Review: CarousHELL

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2016

Images from the Internet

CarousHELL

Written and directed by Steve Rudzinski

Silver Spotlight

70 minutes / 2016

www.facebook.com/silverspotlightfilms

www.carousHELL.com

The film can be pre-ordered HERE. 

Steve Rudzinski is certainly not the most prolific of directors, but when he puts out a film, be it more serious (though still having some humor; e.g., Everyone Must Die!, from 2012, reviewed HERE) or even more hysterically absurd (e.g., Captain Z and the Terror of Leviathan, 2014, reviewed HERE), the viewer is in for a quality show. Here is the thing about absurdist humor: it can be really, incredibly stupid (e.g., anything by Seth Rogan), or it can be way smarter than it appears to be (e.g., anything my Monty Python), sometimes by mocking the genre’s own familiar tropes. Fortunately, Rudzinski’s work falls on the side to the latter.

Se Marie

Here is the basic premise: a carousel’s wooden unicorn, Duke, becomes sentient (or “wakes up” as they call it here) after an obnoxious kid, Larry (Teague Shaw) wipes some snot on its snout and kicks it a few times. Of course, that means the kid must die. His insufferable “#hotbitch” (her words) sister, Laurie (Sé Marie) drags him to a party at her friend’s house, where all comers, likeable or not, are fodder for the unicorn from (possibly literally) hell.

The film is so goofy, and yet remains consistently hysterical. I’m not talking about a couple of scenes here and there, I mean straight through. But pay attention for all the references. While you really wanna punch out this little bratty kid and his big even brattier (is that even a word?!) sister, but the people at the party are as much fun to watch as the arcing story. One of the running gags is a variation of the whole “Bronie” movement (male fans of My Little Pony, as in Bro/pony), focused around…well, you should have figured that out by now.

Duke

We, the audience, hear Duke’s both inner (thought) and outer (oral) “voice,” and his comments are as snide and pun filled as a certain red and green sweater-wearing dream killer. Other people can hear it, too, as the trailer below shows. Yeah, there’s a lot of profanity, and there is more than a few “bitch” references, but Steve Rimpici does a fun job of it, as he’s done in other voice roles. While there is little subtlety, and certainly no pity towards Duke, there is absolutely many reasons to laugh at both the wooden horse’s (I mean unicorn’s) words, and even – believe it or not – actions: his “hiding” scenes towards the end had me rolling.

Steve Rudzinski

As with many of Rudzinski’s films, there are self-referential moments to his previous films, such as a bottle of Captain Z’s Totally Accurate Pirate Wine, or the off-hand mention of his Web series, SuperTask Force One. Also, Rudzinski uses the film not just to get his ideas across, but also as an acting vehicle for himself, not as the main character but a supportive-yet-pivotal role. His style tends to learn towards the Edgar Kennedy school of slow-burn-to-righteous-explosion. Rudzinski’s skill is pretty varied, as he’s shown in previous films, but this method is among my favorites.

There is not much nudity in the film, most of which is a response to one sleazy character’s (Chris Proud) cry of “show me your [pick a word for female breasts] for a beaded necklace” at the party. That being said, there is definitely one scene with the elfin cute pierced and tatted Haley Madison that goes beyond what you may expect even from an indie…or perhaps not, all things considered.

Haley Madison

The gore, however, is another story. Some of it is kinda (purposefully) cheesy, but man, there is a lot of it, and most of it look incredible for its budget. Duke seems to have access to any one of a number of deadly weapons, from throwing stars to machetes, which draws a very funny throwaway panicked line from the Pizza Boy (Rudzinski). I actually had to pause the film to laugh, as not to miss anything. Come to think of it, there was more than once I stop to rewind just a bit to either see or hear a bit again because it was (a) WTF, (b) so beautifully done, (c) to laugh, or (d) any combination. It should also be noted that there is a very large body count, so those into this kind of film should find that fun, as I did.

CarousHELL doesn’t answer a lot of question, which I think is fine (such as how this magic horse… I mean unicorn, came to be). This is the kind of film that you just say “fuck it” and watch it for what it is, without any guilt. If you actually sat down to mull over it, there could be a lot of questions that need to be answered, but the genre overrides the need for queries.

