Review: The Resurrection of Charles Manson

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

The Resurrection of Charles Manson (aka Man’s Son)
Directed by Remy Grillo;
Bolt Films; Dare Angel; Hooligan Dreamers; Margate House Films; Voltage Pictures; The Movie Partnership; XYZ Films
78 minutes; 2023
www.xyzfilms.com

Not being a Christian, thank god, I had not yet thought about Jesus being the “Son of Man,” and Charlie, who many believe was the anti-Christ (and others, a savior), as “Man son” (aka “Man’s son”), the latter of which is the Canadian title for this release. That is as cool as Lincoln’s secretary being named Kennedy, and Kennedy’s secretary was named Lincoln. But I digress (and so quickly!)…

Manson, like Jesus, has become more than just a man (well, there is proof that at least one of them existed), but has become a cultural icon beyond the actions that made them so. Manson has become the folk boogeyman that people love to hate, or just love as a symbol, much as Jason and Michael; someone you can admire, but not necessarily one you would want to share a space in the real world.

Katherine Hughes

Actress Tianna (Katherine Hughes) and photographer boyfriend Mitch (Josh Plasse), who have a bit of a fraught relationship, decide to go on a vacation to a secluded area in the desert Yucca Valley (California) area. There is an indication right off the bat that there is something fishy going on with a cultish symbol of an ouroboro showing up in tattoos and scratches into the dirt.

Tianna is prepping to audition for a film in which she would play one of Manson’s “family.” The idea is to stay in a place similar to the Spahn Ranch to get into the role. But Manson’s ideology has not left the neighborhood. The cult is run by Robert (in an extended cameo, the director’s father, Frank Grillo, from 2011’s The Grey, part of The Purge franchise, and as Brock Rumlow in a bunch of Marvel Universe films revolving around Captain America), and his wife (a cameo by actor/model Jaime King, doing her best Morticia). They were of the original Manson family members, who are planning to do a sacrifice ceremony to bring Charlie, their “Lord” (as Robert puts it), back from the dead, with help from their oddball son, Lucas (Will Peltz). This is to take place on the anniversary of Charlie’s death (November 19). And, of course, Tianna and Mitch fit right into their plans in various roles.

Josh Plasse

First of all, this is Remy Grillo’s first directorial effort, and for a newbie, he does an amazing job. The cinematography alone, by Peter Tolifson, is fantastic, employing shots of the desert and bare hills filling up the screen in its sterile beauty. Sometimes it is from a higher view, thanks to some drone work.

Also, the soundtrack is really fine singer-songwriter and soft rock tunes, that unfortunately did not get listed in the credits. It had just the right spirit for the tone of the film.

Frank Grillo

This is a pretty seasoned cast, so it should be no surprise that everyone came out looking good. I was amused at just how “New York” Grillo came across onscreen, looking like he just stepped out of a wiseguy film, with his facial brush, accent sneaking through, and even his body language; it was an enjoyable display for this Bensonhurst (Brooklyn) writer. While there are not many scenes of violence and gore, what does show up scattershot is quite effective and is stronger by being applied so sparingly.

While enjoying the storyline, and the visuals and aural elements of the film, I do actually have a quibble, and this is hopefully just a beginner’s learning experience: I found that chucks of the film, mostly in the first half, tended to, well, meander. It could have used some tightening up a bit, as some moments lulled (e.g., when they first arrive at where they are staying in the desert).

All that being said, there were some strong twists and turns that I did not see coming – and I am talking about a few of them. Also, these unexpected moments occurred throughout the last half of the film, so it was not just concentrated at the very end.

Speaking of the conclusion, during the end credits, there is a whole section for the people who did the COVID testing. First time I have seen that. Cool.

There is no new products listed for Remy in the directorial section of IMDB, but I am truly hoping to see him keep this up. I believe he has a vision, and works well bringing that to the screen.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Lovers Lane

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

Lovers Lane
Directed by Jon Steven Ward
First Look International; Arrow Video; MVD Visual
90 minutes, 1999 / 2023
www.facebook.com/loverslanemovie/
www.ArrowVideo.com
www.MVDVisual.com

Choices, choices, choices. This is a new 2K restoration from a 4K scan of the 35mm original. It is High Definition (1080p). But there are two choices of versions of it, one being the original full-frame 1.33:1 version, and the other the1.85:1 widescreen, with both having stereo audio and English subtitles. I am going to go for the original, because that is the kind of guy I am. However, please note, as the press release states, “This film contains a sequence of flashing lights which might affect customers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.” I find it annoying, generally, but here we go.

