotenas, DVD Beaver

“The tone was almost too serious and melodramatic at times, especially when showing scenes with the current theater owner, Gideon Black (Dennis Kleinsmith), making it a little dicey […] It  would have been much more believable had it been shot on film. Ghostlight was TOO clean that it lost a lot of the spook factor.” Horror Movies Uncut

Ghostlight doesn’t try to break new ground in the genre but delivers its share of atmospheric chills once our hero gets down to business inside the theater of death. The style is strong enough that it’s tempting to wish they’d shot this on film rather than digital video, as much darker, inky blacks could have turned this into a truly unnerving experience.” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

“There are a couple of slow spots and a couple of spots where, yeah, that low budget is obvious, but the bulk of Ghostlight not only works but it works very well. The really strong cinematography, fantastic location work and obvious dedication of its cast more than compensate for the film’s shortcomings and this proves to be a low budget ghost story worth seeking out.” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!

Cast and characters:

  • Brian Sutherland … Andrew
  • Lisa Coronado … Mira
  • Dennis Kleinsmith … Mr. Black
  • Russell Hodgkinson … Bob
  • Eden Campbell … Emma
  • Ramona Freeborn … Madeline
  • David Crellin … Reginald
  • Jeff Farrell … Eddie

IMDb | Facebook

Image credits: Horror Movies Uncut

HORRORPEDIA on social media: Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Tumblr | Twitter


Cry Little Sister [The theme from The Lost Boys] – rock song by Gerard McMahon

0
0

Cry Little Sister is a rock song written by Gerard McMahon (under the pseudonym Gerard McMann) and Michael Mainieri and performed by McMahon for the soundtrack to the horror film The Lost Boys (1987). The album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200, however the single did not chart in the US.

McMahon has said that he “wanted it to be about the longing for family from a rejected youth’s perspective, which I went through myself and that many of us have felt.”

Lyrics:

Thou shalt not kill
Thou shalt not die
Cry!
Last fire will rise
Behind those eyes
Black house will rock
Blind boys don’t lie
Immortal fear
That voice so clear
Through broken walls
That scream I hear
Cry, little sister! (Thou shalt not fall)
Come, come to your brother! (Thou shalt not die)
Unchain me, sister! (Thou shalt not fear)
Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not kill)
Blue masquerade
Strangers look on
When will they learn
This loneliness?
Temptation heat
Beats like a drum
Deep in your veins
I will not lie
Little sister! (Thou shalt not fall)
Come, come to your brother! (Thou shalt not die)
Unchain me, sister! (Thou shalt not fear)
Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not kill)
My Shangri-Las
I can’t forget
Why you were mine
I need you now!
Cry, little sister! (Thou shalt not fall)
Come, come to your brother! (Thou shalt not die)
Unchain me, sister! (Thou shalt not fear)
Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not kill)
Cry, little sister! (Thou shalt not fall)
Come, come to your brother! (Thou shalt not die)
Unchain me, sister! (Thou shalt not fear)
Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not kill)

Cover versions:

  • Charlie Sexton, on his 1989 self-titled album
  • Mystic Circle, as a bonus track on their 2002 album Damien
  • Zug Izland, on their 2003 album Cracked Tiles
  • Blutengel, on their 2005 album The Oxidising Angel
  • Aiden, on the soundtrack of the sequel film Lost Boys: The Tribe and the song also featured from the film Lost Boys: The Thirst.
  • Nikki McKibbin, on her 2007 album, Unleashed
  • Vesperian Sorrow, on their 2007 album, Regenesis Creation
  • Ventana, on their 2009 album, American Survival Guide Vol. 1
  • L.A. Guns, on their 2009 Album Covered in Guns
  • Seasons After, on their 2010 album Through Tomorrow. This is the only charted cover of the song, reaching #20 on the Mainstream Rock charts.
  • Eminem samples the track on his song “You’re Never Over” on his 2010 album Recovery
  • Tangerine Dream, in their 2010 album Under Cover – Chapter One
  • Celldweller released a “Klash-Up” in October 2012, featuring incidental music titled Hello Zepp from the first Saw movie.
  • Krayzie Bone samples the track on his song “Hold on to Your Soul” on his 2015 album Chasing the Devil
  • Dee Snider on the album Oculus Infernum, part of his side project Van Helsing’s Curse.
  • Shining covers the song on their 2018 album X – Varg Utan Flock.
  • On June 15, 2018, Marilyn Manson released a single cover version for Josh Boone’s upcoming film, The New Mutants.

