Review: The Killing Box

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

The Killing Box (aka Grey Knight; Ghost Brigade; The Lost Brigade)
Directed by George Hickenlooper (d. 2010)
Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA); MGM; Ronin Flix; Scorpion Releasing; MVD Visual
82 minutes, 1993 / 2023
www.scorpionreleasing.com
www.mgm.com
https://mvdb2b.com/s/TheKillingBox/SR6687

More Americans were killed in the War Between the States, aka The Civil War (1861-1865), than in any other war in which the United States fought either before or after. Both sides were abusive to the other in so many ways, both the northern Union Army, and the slave-loving Confederates. Amazingly, so many years later, the traitorous Rebels are still honored for some reason (“The South will rise again!!”). Their symbol, the Confederate Flag, now stands for treason and racism, but for a while there in the 1970s-‘80s, it was the representation of rockabilly and the good ol’ boys (and girls) of “The Dukes of Hazard.” But I sort of digress…

One aspect you may notice about this film from 30 years ago is that there are many stars that have basically past their prime since that time, and others that were on their upward trajectory.

Let me start right off the bat that wherever the story takes, even in the beginning, the work of director George Hickenlooper is a force to be reckoned with. For example, the opening sequence is shot in sepia (though full color comes after the credits), that brownish tone that was present in early photography. Also, there is no shying away from the blood and gore of that war. Many men had limbs amputated due to the shattering effect of the weaponry and infections that would follow, sans anesthetics, and this is reflected early on.

Adrian Pasdar, Corbin Bernsen

As Capt. John Harling (Adrian Pasdar; 1987’s Near Dark), who is also a preacher, is getting ready to retire, he is called back to duty by General Haworth (a cameo by Martin Sheen) to serve under Col. George Thalman (underrated Ray Wise, of “Twin Peaks” fame). It seems soldiers are being killed via crucifixion, St. Peter style: upside down on an X-shaped cross (e.g., the symbol of the Stars and Bars flag), by an alternative army led by confederate Maj. Josiah Elkins (Roger Wilson). To help Harling, is Union prisoner and confederate leader Col. Nehemiah Stryan (Corbin Bernsen, of “L.A. Law”). As with the tropes of the likes of Hell in the Pacific (1968) and Enemy Mine (1985), two sworn enemies will join to survive.

Seems there are some undead soldiers who are attacking and killing both sides, and when they do, those combatants also become zombies. Not the slow, flesh-eatin’ kind, but nearly human with their intelligence intact. The revenge of those killed, especially Confederates apparently, is a motif that had been used before and after in the likes of Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964) and its remake 2001 Maniacs (2005), and The Fog and its remake (1980; 2005). The difference is that while the Maniacs and Fogs are ghosts, for this film they are the undead; heck, they are even horny. The only ones that seem to not come back are those crucified.

With Thalman in charge, and being an obvious bad guy, the regiment sets out to find the zombies. The group includes a runaway slave, Rebecca (Cynda Williams, who was married to Billy Bob Thornton at the time). This leads to an interesting exchange, where Stryan claims, “God is a Southerner, John,” to which Harling replies, “You think he keeps slaves, too?” The obvious answer is, no he does not keep them, but according to the Bible, he permits people to do so: Exodus 21. For me, the argument is that the whole threat of hell is meant to enslave humanity to God. But I digress, again… Rebecca is more than she appears, being a mute voodoo priestess (and what would the Bible say to that?).

Matt LeBlac (right)

Some of the soldiers, sometimes in cameos, include David Arquette, pre-Sling Blade (1996) Thornton, Alexis Arquette, A.J. Langer (who plays a boy, so this can never be shown in the state where it is supposed to take place), and in his first film role, Matt LeBlanc, who never gets to ask, “How you doin’?”

I have learned (from IMDB) that the dead soldiers were written to be vampires, but the director turned them into zombies having been raised by an evil voodoo entity, so he did not have to do as many night shoots. But knowing this, helps makes sense of certain scenes and dialogue (e.g., biting and not crossing running water). Personally, I think the story makes more sense as blood-drinkers. Just an FYI I am passing on.

Willaims, Bernsen

There is a surprising amount of blood and gore (by René Dashiell Kerby, who also worked on 2003’s Cat in the Hat and Star Trek in 2009) for a film of this level at that time. The cinematography and pacing occasionally looks and feels a bit like an “ABC Movie of the Week,” but it does not shy away from the bloodletting, so I am good with it.

One thing I found frustrating was the lack of the evil entity/entities in the cave that “turned” the soldiers. It is discussed, but never shown. Were they planning on a sequel? I do believe that this would be a good film for a reboot and up the violence ante.

Honestly, with this cast, I was not sure what I was anticipating, but I will admit that my expectations were low. It was much better than I anticipated, even with some slow moments here and there. It also make me think of 30 Days of Night (2007) more than any of the ...of the Dead releases.