Filmed around the Seattle area, this is your basic ‘80s style slasher (yes, even in the turn of the millennium, there was retro to the heyday of VHS). The prologue, which contains the only nudity, takes place on Valentine’s Day 13 years before the main story. This sets up the whole megillah, with hook-handed killings on said Lovers Lane (should it be “Lover’s” or “Lovers’”?). Rather than paradise by the dashboard lights, it’s death by a pointy hook. One of the assaulted is a cameo by Diedre Kilgore, who gets top billing for some reason.

Diedre Kilgore

Much like the theme to the Halloween-esque franchise, in some ways its all in the family. The killer has a psycho-sexual fixation on one of the murdered (he would now be called an incel), and now, in the present, after escaping from the looney bin while under the care of Dr. Jack Grefe (get it?; played by Les Nessman of “WKRP in Cincinnati” himself, Richard Sanders), he is after the daughter and main character, high schooler Mandy (Erin J. Dean, a child star whose film career ended with this release). She has a crush on blond pretty-boy Michael (Riley Smith) who is in a toxic relationship with model-esque but bitchy and narcissistic Chloe (Sarah Lancaster, who is now doing Hallmark kinds of films), the daughter of Dr. Grefe, which makes her a prime target for insane murderer Ray (Ed Bailey). But she has found a new beau in Brad (Ben Indra, future ex-husband of Farris).

Michael is part of a group of friends; most of the females (including a nearly unrecognizable Anna Farris, the year before Scary Movie in 2000) are cheerleaders. Mandy is not part of this group because she is considered too nerdy; she actually reads…books. It is almost quaint now, just over 20 years later, that when someone is grounded, they are forbidden from television, radio and phone. No mention of computers nor the Internet at all, which was just starting to be a social thing.

It being Valentine’s Day again, the group of athletes and cheerleaders end up on said Lovers Lane, with hook-man mainly interested in three, who related to those he killed that night, and one related to his psychiatrist. But even before they get there (and I am at that point), you know the rest of the group are going to be collateral damage as the body count. You might say they get hooked into being there…sorry.

Anna Farris, Erin J. Dean

While this is occasionally self-referential to the slasher genre, just past its prime, it falls into several cliches, and I wonder if this was done on purpose, though I found it kind of annoying. For example, every possible bad choice made in the 1980s era is reproduced here. For example, running up the stairs rather than out the door, incapacitating the villain and then leaving without killing the dude and then discarding the weapon, and getting in a car and just driving a short distance rather than getting the hell out of there to get the police.

Another thing is the searching in the dark, a pet peeve of mine, even more than someone tripping; to me. Just turn on the dam lights. They do this a lot now on television police procedurals these days. Invariably I yell at the screen. There is the walking around with a flashlight in a house that is still occupied just seems pointless, and does not build suspense, but agitation, especially when the scenes are extended; it is what ruined 1981’s Hell Night for me. Of course, there are jump scares when this happens, but I come to expect it, so it is hardly effective.

Sarah Lancaster

The biggest problem, however, is that many of the nighttime images, as well as indoors with a flashlight, are substantially dark and it is hard to make out the action. Nowadays, it probably would be shot day-for-night with a blue filter, but back then, with low budget, darkness reigns.

I thought I saw the twist at the end coming, and I was partially right as there are multiple developments. That helped redeem this significantly, although is not drenched in blood onscreen (or it was too dark to see clearly; again, low budget + time period effects availability), there are lots of murders (or as they say in my neck of the woods, moidahs).

Matt Riedy

The extras on the Blu-ray starts with a brand-new audio commentary with writers and-producers Geof Miller and Rory Veal. It is everything you would expect, giving anecdotes about the construction of the film, the actors, production secrets (e.g., the first murder being filmed in one of the writer’s garage, or – and I am ashamed to say I missed this – one location is referred to by a character as Yasgur’s Farm), and the like. Thankfully, because they really are friends, there is a likeability and humor between them that takes it to another level.

The documentary featurette is “Screaming Teens: The Legacy of Lovers Lane” (32 min) with actors Matt Riedy, who plays Mandy’s sheriff father, and an extremely exuberant Carter Roy, who is only in the prologue, but mostly, it is Miller and Veal. It is a mixture of interviews and film clips, but it was entertaining and informative as well. Worth the watch. Last are the original trailers, an image gallery and physically a reversible sleeve featuring both the original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady.

Thankfully, there is a recurring sense of humor that runs through the film, and there are references galore scattered throughout. And this is a bit of a side note, but I wish I had a dollar for every time Mandy screams out, “Michael!” in the third act. I could retire.