Wikipedia

Avenged aka Savaged – USA, 2013

0
0

‘They took her life… she’ll take her revenge’

Avenged – aka Savaged – is a 2013 American supernatural exploitation horror feature film written and directed by Michael S. Ojeda, with additional dialogue by Deon van Rooyen. It stars Amanda Adrienne, Tom Ardavany and Ronnie Gene Blevins.

A deaf-mute woman is making a trip across the country when she tries to save a Native American boy from being slaughtered by a group of men. Her act of bravery has horrific consequences…

Review:

With frequent comparisons to The Crow (1994), Avenged offers a supernatural twist on the rape-revenge plot as popularised in the 1970’s, perhaps most notably by the controversial cult classic, Day of the Woman aka I Spit on Your Grave (1978). If you’re an advocate of valiant heroines, director Michael S. Ojeda gives us more reason to root for protagonist, Zoe, than simply being a victim.

Zoe’s character is the heart of Avenged (originally titled Savaged). Even her death isn’t enough to keep her from seeking revenge upon her abusers. In the attempt to resurrect Zoe, a Native American shaman, played by Joseph Runningfox (Ravenous) inadvertently summons the bloodthirsty spirit of an Apache war chief that takes host of her body. The story progresses smoothly and we’re thrust into a predictable bar fight, although the juicy scenes of disembowelment offer a nice ingredient.

As Zoe, actress Amanda Adrienne Smith gives a believable portrayal of the innocent woman-turned-zombie-warrior, and the gore – which consists of scalping, arrows and plenty more – continues in the same vein right up to the emotional climax.

To further add to the suspense, Zoe is rapidly decaying and she only has so long to hunt down those who wronged her; as well as rescuing her boyfriend, who’s later abducted by the remaining rednecks (appearances by Ronnie Gene Blevins and Rodney Rowland). This evokes a certain amount of sorrow as Zoe frantically tapes herself together and tends to her maggot-ridden wounds, knowing that she’ll never be as she once was.

The action scenes are entertaining, and Michael S. Ojeda clearly put a lot of thought into creating something that deviated from the typical revenge/torture path, resulting in a more wholesome experience for the viewer.

It was good to see that Avenged made the most of its limitations, too. The use of special FX goes a long way in horror, not to mention it being fun. There’s always some refreshment from the overuse of CGI as often seen with bigger budgets; while the digital effects in Avenged aren’t the best, these scenes were sparse and don’t detract from enjoyment of the flick.

So, while it would be a little ambitious to place Avenged up there with The Crow, it certainly holds its own for a B movie and is deserving of the positive reception that it received from critics.

Rae Louise, HORRORPEDIA – A version of this review first appeared on Horror Headquarters

Other reviews:

Savaged delivers on all levels. Ojeda knew exactly what kind of movie he was making and what the audience would want to see. This rape/revenge/Redsploitation hybrid is delirious fun that’ll knock you on your ass. Time to dig up the hatchet and take some scalps!” Patrick Cooper, Bloody Disgusting

“A case might be made that the savagery depicted teeters on being over-the-top, except that is precisely what this type of movie is expected to do to make its point. Even with uneven performances and a third act that could use a slight rhythm tune-up, Savaged is able to do just that with pure blood-boiling intensity alone.” Ian Sedensky, Culture Crypt

Cast and characters:

  • Amanda Adrienne as Zoe
  • Tom Ardavany as West
  • Rodney Rowland as Trey
  • Ronnie Gene Blevins as Jed
  • Marc Anthony Samuel as Dane (Zoe’s boyfriend)
  • Kyle Morris as Skeeter
  • Brionne Davis as Cody
  • Bobby Field as Investigator #1
  • Ernie Charles as Investigator #2
  • Ed Fletcher as Roddy
  • Jason Gurvitz as Will
  • Willow Hale as Woman
  • Dan Kiefer as Goat
  • Daniel Knight as Sheriff Holt
  • John Charles Meyer as Creed
  • Joseph Runningfox as Grey Wolf
  • Rick Mora as Indian Man

The Dead House aka Beautiful People – Italy, 2013

0
0

‘Don’t open the door’

The Dead House – aka Dead House and original title Beautiful People – is a 2013 Italian home invasion horror feature film directed by Amerigo Brini from a screenplay by Andrea Cavaletto (Poe 4: The Black Cat; Doll Syndrome; Hidden in the Woods). The Doghouse Picture production stars Danny Cutler, David White, Kate Marie Davies and Andrea Pascali.