This is ridiculous because it is anachronistic, but I was kinda hoping the soundtrack would play Duane Eddy’s “Rebel Rouser” and/or Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell,” possibly over the final credits. We do, however, get a version of “Dixie” and “Yankee Doodle,” which is more appropriate.

Bonus materials are English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, DTS-HD Master Audio, High-Definition Blu-ray 1080p Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1), and a new 2020 HD Master. Also, there are a nice stack of B-film trailers from the 1970s-1980s, both genre and mainstream, as well as a surprisingly blurry version for this one.

MDB listing HERE

Reviews: 6 Various Horror Musicals, Part 2

Reviews: 6 Various Horror Musicals, Part 2

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

Growing up, I was as much a fan of musicals as I was of horror films. To some extent, I still am. First a guideline on the reviews here. These are films where the music is narrative, not just a band playing or music playing over the soundtrack. What we have here is horror films where characters break into songs that further the story, or reflect on it in an unnatural way. It should come as no surprise that most horror musicals are also comedies.

Some of these films I have reviewed previously in a more extensive form, and I have hyperlinked to the full review in these instances.

These films below are not ranked, but are listed alphabetically, all from TubiTV, unless indicated. Note that my snark is truly meant to be fun and rib-poking with a touch of stream of consciousness for the shorter reviews. I had just the right low-budget expectation for these films, so I was not blindsided by anticipating a theatrical extravaganza experience. After all, when it comes to the cheese level, there are times when ya want melted brie on toast, and at others, Cheez-Whiz on animal crackers. I enjoyed these films for precisely what they are. Links to the coming attractions for all of them are at the bottom of each review.

 

My Fair Zombie
Directed by Brett Kelly
85 minutes, 2013
Yes, this film is based on the musical movie My Fair Lady (1964), which was based on the Broadway play My Fair Lady (1956), which was based on the George Bernard Shaw play, Pygmalion (1913), a hundred years before this film. It took a century to zombify the story. And yet, this predates Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016). The story is extremely similar to the core material, especially the 1964 classic, right down to the costuming, but adds the supernatural element quite well. But note that all the songs here are original (by Stephen John Tippet). There is quite a bit of a twist right at the beginning that made me smile. After that, it became kind of silly, but that is not meant as an insult. An example is Prof. Higgins saying, “The rain in Spain stay mainly in the…” to which Eliza replies, “Brains” (that is also used as the film’s tagline). The fact that Liza goes from mindless zombie to erudite zombie so quickly is a bit ridiculous, but it did remind me of the Bub character from Day of the Dead (1985). Some of the songs are catchy, and many are placed where they were in the original spots in the play/film. It is a bit inane, but still it was enjoyable. A simple comedy with a nice and sometimes biting (no pun intended) sense of humor. The director may be known for making films about supernatural sharks (sometimes under another nom d’cinema), but he did well here.
Trailer is HERE

 

Phantom of the Paradise
Directed by Brian DePalma
91 minutes, 1974
This is one of my favorite soundtracks to a musical horror film. The songs were written by Paul Williams, who plays musical power mogul Swan (an agent of El Diablo) that is out to find a perfect theatrical piece to showcase at his playhouse, the Paradise (not to be confused with the club in Boston). Williams has an unusual voice that I have heard many times as he has written numerous Top-10 hits for others (such as The Carpenters, Helen Reddy, Three Dog Night), but it works here, especially with “For the Hell of It” and “Faust”). Swan tricks and entraps a composer, Winslow, by using singer Phoenix (the underrated Jessica Harper) as his bait. Basically, this is the story of Goethe’s Faust (1808) – not to be confused by Tim Vigil’s excellent comic series by the same name – updating it to a more-modern music scene. The tunes range from doo-wop to surf, from rock to glam, with a bit of prescience to Goth. Entertaining from beginning to end, and supported by the music, it is so much fun to watch. I saw it at a revival theater in the late 1970s and fell in love with it. Watch it on Movieland.Tv, Prime Video, Redbox, Apple TV or Vudu on your Roku device
Trailer is HERE

 

Repo! The Genetic Opera
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
96 minutes, 2008
This Canadian production was directed by the same person who did the two Devil’s Carnival films, but predates them. This has nothing to do with cars, hardcore music, nor flying saucers (Repo Man, 1984). For this twisted musical, people are replacing their organs on installment plans, and if they cannot pay it back, the repo is those same organs. They are also producing a drug to ease the pain of the operation that is highly addictive called Zydrate, making money from two spearheads. Unsurprisingly in a free market, one huge conglomerate rises to the top of the organ and drug biz, run by evil Rotti Largo (aka, largely rotting, played by Paul Sorvino). He has stage 4 cancer, and has three adult children (a bully son, an idiot son, and a conniving daughter…gee, why does this sound so familiar…). His chief enforcer/repo man is Nathan (Anthony Head, who played Rupert Gilles on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), but there is also competition for the drug by Graverobber (Terrance Zdunich, who co-wrote the story and the music, and also played Satan in the two The Devil’s Carnival releases), who gets it from the bodies of the dead. The main character of the film is Shilo (Spy Kids’ Alexa PenaVega), the daughter of Nathan, who has a potentially fatal blood disease. However, can dying Rotti save her. The film is surprisingly gruesome in its visuals with lots of gore and body horror. If you look closely, you can see the poster for this film on walls occasionally. There is an extremely large cast and also a lot of well knowns playing roles, such as Sarah Brightman, Bill Moseley, Ogre (from the industrial band Skinny Puppy), Joan Jett, and, for some reason, Paris Hilton as Ivank…I mean Amber. Using animation and comic book forms for back-stories is a nice idea and works well within the story. And like most operas, this is a bit of a tragedy, even with some humorous moments. As for the music, some of it is nicely catchy, and I was impressed by the way the beginning of the third act begins with a Stephen Sondheim-esque overlapping multi-scene song. And as with The Devil’s Carnival, which is kind of hinted at with scenes involving Graverobber, the lighting, cinematography, and pure feel of the film is a style unto its own.
Trailer is HERE

