Friday, December 30, 2022

Review: La Petite Mort

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2023
Images from the Internet

La Petite Mort (aka La Petite Mort: Die Nasty)
Directed by Marcel Walz
Laser Paradise; Matador Film; Unearthed Films; MVD Visual
77 minutes, 2009 / 2022
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.mvdvisual.com
https://myspace.com/lapetitemortmovie

German transgressive cinema, at the moment, has two shining stars of gore and, well, more gore: one is Marcel Walz, and the other is Olaf Ittenbach, both of whom deal with a combination of directing and practical SFX. Their films are certainly not for the squeamish. Naturally, the film is in German, with well-defined English subtitles.

For this film, we get a double-whammy. It is directed by Walz, and the SFX are under the guidance of Ittenbach. What can these two come up with? Well, this release of purposefully questionable taste.

The (translated) title cards let us know this is in 1998, and states this is a true, infamous story, and lists the names of the victims. I hate when that is done (and, unfortunately, so many “true stories” or “found footage” – which this is not – does that very thing). I do not want to know; I want to see and be surprised.

Inés Zahmoul, Anna Habeck

We are introduced to our protagonist/victims right off the bat, as they arrive in Frankfurt during a stopover on their way to Mallorca. They are the couple Simon (Andreas Pape, who was also producer and cinematographer) and blind Nina (Inés Zahmoul), and their companion on this vacation, Dodo (Anna Habeck)

After a way-too-long exposition of the three walking through the city, including the seedy, industrial side, they get mugged. To drown their sorrows, they end up in a local bar called, ironically (or not) Jail’s, where the music is loud, the dancing is raucous, the denizens are scary, and kidnapping is nigh after an argument with their obnoxiously flirtatious waitress, Dominique (Annika Strauss).

From this point (i.e., Act 2), they are now in what is known as Maison la Petite Mort (“House of Little Death”), located in an abandoned factory, which has rooms with the names of the likes of “Slaughterhouse” and “Surgery,” each of which has its own primal colors of blue, red, and cyan. If this is starting to sound a bit like Hostel (2005), yeah, it is a similar theme, but instead of just having customers pay to torture, the action is live streamed for profit.. The joint is run by middle aged Maman (Manoush), who runs it like a business, stealing from her victims.

Magdalèna Kalley, Habeck

I will not continue on and tell you the types of ordeals they go through, as this is typical torture porn at its highest standard. However, I will honestly say, I turned away when the rusty-looking sewing needles came out (needles and eyes are my Kryptonite, and while it is not all that happens, it happens). After all, the whole purpose of these types of transgressive cinema pieces is to revolt and disturb its audience in intimate detail, most of whom watch it with glee or disgust. There is no middle ground, though my tolerance is somewhat varied, depending on the action.

The problem with stories like this, and this is my opinion, is the plot revolves around the action, rather than the action being a result of the story. This is not meant as finger-pointing, as I have a relatively high tolerance for onscreen violence, but sometimes it goes beyond what even I can tolerate. If this is your idea of fun, well, please, have at it.

The film looks really good, with just the right industrial tone, and acid-laced and occasionally philosophical dialogue. The imagery of the story proper actually looks really fine, which is no surprise since both Walz and Ittenbach have experience as filmmakers (and SFX), knowing how to get the right look, tone, and desperation feeling that suits the gorehound’s tastes.

The women who run the Maison, Maman and her “servants” Dominique and blonde Angélique (Magdalèna Kalley), are almost like Cenobites, Maman phrases it by telling Dodo that she will “…take you into a world of your own. A world of your own secret dreams and fantasies…” as she begins her work on Dodo.

While estrogen-based at its core, like Hostel, Maman “rents” out the victims to men who pay large sums to do as they wish, all of which is painful. For example, there is Klaus de Kobold (Thomas Kercmar), with half his face burned and mutilated (fire? Acid?), who gleefully watches as the women are tortured to his specific requests (he does not do it much of it himself, unlike Hostel).

And through all the explicit gore, I still laughed at the occasional title cards that separates some scenes, which are all in French, rather than German. I wonder if this was a nod to Donatien Alphonse François, also known as the Marquis de Sade (d. 1814). Or, perhaps, Giles de Rais (d. 1440). Or both.

It is interesting that there is a subtle Christmas theme to parts of this. But will there be some revenge or will the bad guys…I mean girls win?