Cowboy Cool, aka PJ Gaynard

One of the more bizarre characters is Cowboy Cool (PJ Gaynard), who not only swaggers in a John Wayne style, but never removes his huge, mascot mask covered head. He seems to have the only gun that can kill Duke (who is, I suppose, ironically and purposely branded after Wayne’ nickname?). I think my fave characters are, however, the icky siblings Pierre (Josh Miller) and Margot (Sarah Brunner), who have the worst French accents possible (it sounds more German, actually). They are just so obnoxious, playing on the Francophone stereotype.

Rudzinski is a bit of a meat and taters kinda director. You’re not going to see many weird artistic flairs, which personally I find can be really tiring, especially for this genre. He has a message, and he gets to it. That’s a large part of the appeal. He takes the micro-budget that he has and makes the most out of it. But at the same time, it doesn’t feel claustrophobic in that it’s not all shot in one place, but rather in some nice locations, including, yes, an amusement park (the same one from 2015’s Scream Park [Conneaut Lake Park, PA], in which Rudzinski acts but not directs)? Oops, there goes those questions again… [The director responds: "It's not the same park. Conneaut was too far away and now multiple movies have shot there. So we went to an even smaller park in Southwest PA called Wildwood Highlands, which is more of a go-kart/putt-putt/arcade with a few rides. But it was Western themed so it worked beautifully.]

Rudzinski tends to make a film or two every year for the past few years, but his quality has never dipped below extreme fun. His characters tend to be not necessarily the same high school stereotypes you usually find, and he goes through a lot of them. He also manages to find actors who are well suited for their roles (for example, Marie just aces hers), so I’ve seen most of the last batch, and have never been disappointed. That says a lot, considering he works in the Pittsburgh area (I kid…). Seriously, this comedy is worth a view on many levels for genre fans. Just don’t expect anything super deep (or super shallow), and enjoy the references as they fly by. Grab a bag of popcorn and have a blast.

Review: Flesh for the Inferno

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

Flesh for the Inferno

Produced, directed and edited by Richard Griffin
Scorpio Films Releasing / MVD Visuals
85 minutes, 2015
www.scorpiofilmsreleasing.com
www.facebook.com/fleshinferno
www.mvdvisual.com

Director Richard Griffin is a surfer. No, not the board on the water type (as far as I know), but across genres. Nearly all his films are directed at a specific type of “feel.” For example, he’s covered, in no particular order nor a complete list, ‘70s Grindhouse (The Disco Exorcist, 2011), “Born Again” cinema (The Sins of Dracula, 2014), thriller (Normal, 2013), Jesse Franco Eurotrash (Dr. Frankenstein’s Wax Museum of the Hungry Dead, 2013) and Redneck (Creature from the Hillbilly Lagoon, 2005).

For his latest outing, he’s veering into the Italian Giallo subgenre of the likes of Dario Argento, and Lucio Fulci (d. 1996). If those names mean nothing to you, well, (a) they are worth checking out, and (b) it will not keep you from enjoying this film; you’ll only miss the shadow of the reference which will not interfere with the story.

In the obligatory prologue staged in 1999, we see a Catholic school led by a pedophilic priest (Steve O’Broin, who does both smoldering and outrageous evil so well; I would love to see him cast against type as a good-guy lead at some point). He is confronted by three of the school’s nuns, who are The Cask of the Amontillado-ized, and in a state anger at being put in this position while doing the Lord’s work, turn from their spiritual husband to the Father of Lies (Aaron Andrade).

Hence we are brought back to the present. The school had been abandoned and is getting ready for a make-over. A rag-tag church group is assigned to clean the place up. I’m assuming they are supposed to be high school teens, but… They are led by Mr. Maupin (the eloquent and sophisticated – no, I’m serious – Michael Thurber; did I miss it, or is he not wearing the ginormous ring he usually sports?). Some of the mixed-gender group is anxious to do some good, and most are reluctant to be there at all, mostly forced by unseen parents. Then there is Noah (Jamie Dufault), the do-gooder who just happens to be there helping out and possible love interest to another character, and the sullen and smoldering official watcher (Sean Leser, who steals nearly every scene he’s in) – don’t call him the caretaker – who is ordered there by the Church against his desire to keep an eye on the kids.

