Short film Review: Clemency

In Joesph Albanese’s short film “Clemency”, notorious serial killer Arthur Poe (Chris d’Annunzio)got his kicks by sadistically torturing and disemboweling young women in his native state of West Virginia. When he was finally caught by the authorities he convicted and sentenced to death. However his lawyer was able to argue that Arthur suffered from mental affliction and as such should be spared from his death sentence. The judge agreed and commuted pose sentence to life behind box. All never spoke about his crimes in our young reporter is going to do her best to try to crack you shall and find out why he killed all those people. Will she succeed? Does she have an ulterior motive of her bone?

 

The film contains two true set pieces the first of which really works. We are greeted with home movie footage of two young girls playfully running on the beach. This image dissolves to a nighttime scene as to when run from terror from an unseen assailant. It's a nifty move in immediately sets up the relationship between the two, something that short films sometimes struggle to do due to their truncated running time. After one of the on stumbles of the other continues on not knowing she's leaving the other behind. She makes her way to a gas station where she bangs on the glass half empty attendant will help her out. He becomes frazzled by her plenty and dirty appearance and hesitates. When he finally goes to help you can't find her in a tense scene he creeps slowly to the back of the building making his way to the bathroom. He walks in on a grisly scene and in the money shot of the film, we see Poe creep up on him in the reflection of the young victim’s blood. Definitely one of the coolest visuals I’ve seen in any of the films sent our way. Albanese demonstrates a knack for building suspense and though the chasing isn't something we haven't seen in horror movies before he brings a stunningly detailed I especially at a gas station. The film is shot on 35mm, lending an authentic, washed out feel to the proceedings.

After a montage of newspaper articles which detailed pose capture, conviction, and commutation of sentence film leads to the jailhouse interview scene. While D’Annunzio’s hulking physical presence in glower to lead a sense of menace to the scene it does suffer from some cardboard characterization and gaping logic holes. For instance, I don't know what a prison security guard makes but it is probably enough to turn down a $20 bribe from someone that wishes to be left alone with a mass murderer. If you've spent the first half of your film building up what a historic psychopath your villain is perhaps it should take more than the cost of a Chinese pupu platter for two to persuade someone to not do their job. Also I don't think we need another chauvinistic prison warden. The whole “what’s a pretty young girl like you wanna go ahead and interview up a big, bad man for? Why donchoo get me a sandwich instead?” angle is played out. Anthony Heald nailed that persona in Silence of the Lambs, and I think we can put that character to bed. The warden until he acquiesces and the card takes the bride leaving Poe and Ms. Morgan's character alone and it is revealed why she wanted so desperately to interview him why she so desperately want to know if he felt any remorse for his crimes. Will reveals himself to be more than a simple, backwater route as he toys with a woman's fragile mindset until she completely unravels in front of him.

And clemency leaves the viewer with a question: is revenge worth it or can it consume us and drive us to unspeakable acts? Can we even game a momentary measure of satisfaction by righting what has wronged us?

Clemency has been playing various film festivals and recently won “Best Short Film at the 2010 Kent Film Festival. It appears to have many dates lined up, so head over to the official site for details of screenings in your area. 

Review- Dead Hooker in a Trunk (doing Norm McDonald proud)

When I first saw the trailer on the Jaded Viewer for Jen & Sylvia Soska’s Dead Hooker In a Trunk I knew I needed to get my hands on the movie by any means possible. The two minutes of footage teased at a film chock full of cartoonish, over-the-top violence fueled by a manic energy that can only be derived from pounding a dozen Red Bulls spiked with amphetamines. After emailing Twisted Twins productions, I got my hands on a copy of the film-something that caused me to high five every patron in the coffee shop I was at when I knew I was getting the movie.

Dead Hooker in a Trunk delivered on my lofty expectations and did so in a big-time way. It's the movie watching equivalent of hearing Black Flag for the first time-the opening lines of the classic “Gimme Gimme Gimme” immediately sprang to mind when watching this movie: Sitting here like a loaded con waiting to go off/I've got nothing to do but shoot my mouth off. Like those heady early days of hardcore, this is a DIY effort that throws convention out the window, and is crackling with energy. It’s got some warts to it for sure-at certain points the camera gets a bit shaky for my taste and the audio can be spotty at times-but the craziness and sheer entertainment value of the film make up for budget related technical shortcomings.