Obviously, this is loosely based on the old urban legend of the couple driving away from a lovers lane after getting scared, and they find a hook attached to the car door. This film isn’t exactly rocket science, and the writing definitely follows a formula (one of the writers, during the commentary, discusses tropes and says “it’s littered with them”), but the thing about formulas is that they tend to work, which is why they are used so often. All the boxes are checked, and the number of bodies are added up, which is just what the slasher doctor ordered.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: The Assassination Bureau

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

The Assassination Bureau
Directed by Basil Dearden
Heathfield; Paramount Pictures; Arrow Video; MVD Visual
110 minutes, 1969 / 2023
www.ArrowVideo.com
www.MVDVisual.com

Initiated by the James Bond (Sean Connery era) series of spy films, this lead to a number of knockoffs, such as the Matt Helm (Dean Martin), Derek Flint (James Colburn) and Maxwell Smart (Don Adams) releases, which could loosely include the 1967 version of Casino Royale (which had almost nothing to do with the original Ian Fleming novel). In most cases, the secondary ones were comedies, be it dark or broad (I would like to add that I really enjoyed the Helm, Flint, and Royale films, as well as “Get Smart”).

Added to this list is The Assassination Bureau, which is a throwback to the pre-World War I period, and is, naturally, a comedy. It has a foot in the action genre, and another in the British retro-history subgenre (such as Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, 1965). For Bureau, as the press release states, on the writing side, this film is “(b)ased on a novel by Jack London (The Call of the Wild, 1903) from a story by Nobel Prize-winner Sinclair Lewis (Babbit, 1922) completed in 1963 by Robert L. Fish (Bullitt, 1968) and adapted into the screenplay by Wolf Mankowitz (Casino Royale, 1967).”

Diana Rigg, Oliver Reed

The film focuses on a group (of men) whose purpose is to assassinate powerful people who “deserve it.” They are well paid for their services. This Bureau, headquartered in London, is run by Ivan Dragomiloff (Oliver Reed; d. 1999). He is both a cold-hearted killer for hire, and the love interest. Yep, you read that right. Remember, it is a comedy. The Bureau’s board is filled with British actors of renown at the time, such as Beryl Reid, (The Killing of Sister George, 1968; d. 1996), Clive Revill (who I always think of being the lead investigator in The Legend of Hell House, 1973, though he did appear in a couple of later Mel Brooks releases), and Kurt Jürgens (the lead villain in The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977; d. 1982).

Hot on the trail of the Bureau is strong-willed First Wave feminist who is seeking to be a journalist, Sonya Winter (The Diana Rigg, hot off her role of Emma Peel in “The Avengers”; d. 2021). She wants to investigate them with the help of a newspaper run by Lord Bostwick (Telly Savalas, d. 1994). She connects to the clandestine Bureau that she wants someone assassinated and is willing to hire them. Her choice target is Dragomiloff (perfect set-up for romantic encounters, as they avoid being killed in various ways). This gives Draggy and Winter the chance to circle the globe in cities such as Paris and Zurich, among many others.

Telly Savalas, Kurt Jürgens

The deal is, if Dragomiloff is not assassinated, he will kill the international ultra rich and power-/money-hungry board members first. It is obvious (purposefully) and disclosed early who is the key lead villain, and why, who is assisted by the humorously dour Yugoslavian Fagin-equse-looking lacky Baron Muntzof (Vernon Dobtcheff). Trump would be too dumb to be on this board, by the way, though he fits the greed criteria.

Winter, through the early stages of the film, looks remarkably like Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins (1964), in both manner (strict and to the point, yet kind) and dress. She even has the cloth bag. Of course, she also gets to dress up and dress down, in gowns, corsets and bath towels. While looking back this can be seen as a bit misogynistic, as I found the ending, it is important to note that Winter is a main character (though often seen as confused and duped by Dragomiloff), and there is also a major female villain in Eleanora Spado (Annabella Incontrera, who was in a few gialllo films, often directed by Paolo Cavara; d. 2004)

It is notable that for its time and in a mainstream release, there is a high level of sexual proclivity (e.g., a brothel) where there are near-naked women, and at least a few tips of nips. Wild for those days, but relatively tame for modern cinema viewers. However, I was more disturbed by the subtle antisemitism of the character of Weiss (Warren Mitchell, who was in The Crawling Eye, 1958, and Jabberwocky, 1977), a banker from Switzerland, who is exceedingly focused on money. As Baron Muntzof states, “Weiss understands the value of money.”

As a mild digression, I was amused that the President of France is played by an actor named John Adams.

For the basics of the extras, this High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray uses the original lossless English mono audio, with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. There is a brand new audio commentary with thick British-accented authors Sean Hogan and Kim Newman. They are not the most exciting speakers, but their topics are wide ranging, from discussing the rise of Victorian period pieces at the time (e.g., Mary Poppins, 1968’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) to how the film was formulated and its place in both the story’s history and in the time of its release. Of course, there are also some nice anecdotes.