Jamie Lyn Bagley

Most of the characters are more fodder than anything else, with the exception of two. First there is Meredith (Jamie Lyn Bagley), who fiercely religious, self-righteous, homophobic and hateful (I once worked with someone just like that, and Jamie nails the attitude). Then there is the obvious heroine of the piece, the lovely redheaded Kat (Anna Rizzo). All is going relatively well, until one of the kids releases the spirits of the three nuns, Sister Millicent (Monica Saviolakis), Sister Luisa (Tiffany Lee Ferris), and the petite Sister Irene (Samantha Acampora, who has an incredible sense of timing, a very identifiably flinty voice…and lips that just don’t quit). Then literally all hell breaks loose.

The writing by Michael Varrati is crisp, with some underlying black and referential wit, but mostly it’s straight ahead demonic horror. An example of the finger-to-the-side-of-the-nose kind of humor I mean is when religious nut Meredith is spouting off, and Noah sarcastically comments that she’s an “utter delight.” This may be in reference to Jamie’s own uber-religious portrayal in The Sins of Dracula; note that Varrati wrote both films, so I doubt this was coincidental.

Although Griffin hasn’t written this film, his playing with religious tropes, especially the thin line between not just good and evil, but heaven and hell, is a relatively common theme, but one he has hardly exhausted. Also, the mixture of straight and gay is another motif he often pursues, though more lightly touched on here than usual. Speaking of which, where lust definitely plays a part in this story, it is not explored as much as in, say, The Sins of Dracula or The Disco Exorcist, but that is certainly made up for in the film’s style and Italiano-flavored flair.

Sean Leser

I am pleased that there is some new blood (pun intended) as far as acting talent present, and I’m also happy to add that there are also some of what I call “the Griffin Players,” those performers (both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, the latter of whom I’ll get to in a bit) who appear regularly in his films. In no particular order, Dufault plays one of his most natural roles, without some of the theatre-based “tells” that he sometimes has employed, including body language. He comes across as an extremely likeable “everyman.” Likewise, Michael Thurber, who can overact to just the right level when the role calls for it (e.g., the titular roles in both The Sins of Dracula and Frankenstein’s Wax Museum [etc.], and in Future Justice [2014], where he plays a wacked-out version of himself!), also comes across very natural and likeable; it’s common for the Adult Supervisor role to be portrayed as a dick in “Kids in Danger” films, but Thurber is sympathetic, and in a bit of a Bugs Bunny-ish/Groundhog Day-ish (1993) amusing way in one particular scene.



Anna Rizzo

In a co-lead role, Rizzo performs really well holding her own, especially as the tension and bodies build up. She does a masterful painful, almost banshee-level yelp, which helps the story. She has the look of a leading actress (yes, I know the term now is actor), beyond the genre. As for Bagley, as I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, she also has a profound sense to timing. You can both hate her character’s homophobia and emotional blindness via a feel of superiority to others, and still care about what is happening to her.

 

There are also a couple of extended cameos worth talking about. One is by Rich Tretheway as a police officer, and the other is Sarah Nicklin, one of the more outstanding – well, I don’t know if the term Scream Queen is accurate or not, so I’m going to go with Genre Queen. She plays an extremely hot prostitute in the tightest of hooker shorts, and is a very strong comedy relief to start. In real life (i.e., Facebook), director Griffin often calls her his “muse,” and it’s understandable. She always comes across as a smart woman who has a lot of inner strength, and her characters tend to reflect that as well. I do have to admit, though, that when I saw her name in the opening credits, I was wondering if she was going to revive her role as Sister Wrath from Nun of That (2009).

As for the three nuns in this story, well, they could only have been scarier if they had rulers in their hands. The result of their actions throughout is a gorefest that is exquisite, and occasionally cheesy (e.g., the person continually crashing into a door, for example, really does like the effects from a ‘70s Italian film). As for nudity, well, there is none (nun) of that, but there definitely is a pretty hot-under-the-collar scene that is both rawr and ugh at the same time.