As gross as the film was, as it was meant to be, the credit can easily go to Ittenbach who did all the practical SFX. There is no doubt this does not have a cartoonish look, but instead has a strong sense of realism. Tom Savini learned about the insides of the human body as a medic in Vietnam. I wonder where Ittenbach learned his craft, as it is that exact.

Just know, along with the heaping of torture and gore, on occasion there is an additional sense of unsettling, thanks to a shaky, handheld camera. Not to the nauseating level of, say, Cloverfield (2008), thankfully, but it serves it purpose to keep the action on uneven ground, as it were.

I did not see the Blu-ray, which has the following features: a “Making of La Petite Mort” featurette, a commentary with Marcel Walz, an interview with director Marcel Walz and with SFX wizard Olaf Ittenbach, deleted scenes, a gallery, and trailers.

If this film floats yer boat, there is also the sequel, La Petite Mort II: Nasty Tapes (2014).

IMDB listing HERE



Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Review: My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving
Directed by Charles B. Unger
Soriano Pictures; Freestyle Digital Media
103 minutes, 2022
www.myapocalypticthanksgiving.com/.
www.facebook.com/MyApocalypticThanksgiving
www.freestyledigitalmedia.tv

Sure, it is almost a brand-new year, but it must be Thanksgiving somewhere in the world, eh? Or is it that it must be 5:00 somewhere…whatever.

Wait, a feel-good movie involving zombies? Sure, it has been done before, such as the rom-com Warm Bodies (2013), but it is a bit rare as a zombie subgenre. Here, it is kind of indirect, in that we meet Marcus (Joshua Warren Bush), a 23-year-old special needs adult male with the mind of a child (he plays with zombie action figures, rather than just collecting them) who is obsessed with a television show, “Apocalyptic Zombies” (think a brain-dead – pun intended – impersonation of “The Walking Dead”).

Marcus lives in a group home with other special needs adults, and when his best friend Doris (Willow Hale), and older woman, passes on, Marcus is lost as she was like a mother to him. This leads him to search out for his long, lost mom (he does not even know her name, other than “Momma”), with whom he wants to share Thanksgiving and watch the last episode of his favorite program together.

Intermixed with all this, we get to see clips of the television show, also about a family of teenager, Andrea (Callie Gilbert) and her homemaker mom, who has the survival skills of Geena Davis’s character in The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996). We get to see Andrea do a lot of running in high heels and braless.

Ray Chang, Joshua Warren Bush, Chris Wu, Grace Shen

The real adventure for Marcus begins when he gets a job at a Korean-run laundry, thanks to Kim (Chris Wu), whose dysfunctional family – dad Jung (Ray Chang) and mom Me Young (Grace Shen) – eventually accepts Marcus as one of theirs.

In competition for Marcus to be family is a Latino drug gang, who use Marcus as an informer, an easier way for him to get money to visit his mom in another town. Their influence is not as positive, obviously being a bad influence. The rising question is who will win Marcus’s soul, eventually, as he views his experiences as if there were zombies. Kim’s family is essential the angel and the gang the devil on the shoulders, each whispering in his ears. Sadly, due to his condition, it is hard for him to see the negative influence of the gang and sees it equal to the positive one of the Korean family. While the man who runs the group home, Frank (Walker Haynes), who is also Doris’s son, mentions that Jesus was a zombie (reminds me of “Futurama”), there is a subtle hint here and there of religiosity throughout the film, such as Marcus and crew praying often, or Marcus’s case worker, Nicole (Clera Foster), leaving with “Have a blessed day.” It is not wielded as a sledgehammer or comes across as preachy, but my non-Christian chakras made me squirm a bit.

Callie Gilbert

A bigger issue is as Marcus becomes more confident and belligerent thanks to the gang, he stops taking his anti-anxiety medications, and starts hallucinating zombies everywhere, becoming increasingly aggressive.

I occasionally found this a bit stressful to watch (but I did see the whole thing), because while watching a zombie film where someone gets a chunk bit out of them, or even their intestines ripped asunder, this is a “real” story about a sensitive man, even though it is fiction. It is why I was uncomfortable with Kramer vs Kramer (1979) while I laughed during Fulci’s The Beyond (1981).

Bush, Shen

There is some violence, but no nudity, but gang-girl Sophia (Carla Acosta) comes close in a floss bikini. However, here is a toothbrushing trigger warning (I can see a gory film, but watching toothbrushing disturbs me, for some reason). Gross.

