STARRING Lorenza Izzo - Justine
Ariel Levy - Alejandro
Aaron Burns - Jonah
Nicolas Martinez - Daniel
Daryl Sabara - Lars
Kirby Bliss Blanton - Amy
Magda Apanowicz - Samantha
Ignacia Allamand - Kara
Sky Ferreira - Kaycee
Richard Burgi - Charles
Genre - Horror/Cannibalism
Running Time - 100 Minutes
PLOT Justine (Lorenza Izzo) is a young college student [and daughter of a United Nations representative (Richard Burgi)] who becomes drawn to her campus' activism group, mainly because she's attracted to the group's charismatic leader Alejandro (Ariel Levy). Feeling like she needs to contribute something good for society, Justine decides to join the group on a trip to the Amazon to stop the destruction of the rain forest that would cause native tribes to become extinct. Making a point through nefarious means by Alejandro at the cost of Justine's trust, the local authorities decide to fly the group back. Unfortunately, the plane clashes killing most of the passengers. The ones that do survive are then attacked by the natives, taken to their home for some good old fashioned cooking - with the group as the main course.
REVIEW
After his last directorial feature, HOSTEL: PART II, was released in 2007 and 2-3 years of distribution hell, Eli Roth's cannibal film, THE GREEN INFERNO, has finally been released for mass consumption. Obviously inspired by Ruggero Deodato's LAST CANNIBAL WORLD (1977) & CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (1980) and Umberto Lenzi's CANNIBAL FEROX (1981), Roth wants to bring the cannibal sub-genre back to the forefront. Like the films I previous mentioned, THE GREEN INFERNO won't be for everyone, as a cannibal horror movie is for those who have an acquired taste and strong stomach for it. As a "fan" of these kind of films and Eli Roth [who still has his fanboys and his super haters after all these years], I can say that THE GREEN INFERNO is a fun 100 minutes that hits the usual tropes well and brings the blood and gore that one would expect out of Roth. It's good. Not perfect or anything, but good.
Roth's basis for the story, besides the cannibal aspect, is his social commentary on current "slacktivists" on world social issues. Roth felt that people who claim to want to help the environment, do ice bucket challenges for ALS, or express anything about Kony 2012 at the time are hashtagging and sharing posts on these topics as a way to trend within social media, rather than doing something to help financially or physically. THE GREEN INFERNO's protagonists are activists who believe in "Don't Think! Act!", going to the Amazon blind in order to stop land developers tear down the rain forest as it threatens the natives who live within the forest. Are they doing this because they really care about the cause? Are they doing this because they want to be trendy and popular? THE GREEN INFERNO does answer that, leading to the eventual chaos in the second half with the flesh-hungry native tribe. While not the deepest narrative in terms of the commentary, I do admire Roth of using this film as a way to express his opinions on how most of us use social media, helping those who fight for these causes the right way, while punishing others who are using this for their own personal gain. Roth could have just made a simple cannibal movie with the predictable blood and guts. But Roth tries to make his narrative smart enough to make us understand WHY he's making this film and why he's using a cannibalistic tribe. And I respect that a great deal.
As for the main characters themselves, most of them are pretty unlikable besides Justine, Jonah, and Daniel. The others are unlikable from the start, or evolve into it as the film goes on. I saw some people complain that there weren't enough people to root for against the tribe [who I don't believe were really antagonists - only in the minds of the characters we're following], but I felt that was kind of the point. By the halfway mark, you realize why most of the characters are even in the Amazon, knowing right away that Justine made a huge mistake joining this group [even though she had good intentions]. When the plane crash happened, all I could say is that "Karma is a bitch." We followed these characters for about 45 minutes and they don't turn out exactly who we believe them to be. Their punishment is pretty justified for gore-hounds watching this. These aren't the most fleshed out characters, and they don't behave as one should during a situation like this - who asks a stranger for weed when landing in the Amazon anyway? But they all fit an archetype that works well within the story.
There are some issues with the script. One - there's an unnecessary use of humor throughout the film. Now, I have nothing against levity during tense and scary situations in horror films. But this is a film about going to a foreign land, almost dying in a horrific plane crash, and getting captured and potentially eaten by cannibals. These characters shouldn't be making wisecracks or jokes during a situation like this. They should be scared. They should be traumatized. They should be catatonic. I understand Roth enjoys using humor in his horror as a way for audiences to breathe a bit during the tense moments, but THE GREEN INFERNO would have been more effective if less was used. I loved the marijuana scene. I thought the exchanges between Justine and her best friend were great because they felt real. But that poop gag, while believable, was used for laughs rather than something done out of fear to scare us. And that masturbation scene in the cage was just - wha? THE GREEN INFERNO should have had a more consistent tone.
