Review: Smart House

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

Smart House
Directed by John Oak Dalton
Midwest Film Venture; ITN Studios
www.itnfilms.net/
76 minutes, 2023

Director John Oak Dalton is known more as a screenwriter (many involving sharks and the Polonia Brothers), but this is only his third directorial effort, after The Girl in the Crawlspace (2018) and Scarecrow County (2019), but both exceeded their budget and are well worth the watch.

Technology has always given way to genres in the arts. For example, the atomic age led to a glut of sci-fi novels and giant creature features like Them (1954) or Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956), VHS gave us a proliferation of giallo and slashers, and the internet the likes of Unfriended (2014). Even Covid led to smaller casts (Quarantine Girl, 2020) or the use of Zoom (Host, 2020).

Now with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a newer genre rises of technology, more personal than the fantastical like the Terminator franchise. For example, recently there was a film called Motion Detected (2022) https://indiehorrorfilms.blogspot.com/2023/05/review-motion-detected.html that dealt with a “smart house,” which still had a supernatural element to it. And now, there is Smart House, which takes out the metaphysical and gives us pure evil AI.

Iabou WIndimere

The focus of the story is Mari (Iabou Windimere), a woman who has been harassed by her violent ex-, Shawn (Joe Kidd). She is now alone in a house run by a Siri type of table device called Cassandra (voiced by the Brinke Stevens in that distinctive, smoky voice of hers) that was designed by her ex-hacker father, Cordell (Tom Cherry). Cassandra has some glitches to it, and is not calling Mari by the name of Clytemnestra, but rather Mary or Murry.

Mari’s profession is as an online influencer, on a very weird show where she brushes her hair and talks in a whisper (which is supposed to trigger an autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR). I have never understood stuff like that; too esoteric for me. I like plain and simple, like punk over prog. As she does her program, be sure to read the scrawl of “live” viewer comments on the left; some are positive and others not so nice, as is probably accurate. And they are humorous in their trolling.

Anyway, Cassandra has been acting weird and not following requests in increasingly annoying ways (vacuums going in the middle of the night, for example). Over a short time, Cass is in control, or rather another hacker has – er – hacked into the system, locking Mari in with specific and every increasingly hazardous requests. What I do not understand on all genre films where doors are locked and they are “trapped”… why not a chair through the window to get out, if you are threatened?

Erin Hoodlebrink, Tom Cherry

Like the documentary “Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer” (2019), can the audience or others help poor vexed Mari escape her doom and save her podcast? Will the trolls win out and reduce her “numbers”?

The film addresses several issues, such as the power of influencers online, and their lack of it in the real world. It also shows the duality of the level of commitment of the audience, and the sheer banality of anger and hatred (trolling). It also examines just how much we give up of our autonomy with the “convenience” of automation. A professor of mine said that every technology eventually does exactly opposite of what it was supposed to do in the first place, such as the internet was supposed to bring us all together, and instead we sit on our butts by ourselves, online, even in the company of others. In some ways, Smart House addresses that.

Mari is trapped not only by Cassandra, but by the image of herself as an influencer, not even being her own self, but rather a whispering hair brusher. Singer-songwriter Christine Lavin has a song called “Prisoner of Their Hairdos.” which addresses this issue, as well.

Additionally, this is what I would also call a Covid-related release, as there are many characters in the film, but in only two instances do two meet face to face. Everyone else is either on the phone, the internet audience, or voices on the Dark Web.

Another side fact is that of the three films Dalton has directed, this is the first one he has not written. Despite the desperation going on, it is not as emotionally deep as the previous two as far as emotional turmoil levels. Mari is strongly put-upon during the night, but the lasting trauma of Dalton’s previous films was palpable. This one was still traumatic, don’t get me wrong, but the cut is not as deep as, say, in The Girl in the Crawlspace.

There is no sex, nudity, or gore, and yet the story line is enough to keep one interested. Obviously, this was filmed in December (2022?) due to the Christmas lights up everywhere, which is never addressed in the events or by the characters.

