Review: Halloween Spookies

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2016

Images from the Internet

Halloween Spookies

Directed and edited by Dave Parker and Dustin Wayde Mills

65 minutes, 2016

Free at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_3Fdb6uVhA

Dave Parker, aka MrParker, has earned a reputation as a film collector / vlogging reviewer, and now he’s moving well into writing and directing for his second release, under the tutelage of a master of the micro-budget genre, filmmaker and puppet creator Dustin Wayde Mills. They’ve been friends for years, along with stalwart actor / writer Brandon Salkil, working and playing together into a cohesive unit.

After a nicely done first-person intro that goes from day to day-for-night to a cool model house, we meet two witches (Joni Durian and Haley Madison, who was great recently in CarousHELL [2016]). In order to keep our protagonist to stay until a potion is ready, we get the three stories in this anthology.

First up is “The Babysitter,” a play on the bad guy in the house theme, but also takes from the news of weird people dressing like clowns to scare others. It’s kinda goofy, in a good way, and we certainly get a result of what could probably happen in real life. The two kids in the story are excellent, as is B.J. Colangelo in the titular role. She ain’t no Mary Poppins, that’s as sure as the kids aren’t the Banks children, either. For a story geared for the young’ns, there is an effective level of suspense for everyone.

The second tale, like the first, is directed by Mills, who happily goes back to what he built his early films on, which is a peculiar level of ironic humor. Here, he takes on the black-and-white tale of some schulb (Mills’ regular go-to actor, Salkil, the writer of this piece) who is visited by “The Messenger,” a ‘50s leather jacket-wearing Juvenile Delinquent spirit played with fervor by Parker. The gross-out level is high here in a kid-friendly-yet-icky way. What stood out for me is that both actors played against their own type. Salkil tends to play – well, yes, schlubs (not counting Skinless) or raving maniacs, but here he is more subtle, showing some more depth than usual (knew he had it inim). Parker, who tends to play more constrained characters, plays his role appropriately over the top in a way that is broader than I’ve seen him before, showing he’s got some chops that go beyond his online film reviews as MrParka. The story has a good youth message about not giving up and persevering, no matter what comes knocking in the middle of the night.

The main piece, though, is the third tale, “The Familiars,” is written and directed by Parker, who also plays a pizza delivery guy. So, one of these two not-to-bright comic nerd guys (kind that still live at home way past their due) decides he wants to join the local gang, The Cruising Bruisers. But as one of the two notes, “They don’t even ride!” Now, this gang is, well, beyond dunces. There’s the leader (Salkil in full jagged-up mode), a metal-head who only says “Metal” and makes the two-fingered sign named Devil Horns (Mills), and one who amusedly only speaks in very poor Spanish, named Macho (Aaron Anthony). Calling these guys idiots would be an insult to idiots.

The two doofus dweebs perform an incantation from a book similar to the one in Evil Dead, except that this one looks like it has the image of the demon from Mills’ Easter Casket (2013) on it. Mills got his start making horror films dealing with puppets, and he contributes his skill to Parker’s vision by creating three demons right out of Ghoulies (1984), one of which looks really cool (the cat), and two others that are more leaning towards the Paper-Mache, but hey, still good-if-not-better than the Ghoulies’ rubber models.

With a nod to the Three Stooges – or as Macho might say, “La Tres Estupidos” – the tiny creatures go on a rampage of killing, with a decent amount of a body count considering the age-level for the film. At half an hour, this is the longest bit, and a good companion piece to the other two (and witchy wraparound, of course). This particular story is a bit more violent and raucous than the others, but nothing that can’t be shown on television uncut (or hasn’t been of late), with possibly one exception, which involves the mentioning of a succubus. Now, even Bugs Bunny used to have a touch of adult humor it in (sexy cross-dressing Bugs or Elmer, as an example), but those days are questionable now. I mean, violence has always been more accepted by mainstream media than, well, (read as sotto voce) S-E-X, or in this case, being implied.

