Review: Extramundane

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

Extramundane
Directed by Joshua Sowden
Self Esteem Productions; Deep Sail Media; Indie Rights Movies
94 minutes, 2022
https://sowden-jd.wixsite.com/film

A group of my friends got together last night for some beers (I had an iced tea) and yam fries for the first time in quite a while, due to obvious reasons. Among the group, there is a writer, a photographer, a videographer, a painter, and one is getting proficient on Spanish guitar. They were complaining that since Covid hit, entertainment had pretty much dried up and become bland, and no one was really going out to see movies/concerts anymore. I disagreed and stated that the pandemic has been a boon to independent filmmaking since they were stuck indoors writing scripts, or being forced to find creative ways to make a film with minimal cast, or used it as a theme for their film.

This film hits all three checkboxes. As the director told me, “I shot it as a 1-man crew during the pandemic. It is a true labor of love.” Set in Long Beach, CA, and shot with highly muted colors, it is not quite black and white, but it does have a Noir feel to it. The story centers around Trevor (Brant Rotnem), with his perpetual “Don Johnson-ish” five O’clock shadow, who is hired as a Property Manager, naturally during a time of a pandemic. Timely, as the film takes place in 2020. During the prologue, which could have been a short film on its own, we learn why he was needed to be hired following his predecessor, Steve (Tony Bartele). But there may be more to Trevor than just a manager.

Brant Rotnem

The maintenance manager (aka the super) is a creepy dude named Jerry (Craig Gellis, who looks a bit like Boris Karloff in the late 1930s), who makes himself known to Trevor as he is moving in. I find that when a creepy character is introduced this early on, either he will be the villain of the piece, or a warrior for the good. I am curious to find out (I am less than 15 minutes in…), but of course I will not say in this review. I may give basic plot points, but try to avoid spoilers.

Trevor’s boss is Mr. Gibson (stand-up comic and actor Vinny Coppola, in a nice cameo via Zoom), who is an all-business type (and I’m guessing “connected” to the Families, if ya know what I mean…).

Craig Gellis

What’s fun (though this is not a comedy per se), is meeting the tenants, who have expectations of Trevor, whether it is business hours or not, including Jasmine (Cherie Corinne Rice) and Bobby (Brock Jones), who come across as off-kilter or cultural “Karens.” I lived in a rent-controlled apartment most of my life, and rarely gave the landlord grief unless it was something important; when we moved out about 15 years ago, he told us the rent on the apartment (in Brooklyn, 5 rooms) was going to double for the next people, but he still wished we would stay. But I digress…).

There is definitely someone or something roaming around the atmospherically spooky underground garage, where a lot of this film occurs, a place to avoid if you have Tingchechekuphobia. Especially with the tall, dark, and shadowy figure floating about.

Brock Jones

This film has an interesting way of presenting technology, such as Zoom, texting, and the Internet. In fact, the whole cinematography, done by one-man-crew Sowden, is quite remarkable in that it feels Noir, but avoids being “arty,” although still being a beauty to watch. An impressive example of this is a shot of Trever in a dark corridor, while in the distance is an opening into bright sunlight, and it is all discernable, rather than the camera trying to adjust to either the light or darkness, making the rest either too dark or too light.

People are disappearing from the apartment building, and Trevor is determined to find out why that is happening. Mr. Gibson is unconcerned, telling him to just get the apartment ready for the next tenants. Sweetheart of a guy, eh?

Cherie Corrine Rice

With a single exception, the entire film takes place on the property of the apartment building. Gotta love a mixture of low budget and Covid necessity. It works well, because the building is spacious, but there is still a feeling of claustrophobia that settles in thanks to the lighting, and repetition and size of spaces.

There was another film called The Super (1998) where the titular character tries to figure out why people are disappearing in the building. Similar overarching theme, but different stories.

This is as much a who-done-it mystery as much as a supernatural thriller. While it is not a blood and guts extravaganza (meaning anyone can watch it), it is definitely worth checking out.