The computer graphics that are used are fun, but I was especially impressed by those attached to the opening credits. I found it fascinating. Being a low budget release, there is also a nice use of stock footage (some people have the same yellowish glow filter that past – and hopefully future – failed politician Kari Lake uses, which made me laugh).

As I have said before, Dalton is part of the Dayton, OH film group, who often use the same actors and cast, with varying degrees (e.g., Iabou has been in all of Dalton’s films, and many in Henrique Couto’s as well). It is nice to see familiar faces as well as some new ones. Of course, some are just voices here on the ‘net.

I am always happy to see a John Oak Dalton film, even if it is just a screenplay, especially when collaborating with Couto (who produced Smart House and was cinematographer), an excellent filmmaker in his own right. I will be happy to see what comes next for Dalton.

IMDB listing HERE

Trailer HERE

Review: Day Zero

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

Day Zero
Directed by Joey De Guzman
Reality MM Studios; Regal Entertainment; Well Go USA Entertainment
82 minutes, 2022 / 2023
https://wellgousa.com/films/day-zero
www.hiyahtv.com
#DayZero @WellGoUSA

This release is not to be confused with Night Zero (2017), as Day Zero also goes for the almost-zombie throat.

Remember back in the late 1960s and early ‘70s when the Philippines was a place that released numerous “B” horror releases (many starring John Ashley; d. 1997), be they cheesy, such as Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1968) and The Twilight People (1972)? 

Well, this has shown the quality has quite improved for Filipino fright flicks (presented in Tagalog, Filipino, sign language, and some English, with easy to read English subtitles) over the years, and are still cheesy fun, but a lot more sophisticated, professional looking, and relatively make more narrative sense (relative to the topic at hand).

Brandon Vera

As the prologue tells us, there is an outbreak of dengue fever “also known as break-bone fever, a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people” (paraphrased from Wikipedia). But like Covid, for this imagining, it has mutated into turning people into (fast) flesh-biting zombie-ish creatures; they are not into eating as much as biting and infecting, sort of like Korea’s Train to Busan (2016). While they are merely hyper-infected, they look like classic zombies; the make-up is incredibly well done. Though they can run, they move quite spasmodically and only communicate through screams. It can seem a mix of [Pick a time of day] of the Living Dead and …28 [pick a timeframe] Later, with a bit of [*REC] (2007) thrown in for good measure. And of course, we cannot forget the granddaddy of all violent bite infection flicks, Rabid (1977).

Our central character is the heavily tattooed former U.S. elite soldier Ramon “Emon” Marasigan (Brandon Vera, aka “The Truth”; retired Filipino-American World Kickboxing Association [WKA] Super Heavyweight Champion, ONE Championship Heavyweight World Champion, WEC 13 Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion, and inducted in the Grappler's Quest Hall of Fame). He is in a Filipino prison for aggravated assault. Hell, he is so big, he could cripple me with a strong stare.

Mary Jean Lastimosa

His estranged wife, Sheryl (Mary Jean Lastimosa) and young, deaf daughter, Jane (Freya Fury Montierro) wait in what looks like some overcrowded poor area at a seven-floor walk-up apartment building. Due to the outbreak, Emon breaks out (see what I did there?) of prison with his friend Timoy (Pepe Herrera). Meanwhile, Sheryl gets separated from Jane in the apartment melee. It was pretty obvious that the story would be the quest of the three finding each other again.

Also understandable, thankfully, is that there will be a lot of fighting by Emon, be it prisoners, zombies, or what all. And it certainly does not fail in that regard: MMA-style moves, crude objects (e.g., boards), and eventually tactical armory (see the trailer).

Pepe Herrera

The cinematography by Mo Zee is quite well done, with some camera effects that work well with the storyline and keeps the eye on the screen. This is a gross generalization, but Asian cinema really does present action scenes with pizazz.

