Review: Nightmare Man

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

Nightmare Man
Directed by Rolfe Kanefsky
Valkhn Films; Paradigm Pictures; Delusional Films; Ronin Films; MVD Visual
87 minutes, 2006 / 2022
www.mvdvisual.com

It should come as no surprise that the centerpiece of this film is second generation Scream Queen Tiffany Shepis. But she is so much more than just that, she is a force of nature. I have reviewed a number of her films over the years, including Model Hunger (2016) and The Black Room (2017, by the same director), and even Caesar and Otto’s Paranormal Halloween (2015). Heck, she goes back as far as the “classic” Tromeo and Juliet (1996), among other Troma flicks, which is where I first became aware of her. But before most of those, there was Nightmare Man.

The center of the film, however, is a couple trying to conceive: Ellen (busty Blythe Metz, who gets to have a gratuitous shower scene in the first five minutes) and toxic masculinist know-it-all Bill (Brazilian actor Luciano Szafir, who was once married to singer/television personality XuXa). To help “get it up” in William’s words, they try a fertility mask, which ends up being a horned, ugly thing, that you just know is going to be nuthin’ but trouble.

Tiffany Shepis, Hanna Putnum, Blythe Metz

This leads to the personification of the Nightmare Man (Aaron Sherry), who keeps cropping up in her – er – nightmares. For this, Bill is on the way to take her to a mental hospital as paranoid schizophrenic, but along the way, trouble occurs, forcing her into the woods and a lone cabin near Big Bear Lake, California, with some participants (the body count) that she befriends. But can they stop The Nightmare Man? I am now 15 minutes into the film, and I have a guess about the ending. I will state later if I am right or wrong, but will not disclose what that is.

Jack Sway, Shepis, James Ferris

In the cabin are two college friends, Mia (Shepis) and Trinity (Hanna/Johanna Putnum) and their respective boyfriends, loveable doofus Ed (Jack Sway, who has no IMDB credits since 2008; he wears a shirt for an earlier Kanefsky film from 1991) and macho man Jack (James Ferris). Being a Kanefsky release, there is a strong sexuality (more than sensuality) element to the film, which interplays (and sometimes inter-cuts through editing) of both. He is both known for his softcore as his horror work, so they usually combine in some ways. For example, every female in the story gets to strip to their bra at some point, and most show their ”goods” as well. To be fair, there is also male nudity (from behind).

About halfway through, I now know I was wrong. I have a second guess, but I certainly hope I am mistaken, because it is too obvious (which is why I had the first guess).

I do not usually talk to the screen – you know, “get out of there!!” “Don’t do [whatever stupid action]!!”) – but in this case, after a bit of carnage, someone goes into the woods by themselves and hears a rustle and says, “Somebody out there?” even after being warned about the killer. I sarcastically said to the television, “Well, duh! You deserve to die!”

The gore SFX looks good, reminiscent of the early Friday the 13th franchise. While not overly bloody, the kills are nice and gruesome. Definitely retro to the ‘80s, which is appreciated. There are also a few well-done jump scares.

There are quite a few extras included, two of which are new for the Blu-ray release. The first is the featurette, “There’s Something Out There: The Making of Nightmare Man” (26 min). This includes interviews with writer/director Rolfe Kanefsky, Tiffany Shepis and Blythe Metz, producer Esther Goodstein, and makeup effects artist Jeff Farley. It is well done and worth the watch, discussing the likes of origin of the idea, casting, anecdotes, and on-set tensions, all told with a wink of the eye. Another newbie is the Film Score Audio-Only Track (unplayed by me).

Archival from the previously released DVD in 2007 includes another, similar themed featured, “Creating a Nightmare: The Making of Nightmare Man” (22 min), with the difference being that this is mostly behind the scenes of the filming, with some interviews, audition reels, SFX, and includes a gag reel. with interviews from writer/director Rolfe Kanefsky, all with a sense of humor. Also, there is “Tiffany's Behind-the-Scenes,” (18 min) which is mostly shot and narrated live-on-camera by Shepis. It is pretty damn funny.

Of course, there is an Audio Commentary with Kanefsky, Shepis, and Goodstein. You can tell they had fun doing it. They joyfully discuss what is on the screen, personalities, shooting anecdotes, incontinuities, and the usual stuff. Again, worth the watch, though there is the occasional talking over each other. Then there are the Extended Scenes (16 min), which were good but right to be edited, and the “Flubbing a Nightmare Gag Reel” (7 min).