 

Horror short bonus review:
Witch
Directed by Joshua Sowden
Self Esteem Productions; Deep Sail Media
5 minutes, 2022
https://sowden-jd.wixsite.com/film

In some ways, this short is similar to the prologue of Extramundane. A man (again, Brant Rotnem, and his facial hair) goes into the basement of his apartment building looking for a broom. When he finds one, anyone who has been to Salem or even seen a coven film, knows this is not the kind of broom that one uses to sweep up dust and dirt. Before long, there is a shadowy figure, and the man tries to escape. Even if you see the ending coming (there are many similar short films like this), it is nicely atmospheric and well shot. Can be watched for free HERE.

Extramundane IMDB listing HERE

Review: Row 19

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

Row 19 (aka Ryad 19)
Directed by Alexander Babaev
Central Partnership; KIT Film Studios; Monumental Film; Red Media; Lka Film; Well Go USA Entertainment
78 minutes, 2021 / 2022
www.wellgousa.com/films/row-19

Hmmm. Sometimes one must separate art from what is going on in the world. Normally, I would boycott things Russian at the moment, in solidarity with Ukraine, but this is an independent film, so I will give it a shot. Plus, it is being publicized by an American company, Well Go USA Entertainment, so here we go – er – well.

I recently saw a German film called Blood Red Sky (2021), which starts with a very similar premise: a troubled woman on a plane with a preteen, when weird things begin to happen. Except, in this case, of course, they are speaking Russian (subtitles alert). In the prologue, a woman and her preteen daughter are sitting in a near empty airliner, which crashes in South Central Russia. The daughter is the only survivor and becomes, of course, a media sensation.

Marta Kessler, Svetlana Ivanova

For the main crux of the story, it is 20 years later, and the girl is now a woman, Katerina (Svetlana Ivanova), who has her own preteen daughter that is about the same age she was when she crashed, Diana (Marta Timofeeva, aka Marta Kessler).

Of course, for our story, a similar situation occurs: Katerina and Diana are on a nearly empty plane that needs to be deiced traveling to the center of the country (to visit grandpa and his big dog), sitting in the same seats (the titular Row 19) in the same order (mom on aisle, daughter in center). We also start to get to meet others on the flight, as I am sure we will get to know their motivations for being on that very voyage.

Wolfgang Cerny

But there are also strange things happening on the new flight, like the cryptic acting and blank stares of the stewar… I mean flight attendants, to there being someone named Evgeni, as there was on the one that crashed. Some of the others on the flight are an ex-reporter, Alexey (Wolfgang Cerny), who sits across from and befriends Katerina and Diana, and an uptight, whiskey-drinkin’ right-wing business man, Nikolay (Anatoly Kot), the seemingly psychic bearded “hipster” Pavel (Denis Yasik) who is constantly drawing frantically in a notebook, along with an elderly couple, which includes Evgeni (Ivan Verkhovykh, whose wife, Galina (Iringa Egorova) is afraid to fly. I can’t speak for any other Russian plane or airline, but there are no televisions on the backs of the seats, considering it’s an hours-long flight.

With horrifying dreams and flashbacks, things seem to be repeating for the now adult Katerina that echo 20 years ago, or is it all in her head as the plane flies through a lightning storm and bad turbulence? I once flew through turbulence so bad I hit my head on the overhead even while buckled in, so I could empathize the fear.

One by one, the people on the plane start to perish in sometimes gruesome ways, all reflecting on a “witch” (Yola Sanko) who was on the first plane. Is this some kind of Final Destination deal, or are they all really dead or in Purgatory already like in Carnival of Souls (1962) or Jacob’s Ladder (1990)? Whatever it ends up being, it is effectively creepy as hell, and plays well with memory, imagination, and/or destiny. How much of it is real and how much is in Katerina’s mind? And what is the darken shadow person(s) that keeps popping up, and the little prescient girl (Katerina’s past self?) that Diana keeps talking to that only they can see, individually? Katerina says it clearly that her visions are “becoming more and more real. I’m starting to confuse reality with my nightmares.”

The tube of the plane is claustrophobic, and yet due to the lack of people, it also feels quite roomy at times. But no matter what, there are feelings of déjà vu and that there is nowhere to escape whatever fate has in store for the survivors, which decrease as time goes on. There are a lot of really nice effects and even some blood, and it all works well in the story, which is taut right to the end.