The tables are turned on a group of brutal thieves during a home invasion. Hidden in the basement they find the remains of secret viral lab experiments gone savagely wrong.

Now they must escape before they are infected with a new strain of virus that turns its victims into mutated psychopaths…

Reviews:

With its quick 70 minute running time, fast paced action and rough dialogue, it all works. The performances are mostly solid, and the practical monster/ blood and gore effects are as good as any European film in the genre […] There are some slightly idiotic plot points and poor decisions that get made, and no one really redeems themselves by the end.” Adam the Movie God

“As it stands, Beautiful People is quite unique, and in an era of unnecessary remakes and endless takes on zombies – that’s commendable. The subject matter ain’t for everyone (some of you will be offended by it), but it’s well worth a watch for those of you with iron clad stomachs and open minds.” Horror News

Beautiful People may be uneven, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good. This is not a traditional zombie flick. In fact, I urge you to think twice if you are easily offended. The home invasion aspect of the film is particularly brutal and intense.” Luke Rodriguez, Modern Horrors

“As it is, this film offers lots of psychological torture, without the introduction of virtue. So, this viewer began to feel dread as each scene led to more and more brutality. It would have been better to have had some light at the end of the tunnel. In the end, Beautiful People offers lots of great make-up effects, but very little hope to overcome so much evil.” Michael Allen, 28 Days Later Analysis

Cast and characters:

  • Danny Cutler … Nibbio
  • Alex Lucchesi … Testamento
  • Alex Southern … Brett
  • Kate Marie Davies … Elena Pontecorvo
  • David White … John Pontecorvo
  • James Wiles … Paul Pontecorvo
  • Vanina Marini … Anna Hicks
  • Alexandra Antonioli … Sara Hicks
  • Ettore Nicoletti … Luca Hicks

Filming locations:

Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Villa Adriana, Tivoli, Rome, Lazio, Italy

More Italian horror

New and future releases

HORRORPEDIA on social media: Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Tumblr | Twitter

The Monkey’s Paw – USA, 2013

0
0

‘One wish. A thousand regrets.’

The Monkey’s Paw is a 2013 American supernatural horror feature film directed by Brett Simmons (Husk) from a screenplay by Macon Blair based on the 1902 short story of the same name by W. W. Jacobs. The Chiller Films production stars C.J. Thomason, Stephen Lang, Michelle Pierce and Corbin Bleu.

After Jake Tilton (C.J. Thomason) acquires a mystical “monkey’s paw” talisman that grants its possessor three wishes, he finds his world turned upside-down after his first two wishes result in his malevolent coworker, Tony Cobb (Stephen Lang), being resurrected from the dead.

When Cobb pressures Jake into using the final wish to reunite Cobb with his son, his intimidation quickly escalates into relentless murder – forcing Jake to outwit his now psychotic friend and save his remaining loved ones…

Reviews:

” …The Monkey’s Paw presents characters that are too busy being plot devices to react to the murders unfolding around them. And, as is also depressingly common in this genre, acting like complete assholes is as close as the characters get to expressing recognizable human emotions.” Alisdair Wilkins, A.V. Club

“While the film has the requisite amount of gruesome violence, there’s a certain tonally dissociative quality here that keeps the events depicted from ever working up much momentum. Part of this may in fact be due to Jake’s kind of passive qualities, but sharper screenwriting might have helped deliver a more frightening version of the tale.” Jeffrey Kaufman, Blu-ray.com

“Rock steady acting from the entire cast keeps the plates spinning constantly though, and the characters usually find a way to pull the movie back from a cliffside chasm of complete mediocrity. The Monkey’s Paw ticks every box on its To Do list of offering simple chills and suitable charms…” Ian Sedensky, Culture Crypt

” …fails for its overall generic-ness from the rudimentary plotting to the use of the overplayed New Orleans setting including Dixieland jazz, palm readings, a bar called “Gator’s Den” […] and a climax set during Mardi Gras. Thomason makes for a likeable lead while Pierce is pretty but forgettable.” Eric Cotenas, DVD Drive-In

“The characters are admittedly thin, but their behavior is not so arbitrary as to distract from the fun of watching them get bumped off – this is essentially a zombie slasher, after all – and the performances more than serve the turn […] The kills aren’t excessively splattery, but don’t shy away from showing the red stuff either.” Horror 101 with Dr. AC

“The script updates and expands the mythology of the classic tale with initial promise, but frequently pulls back before following an idea all the way through. One example is the lack of interest in learning anything more about the supernatural talisman, even when in the presence of a psychic.” Horror Talk