I would say the age level for this film is arguably over 10, when one considers the gross-out level (albeit mild), the demon killings, the use of the word “crap” throughout (the strongest cuss word here), and that one character has a cigarette (always unlit) usually dangling from his lip; that being said, I remember the media uproar on television in the 1980s when a child character said something like “bite me” to her bothersome brother. It’s a new world, folks, and thanks to streaming services, kids are more accustomed to things we didn’t see as a youth (which makes me think of Neil Postman’s 1982 treatise, The Disappearance of Childhood, but I won’t get all theoretical on ya).

This is an enjoyable release, and I’ve seen lots of good words about it around the Interwebitivity, and rightfully so. It’s funny on many levels, from goofy and slapstick to “oh, yeah” connections that you’ll get even if the kids won’t. It’s fun, it’s free, and it’s worth a view for children of aaaaall ages. C’mon, whatcha gotta lose?

Review: Slimy Little Bastards

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2015

Images from the Internet

 

Slimy Little Bastards

Written and directed by Dave Parker

66 minutes, 2015

www.facebook.com/SlimyLittleBastards

 

I’ve never met Dave Parker, haven’t even had a real conversation with him online. However, I am still impressed by his progress in the genre. He started out (and continues in this capacity) as a video review vlogger under the name of MrParka (yes, one word, and worth checking out). Then he started acting (e.g., Bath Salt Zombies [2013] and Headless [2015]), and now he’s directed his first – er – filmella… so what do you call a film that is longer than a “short” but shorter than a feature? I just adopted the “novella” to film terms. No big whoop.

 

Anyway, for his first shot at fictional directing (he also directed a documentary short), it only makes sense that (a) it’s in the horror genre, and (b) he has people around him he’s been working with for a while, such as director/actor/SFX maven/puppeteer Mills, and actors Erin R. Ryan and Brandon Salkil. Wise move, m’man.

 

So, if you have watched hundreds of indie horror films every year, seeing some of the best and the worst, and you decided to hop on the wagon yourself, what would you decide to choose as your topic? Cleverly, Parker chose the anthology.

 

Brandon Salkil

The three stories have a wrap-around in the basement of a mysterious man in a red cape (Cary Ewell look-alike Salkil). He receives a shipment of three vials with, well, slimy things (looks like Jell-O). Y’see, he’s a collector of “rare creatures,” such as the (puppet) Nippler, who is somewhat reminiscent of the Scred puppet from early Saturday Night Live. He tells these tales to a gun-toting mysterious man (Keith Voight Jr.) who claiming his car broke down. Salkil chews more scenery than the slimy bastards munch on humans, but actually, that’s the role, and Salkil kills it with a humorous turn. I’ve seen him do some serious stuff (e.g., Skinless [2013]) and the man can act. Here, he ahcts!

 

First up is “Organic Shit,” about a shy, hungry man (Jeremy Ryan) who doesn’t talk and moves very precisely (autistic?). His apartment (I am going to assume its Parkers’ in real life as it is filled with DVDs; it is used in all three stories), after coming back from I’m presuming work, he has some strange green stuff coming out of his drain. He contacts the maintenance man (Mills) with a very funny and fake Russian?/Polish? accent. If you’ve seen the Blob, you may get some idea of the germination of this story. However, even with a few actual jump scares, it ends quite humorously (don’t worry, I won’t give it away), and definitely not how I expected.

 

Erin R. Ryan

The second tale is of the blue Jell-O, called “Brain Busters.” Poor Sandy (the underrated Erin R. Ryan) is going through a period of depression, thanks in part to a previous childhood bully (Salkil) and guilt-inducing mother (Melinda Parker…Dave’s mom?). She is under the care of a psychologist (Mills) who gives her an experimental psychotropic medication to put in her ear. Of course, the effects are not what are expected.

 

While this story also has humor, it is also a lot more dramatic and definitely more artistically shot than the previous one. Usually, the way many anthologies work, is they put a decent one to start, the weakest in the middle, and the best for last. Well, that’s not true here, nearly completely because of Ryan (I am a self-admitted fan from her previous work). She takes what could be a silly tale and turns it into an emotional one on a level you might not expect. My analogy is she’s like someone who takes a temp job and then just works the hell out of it and impresses everyone.