 

Sacrificial Youth
Directed by Joe Losurdo
85 minutes, 2013
From the director of the documentary You Weren’t There: A History of Chicago Punk 1977 to 1984 (2007). So who else to direct a film about a punk band. The lead singer is high school student TJ (Robert P. Bakker, an okay singer but not a great actor). His hardcore band, the titular Sacrificial Youth, is set to play at a rock club, and he’s not happy about it, opening for a poseur group named Hellbound Boy (possibly a play on the name Fallout Boy?). TJ is feeling like no one understands him, and his room is full of cool posters and flyers, such as JFA, but I enjoyed the inside joke of him smashing a mirror with his fist next to a poster for Black Flag. I hope his hand wasn’t – er – damaged, and he can rise above. I had to keep pausing to read tee-shirts and flyers taped to the walls. Some good bands are listed from national acts, from the Minutemen to fIREHOSE, to Jerry’s Kids. This film has a high level of religiosity. Sure, TJ and his family are Jewish, but he’s developing stigmata on his bands over the strait-edge “X” he drew with an orange marker. Also, the name of Jesus is plastered across the screen often. In fact, there is a lot of New Testament imagery here, with TJ as the savior, overturning merch tables, turned wine into water (yeah, I know, but remember, he’s strait-edge), and being tempted by evil (the corporate head, known as The Leader, of an energy drink called Blüüd). Then there is the “Herod” character, a product promoting who says, “It’s punk for profit”; he calls TJ the “King of the Scene” and, amusingly, “Superstar” (subtle as a flying mallet). My favorite, though, is TJ singing “I am not a sacrifice” while wearing a tee with the image of a lamb. What I also find interesting is that this follows so many local scenes: it starts off with a small group, then some of the bands start to “make it” and it becomes popular. Then the scene starts to stagnate due to larger crowds and popularity, which strangles and then kills it. For example, after seeing the Ramones for years starting in June 1975, I remember the first time I saw Johnny and DeeDee coordinate moving to and fro on the stage, and I thought, oh, no, they’re getting “professional” now and they are going to change. And they did, although I liked them till the end, but they were never the same. The acting, generally, is not great, though Kate Lane (aka performance artist/musician Keight Leighn) as love interest Maggie comes off pretty well. Anyway, the story is written okay, if a bit heavy-handed in religiosity, and the libretto songs are not bad. The best tunes are those sung on stage by the title band.
Trailer is HERE

 

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Directed by Tim Burton
116 minutes, 2007
I saw the original Broadway version, front row center of the balcony to take everything in. I was a fan of the show even before I saw it, as a friend gave me a copy of the soundtrack. I’ve loved Sondheim’s work since West Side Story (1963). Then came this filmed version of it. Well… First, I should acknowledge that it has a large fan base. Honestly, as much as I generally like Tim Burton’s work (e.g., loved 2022’s “Wednesday,” and hated 2012’s Dark Shadows), I was generally disappointed by this interpretation. Yes, he tightened up the last act, but there is so much material he took out of the first half of the play that was amazing (e.g., the opening theme). But for me, the biggest problem was the two main leads, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter Burton. Not only are they much too young for the parts (their roles should be in their 50s, not 30s), but they can’t sing. Johnny did okay with “Please Mr. Jailor” in Cry-Baby (1990), but here is just grumbles through his lines. Even in the show’s centerpiece, “Epiphany,” he seethes rather than rants. Alan Richman (d. 2016) was great as the judge, though again, too young for the role (should be about 70). The tale of an unjustly sentenced man who escaped prison and seeks revenge by slicing up throats and helping his landlord/lover Mrs. Lovett make them into delicious meat pies, you never really get to feel for any of the characters, not even the two intended lovers, Joanna and Anthony come across as a bit vacant. The film is, however, very stylized and there are some nice cinemagraphic touches that work, such as during the song “A Little Priest.” I am hoping someone else picks up the mantle and remakes this with some energy behind it. It occasionally shows up on Netflix.
Trailer is HERE
Most of the play HERE

 