Finally, there is a Promo Reel (5 min), which is like an extended trailer, and Stills Gallery On the tech side, this is a 1080p High-Definition Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) with 5.1 Surround DTS-HD Master Audio, and English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

While this is not a comedy, there is definitely some humorous lines here and there, mostly spouted by Shepis, who has a natural comedic talent that is often overlooked (also, the role was written specifically for her). The acting overall is quite decent, though Shepis is more of a natural talent and excels in this regard, and please note that I am not just saying that because I am a fan. It is why I am a fan. Same is true with some of the better Scream Queens, like Debbie Rochon. There are also a couple of really nice cameos by Robert Donovan (who was also in The Black Room and Night of the Tommyknockers), and especially THE Richard Moll, who is almost unrecognizable, even with the height.

As for my guesses, they were both right and wrong. There was an element to the story that I was not expecting, which not only was a wonderful surprise, but tied everything up nicely.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Super Z

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

Super Z (aka Super Z: Smart-Ass Zombies!)
Directed by Julien de Volte and Arnaud Tabarly
La Ruche Productions; MVD Visual
80 minutes, 2022 / 2023
www.facebook.com/SuperZ 
www.MVDVisual.com

Zombie-love in the States is obvious, but it is also far flung across the world, such as Train to Busan (2016) in Korea, and in Europe, there is the recent Ever After (EndZeit) (2018) from Germany. Those films, however, are dead serious (pun intended).

On the other hand, there is Super Z, hailing out of France, which is a bloody and gory comedy. There are not too many zombie comedies in general, though there are the likes of Aaah! Zombies!! (aka Wasting Away) and Bong of the Dead (2011), not to mention the infamous Shaun of the Dead (2004), which even predates this release. This feature is based on the directors’ 2014 short film, “The Foodies.”

Audrey Giacomin, iJohan Libéreau, Julien Courbey, Florence Bebic-Veruni

In French (with subtitles), of course, this multi-level story of death, flesh and lust starts in a laboratory called The Purgatory, of a corporation led by Le PDG/The CEO (Jacques Boudet, who has had a long and storied career in French cinema). There is even a picture of himself on his desk. He is assisted in this endeavor by the over the top Le savant fou/The Mad Scientist (Jean-François Gallotte), who gleefully tortures the people/zombies on whom he works. As you may notice, some characters are expressed as their titles or roles, rather than their given names.

But the scientist has taken an extra step on his own and has made them more than just killing and eating machines, he has given them sentience, so they are aware of what is going on and can even talk. However, that is mostly trash talk, taunting like the French guards in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), except full of vulgarity and profanity.

Fabian Ara

The main test subjects are a family of four: “father” Gertre (Johan Libéreau), “mother” Stephana (Julien Courbey), and “daughters” Marcelline (Audrey Giacomini) and Georgette (Florence Bebic-Veruni). After they escape the facility, along the way, while having – er – dinner, they manage to turn a young man into one of them, Yvon (Fabien Ara), whom they adopt. The transformation takes only seconds. Yvon confuses me, though; is he supposed to be a teen? He plays his role like a man-child a la Lou Costello or a Jerry Lewis character (remember how popular Lewis was in France?). He is into rap, wears his extended cap sideways, pants hanging below his butt, and has his name on a gold chain. And he’s a bit annoying; no where as interesting as the foursome family. I do have to concede, though, that the “young” daughters are also played by adults.

Sent after them is Le mercinaire/The Mercenary (Lauren Bouhnik) and his cousin, La cousin (Jo Prestia, who also has quite the filmography), out to hunt and kill the escapees. This scenario, in some twisted way, reminds me a bit of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, with the hungry foursome as the escaped slaves being Eliza and her family, and Le mercinaire as Simon Legree.

Holed up in a cabin (see?), the extended zombie family fixes it up and feeds of people going by on a nearby walking path in joyous and bloody ways. Some family dinner table scenes are hysterical for both normality and – er – not (more on this later), and yet is extremely and disturbingly full of blood and gore. They plot their revenge against the world of humans, but what happens when one of them becomes infatuated by living, tooth-impaired, Augustine (Marion Mezadorian)? There is a definite Romeo and Juliet aspect to it, including a balcony scene. Smart.