I also didn't enjoy the very end of the film. I hate when films leave it open for a sequel and hammer your head with that information. I felt the film should have ended three minutes before it actually did. I know THE GREEN INFERNO is getting a sequel, but I wish the very end and the mid-credits scene weren't there. I liked the angle where it was going, but Roth kept adding more and more. It wasn't needed.
Speaking of Roth, it's great to see him behind the camera again. There is some shaky cam, which I usually dislike. But here, I felt it worked in terms of the guerrilla style of the film and the anxiety of the characters. The locations, especially in the Amazon, were stunning to look at and made the film feel authentic. And the visual presentation of the death scenes, and use of special effects through KNB EFX Group, were really well done. The first cannibal sequence was just gruesome to watch in every way, letting us know that Roth has not lost his taste for the macabre. I think CABIN FEVER and the HOSTEL films were probably a bit more in-your-face in terms of gore and stuff like that, but the last half of THE GREEN INFERNO will make you cringe at times. And I wish the music score was stronger, as it felt cliche and predictable. Tribal themes are cool and it wasn't bad, but I needed a score like the one in CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST that was a contrast to what the film was about. I understand why many aren't a fan of Roth's style of filmmaking in terms of writing or directing. But I think the guy has a talent for giving gore-hounds want they want and gives us entertaining movies for the most part. In terms of direction, I think THE GREEN INFERNO is his best work.
The acting is a mixed bag in THE GREEN INFERNO. That's not to say that the acting was terrible. But there were some actors that were definitely better than others. I thought Lorenza Izzo carried the film as Justine. I really liked her performance as a college freshman who gets caught in a terrible situation due to a stupid crush and her wanting to feel better about herself by helping out a good cause. She's really the only one you want to root for, as she's clearly made out to be a victim of her own naivety. I thought she gave a strong, likable performance and I want to see her in more films. Ariel Levy was great as the mysterious group leader, Alejandro. The evolution of his character is really cool to watch and I enjoyed his performance. AFTERSHOCK's Nicolas Martinez is good as Daniel, and Aaron Burns is cool as the innocent lovesick Jonah. Daryl Sabara of SPY KIDS fame gives us a memorable moment involving his penis and a spider. And the members of the tribe [who were all real, by the way] had wonderful performances as well, considering they aren't professional actors.
THE FINAL HOWL
THE GREEN INFERNO is for fans of Eli Roth's work and probably won't make new fans out of those who don't care for his work. His take on the cannibal sub-genre is an inspired one, as his commentary on the "slacktivism" culture is put to good use with the combination of great special effects for those cringe-worthy death scenes. The acting is good for the most part, and the direction is solid. I did feel some of the humor could have been left out and I wish the film had ended three minutes sooner than it did. The music could have been stronger too, but to each their own. THE GREEN INFERNO won't make an impression like CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST did, but it'll feed your bloodlust for the most part.
STARRING Jessica Biel - Julia Denning
Jodelle Ferland - Jenny
Stephen McHattie - Lieutenant Dodd
William B. Davis - Sheriff Chestnut
Samantha Ferris - Tracy
Colleen Wheeler - Mrs. Johnson
Eve Harlow - Christine
Genre - Horror/Crime/Drama
Running Time - 106 Minutes
PLOT In the poor blue-collar town of Cold Rock, Washington, folks are frightened by a legend known as The Tall Man - a dark figure who kidnaps the town's children. Widow/nurse Julia Denning (Jessica Biel) is startled to find that her son David (Jakob Davies) has been abducted by someone who resembles The Tall Man. While pursuing him, Julia is injured but found by Lieutenant Dodd (Stephen McHattie) - the man in charge of The Tall Man case. Julia is taken to her neighborhood diner, but suddenly becomes aware that her neighbors are plotting something and may know more about the kidnappings that they have been letting on. As the game of Chess begins, we learn that the truth is much different than one would expect.
REVIEW
I don't usually go into watching a film, thinking it's one thing, but leaving it realizing that it wasn't at all what you expected it to be. THE TALL MAN, not related to the villain of the PHANTASM franchise, is one of the few films that totally screwed with my perception. Even though THE TALL MAN was released in 2012, I barely knew anything about it besides the fact that Jessica Biel starred in it and that Pascal Laugier [director of 2008's MARTYRS - one of the hardest films I ever had to watch] wrote and directed this film. So here I was expecting a supernatural horror film about some mysterious dark figure who kidnaps children, only to realize that it was really a crime drama that wanted me to think! This film bamboozled me! That's not to say that it was a bad thing though.
