Review: Skinwalker: The Howl of the Rougarou

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

Skinwalker: The Howl of the Rougarou
Directed by Seth Breedlove
Small Town Monsters; 1091 Pictures
70 minutes, 2021
www.smalltownmonsterss.com

One of the things I enjoy about Small Town Monsters’ releases is that not only does each documentary focus on a particular cryptid, but they centralize the story; they will pick a part of the country and focus on that area, even if it covers a corner of multiple states, situating the events, including the more commonly widespread ones, such as Bigfoot.

So, after covering the likes of the Bell Witch, Bigfoot and Mothman, among many others, here they focus on one of my favorite topics, the werewolf. This mystical creature has been having a resurgence lately, with films like Bonehill Road (2017), Night Howl (2017), Lyncanimator (2018), and the upcoming The Beast Comes at Midnight, so it makes sense to check on one in the real world. in this case, southern Louisiana. This is a change since most of the previous films by STM I have seen involve the Northeast. It is great to see them stretching their (literal) boundaries.

Like Bigfoot, which has multiple names depending on the location (e.g., Yeti, Sasquatch), the “Skinwalker” down in the bayou is known by the Cajun (Acadians originally from Nova Scotia) term, Rougarou (or as I, as a Brooklyn boy heard it, Loup-garou). The story of a man-wolf hybrid has been around for centuries in those swampy areas, giving rise to multiple alleged sightings and stories of meaning.

That is where this story takes off, into the swampy, spooky landscape that has appeared in so many horror releases, such as in Hammer Films’ The Mummy (1959) and many voodoo zombie B-films of the 1940s. It’s a mysterious place full of danger, like quicksand, poisonous snakes, alligators, and the legendary Rougarou.

The film is narrated by Lyle Blackburn, who has done so for a few other Breedlove releases, but he is also the lead vocalist and guitarist of the gothabilly band, Ghoultown, and has written an appropriate book to this film called Swamps: Monsters and Mysteries from the Mire (2020). He does a fine job in a slow and measured manner that’s appropriate for the location of the story, though without the drawl.

The film is broken into chapters. The first wisely mixed a few of the legends with a smattering of the background of the area, including some stunning photography as always; another is how the legend of the Rougarou started both by the American Indians/First Nations who lived in the area, and then by the French settlers. Apparently, the werewolf is historically common folklore in French literature.

The story continues in how the Rougarou is created, be it half-human, half-wolf, or mostly wolf but standing upright. It also includes some fun first- and second-hand stories by the locals, including the person who runs the Rougarou Fest held in Houma, LA, and members of the local Houma Tribe for whom the city is named.

An interesting aspect to me is the variations of the Rougarou. Most of the other cryptids tend to hold steady in their concept and aim, but because the Rougarou is a mixture of Indigenous tribes and European influence, the look, the means of transformation, and even modus operandi changes often. For some, the Rougarou almost takes the Boogeyman/Krampus role of being used to keep kids in line (e.g., “If you’re bad, the Rougarou will getcha!”), for others they are merely wood-and-swamp creatures, and mostly they are humans who have been cursed (one example is a wife who puts the lycanthropy on her good-fer-nuthin’ husband).

While there are certainly similarities between the various visions of the creature, there definitely appears to be a more human aspect, even with the occasional fear-mongering of either eating human flesh or souls. The latter is subtly explained by the very Catholic-based religions in the region. Most other beliefs, such as Baptist or Lutheran, would most likely (in my opinion) just express the Rougarou as either the work of the Devil, or to be a minion of such (Demon). Catholicism is often more varied in possibilities of evil entities, although Devils and Demons are right up there (ever hear of a Lutheran exorcism?).

Because of the addition of the human aspect of transformation, even though it is made clear that the Rougarou can appear as any animal or human, or even a bird or tree, it is usually associated with white clothing and fur (such as rabbits) except for the werewolf version. The consistent seems to be the red glowing eyes. This makes the creature more engaging in a The Thing (1983) way because it could be anyone, even the person sitting next to you in church, as one person interviewed posits.