We’ll keep the plot stuff short: After night of hard partying and hard drinking badass (Sylvia Soska) wakes up in rough shape. Still, she promises to take her twin sister Geek (Jen Soska) to pick up her best friend Goody Two Shoes (CJ Wallis) at his Bible meeting and to take her own best friend Junkie (Rikki Gagne) to score some more drugs. Once the gang assembles, they discover the stinking corpse of a hooker in the trunk of Badass’ Pontiac muscle car.

After that things simply get worse for the group. No one can agree what should be done-Geek wants to go to the police, Junkie just wants to score another fix, Goody is too busy trying not to vomit to really offer an opinion and Badass, having no recollection of the previous night and unsure if she’s responsible for the body in the trunk, wants to bury it and go on the lam. What follows is an amalgamation of buddy road trip films smashing headfirst into a violent action and exploitation work akin to the heyday of Grindhouse films churned through the theaters on 42^nd Street in the 60’s and 70’s.

Without giving too much away let me simply state that the film follows the rules and logic of Saturday morning cartoons and is stuffed with over the-top action and blood spattered violence you would expect from a Herschel Gordon Lewis film. You have to love any film where one character can lose an arm and another eyeball in reaction and their collective reaction is essentially to “rub some dirt in it” and move on. The film is a virtual treasure trove for fans of over the top action and violence filled with moments that will have you both cringing and laughing your ass off. So much of the film shouldn’t work, but the twins’ approach of throwing any idea against the wall and filming what sticks works, as it leaves its audience engaged by never allowing them to know what will happen next.  There aren't many films you'll see this year and will feature nine-year-old girls that are colder than the other side of the pillow calmly committing patricide nor a roving gang of machete wielding Triad hooligans gleefully playing with the man's intestines. Oh and necrophilia, we can't forget about that now can we?

It's all fun and games until...

Not all the violence is played for laughs. In particular, a flashback sequence shows how the title character ended up in her predicament. Set to the operatic “Carmen Suite #2” the initial struggle between the hooker and her attacker plays for laughs, but the camera continues to roll well past the point you’d expect it to cut out. It becomes difficult to watch as a hooded maniac brutalizes the woman, and the film makers seem to take their audience to task for embracing a genre that too often embraces and maybe encourages violence towards women. Kudos to the acting crew in this scene and others as the film features some brutal fight scenes and beat downs.

While each of the four leads play an archetype-hence the adjective rather than actual names-the film allows each of them to breathe in between the violence. Twin sisters Jen and Sylvia come off as sibling rivals that may not be able to stand one another 99% of the time, but grow protective of each other when someone else tries to mess with them. As the Jesus-loving Goody Two Shoes, CJ Wallis provides terrific comic relief as a wound-too-tight altar boy that begins to crack under the strain of the events. There’s also a blossoming romance between Geek and Goody Two Shoes, and you can’t help but root for the pair as they make their first tentative steps towards nerdmance.

The women tip their hand to the audience asked to their influences throughout the film. The slow motion walk over the title card is a nice little tip of the To Tarantino's Reservoir dogs. A spin on the Copacabana scene in Goodfellas kicks the film off as the camera follows Badass as she makes her way through a seedy Dive bar. Instead of showing you the pristine backroom of a trendy club and glad handing employees looking to pucker up and score some points the Soska's walk you through the grime filled piss hole where bouncers choked out and toss drunken patrons, where should the hard-core bands played off to numbers, where bartenders ignore your request for watered-down drinks. This opening sequence sets the tone of the film.

The film nailed also nailed the soundtrack, filling it with punk & metal tunes, which set the pace for on-screen action. The cut that plays during the Triad raid would do fans of melt Banana proud. They also know how to use it against type as a way to highlight the carnage going on screen. In particular there's one scene where the sisters exact revenge on who they believe is responsible for the dead hooker as well as all the abuse they suffered. As their friends cringe in horror, the sisters exact about six pounds of flesh and some teeth for good measure, while a gorgeous pop song, straight out of the Brian Wilson text book for radio friendly ditties jauntily plays in the background.  