The acting is solid all the way around, including the two young girls who hold their own with the adults. Ivanova is especially a stand-out. The cinematography by Nikolay Smirnov flows well, and the effects by Eugene Antsiferov and Nikita Ovchinnikov, which are quite complex considering all that is going on, are outstanding.

This may not be for people who are afraid to fly, or are politically triggered by what is going on in the world, but as a piece of art on its own, it is quite thrilling. I understand there is also an English version floating around somewhere in the sky.

IMBD Listing HERE 

 

Review: The Witching Season

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2019

Images from the Internet

The Witching Season

Compiled by Michael Ballif; directed by Michael Ballif and James Morris

The Witching Season Films / MVD Entertainment

83 minutes, 2015 / 2019

www.facebook.com/witchingseasonfilms

www.witchingseasonfilms.com

www.mvdb2b.com

Witching Season Films is a Utah-based collective, apparently with Michael Ballif at its head. They release short films into the YouTube universe, much in the way of Alter or Screamfest. With Witching Season, however, it’s not just the numerous releases of films that are good, but rather those put out by that collective. Gotta respect that

This release is a compilation of five of their films, each of high quality work. Because it is a somewhat insular group, there are some themes that tend to run though them, but more on that later. However, I will concede early on that the one obvious motif is that all of them take place around or on Halloween.

The first story is called “Killer on the Loose,” directed by Michael Ballif, which lasts for 14:57 minutes. In this tale, a woman is chased through the woods by a mysterious man in – I kid you not – a hockey mask. It is obviously not Jason since this guy has kind of a slim build, but he does carry one of those machetes. She runs into a house where Night of the Living Dead (1968; the last scene of the chase from the cemetery… I love public domain) is on the tube though no one seems to be around. Mirroring NotLD, the woman goes up the stairs of the secluded small house, shot with similar angles. Nice touch. There is an interesting conclusion to this one that may come as a surprise because wisely Ballif does not give us too much information too early. Kudos for that.

The 17:22 minute “Princess,” directed by James Morris, takes some familiar topes and gives us a few surprises. A woman and her young daughter have just moved into a new house. Left behind in the basement from the previous owner is a box of stuffed animals, including the titular Princess, a weird looking rabbit doll. Of course, the plushie has an agenda of its own and puts the mom and the kid through their paces. It’s nice to see a strong, young character here in the daughter, rather than merely a scared little girl. She’s gonna be fierce. But, of course, there is a surprise ending, as these films seem to have, that is both amusing and creepy. It’s well done.

“Not Alone,” directed by Morris, is a 9:25-minute delve into sci-fi horror. A man is home alone at night and after the bright lights through the window that was used in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), something shift-changing and wicked this way comes from “somewhere else.” While basically an alien abduction film, it’s definitely filled with horror images, playing with shadows and perceptions. While only a single person is in the short, it nicely builds up tension until the final “ah-ha” moment.

At 31:34, “They Live Inside Us” is by far the longest of the short films, directed by Ballif. The theme is hauntings where recurrence of events plays out over and over. A writer sneaks into a supposedly haunted house to use the energy to write a great horror story. He has a list of “movie monsters” (tropes; including the flying spaghetti monster, which made me laugh). As he tries different scenarios using these stale ideas, we get to see them play out. I’m not sure if this is a commentary on the overuse of these themes, the proliferation of sequels and remakes, or the fact that the audience has been beaten down into not seeing anything new; the possibility of an IT Part 3, is currently in the news, for example. For myself, I’m a bit confused on one of the issues presented here, which I will not delve into too deeply to ruin anything, but I’m not sure about anachronisms (dial phone vs computer, for example), or if this is part of the replay or someone getting caught up in it [as a side note, I write this while home sick, so I may know the answer if I were more healthy…]. Either way, the story ends up being satisfactory.

Last up is “Is That You?” at 11:14 minutes and directed by Morris. I’ve seen lots of similar shorts, and they can be great for a good jump scare. In this one, a teenage daughter is home on Halloween night thanks to a broken foot. Her mom is quite the Halloween buff and really into it, though she has no patience for those who come to her door without really trying in the costume department. The daughter is cell phone-connected to her friend (hence the title) who has no time for her now that she’s dating a guy that makes our heroine crinkle up her face at the thought of it. Again, playing with shadows, there is an evil in the air which comes to a [rec*] (2007) moment.