 

Also, as I said, Parker shows some bolder artistic moves, using stylish editing, some accurate casting and more thoughtful storytelling in general, even with something as goofy as this creature is, apparently.

 

Dave Parker (aka MrParka)

“The Crusties” is the third and longest piece. After meeting a crusty (pun intended) construction worker named Walter (MrParka) who accidentally eats some green goop that somehow got on his sandwich at a work site, we are introduced to a bunch of his friends, including most of the cast (sans Erin) playing themselves; they all meet to play a game of D&D (is that still a thing anymore?). There is a lot of scatological humor in this episode, and the one about gas station nachos had me laughing (and, bringing back specific, unpleasant memories). So while the guys are playing the game, in walks Walter who immediate hits the water closet, and squirts out more of the green goo, which turn into said juggalo Crusties creatures bent on killing our out-of-their-league – er – heroes.

 

Okay, I’m going to come out and say it, but please stick around. This story is stupid as shit (pun, again, intended), but honestly, I believe it was supposed to be. What I mean is, generally, you get to see some of the cast and crew having a blast together, and that transmits out to the audience, if you’re open minded to it. I do believe if you’re watching this, there is a good chance you’re in that fortunate frame of mind.

 

The Crusties

Much of the gore in the film is seen pretty often, albeit a bit cartoonish, with occasional bits being beautiful, such as the ear gag in “The Crusties.” The make-up and slime in the wraparound were mostly by Brandon’s (hey big guy, how youse doin’?!) spouse, Sherriah Salkil, also part of the Mills merry collective, and the puppets were created by Jeremy Ryan, which are as fakey looking as possible. In fact, it is to the point where I believe that it was supposed to be that way, for comic effect, leaning towards the Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) level (e.g., the floating “Crustie”). If that’s so, I consider that a success.

 

Making films can be like poetry or masturbation: it should be done for oneself, but except in the case of the latter, it’s one’s personal passion put out to the public. It’s important to know about the source as much as it is for the source to understand their audience. And this is definitely geared towards the Dustin Mills audience (and beyond-yond-yond [if this was audio, there would be an echo effect there]), especially since Mills has recently delved into the darker side of the Torment subgenre. This is a good way to reach The Puppet Monster Massacre (2010) audience that may have been felt left behind, but still like the Mills group.

 

Okay, I understand that Parker is not Mills, but it’s essentially the same body with a different head. I’m sure Mills was there helping along, and rightfully so… I would want someone with experience in my corner; when Young Frankenstein (1974) was created, for example, there were segments actually directed by Gene Wilder under Mel Brooks’ direction, to prepare him for helming The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975). It’s all good.

 

Most of the cast is also most of the crew, as is common in micro-budget filming (the cost is listed as $1000, and I’ll bet most of that went to supplies for creating the puppets and gore, and largely for the cast’s food), and for a first time out, Parker was in good hands. The end result is something that is goofy, ridiculous, funny, and mostly an end product to be proud of, in my opinion. I’m looking forward to your next excursion, MrParka!

 

 

Review: A Black Heart in White Hell

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2015
Images from the Internet

A Black Heart in White Hell

Written, directed, edited and scored by Dustin Wayde Mills
Cumpleshack Films / Dustin Mills Productions (DMP)
32 minutes, 2015
DVD available HERE
VoD available HERE:

Western culture’s idea of Heaven and Hell is actually a relatively new concept. Oh, sure, there has almost always been a vision of the afterlife, be it hangin’ out with Ra or Osiris. However, while Heaven being a place of beauty and Hell of torment may have been sparked by the likes of the Bible that hinted at it, what we know of it comes from both later literature (such as Dante’s Inferno and Paradisio [both 1472], and John Milton’s Paradise Lost [1667]) and art (numerous paintings in the Renaissance especially were quite graphic; check out the gruesome work of Hieronymus Bosch [d. 1516]).