Vera acts his role well, albeit mostly stoic or angry (though there are some emotional moments), but most of the major cast, including Herrera and especially Lastimosa, project their fear and angst well without it being cartoonish. Most of the action, once Emon and Timoy get out of prison, is set in the apartment building (hence the [*REC] reference), giving a feeling of grime, purposeful bad lighting (no electricity) though easy to see for the viewer, and a sense of claustrophobia. The single location helps with the budget, and I respect that, as well as “locks” the viewer into the locale. The set design for these scenes is excellent.

So is the SFX, which uses great prosthetics, and while there is some CGI, most of it is practical. For those interested, like me, there is a lot of it spread throughout the film. Technically, there are three acts, but each is ruthless.

While this is a relatively serious film, there is some subtle humor that occasionally crops up, almost like easter eggs, such as one zombie wearing a tee that says, “Vin Scully is my homeboy”: baseball is huge in the Philippines. Also, as with most sidekicks, Timoy is a bit of a comic relief, but hardly a stereotypical screw-up.

There is an underlying premise that not all monsters are – er – monsters. While the band of survivors get picked off one by one, there is also brutality brought by grief and anger. Who needs to be infected to become violent when someone has lost a loved one? I believe that characterization is a real side of humanity sometimes. It is not really cynicism, if you just look around at the attitude of some televangelists and members of the US Senate about the LGBTQ+ populations.

On a side note, I wonder about films like this: if one can escape from the crowded apartment building, in a heavily populated neighbourhood, how would one get away, even in a vehicle? There are 114 million people living in the Philippines. Would it not be more realistic to pull a The Mist (2007) in that situation (but have enough ammo)? I would definitely want a quick out.

Once the action starts, which is right at the beginning, it is rare that the action lets up. We see our main group and others fight the transformed and infected. In a world where zombie (relatively) films are a dime a dozen, even though there are some formulaic moments, this is a good watch, full of action, violence, practical SFX, gore, and so much more.

IMDB listing HERE

Horror Animated Shorts of Jason J. Cross

Horror Animated Shorts of Jason J. Cross

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

A nice thing about animation is that you can do things that cannot be done on a small budget. Created in the stiff but “humanesque” iClone software, the shorts are entertaining to look at. While the movement is a bit boxy, the faces look sharp. All these films were written (with one exception) and directed by Jason J. Cross, and are available in links at the bottom of each review. They are released by Four Sides Cross Productions. These are not in a ranked order, but rather how they were sent to me.

What is consistent in at least three of these four releases is that the central character is a strong woman. That makes me happy.

 

Got to Eat
6:41 minutes, 2020
There is a masked serial killer on the loose, and he has chosen his next family. They are transient and a bit oddball, but can they handle this young murderer? The results are quite humorous and bloody. Very simple and to the point, which is nice. And what is with the very end? Is there going to be a sequel?; I ask because many of Cross’ releases are serials. This is off to a great start.
Full film HERE

 

To Do
3:11 minutes, 2023
A serial killer ponders over a bound and gagged woman. We hear his internal monologue of what he plans to do, which the viewer gets to viscerally see. His thoughts are a poem including such things as biting off her nose. Creepy and gruesome. Nice.
Full film HERE

 

A Mother’s Love
13:15 minutes, 2021
A woman is on a first date at her home with a nice man, and they are just starting to get to know each other, when her daughter gets into some physical trouble. The crux of the story is how the mother takes care of business and how far she will go to protect her daughter. It is certainly not what one might expect. It was cool and she is hot. As with the first story above, there is a nice self-referential to Four Sides Cross.
Full film HERE

 

Wanted
2:44 minutes, 2021
This is the only story not written by Cross, but rather his 11-year-old “Daughter (Victoria) and staring my other daughter (Samantha), my wife (Carla), and myself,” the director explained. Short and simple, a mother and her two young twin daughters are being questioned at a police station, where the coppers are looking for her ex-. But there is more going on than that. This may have been written by a child, but it has a nice twist element to it.
Full film HERE