The two central themes of the film are that special needs people deserve love, and what is the meaning of “family,” which makes for a perfect Thanksgiving-centered appreciation of those who care about us, and who we care about.

IMDB listing HERE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3A1DVU6EcE

Monday, December 26, 2022

Review: Two Short Steve Rudzinski Films: Amityville Christmas Vacation; Red Christmas

Two Short Steve Rudzinski Films: Amityville Christmas Vacation; Red Christmas
Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet, unless indicated
Both these films are available for free at www.tubitv.com

Amityville Christmas Vacation
Directed by Steve Rudzinski

Silver Spotlight Films
47 minutes, 2022
www.silverspotlightfilms.com
www.stevebuster.com

I have enjoyed so many of Steve Rudzinski’s films. I know that the man, who is the King of Cosplay and not a Christian, is a fanatic for Christmas all year around, so the fact that this is a day late, should not matter. He also has a habit of putting his films up for free on Tubi, and for that I am grateful. I have reviewed most of them (just search my blog for his name).

When glancing at the title of this under-and-hour ditty, which combines two different previous film titles, you have to know it is a horror comedy, as that is Rudzinski’s wheelhouse on most occasions.

Bringing back his not-overly-smart role of police officer and man-child Wally Griswold from his successful Meowy franchise (also on Tubi), Rudzinski’s character has seemly “won” a trip to “sunny Amityville”. Anyone with a brain would know it was some kind of scam, but Wally is a joyful optimist, the perfect attribute for a police officer. But he excitedly tells Whiskers (Gizmo Cat, Rudzinski’s real pet) of his plans, thus giving the viewer some exposition.

The exterior of the Amityville house is a cool 3D printer construction, and the inside is most likely Rudzinski’s real home (or a friend’s, perhaps). This also leads to a really funny joke that I will not give away. Actually, there are many “under the breath” jokes that are worth paying attention.

Wally is told by the prize agent, Samantha (Marci Leigh), that he is not the only “guest” in the house and, of course, it is a murderous ghost, amusingly named Jessica D’Angelo (Aleen Isley). But they seem to hit it off, which reminded me of another film with a man in love with a female ghost that is worth checking out, A Ghost Waits (2020). 

This was obviously filmed during COVID, as only four of the characters intertwine: Wall, Jessica, Samantha and a ghost hunter, conveniently named Creighton Spook (Scott Lewis). All the others are either on Zoom, such as ghost caseworker Zelda (Autumn Ivy), and by phone, such as Wally’s friend and fellow cop, Rick (Ben Dietels, who was so fun in a 2017 film he also directed, Slaughter Drive), a regularly appearing character in the Meowy series. Others are obviously shot separate and then edited together (i.e., single shots, going back and forth).

This is definitely a hyper, over-acted (purposefully) film with a heart, as are all the Meowy releases, and it is a nice way to share the holidays with someone you love. No real violence (though threats of it), with a solid PG rating level. My only complaint is that Rudzinski does not release enough films, in my opinion.

IMBD listing HERE https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22168286/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 

Red Christmas (aka Dead Christmas)
Directed by Steve Rudzinski

Silver Spotlight Films
55 minutes, 2014
www.silverspotlightfilms.com
www.stevebuster.com

While this has been out for nearly a decade, its Holiday theme makes it a good companion to review with Amityville Christmas Vacation, above.

Tara (Amie Wrenn, who is the voice of Whiskers the Cat in the Meowy franchise), as she states right off, is a premeditative torturer and serial killer of men: she gives the reason, but it is not what you may infer. She selects the guys, and then does her “thing.”

Done found footage style (some hand-held, most mounted), Tara video records her history of mass murder (which actually sounds plausible), her plan to – er – execute the tricking of a man to come to her house, as her next victim, and then the capture. Oh, and the subsequent actions once Bill (Seth Murphy, who was a hoot as MC Pink in 2012’s Everyone Must Die!) is under her control.

Technically, one can see increments of this as being considered a horror comedy, and there are certain parts that truly made me laugh (one is in the trailer, below), but mostly there is a level of torture/body horror that is inescapable, especially for once it begins.

And yeah, it is quite gross, bloody, and painful. The SFX, however, look great. I definitely winched a few times. And what happens when a third party comes by with an axe named Axe (Shawn Shelpman)? Betcha didn’t see that comin’, did ya?