In our present time, Heaven and Hell have become more of a concept, with the punishment becoming honed specifically for the person to be penalized. A couple of examples of this include an amazing Richard Matheson story from the original Twilight Zone in 1960, Paul Simon selling his soul to the Devil and being stuck on an elevator for eternity as Elevator Music versions of his songs play on a 1980s Saturday Night Live, and even The Devil in Miss Jones (1973), where a virgin who commits suicide learns through multiple and varied experiences to need sex, and then is denied orgasms.

In a similar beginning to Miss Jones, at the start of this film we meet the multi-inked main character, identified only as The Woman (Reagan Root), who gets into a tub and grabs a gun after writing on the mirror, in blood (not saying whose) “Not Sorry.” As this is the slogan for the film, I don’t believe I’m revealing much. Well, the trailer will tell the story up to here, anyway.

She awakes in the room which is completely covered in white that is the locus of the rest of the film. All that’s there is an old computer monitor (with the cathode tube, which I’m guessing Dustin wisely got in a garage sale for real cheap), a couch and a garbage container.

I don’t usually do this, but due to the complexity of the story and the shortness of the film, there will be some spoilers in only the next paragraph. This is something I almost never do, so please forgive me, or just skip to after the picture.

The Black Heart of the title is reference to the woman due to her cold naturedly killing three dudes in graphic mode with various weapons, though it’s never explained why she did them in. I can live with that in a film of this length. That she has to apply those same weapons on herself I’m assuming is part of the punishment.

SPOILER FINISHED

Mills started his career doing weird comedies like Puppet Monster Massacre (2010) and Zombie A-Hole (2012), and then did the extremely serious and excellent Skinless (2013; all three reviewed elsewhere on this and another blog). In the last couple of years, his films have turned ever darker, delving into extreme images on line with the likes of Audition (1999) with titles such as Kill That Bitch (2014), Her Name Was Torment (2014) and The Hornet’s Sting and the Hell It’s Caused (2014). I have not had the opportunity to see those later ones, as of yet. But one thing is definitely clear: Mills’ output has been vastly improving. I mean, his skill as a filmmaker was actually better than most right out of the gate, but his artistic turns here using the sharp and highly contrast black and white, with no dialog other than a clip from the public domain and appropriate Betty Boop cartoon, “Minnie the Moocher” (1932; the entire short is available on the DVD among the numerous extras) are quite effective in setting the mood and the action.

Like most auteur genre directors, Mills has his tropes, which tend to crop up in his films regularly. Here you can find lots of blood, gore, nudity, and the occasional creepy and wondrous sock-and-latex-sourced monster puppets (he discusses the makings of these on his Facebook page, so again, not really giving too much info).

Two of his most common regulars also appear here, but rather than themes, they are people, namely Brandon Salkil (dude, you realize that you die in just about all of your friend’s films, right?), and actor/reviewer/director (I look forward to seeing his directorial review, Slimy Little Bastards) Dave Parka, who vlogs under the name MrParka. I’m a fan of Brandon from Zombie A-Hole Days as he is, in my opinion, the new Bruce Campbell (well, additional Campbell); Parker, a more recent Mills addition, shows that he is really improving in his acting chops, as he give a solid, albeit short performance here. Root also does an solid job holding up this movie as its central character, doing well in putting subtleties of emotion – or lack of them when necessary – still managing to make her somewhat pitiable by the end.

One of the aspects I also like about Mills’ work is the subtle way he uses themes we’re all familiar with, and incorporates them in a way that gives them a new twist so they come out as original. For example, there is the aforementioned Miss Jones opening, and also present is a bit of Groundhog Day (1993) and the Donald Sutherland version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978).

Mills gets a lot of his 30 minutes, that is both extremely simplistic in its presentation (much like Buddy Holly’s music, it is actually more detailed on closer observation), and complex in its messaging. I like the way Mills works, his trove of cast and crew members, and the way he uses latex and wool, in a fine mix of appliances and digital.