” …not a great film by any stretch, but not a complete disaster, either. Genre fans might get a kick out of it, and there are one or two above-average performances. It’s tough to get too excited about this, though. It’s competent, and hits the expected beats, and little more.” David Maine, Pop Matters

” …one’s interest in all this dwindles considerably as the anticlimactic conclusion approaches, with the end result a disappointingly half-baked horror endeavor that could (and should) have been much, much better.” David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

Cast and characters:

  • C. J. Thomason … Jake Tilton – The Brotherhood 2: Young Warlocks
  • Stephen Lang … Tony Cobb – Don’t Breathe
  • Michelle Pierce … Olivia
  • Corbin Bleu … Catfish – Nurse 3D
  • Daniel Hugh Kelly … Gillespie – Cujo
  • Charles S. Dutton … Detective Margolis – Alien 3
  • Tauvia Dawn … Abby
  • Andy Favreau … Kevin
  • Grayson Berry … Charlie
  • Sabrina Gennarino … Sandy Tilton
  • John Lewis … Officer Boudreaux
  • Adella Gautier … Fortune Teller
  • Brooklyn Proctor … Kathleen
  • Jacob Robinson … Young Gillespie
  • Jason Stanly … Gillespie’s Father

Release:

The Monkey’s Paw was released on DVD and Blu-ray by Shout! Factory on their Scream Factory label on June 17, 2014.

Image credits: Horror 101 with Dr. AC

The post The Monkey’s Paw – USA, 2013 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Chris Labrenz – artist, illustrator and tattooist

0
0

Chris Labrenz is an American artist, illustrator and tattooist with a penchant for horror and sci-fi subject matter. Chris also designs specialist horror-themed clothing such as baseball caps and trainers.

The following gallery offers a mere taster of his artwork and talent:

Instagram

All images are copyright © Chris Labrenz and are posted here with his full permission.

The post Chris Labrenz – artist, illustrator and tattooist appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Haunted aka Ghosts – UK, 2013

0
0

Haunted – aka Ghosts – is a 2013 British horror feature film directed by Steven M. Smith, Zane Casablanca, Svenja Quazzani and Zane Quazzani.

In 2018, a sequel, titled Haunted 2: Apparitions was released.

A TV crew films a paranormal investigation…

Reviews:

“Found footage movies that are more insulting in their exploitive nature and half-hearted attempts at plots at least have things going on. Favoring realism over entertainment in this case makes for a movie that had a good idea for a location and an updated take on the rote ghost hunt template, yet forgot to include genuine suspense anywhere in that formula.”

“The dialogue and bickering is uninteresting, the frights start to become more obvious, and therefore much harder to take seriously (although I am sure I would have been terrified if I’d been one of the people unaware of the fakery), and the whole thing starts to overstay its welcome, despite clocking in at just over 80 minutes.” Kevin Matthews, Flickfeast

” …there might be a twist at the end, it was hard to tell through the amateur hour camera work and my building nausea. By then, if you have the slightest rat’s ass of a concern about what happens, you must be an investor in this movie. That being the case, I hope you didn’t put all your eggs into the basket of incompetence that is Haunted.” Rob Getz, Horror News

“The contestants are both bland and forgettable, with the handheld footage not helping matters due to the poor quality of the production […] It’s a cash-in pure and simple, made to be picked up by a dumb distro that is fast losing their eye for a good movie. Worst of all though, it’s just interminably dull.” Dave Wain, The Schlock Pit

Quick links to HORRORPEDIA contents:

A | B | C | D | E  | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The post Haunted aka Ghosts – UK, 2013 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Dead of the Nite – UK, 2013

0
0

‘Death follows those who seek it’

Dead of the Nite is a 2013 British horror feature film written, edited and directed by S.J. Evans. The movie stars Tony Todd, Joseph Millson, Cicely Tennant, and Gary Mavers.

Plot:

“When a group of ghost hunters investigate the infamous Jericho Manor, they soon realise it’s not just ghosts that go bump in the night! As people get murdered, the survivors need to discover who or what’s killing them before it’s too late….”