Vampire Burt’s Serenade (aka Bloody Indulgent)
Directed by Ken Roht
90 minutes, 2014
This film has been released under a few titles, with this one being the latest as of this writing. Todd (Brandon Heitcamp), the “hero” of the story, has just been turned into a vampire against his will by his supposed friend (aka douchebag) Burt (Kevin Richardson, the tall goateed soprano guy from the Backstreet Boys). Does he dump the vamp? No, they both go to their favorite low-end strip club where Todd’s girlfriend, Connie (Diva Muffin Zappa…yep, Frank’s baby girl) is a very bad stripper (and singer). This comedy musical is enjoyable, but completely insane. It has that “some people will find this a camp classic” written all over it. The music by Paul Goldowitz ranges from really good angry rock songs, to very, very lame Broadway incidental songs. The singing also ranges from decent, such as Richardson’s upper register high-pitched rock notes to, well, you might want to hold your ears when Diva is – er – singing. For the full review, go HERE. 
Trailer is HERE

Review: From Dusk Till Bong

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

From Dusk Till Bong
Directed by James Balsamo
Acid Bath Productions
90 minutes, 2022
www.jamesbalsamo.com

Man, there are a surprisingly large amount of horror spoofs that rely on the word “bong” in the title, such as Bong of the Dead (2011), and the entire and incredibly numerous Evil Bong franchise from Full Moon. And speaking of prolific, there is Long Island to Los Angeles transplant director James Balsamo.

From the title of this release, there is no question that we are talking about a comedy. Well, it’s Balsamo, and that’s his genre: horror and action comedy. What I find interesting is that this is closer in feel to Shaun of the Dead (2004), though this deals with vampires, so I’m willing to bet that’s why the name was adapted from From Dusk Till Dawn (1998); besides, there is no arguing that the present title revision is witty, coming from James “Mr. Pun” Balsamo.

Balsamo’s character (yes, he likes to star in his own films, what of it?) is down-on-his-luck millionaire playboy Tony Canoni, a character who was introduced in Balsamo’s BiteSchool (2015; yes, this is a sequel, or at least an off-shoot) who starts by narrating his expository introduction to explain why he’s screaming while holding a chainsaw, riding a giant bat (puppet), bathed in a monochrome red filter. This is followed by a brief bit of madness and extreme over-emoting by once mainstream A-lister Eric Roberts in a blink-and-miss-it cameo

To begin the crux of the story, vampire slayer Screaming Jay Pigeons (professional wrestler The Supreme Fighting Machine, Charles Wright, who is in the WWE Hall of Fame) is dressed in New Orleans’ type white skull face paint, sort of doing a more profane version of Dr. van Helsing, killing off a couple of neck biters as a nekkid image of his wife Leonora (J.E. Scripps) pops in and out. He is aided by his partner, Father Gill O’Teen (G. Larry Butler). This is merely some introductory buffoonery (meant bemusedly, not insultingly) that one comes to expect in a typical Balsamo film: fun, a pun, and women’s buns.

This is a common theme in my reviews of Balsamo’s films, so please pardon the repetition, but it is important and a key function of the auteur structure of his filmmaking: Balsamo’s films, because he shoots them overlapping with so many other projects of his own design, tend to be episodic, or set pieces strung together. This is not a negative comment, just an observation. This can lead to some clever gags, and sometimes it means things jump around from one thing to another, and then back again without rhyme nor reason. Well, the reason is, I am assuming, opportunity to film or an getting down an idea while it comes up. So, the film jumps back to Canoni and his vampire bat stuffy-doll-sized pal named Spat (about as big as Chucky but cuddlier and fuzzier, it is also voiced by Balsamo in a falsetto voice) as they discuss what has happened since Bite School 2 (2020; while I have seen the first release, I have not yet seen the sequel, so this is helpful). Balsamo is a big proponent of conversational (or narrative) exposition.

Cameos are a bit less abundant here, but many of the actors do come from the worlds of either professional wrestling or music. For example, there was the momentary Eric Roberts exposure, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and some decent (and over-) acting from Robert Felsted Jr. (of the band The Moonshoots, and was also good in a lead role in 2019’s slasher film, Hanukkah), as Canoni’s friend Bill Diamond. 

The film, which I am assuming is shot guerilla-style (filmed in Nevada, with other shots using green screen to imply that it is the desert), mostly uses natural light and sound. This means on occasion, the sound varies (such as Canoni’s voice fading in and out when talking to his bat friend outside the Pit Stop Restaurant), and occasionally the scene is dark or washed out as a lot of it is shot either in a cave or during bright sunlight (these vampires have no probs with solar light), but as I am a fan of shooting off the cuff (i.e., not paying for a license), I’m okay with it. Besides, it beats lugging heavy lights around when you’re always shooting on the move. I say, save that money for the special effects and catering.

There are a lot of vampire-fighting combinations going on between Screaming Jay, the Padre, Diamond and Canoni. The final act of the film is mostly in a cave and occasionally hard to make out, but thanks to a flame thrower, that lights up more than just the neck (and dick, apparently) biters. Many a vampire – er – bites the dust, including Raven Van Slen…I mean Bill Victor Arucan as a Chinese undead who hops like a rabbit. No idea why.