The extras on the DVD (not of Video on Demand) are plentiful, as I said, including the aforementioned Betty Boop cartoon, two original short films at 10 minutes per, and an audio commentary.

If you like some of the greasy and gooey, the monsters and the pain, then this will make a good introduction to check out and get you to jump on the Dustin Wayde Mills train, because as usual, he’ll take you on a helluva ride!

Trailer HERE 

Review: Skinless

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films Blog, 2013
Images from the Internet

 

Skinless (aka The Ballad of Skinless Pete)
Directed, shot, edited and scored by Dustin Wayde Mills
Dustin Mills Productions
80 minutes, 2013 / 2014
www.Facebook.com/DustinMillsProductions
www.DMPStudios.com
http://dmp.storenvy.com

On many different levels, this film is a bit of a turning point for Dustin Mills Productions. Up until now, the releases by director (among other titles) Mills has either been a horror comedy or has strong elements of humor. This film is different in that it is serious, from the first minute on. There is still a few (meant to be) moments of uncomfortable titter, but this film is done straight.

Essentially, this is a four-person piece, at least three of them we get to see full frontal, but I’m getting – er – ahead of myself. Of the foursome, three have appeared in previous Mills productions. The newest is Allison Egan (not to be confused with Brit actor, Alison Egan). The first shot starts right off with her in the altogether as Olivia, the girlfriend of the soon-to-be-skinless titular character. As with many of Mills’ female cast members, she’s tattooed and looks like she could beat the shit outta you and enjoy it, but remains attractive. Her character has little back story, but her screen time is limited, so onward.

Returning for a third time is Dave Parker, also known as the horror vlogger, MrParka (yes, one word). He was in Easter Casket, and also Bath Salts Zombies as an addicted stoner, but in this more serious role, he does fine. His role of Neil, who controls the money to be meted out to scientists in order to insure profit for the shareholders, is pivotal, but again, not much screen time. Parker looks a bit young for the role which he is portraying, but I’m okay with that (like I deserve to have a say, right?).

Erin R. Ryan

The female lead is Erin R. Ryan, who also starred in Mills’ last film, Easter Casket. She’s still-full-skin Pete’s roommate Alice, and less-than-secret love interest. She is also a scientist and is, in fact, research partner with him. Ryan is an attractive woman with a firm jaw and is capable of being both strong and vulnerable in the same scene.

Pete Peel (really? Peel?) is the protagonist anti-hero, strongly played by Mills’ hetero-life/work-partner and recurring lead actor, Brandon Salkil. Petey is looking for a cure for cancer because his shoulder has a ridiculously large melanoma (looks like a silver dollar sized hole). Not sure why the girlfriend, Olivia, never noticed it. As Nirvana once said, “Oh well, nevermind.” The important thing is that he’s on a literal deadline to find the cure, and he thinks he may have found it in a worm whose secretions melt, well, you know. And despite threats from Alice and Neil, I don’t think I’m giving anything away (read the title of the film) by saying that he injects the experimental serum into himself.

So far, the story is going along strongly, we’re somewhat emotionally tied to the two lead characters in a star-crossed lovers way, and you just know the big bang is coming. And as always, Mills does not disappoint.



Brandon Salkil

From here, though as enjoyable as the film is, and it truly is, there is some resemblance to Cronenberg’s version of The Fly (1986). First healing strength leading to the body disintegrating yet still strong, twitching, bodily fluids to melt food and people, and of course the love interest trying to reconcile with the whole thing. While Cronenberg had a budget of $15 million, Mills does damn fine with a few thou and opens it up in ways that are new, partly by slowly closing the story into a tight knot.

Let’s talk about that last part. One of the things I truly like about Mills’ work is that he knows how to make a small budget go a long way. For example, nearly all of this film, with the exception of one scene¸ takes place in a single house, and mostly in the attic and the basement. This works well with giving the mild yet palpable feeling of claustrophobia, a device that syncs well with what is happening to Pete, as his world gets smaller.