Reviews [may contain spoilers]:

” …its experiment of dabbling in multiple formats never fully succeeds in creating an enveloping experience.  The whodunit mystery is so-so and the final third lingers nearly to a standstill while the momentum does the same.  With respectable acting and respectable value for the budget, “Dead of the Nite” is above average, but unremarkable.” Ian Sedensky, Culture Crypt

“There were some twists and turns to the plot that I was not expecting, mostly due to knowing almost nothing about the film beforehand, but very little about this movie struck me as great. My biggest complaints are definitely the weak scares and the even weaker (and nearly bloodless) kills.” Chris Egan, Horror-Movies.ca

“It means nothing that we know who the antagonist is right from the jump because the film is absurdly flat. I mean absurdly flat. There isn’t a single stimulating moment in the entire production – which looks like novice work if I’ve ever seen it – and that detriment makes it nearly impossible to even finish the film. No one is likeable. No mystery waits.” Michael Klug, Horrorfreak News

” …a mundane piece […] The eventual revelation of the killer’s identity comes with a reasonable surprise […] Todd is clearly playing into his latter day role as horror icon and hams it up, giving the part the full force of his mellifluous basso voice.” Richard Scheib, Moria

” …a tight story with decent cameo and cheesy acting does not a film make overall. Dead of the Nite is flat out boring and uneventful – even the death scenes are pretty bland. There are some things done right with this hooded/masked figure, but ultimately I’m not impressed.” The Other View

” …with a £20,000 budget it was really well shot, with great use of sound especially in regard to the whispers and understated noises that came from the house. The cast are all solid in their roles and although Tony Todd has only a cameo, he does tend to give the film a certain authority…” Dave Wain, The Schlock Pit

” …the film is creepy in all the right spots, features plenty of shocks, tension and suspense scenes, and keeps the audience guessing about the goings-on until the very end, when the killer isn’t pulled out of a hat though but presented with a proper motive and all. Plus, the movie’s very nicely acted by all involved.” Mike Haberfelner, Search My Trash

“Whilst there aren’t any true gore scenes and the mystery is easy to figure out, Dead of the Nite has enough in its briefcase to at least deliver the odd moment that is worthy of praise. I wasn’t expecting much, but I enjoyed the few jolts and the attempt to make the stalking sequences as scary as possible.” Luisito Joaquin Gonzalez, A Slash Above… 

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk

Cast and characters:

  • Tony Todd … Ruber – West of Hell; Hell Fest; PenanceFinal Destination franchise; Candyman; Night of the Living Dead 1990; et al
  • Joseph Millson … Detective Anderson
  • Cicely Tennant … Amanda
  • Gary Mavers … Detective Jenkins
  • Claudio Pacifico … Killer
  • Paul Fox … Paul
  • Simon Bamford … Gary – Book of Blood; Nightbreed; Hellbound: Hellraiser II; Hellraiser
  • Suzi Lorraine … Crystal
  • Simone Kaye … Anne-Marie
  • Stuart Boother … Jason
  • Rachel Littlemac … Sheila
  • Anna Carteret … Mrs. Matthews
  • Sousila Pillay … Newsreader
  • Johnathon Farrell … Police Officer

Filming locations:

Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales
Craig-y-Nos Castle, Pen-y-cae, Powys, Wales
Fonmon Castle, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Wimbledon Common, Wimbledon, London, England, UK

Budget:

£20,000 – estimated

HORRORPEDIA is truly independent and we rely solely on the very minor income generated by affiliate links and internet ads to stay online. Please support us by not blocking ads on our site. Thank you.

Quick links to contents:

A | B | C | D | E  | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The post Dead of the Nite – UK, 2013 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.


The Vatican Exorcisms – USA, 2013

0
0

‘Demons walk among us’

The Vatican Exorcisms is a 2013 American found footage horror film directed by and starring Joe Marino.  The screenplay is by Mauro Paolucci and Salvatore Scarico. The movie also stars and Anella Vastola.

Plot:

Joe Marino, an American filmmaker, travels to Italy to shed light on the phenomenon of exorcisms. Initially, he visits Rome and the Vatican City and films a Black Mass attended by priests.

Then, accompanied by Padre Luigi, an alleged exorcist, Joe travels to the south of Italy, a place where the sacred and profane have always lived together, where Christian rituals are inextricably linked to pagan ones….