At this point, I also need to make a comment about the whole look of the film. Many of Griffin’s films have a kind of auteur look to them, with bright blues and reds splashed across scenes as metaphors (red = hell, or evil anyway, for example). This is mostly from Griffin, but it’s important to give a nod to Assistant Directors (and occasionally actor, though not here) Nat Sylva and Mark Hutchinson, though more importantly to Griffin’s visual right-hand person and cinematographer extraordinaire Jill Poisson, who deserves a nod all her own.

Every time a new Richard Griffin film is released, it’s always a thrill just to wonder what genre he is tackling and honoring next. And I feel privileged to be able to review such fine work by the director, the cast, and the crew. The more films of Griffin’s I watch, the more I feel like this group are friends, even though I’ve never met a lick of ‘em.

Oh, by the way, you can see the reviews of most the Griffin films above by searching this blog.

Questioning Steve Rudzinski, genre filmmaker, writer, and actor

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2014

Images from the Internet

Perhaps it’s something in the Pittsburgh water? Though born in central Florida, not too far from Disney World, Steve Rudzinski grew up in George A. Romero territory. And like Romero, Steve started dipping his talent into the filmmaking pond at an early age, starting with small films and growing from there.

Obviously into the horror/comedy genre, but not necessarily leaning toward excesses, his films include Basic Slaughter (2007), Everyone Must DIE! (2012) [Reviewed HERE], the Power Rangers inspired Super Task Force One (2013), and more recently, Captain Z and the Terror of Leviathan (2014) [HERE].  

While his canon is quickly growing, Steve does not overextend himself, taking time from writing and directing by acting in other people’s films, such as Cary Hill’s Scream Park (2012) [HERE]  and Henrique Couto’s Depression: The Movie (2012).

As with many other micro-budget filmmakers, Steve has managed to take a minimal amount of capital and turn it into a piece of work that looks way beyond its actual cost.  His locations range from western Pennsylvania down into West Virginia, all to good effect.  Also, as is happily becoming the norm, he has been assembling a troupe of actors that are not only getting better over time, but often double as crew, such as the hilariously surly Scott Lewis (who also does cinematography and editing), and Aleen Isley and Lacy Brooks, who have done make up effects), and adds new talent all the time, such as the scene-stealing Madison Siple in his latest, Captain Z.

I wanted this Q&A to be informative, yet fun, and hopefully that will come across.

Indie Horror Films: What draws you to filmmaking; was it a passion when you were a little kid and you made small films, or did the bug catch you a bit later? How did your 16 year old self get started?

Steve: When I was around 12 I saw Army of Darkness in the Sci-Fi Channel.  I always was a story teller, even if it was a dumb kid terribly drawing comic books.  So I thought about writing for comics, writing for video games, always wanted to tell stories.  But Army of Darkness solidified my filmmaking future.  So I started making terrible films at 16 and just kept working my way up.  I’ve never felt like I made a wrong choice.

IHF: How did you get from central Florida (Leesburg) to Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh), and do you only live in or near cities that end in “-berg”?

Steve: I moved from Florida to Pennsylvania when I was very young so that I didn’t have much say in.  But I also spent time in other states while doing film work, both coasts, LA for a bit.  Found myself in Wheeling during a downtime in film jobs due to how cheap it was then found myself near Pittsburgh again because of family.

IHF: Who were the directors/films you admired that inspired you, and are there any other micro-budget directors you admire, and why?

Steve: When I was younger I really looked up to Sam Raimi for his comedy style (regardless of genre) and Robert Rodriguez for how hands on he was (and still is) with his filmmaking.

As for other indie guys the one I think is best is Dustin Mills [including The Puppet Monster Massacre, Bath Salt Zombies, Easter Casket, and Skinless, all reviewed on this blog elsewhere – IHF].  He really understands the movies he makes and how to make them.  His movies are all great, even the ones I personally don’t like as much, and even better yet he’s very humble about it.  I know some guys that think they’re god’s gift to indie filmmaking (usually thanks to chance connections) yet rarely impress me.  Dustin is a cool, good person and filmmaker that always makes awesome entertaining movies.  And working with him on Super Task Force One was a dream.  I’d love to work with him more hands on for a feature (although we have plans for him to create a puppet for my next movie) and if I could ensure two filmmakers getting a sustainable career in the business, he’d be right after me.

IHF: I am assuming you were a Power Rangers fan growing up. Why, and how did that influence you?