Everything feels increasingly intimate, with a large percentage of the dialog between the two leads, Pete and Alice, the Invisible Man style clothes and mask Pete wears, and much of the surroundings being quite bare and stark. I’m not sure if it was budget constraints, the house they managed to get to for the shoot, or a director’s choice for mood, but it works.

There obviously isn’t a very high body count with a cast of four (though if you look at it in percentages, that’s another story), but the gruesome effects for all involved is incredibly enjoyable. Sherriah Salkil (Brandon’s spouse who also contributes to the films in various roles) and Mills do a great job with the make-up. It looks way better than the budget implies, and I would say this filmmaker’s best gore effects yet. Still stringy rubber innerds¸ but the blood and masks look way ahead of past films, and that’s saying a lot considering how accomplished they looked before.

Since this is a Mills film, there must be a discussion of the one thing that is recurrent in all his releases: puppets. He keeps it down to a minimum, being a worm, a dog (or what’s left of it), and melted bodies. Sure, the dog looks similar to the one in Bath Salt Zombies, but it kicks butt (or bites leg?).

 If there was any one complaint on my part (as I am wont to do), it is that when Brandon wears his mask, it is sometimes hard to make it out. If a bigger budget was on the table, I would say re-dub the voice.

The visuals are quite compelling. The editing is tight, the cinematography sharp (and HD), and even the lighting is solid. And the gore level is high and sticky. Mills has a talent for making fake blood (too many films are the wrong color or consistency), and he is not afraid to apply it.

The one true piece of comedy that appears in this film is over the credits, in the song “The Ballad of Skinless Pete,” by Mike Fisher, an inappropriately folksy ballad that is the opposite of the metal shards that usually accompany a Mills release.

Microbugets can either put a crimp in a film’s style, or it will present the opportunity to be creative with what one has. This film definitely falls into the latter category. That being said, if you’re a band and you need a music video and can pay for it, or just want to support the genre through an up-and-comer, checks out Mills site above and help finance his next project, called SpiderClown. I am already anticipating it.

 

Red Band Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DBt17RMoM0

Review: Bath Salt Zombies

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films Blog, 2013
Images from the Internet

                            

Bath Salt Zombies
Directed, shot, edited and scored by Dustin Wayde Mills
MVD Visual                      
90 minutes, 2012 / 2013
www.Facebook.com/DustinMillsProductions
www.Aggronautix.com
www.MVDvisual.com

Am I a bit tetched in the haid because I enjoy films directed by Dustin Mills [HERE, HERE, and HERE]?  They tend to be cartoony, about goofy characters doing absolutely ridiculous things, with lots of unrealistic gore, but from beginning to end, they tend to be an enjoyable ride through the land of giving up a level of disbelief.

The plot revolves around a junkie named Ritchie (Mills’ stalwart actor / muse / partner Brandon Salkil) who becomes addicted to “military grade” bath salts, which is explained to be a designer drug that looks like bath salts, hence the name. I’m sure this also has relative relevance to an apparent new real trend of getting “high” by inhaling Epsom salts (how stupid and desperate is that?; as moronic as swallowing a dry teaspoon of cinnamon, another new trend…but I digress…)

However, this particular “bath salt” is extremely addicting (once is enough), and has a propensity to make its user not just hyper, but insane, stronger, feel no pain, and, of course, hungry for human flesh to be ripped by teeth or hands.

The government, who is on to this situation, shown in total by Josh Eal (who also co-starred with Salkil in 2012’s Zombie A-Hole), playing a G-man agent. Eal is great in a straight-man, “serious” as-is-possible character role here. He almost always has his sunglasses on, even while in a major fight and getting punched in the face. Again, suspension of disbelief is called for in buckets, but worth it. He plays his personality pretty flat, but in a good way, kind of like Eastwood or Bronson (d. 2003), rather than the blandness of Steven Segal or van Damme. Being just shy of a black belt when this was filmed (he has since achieved it, if I understood correctly), he choreographed the fight scenes, which often involved him and Salkil and Salkil and Salkil, etc. (will explain shortly).