One thing I noted while watching the credits is how much of a group effort DHIAT is. Obviously the twin sisters star in the film and also wrote and directed it. They also had a lot of help from their friends. CJ Wallis not only costars as Goody Two Shoes, he also chips in on camera operation, sound design, editing, titles and visual effects. It becomes evident a small number of people worked multiple jobs on set to bring the film together.   

Currently Dead Hooker in a Trunk is playing festivals and at special screening events. It makes its Los Angeles premiere July 18^th at Bleedfest-a one day event featuring independent films created by women.  It will make its Boston premiere in September-stay tuned for more details because we’re currently looking for a larger venue than our normal one. Twisted Twins will also send a screener out to anyone willing to host a viewing of the film-something I can’t encourage enough. I’d be stunned if this didn’t receive some sort of DVD distribution in the near future, but this is the kind of movie that always plays better in a crowded theater. For the time being do whatever it takes to bring this to your local friendly movie house, or college campus, of VFW hall. You’ll thank me later.  

The Horseman: Revenge, or One Last Chance at Redemption?

The Horseman (2008)
Written & Directed by: Stephen Kastrissios

Have you ever heard the phrase that goes something like “people hate in others what they secretly find reprehensible in themselves”? I may not have it worded totally right, but the sentiment is perfect for thinking about The Horseman, a stellar action/revenge film from first time director Stephen Kastrissios. I often find that when someone is vehemently opposed to something, it often betrays a blatant hypocrisy within that person. For example, someone who thinks an adulterer should be taken out and shot, but is also having his or her own little thing on the side with the neighbor’s spouse, and is oblivious to the double standard. Maybe that’s a dumb example, but hopefully you get my point. People aren’t perfect, and when someone portrays a façade of perfection at the expense of others, it’s truly a call for outrage. I’ll tell you how that fits into this review a little later.

As for the film itself, this Australian revenge/action film is probably one of the most brutal experiences I've had so far this year. Brutal in terms of onscreen violence, but also in terms of the thematic elements it explores. It shares a lot with another effective revenge thriller Dead Man’s Shoes, which I enjoyed immensely. As is often the case with this sort of film, a lot is thrown by the wayside in favor of the violence. However, The Horseman is far from a mindless excuse for carnage like some of its emaciated brethren. Sure there’s violence and torture, but it also has a lot of heart. It also doesn’t trick you into thinking revenge is sweet or glorious. In fact it is very ugly, very grueling, and ultimately very unsatisfying.


(What lengths will a man go to avenge his child?)

Peter Marshall (Fortress) is incredible as Christian, a man driven to extremes by the recent death of his daughter. The police provide no answers other than a drug overdose and possible evidence of sexual abuse. When Christian receives a mysterious package containing a VHS tape, the possibility that she was murdered by a group of depraved pornographers is introduced. Fueled by rage, Christian pursues the group to exact revenge as only a scorned father can. The bulk of the film resides in the seedy underbellies of small town drugs and pornography, a world tucked away from most of our eyes. While the film doesn’t portray these in a positive light, it also doesn’t necessarily perch itself upon a moral high horse. It’s merely a reflection of the desperate things people do to escape depression, poverty, a lack of real opportunity. Instead, they seek refuge in these acts as a means of escape, all too often ending in tragedy. Christian is an everyman, but he slowly becomes a monster as he sinks further and further into this world in his pursuit of vengeance.

Far from standard format for a revenge flick, The Horseman throws a few curve balls at you. Christian has his own issues, and didn’t quite have a good relationship with his daughter. He is driven partially by his failures as a father. As the story moves toward his inevitable showdowns with each member of the group, we find him conflicted as it appears his daughter may have been at least partially responsible for her own actions and grim fate. Time and again Christian’s victims tell him “she knew what she was doing”. That statement can serve two purposes: Taken as a common defense for an accused rapist in a predominant culture of sexism, or it could place responsibility directly on Christian’s daughter as being in control of her choices and actions. I don’t prescribe to the “blame the victim” mentality personally, but there are certainly more angles to explore and usually more than one victim in most cases. Clearly it’s not all black and white. Don’t get me wrong, the offending group in this particular story can be vicious and certainly took advantage of a desperate person. Maybe the point is that we need to start looking at the systematic conditions that drive people toward these dark places.