Steve: I was and still am.  It (and its original Japanese counterpart, Super Sentai) is just a really fun show.  It’s light hearted, funny, but often times (not always) can tell a serious story with real consequences and fantastic action scenes.  But above all, Power Rangers/Super Sentai was at its best when it told a real story without taking itself seriously.  That is a piece of influence I took, to never take myself or my films too seriously.

IHF: You do a lot of filming in Pittsburgh and Wheeling, WV. Do you have a place you prefer to shoot?  And do you prefer indoor or outside shootings?

Steve: Outdoor shooting has one advantage, if it’s daytime, the sun is a fantastic light source.  Short of diffusers or reflectors you don’t have to care about setting up lights.  But other than that, indoor is absolutely preferred.  Sound is easier, temperature can actually be controlled, time is never an issue for light.  If I could afford a stage to make things look like “outside” I’d shoot inside all of the time.

IHF: What kind of camera do you use, aspect ratio, you know, fill us in on some of the more technical info.

Steve: Tech info would be a better question for my go-to cinematographer, Scott Lewis.  I can say that EMD! was filmed on a Canon t2i with a bunch of different lenses.  Super Task Force One with a t3i, also a basic 1.77 ratio.  Captain Z was with two cameras, t4i and t3i, with a multitude of lenses and made to be 2.35 to be more cinematic.

IHF: Your characters are often the comic relief, but they are also authority figures, such as a professor (Captain Z), the green Super Task Force One unit, a class president candidate (EMD!), or amusement park manager (Scream Park).  What is about this type of role that attracts you, and do you write them specifically for yourself?

Steve Rudzinski: Ha!  I never realized or thought about this.  It was always a case of circumstance, I suppose.  I needed to save a few hundred bucks on an actor for EMD! and Pete just so happened to be my favorite, Scream Park I was hired for, and the producer of Captain Z was the one that wanted me to be the co-lead.  I guess I seem like an authority figure.

IHF: In your films, if you had your preference, would you use more CGI or appliances, and how did you hook up with puppetmaster and filmmaker Dustin Mills?

Steve: I’ve always said you should use a combination of practical and CGI.  I don’t like filmmakers that just use CGI, being dependent on it.  But I also don’t like filmmakers who go out of their way to use only practical effects, as if something is wrong with CGI.  It’s turning down an entire tool that, when combined symbiotically with cg, can create things you would could never do with just practical.

I met Dustin at a convention and quickly became friends with him, then loved his films and what he could do.  We really connected and share really similar ideas with filmmaking, at least I think so.

IHF: Often characters of both genders are not the generic beauty queen/six-packed macho types. Is there a particular message you are purposely trying to convey, is this who is responding to your acting requests, or is your fiancée watching you?

Steve: Generally I just cast women I find attractive, which usually just ends up being more realistic women, I guess.  I’m not really going out of my way to make a statement, but maybe my subconscious is trying to tell people something.

IHF: While there is ample cleavage, you don’t really show any sex or nudity. Same question as above.

Steve: Sex I feel should be used as a story reason, not have it just to have it.  I love nudity in movies, it’s always fun, nudity is never a big deal.  But sex just seems pointless at times. Not always, not even the majority!  But I don’t insert it unless it’s for a reason.  The reason can be petty and stupid, or ridiculous and comedic, or offensive with a point.  Just anything more than, “meh, whatever I guess sex.”  But that’s just personal preference.

IHF: Other aspiring filmmakers certainly want to know: How did you fund your films when you started as opposed to how you do it now?

Steve: I just saved up my money to make my movies, cutting corners wherever needed to make it affordable.  Now I do that with a mix of crowd funding.  Captain Z was nice because it was a producer so while it wasn’t my movie on an ownership or final say level, it was really nice to make a fully budgeted movie where everyone got paid without having to spend a cent.

IHF: Why horror comedies; will you ever do an equivalent of Interiors (Woody Allen)?

Steve: I’m a funny guy and not only do I love horror, but it’s the easiest to sell.  As for getting out of my comfort zone, it may have been no Interiors but Super Task Force One was definitely a challenging genre to take on.  Maybe in the future I’ll tackle a serious drama or something.  But since EMD! I’ve made STFO and Captain Z; it’s actually been two years since I made an actual horror/comedy.  I’ll soon be raising money for my next film which will be my return to hard R horror/comedy.