Of course, as Ritchie’s use progresses, so do the effects of the drug, until his overdose turns him into a raving and deformed maniac (see the cover artwork). Now, let me talk about Salkil a minute here, as he has the most screen time, in many different ways. In a previous review, I mentioned how much he reminds me of Bruce Campbell in his role as Ash Williams (if you need to ask who that is, you probably need to see more horror cinema). In this film, he brings to mind more of a Jim Carrey vibe, with the rubbery way he moves his body and face. Also, as in Zombie A-hole (2012), in a way he plays twin characters. There is the everyday, pathetic-yet-sympathetic junkie, and then there is charged up Ritchie, the bath salt “zombie” (of course, technically, he’s not a zombie, but rather just a live flesh-eater… we need a new term for a living flesh foodie, such as in 28 Days Later… but I digress again). He apparently finds it pretty fluid to go from straight, to manic, to maniac, and it works. I can see him on a hit sit-com at some point.

Amusingly, with one exception, every masked character is embodied by Salkil, including all of both the drug gang and the SWAT team. Ya gotta love being able to overlay images; it gives me an ache when I think of what Cronenberg had to go through just to get two Jeremy Irons in 1988’s Dead Ringers. In one scene, Salkil kills a bunch of himself in the form of the SWATers.

Playing Ritchie’s girlfriend Rita, much as she did in Night of the Tentacles (2013), is Jackie McGowan, a tattooed and pierced everygirl (meant complimentary), albeit a junkie. She is both fierce and kinda brittle, and plays that well as it seems to be her specialty in Mills’ releases. Also joining in as Ritchie and Rita’s friend is Mr. (Dave) Parka, who is better known for his video review vlogs [HERE].

Through the connections of the producer, Clint Weiler, there is a killer soundtrack with nationally known punk acts like the Murder Junkies (sans GG Allin, of course), the Dwarves, Antiseen, the Meatmen and the Gaggers.

One aspect of Mills I truly enjoy as a filmmaker is that he runs the gamut to simple cheezy puppets, to some highly stylized visuals. With each progressive film, and he is quite prolific, his technical ability improves. I hope he doesn’t lose much of the kitsch factor the way some have, like Cronenberg and Craven.

When you watch this, you may just say, hunh, lemme see this again with my buddies. Not exactly a date movie (unless you’re with the coolest girl in the world who loves these kinds of films!), but definitely a safer high than, well, bath salts.

 

Unrelated bonus video:

Review: Night of the Tentacles

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films Blog, 2013
Images from the Internet

                            

Night of the Tentacles

Written and directed by Dustin Mills
MVD Visual                      
90 minutes, 2011 / 2013
Facebook.com/DustinMillsProductions
MVDvisual.com

 I admit it. Dustin Millis is becoming one of my favorite indie $2 budget horror film directors lately. Yep, he’s the guy who brought us the wonderfully moniker’d The Puppet Monster Massacre (2010; reviewed HERE) and Zombie A-Hole (2012; reviewed HERE). Like early Cronenberg, Raimi and Craven, each film shows enormous growth as a filmmaker. I’m looking forward to seeing his most recent release, Bath Salt Zombies (2013)

But I jump ahead. Let’s discuss the film at hand. True to form, there are a few consistencies that seems to run throughout a Dustin Mills film. First, there’s Brandon Salkil (as Dave), who in body or voice has been present as a lead across the board. This is hardly surprising, because he is (a) handsome in the Bruce Campbell mode (more on that later), and (b) can easily run the gamut of subtle acting to over the top in a split second, and makes it work.

A second recurring theme is lots of nudity, sex, tattoos and piercings. Both men and women tend to be unconventional beauties, but still carry off a certain charm when necessary. A good example is the lead love interest, Nicole Gerity (as Esther), with white peroxide hair, skin ink, and multiple piercings in her face. And yet there is an obvious charm about her that doesn’t make it seem like an odd pairing with Dave. Oh, did I mention that Esther is also in her third trimester?