IMDB listing HERE





Sunday, December 25, 2022

Review: No Escape

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

No Escape (aka Escape from Absolom)
Directed by Martin Campbell
Columbia Tristar; Pacific Western; Platinum Pictures;
Allied Filmmakers; Unearthed Classics; MVD Visual
118 minutes, 1994 / 2022
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.MVDvisual.com

Doncha just love it when a (relatively) older film is a science fiction that predicts the actual year you are in? Released back in 1994, this film takes place in the far future of 2022 (by coincidence, also the year that the leading actor, Ray Liotta, died). Oh, yeah, 2022 is also the year in which Soylent Green (1973) takes place. Gee, I wonder what that year will be like, and how accurate the storyline will be. Will there be an idiot 45th President? Will there be threats of a civil war by some numbnuts in red hats and blue shirts? Hmmmm. I will start watching, and we can see. Odds are, I will be discussing not only the film, but its depiction of the year in which it takes place.

First of all, this film is a sausage-fest. Yeah, there are no women in the film at all, just macho dudes living a Lord of the Flies meets Mad Max: The Road Warrior (1981) life. Y’see, it takes place in a penile – er – I mean penal colony. In the opening placard, it states that all prisons are now privatized, something Obama fought against, and his ruling was overturned by the following Republican administration. This film is getting closer to reality in the first two seconds, though the computers we see are still somewhat cathode-looking as opposed to flat-screens.

Right at the opening credits, in Benghazi (yeah, I know), Libya, Special Forces Capt. J.T. Robbins (Liotta) kills his commanding officer and is sent to the remote, desert enclosed Leviticus Maximum Security Penitentiary, run by Warden (Michael Lerner). He gets there by super-cool monorail, similar in means to the AirTrain JFK that cuts through Queens, NY, to get to the airport. The prison is in the middle of a desert that is reminiscent of Dune (1984; 2000; 2021) landscape.

Ray Liotta

Thanks to a major infraction, Robbins is sent to the remote island of Absolom, where he is a stranger in a strange land. It is lush and beautiful (filmed in New South Wales, Australia), but he will learn he is a tough guy in an unfamiliar world run by convicts, much like Snake Plisskin in Escape from New York (1981), but without Adrianne Barbeau. Robbins is captured by “the Outsiders,” a grungy group led by sociopath Walter Marek (Stuart Wilson), who at first underestimates our anti-hero. This society is close to a Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) situation, where only the strong survive, and somehow Marek has the only gun (spears and arrows are the weapon of the day). They have stalled in tribalism and cannibalism when necessary.

After a fun Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) moment, thanks to Marek miscalculating Robbins’ prowess, Robbins escapes into the woods with the entire pack in pursuit. The chase scene through the jungle reminds me a bit of Apocalypto, even though it came out years later in 2006.

After a fall into a river that puts Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) to shame, he ends up in “the Insiders” camp. The viewer can tell this is a good place because of the swell of violins in the soundtrack music. It is run by benevolent The Father (Lance Henriksen) and his Head of Security, Hawkins (Ernie Hudson, who is fighting the Outsiders rather than busting ghosts although, apparently, is still wearing gray clothing). Here, life is communal, with farming and metallurgy to show progress.

If I may digress here for a second, and I am almost done with the exposition (and believe me, there’s a lot of action going on I am not mentioning), you may have noticed that I have been referencing many other films. Well, that is because there is some much built on those other releases, and it is fun to ping-pong back and forth between this and the others. There is even a Spartacus (1960) moment. Sure, there is some originality in this, and Liotta is a great Mad Max/Plisskin substitute, but there was a basic formula to these films (as is true with many releases, especially nowadays) at that time, and it mostly proved effective, though this one cost $20 million, and made $15 million back.

Injured, the angry, non-joiner, anti-authority Robbins is bound to adjust to the Insiders’ life, and even though I am only 30 minutes in, starting Act 2, I am willing to bet a dollar that at some point, the 600 Outsiders and the 100 Insiders will do battle, with Special Forces Robbins leading the defense.

You really can tell this is a big budget extravaganza (though they ran out of cash near the end), relative to the many films I am used to reviewing these days. Along with the stunning sets (especially the Insider’s camp), the action in Act 2 is larger than the entire budget of many other films. This is not telling anyone anything that is not obvious. In fact, one of the raids reminds me of the renegades attacking the fort, mid-The Road Warrior.