A lot of the make-up/masks look pretty good, especially one with a face on his cheek, and the puppets are silly looking, but again, it’s not trying to be a Rob Bottin creation (nor a John Carpenter budget). There is lots of cleavage and nudity (all female), so I guess that’s something? All the better for one of Balsamo’s SexyTime compilations. 

Except for the darker scenes, you get what you get with a Balsamo film, and I’m always happier after seeing one. There are a lot of cool throw-away lines and gags (such as fighting a flying bat with a baseball bat), so you may want to pay some attention between spliffs (again, I’m straight-edge…seriously). Speaking of which, as the title, implies, there is a bunch of jokes about the big bright green pleasure machine, and surprisingly limited images of an actual bong.

As Canoni mentions, he’s off to fight Robot Dracula, so I’m pretty sure we’re going to see more of him.

IMDB Listing HERE 

 

 

Shorts Reviews: October 2019

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2019

Images from the Internet

ABI

Directed by Timothy Troy

Crazy Little Monster Productions / P3 Mediaworks

9:43 minutes, 2019

www.facebook.com/ShortFilmABI/

Viruses, be it physical or digital, are hard to terminate. Vaccines don’t always work, and for the computer trodden, sometimes it means erasing everything and starting from scratch. The former is the focus of this film, which uses a clever acronym that I won’t give away. The titular Abi (Clare Cooney, who reminds me of Brinke Stevens) is a computer scientist who is trying to fix a virus in a computer system created by head researcher Vincent (Rom Barkhordar) and his assistant, Julie (Emily Berman). Julie wants to reboot, Abi does not even though the virus is at 98 percent, and Vincent is torn between the two. In an interesting plot point in this sci-fi horror is the possibility of the virus jumping from computer to human. With some sharp objects and a bit of blood, it becomes a battle of what is to be the next step. The sets are stunning (filmed at a high school in Chicago), and there’s just enough blood to keep the gorehounds happy, but not a whole splash-dash of it. It’s a smartly written and direct piece that is just long enough to keep your attention throughout. Part of me wanted to shout out at the end, “All hail the new flesh,” but that’s more video than computer. Technology is a Faustian Bargain, and these people have figuratively signed away their souls. But haven’t we all?

Trailer HERE. 

From Hell, She Rises

Directed by Ama Lea

Cackling Witches Production

7:58 minutes, 2017

There are a few different levels to unwrap this film, but the best is to take it from the Feminist perspective. Strong women vs. toxic masculinity equals a lot of fun. Go beyond the cleavage-fest and that it was written by a man (the amazing Michael Varatti, who has a literally veiled cameo), and we have a beautifully shot and directed short that kind of sparkles in its light. After her brother basically tells her what she is good for (or not, actually), Elizabeth (Zena Grey) is visited by two vampires, Marguerite (scream queen extraordinaire Sarah Nicklin) and Alessandra (super buxom Emma Julia Jacobs). Together they form a bond to stand up to even the Avis (he tries harder) of the Christian god world. It’s filled with some nice humor and gets its point across in its short length.   

Film HERE.

Luna

Directed by Ross Williams

XRATS Productions

10:02 minutes, 2019

www.xrats.net

I believe it may have started with the original Ringu (1998) and, as a trope, caught on fire. What I’m talking about is the Japanese (and then worldwide) icon of the ghostly girl in white with the long stringy hair and a scary face that haunts people. Well, director Ross Williams has taken this now cliché and re-envisioned it in this tense and effective short. A family is discussing a loss of someone close, and the youngest daughter, the titular Luna (Zoe Williams, daughter of the director) shows up in the form of this ghostly apparition to bring fear and torment her young brother (Harlan Cox). The parents (Kirk McKenzie and Twanissa Cox – mother of Harlan?) don’t acknowledge Luna’s appearances as she creaks up the stairs, peaks into bedrooms, and generally makes her mark in the house. It is shot really well, and is quite creepy, but please note that the ending punchline is worth the wait. The film doesn’t waste a minute of its length, and keeps the viewer interested, while being short and edited to it’s maximum strength.
Full film can be seen free HERE

Occurrence at Mills Creek

Directed by Don Swanson

Spruce Films

19:45 minutes, 2020

www.facebook.com/occurrenceatmillscreek/

http://www.occurrenceatmillscreek.com/index.html

What is the shape of things to come? Well, this short is an example and it is just an introduction to what will eventually be a longer, full-length feature. You want a taste? Well, here it is. The film opens on a prologue of the passing of the mother of two teens, the main protagonist Clara (Ava Psoras,) and her younger sister, Cassandra (Alexa Mechling). There is also a nice performance by Betsy Lynn George (she was in Petticoat Planet in 1998, one of the first DVDs I owned), who plays their mother. The story picks up on the funeral of Cass. Or is it? Weird things are happening around Clara (hence the title), and the presence of her estranged father, Victor (Joe Fishel), isn’t helping. Clara walks around like she’s in shock, in a mostly muted state even while these events are happening. And the ending? Well, it’s easy to see how this is both a starting and tipping point. The film is beautifully shot, and the music is eerily ethereal, fitting the mood perfectly. How much of this is real, and how much is left to the mind of Clara is all swirled together, leaving it open to the viewer in a way that will grab your attention right from the start. I look forward to the bigger picture.