Review: Supercell

Text © Robert Barry Francos / Indie Horror Films, 2023
Images from the Internet

Supercell
Directed by Herbert James Winterstern
Thomasville Pictures; Bay Point Media; Short Porch Pictures; Streamline Global Group; Volition Media Partners; Highland Film Group; Strike Media
101 minutes, 2023
www.strike-media.com

Natural disaster films are hardly new. The first I remember is Earthquake (1974), but it goes back at least until The Hurricane (1937), or arguably even Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928). In recent years, cheapie weather-related knockoffs have been prolific on cable. It is worth mentioning, and I certainly will not be the last, that the bar to beat, especially in the “wind” category, is Twister (1996). And rightfully so.

Another aspect worth mentioning is that there are occasions where an A or B-plus level actor will appear in an independent film, usually in a cameo or as a favor to someone associated with it. Here, there are three who are main characters: Alec Baldwin, Anne Heche (in her next-to-last film; d. 2022), and Skeet Ulrich. This is rare for an indie flick.

Daniel Diemer, Skeet Ulrich

Tornado alley is where the film is situated, such as Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas; the former has recorded more tornados than anywhere else in the country (it was actually filmed in Montana). The often-sweaty High Schooler William Brody (Daniel Diemer) has lost his storm-chaser/scientist father, Bill (Richard Gunn), to a cyclone. But the big Bill has passed down his fascination with the storms to his young’n.

Much like “Dorothy,” the weather reader thingamabob from Twister, here there is a machine in a nascent stage made by Bill that can read the possibility of tornados by soundwaves that William now works on. That is when he is not hanging out with love interest, Harper (Jordan Kristine Seamón).

Alec Baldwin, Ulrich

William wants to understand about tornados and about what it meant to his dad, much to the chagrin of Quinn (Heche), his scientific genius mom who now makes a living cleaning other people’s houses. He takes off solo and phoneless in search of Oz…I mean wild weather. In this day of climate change, it is a topical – er – topic. He goes to see “Uncle” Roy (Ghostface himself, Ulrich) who drives for a bus tour to see tornados that uses the Brody name that was bought out during bankruptcy when big Bill was blowin’ in the wind. It is run and led by the antagonist of the piece, Zane (Alec Baldwin) – as in “inzane” – who is more interested in the bucks of his passengers than their safety.

Let me address this for a second: the women in this film (Quinn and Harper) are reasonable and level-headed, when it comes to the danger level, but the men (e.g., Bill, Will, Roy and Zane) are like the videos on social media of macho ubersports proponents who risk their lives for a thrill (and perhaps some clicks).

Anne Heche

Naturally, Quinn and Harper set off to find the testosterone-filled tornado chasers, thus bonding (road trip!!) going from Florida to the west. Wait, so Quinn moved William away from the Tornados after his father’s death to Hurricaneville? Hmm.

With a ton of exposition that fills the first act, the wind…I mean the pace does not pick up until about half way through, when the first tornado for William comes into the picture while on the tour bus. You know each tornado experienced is going to get more and more intense, cinematically, as is the paradigm. Again, an observation, not a criticism. Building up is the way it is supposed to be, otherwise it would be anticlimactic.

Jordan Kristine Seamón, Diemer

There are some nice cinematic touches, like never seeing Bill’s face other than family photos, or going from a storm to watching clothes going around a washing machine. Another is Quinn asking Harper “Have you ever been to Kansas, Dorothy?” as Harper has twin ponytails. There are some cool Easter eggs, as well, such as William looking up Bill on the computer, and for just a brief second, Bill Paxton’s (d. 2017) name comes up in the search engine.

The soundtrack is – and really should be for this type of topic – orchestrated and swelling, when need be, especially reflective of the weather situated on-screen. It is lush and beautiful, like a rainstorm.