As with most of the Small Town Monsters releases, there is a mixture of live interviews and travelogues of the area under discussion, some creative artwork and cartooning, and in this case, some really fabulous recreations. The wolf suits are stunning, easily as good as some of the more popular films like Dog Soldiers (2002), which relies more on man-wolf hybrids than, say, the mostly wolf shape of An American Werewolf in London (1981). It is these recreations that really flesh out the stories and give visuals beyond the talking heads syndrome.

With modern technology, salt-water flooding of the sweet water swamps thanks to climate change, and the different directions of the winds of culture, the documentary also tackles the possible future for the Rougarou.

For a company and director that is incredibly prolific, it is admirable that the quality of these films never diminishes. If you are into cryptids or just cryptid-curious, this will not disappoint, as is true with the other STM fare available at the link at the top of the page.

 

Review: On the Trail of UFOs: Dark Sky

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

On the Trail of UFOs: Dark Sky
Directed by Seth Breedlove
Small Town Monsters; 1091 Pictures
85 minutes, 2021
www.smalltownmonsterss.com

They say when you are passionate about something, you don’t have a job. Or something like that. Seth Breedlove and his Small Town Monsters (SMT) company are spearheading a movement on the questionable: Bigfoot, the Momo, and a host of other cryptid creatures. For this documentary, he both goes out of his – er – orbit of “natural” Earth monsters, and looks up at the stars. But from the perspective of being very on the ground.

Over time, Breedlove has gone from films that are mostly documentaries and part re-enactments, to being the point of focus leading the expedition. This makes sense in the world of Covid, keeping it close and personal as much as possible.

Not counting claims of Aliens visiting Ancient Egypt (and helping to build the pyramids? Really?) or Latin America thousands of years ago (if you want a laugh, check out the 1968 book Chariots of the Gods?, by Erick von Damien), UFO sighting claims are actually relatively recent in the United States, dating back to around the Second World War. Though most of the creatures Breedlove has focused on have been around a bit longer than that, the explosion of Alien contact is fully national, rather than isolated segments of the country (for example, as Breedlove’s previous docu showed how the Adirondacks are a focus of detections, rather than, say, Taos, AZ).

Seth Breedlove and Shannon Legro

That being said, Breedlove is joined in this quest by paranormal researcher and author Shannon Legro, who has her own podcast called Into the Fray Radio. She leads the questioning of the people who are claiming sightings. They start off, in this case, in West Virginia, where an older man describes a sighting he had when he was 10 years old. From there, they mostly focus their travels investigating and interviewing around West Virginia with a quick boo northwest into Ohio (STM is based near Akron, OH). I think it is really smart to keep the focus small and concentrate on one relatively small area (i.e., a state) than nationally, or even globally. Especially in these pandemic days.

The film, which is based on a television show by the same name (2020), also wisely manages to bring in some references to the meat of STM concentrations by noting that West Virginia is also the area of the infamous Mothman, and a few interviewed mentions it directly. But there are other weirdness and cryptids mentioned, such as an alien from a crashed UFO, the Green Monster of Flatwoods, WV, which has a museum dedicated to it in that town, and a whole section of the mysterious Men in Black, who may be military, or possibly otherworldly. There are even some paranormal investigators thrown in to help search for information.

Are the Aliens interested in the military which has numerous bases there, power sources of West Virginia such as coal mines, electrical grids and nuclear plants, or the many factories that built them (e.g., Nitroglycerine for TNT came from the WV town of Nitro)? Or perhaps, and for me this is one of the weakest arguments, do they use the coal shafts and caves to travel to a “hollow earth”? It’s all good fun, anyway.

I find it interesting that the crafts all are different shapes. One investigator comments that most are saucer shapes with lights, but the descriptions are numerous, including triangular or other forms. Perhaps they are from different civilizations, or may be built by billionaires on other planets? Okay, the last sentence was totally me. But I mean the first part of that sentence, which I have not seen questioned before.