Trailer HERE

Reviews: Renfield: The Un-dead; My Stepdad’s a Freakin’ Vampire!

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2011

Images from the Internet

                            

I put these two reviews together because, well, they’re both independent films about vampires! Duh!

Renfield: The Un-dead

Directed by  Bob Willems       

Distributed R-Squared Films

120 minutes, 2010

Rsquaredfilms.com

renfieldthemovie.com/

MVDvisual.com

There have been two really great Renfields in cinema history that led up to this film: Dwight Frye in the original Tod Browning’s Dracula (1930; starring Lugosi), and musician Tom Waits in Francis Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). In both (and the original novel), he was, indeed, quite mad. Over the years, it seems, the cinematic character has been interchanged with Jonathan Harker, who originally went overseas to see the infamous count in Transylvania about a land sale in England.

This new telling and updating takes place in the mythical American city of Bayou City (though many shots are of the Ginni and Richard Mithoff Trauma Center, which is in Houston), as we find the police looking for a supposed serial killer by the name of “the Butcher,” who apparently likes to remove heads. Of course, I don’t think I’m giving anything away when I say that it’s our pal Renfield, who is chopping the heads off the victims of fellow vampires Mina Harker (Roxy Cook Hixon), and her long hair and mustachioed hipster son Quincy (Tyler Tackett, who also was the film’s creature effects assistant), to keep the prey from becoming vamps themselves. To give you an idea of the Quincy character, when a soon-to-be target asks him how he moved so fast, his response is the humorous, “I’m a vampire, dumbass!”

The titular character here is played with constant energy by the short-but-muscular Phil Nichols, who also wrote the story, the screenplay (with adaptions from the original novel, the ’29 film, and F.W. Murnau's (1922), though there is a shadow nod to Coppola’s, as well), co-produced, and co-designed the special effects and make-up (he is apparently a maven in this field, and was trained by the Dick Smith). He plays Renfield as a loon, with a constant laugh that sounds a bit like Cesar Romero’s Joker from the television Batman (1966), looking like a biker with his bald head and goatee beard. His veneer shifts often from just a bit of a pancake look, to complete white face, to having full vampire-on (again, with nods to Murnau and Coppola). The make-up design for him and Dracula (also well played by John Stevens, with a Malcovitch vibe; this is his only listing in IMDB!) are fun, with big pointy front teeth (again, Murnau). For Mina and Quincy, though, the only make-up seems to be huge, oversized teeth that don’t work as well. Most of the other appliance effects, especially, are fun, though occasionally overdone (i.e., the bug headed ex-cop, the final battle between Renfield and Drac). The visual special effects are WTF, though, and I say this amusedly. Obviously occasionally filmed in front of a blue screen, there is heavy use of computer graphics (rather than CGI), like a cartoon or video game from 10 years ago. Once in a while, it may blank out behind someone, and you can definitely see the wires in one shot as a vampire hovers. While this cartoony effect may be seen as a detriment, I actually enjoyed that part of it! Like the rest of the film, it was a hoot (or as Renfield may say, “hoo-haa-hee-haa-hoo”).Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens

Getting back to the story, Renfield is in possession of Dracula’s skull, which Mina and Quincy want to find to resurrect the villain through a blood ritual. Along with a well-done origin story for Renfield, we get to see some fierce battles between the forces of, well, evil and more evil. Drawn into this action are forensic doctor Bonnie Johnson (Keli Wolfe), and her ex-husband, Cranston (British actor Paul Damon), who is the head detective on the “Butcher” case. Wolfe delivers one of my fave lines in the piece: as Renfield is about to walk out of the autopsy room, after creating havoc, he says to Bonnie, “I’ll see you soon,” to which she whines, “Oh, God, I hope not!” (See the trailer, below.)

As a life-long fan of the horror genre, I noted many tips of the hat to previous Dracula incarnations, especially Browning and Murnau, both of whom are thanked during the end credits. Here are some examples:

• The sea captain (I am assuming of the Hesperus) who is killed during the crossing that brings Mina and Quincy to the States is named Max Schreck, after the actor who played the Nosferatu character in Murnau
• Of course, at some point, Renfield rises up straight as a plank, as Drac did in Murnau, and then was repeated in a similar honor in Coppola’s retelling.
• When Bonnie is taken to Renfield’s lair, which is a cemetery tomb, he repeats the famous Lugosi line, “I bid you welcome. Enter at your own free will.”
• In a flashback scene, Dracula comments to Renfield about howling wolves being “the children of the night,” and of their music.
• In one of my favorite and possibly most subtle homages, when we first meet Dracula in the flashback, he enters the room exactly like Schreck did in Murnau.
• There is also the shadow of Nosferatu clutching Mina’s heart, as well as his grabbing her breast as he sucks her blood (yes, the 1922 version has that).