We don’t really get to find out much about what actually happened to Christian’s daughter which allows us to feel his frustration. Even so, we know that ultimately she was a victim of many failures and certainly met a terrible end. While we are spared from any sort of rape scene, some of the torture scenes are excruciating. At first we want Christian to have his revenge, but as the film progresses, we see that it is at the cost of his humanity. Christian also has his own sordid past, and is clearly not an avenging angel. He may even be a little crazy. When he picks up young hitchhiker named Alice (brial-liantly portrayed by newcomer Caroline Marohasy), he may have a chance to help her in a way that he never could with his own daughter. What he does at the crossroads is the only thing that matters.


(Brief moments of humanity with Alice.)


(Have you had enough?)

I have a few minor complaints with the film. It tries to present things in a realistic manner, but some of the fight scenes tend to be a little over-the-top. Christian is beaten severely and repeatedly in these scenes, but never seems to get a black eye or bruising on his face. Also, most of the characters seem to possess near inhuman ability to take pain and it’s all a bit hokey at times. That said, this is still a great movie well worth your time, especially if you’re a fan of action films with a bit of deconstruction. The acting alone is worth it, and the film is definitely nerve-wracking, thought-provoking, and never boring.

The Horseman Trailer

Belated Father's Day Terror!

Hey horror fans, let me first introduce myself. I'm Michele “Izzy” Galgana, Associate Director of Programming from the Boston Underground Film Festival. I'm the resident horror chick of that fest, and most recently curated all the shorts programs for the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival. Mike's invited me to contribute to All Things Horror Online, and I thought, since he's a brand new dad, what better way to start off than to skeeve him out with a list of creepy babies and kids in film? I originally wanted to post this on Father's Day, but my list became so momentous that it took a few days to compile all these awesome clips. Here are my favorite killer/creepy kid movies, in no particular order. Enjoy!

The Bad Seed (1956)

Patty McCormick is the titular seed here, and she gets her way – or else. This film still holds up pretty well. Check out You Tube for the “give me my shoes” clip and others (embedding disabled). She's the original evil kid. Apparently, there was a more violent ending in the book that the studio changed for the adaptation because of the Hays Code.

The Good Son (1993)

Not a great movie, but worth it to see little Macaulay Culkin get it after a whole ton of evildoing, and a great scene in which he dumps a dummy off a bridge to cause a mass pile up. Don't try this at home, kids.

KILL, BABY...KILL! (1966)

This homicidal ghost story by horror maestro Mario Bava takes place in a small German town full of superstitious folk who believe that the ghost of a little girl has come back for revenge. They're right.

The Innocents (1961)

Deborah Kerr stars as a governess who takes a job caring for two orphaned, creepy, indulged kids on a sprawling country estate in this definitive version of Henry James' Turn of the Screw. The kids may or may not be possessed by malignant spirits. Anyone for tea?

The Others (2001)

Technically not a creepy evil kid movie, there are nonetheless lots of creepy moments involving kids, one of which you can see in the trailer. The film itself has elements of Turn of the Screw, but the story is different, and has a great twist. Great atmosphere and tension.

The Other (1972)

Besides the fact that this film stars a young John Ritter, the story is cool, and the film is excellent. Niles and Holland are grade school twin brothers in a little rural town who share a lot of secrets. One's pretty evil and the other has amazing ESP. Just look to the trailer, and you'll be enraptured. A must-see.