While the excitement lasts throughout, with very little lulls, it also picks up significantly in the third Act when the mercenaries show up at the CEO’s insistence to do away with what he considers a failed experiment(s).

Lauren Bouhnik

You can see the influence of other films throughout, such as an homage to the ending of Mother’s Day (1980), which made me smile. Another interesting aspect of the film is that as absurd as it is, there is also a “normal” aspect of it, such as the zombies drinking wine, smoking, taking drugs, sleeping (and snoring), loving and arguing. I really enjoyed that. To them, even though they despise the living beyond the food aspect, they are not much different in so many ways.

But what is most notable is the gore effects and make-up, which look phenomenal. These were handled by Stéphanie Couste, Harold Levy, Cédric Martin and Vanessa Ricolleau. It does not surprise me it took four people, because there is a lot going on here, from zombie make-up, the gore SFX, and body parts.

Taunting a second time...

Sexually, it is quite crude, with masturbating and zombie sex, among other aspects I will not discuss because I do not want to give too much away. This film just revels in absurdist humor, which is bound to make some laugh, but will also guarantee some will find repulsive in both visuals, comments made by characters, and the degree of wit (mostly low level). But I found it quite fun and full of great moments. Also, their voices are quite growly and screechy, almost as though their voices have been sped up. This is especially true of Stephana. I am grateful for the English subtitles, because even if it was in English, I may have trouble making out the dialogue; however, the subtitles are not the best, being all white, but still appreciated, as I was with the film in general.

IMDB listing HERE

Horror Shorts Reviews for December 2021

Horror Shorts Reviews for December 2021

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Filmmakers, please note: usually, I do not review films (unless requested) that appear on sites like Alter and Screamfest, because they have a known platform, which is great, while I would rather focus on films with no sponsored online affiliations.

The Bellringer
Directed by Cindy Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers; Uncanny Pictures
7:47 minutes, 2021
One of a film challenge taken up by Stenberg to direct three shorts in two days. Ends up it has won multiple awards. It’s easy to understand why. To get over a writer’s block to finish a novel about a haunting, Jessica (Jessie Lewis Skoglund) rents a bungalow that is in the center of many others that are similar (I so want to visit the real place, with camera in hand, because it is incredibly atmospheric). The inside of the cabin looks up to date, but the outside is full of faded wood, fog, and darkness. After a bit of a slow start that is help by some incredibly detailed camerawork and editing, Jessica starts seeing a woman in a cloak (Annika Forslund Rimbléus) ringing a bell as she walks among the buildings. There is no question the ringer is up to no good. It's the cat and mouse action that will definitely keep the tension strong. Also, the make-up on the bellringer is stunning, among other well done SFX by Sana Öhlund. The darkness and the fog keep the mood tense and nerve-wracking. Beautifully done.
Full film HERE 

Blunda
Directed by Fredrik Hellqvist
Hellfilm; DBoy Productions
9:02 minutes, 2021
What produces recurring nightmares that cause night terrors? That is the question Vanja (Inés Cherif) brings to Professor von Ranck (Henry Lodin) at a clinic in this spooky short from Sweden (with English subtitles; the title means to shut one’s eyes). With slow, wispy dissonant music behind the images, Vanja is hypnotized as we follow her on her dream path into the presence of something that seems evil, Marasiten (Olle Åkesson). The film is just the right length to keep the audience compelled without overreaching, which is just what the (sleep) doctor ordered. Bathed in blue light, you can feel for Vanja and her dilemma, and the almost condescending confidence of the professor in the reasoning. A really enjoyable watch that will creep you out.
Trailer HERE 

 

Crayons
Directed by Cindy Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers
5:02 minutes, 2021
Another part of the three shorts in two days project, this incredibly fun film shows a woman (Jessie Lewis Skoglund) on a walk. Partway through a railroad underpass, she finds some crayon scrawled and a box of large pieces of chalk. She draws something, which comes into existence. From there it escalates to bigger and better, until greed gets the upper hand for which there is a price. This is a fun story from beginning to end, even though it was quickly shot, and it shows some really fine filmmaking skills. My only question, and I say this with a smile, who handles chalk that size while wearing black cloth gloves? Anyway, so worth the view.
Full film HERE 

