Review: Shingles the Movie

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

Shingles the Movie
Directed by Steve Rudzinski
Silver Spotlight Films
117 minutes, 2023
ShinglesTheMovie.com

Let’s get the business stuff out of the way: this is an anthology film based on the Shingles books by Authors and Dragons, with A&D’s permission and financing. As the director, Steve Rudzinski has stated elsewhere, “It’s silly, has five stories, has plenty of practical effects, and I feel has a feeling of ‘90s horror book nostalgia, while still feeling new.” While I am totally ignorant of the books, which seem to be adult versions of the model of the Young Adult Goosebumps franchise, I am looking forward to seeing this, having been a fan of Rudzinski for years, and having reviewed nearly all his films (just search the blog). Let us dive in, shall we?

It is important to know that this is not only a comedic collection, but it is also totally tongue-in-cheek, being snarky, and purposefully and winkingly self-acknowledgedly overdone (I much prefer it occurring for a reason, than just being that way unintentionally). Starting off the fray is “The Legend of Jimmy Headshot.” Jimmy (Ian Sunny) is a teen -and a bit of a dick – who is excited for the zombie apocalypse to put his video game skills to work.

He poo-poos on his parents who went to college, though they are the ones both housing and feeding him. Jimbo heads out with skateboarding gear on, and a razor sharp hockey stick with a buzz saw frame on the other end. His aim is to rekill the killed. He is also armed with an enormous ego, as videogame prowess comes in contact with the real world of flesheaters. But can his imagined life keep up with the real deal?

Wisely, this story leads to the actual wraparound, of a group sitting in front of a fire telling stories in the parking lot of the Hello Titty Sex Shop Emporium (shades of Giuliani!). In this group, Buick (Jenny Hopps) has the best lines. This leads to the second story, “Put Your Hand in My Ass.” Stand-up wannabe man-child Will (Ben Dietels, a Rudzinski regular, who also directed Slaughter Drive in 2017), who cares about dental hygiene, is trying to figure out a new gimmick to become successful. His father (Michael Atrata) presents him with a ventriloquist dummy (that looks a lot like Jerry Mahoney…look it up) named Sloppy (voiced, of course, by Steve Rimpici, who voiced Duke in the CarousHELL franchise), that once belonged to his vaudevillian great-grandfather. You don’t need to look past “The Twilight Zone” episode “The Dummy” (1962) or the film Magic (1978) to know that Sloppy will have a mind of his own. And what a sexually perverted mind it is! This Faustian Bargain (similar to 1986’s Little Shop of Horrors) is accepted by Will, who does not see the big picture from Sloppy’s hidden agenda. And what is that agenda? Watch the film and find out. What, do you expect me to do your homework for you? Hunh!?

Sloppy

Sorry, my bad. Anyhoo, there is a humorous cameo by the director, cosplay artist (in real life, if that isn’t an oxymoron) Rudzinski, as a failing stand-up; his cat Gizmo, star of the Meowy franchise, also has a cameo in the film. One thing I find interesting is while Sloppy is unaware of non-misogynistic or racist humor, as “blackface” was popular when he was active in Vaudeville, he seems to know stuff about Chuck E. Cheese and cell phones. Suspension of disbelief, yes, I know.

The next fire pit story is by Darnell (Jake Moon), “Aliens Wrecked My Kegger,” regarding his adopted brother Clyde (again, Rudzinski) at college. Seems they are preparing for the fraternity Omicron Phi’s yearly blowout, the Beerlympics. Unfortunately, it is timed just when there is an intergalactic invasion. In the words of Cenk Uygur, “Of course!”

Dusty

What is especially amusing is that aliens Charpo (Blake O’Donnell) and Zip Zip (Jessa Flux) come in disguise to what they perceive Americans are like, via watching right wing media. Their hats might as well say MAGA. And personally, I am not impartial to the idea of these types being from another planet. They are led by the commander alien, Bloog (Amanda Anne Leight) I guessed where this ended up, though I would like to say that Clyde’s buddy Smasher (Paul “Pretty Boy Smooth” Bilbo), again, steals the scenes he is in; impressive job.

The next tale, told by not-so-bright yahoo Buick (yay!), “Just Say Gnome,” again about a sentient non-human. This time, it is Dusty (voiced by prolific screenwriter Michael Varrati, e.g., 2014’s The Sins of Dracula), a garden gnome that shits cocaine (in my mind, I just saw the crowds from clubs in the ‘70s raise their heads in a “saywhat?”), thanks to a witch, Madame Wanda (also Flux, who supplies the film with its only topless scene).

Jessa Flux and Dusty

Being that Buick’s family are racist drug dealers, Buick comes looking to sell some to Mrs. Black (Rebecca Reinhart). Like the story with the sentient dummy, Dusty talks Buick into making a deal where he runs the biz, and she’s there to be “the face of the operation.” Thanks to murderous Dusty, we get to see some quite well done gore. And if you blink, you might miss another cameo by the director.

For the finale, we meet the person everyone around the fire was waiting for, Godot…I mean Scout Leader Gary (Michael Smyth) – remember, this is adult versions of Young Adult novels – along with some new buddies (Aleen Isley and Gina D’Inacau), but things are not what they appear to be, of course, leading into the last tale, “Zombies Ate My Homework.” The action level goes up even more for our firepit group as they fight against (again) zombies which leads to more gore (by Cody Ruch). Where the storytellers are camped comes into play, as well (not to mention a hilarious Rudzinski cameo – make sure you pause it to read it).

There is a lot of self-referential moments that are played for laughs quite effectively, such as one character acknowledging “We are too old to be playing teenagers.” I had to pause the film to laugh at that. Then others say things like, “These jokes are for sick fucks,” and “That sounds totally vague and reasonable!” The hits keep on a-comin’.

Shot in Widescreen and 4K, this is actually a very satisfying release, as goofy as it is; and it is. Usually, I balk at a movie of this length, but here it flies by, with little wasted moments. One of the funniest horror films I have seen in a while. And be sure to stick around for after the credits.

IMDB listing TBD.