The film is bolstered by some incredibly well-done animations and re-creations, as well as some possible images of real sightings. There are also various 1950s film clips that I enjoyed, such as ones from Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956; thank you, public domain).

Legro, who also presents the television version, is a good host, and she certainly does the job well. On occasion, though, she seems a bit stiff when reading the narration. She is stoic quite a bit, so the parts where she gets excited really liven it up, such as in the last section. I will acknowledge that it is a fine line when interviewing not to take away from the person who is talking, and when dealing with non-professional talkers, this can be challenging; and she does this quite well. Breedlove, who spearheaded the previous On the Trail of Bigfoot (2021, reviewed HERE), wisely takes a back seat to Legro, and lets her get to work, chirping in with his questions just at the right time.

When dealing with the topics of great mysteries like the supernatural, cryptids, and/or Aliens, there are two aspects to keep in mind. The first is whether or not they actually find one in their search. That is certainly one of the reasons why we watch these documentaries. The second is that usually, you know you are going to be left unfulfilled, like this is the appetizer (questions) without an entrée (answers), but the smells are so good in the restaurant (the program) that you just do not care. That is the ultimate goal for both the program and the viewer.

Breedlove’s documentaries that I have seen, and there have been a few now, have never disappointed, and I always look forward to them. UFO documentaries are pretty much a dime a dozen, but the way he ties in the cryptid connections makes this stand out some from the others, and for that I am grateful.

 

Review: Housesitters

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2018

Images from the Internet

Housesitters

Directed by Jason Coffman

Tomorrow Romance

62 minutes, 2018

www.facebook.com/pg/HousesittersMovie

www.housesittersmovie.com

Man-oh-man-ohhhh-man! Though this is showing my hand way too early, what a fun ride. At just over an hour, this horror comedy that is partially shot on iPhone is short at just over an hour, but I happily watched it twice in a row.

In the story, some friends put a video out on the ‘Net that they are looking for a job as a housesitter (I know people who actually do this). Of course the house that comes their way is nice, has a platinum card for ordering food (and a lot of it)… and, oh yeah a Little Bastard of a demon’s familiar created by the horror puppet master himself, Dustin Wayde Mills.

Peter Ash, Jamie Jirak, Annie Watkins

At the core of the story are two friends, Angie (Annie Watkins) and Izzy (Jamie Jirak), who riff off each other so well that the actors playing them get a writing credit, and rightfully so. While the situation is supernatural and their reactions are hardly what would happen in the real world, the pace and tone of their comments feels like these guys actually are friends (I have no idea what their relationship is beyond the camera, of course).

This is a first feature (relatively speaking, length-wise) film for Jason Coffman, and I certainly hope it’s not the last, especially if he keeps Jirak and Watkins in tow; the three of them certainly make a strong team. There’s lots of pot, mixed drinks, and porn (the latter is not shown, just discussed while viewed off camera… yes, by the women).

There’s a lot to unpack, including demon possession, a small body count, the undead, a house with boundaries, time travel, and a whole bunch of smart-assitude that had me laughing. Joining the women are Izzy’s kinda lame boyfriend, Zach (Peter Ash), even though he is the most clear-headed of the group as far as the situation goes, Angie’s crush Mark (Ben Schlotfelt), and Zach’s annoying pal Dan (Jay J. Bidwell, who’s had one of the more extensive credits of a mostly newbie cast).

The film is presented in two parts of “Invocation of the Demon God,” as “Episode 7” and “Episode 8.” I have no idea what that means, but I know I want to see more. It’s separated by an animated short that…well, you have to see it. That being said, I know the whole mandatory September 11, 1991 prologue is necessary to the story, but it didn’t really do much for me. Oh, if I may digress for a sec, but it seems to me the actor (Mariah Michael) is not a smoker, considering how she never drags, just draws and blows; in some ways, that sets the viewer up to the goofy level. Anyway, that may be, however, because of the high level of the rest of the film’s – err – story, thin as it is (and rightfully so).