THE TALL MAN is one of those films that's really ambitious with its storytelling, only for it to fall every now and then before getting back up. Yes, THE TALL MAN is the Chumbawumba of thriller movies. I admire the storytelling done in this film. I can't really go in depth about it without spoiling it for those who are interested in a film like this, but you got to respect a movie that twists and turns so much, that what you end up with is NOTHING like what you started with.
While I found the story interesting and intriguing enough to see where it would all end up, I can't say that the narrative was in anyway perfect. A lot of the twists end up leaving massive plot holes that make you wonder how characters and their situations went from A to F in the span of a minute. Characters that you start relating to end up being totally different than what you perceive them to be, which can really screw with your head. It's an interesting mystery, even if the execution is flawed though. And while you understand what's going on by the film's end, you just wonder how quickly it got there and how no one saw it coming in such a small community. I thought the film's theme of "neglect" was very strong and it made me think what I would do in a similar situation. Not many modern films are that thought-provoking, making me question what's right or wrong and/or whether we should play God with other people's lives. The story's a ride you want to sit through to see how things will change in 100 minutes. I have to respect ambition, even if it doesn't totally work.
I thought Laugier's direction and the cinematography by Kamal Derkaoui were masterfully done though. THE TALL MAN looks absolutely beautiful, using a Canadian location to set a bleak, dim mood and atmosphere that makes you wonder how Cold Rock became so economically challenged and why anyone would still want to live there. While the editing is a bit weird at the beginning of the first act, I felt that it was probably intentional to jar the audience. The rest of the visuals were handled well. Sure, THE TALL MAN could have used more suspense and tension during its second half. And yes, the film could have been quicker paced, as it does feel a bit slow at times. But Laugier wanted us to get comfortable in Cold Rock by delivering a somber and mellow tone before twisting our brains in a new direction in the second half. The visuals aren't as powerful as they were in MARTYRS, but they weren't supposed to be. I thought for this kind of film, Laugier's visuals were pretty spot on.
I also thought the acting was really great here as well. Jessica Biel [who was also executive producer] shines in the best performance I have ever seen her give as Julia. She's hot and she has a great body. But she's never really wowed me with her acting chops. THE TALL MAN changed that for me, as she proved how talented she was by making me believe she was this character. She handled all the character changes like a pro, making me wish she had done more films like this before and probably after. Give Biel the right material and she'll knock it out of the park. The supporting characters were good too. I thought Jodelle Ferland [the little girl from SILENT HILL and CASE 39] was very good in her grounded role. Samantha Ferris was strong as the visceral Tracy. Even though she wasn't in the film much, she brought layers to a small role. It was cool seeing William B. Davis [X-Files' Cigarette Smoking Man] and the great Stephen McHattie deliver as well. The acting was probably the strongest aspect of THE TALL MAN.
THE FINAL HOWL
THE TALL MAN is a film you end up going into one way, exiting the total opposite way wondering how you got it so wrong. While not perfect due to twists that seem to bog down the story more than they do to explain it, Pascal Laugier's script is at least ambitious and intriguing enough to see where it all ends up. Laugier's direction is also extremely solid, giving the film a bleak, cold atmosphere. And the acting, especially by Jessica Biel, was pretty damn good, carrying much of the film for me. If you're expecting another MARTYRS from Laugier, you'll be severely disappointed. But if you don't mind a slightly flawed rollercoaster ride that makes you use your brain to figure things out and think about the situation presented, than this film is for you. THE TALL MAN may come up a bit short for many, but I dug it for the most part.
Our countdown to Halloween starts now and we're kicking it off with some
classic horror. This episode we review THE BLACK CAT (1934), THE UNINVITED (1944) and NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1957).
STARRING Brendan Hughes - Ian
Michele Matheson - Elizabeth
Sean Gregory Sullivan - Winston
Antonio Fargas - Bellamey
Carol Lynley - Miss Eddington
Jered Barclay - Dewey
Bruce Payne - R.B. Harker
Gary Cervantes - Sheriff Fuller
Genre - Horror/Werewolves/Vampires
Running Time - 102 Minutes
PLOT Ian (Brendan Hughes) is a British stranger in a farming community in Canton Bluff, drifting from town to town. Even though the local sheriff (Gary Cervantes) is suspicious by Ian's presence, the town's pastor Dewey (Jered Barclay) comes to his aid and offers Ian a job to fix up the local church. Dewey can't pay Ian with money, but offers Ian a place to stay and food to eat. Ian helps Dewey out with the church, making Dewey glad that he'll once again preach for the fellow townsfolk.