 

Face Mask
Directed by Dan Allen and Adam Huber
Midnight Video
6:05 minutes, 2020
This is a film for our times, that’s for certain. It’s night and a guy goes to his garage to do his laundry. He’s approached by a spooky guy in sunglasses (again, it’s dark out) and a surgical mask, who suggests the launderer do the same about wearing a mask. His tone is dissonant and threateningly almost monotonal as he asks to use a phone. The tension between the two is palpable as they stand near the garage and chat. But the end has a really nice O. Henry-esque twist that is unexpected and though a bit illogical, quite fun. The madness of suburbia.
Full film HERE 

The Ho Ho Howling
Directed by Andrew Neill
Two Jackets Productions
10:27 minutes, 2019
Christmas Eve. A young couple has just put their tween daughter, Charlie, to bed to wait for the morning presents. But there’s a noise on the roof and the parents investigate to find the most angelic looking Santa I have ever seen. The story nicely takes its time, not rushing towards its direction which is generally obvious from the title, but still manages to throw in a few surprises to keep both the audience off kilter and give a bit of a WTF quotient to make it humorously ludicrous. Not in a way that’s annoying, but rather with a nice touch of originality. There could have been a bit cut out of a pre-transformation scene whose color palate is right out of Creepshow (1982), but all-in-all, this film’s imaginative twists make it worth the watch.
Full film HERE 

 

Jolly
Directed by Todd Spence
Midnight Video
4:06 minutes, 2020
In a Talking Tina-esque Christmas Eve, with but one minute to the holiday, a man is napping on the couch when his animatronic Santa head seemingly comes to sentient life, and gives a dire warning. This leads to some well-presented tense moments as we, as well as both the man and Santa, count down the final seconds of the Eve. The reward is worth the wait, and in the short time as we follow this situation, the director does well to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, and for that we are well rewarded. I felt jolly after the viewing.
Full film HERE 

 

Santa
Directed by Alexander Henderson
The Installments
6:58 minutes, 2019
A young teen (or near teen) asks his mom, “How does Santa know when you are sleeping?” That is the general theme of the creepy titular character in this episodic story, as the young man veers between waking and sleeping, or to be more precise, having nightmares about the jolly old man. While a bit over the top at times, the story does its best at delivering some nice tense moments and the viewer stays as baffled as the kid. A real sley ride (a cliché pun, but why not if it fits, right?).
Full film HERE 

 

Synonymous With
Directed by Thom Hilton
Cataract Pictures
12:16 minutes, 2021
Taking place in 2009, the once host of local horror program “Synister Synema,” who used the professional name of Synonymous (Remy Gerinario), aka Syn, is asked to be interviewed by a college student, Jackson (director Thom Hilton, who is unseen). The questions start off semi-innocent, but quickly delve into the strongly personal side of Syn’s life, probing deeper into his psyche. This is mixed with clips from the television show where lots of Grade B and C films are mentioned, and anyone who is a horror fan should definitely feel an affinity with them (unless you’re one of those sad, “I don’t watch black and white films” kinda person). There is also a nicely edited montage of Syn’s life mixed in that works under the dialogue. This felt really personal, sometimes a bit uncomfortable in a good way, and my only complaint is that I wanted it to continue, even though Syn is the only person on camera other than Thing (Mark McGann), a hand character on the now-terminated television program. This is a good watch on many levels with a strong LGBTQ undertone. Hard to believe this is Hilton’s directorial debut as it is quite well written and constructed, including his editing.
Full film HERE 

Review: Making Monsters

 Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Making Monsters
Directed by Justin Harding and Rob Brunner
Samuel Goldwyn Films; BUCK Productions; Bokeh Collective;
Ginger Cat Studios; Vortex Media
85 minutes, 2019
https://www.facebook.com/makingmonstersfilm

If you want to get me upset, play a prank on me. I am not a fan, to the point where I get anxious around April 1. Heck, I won’t even watch most of them on the Internet. The majority of pranks I find to be cruel, and I have no respect for the fools who do it and them post it online (e.g., a clown chasing people with chainsaws). Note, that if someone does that to me, they are going to get a severe response. But nothing compared to what is happening here: care careful whom you victimize, even in Canada (where this film is shot).