Reviews:

“This is a mock-doc that really wants us to think it’s a doc and not a mock-doc, but as either, it’s so unmitigatedly awful, that it really doesn’t matter what the purported filmmakers want us to believe because the only thing that keeps us watching is to see just how awful a movie can get.” Greg Klymkiw, The Film Corner

“There is nothing to offer in The Vatican Exorcisms. The possessed people simply scream a lot. They don’t look very possessed, and don’t really do much more than mutter a few things before flopping around on the ground. The expected happens at the end, but even that winds up getting confused.” Will Brownridge, The Film Reel

“Carefully constructed, this could have been a clever found footage film, but instead has the look and feel of something that was thrown together without much planning. Logic is so sparse within the screenplay that I don’t even feel the need to discuss it.” Ryan Russell Izay, Real Movie News

” …it fails as a found-footage movie too because there is no way even the drunkest teenager would believe this was real. The entire film is edited like a poorly conceived horror movie you would see on YouTube. The music (which should not even be there in the first place) sounds like it came right out of a royalty free music library on the internet.” Lucas Mass, Words on Media

Running time:

76 minutes

HORRORPEDIA is wholly independent and we rely solely on the very minor income generated by affiliate links and internet ads to stay online. Please support us by buying via Amazon links and not blocking ads on our site. Thank you.

Quick links to contents:

A | B | C | D | E  | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The post The Vatican Exorcisms – USA, 2013 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming – UK, 2013

0
0

Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming is a 2013 British horror feature film directed by James Plumb (Little Monster; Kerb Crawlers; Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection) from a screenplay co-written with Andrew Jones (director of Robert the Doll franchise and many more). The movie stars Adrienne King and Lee Bane.

This movie is a remake of Silent Night, Bloody Night (USA, 1972).

Reviews:

“Is it as good as it could have been? Yes and no. Some parts work, others don’t. A few Christmas decos wouldn’t have busted the budget (they’re usually pretty cheap at the start of the year!) and a little less fidelity to the original might have been beneficial – because it’s only relevant to those viewers who watch both, and the film should be able to stand alone…” MJ Simpson, Cult films and the people who make them

“Not as gothic or Grand Guignol-esque as the original, Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming is at least a commendable updating of Theodore Gershuny’s film, complete with incredibly gory SFX – some of which, fact-fans, are actual practical effects – including a disembowelling, plenty of axe-murders and a death by Christmas decorations!” Phil Wheat, Nerdly

“Overall, SNBN:TH is a great home-grown horror which makes good use of its isolated Welsh landscape and manages to bring a little respect to the ‘re-imagining’ table, thanks to filmmakers that obviously have so much respect for the source material.” Dave Wain, UK Horror Scene

“The film looks incredibly cheap, which isn’t always a setback, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn this was filmed over a weekend using a few local theater group players. That old nemesis of mine ‘the under-reactor-actor’ is present and accounted for. If someone is attacking you with a f*cking axe, scream!” Vegan Voorhees

Cast and characters:

  • Adrienne King … The Stranger (voice) – Killer Therapy; Tales of PoeFriday the 13th (1980) and Part 2
  • Lee Bane … Dr. Gershuny (voice)
  • Rorie Stockton … Smiler
  • Sabrina Dickens … Marianne Butler
  • Sule Rimi … Ben
  • Rosemary Smith … Tess Howard
  • Richard Goss … Doctor Peter Chandler
  • Ritchie Bessant … Thumper
  • Ceri Mears … Woronov
  • Matthew Batte … Carter
  • Philip Harvey … Wilfred Butler – The Last Horror Movie
  • Richard Burman … Doctor Robinson
  • Kathy Saxondale … Marie Butler (archive footage)
  • Melanie Stevens … Diane Adams (as Mel Stevens)
  • Sean Robinson … Kong
  • Alastair Jenkins … Birdie
  • David Beynon … Doctor Freudstein

Trivia:

Silent Night, Bloody Night 2: Revival (USA, 2015) has no connection with this movie.

HORRORPEDIA is wholly independent and we rely solely on the very minor income generated by affiliate links and internet ads to stay online. Please support us by buying via Amazon links and not blocking ads on our site. Thank you, we appreciate it.

Quick links to contents:

A | B | C | D | E  | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The post Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming – UK, 2013 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Savage Christmas – USA, 2013

0
0

‘A Christmas getaway turns into a weekend of murder and mayhem.’

Savage Christmas is a 2013 American supernatural horror feature film directed, photographed and edited by Matthew A. Peters (Empire State of the Dead segment: ‘Blessed are the Meek’; Three Days in the Woods; The Abandoned) from a screenplay co-written with Mark Joseph Peek, who also stars. The Mad Angel Films production also stars Rebecca C. Kasek, James S. Cacciatore and Ryan Santiago.

Plot:

When Mitch decides to take his virgin girl friend Sarah away for Christmas, her friends tag along. What was suppose to be a weekend of fun, turned into a Christmas they will never forget.