Pet Sematary (1989)

“Shumtimes, dead is bettuh.” Little Gage, so tiny, so deadly. Anytime I think of this film, I wonder how they got this toddler to act so ferocious without condemning him to a lifetime of therapy. Then again, I don't actually know what this child star is up to these days, but he was awesome in the Stephen King adaptation! Here's a fun fan video:

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

This film is Polanski's first American flick and was actually produced by William Castle (notorious for his great B-movie films like House on Haunted Hill, Homicidal, 13 Ghosts, The Tingler, Mr. Sardonicus and more). The film is also one of the few horror movies that received an Oscar (Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Ruth Gordon and a nomination for Best Screenplay for Polanski) along with a slew of other awards. Though the main character is a helpless preggo female for most of the film (pixie Mia Farrow) that grates on me, it's worth watching. Fantomas does a truly awesome rendition of the chilling off-kilter lullaby hummed at the end of the movie. “What have you done to its eyes?!”

It's Alive (1974)

This clip from Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments does the film much better justice than the trailer. Shortly after being born, a mutant monster baby goes on a killing rampage, which is awesome. The father of the baby decides to help the police track down the little sewer-crawling bastard in a city-wide manhunt.

The Brood (1979)

One of my favorite Cronenberg films. It first assailed my sights when I was probably eleven years old while I was watching Monster Vision on TNT. Joe Bob Briggs brought this insane piece of cinema to my life (along with Motel Hell and Phantasm), and I'll always be grateful. Sadly, this film is being remade, possibly by Breck Eisner, and is slated for release next year. If you've never seen this movie, add it to Netflix, stat! It's the very strange tale of a mom and her mutant brood of murderous children. And how they kill when she's pissed off. There's NO WAY a remake would have the balls to pull off some of these scenes!

Eraserhead (1976)

Sick punk David Lynch is one of the greats, and my oh my, did he start out warped. This film is so surreal and weird that you just cannot tear your horrified pupils away from the stark black and white images dancing before you. Seriously. Here, we see Lynch regular Jack Nance playing a man whose wife gave birth to a mutant baby. I'm not responsible if this clip gives you nightmares.

Grace (2009)

Of the recent spate of modern killer/creepy kids films (The Children, The Offspring, Home Movie, The Unborn, Birth, Joshua, Orphan, Hide And Seek, Godsend) this is one of the better attempts at true kiddie horror. Jordan Ladd (Cabin Fever) stars as a recently widowed, expectant mother who gives birth to a stillborn in her home birthing pool. She wishes really hard that the baby revives itself, and magically, it does. Then it starts to nurse and draws blood. What she's given birth to is a vampire/zombie hybrid sort of baby that draws blood and doesn't like formula or any other kind of regular baby food. What then develops is somewhat similar to the enabling in the original Hellraiser where Julia lures victims home for Frank.

Who Can Kill A Child? (1976)

This obscure Spanish flick is great and certainly downbeat. One of the best things about the 70s and 80s is that directors, producers, and writers didn't care if kids got hurt in film. And the end result is often hilarious in these PC times. The story: a man and his wife vacation on a remote Spanish island, only to find it strangely deserted. Then the kids come out, slowly. Turns out they've revolted, and killed everyone over a certain age. What ensues is a tale of survivalism, and it's awesome. This film has one of the best downbeat endings ever committed to film. Highly recommended viewing for those who love creepy, violent kid movies.

Splice (2009)

This film is currently in theaters, courtesy of our friends from Quebec. Starring modern-day scream queen Sarah Polley and the hawk-beaked Adrien Brody (playing a pair of too-cool, hipster scientists), Splice attempts to reinvent the Frankenstein tale. Enter Dren, a hybrid creature and product of the biochemist engineer couple's genetic tinkering. I won't give anything away, but one of the best things about this film is that it goes much further than anything you'd see coming out of Hollywood, and therefore deserves your $9.50. We need more risky films like this at the local multi-plex, and less like that of shyster Michael Bay's Nightmare On Elm Street remake. The alien chicken thing you see in the clip below eventually becomes somewhat human, which is why I'm including it here. Don't miss the live slug fight to the death in front of a live audience!

Dead Alive (1992)

Before Peter Jackson got all famous and high class, he made weird, weird stuff like Dead Alive, Meet the Feebles, and Bad Taste. In the scene below, the protagonist treats the zombie baby that has taken up residence (among others, including a zombie priest who formerly kicked ass for the lord) in his mom's house to a day in the park.