Liotta, Stuart Wilson

You will find a lot of Mel Gibson references in this review, a man I personally despise, but beyond that, The Road Warrior is a film I can watch over and over. And there is certainly a Mad Max moment when Robins tells The Father that himself knows how to help, in the same way Max boasts (rightfully), “You wanna get out of here, you talk to me.”

I believe part of the reason why this film has so many fans and has achieved cult level love, is that is really is action packed, with many scenes of action. Liotta does well as an action hero (he wanted to find out what it was like to be one, and he succeeded), as does his underling/comic relief Casey (Kevin Dillon). A nod should also go to Wilson, who plays the evil yet gallant and highly talkative Sherriff of Nottingham or Hans Gruber type character. As for Henriksen, well, the man makes you forget he’s acting, and while Liotta is superb as always, Henriksen still managed to hold his own, if not more so; why is he not on the poster instead of Dillon, who is okay, but he’s no Lance. The SFX, all practical, are a lot of fun, with explosions, and some surprisingly gory deaths. The make-up and wardrobe are done by the same person who did The Road Warrior, and it shows (meant as a compliment).

There are many anachronistic moments here and there, such as how did the Insiders get all the crossbows? Bow and arrows I can understand, but that is a technology that cannot bd found on an isolated island. And what do they eat? Okay, the Outsiders delve into cannibalism, but you see some turkeys and pigs being harvested in the Insiders’ camp. Where did they come from? It is clear both camps eat rats. And where did the Outsiders get their body armor? They do not have the technology nor the source material where they are stranded. But I’m willing to give up some suspension of disbelief, because It is a fun film. But I’m still aware

Lance Henriksen (left), Ernie Hudson (right)

As for extras, at nearly 2 hours, as much fun as the film was, I was glad there was no full-length commentary. What we do have is still a plethora of material. To begin with, there is “Welcome to the Future: The Sci-Fi Worlds of Gale Anne Hurd” (17 min), a new for this Blu-ray interview with producer Hurd, who worked for Roger Corman on films like Humanoids from the Deep (1980), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), for which she hired James Cameron, and then on to such now-classics of the likes of The Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986). Obviously, she also produced No Escape. A storied career, and an interesting monologue, and lots of clips.

“Survival of the Fittest: Directing No Escape”(13 min), a new interview with filmmaker Martin Campbell, who would go on to direct the likes of James Bond’s Goldeneye (1995) and Casino Royale (2006), as well as Green Lantern (2011). He has a decent sense of humor, and his stories are fun to which to listen. “Penal Colony: Writing No Escape”(7 min), is a new interview/monologue with co-writer Joel Gross. Which is okay for a one-time listen.

For older material, there is vintage featurettes, starting with “Making of Escape from Absolom” (21 min), the shooting title of the film. It includes on-set interviews with most of the major cast and crew, and is informative about the production. Actually, I enjoyed this one more than the previous three interviews. There is a second Making Of featurette (6 min) that seems to be untitled. It is very similar to the previous one, also shot on set, but is much shorter.

Lastly, there is the “Alternate Intro” (2 min), which is extremely similar to the one used in the film, just less “stylized.” Honestly, either one would have worked. Last are the original theatrical trailer, TV spots, and a photo gallery.

With one last reference, the big surprise for me is that, in some ways, this is a Christmas movie in the same way as Die Hard (1988).

IMDB listing HERE



Thursday, December 22, 2022

Horror Shorts Reviews: December 2022

Horror Shorts Reviews for December 2022

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

These films are not in a numbered and ranked order, but rather alphabetically listed by first letter.

 

The Changing Room
Directed by Sam Evenson
Grimoire Horror
4:25 minutes, 2022

The lesson of the film is: obey signs in stores. A woman (Jamie Taylor Ballesta) finds a dress she likes in a shop and goes to the changing room to try it on. The out-of-the-way changing room has mirrors on facing walls, so you can see infinite versions of yourself. But, someone or something (Alan Maxson), who moves like the ghosts in Japanese horror films, appears in an unlikely place, and that’s where the terror begins. I had a smile at the end of this. Ballesta does a great job of showing fear. Also, the SFX was impressive. If you are interested, there is a really cool “Making of” video (which is around 6 min.) linked at the end of the film that I really enjoyed, as well.
Full film HERE

 

Deep Shock
Directed by Davide Melini
LV Hair LTD.