Baldwin and Heche share no scenes together, but they did in an earlier film, The Juror (1996). While Baldwin is arguably the biggest current star here, and Diemer is the central character, it is Ulrich who steals the film with his complex reading of Roy, who is torn by past occurrences and taking care of the son of the person he most admired.

There are a lot of Twister moments, such as one with a car van (though no cows), but at least no one shouts, “It’s here!!” I will say that the CGI is better, and the storms look more realistic, as they slash through the countryside. While I found the survivability in Twister a bit unrealistic, here is it more real feeling, even though the excitement level is a bit less. Do not get me wrong, there is lots of relatively scary weather moments, and it is beautiful to watch. My only real issue with the film is its length. There are lots of exposition moments that could have been edited down and still arrived at the required destination. I get the feeling it is so the star power have their own monologues and scenes. Again, understandable.

If you like big storms, like me (though I have zero interest in storm chasing any more than, say, paragliding), there is a lot to like about this: adrenaline, rain, hail, and fast paced weather.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Hollywood Werewolf

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

Hollywood Werewolf
Directed by James Balsamo
Acid Bath Productions
91 minutes, 2023
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063503922846

As I have said before, when you get a James Balsamo film, you get consistency: bizarre silliness, puns, cameos, and it rarely rises above ridiculous. And yet, every time I hear a new one is out, I get excited. If you are looking for some deep, serious narratives, meaningful acting, and arty motifs, well, you just have not been paying attention.

Andy Dick, James Balsamo

For his latest, he has managed to rope in Andy Dick (most known for “NewsRadio” and bad behaviour) as the titular Elliot Wolf. He was a child star who hit the lowest points possible, not including being a werewolf (which we see right off the bat). But it was this that led him to the lead part of (a different, as is pointed out multiple times) visionary director Elliot Wolf’s new film, Hollywood Werewolf.

The premise of this film is a mock documentary by director Wolf about actor/werewolf Wolf. Confusing? I think not. This style sets up well for the inclusion of many and many a cameo by cult musicians, actors and filmmakers, a motif that is omnipresent in Balsamo’s films.

Documentary films tend to be short segments strung together in a common theme or topic. This gives a chance for multiple people to ad lib and have some obvious fun as they promote their own characters, such as “Saved by the Bell’s” Troy Fromin’s audition tape for (director) Wolf’s next art film, “The Life and Death of an Avocado.” Mixed in are insults to (actor) Wolf by the likes of a fired cue-card guy, his limo driver (who turned Wolf in when he killed three strippers, but still drove him to the trial), and his poor bedraggled manager, Marvin Orange (Balsamo regular and voice actor for multiple Manga films, G. Larry Butler).

Then, of course, there are interviews with (actor) Wolf’s ex-girlfriends, whose talking heads are mixed with “sex tape” scenes of them in a shower, covering themselves with various food substances, such as chocolate sauce and baked beans/hotdogs (surely to show up in Balsamo’s nudity Sexy Time collections).

I will say that some of the jokes that are bandied about throughout generally work pretty well here, many dealing with the names of films, or insults to actors (such as Lindsay Lohan; see the trailer below). Some people interviewed are given names like Chet Taint and David Davidson, and have descriptor titles like “Wind Enthusiast” or “Urethral Sound Enthusiast.”

Balsamo has come a long way from cameos where some band member(s) or actors were obviously filmed in an alleyway or on the street during a convention where they just insult Balsamo’s character, whichever it is in a particular film. Here his drop-ins play parts and seem more connected to the storyline (and from what I can tell, this ain’t nuthin’ compared to one of his next films, Robot Dracula), such as Eric Roberts, who has also appeared and starred in a number of Balsamo releases.