A group of filmmakers inadvertently bring back a demon from the beyond, who is in search of young flesh to transfer its soul into. Sarah is in for the night of her life, as she is the target of the demon’s desires…

Cast and characters:

  • Rebecca C. Kasek … Sarah
  • Mark Joseph Peek … Johnny
  • James S. Cacciatore … Sheriff Seelman
  • Ryan Santiago … Mitch
  • Jameson Duross … Dez (as Jameson M. Duross)
  • Melissa A. Seelman … Charlotte
  • Alyssa Reed … Val
  • Mikaela Holmes … Sapphire
  • Lauren Telarole … Meg Buckworth
  • Mu-Shaka Benson … Dale Buckworth – The Shed; Crossbreed; Dwelling; Empire State of the Dead; A Grim Becoming; The Vampire; Half Dead
  • Jason A. Covey … Matthew Peters
  • Matthew A. Peters … Jason Covey
  • Marquerite Beebe … Cult Leader
  • Marlina Beebe … Sacrificial Virgin
  • Shawn Uebele … Hunter
  • Shadow C. LaValley … Jeff

Filming locations:

Frankfort and Schroon Lake, New York

More demons

Ho, Ho, Horror! Christmas Festive Fright Films – article

HORRORPEDIA is wholly independent and we rely solely on the very minor income generated by affiliate links and internet ads to stay online. Please support us by buying via Amazon links and not blocking ads on our site. Thank you, we appreciate it.

Quick links to contents:

A | B | C | D | E  | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The post Savage Christmas – USA, 2013 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Christmas Cruelty! – Norway, 2013

0
0

Christmas Cruelty! – original title: O’Hellige Jul! [“Oh Holy Christmas!”] – is a 2013 Norwegian dark comedy horror feature film directed by Per-Ingvar Tomren and Magne Steinsvoll from a screenplay co-written with Eline Aasheim, Janne Iren Holseter and Anita Nyhagen. The Stonewall Productions movie stars Eline Asssheim, Tormond Lien and Magne Steinsvill.

Plot:

We follow a serial killer and his victims as they all prepare for Christmas in their own ways. This year it doesn’t matter if you have been naughty or nice, Santa is coming to town no matter what, and he knows where you live…

Reviews:

“When this movie shows a scene of a person being decapitated, it’s not like your typical slasher movie. Jason at least had the decency to cut his victims heads off in one swing. In Christmas Cruelty, the killer here uses a knife to painstakingly cut a person’s head off, for a full twenty minutes, on screen, with each sound of the bone crunching and blood squirting, for your viewing… “pleasure.” Fanpop

“The movie was filmed by first-time directors Per-Ingvar Tomren and Magne Steinsland, and featured a cast of amateur actors . . . but what the film lacks in polish, it makes up in buckets of blood and truly messed up situations (and dark humor).” Fansided

“With an extreme level of festive sadism, Christmas Cruelty is no John Lewis ad. Its depravity won’t be for everyone, but if you’ve got the stomach for it, O’Hellige Jul! is a nasty little Christmas gift to genre fans that I thoroughly recommend you unwrap as soon as you can.” UK Horror Scene

“While the acting is about as rank amateur as you can get, the script is mostly ad-libs and the directing is basically pointing a video camera at people, the gore effects are surprisingly top-notch. Not that I really cared by the time that point rolled around, but in one scene we have a guy get his face smashed in with a hammer, a surprisingly well-crafted effect for what is clearly a zero-budget movie.” Video Junkie

“This unique slice of Norwegian cruelty combines holiday levity with extreme brutality like no other movie I’ve seen. One moment you are watching a silly and laid-back slacker comedy, the next scene has a killer do things like power-saw a baby to death with happy holiday music in the background.” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre

Cast and characters:

  • Eline Aasheim … Eline
  • Tormod Lien … Serial-Santa
  • Magne Steinsvoll … Magne
  • Per-Ingvar Tomren … Per-Ingvar
  • Raymond Talberg … Boybandreka
  • Nina-Shanett Arntsen … Daughter
  • Tone Søyset Døving … Victim #1
  • Jørgen Torp … Victim #2
  • Eiric Lien … Victim #3
  • Ranja Hjelvik … Victim #4
  • Vilde Reiten Gommesen … Victim #5
  • Thomas Utgård … Thomas
  • Solveig Sahr Bergheim … Solveig
  • Frans Hulsker … Christmas tree salesman
  • Olav Kåre Torjuul … Chainsaw salesman
  • Mats Nerli … Mats
  • Irene Anita Holsether … Wife
  • Torgeir Marvin Utgård … Torgeir
  • Martinus Ersvik … Martinus

More Norwegian horror

HORRORPEDIA is genuinely independent and we rely solely on the minor income generated by affiliate links and internet ads to develop our online presence. Please support us by buying via Amazon links and not blocking ads on our site. Thank you, we really appreciate it.