IHF: How about an anecdote about a moment that turned out better than you were expecting.

Steve: In Captain Z & the Terror of Leviathan, Vepar throws Glen (my character) away several yards.  We weren’t sure how to do this and when speaking out loud, I said it would have been funny if it was similar to Bruce Campbell flying backwards in Evil Dead 2.  This wasn’t an option since we had no equipment.  But Aleen Isley said, “What if you just wrap your legs around Scott [Lewis] and he runs with you?”  Scott and I looked at each other with faces of “well...let’s try it.”  It wouldn’t work, there was no reason why it would work.  But we figured why the hell not and tried it.  And dammit, not only did it work and look great, but it’s hilarious.

IHF: Who of your actors do you think might have a chance as a breakout star?

Steve: I can name several who could go far if a lucky break found them: Aleen Isley, Madison Siple, Ben Dietels (his Website is HERE), Dan Christmas, Shawn Shelpman, Wendy Wygant, Alicia Marie Marcucci, all of these people very well can have bright futures in the entertainment industry.

But if I was forced to choose one?  Seth Gontkovic.  I am so glad he auditioned for EMD! and has been part of every film I have made since then. Seth Gontkovic is an amazing actor that can do any role.  He’s played three very different roles and nailed every single one while also being extremely dependable and professional.  I think he can have a great future in acting.

IHF: Do you enjoy the Comic / Film conventions circuit, do you often participate in them to sell and/or promote your films? And do you do cosplay at them?

Steve: I used to do it more, but DVD sales are conventions are very hard now.  It used to be easy to make bank at any convention, now it’s a chore to break even.  So I tend to stick to local cons I don’t need a hotel for.

I usually just go and enjoy the shows, I do also often cosplay.  It’s super fun.

IHF: Many of your films seem to end with the indication of, if not just sequels, but possible franchises. Do you prefer multi-release films, are you just teasing, or are you just leaving the door open for possibilities?

Steve: I have begun writing The Survivors (working title) which will have characters from The Slasher Hunter, Everyone Must DIE!, Wolfster [Part 1: The Curse of the Teenage Vamp, 2006], and even Captain Z on a team fighting against The Killers from Everyone Must DIE!.  I like large universes where everyone is on the same world and just kind of had an itch to make my own team movie.  After I make this (which may not be shot for a while) I doubt that I’d make another team movie like that.  But since I still like combined universes, characters from other films will probably still show up.

As for future sequels, I like leaving open the possibility while solving the story in the film.  I don’t want major things left over in the movie I’m telling (unless it’s like EMD! where I knew I was answering them later) but I like keeping doors open.  Several of my films can easily have a handful of sequels if I felt like it.

IHF: You were commissioned to co-write and directed Captain Z. How was that as an experience rather than creating it from scratch, and is it something you would like to continue to do in the future?

Steve: It was very interesting.  I was given a plot idea from someone else and worked on an outline with someone else.  I was given mostly free-reign writing the script (and 90% of what I wrote is on the screen) but he was definitely still the boss.  And while we spoke early on and he understood that on set I had to be in charge, there was always the concept of having to make sure HE was happy.  Some times were hard, dealing with the overhead or having to take time to explain things that Scott and I needed no discussion over.

But in general I would absolutely do it again.  It was a great opportunity and not only was it a paying gig, it was a full budget with a full paid crew and cast which makes everything easier and just higher quality.  I hope Captain Z does well enough to warrant a sequel and maybe have other guys say “Hey maybe Steve can make me money.”

IHF: I realize this is sort of an unfair question, but where do you see your career going? Say 5 years down the road? 10?

Steve: Either I’ll get lucky, meet the right person, and be able to land a more stable job in the film industry.  Maybe Captain Z will do well and Zoltan Zilai [producer of the film, who also played Captain Z – IHF] will want to keep producing, maybe between him, Dustin and me, we can have a mini-studio.  Or maybe I’ll just keep being a schmuck, self-producing dumb movies that barely sell and getting a decent paying gig time to time.

For more information on how to get Steve Rudzinski’s films, check out the official Website for Steve’s production company, Silver Spotlight Films.