All these films are consistently well made and rely on what the company dubs as “nostalgia,” meaning they present new version of old tropes. I usually don’t have a problem with that, and the professionalism here really needs to be noted and respected.

Some of the regular themes that crop up is running or walking at night with flashlights. For most of the stories, except the last one, Halloween is more of a background to the events, than the main focus. Most of these tales also have a television blaring at some point. That being said, one of the charming things about these are because they come from the same filming family, as it were, there is some interesting overlaps in minor ways, mostly on television as other stories are mentioned.

Since this is a web series, as well as a compilation, I appreciate that there is no wrap-around story, but the films are presented as individual tidbits. That was enjoyable, as well.

Review: One Night in October

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2019

Images from the Internet

One Night in October

Directed by Christopher M. Carter

Carter Ink Films / Laughing Dog Productions / Come About Productions / 
Cyfuno Ventures / Wild Eye Releasing / MVD Entertainment

104 minutes, 2017 / 2019

www.facebook.com/onenightinoctobermovie/

www.wildeyereleasing.com

www.mvdb2b.com

While this film does not take place on Halloween, it is about the Halloween season, so this is the appropriate time for this review. This is also fitting because the consistency within this story is masks, both literal and figurative. But more on that later.

There are actually three stories here, but unlike a compilation, they all take place on the same night in the same town, and there is even a small amount of overlap. This is a clever feature not often employed in anthology films. Also, rather than giving three complete stories one at a time, they are edited together nicely over the night, breaking up the suspense in a way that is effective as it keeps rebuilding. It also successfully works as a jump scare.

Kaitlan Renee and Casehy Norman

In no particular order, the first story I’ll discuss focuses on two couples, including a lesbian one (Casey Norman and Kaitlan Renee; the other pair is attractive Sara Jackson and Andrew Kincaid) that I’m happy to say actually looks like they could be a pair rather than a stereotype or a male fantasy (I’m not one of those guys who gets off on that, if you’re wondering). This foursome is playing around in a cornfield on private property, but of course it’s the wrong one to be muckin’ around in, as the title “The Witch and the Scarecrow” will tell you. They are warned to get off the land by the woman (Erin Colleen Marshall) who runs the place, but with a classic dead car and no phone service trope, you know things are going to go into the red as the scarecrow comes a-callin’. Happily, his first victim is the most annoying character.

Rachel Netherton

In another tale, Emma (Rachel Netherton) is permitted to see the man she loves for five minutes every three months. I kept thinking, “Is he a ghost?” “Is she the ghost?” Well, I’m not going to tell you the reason, of course, but there is a man in a mask on their trail. This is the slowest of the three stories, but when it gets to its “Oh, that’s-what-it’s-about moment, it’s easy to be absorbed into the goings on.

The third story – and my favorite of the three – is about Michelle (Jessica Morgan), a woman on her own who has just moved into the neighborhood and is really into Halloween. She meets some locals who are not what they appear to be presenting (again, figurative masks that turn literal); and there are powers around her trying to take advantage of that, It’s reminiscent of one of the stories from television’s “Trilogy of Terror” (1975), also with three tales.

The film takes a while to rev up, but the slow build benefits the storylines because it gives us a chance to be curious about the characters. The first, with the two couples, starts off running a bit faster than the others with the one with Emma taking the longest.

Jessica Morgan

All three stories were pretty satisfying, which is rare for an anthology. But the one I would like to see in a sequel is easily the one with Michelle, which is also the most action-packed. In all the stories there is lots of blood, but very little gore (though the occasional separated body part), and most of the action occurs onscreen (one of which seeming to be a nice nod to a prominent death in the original Night of the Living Dead, that is also playing on Michelle’s television in some shots… gotta love public domain).

The stories are quite well done, the action is strong, the dialogue definitely has its moments (though here and there a bit too much time is spent on explanations, such as the witch giving the back story of the scarecrow), and the acting is occasionally newbie-style (first IMDB credit for many here), but it all works together when you factor in the indie level. In other words, it works, and I would enjoy watching a sequel, say, A Second Night in October?