Quick links to contents:

A | B | C | D | E  | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The post Christmas Cruelty! – Norway, 2013 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan – USA, 2013

0
0

Axe Giant the Wrath of Paul Bunyan

‘This tall tale is killer’

Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan – aka Axe Giant – is a 2013 American horror feature film directed by Gary Jones (Boogeyman 3; Ghouls; Crocodile 2: Death SwampSpidersMosquito, et al) from a screenplay co-written with Jeff Miller (Dolls; ClownTown; The Burning Dead) and Jason Ancona. The movie stars Amber Connor, Joe EstevezDan Haggerty and Thomas Downey.

558032_486824104717392_1390868499_n

Plot:

Teenagers at a first-time offenders’ boot camp discover that the legend of lumberjack Paul Bunyan is real, but is much more horrifying than they could have imagined.

Unfortunately, they incur the wrath of the fifteen-foot monstrous giant, who was banished from town a hundred years ago and thought dead…

554966_486822014717601_1102299802_nReviews:

“The effects work is surprisingly good, given how bad the green screen work is throughout, and it’s the deaths where they’re put to the best and most frequent use. I was especially impressed with Haggerty’s death scene, where the younger Bunyan forces his head backwards into a circular saw that’s used for cutting trees in half.” Apocalypse Later

554585_486821841384285_1843496261_n

Axe Giant can’t make its mind up whether it wants to be a comedy or a straight out horror movie and of course ends up being neither […] Jones directed the better than average B movie homage Spiders back in 2000, so I was expecting more from this, but Axe Giant is a terrible, terrible film…” Dark Eyes of London

” …a low-budget schlockfest that worked both as a time killer and a good bad movie night option until that ending, when it kinda wasn’t as much fun anymore.  It definitely had those great low-budget touches though, like I loved that they just took a National Forest ranger office or something, slapped new words over the sign, and passed it off as a juvenile detention center.” Direct to Video Connoisseur

644261_486822151384254_1555839126_n

“I must admit I wasn’t tempted in any way to turn off Axe Giant. It was just hokily compelling (stick that on your box and smoke it!) with its over the top CGI gore, laughably bad extras, and actors that displayed more woodenness than the trees that surrounded them.” The Schlock Pit

549516_486821928050943_1573232951_n

“Strangely, Axe Giant starts out quite well, with some fun to be found at Sgt. Hoke’s expense, and nice forest scenery, it’s when the Victor Crowley-a-like Bunyan enters proceedings that craptastic CGI effects become too poor to handle, characters become really stupid […] and extras look right at the camera.” Vegan Voorhees

524726_486821951384274_913106723_n

“The real kick to the gut though are the film’s horrible special effects.  A terrible movie can at least redeem itself with some well done special effects.  Sadly, Jones opts to fill his film with some of the worst computer special effects I’ve seen in a long, long time.  This is doubly painful as FX are supposed to be his specialty.” Video Junkie

Cast and characters:

  • Amber Connor … CB Tanner
  • Joe Estevez … Meeks – DeathBed; WerewolfMaximum Overdrive
  • Dan Haggerty … Foreman Bill – The Chilling; Bloody Movie aka Terror NightElves; Hex
  • Thomas Downey … Sgt. Hoke (as Tom Downey)
  • Tim Lovelace … Sheriff Tanner
  • Jesse Kove … Zack
  • Kristina Kopf … Ms. K
  • Jill Evyn … Trish – The Black RoomAdaline: The Conjured
  • Clifton Williams … Marty
  • Victoria Ramos … Rosa
  • Chris Hahn … Gunnar Wolfgang Bunyan
  • Donna Williams … Mel
  • Bud Moffett … Budd
  • Alan Tuskes … Elmer the Cook
  • Daniel Alan Kiely … Greenhorn

Bunyan-Poster

HORRORPEDIA is genuinely independent and we rely solely on the minor income generated by affiliate links and internet ads to maintain and grow our online presence. Please support us by buying via Amazon links and not blocking ads on our site. Thank you. We really appreciate it.

Quick links to site contents:

A | B | C | D | E  | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The post Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan – USA, 2013 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Viewing all 224 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images