There are a few other clichés here and there, like Renfield telling Bonnie, “Come with me if you want to live!” though its delivery is projected so that the viewer is not to take it as anything but recognition.

At a cost of an estimated $170 grand, I’m sure most of it went to effects and perhaps a bit to pay for some of the large ensemble. This is cheesy entertainment, but it is so obviously not expected to be anything but. One aspect I like about independent films, especially in the horror genre, is that it is so obvious that they are out to have some fun, as well as having a final project. Well, Willems and Nichols succeeded here. Despite the blood, gore, and gratuitous female nudity, this is certainly above, say, the Troma level, but not rocket science either. Just a fun blast. In fact, this film was the Remi winner at the 2001 World-Fest Houston International Film Festival, and an official section at the 2010 Bram Stoker International Film Festival.

The extras as a bit skimpy, being the films trailer and a few from R-Squared. But, there is a title card at the end of the film proper indicating that there will be a sequel (which would probably explain the flashed scene of Mina Harker full-on kissing Lucy Westerna). Something to definitely look forward to in the future.

See trailer below

My Stepdad’s a Freakin’ Vampire

Produced and directed by David Matheny           

Level 33 Entertainment, 

85 minutes, 2009 / 2011

Level33Entertainment.com

mystepdadvampire.com/

MVDvisual.com

I don’t believe it would be any stretch of the imagination to state that this has a really bad film title, right up there with So I Married An Ax Murder and Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies.

Part of the reason for it being so is that it sounds more like a 'tween Afternoon Television Special than the slacker high school black comedy that it is (such as The Faculty). Borrowing heavily from the likes of Fright Night, My Stepmother is an Alien (hey, another great disaster of a film name), and the “Head of the Class” episode of long-gone television anthology series Amazing Stories, the premise is that small-town anti-hero and rebel high school student Rusty resents his new step-dad, Richard, for recently marrying his mom. While she’s away on a business trip, a surfer-type mailman friend of Rusty’s disappears and then reappears later fanged and in thrall to Richard (after the title, I don’t think I’m giving away much on who is the vampire here), and yet retaining his duuude-ness (aka, the comic relief, well played by Casey Myers). Rusty and friends set out to stop Richard from finding a key that will open the door to an army of hungry (and drippy/slimy) vampires. And, of course, it’s Halloween.

Rusty (played by the diminutive Lachen Anajjar, who looks like a cross between a much-younger David Schwimmer and Jason Schwartzman), does well as the go-to-guy who the school’s administration hates (except for one of the school counselors, who happens to be duuude’s bro, bro). He’s kind of too cool (you can tell because he often wears his hoodie up) for his own good or even credibility to the story, but that’s just one of many “suspensions of disbelief” that run through this film. I’ll get to a couple of them here and there, but will try not to give away too much. Being more of a buddy film than anything else, we meet Rusty’s best pal (Brandon Martin), and a kind-of doofusy guy (M.A. Alford) who wants to hang out with the cool kids, and the girl the latter likes (Anita Cordell). Oh, other than the mom (Kate Forristall), she’s just about the only female in the film with any screen time, and she’s in it for like five minutes at the beginning and end. Naw, it’s just the three school buds, the “mentor” janitor, the duuude and his bro (called “Mr. B” by the “cool” guys), and of course the titular vamp.

For an indie film, there are actually some high quality effects throughout, including some CGI zombies, exploding heads, and impalings. Lots of appliance and make-up effects as well, especially with the risen vampires, and oh, those fangs. Most of the teeth look pretty good (especially the duuude’s), but Richard’s are way too big for his face to the point (pun intended) that the Robert Kennedy-look-alike Larry Peterson – who is also the best actor of the bunch – can’t even close his mouth. It’s kind of obvious they had to overdub his voice during these scenes because there is no way he could have said his lines with that monstrosity in his maw. But since he’s the big cheese, the head honcho, the grand high exalted mystic leader, his teeth obviously had to be the biggest.

Director David Matheny seems to be confused a bit when it comes to whether or not this is a horror (albeit comedic) flick or one geared towards 14 year olds. The risen vampires apparently are way too easily dealt with (despite the occasional flight, they move more like the vampire examples of the Romero zombies, or Chaney Jr.’s mummy), and the only ones who really seem hard to get rid of are Richard and the duuude. And while there is the spurt of blood here and there, present is also a Nickelodeon green goo level that is overused. Also, not only are the kids the heroes (okay, they look more like college age), but there is no cursing or even the hint of sex anywhere to be seen.

Extras include the film’s trailer (and others by the film company), a gag reel that is “meh,” and a full-length commentary by the composer of the music for the film, which is totally skipable (other than the first five minutes when even he mocks the title: “With that name, It’s either going to be really good, or really bad, but either way I wanted to be involved”.