Rigg, Vernon Dobtcheff

“Right Film, Wrong Time,” (27-min) is an also new featurette by British cultural historian and critic Matthew Sweet. He discusses the socio-political world London and Lewis were living in when they came up with the story idea for the book that became this film. He also talks about how London’s unfinished book morphed into the completed story. He keeps it pretty interesting mixing talking head commentary and clips from the film, though I started to get distracted about two-thirds through it. Along with the original trailer, and an Image gallery, you get a reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork choices.

This is a high-budget, big cast of British stars, that is fun. One could say that it was a subgenre initiated by the likes of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1965) or The Russians are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! (1966).

Filmed during the uptick in the Vietnam War era/error and the year after the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, the film is a commentary on political violence and the desire for power by the rich and corrupt (aka Marg T. Greene heaven). Part of the way they show this is through parody, the absurdity of it all, and the enormous amount of collateral damage or, as Mel Brooks’ Governor Lepetomane put it, “Innocent people blown to bits!”

Considering all these murderous explosions that occur, in the words of Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok, “May the good lord take a likin’ to ya, and blow you up real soon!”

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Texas Chainsaw Mascara

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

Texas Chainsaw Mascara
Directed by Bill Zebub
Bill Zebub Productions; MVD Entertainment
73 minutes, 2022 / 2023
BillZebubproductions.com/
www.mvdvisuals.com

Man, it has been quite a while since I saw a film by Bill Zebub, an extremely prolific and profane filmmaker; the last release I reviewed of his was Pumpkin Man (the Ultimate Edition) in 2019. 

This clearly states on the cover, “This is not a parody!!!” Zebub is known for off-beat comedies, with films like Zombie Christ (2010), and Dickshark (2016); this film, however, is done as a horror drama.

Manic Panic multi-colored haired Danielle (Dani Bliss) and Andrew (Andrew L. Thomas) are vacationers a loooong way from home, somewhere in rural Texas (hence the film’s title), where they are out to find the house where Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) took place. However, their car gives up the…transmission? They are traveling with Mike (Cheyenne Mobbs) and Bill (Aaron Marquez). Luckily (or not), they run into arm-sleeve local Heather (cute Heather Beck), and Andrew immediately starts insulting her (e.g., her use of the word “cuss” rather than “curse”; yeah, he’s that petty). You may have noticed that many of the characters in this film use the same name as the actors portraying them.

Anthony L. Thomas, Heather Beck

Heather takes them home to her hovel, (except Bill, who stays with the car) where they meet wheelchair bound Zombie (director Bill Zebub) and Piggy (Marc Pearce), who wears the head of a, well, you know. There is also Susan (Maya Waters), married to Zombie, who seems to be in control. However, with Mike telling Andrew some locker room talk and Andrew being a real dick to Susan (e.g., demanding bottled water rather than tap, and having an anti-Christian tee shirt), the Yankees get taken by the Southerners (who have no discernable accent).

An interesting aspect of this family of cannibals is they are not over-the-top nutsy (despite the pig head), such as the Sawyers or even the Fireflys (this film is influenced by Texas Chain Saw Massacre and 2003’s House of 1000 Corpses in its general storyline).

There is also a bit of cultural philosophy thrown around, especially between Susan and the New York crew, with the differences between them in the way they look at their own lives. It is a driver of the film, but not swamped in it. But it does give a nice psychological edge to go along with the violence. It should be noted that Zebub comes from – if I remember correctly – New Jersey, if that means anything to ya. It could be noted that both sides of these groups are making assumptions about the other. Deadly ones. Both sides are assholes, yet they are also empathetic at the same time, which is nicely done.

Maya Waters

Now, let us discuss some sex and violence: Nearly all the extreme violence is done off-camera (low budget necessity), but the post-gore looks really good, especially in the third act, of course. As for body parts, nearly all the women show underwear at some point, but only one gets nekkid (I will not say which); women in underwear is a Zebub trope. Needless to say, not a single piece of clothing is removed from the males. Make of it as you wish.

Yeah, most of the acting is a bit wooden, but again, you know what you are getting, and in this case, it is a decent story and some bloodshed. That works for me.

As with most films, this could have been edited down a bit, such as the “Gethsemane” moment of Bill’s, where he accepts what he must do after cursing out the powers that be; it lasts a bit too long, seemingly long enough for a ballad song to play out on the soundtrack. It is a decent tune, but the point is made half way through it.

The extras on the Blu-ray may not number much, but they are huge. In no particular order there is the Painful Meow video (5 min) of a song called “The Bubble Voyage.” Uh, yeah. Basically it is Zebub rhythmically talking over off-key synth (played by him) with animation that includes a dog floating though the air via a gum bubble, while a man with a pumpkin head and various animals dance around. It is a bit over my head.