As for Andy Dick being the star of this, well, I will say he was physically present. He did not seem very engaged with what he was doing, but he actually is not in the film very much (which is probably a good thing), but the name recognition works. I liked the sparse werewolf make-up, though, which reminded me – in part – of Michael J. Fox’s in Teen Wolf (1985)

Despite the bouncing boobies and petulant puns, there is an interesting sociological aspect to this film. No, I’m serious! On one hand, it is a commentary on the temporary fame of child stars and how it can screw up one’s life. There are so many examples of this, like Anissa Jones (d. 1976, age 18), Aaron Carter (d. 2022, age 34), Todd Bridges, Erin Moran (2017, age 56), and Dana Plato (d. 1999, age 36), as well as so many others. Child actor Paul Peterson even “founded a child-actor support group, A Minor Consideration, to improve working conditions for child actors and to assist in the transition between working as a child actor and adult life” (Wikipedia).

Another aspect worth noting is the effects of fame on those unprepared for it, and how the need to sustain that level of notoriety even when undeserved for any real talent (think Kardashians). That is where our titular Wolf stands, at the crossroads of both of these junctures.

IMDB listing HERE

Serial Review: The Green Hornet (13 Episodes; 2 Discs)

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

The Green Hornet
Directed by Ford I. Beebe (d. 1978); Ray Taylor (d. 1952)
Universal Pictures; VCI Entertainment; MVD Visual
258 minutes (appx. 20 min per episode), 1940 / 2023
www.VCIentertainment.com
www.MVDVisual.com

The last serial I reviewed was 1946’s The Monster and the Ape. And now, here we are with an even earlier one, The Green Hornet. No, do not expect Bruce Lee (d. 1973) as Kato, the role on the television series that arguably made him a household name in North America.

Not counting the extras on this Blu-ray, which I will get to later, there are over four hours of the main attraction. In the day, you would have to wait week-by-week to see the entire piece, which would be over 3 months. Now, it is all in one go, and thanks to the new habit of binge-watching entire seasons of shows, this is quite doable (though it will probably take me a few days to get through all of them, and the extras… I have a life…).

Unlike most modern heroes, such as Batman and Spider-Man, both of which came later, the Green Hornet character started out as a radio series in 1936, created by George W. Trendle (d. 1972), transferring into the serial and adapted by Fran Striker (d. 1962), thanks to its esteem. It was popular enough to snag the original radio series, two different film serials in the 1940s, the infamous television show in the 1960s, and a major film in 2011 with Seth Rogan of all people as the title character. The 13 Chapters of this program are listed below. One of the most recognized theatrical serials released, this is naturally in black and white, but it is a crisp, new 2K scan of the original 35mm master.

In this first of two series, the focus is not exclusively on the enemies of the State (i.e., spies) from the War in Europe, but the good old Racketeers and gangsters. Right off the Bat-man, in an unnamed city, we meet rich newspaper heir Britt Reid (Gordon Jones; d. 1963; note that the voice of the Green Hornet is Al Hodge, d. 1979, who played him on the radio and would go on to portray “Captain Video” on television) and his Korean scientific genius sidekick/”valet” Kato (Keye Luke; d. 1991, known as Master “Snatch the pebble…” Po from the “Kung Fu” television series). In the heavy exposition (as it is the first episode), Reid saved Kato’s life in Asia, and he is now working for him in gratitude; in the opening scene, Kato invents a new and faster car motor, which Reid states, “Wait until I release this on the world.” Wait, it was invented by Kato… Oh, yeah, it is the 1940s. Also helping in the house is brogue-speaking ex-cop/reporter/bodyguard Michael (Wade Boteler; d. 1943) who, unlike Alfred the Butler in Batman, is unaware of the Green Hornet’s identity; he is, however, the comic relief.

The other two main “good guys” are the only returning female in the cast, Reid’s feisty secretary, Lenore Case (Anne Nagel, who would star opposite Lon Chaney Jr. in 1941’s Man-Made Monster; d. 1966) and on occasion, the fast-talking reporter at The Sentinel, Jasper Jenks (Phillip Trent, d. 2001). Notably, there are only three other women who appear, all in a single chapter, and all uncredited. Future star Alan Ladd (d. 1964) has a bit part as a novice pilot (also uncredited).