As I write this, Halloween is just around the corner. This is good fare to be watching on that night. It’s violent (much of it just off-screen) and bloody, but not very gory. There’s a bit of human and inhuman, demons and a witch, and natural and supernatural.

The DVD has extras, giving up chapters, Wild Eye trailers, English captions, and the coming attraction for this film. My one complaint is that while the titles of the three stories are listed at the end credits, it does not identify which is which (though one is quite obvious).

This is a good mid-range horror film with just enough going on to keep the blood-hound at bay, but mild enough that it may be deem playable for those with limited tolerance for this kind of action. That’s a good thing.

Review: Loon Lake

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2019

Images from the Internet

Loon Lake

Directed by Ansel Faraj

Round Town Productions / Hollinsworth Productions / Three Knots Entertainment / Indie Rights

95 minutes, 2019

www.hollinsworthproductions.com/loon-lake.html

As Kelly Erin Decker, one of the producers of this film explained in an email to me, “My friend Nate [Nathan Wilson, who also is the main protagonist of the story – RG] wrote the script based on a legend in the town [in Minnesota] where he grew up, and we returned to that same town to film...”

Nathan  Wilson and David Selby v.1

The basic premise is that Lewis (Wilson) had recently suffered a tragic loss, and to get away from his pain, he picks up from Minneapolis and takes a respite in Round Lake, a real and little community in the middle of nowhere whose two claims to fame are the story of the witch, which I will get into in a moment, and an actor that came from there (yep, I mean Wilson). But as Harry Chapin sang, “You can travel on 10,000 miles and still stay where you are.” (“WOLD”).

He rents a house and a few denizens at the bar tell him the story about a local woman, Mary Jane (Decker, who uses the name credit as Kelly Kitko here) who was beheaded as a witch in 1880 because she turned down the advances of the local pastor (David Selby… wait she refuted Quentin Collins?!?!).

Anyway, a local woman, Gracie (Brittany Benjamin), has her eyes on Louis but he is too distracted by his memories (Sierra Schermerhorn) … and the witch, who’s grave he possibly crossed too many times. Y’see, the legend goes – in Candyman and Bloody Mary fashion – if you walk over Mary Jane’s grave three times, she will come back to kill you in three days. But how much of it is “reality” and how much of the events that follow are in Louis’s head? This delves from possible supernatural to possible psychological, as we probe into Louis’s thoughts through dreams, and his own anger. This kind of gives a possible double meaning to the title of the film with Loon being both literal and figurative.

Kelly Kitko aka Kelly Erin Decker

This is smartly put together by director Faraj in the way that it plays with the two natural and supernatural elements, putting it on us to try to figure out which is which. Not a new premise, but when it’s handled well, as it is here, it keeps the tension going.

Another nice element to the story after the opening prologue, is that we keep returning to the 1880s throughout the story, to fill in the legend and possible history of events.

Religion plays a strong part in the story, and occasionally comes off as a bit preachy as certain characters question their own faith (e.g., what if there is no afterlife? Is there a God? Is there a Satan?) and those of others. While not a central theme, it certain is prevalent in various parts of the story. As someone who is non-religious, I was not bothered by it, but I was conscious of it.

 From what I understand, the director is a big fan of the original “Dark Shadows” television series (as was I), and he often casts members of the show into his films. Here, as I mentioned, he has not only David Selby playing dual roles as the Pastor and his great-grandson, but the Pastor’s spouse is an enjoyable cameo by Kathryn Leigh Scott (wait, Quentin Collins is reunited with Maggie Evans?!?!).

David Selby v2 and Kathryn Leigh Scott

It’s pretty easy to tell that this is shot on a budget somewhere between little and none, but it also is a perfect example of how much can be done with so little. Under the right circumstances, filmmaking is a collaborative art form (e.g., without one member, such as directors like Kubrick, who demands exactitude and subservience from his crew and cast; where would they be with a huge budget?). With everyone involved giving their all for something that means something to them,

This film was shot with a limited budget and crew. As Decker put it, “We had a total crew of 5 people (including me and Nate, who did double duty as actors and various crew functions). Everything in the film comes from our hearts and our hands, down to the loon models which I made myself.”