29:19 minutes, 2019
www.facebook.com/DeepShockDavideMelini
It should come as no surprise that this film just screams Italiano giallo. The director worked as AD on a few of Dario Argento’s releases. In typical giallo form, some of the actors are British, and some are dubbed over from Italian. It is full of the kind of imagery you would expect, apart from sharp, primary colors; here the are muted like the mental fog of the main character, troubled Sarah (Muireann Bird). She is in an unstable state over the death of her grandfather and sister, and is being taken care of by her other sister, Caroline (Lorna Larkin), a family friend, Marius (Francesc Pagé), and the brogue-speaking priest (George Bracebridge) at her family’s huge estate on the sea (filmed at Alhaurin el Grande, Malaga, Andalucía, Spain). In her dreams she is seeing the dead, but perhaps it is something more sinister? As with some of the Argento/Bava type giallo, there is extreme violence and some nice-looking gooey gore, as well as the mandatory nude bathing scene. There are lots of surprises in a direction I did not see (though should have considering the influences), and the imagery is quite breathtaking.
Full film HERE

Free Trailer HERE

 

He Knows When You Are Sleeping
Directed by Henrique Couto
Weekly Spooky
5:52 minutes, 2021
A festive genre film, as we see a woman (Iabou Windimere) snug as a bug in a rug. Well, on the couch, anyway. It’s Christmas Eve and something is stirring. She is in for more than one shock that night, and we get to see it play out…well, most of it. Other than some laughing and screaming, the film is silent (ever notice how many shorts have no dialogue?), but effectively creepy. The switch to porn-type music in one scene had me laughing. Short and to the point, the viewer is bound to get their jolly’s worth.
Full film HERE

 

The Manor
Directed by Blake Ridder
Ridder Films
13:44 minutes, 2021
 https://igg.me/at/manor

An American film crew goes over to England to find a shooting location, arriving at a stately, castle-like Victorian Manor that is, frankly, stunning. It is empty as the four go walking around, getting separated along the way. Before long, it is obvious that there is something in the house that can copy them, and also be deadly. There are several good jump scares in here, and frankly, I was a bit jealous, because as they are walking around taking pictures and videos of the place, I wanted to be there doing the same (I love taking pix of decrepit places). With a haunting score, the foursome gets lost as time becomes immaterial, and the rooms just seem to go on forever, reminiscent of Grave Encounters (2011). Both creepy and spooky.
Full film HERE

 

River City (E1, S1: Welcome Back)
Created by Jal Michael
Blind Cat Creations; MB
16:26 minutes, 2021
www.rivercityshow.com

In this animated horror comedy series geared to adults, Edwin (Cricket Cornelius) has the misfortune of his truck breaking down just outside of said City. Strangely, everybody there seems to know him (see the episode title), though he supposedly has never been there before (I have my theories about that). He is squared away at an apartment and befriends his blind and crusty neighbor. The duo head out to the bar and meet some of the sketchy (pun intended) patrons. There are zombies, werewolves, and other horror creatures large and small that populate the area. It was quite amusing, and vulgar, I am happy to say, with a lot a-cussin’. The second episode is due out around Xmas-time. Not to be confused with the Scottish BBC soap opera with the same name.
Full film HERE

 

Sighs from the Depths
Directed by Richard Griffin
A Reasonable Moving Picture Production
12:57 minutes, 2022
Imagine if a psychic had the power to tell you about how long you have to live, and what terminal disease will cause it? What would you do? This short examines this idea with three strangers close to their time. She has a solution, or does she not? And does this power come from somewhere light, or is there a darkness involved? All of these are explored in Griffin’s new compelling short. Mrs. Lathem (Susan Staniunas), with her assistant (Bruce Church), lead the trio on a “journey” that is full of fear of mortality and a hope for, perhaps, a cure. Beautifully shot, the length of the film flies by incredibly fast. It is nice to see Griffin work his “short” magic on this dramatic telling of facing mortality, and its common, desperate threads.
Trailer HERE

 

Take a Look
Directed by Liam Banks
Superfreak Media
12:59 minutes, 2021
Having recently moved into a new house, Katie (Tonia Toseland) finds a strange box in the attic that contains, among other things, an incredibly creepy baby doll that, when the string is pulled, says, “I see you.” From there on in she is haunted and taunted by a spirit (Charlie Brentnall) similar in idea to Ju-On/The Grudge (2002). No matter how she tries to get rid of the box, of course it returns. The film takes some older tropes and makes them work for this story to be effectively creepy. The spirit’s make-up by Alex Bourne is a bit “cakey,” but works. Katie definitely does things I would not, but even she says to herself, “Why am I doing this?” Toseland does well in the role, making her a sympathetic everywoman. Fun stuff.
Full film HERE