The point of this is that the story centers around a couple: first there’s Christian (Tim Loden) who runs his prank site, and then there is the focus of his vicious pranking, the star of his YouTube channel, his fiancé Allison (Alana Elmer). What she sees in this dick is beyond me. Anyway, enough editorializing. He is a popular content provider who does just that very thing: publish his original tricks online. Merry prankster, indeed, making money off people that he terrorizes. And you just know he’s going to reach an audience that wants to take it a step too far, as is wont in these films.

Tim Loden, Alana Elmer

The problem is, Allison is stressed out and done, and needs some – in the words of that great philosopher Elmer Fudd – “West and Wewaxation at wast.” To achieve this, she asks him to cut it the fuck out, and so they decide to take some time and visit friends out in the country. In genre films, is it ever good to go out to a house – actually, a deconsecrated church – in the middle of nowheresville (a fancier cabin-eth in the woods)? This one is owned by Chris’s long-lost school friend Jesse (King Chiu) and his fiancé, the very odd and off David (Jonathan Craig), who is an uber fan of the prank videos. In the words of that other great thinker, Astro, “Ruh-row.”

Chris is eager explain why he enjoys terrorizing people, and why people lap it up, taking a couple of minutes to explain it, when all he really needed to say is “Schadenfreude.” Meanwhile, I kept wanting to say to Allison, “Really, you want to marry this guy and have his kid? Surely you can do better.”

Jonathan Craig

After a night of waiting for Jesse to show up, this leads to some sex and drugs and well, something unworldly. Up to now, it’s been in our realm, but post-hallucinogenic, the audience is not sure what we are seeing is supernatural or part of a mind-bender, leading to some nice and creepy shit, and some decent jump scares. Is it real, something supernatural, drug-induced, or a prank? After the horrific and short prologue at the beginning that uses a drone quite effectively, and then the second Act ramping up on the creepy-factor, it is hard to say. Of course, most things will be answered in the third Act.

The question is what happens when a prankster meets the dark Web real deal? A taste of his own medicine? You see some of this coming early on in the second Act, but certain elements keep the tensions taut, I am happy to say. This is definitely a watch between the fingers kind of film, and not just because of the violence, but the expectation of it. That’s what makes this enjoyable.

This could have been really corny, but the acting, especially by the two leads, and the way it was shot and stylishly put together by the directors (who have worked extensively in television, such as “Top Chef Canada” and “Canada’s Worst Drivers”), make this a pretty solid scarefest. Also, the church is a great set piece, beautifully designed and laid out. I would love to live there, if it weren’t so secluded.

By the end, the tension really ramps up and becomes quite a frenetic film as our killer, in a mask that I suppose is meant to reflect Chris’s look with long hair and a somewhat beard, makes his way through the small cast with quite gruesome and beautifully done SFX. And the choice of music is worth noting as it both reflects the situation and also juxtaposes it, such as the use of the old folk song (one I have always liked) called “In the Pines” (not listed in the credits, so I don’t know who did this interpretation), mixed with some modern orchestral instrumentals.

As I have indicated earlier, there is a supernatural element to the film in the form of a ghost (Jarrett Siddall), which was fine for some jump scares, but honestly, there really did not need to be anything like that needed, as the spookie really does not advance the story at all (though it looks cool), and the human part of it is certainly terrifying enough.

That being said, this is one of the better slasher films I have seen in a while, being innovative while not going too far off the mark for some effective genre tropes, in fact reminding me of another Canadian release, In the House of Flies (2012).  Yeah, I enjoyed this one a lot.

 

Review: X

 Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

X
Directed by Scott J. Ramsey
Cinedigm; The Foundation
127 minutes, 2021
www.everybodylovesx.com/
www.cinedigm.com/
www.imdb.com/title/tt8151450/?ref_=nm_knf_i1

Once a month, a charitable organization called The Foundation invites a group of people for some care-free debauchery. The “King” of the Party is 26-year-old Christian (Hope Raymond), known as X, and who also handed out the invitations to the guests. One unexpected one, though, is ex-school mate Stella (Eliza Bolvin), dubbed E7 for the party. Everyone wears masks (no, not the pandemic type) and goes by a letter and number, as on a chess board.