There is also a series of shorts called “Gaylord” (26 min). Yeah, I am clueless on this, too. It is a bunch of bits strung together about some feminine gay themes. It is more annoying than anything else, honestly. They focus on said “Gaylord” (Brian Gelitz, a seemingly straight guy cartoonishly “acting” gay) who plays stereotypical. These feel more like either a blooper reel or “extra scenes” thing from around the filming of Dirtbags, but it is not connected to anything. Oy. I kinda gave up at 18 minutes. Personally, I would have liked to have seen some Zebub trailers, instead.

The big extra is a 119 minute 2023 re-cut of a 90-minute feature, Dirtbags (2002). Zebub has a history of rejigging his earlier films, such as one of my favorites, Worst Horror Film Ever Made: The Remake (2008). This is, however, the first time I am getting to see Dirtbags in any variation:

Basically, Dirtbags is a meandering story about three – er – dirtbags. There are drug dealers Bill (Bill Zebub), who is going to college to study Nursing, and George (George “The Slayer” Stiso), and their buyer Scott (Scott Tergeist). Scott is a bit of a ne’er-do-well who lives with his hyper Christian dad (Parker Weller).

The whole point of the film, it seems, is to see how offensive they all can get. The film is highly racist (including a blackfaced “Ebonics” speaker with bulging fake eyes, putting down Black history, and even the use of the word). Meanwhile, Scott frequently zones out and fantasizes about near-naked women dancing around or usually tied up with the camera zooming around their “bits,” sometimes while he takes himself in hand. Scott also keeps asking his father ridiculous questions about his faith (I am an Agnostic and can ask better questions than If God creates, and Jesus was born, how could he be the Son of God?, for example}. Then there is a homophobic depiction of an effeminate gym boss (Tom Cartier) hitting on his employee Andy (Carl Williamson), and coming on to Gaylord (Brian Gelitz).

Sybelle Silverphoenix

Bill has the hots for George’s sister, Anne (Bronx-born Hungarian model and Sean Weathers’ muse Sybelle Silverphoenix). There is also a random cameo by Peter Steele (d. 2010), the bassist of Type O Negative, in obvious inserts into the film, not that I have a problem with that.

It is pretty obvious that a lot of the dialogue is ad libbed around a planned story which, again, I find fine. I did find myself double-speeding the film on the parts with no dialogue. My favorite scene, however, concerned a pizza delivery guy. It is also fun when the film employs the music from “The Little Rascals”/”Our Gang.”

Bill Zebub, Silverphoenix

There is also an attempt at philosophy with the helps of a Dream Goddess (Suzi Lorraine).

For me, the important thing about including Dirtbags is seeing how much Zebub has grown as a film maker from 2002 to 2022. It is like going back and reading something you wrote as a teen after you have been writing for a while. It is also noteworthy on how the style of music included in his films have changed. In the early years, a lot of it was death metal (see Zebub’s documentary, Extreme Metal Retardation), whereas now it has more of an off-kilter melodic tone.

It is the main feature, Texas Chainsaw Mascara, that is the real find here.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: The Long Dark Trail

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

The Long Dark Trail

Directed by Kevin Ignatius; Nick Psinakis
Four Eighteen Films; El Jean Pictures; Cleopatra Entertainment; MVD Visual
78 minutes, 2022
www.Cleopatra-Entertainment.com
www.MVDVisual.com

More than just “Acts,” this appears to be two different films strung together into one story. It is an interesting idea, to say the least.

The backbone of the tale is teen brothers Jacob and the older Henry (the O’Donnell siblings, Brady and Carter, respectively). Stuck in poverty with their abusive alcoholic father, Duane (Michael Thyer), they all live in a one-room cabin in the middle of the woods in Northwestern Pennsylvania, isolated from anyone. In the pre-credits prologue, like the real-life Menendez brothers, they take actions to break away, leaving on their bicycles.

Brady O'Donnell and Carter O'Donnell

The brothers set off to Pithole City (yes, it is a real place; many towns in PA have odd names) to find their mom, Hannah (Trina Campbell), long gone due to Duane’s abuse. The first part of the film is their “coming of age” travels, a quest theme that is classical. There has been, and rightfully so, a comparison with Stand By Me (1986).

Broken up into numerous chapters, we follow the brothers as they obtain (steal) supplies and travel through various landscapes on their journey, from the natural like rocks and woods (filmed in Warren County, in the Allegheny National Forest), to man-made like rusted metal graveyards. The scenery is interesting in its ever-changing views. Through it all, Jacob keeps having supernatural visions, such as a reflection in a river smiling back at him (it is in the trailer).