Don’t get me wrong, this is silly-ass shit, and perhaps the reason there is so much cannabis inhalation is because they’re feigning to a stoner audience, but it didn’t have to be, in my opinion; it stands up on its own weirdness and attitude. The acting is a layer of goofy with a natural relationship between the women, and a bit of skewed feminism thrown in at a subtle level.

What makes me sad about this film, and I’m being serious about this, is that I wanted more. The ending is a bit up in the air and left me with some questions, but what I wanted was the story not to end because I was enjoying it so much.

Little Bastard

However, what I especially enjoyed about the story is that it takes you in a direction you are probably not expecting, and yet it’s comfortable with the world in which it takes place. For a horror film that is not based on body count, gore, or even a realistic-appearing killing creature (but Little Bastard does look cool), and yet also is steeped in silly dialogue and actions even for stoners, it feels somehow right in this context, and doesn’t overreach. An hour is the right length for this – even though I wanted more – without padding it out to fill the time with, say, people walking around with flashlights for minutes on end, or seeing spooks in the mirror (man, I’m tired of that cliché)¸or people in masks and sharp implements. It’s a bit of a different approach to an old theme, which is something one may not expect from a micro-budget broad comedy with horror elements. I’m grateful.

For those interested, the world premiere is at the Windy City Horrorama on April 28, 2018. As it was filmed in Chicago, it makes sense that the screening is at the Davis Theater.

This film is so much more fun than the 1992 Steve Martin-Goldie Hawn one with a similar-yet-singular name, and a fraction of the budget... but how did I miss the emu?

Review: Wolf House

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2017

Images from the Internet; live photo by Michael O'Hear

Wolf House

Directed by Matt D. Lord

White Lion Studios / Wild Eye Releasing / MVD Visual

69 minutes, 2016 / 2017

www.wildeyereleasing.com  

www.mvdvisual.com

There’s nothing like a nice creature feature to sink one’s teeth into on a cold winter night, right? It’s -10F outside right now (serious), so I’m curled up in bed and about to watch what I’m hoping will happily mix with my hot chocolate and marshmallows and go down smoothly. Electric blankie? On! Pillows propped? Soft and supportive. Remote in hand? And… away we go!

Gotta say, in the first few minutes I’m getting a worrisome feeling. This is one of those “Six kids go to the woods and were never heard from again” found footage things. People are still making these? Please, let me be wrong. After all, I’m at less than 4 minutes so far.

The film takes place in a real location, Hartland, NY, which is somewhat close to Niagara Falls and Lake Erie (or maybe that should that be Lake Eeeeeerie…whooooo… Okay, I kid. Now back to the review).

These six people who go to the Wolf Cabin contain two couples, and their two male friends. As in similar films, we get to see them be asses to each other in “bro” moments – especially picking on one of them – for about half the film that is supposed to be the audience getting to know the characters. Continuing with the lowest common denominator, all we get to know is that we wouldn’t want most of these people in our lives if they treat their friends this way. Okay, I’ve been brutal with my pals, they’ve been that way with me (it’s a Brooklyn thing), but not to this level. Or maybe I’m older now I don’t remember it as it was, that could be true, too. Either way, other than them being childhood friends and their girlfriends; that about all we get to know about this group, so the opening 20 minutes are essentially very bad home movies. This last trope is quite common in found footage films.

After shooting some bigfoot kind of creature outside the cabin, they take the carcass to one of their homes in the ‘burbs. There, it revives and its scent attracts all different sorts of creatures from the woods, such as dog-like things and men with no eyes. It doesn’t really make much sense, but by this time I was so happy to see some action I was willing to let it go. Besides, the creatures looked pretty cool for a low budgeter like this. More on that shortly.

The crew gets taken out one by one through means of lurking creatures while the rest go running around with their cameras on willy-nilly, quite often focusing on the ground or their feet. And yes, there is the much-used scene where someone takes a selfie and says a sniffling goodbye to their family, a paradigm started by The Blair Witch Project (1999), I believe.

