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

Review: CarousHELL The 2nd

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

CarousHELL The 2nd
Directed by Steve Rudzinski
Silver Spotlight Films
77 minutes, 2021
https://silverspotlightfilms.storenvy.com/   

The original CarousHELL (reviewed HERE) was a ridiculously fun and gory release focusing on a murderous wooden carousel unicorn named Duke (voiced by Steve Rimpici), running free with scissors, among other sharp objects, and decimating the original cast. It can be seen on TubiTV, among other venues.

The original is one of director Steve Rudzinski’s most popular films, in part for the sheer madcap level of it, so he decided to make a sequel, for which I am quite happy and looking forward to seeing and reviewing below. Little of the cast from the first film made it to the second because, well, it had a relatively enormous and gory body count, so I’m interested to learn where the story goes from here.

Like other insanities such as ThanksKilling (2009; reviewed HERE), the fact that the story is batshit crazy actually enhances it rather than undermining it. When a film warps reality just a little bit, the credulity of the endeavor comes into question; but when all rules are off from the beginning (e.g., a wooden unicorn creating a hybrid baby with a human), like they did in “Gilligan’s Island,” it is easier to sit back and just accept the weirdness for itself. Rudzinski has done this flawlessly. For a second time.

Duke

Rimpici’s line reading for Duke is hilarious, though the sound of Duke has a different tone than everyone else since it was obviously recorded in a different venue (Phone? Recording studio?). Again, this does not take away from the story or the action, but is easily noticeable, which is why I bring it up.

While Duke is a wooden unicorn who is still capable of amazing feats of dexterity (through excellent cinematography and editing by Scott Lewis), his young son, Robbie (voiced by B. Barnabei), adopted by Ms. Lawrence (Judy HR Kirby), who has an indirect history with Duke, is a (literal) puppet with eyes that close and body that is softer thanks to his human side(created by Cody Ruch and Gabrielle Ventura). Whatever, Robbie looks both cute and well made. You know from early on this is going to be a bonding film between Duke and Robbie, with some growing by both. But in what direction? One can only imagine at 17 minutes in.

Robbie

And did I mention the Nazis yet? We meet a quad of them who have managed to find a way to stay young through stealing souls (reminiscent of 1985’s Lifeforce) since 1944 when the prologue takes place. Naturally, they are ridiculous characters in a Mel Brooks fashion. The leader is Ilsa (co-producer Aleen Isley, who was also hysterical in Captain Z and the Terror of Leviathan, 2014; reviewed HERE), obviously modelled in part from the title character in Ilsa She Wolf of the SS (1975), and her companion in terror, and there is Katrina (also co-producer, Rebecca Reinhart, who often appears in other films as the character Dr. Boobenstein), who is not as smart as Ilsa, but just as deadly. Then there is Katrina’s brother,  bumbling “master of disguise” hot dog cart salesman Klaus (Mark McConnell Jr.) whose stand’s name made me laugh hard enough to stop the film for a minute, and bumbling scientist and scene stealer Otto (Terence Lee Cover). They plan to “take care of” Duke.

I also enjoyed that despite all the weirdness, there is some minor social observations that sort of skims the surface, but is more an elbow in the side than heavy handed, be it commentary on the overuse of social media/cell phones, or the recent “Karen” phenomenon. There are also some Easter Egg nods to other films, such as Aliens (1986), or a self-reflexive nod (as Rudzinski is wont to do) to the first film, referencing Pete’s Pizza.

Even some cliches that have outlived their expiry date work well on a different level here, such as the montage of Duke and Robbie bonding. I laughed all through it because it relies on those very cliches, rather than in spite of it.

There are a lot of subtle moments, such as Duke reading a newspaper while smoking a pipe, as dads do (well, in ‘50s sit-coms, maybe…), or an image of a goosestepping Smoky the Bear type image. It really does help to pay attention to the little details, because Rudzinski and Isley, who also co-wrote the piece, work well with the minutia around the story, adding to the humor. I mean, who can not love lines like “You need to fight for your Reich to party.” Note, however, they do go a bit overboard on substituting “right” with “Reich.” But I’ll include that in the over-the-top level of… well, everything.

Meanwhile, the Nazi foursome are trying to capture Duke, which makes Duke’s “Oy vey” comment all the funnier. They will do whatever it takes to get him, even if it involves Robbie to snare him. The ways they try are quite funny and McConnell makes the most of over-emoting to create different “characters” that are similar enough to make the audience chuckle in their sheer ridiculous nature, but again, that is part of his charm.

Duke is much more “humanized” in this release, whether that is good or bad, but either way, you know the final act is full on furious. Until that point, the body count is small, but done away with gruesomely. Thanks to the Internet (even 100-year-old Nazis have their own fan pages, apparently), there is a chance for what we all came for, beyond the comedy: the killing field.

As with the first film, Duke seems to have quite the arsenal that just seems to show up in his hands… I mean, hooves. This is part of the “Gilligan’s Island” wardrobe vibe I mentioned above. Of course, this makes the killings more elaborate and enjoyable than just, say, gouging with a unicorn horn.

The SFX (also done by Ruch and Ventura) range from amusingly cartoonish (such as obvious mannequins) to really nice and gruesome. There is more time between kills than the first, but the ones that are there are worth the wait. Also, getting to know Duke’s back story has some twists that you probably will not see coming.

Note that the director likes the motif of more scenes during and after the credits (the scroll aren’t very long), so stay tuned for a nice cameo.

It may have been six years since CarousHELL, but it was worth the wait, and I do believe, as indicated by this story, we may not have to wait as long for The 3rd. Meanwhile, this film can be rented or bought at the Spotlight Films link above, and I believe you should without disappointment, if you like absurdist horror comedy with a side of bloody mayhem.