For the most part, there are a lot of tense moments, such as ultra-violent flashbacks of daddy, but generally it starts as a very slow burn as we get to know the brothers and experience their lives through their eyes. And the occasional dream. The words haunting and moody come to mind in the first section, but that can also result in overdone artiness that is nice to look at, but does not necessarily move the story along or help with short attention spans. Honestly, in some parts, I watched at double speed with the captions on.

Michael Thyer

The deeper they get into the greenery, the more ritualistic symbols start showing up (think 1999’s The Blair Witch Project). The closer they get to Pithole City, the more the vision become gruesome and extraordinarily gory and bloody (thankfully). Images of a cult killing performed by a hooded Zeke (co-director Nick Psinakis) show that the brothers may be in for more than they bargained for, than just mommy dearest.

Speaking of which, it comes to a question of be careful what you wish for (or, in correct grammar: for what you wish; but I digress…). When they meet up, mom is in a vicious cult (Satanic? Other god[s]?) of all women, with Zeke at its head. And why are there no males? Well, that is where the violence comes in.

Nick Psinakis

I will not go into details here, but needless to say, in the final act, things get a bit dicey for the brothers dos. I understand how people can get sucked into cults (e.g., the Manson Family, the Heaven’s Gate, Jim Jones’ The People’s Temple, Scientology), but why this group exists and how scarred Zeke keeps control, is a mystery to me. Maybe that is why I am an Agnostic Atheist?

There is also an interesting soundtrack, including Bluegrass banjo music soundtrack, which I personally really enjoyed as a fan of the style since forever, but seemed oddly out of place for the northern-based film. Other music is off-beat singer-songwriter and, yes, moody and haunting dissonant instrumentalizations. Nearly all of the music is the output of the co-director, Kevin Ignatius. In fact, this is majorly a family affair, since there are a lot of Ignatiuses and Psinakises scattered through the credits. I respect that.

There is also some playing with time, with jumps of minutes, hours, or even days. On occasion, especially near the end, this is a bit jarring, but it is not hard to follow, so that is a strong plus.

Briefly, there are some extras on the Blu-ray. The first is the “Behind the Scenes/Blooper Reel” (4 min); it is okay, but nothing spectacular. Next is a featurette with “Artist R.L. Black” (2 min). Narrated by co-director Psinakis, he describes how Black’s work illustrated part of the end credit. Black’s work, by the way, is fantastic. Then there is the mostly behind the scenes Slideshow (3 min), this film’s Trailer, and a number of Cleopatra Entertainment brand trailers.

The ending is a bit unsettling for me, and not the direction I would have gone if I was in the shoes of the participants. But it is possible that this has been left as a cliff-hanger, either opening up the possibility of a sequel, or leaving it open ended for the viewer to decide. If there is a part two, I would be interested in seeing it.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Wolf Manor

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

Wolf Manor (aka Scream of the Wolf)
Directed by Dominic Brunt
The Club of Wyrdd Tales; Mitchell Brunt Films; Wild Edric Media;
Francis-Castle Pictures; Lightbulb Screen Distribution; Strike Media
85 minutes, 2021 / 2022
www.Strike-Media.com
@wolfmanorfilm #WolfManor Film

Whether it is zombies, vampires or especially slashers, there are a lot of films about low-budget filmmaking under duress. It’s a meta look at how films are made, and how someone in the cast, crew, or at the location, is out to getcha. For this release, if you have not figured it out from the title, deals with a film crew is being jeopardized by a werewolf.

Who can complain about a good lycanthropic film, eh wot? There have been a number of noteworthy ones in the past few years, and happily this one joins the canon. There is something about the transformation of a man (or woman) to a monster that can be like, say The Thing (1982), where a person can look normal, but inside lay a deadly secret. For this British opus, filmed in Leeds, mostly, the monster is declared at the beginning as it starts in the night of the full moon.

At the titular Wolf Manor, the now-abandoned home of a magician, The Great Mascalini, in the countryside of small-town UK, the film crew, led by director Derek (Rupert Proctor), is making a low-budget vampire film starring washed up once-star, Shakespeare-spouting Oliver (James Fleet). He is just part of the whole uninspired crew near the end of a long shoot, who just seem weary of dealing with him and the whole production in general.

There is a very dry comedic tone to this, such as two reporters from a Fangoria type magazine who are on their way to interview Oliver, but first heading to the local pub for directions, The Blue Moon, and commenting that it should be called “The Slaughtered Lamb,” before mentioning to the owner that perhaps they should “stay off the moors.”  I am assuming I do not have to mention the reference. Another is people assuming a severed arm is a prop; the prop master, Owen (Martin Portlock) steals the scenes he is in regarding this.