The acting here is quite solid, as Wilson and Decker dance around each other. Selby does the most work as two divergently difference characters (even if from the same gene pool). Everyone else in the cast is consistent, and that’s a good thing. Benjamin also does well as a strong woman who is smitten but not desperate (as so many female characters are written to be). Time wise, Scott is briefly there in her cameo role, so while she is fun to watch as always, especially ringing the nostalgia bell, she shines and her intensity level is set on high (I smiled through her performance).

As I’ve said before, it’s important to look at small budget indie films like this one through different eyes than blockbusters, or even those independents with some cash flow like the Annabelle or even the Freddy/Jason/Michael franchises. There is a lot of ingenuity and heart that goes into smaller films, and they usually deserve the love that is put into it. Yes, a bad film is a bad film, but this one is quite impressive. It’s worth turning your brain on, and giving it a thoughtful viewing.

PS: Please note that I did not have to look up any of the names of the “Dark Shadows” characters.

Review: Horror Shorts for July 2019

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films

Images from the Internet

Garden of Souls

Directed by Christopher Milewski

Filmiracle Productions

16:11 minutes, 2019

www.youtube.com/channel/UCyKWJ1KMyb8KSLj1dCEqvCA

When I was a mere wisp of a lad in the days before VHS, I was such a horror movie geek that I bought an 8mm projector and some 200-400’ reels of silent film delights, such as Nosferatu (1922), and some starring Lon Chaney, Sr. I still have them, though the projector is long gone. When VHS came about, being that these same films were in copywrite underdrive, I was able to get them for cheap, but this time I could see the full movies. I fell in love with the style and the manner of acting; but I especially loved the lighting and tinting. Since the digital era, I can only recall one film that used some of these techniques successfully (Creep Creepersin’s Frankenstein, 2009), which employed it more for occasional affects. For Garden of Souls, director Milewski creates a love letter to those kinds of early films, using some modern techniques to achieve it. Being created in the present, even with the added scratches, the picture is quite clear (a good thing) and the tint is just perfect. What’s also a delight is that he doesn’t overdo it while still being consistent. In the story, a grieving widow (Karen Lynn) makes a pact with an elderly witchy woman (Betty Roehm Widdoss) to try and raise her deceased husband (Eric Bower) from the grave. While I was expecting an extended “The Monkey’s Paw” result, Milewski takes it in another direction. While silent, there is some excellent period-style music that is used to enhance the visuals. This is well written, directed and enjoyable from first to last frame.

Phantoms of the Fog

Directed by CM Lazer  (aka Christopher Milewski)

Filmiracle Productions

11:37 minutes, 2018

www.youtube.com/channel/UCyKWJ1KMyb8KSLj1dCEqvCA

Milewski plays mix and match with genres on this one, mashing up three (I will only discuss two because I don’t want to ruin the ending). An American soldier (Ryan Fargo) is dropped far behind the enemy lines in Viet Nam (yes, I heard of it), when in total gonzo Leo Fulci style, he starts being hunted by a mud-plastered zombi with a scarf! (Karen Lynn), requisite with lots of meal worms on its face. But things keep shifting from minute to minute on the danger levels. The music is right out of Goblin style with an annoying synth (just like the Italian cinema of the ‘80s). Will our hero escape the creature’s grasp? Milewski is really good at keeping a shot long enough to establish what is happening, without quick and zoomy edits so you can see the action. Adding three mashups rather than two works for the film. Good framing of the shots, as well.

The Tattooist

Directed by Michael Wong

Michael Wong Productions

1:20 minutes, 2018

vimeo.com/michaelwong

Michael Wong is an award-winning Malaysian film and commercial director based in Beijing. His work employs a high level of graphics and editing in his releases (check out more than just this film, especially “ARC ‘Fantasy Realm’,” available at the link above), and this works really well for this very short but very effective film. Full of swirling images, music and editing, there is no dialogue or context as we are introduced to a tattoo artist who is also a violent serial killer. In this brief span we see a number of his killings and the action is brutal and swift. Beautifully done. Now I want to see a full feature of this.
Here is the link to The Tattooist:http://www.vimeo.com/michaelwong/thetattooist/

Review: Clownado

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

Clownado

Written, directed and edited by Todd Sheets
Extreme Entertainment / FilmCore / Mem Ferda
100 minutes, 2019
www.facebook.com/MoviesWithGuts/
www.facebook.com/clownado/

A mash-up – given the right manic proportions – can be a fun ride. For example, the original Sharknado (2013) is a mash-up of disaster films like Twister (1996) and Jaws (1975). Well, now classic b-film director (truly meant in the most admirable way ) Todd Sheets has smashed-up the mash-up by combining Sharknado with the recent clown mania that has culminated in the remake of IT (2018; as of this writing, IT Part II has not been released yet).