Then there is gore. Lots and lots of gore. Some of it is digi, but Mills also mixes in appliances and prosthetics that sometimes looks real and other times not, but in the overall feel of the film, again, it all works. Hey, remember those fakey looking stop-motion demons at the end of Evil Dead (1981)?

And then there are the puppets. Yes, even in the live action films, there are plenty of costumes and puppetry that comes into play. But again, I’ll explain more of that later.

So, plot-wise, we are introduced to lonely apartment dweller Dave, who makes a living as a graphic artist for alien porn boxes and posters, and has a hidden crush on Esther, who lives directly below his space. He also has a cute dog named Charley (Dustin’s real dog, named, of course, Charley). Apparently, Dave possesses a bum ticker and is in need of a new one, i.e., he’s just about a goner. But who shows up in his flat but the devil, offering him a heart in exchange for…well, you know the drill. Problem is, it’s not in his chest cavity, as he’s loth to find out, but rather it’s a tentacled, cycloptical monster with four sharp-pointed tentacles that lives in a wooden box. Of course, it also needs to feed on two people per week in order to survive.

A question that comes to mind at this point is as follows: when does a film that is a collection of homages become original in its own right? There are many themes and images that come from other sources, but the film still retains a feel of originality. Here are some examples.

Of course, the whole sell your soul to the devil with regret is right out of the German Faust legend (first published in 1587). Dave’s not reading the “fine print” has been used before, as well, with other Faust-based comedy films, such as Bedazzled (1967, 2000). However, the biggest Faustian story of recent time is also heavily referenced, The Little Shop of Horrors (1960, 1986). In fact, the first line of the heart is “Feed me.” Note that the heart in this film sounds much more fey than did the demanding and menacing Levi Stubbs (d. 2008). There’s also a bit of Evil Dead in here, too, especially with the facial expressions made by Salkil that are right out of the Bruce Campbell / Ash playbook. Salkil is really great at it (it’s that overplay I was mentioning earlier). I cannot forget to mention the nod to Basket Case (1982), with the evil other part of the hero living in a box and slithering out to kill. Heck, Mills even borrows from himself, with the thumping lovers next door named Iggy and Mona, the names of similarly entangled lovers from his own The Puppet Monster Massacre (thought no one would notice, Dustin?)

Dustin definitely seems to becoming more comfortable in the filmmaking craft. He has a good eye for lighting, both natural, added, and atmosphere. The use of garish, almost neon shades of green and red work with the mood of the moment, rather than indicating what the viewer is supposed to feel. His editing is also becoming stronger, as most scenes are cut back and forth between characters, rather than letting the camera linger. Unless, of course it is intended that way, such as a long shot when a drunken Dave has a conversation with an off-screen devil (during the commentary, the reason for the lack of on-camera Satan made me laugh).

It’s pretty obvious that most of the actors on this film are not professionals, but then again, every single one carries their role solidly, even when the call is for over-the-top (such as Salkil’s hilarious “What the fuck” when he sees the heart for the first time). It’s all part of an independent and humorous horror film.

Yes, there are definitely some cheesy moments. For me, the biggest is when you finally get to see the heart in all its gory… I mean glory. Honestly, it looks silly, sort of like a fuzzy toaster cozy. But I am so willing to forgive that because, well, this film is such a hoot.

One aspect of the film that impresses me, and what makes it worth owning (though it’s also available as a VOD), is the commentary. Mills handles it so correctly. The biggest mistake in commentaries (in my opinion) is that there are too many involved. Any more than two people it becomes a mishmash of “who said that?” Mills does it on his own, and keeps a perfect level of filmmaking information (camera used, funding, etc.) and anecdotes (such as how and why he switched a particular character from female to male, without changing the dialog). He keeps it interesting all the way through, which is so rare. Two other extras are trailers for his earlier films.

There are many good acting moments here (Gerity comes to mind), and also in the story and in overall filmmaking style that shows that Mills is definitely a star on the horizon. I just wonder what he could do with a real budget.