We do not see the beastie (Morgan Rees-Davies) in all its glory for a while, but we visit his actions pretty early on, and they are nicely blood-soaked albeit a bit visually dark as it is the night (full moon be damned). When we see the creature’s point of view shots, it is in black and white, and through a handheld camera (a bit cliché, but it still works).

When we finally do get to see the werewolf, the make-up is really good, and I was impressed with the way it both walked upright, and ran kind of wolf like on all fours (front being claws rather than paws).

Obviously, the cast and crew are fodder, and luckily there is enough to make a decent body count, with some really glorious gore effects, without being too “technical” in its look. The detached heads, hands, intestines and other body parts have a realistic look that made me smile, rather than cringe in details.

One has to wonder if and who each of the characters are based upon. That is the thing with meta making-of films, the writer is bound to add characteristics of people he/she/they know. Most of them are not people you would necessarily want to meet, but the two most solid characters are just about the only females in the film: the boom mic operator who they just call Boom, Ellie (Sade Malone), and especially Fiona (Taila Zucchi), who seems to be the only one with brains in the entire cast, and for that is one of the central figures in the story, and the most sympathetic to the audience.

The kills are nicely spread throughout the story, rather than just being a bloodbath in Act 3, which makes this more enjoyable with less slow points in-between. Also, there are a number of jump scares, and some of them are effective, as the kills come out of nowhere most of the time. What drives the monster is an overwhelming need to kill, as well as hunger; if a werewolf eats a human, is it cannibalism?

The entire film takes place in one night, the time of the full moon, obviously, though this is the UK, and the overcast weather makes this very dark (lighting), both indoors and out. Oddly, we never actually see any scenes of the film-within-the-film being shot and instead the story is totally behind-the-scenes, so no bright lights for the cameras, inside being as murky and full of shadows as the outside. You may have to squint at certain points to see clearly.

For an indie, lower budget film, the acting is quite good with just a few moments of scenery chewing by the lead, Fleet, which is quite purposefully added to indicate he is a big ham.

The ending was partially what I expected, but then again it also had some surprises mixed in with it. This was an enjoyable watch, with just the right amount of both gore and humor. And speaking of the finale, be sure to see the origin story after the credits.

IMDB listing HERE  

Review: Prince of the Crimson Void

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet, unless indicated

Prince of the Crimson Void
Directed by Dakota Ray
R.A. Productions
58 minutes, 2022
https://dakotarayfilmmaker.wordpress.com/

In his ninth film (I think I have reviewed all of them), Denver's auteur filmmaker / writer / absinthe guzzler Dakota Ray happily strikes again with his newest opus. And, as always, he and his instantly recognizably idiosyncratic, gravelly deep voice and a monochrome filter (this time red) presents another tale of depravity.

As usual, Ray plays the lead character, in this case Fabian, who is a serial killer, drug user, and absinthe drinker (the film uses real absinthe, since Ray is a connoisseur of the beverage). His world is full of death and delusion, of evil and self-glorification.

As in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), Fabian has a companion-and-competitor in the form of Kimball (Darien Fawkes). But as in Henry, do not trust a serial killer. In the opening narration monologue, Fabian states he plans to kill Kimball (aka the Necro Wizard), who is as murderous as he, and absorb not only Kimball’s soul but the souls of all his victims. So, this story is going into the supernatural deeper than Ray’s previous films. In many of the earlier ones, Satan has played a role in either influence or presence, but this delves deeper into the metaphysics.

Dakota Ray

Fabian and Kimball are the only two living humans in the film (though there are plenty of corpses in various conditions), and nearly all their dialogue is done in the form of narration. Written by Ray, these inner conversations run from the vile and expletive, to the nearly philosophical…and expletive. There are, as is typical in Ray’s releases, title cards scattered throughout to denote chapters of a sort, with names like “Descending into the Blackened Catacombs of the Necro Wizard.”

There are also lots of shots of close-ups, be it faces, eyes, or mouths, especially as they imbibe in their vices. We also see lots of full moons and clouds, and thunderstorms to represent the mood of the moment. It has nearly a gothic feel to it, especially considering the mood.

After Kimball’s demise, when Fabian delves deeper into the world of Absinthe, oxycodone, and white powder, he feels the power of Kimball inside of him, making him believe he is “god.” This film, as with many of Ray’s, has a central character that has visions of self-grandiosity, and it is this that actually makes him weaker (“need”) and more unhinged. Think about those people who took LSD and thought they could fly, as their last acts. Psychologically, that is where Fabian resides, especially post-Kimball.

Darien Fawkes

But like “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1843) by Edgar Allen Poe, Kimbell’s spirit is haunting Fabian; whether it is real or in his imagination is up for grabs, but considering the number of substances (and lack of food) that are absorbed – to the point of nosebleeds – it can easily go either way.