As X is the King, her associate, Danny (Brian Smick), is known as The Queen. He and Christian run the monthly sex parties under the title of a Masked Charity Ball that entrances the rich to come and spend their inheritance on a good “cause.” While they are indulging in their passions, The Foundation makes money and Christian gets off on her own by doing a Chuck Berry and viewing videos she has hidden in the bathroom. She is not interested in the coupling route, but rather indulging in onanism (sometimes with batteries).

Hope Raymond

One of the strong points of the story, which is broken up into five chapters, is that the two people who run the ball, The King and the Queen, are not presented as necessarily evil and authoritarian, but rather as people trying to work their way through life. We see Christian in some very weak moments (between balls), drinking too much, and trying to get over insecurities she earned in a Catholic high school from being in unrequited love (lust?) with Stella.

In an interview with Starburst, director Ramsey said, “I would define it as a queer film, because more importantly than the characters being queer, it has a queer sensibility to it, and because the filmmakers are queer. But ultimately, it wasn’t about their sexualities, so it wasn’t necessarily for us to make that the focus.” 

Eliza Bolvin

While visually and thematically closer to Eyes Wide Shut (1999) than X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963), there’s also an element of Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” and Agatha Christie mysteries mixed in. This is especially true when the bathroom camera turns up a violent crime by another acquaintance, who one may refer to as the Iago of the piece. At this time, well past the halfway point, things really start to pick up. It also puts Christian in a bind, because to expose it, she would need to reveal the illegal filming.

This is the first feature length film for the director, who has said he wanted it to be “an intersection of erotic thriller and queer camp.” Did he succeed? Funny thing is, is that as much as this is a story about sexual debauchery, there is actually not much actual sex shown, most of it implied. There is also surprisingly miniscule amounts of nudity. As for the camp level, there is definitely some there; perhaps not reaching the Showgirls (1995) level, but the pan-sexuality is definitely worth noting.

One of the odd things about the film is the sound of the talking. It gives the impression that all the dialogue was recorded and added after, because of how flat the sound is; sort of like a dubbed Scandinavian film from the 1970s. The lips match the words, but it just appears strange in tone, like everyone is the exact same distance from the image.

Much of the background music is classical, such as Beethoven’s 9 Symphony Second Movement, and a light tinkling, almost music box sounding version of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, which is repeated during intense moments, and there are a lot of them. The film is well shot, showing both the pathos of some characters and the bravado of others; or in the case of Christian, both. Luckily, Raymond has the acting chops to come off as both in charge and someone with a touch of PTSD from being bullied in years before.

Did Ramsey achieve his goal to “comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”? Well, the writers were going for a “Shakespearean tragedy” level of story, but to me it felt more like a telenovela, especially once certain secrets are brought to light. Everything is over emotional, and there is definitely an aesthetically soap opera level to it all, especially thanks to its over 2-hour length, which seemed a bit excessive. Sure, mostly it kept the story going, but this is an indie film, not a mega-superhero-budgeted-three-stories-at-once kind of film, so with all the emotional back and forth going on, it did start to wear after a while.

Valerie Façhman

One of the things supporting the film is that the acting skills are quite good. Raymond carries it, going in and out of glamorous to plain, in charge and feeling out of sorts, and never leaving one to doubt the emotional roller coaster. I would also like to note Valerie Façhman, who plays X’s dementia-ladened mom Lynda, and steals many of her scenes.

The film took five years of “blood, sweat, and rose petals,” says the young director, and it shows in the work. The visuals are quite stunning and there are many different styles thrown in, including split screens, and it all enhances the story rather than draining from it. At this length, that’s a positive thing.

The title is hard to search for on the Internet, so I have included its IMDB page at the top. It is available to buy or rent on major digital platforms, such as iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and VUDU.

 

Review: Housewife Alien vs Gay Zombie

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2020
Images from the Internet

 

Housewife Alien vs. Gay Zombie
Directed by Andreas Samuelson
Zoombie Pictures
96 minutes, 2017
www.facebook.com/hagzfilm

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/hagz www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08F4Z1THH/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Sometimes, ya need to make a focused, driven movie – even if it’s a comedy – and bring home a message (even if it’s just joy). Other times, you just gotta say fuck it. Horror films with a gay center seem to lean towards the latter, and this Swedish (in English) release goes above and beyond; it is camp from Campville.