One night, H.B. Harker's (Bruce Payne) "World of Wonder" carnival enters Canton Bluff. Ian, realizing the carnival holds a freak show, feels he's found what he's been looking for. Even though Dewey's daughter Elizabeth (Michele Matheson) has fallen for him, Ian keeps her at arm's length due to a dangerous secret he's been carrying. The secret is revealed during a full moon, when Ian transforms into a werewolf and scaring the town.
Harker recognizes Ian from somewhere, gathering his fellow carnies to capture him. Seeing that Ian is a werewolf, Harker uses him as his main attraction to the freakshow. Displeased by Ian's reaction to being one of his freaks, Harker reveals to him that he's a vampire who travels from town to town to feed. Harker's actions, however, have led the town to believe that Ian has been responsible, leading to many wanting Ian killed. Fighing for his freedom, Ian and Harker clash as the battle of werewolf versus vampire settles the score.
REVIEW
Just like with HOWLING V: THE REBIRTH, I decided to check out HOWLING VI: THE FREAKS since it was the only one in the franchise I hadn't seen. HOWLING V wasn't a total waste of time, so I was hoping HOWLING VI was more of the same and less like HOWLING III and HOWLING IV. And lucky for me, HOWLING VI was actually better than HOWLING III, IV, and V combined! I'm not saying it's good or anything, but at least it's a film that tries to be a decent werewolf flick even with its evident flaws.
I appreciated the fact that the werewolf character, Ian, is the hero of the story and a very sympathetic person to follow. Sure, his secret is easy to figure out. And as a werewolf, he can't do all that much in terms of fight or break out of shackles that even Olive Oil could escape. But watching Ian help build the town he's become accustomed to, afraid to fall in love because of his curse, and want to help others like him feel normal while he struggles with his own "inner freak" makes you like the guy and want to see him succeed at the end. It also leads to some decent character development with the characters Ian interacts with, including the "Alligator Boy" who befriends Ian and leads to a great scene involving Ian [in werewolf form] pressured to eat the Alligator Boy's cat. I also liked how the other freaks would bully and laugh at Ian, as if there's a hierarchy of freaks in this carnival world. It also makes the villain, Harker, more evil as he's the total opposite of Ian, embracing his inner vampire and wanting to use Ian as some sort of pet to do his bidding. The "werewolf vs. vampire" trope has been done to death, but it's done in an interesting way here that actually creates tension and decent storytelling.
Flaws? There isn't really enough of the "versus" deal that makes the final act more climatic than it actually is. But at least the script tries to tell a decent story, which I can appreciate, even if it won't set the world on fire. Also, the film is way too long for its own good at 100 minutes. There are a lot of filler scenes, such as Ian building a church or flirting with the pastor's daughter. There are even daydreaming scenes that reveal fears in Ian that really don't add much to the story, creating a better flow if taken out. Plus, the fight between Ian and Harker didn't last long enough for my taste, needing more time and focus on this aspect to really mean something. And the film just ends suddenly, not really leaving you satisfied by the conclusion.
The special effects are pretty okay. I thought the make-up for the Alligator Boy looked great, as you were really convinced by his nickname. Harker's vampire look has this SALEM'S LOT vibe going for it, which looked great considering the budget. The werewolf look and transformation were an improvement over the last couple of sequels, but there wasn't enough of it to really impress. He looked more like TEEN WOLF than THE HOWLING. But at least we see a werewolf in this film and he does something on camera, so I can't really complain too much about it. Considering the money they had to create these looks and effects, I thought it was pretty decent and probably the best effects since the first HOWLING.
The direction by Hope Perello, however, was very bland. It's really just a point-and-shoot affair with decent editing and not much tension or suspense. Plus the added filler ruins the flow quite a bit. I thought the direction in HOWLING V had more atmosphere and mood. HOWLING VI was just visually flat for me.