If you turn on the film at about 22 minutes in, you’ll see a much better – albeit shorter – movie, but you won’t really lose all that much in characterization. The action definitely picks up when they bring the whatever-it-is back to town, and the creature besieging begins. My guess is that most of the humanoid thingies are either Native Americans or their spirits (only one woman speaks briefly, in another tongue). What makes me think this is the location and the face paint. They don’t, however, have the facial features usually associated with Indigenous Peoples (I’m guessing Mohawk for that neck of the woods?), and I kept wondering if this might be seen as appropriation. Now, a film like this probably should be more suspenseful and not give the viewer room to reminisce on these kinds of questions. I should add at this point that one of the actors, Rick Williams, is First Nation, and even has a ‘Hawk hairstyle.

The big dog/wolf creature is interesting and decently done (a long extra is included about its creation), though it’s obviously a person in a costume, but it reminds me of the cow from the play version of Into the Woods, using stilts and outer skin. From what the commentary says, it took up a chunk of the film’s $5,000 budget, and I believe it.

Another nice feature is the occasional inlay camera work where you see the main action, with a smaller inset of another room being filmed as creepy things happen there. This was a nice touch. The other thing I appreciated is that the actors did well sounding scared, and moved somewhat reasonably realistically in that agitated state. I just wish I could have cared more about them.

Part of the bigger issue is that there is no explanation about the creatures, or especially the humanoid ones, like where they come from. Are they human or not? A combination? Some come and go in a second, and others seem to be able to be killed. I mean, it’s pretty obvious they are there because they followed the people home. Now, while these creatures are roaming around outside, doesn’t any of the neighbors notice that there are huge, hairy things with glowing roaming around? There is some discussion about this during the commentary track, but the mix of natural and supernatural throws me.

One of my ideas of a missed opportunity is the lack of using the incessant tormenting of the nerdish guy by the others at the conclusion. I would have liked to see maybe him conspiring with the visitors to get rid of the others in anger and shame (and perhaps pay for that at the end).

Marcus Ganci-Rotella, Matt D. Lord, Ken Cosentino and Liz Houlihan
at the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival; pic by Michael O'Hear

On a positive note, the interspersing at the end of the horrors of the night and footage shot before when they were a relatively merry group is a nice touch, as is the photo memorial near the credits. It should be noted that this film did get some strong and positive reviews, and was selected at the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, so don’t only go by me, please.

There are four extras here, including the trailer to this and two other found footage films. The 22-minute Making of Featurette is honestly not very interesting, showing the group filming mostly a particular scene, but it’s a bit too loose, in a found footage kinda way. There’s very little structure to tell you what is happening. That being said, there are some good moments here and there, lasting about 5 minutes overall interspersed throughout. The Making of the Monster is 1 hour/25 minutes! It’s essentially a step-by-step tutorial by Ken Costentino, who is an also an actor in the film, co-writer, and Director of Photography. Honestly, it was somewhat interesting, but I just didn’t have the time to sit through that much. If you are interested in a career in practical SFX, you may want to pay more attention than I did.

The last is the commentary, with Costentino, and two other actors, Marcus Ganci-Rotella (the picked-on guy), and Elizabeth Houlihan (the other co-writer), which is decent. They tell anecdotes while not stepping all over each other. There is nothing deep discussed, such as motivation or meanings, but they do give the impression that they mostly had good experience making the film.

Seriously, if you’re going to be making a found footage film by this late point in the trajectory, where it has become so commonplace, please try and do something more original. If you are going to do a home movies style beginning, there should be some interesting things happen rather than a bunch of tools tooling around in front of the camera. Let us know about some motivations, some history, something to latch onto to care about. This is especially true if it’s going to be a “never seen again” story where you know everyone is going to die. I really don’t mind if they do, but you’re projecting a final scenario that comes as no surprise, it cuts down on the suspense element.