And yet…

For what this movie is (and titled), it was definitely a fun ride; it has even won some awards, such as Best Feature at the Black Swamp International Film Festival, the Killington Film Festival, and the Little Apple Film Festival. I whole-heartedly suggest that if you do see it, watch it as a group. This is just the kind of film that it’s fun to talk to the screen, so have some fun with the buds. Or the duuudes.

These reviews were originally published HERE.

Review: The Blood Hunter

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2019
Images from the Internet

The Blood Hunter

Written and directed by Trevor Styles and Chas Llewellyn
RPG Entertainment / Shempstone Studios / RazorsEdge Films
103 minutes, 2019

Vampire films are a dime a dozen, and yet even with a low budget, sometimes you get to find one that is not only a decent story, but stretches the boundaries in new ways that add to the legend rather than taking away from it.



Tom Baxinos

For our tale here, we meet our pitiful (to start) hero Deckard (Tom Paxinos), a survivor of being in the armed services in the Middle East (Afghanistan?). Since returning home, his wife left him, his teaching job is gone, his daughter died, and his son is in a wheelchair. It’s no surprise that he is deep into his own cups, i.e., he’s an alcoholic, and dealing with depression with a feeling of no where left to go. He’s even lost his faith (more on that later). But then something happens, which is where the story takes off into a blood and gore soaked extravaganza.

 

He manages to join a small group of vampire slayers called, yep, the Blood Hunters, who seem to shoot up a bunch of vampires but have trouble killing them, or at least this particularly robust, young-looking trio of blood suckers who are dicks, reminiscent of The Lost Boys (1987). The Blood Hunters pull the teeth of the vamps, and sell them to the highest bidder for their powers which are achieved if the teeth are ground up and ingested. You see, the older the vampire, the more power they have. Okay, that’s as much as story as I’m giving, but there is a lot to unpack, which is great.



Amy Traux

There are some parts of the story that are predictable, such as the arrival of the bad crew who come as no surprise, mixing Knock Knock (2015) and the opening of Blade (1998), but even within those tropes, the story takes some incredibly interesting turns that you just don’t see coming.

 

On the good side you have Deckard, the elder Vinnie (Timothy Patrick Quill) and his two sons Mack (Aaron Malek) and the oddly cowboy dressed and named Poker (Robert Bradley), the bodacious and flexible Moxie (Amy Truaux), and in the supportive/supplier Q role is Dick (Dan Hicks). For the bad lot there’s leader Caleb (Chas Llewellyn, who is also co-writer and co-director of this film), Eli (Gary Busby), and Amber (Cortney Llewellyn, giving off a strong Gwyneth Paltrow vibe), who run amok searching for a bottle of powerful elders’ blood.

What I especially liked about the film – well, there was a lot to enjoy; one case was the take-no-prisoners approach in that you really never know who is going to die in many cases, both good and bad guys, old and young. Also while there is no nudity (but nice cleavage), the gore is way plentiful and most of it looked great, even with the blood being a bit too brownish (much of the film seems to be shot with a yellow or brownish filter).



Timothy Patrick Quinn

There is an undercurrent of Christianity and faith that runs through the film both in literal and symbolic ways. I am not a Christian and by God never will be, but even though it permeates the entire film in both subtle and explicit ways, it also never deflects from the story, so I didn’t feel like I was being hit over the head with it (unlike the Left Behind franchise).

 

The acting is pretty solid. While I don’t buy all of the relationships, and that Deckard never shakes his alcohol addiction (which I believe should have been better addressed within the storyline), it still holds together cohesively, with all the double crosses, playing with the viewers’ emotions, and a new take on vampires that, as I said, adds to rather than takes away from the story.



Cortney Llewellyn

The only real complaint I have is the film’s length, at over 100 minutes. I’m a firm believer that to keep the keenest attention, unless you’re someone like Kubrick or Scorsese, a film should top out at most 90 minutes. It’s not this film I’m whining about per se, as it kept my interest, though there were a few of lag moments (again, this is true of nearly all releases), horror is best when it’s in and out like a quick stab of a stake.

 

What I also want to point out is that the film is shot beautifully. The area around Billings, MT, is used with nice brushstrokes, especially those around farms. The pacing of the editing is well done, with the action scenes a bit quicker, but not to the music video speed where you can’t make out what the hell just happened. It’s actually used the way many Westerns are, with long, lingering scenes that let the viewer absorb not only the action, but the surroundings, which I always enjoy. Sunlight and shadows, dusk and dawn, all are played out in tones that are warm and lush, without being overly romantic. Just enjoyable handiwork.



Robert Bradley and Dan Hicks

I really hope that (a) this film makes a big splash on the Festival circuit because it is better than a lot of the films I’ve seen of late, especially on the big screen, and (b) Styles and Llewellyn will collaborate again, as they have shown that they work well together to produce a top-notice release. They certainly left the story in a way that it can continue, which leaves me encouraged.

 

Trailer is HERE