The acting is pretty darn good in this one. Brendan Hughes gave a very good performance as the hero of the story, Ian the werewolf. I bought his fear, confusion, and conflict throughout. Bruce Payne, aka Julian Sands the Sequel, also does a great job as the villianous Harker. Payne has presence and charisma that makes his scenes worth watching. Michele Matheson is bubbly and innocent as Elizabeth. Always good to see Antonio Fargas in a role that's against what he's known for, even though I wish he had more of a presence. The other actors played their roles well. HOWLING VI has the best acting since the first one, which surprised me. I liked the cast here a lot.
THINGS I'VE LEARNED WHILE CHANTING "ONE OF US, ONE OF US, GOOBA-GOBBLE, GOOBA-GOBBLE"
- A mature Elizabeth was told to act her age, since it would be more fun. Traci Lords wouldn't have had her career if she took that advice at the same age.
- Two performers, with eye make-up like Alice Cooper, strangled each other to welcome customers to a carnival. Welcome to my nightmare...
- Winston hates being known as the Alligator Boy. Some ideas do deserve to be flushed down a toilet and kept a secret in the sewers.
- Bellamey bit off the head of a chicken for his act. Don't worry - it's only a stereotype if the chicken was fried.
- Harker doesn't respect Ian for keeping his other self inside. He likes freaks. Superfreaks. The kind you can't take home to mother.
- Ian refused to eat Winston's cat. When it comes to pussy, even freaks believe in bros before hos.
THE FINAL HOWL
HOWLING VI: THE FREAKS is probably the best sequel in terms of quality after the first film in this terrible werewolf franchise. While the plot could have, and should have, been fleshed out more, the "werewolf vs. vampire" aspect is a breath of fresh air after the last few installments. The acting is pretty good and the script shows that the filmmakers really attempted to make a decent film, rather than a simple cash-in sequel. Unfortunately the direction is bland, the film is too long due to unnecessary filler, and the werewolf effects are overshadowed by the vampire and other freaks' make-up work. But considering the crap this franchise is comprised of, HOWLING VI is a silver lining in this cloud of a franchise.
Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we talk over a
classic After School Special entitled What Are Friends For? accompanied
by two "educational" short films. It’s funny how some things designed to
educate young minds can scar you for life and these films will do just
that. Want to see a young girl with down syndrome learn about her
period? Want to see a girl high on acid murder a hot dog? Want to see
pre-teen girls have a voodoo ritual in a bathroom? Of course you do, you
sick freex!
What IMDb says it's about: Two 12-year-old girls
going through a divorce make a pact never to divorce their friendship.
(A pact using demonic forces...they forgot to mention that)
This week the MC Crew honor the legendary wrestler/actor 'Rowdy' Roddy
Piper. We talk about our favorite moments of Piper's career as well as
review two of his best films, THEY LIVE (1988) and HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN (1988).
STARRING Baker Chase Powell - Mark Turner
Leah Wiseman - Emma
Nina Kova - Sam
Austin Bosley - Travis
Danielle Doetsch - Katie
Marla Van Lanen - Joan
Johnathon Krautkramer - Justin
Scott Seagren - Frank Fuller
Genre - Horror/Slasher
Running Time - 74 Minutes
PLOT A group of college kids decide to spend Christmas and New Year's away from their families, shacking up at a lake house in the middle of a snowy nowhere. As these friends party and reveal things about each other, the feel good mood is thwarted by a couple of locals who warn these kids about a killer on the loose from years past. As the day goes on and the kids don't really listen to the warnings, the group begins to go missing one-by-one due to a masked killer who decides to celebrate the holidays with blood.
REVIEW
It's been a while since I've done an Indie Horror Spotlight review, but fortunately it's for the latest film from my friends at Slasher Studios. The last time I discussed Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz was for their first feature-length film, DON'T GO TO THE REUNION, from 2013. For a first effort, DON'T GO TO THE REUNION was a good [yet flawed] film that showed potential for a much better one down the line. When I read their multiple social media posts about their next feature, DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS, I was looking forward to seeing it.
As a fan of holiday slasher films, like SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT and BLACK CHRISTMAS, I was excited that Slasher Studios were going to make one of their own. Both Sommerfield and Goltz, who write the screenplays for their films, are massive fans of the slasher sub-genre, giving me hope that they would deliver with a memorable holiday horror flick. And while DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS isn't a perfect holiday horror film, it's a definite step-up from DON'T GO TO THE REUNION. As a matter of fact, DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS is a ton of fun and worthy of a Christmas watch every year.