John O'Hara (top), Bobby Westrick, Sierra Stodden,
Dilynn \"Fawn Harvey, Antwoine Steele

There are actually many film tropes used throughout Clownado that the aficionado of the genre are able to easily check off, but here is the thing: Sheets takes those – okay, let’s use the term clichés – and turns them on their heads by de-cliché-ing them and making them his own. Here is an example of what I mean: usually, when you get a group thrown together it’s usually overaged teenagers, such as the jock, the virgin, the whore, and the shy guy. Here, Sheets gives us the trucker, Hunter Fidelis (Bobby Westrick), the innocent Rachel (Sierra Stodden), the stripper with a good heart Bambi (Dilynn Fawn Harvey, a Sheets regular), and an African-American Elvis Impersonator (Antwoine Steele, also part of Sheets’ ensemble), roaming through Dixie Country. Why are they together and on the run? Well, that’s where the plot takes us.

 

Savanna (Rachel Lagen) is trying to rob and escape the evil clutches of her abusive husband, Big Ronnie (John O’Hara), who owns a run-down traveling circus. Of course this idea goes bad (as the bon mot states, “Make a plan, God laughs”), and she knows he is going to kill her. What else to do? Get the gypsy woman, Autumn Moonspell (infamous amputee ex-porn star Jeanne Silver) to place a curse. Through this action, Ronnie and his clown henchmen become demonized, able to use tornados to travel after her and our quadrant of heroes, who are eventually joined by tornado hunters Chris (Jeremy Todd) and Molly (Millie Milan, both also frequent Sheets flyers).



Rachel Lagen

Taking place all in one night, the story is one continuous chase and capture, filled with lots of blood and gore and a very nice body count when all is added up. Not only is the viscera not shied away from (i.e., off-camera), but it’s usually shown in close-up. Note that the kills are mostly SFX by Buckets of Blood Productions, which are not ”clinical” but are still rather quite juicy and filled with internal organs. Of course, with the inclusion of tornados and some of the splatter, there is a bit of digi-work added as well.

 

The acting is way over the top, as it should be in this kind of spectacle, but it should especially be noted about the performance of O’Hara, who plays Big Ronnie as a cross somewhere between James Cagney in White Heat (1949) and a shrill Margaret Hamilton in “I’ll get you my pretty!” mode, with lots (and lots) of teeth gnashing. He steals just about every scene he’s in.

The big cameo is from Scream Queen extraordinaire, Linnea Quigley, who plays the really nasty owner of the strip club that employs Bambi. In a geekizoid homage fashion, she is Spider, the same character from Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-a-Rama (1988).

One of the things I really like about Sheets’ films is that he is not limited by a particular body type. Not everyone is a model who is size 0, or plastic surgery’d to the point where chests are practically immobile from overpacking. There is also lots of upper female nudity and cleavage to keep some viewers happy. As for the men, there are no Zac Efron wannabes who look like they fell out of a boy band catalog. Rather, Sheets’ cast is filled with people who look like those you might actually meet on line at the bank, eating at the table next to yours, or fighting a gaggle of giggling killer clowns from cyclone space.

This is actually a beautifully shot film overall, and Sheets gets some great angles and frame-work (especially when he combines the two), and the story never drags. There are some questionable actions taken by the characters to add time to the story, but these nasty clowns are entertaining as hell, and the fodder characters are fun as well and keep the viewer interested. When any main character is killed here, you may find yourself saying, “Oh, maaaaaan!” That’s a sign of viewer commitment, which is a positive squarely on the shoulders of the writer/director.

Right now, Clownado is playing on the Film Fest circuit; if you get the chance to check it out there, go for it. Distribution on a power label is bound to follow, and you could add this to your Todd Sheets collection. I will add it to mine.