This film, affectionately known as HAGZ for short, is by far the silliest film I’ve seen since Australian sci-fi mash-up SheBorg! (2016); but before you stop here, know that it was one of my favorite films that I saw last year because of the sheer and utter WTF­-ness of it. So, keep reading…

Hector Lopez

Newlywed couple Ken (Hector Lopez) and his dick (pun not intended) of a platinum blond be-wigged partner Rob (director Samuelson) have moved into a new house that is still full of the previous owner’s possession, including an old and mysterious book. Hector is afraid because the local legend is that the person before turned into a zombie (so why would you move in? Oh, wait, logic… never mind).

That takes care of the “Gay Zombie” part; as for the other, Catherine (Sanna Wallin), who dresses like she just stepped out of an episode of “I Love Lucy,” is given the opportunity through a head in a suitcase with glowing eyes (Elin Hallberg), to resurrect her dead sister Ruth (Anna Walman), bad teeth and all, using some Alien DNA (musta gotten it from Trump’s medical advisor), turning Ruth into a murderous alien-creature serial killer.

And yet, the film has barely started. I’ve already left out so much that has happened, including a ludicrous superhero named Zebraman (Erik Nilsson) and a Dirty Harry type copper with a heart of lead, Detective Sheridan (Anna Modén). It’s like there is (purposefully) 40 lbs. of material in a 20 lbs. bag (or should that be kilos?). There is so much to unpack!

The two titular main storylines are separate at first and of course, at some point combine, though it feels nominally, which actually works to the stories’ advantage. Would have been interesting if the alien housewife were a lesbian, but there are other (non-alien) sisters of Lesbos throughout, as well.

Anna Walman

I don’t know if I would refer to this as a “gay film,” but it is definitely at the core and there are some love scenes (well, scenes of people having sex), but it certainly has a message, which I believe is a good one: no matter who one is attracted to, there will be good people and there will be the shits. But enough pontificating.

For me, as much as the action is fun, and I will get to that, it’s the dialogue that really makes the film for me. It is just dripping with puns, such as my favorite one when a criminal is captured and someone says, “They’re giving him the chair,” as the cops give him a wooden chair to sit on. This is worthy of Spaceballs (1987) and the line that they’re “combing the desert.” It was quite often I found myself giving a loud, verbal laugh.

Also, sometimes its not what is being said but rather implied, such as when the Police Chief (who has huge, bushy eyebrows) literally grumbles with non-words because it’s such a trope, really, who needs them, right? The film liberally uses clichés to make it’s points, or just to give a nod to other genre classics. For example, there’s the use of a talking plant that’s reminiscent of The Little Shop of Horrors (1986), a refrigerator scene that’s right out of Repo Man (1984), the sheer over-the-top drama of telenovelas, a very quick dig at the found footage format of shaky cameras, and even a wink at The Evil Dead (1981). One scene even makes fun of the handyman scenario oft employed in gay – and straight – porn. Another stylist choice is that, for most of the opus’ run time, there are added “scratches” to the image to look like it was taken from an old negative.

Elin Hallberg, Sanna Wallin

The cast is amazingly huge – did they use all of Stockholm in this? – and the acting ranges are in the shrieking scale, or what I call the Drag Queen Mating Call. The dialogue is either shouted or grumbled, or in a John Lithgow sit-com reading (did he really win awards for that overcooked ham-style in “Third Rock from the Sun”?). Most of the actors, especially the key ones, wear some kind of hair accessories, be it wigs, the aforementioned eyebrows, and generally ludicrous (I’m guessing Drag influenced) make-up. This goes for the gore make-up as well: it’s a bit over the top, though a couple of scenes are really nicely done, such as the last zombie attack.

In other words, there is absolutely no subtlety to the humor here, just a cosmic, comedic sledgehammer, but it hurts so good. The funny bits are so fast and furious, I may watch this again to see what I missed, because what I did catch was effective and made me laugh. There is so much happening that these are almost set pieces all strung together, but at the same time does not lose the thread of the story in its own reflection.

Honestly, this film may not be for everyone; if you’re homophobic because the Bible tells you so, if you don’t like gratuitous violence, or you need a serious picture with a more linear narrative step carefully. However, if you are like me and enjoy silliness for silliness sake, and yet like a smart undertone with great references to genre films (drinking game, perhaps?), then, as I did, you may enjoy the hell out of this and have a good laugh.