The SFX – all practical as far as I can tell – look excellent. They were done by Ray and S. Donatello, and it is one of the highlights of an already interesting film. That it is just under an hour is actually perfect, rather than trying to bloat it out with filler, and besides, it was filmed during June through October 2022, which means Covid was still a factor, so the small cast makes sense.

I like that there is a narrative line to the story (some of the early works are a bit sketchy in this area), which is the backbone, but not the appendages, which are all the add-ons, such as the sky shots, the asides (e.g., a body in a basement), and the overwhelming, pure atmospheric mood. If you want to get a taste of Ray’s releases, some of them are available on YouTube, but I must say Ray keeps improving over time, so this latest release is one of his better, for those reasons alone.

IMBD listing HERE

Review: Deadly Dealings

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Deadly Dealings
Directed by Adam Freeman
Pink Lightening Productions; Studio 605
71 minutes, 2022
www.facebook.com/DeadlyDealings

The term “Ouija” Board is nearly as common as “Amityville” in titles lately, with such releases as Ouija Death Trap (2014), Ouija Room (2019), and Ouija Shark (2020), which jumped the proverbial. For this film, the same medium is called a “Spirit Board.”

Roni Jonah

Husky voiced Mary Stephens (Roni Jonah) misses her two-year dead brother, long brunette wig-wearing Hank (Stephen McGill, the director’s fiancé). She is distressed about it all, and pines over his grave, with him popping up in horrific visions in her dreams. Thankfully, perhaps, her long blond-wig wearing roommate, Milo (director Freeman) is into things like Tarot and, yes, the Spirit Board.

Adam Freeman

Mary is also emotionally supported by her therapist, Dr. Heart (exotic dancer Jessa Flux, aka Jessa Daisy), who looks like her make-up was done by cotton candy, tries to reassure Mary and to accept reality, in a loving, Southern drawl way (this was filmed in Tennessee), and also by her mom, Helen (Helene Udy, famous for the likes of “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” Pel the Firangi on “Deep Space Nine,” and 1981’s My Bloody Valentine) and dad, Wayne (Joseph Casterline).

When Mary and Milo finally get to use the spirit board that Milo keeps in his underwear drawer, there is a bit of warning and scoffing. Part of the previous exposition for their upcoming situation is a spirit board infomercial that Milo watches while Mary is out, telling of both the good and the bad about the boards, and how it can both connect one with a deceased loved one, or if used improperly, open a doorway to evil into our world. Gee, I wonder which one will happen to our dynamic duo.

Jessa Flux/Daisy

After using the board, ending abruptly, Mary – who has violent dreams about her brother nearly every night – envisions a demon, Aisling (Conor McCarthy), and the make-up is fabulous, done by Deryk Wehrley. That is when the film goes into a higher gear, as Mary has one foot in Goethe’s Faust (1876) and the other in the W.W. Jacobs short story “The Monkey’s Paw” (1902). It also touches a bit on Stephen King’s Pet Sematary (1983), as Mary’s wish is granted, but not exactly how she imagined it. It truly is a “be careful what you wish for” scenario.

While her parents seem oblivious to what Mary wished, Mary knows immediately that something is not kosher in zombieland. Not to mention murderous. And they’re coming to get you, Barba… I mean, Mary.

Conor McCarthy

There are some nice twists and turns, double crosses, and unexpected moments. Despite the unspoken and subtle LGBQT+ reverberations, there is also a nice and gratuitous nude bubble bath scene I certainly was not expecting. Most of the gore seems to be practical SFX, though there are some CGI splatters, which still look consistent.

The film is deliciously cheesy, much like the constant flow of pizza (Hawaiian…ugh; yes, I am a proud, Brooklynite pizza snob) that Milo keeps ordering throughout the film. Quick digression: both Hawaiian and California pizzas, which have pineapple (anathema!), are Canadian in origin. Okay, back to the story: it flows easily between the subtle and the over-the-top in a way that is effective, as I am sure that is what Freeman was going for in the zeitgeist of the film.

One of the ways the viewer can tell is by the bright color palate choices and art design. It is blazing with pastel colors in décor, dress, and make-up, giving the film a disarmingly light feel at first. Even Jonas’ hair color sometimes changes from scene to scene, though often occurring on the same day; it starts off pink, changes to Ann-Margret red, and then varies in-between via streaks. I thought it was smart to use these light colors, to contrast the evil within the storyline. And then there is the random glitter of the dead…

This release is Freeman’s directorial debut. There are some rough moments here and there, yet this remains totally enjoyable, colorful, and shows so much promise. His next film, which is due out next year, is a remake of Donald Farmer’s 1989 Scream Dream. I am looking forward to seeing it.

IMBD listing HERE