A line that comes up often is “a new Robin Hood” as the incentive for the vigilante. The Green Hornet’s goal is to wipe out corruption between politicians and a variety of other scams, such as construction company who are using kickbacks to use faulty equipment and materials in their building sites, insurance fraud, a car thief ring, and so on over the course of the 13 chapters, though most of the topics are revolved around transportation. The syndicate is run by a mysterious man on the phone.

Like Batman in the early days especially, Greenie is seen by the police establishment as a bad guy, possibly trying to get rid of the syndicate to start his own. Only a loyal employee sees the good side.

The Green Hornet’s car, Black Beauty, is souped up by Kato (who was originally Japanese on the radio show but switched due to the war in the Asian Theater), makes a buzzing sound like a hornet, that I have learned is made by a Theremin. It is supposed to go 200 miles an hour, but as it speeds past the camera (in sped up footage), the sound is flat, without a doppler effect. Even that is not mentioned in the IMDB list of goofs. Strangely, most people get into their vehicles from the passenger side, rarely from the driver’s. The soundtrack that is worth noting is the nearly constant use of Rimsky-Korsakov’s 1900 “Flight of the Bumblebee,” for obvious reasons.

The acting is completely wooden as is true of nearly all B-films of the period (not just serials), as if doing stage acting, and the dialogue is laughable. However, this is truly fun to watch, and it really is better done than most other serials I have seen. It also mixed footage shot for the series, as well as adding in some historical b-roll (e.g., mining, dam building, etc.), especially in the first chapter. As for the car chases, well it is pretty obvious they play the same footage throughout all the chapters. I am sure this was a wise budgetary decision: remember, the B in B-films could stand for low Budget. These features were not made to make money on their own, but to draw people in with a stream of cliffhangers (a term originated in serials) to see the feature film and its lesser budget companion (e.g., double bill).

It is also fun to check out the tropes of the time, just before gangster films were phasing out for war propaganda and a hint of realism, though one story deals with illegal arms shipments by someone with a slight German accent (Fredrik Vogeding; d. 1942). For example, everyone wears dark suits and ties, fedora hats, and when guns are fired, they are always handguns, with the shooter standing straight up, one foot slightly behind the other, and shooting at waist level. There are numerous fist fights in every episode, and all are unintentionally humorous and cliché. Love this stuff.

Wade Boteler, Anne Nagel, Gordon Jones, Phillip Trent

There are lots of fine, subtle moments, such as the visual of a phone dial spinning melding into another location of a truck tire going ‘round. In another, Chase saying a line and cutting to one of the bad guys saying the same line. It is reasons like this that this serial was so popular.

The extras are on the second disc. They start with Don Blair and Chris Rowe reading from Clifford Weimer’s “I Am…The Green Hornet:’ Chapter Six: The Hornet in Hollywood’” (8 min). This is part of an “autobiography” taken from the perspective of The Hornet, “himself.” It is done with old-radio style vocals discussing the jump from aural to visual. Continuing with the audio aspect are two earlier radio episodes of “The Green Hornet”: “The Parking Lot Racket” (1939) and “The Highway that Graft Wrote” (1940; appx. 30 min each). The last digital extra is a Trivia (e.g., Reid is the grand-nephew of The Lone Ranger) and Photo Gallery. On the physical side is a lengthy booklet written by prolific cultural historian Martin Grams Jr.

Serial title list (disc 1):
Chapter 1: The Tunnel of Terror
Chapter 2: The Thundering Terror
Chapter 3: Flying Coffins
Chapter 4: Pillar of Flame
Chapter 5: The Time Bomb
Chapter 6: Highways of Peril
Chapter 7: Bridge of Disaster
Chapter 8: Dead or Alive
Serial title list (disc 2):
Chapter 9: The Hornet Trapped
Chapter 10: Bullets and Ballots
Chapter 11: Disaster Rides the Rails
Chapter 12: Panic in the Zoo
Chapter 13: Doom of the Underworld

IMDB listing HERE

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