 

The Telling
Directed by Julia Alexander
5:37 minutes, 2016

A young couple, Andy (Shawn McLaughlin) and Alice (Molly Church), meet up with a psychic, Cassandra (Renee Erickson), in a park. Andy knows Cassandra, and brings Alice there for a reading about her future, and other matters. It is an interesting story for its time allotment, and has a really wicked – well, actually a couple of them – turns at the end. Very subtle and surprising at the same time. It was fun, and not just because I used to go see Church in a lot of off-off-off-Broadway plays in the mid-2000s. 
Full film HERE

 

The Tunnel
Directed by Andrew Clabaugh and Alex Spear
5:56 minutes, 2022
Jacob (Jordan Frechtman) is a joggin’ man, running for the exercise of it. He comes to an underpass tunnel that is well lit, and looks like any other underpass tunnel, but once he enters it, it changes his life, because no matter how hard he tries, he can never reach the end or the beginning. The film follows the psychological effect it has on him, as we watch him struggle with his sanity. Simple and to the point, with minimal subtext and a short amount of time, we feel his terror. While the story is a not complex, its direction and acting make it an effective thriller. Run to see it.
Full film HERE

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Review: Prince of the Crimson Void

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet, unless indicated

Prince of the Crimson Void
Directed by Dakota Ray
R.A. Productions
58 minutes, 2022
https://dakotarayfilmmaker.wordpress.com/

In his ninth film (I think I have reviewed all of them), Denver's auteur filmmaker / writer / absinthe guzzler Dakota Ray happily strikes again with his newest opus. And, as always, he and his instantly recognizably idiosyncratic, gravelly deep voice and a monochrome filter (this time red) presents another tale of depravity.

As usual, Ray plays the lead character, in this case Fabian, who is a serial killer, drug user, and absinthe drinker (the film uses real absinthe, since Ray is a connoisseur of the beverage). His world is full of death and delusion, of evil and self-glorification.

As in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), Fabian has a companion-and-competitor in the form of Kimball (Darien Fawkes). But as in Henry, do not trust a serial killer. In the opening narration monologue, Fabian states he plans to kill Kimball (aka the Necro Wizard), who is as murderous as he, and absorb not only Kimball’s soul but the souls of all his victims. So, this story is going into the supernatural deeper than Ray’s previous films. In many of the earlier ones, Satan has played a role in either influence or presence, but this delves deeper into the metaphysics.

Dakota Ray

Fabian and Kimball are the only two living humans in the film (though there are plenty of corpses in various conditions), and nearly all their dialogue is done in the form of narration. Written by Ray, these inner conversations run from the vile and expletive, to the nearly philosophical…and expletive. There are, as is typical in Ray’s releases, title cards scattered throughout to denote chapters of a sort, with names like “Descending into the Blackened Catacombs of the Necro Wizard.”

There are also lots of shots of close-ups, be it faces, eyes, or mouths, especially as they imbibe in their vices. We also see lots of full moons and clouds, and thunderstorms to represent the mood of the moment. It has nearly a gothic feel to it, especially considering the mood.

After Kimball’s demise, when Fabian delves deeper into the world of Absinthe, oxycodone, and white powder, he feels the power of Kimball inside of him, making him believe he is “god.” This film, as with many of Ray’s, has a central character that has visions of self-grandiosity, and it is this that actually makes him weaker (“need”) and more unhinged. Think about those people who took LSD and thought they could fly, as their last acts. Psychologically, that is where Fabian resides, especially post-Kimball.

Darien Fawkes

But like “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1843) by Edgar Allen Poe, Kimbell’s spirit is haunting Fabian; whether it is real or in his imagination is up for grabs, but considering the number of substances (and lack of food) that are absorbed – to the point of nosebleeds – it can easily go either way.

The SFX – all practical as far as I can tell – look excellent. They were done by Ray and S. Donatello, and it is one of the highlights of an already interesting film. That it is just under an hour is actually perfect, rather than trying to bloat it out with filler, and besides, it was filmed during June through October 2022, which means Covid was still a factor, so the small cast makes sense.