As you can tell from the plot, DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS is a pretty standard slasher film. It doesn't change the wheel or attempt to create a new twist on the sub-genre. Instead, the film gives viewers what they would expect from a movie like this - inventive kills, a strong Final Girl hanging out with expendable characters, a masked killer, and a cool Winter atmosphere that heightens the season and the desolate setting. The atmosphere alone makes DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS a better film than DON'T GO TO THE REUNION, as the snowy location captures the cold, bleak mood that creates a lot of tension as the characters are in the middle of nowhere against a crazed killer. Even the characters are more fleshed out here than in the previous film, giving the audience a clue as to who these kids are and their relationships [good and bad] with each other, adding to the suspense and tension in the second half of the film. None of the characters will be the next Laurie Strode or Nancy Thompson, but you have a clue as to what their roles are - all archetypes played well within the context of the story. I especially enjoyed the fact that I didn't expect certain characters to live and/or die, making me wonder who would end up surviving by the film's end. We need more slashers that try to be a bit unpredictable within a predictable premise.
On the technical side of things, I thought the visual presentation throughout was absolutely fantastic, considering the budget. Austin Bosley's direction was really great. Instead of using jump scares, Bosley relied on building tension to create some much needed dread. I loved certain angles in the film that showed the killer hiding in certain areas, while an unsuspecting character is totally clueless as to what is going on. The final act of the film, with the sweeping camera work as characters hide behind objects while the killer looks for them, is just simply beautiful. Bosley, who also plays a character in the film, definitely has an eye for the camera and I think Slasher Studios ought to keep the guy around for future projects. And the cinematography was just picture perfect. DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS is a great looking indie flick.
The gore scenes are also pretty cool. We get the usual slashing of throats and stabbing of body parts. But that snowman scene with the sharp candy cane through the gut and mouth is just a clever kill. And I love a good beheading scene while a character rides down a sled into barbed wire. And the lasso sequence - it just has to be seen to be appreciated. I'll never look at Christmas wreaths the same way again. Pretty inventive stuff.
The acting is decent-to-good here. The standouts for me were Nina Kova as Sam and Leah Wiseman as Emma. Sam played the Final Girl very well. I also enjoyed her lovesick jealousy for Johnathon Krautkramer's Justin, who was pretty good as well. As for Wiseman, I thought she had the most to play with. She was witty, funny, sassy, and just fun to watch onscreen. I would like to see more of her work. I thought she had chemistry with everyone she interacted with.
Any issues? The sound levels were a bit uneven at times. The exterior shots sounded a bit more hollow than the interior shots, due to different ambient levels. The soundtrack, which is cool by the way, also overshadowed some of the dialogue at time.
I also felt that some of the actors were kind of flat. Thankfully, they weren't really in the film long to really ruin things. They weren't bad per se, but just not as good compared to some of the others with beefier roles.
I also felt the film could actually be a bit longer. The last few minutes, while interesting, felt a bit rushed and could have been fleshed out more for better impact. I felt the scenes with the killer could have been extended a bit. When you actually want a film to be longer than it is, you know you got something good.
THE FINAL HOWL
The latest film from Slasher Studios, DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS, is a real good time with a lot of Christmas atmosphere, great direction and cinematography, and inventive kills I haven't seen in any other film. While certain aspects of the story could have been expanded and some technical issues could have been fixed, DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS is still a fun film that reminded me why I enjoy holiday horror so much. The future looks bright for Slasher Studios and I'm looking forward to seeing what they accomplish next.
We're closing out our annual look at sexploitation films with two Women In Prison
films that make last year's WIP episode seem like a walk in the park.
This week we're reviewing BARE BEHIND BARS (1980)--one of the most
exploitive films ever made and WANDA, THE WICKED WARDEN (1977). Plus a
look at the films of Dyanne Thorne.
Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we talk over IT'S ALIVE! This is not the more famous Larry Cohen movie about a monster
baby. No, this one features less monster babies and more sexy Grandma’s
with irritable bowel syndrome. It also has a murderous pig man, a rubber
suited monster that doubles as a racist stereotype of WW2 Japanese
people, a flashback that goes on forever…and ever….and ever….and
ever….and ever….and ever…
What IMDb says it's about:In this sci-fi film a loony farmer finds a prehistoric monster hiding in
a cavern on his land. To feed his newest critter, the farmer kidnaps
three people. The three desperately try to escape and finally, one of
them succeeds….one of them succeeds at telling the longest flashback in
the history of film as well.
The Summer Extravaganza rolls on and this week is an Magnum condom size
episode as the MC crew take a look at EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS
(1977), as well as a look at the PORKY'S trilogy. Plus the Reverend and
his friend Abigail take a look at LOVE CAMP (1981).