I like that there is a narrative line to the story (some of the early works are a bit sketchy in this area), which is the backbone, but not the appendages, which are all the add-ons, such as the sky shots, the asides (e.g., a body in a basement), and the overwhelming, pure atmospheric mood. If you want to get a taste of Ray’s releases, some of them are available on YouTube, but I must say Ray keeps improving over time, so this latest release is one of his better, for those reasons alone.

IMBD listing HERE



Sunday, December 18, 2022

Review: Deadly Dealings

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Deadly Dealings
Directed by Adam Freeman
Pink Lightening Productions; Studio 605
71 minutes, 2022
www.facebook.com/DeadlyDealings

The term “Ouija” Board is nearly as common as “Amityville” in titles lately, with such releases as Ouija Death Trap (2014), Ouija Room (2019), and Ouija Shark (2020), which jumped the proverbial. For this film, the same medium is called a “Spirit Board.”

Roni Jonah

Husky voiced Mary Stephens (Roni Jonah) misses her two-year dead brother, long brunette wig-wearing Hank (Stephen McGill, the director’s fiancé). She is distressed about it all, and pines over his grave, with him popping up in horrific visions in her dreams. Thankfully, perhaps, her long blond-wig wearing roommate, Milo (director Freeman) is into things like Tarot and, yes, the Spirit Board.

Adam Freeman

Mary is also emotionally supported by her therapist, Dr. Heart (exotic dancer Jessa Flux, aka Jessa Daisy), who looks like her make-up was done by cotton candy, tries to reassure Mary and to accept reality, in a loving, Southern drawl way (this was filmed in Tennessee), and also by her mom, Helen (Helene Udy, famous for the likes of “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” Pel the Firangi on “Deep Space Nine,” and 1981’s My Bloody Valentine) and dad, Wayne (Joseph Casterline).

When Mary and Milo finally get to use the spirit board that Milo keeps in his underwear drawer, there is a bit of warning and scoffing. Part of the previous exposition for their upcoming situation is a spirit board infomercial that Milo watches while Mary is out, telling of both the good and the bad about the boards, and how it can both connect one with a deceased loved one, or if used improperly, open a doorway to evil into our world. Gee, I wonder which one will happen to our dynamic duo.

Jessa Flux/Daisy

After using the board, ending abruptly, Mary – who has violent dreams about her brother nearly every night – envisions a demon, Aisling (Conor McCarthy), and the make-up is fabulous, done by Deryk Wehrley. That is when the film goes into a higher gear, as Mary has one foot in Goethe’s Faust (1876) and the other in the W.W. Jacobs short story “The Monkey’s Paw” (1902). It also touches a bit on Stephen King’s Pet Sematary (1983), as Mary’s wish is granted, but not exactly how she imagined it. It truly is a “be careful what you wish for” scenario.

While her parents seem oblivious to what Mary wished, Mary knows immediately that something is not kosher in zombieland. Not to mention murderous. And they’re coming to get you, Barba… I mean, Mary.

Conor McCarthy

There are some nice twists and turns, double crosses, and unexpected moments. Despite the unspoken and subtle LGBQT+ reverberations, there is also a nice and gratuitous nude bubble bath scene I certainly was not expecting. Most of the gore seems to be practical SFX, though there are some CGI splatters, which still look consistent.

The film is deliciously cheesy, much like the constant flow of pizza (Hawaiian…ugh; yes, I am a proud, Brooklynite pizza snob) that Milo keeps ordering throughout the film. Quick digression: both Hawaiian and California pizzas, which have pineapple (anathema!), are Canadian in origin. Okay, back to the story: it flows easily between the subtle and the over-the-top in a way that is effective, as I am sure that is what Freeman was going for in the zeitgeist of the film.

One of the ways the viewer can tell is by the bright color palate choices and art design. It is blazing with pastel colors in décor, dress, and make-up, giving the film a disarmingly light feel at first. Even Jonas’ hair color sometimes changes from scene to scene, though often occurring on the same day; it starts off pink, changes to Ann-Margret red, and then varies in-between via streaks. I thought it was smart to use these light colors, to contrast the evil within the storyline. And then there is the random glitter of the dead…

This release is Freeman’s directorial debut. There are some rough moments here and there, yet this remains totally enjoyable, colorful, and shows so much promise. His next film, which is due out next year, is a remake of Donald Farmer’s 1989 Scream Dream. I am looking forward to seeing it.

IMBD listing HERE