Basket Case (1982)

“What is the secret Dwayne is hiding in the basket?” Oh my god. I love this movie – its innate, violent grindhouse weirdness just makes you feel kinda dirty, and damn, it's just awesome. So, it's not technically a creepy kid movie, but the thing in the basket is someone's brother. Someone's horribly mutated, demented Siam twin brother. The brothers go on a rampage of revenge against the doctors who surgically separated them. This sick little nugget is brought to you by Frank Henenlotter, who also directed “Wanna date?!” Frankenhooker and Bad Biology. If you haven't seen this, do it now. It's a whopping eight bucks on Amazon.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Sarah Polley again, this time starring in the remake of a pretty great zombie movie by Lord Romero. When I saw it in the theater, some Puerto Rican guy had actually brought his TODDLER to the film. I'm thinking it fell asleep, because I didn't hear it, thankfully. Anyway, this film isn't fantastic, but it has a lot of fun elements, like the delightfully hilarious zombie baby.

Devil Times Five (1974)

Seventies child pop star Leif Garrett (plus his real-life sister and mom) starred in this little shocker – yet another movie where children revolt against adults. In this case, they'er psychotic to begin with. They escape on their way to a mental institution and quickly find refuge with some naïve adults in a snowed cabin. Includes piranhas in a bathtub, and you can't go wrong with that.

Don't Go To Sleep (1982)

This was a made-for-TV killer kiddie flick, and no doubt disturbed the general populace when it aired. It uses the cliché of a child's death and the parents' subsequent attempt at a new life. Throw in some visions of the dead little girl, a trashy, nagging, smoking grandma, producer Aaron Spelling, and bodies piling up, and you've got a nice little prime time shocker. In this scene, the ghost of the dead older sister taunts the younger one. A little later on, there's a bathtub electrocution of hairy dad stud Dennis Weaver.

Village of the Damned (1960)

As a result of some kind of gas, every female able to rear kids does, nine months after the strange phenomenon. They all birth tiny blond, blue-eyed little Hitler youth gifted with telekinesis. This bad bundle of Aryan kids with glowing eyes set themselves upon parents and adults of all kinds, and undoubtedly made audiences uneasy. This was the original before John Carpenter decided to remake it in the 80s with Christopher Reeve and (shudder) Kirstie Alley.

The Orphanage (2007)

Guillermo Del Toro protege Juan Antonio Bayona directs this sincerely chilling and heartbreaking film about lost child Tomas and his mother's search for him in and around her home for handicapped children. A truly tense and unsettling original story. The burlap sack mask ups the creep quotient.

Devil's Backbone (2001)

This film no doubt had a huge influence in the look and flavor of The Orphanage. Set at the end of the Spanish civil war in 1939, the story centers around a group of hapless orphans caught in the middle of some bad adults in addition to the horrors of war. Add a very scary ghost child that predicts more bad things, some hidden gold, and a great director, and you have a fantastic, award-winning film.

Trick 'r Treat (2008)

This is arguably one of the best Halloween films ever made, and acts as an homage to the holiday itself and to the old moral tales of EC Comics, Tales From the Darkside, and Tales From the Crypt. It takes on a similar format of the aforementioned series, and shuffles back and forth between them adeptly. The key piece holding the stories together, is Sam, Halloween's protector of rules and general tiny miscreant. The stories themselves are enjoyable and all have fun and spooky twists. The film is highly nostalgic and feels like a bowl of popcorn and candy corn on a creepy fall night.

Children of the Corn (1984)

Though not an amazing Stephen King adaptation, this movie is nonetheless noted for a Southern pack of holy roller kids who make themselves judge, jury, and executioner, and that's scary enough.

Plague Town (2008)

I hosted this film and its director at BUFF 2009. I've gotta say, when I was watching the screener at home, it actually made me jump once, and has a great opening scene. The plot: an American family touring the Irish countryside misses their last bus back to civilization. They encounter a whole crop of deformed, inbred Irish kids. Good for watching in a dark room with friends and a few bowls of popcorn.

The Shining (1980)

“Come and play with us.” Poor Danny. Not only is his dad a selfish, alcoholic jerk, but he's very sensitive to the ghost world inhabiting the Overlook Hotel. In fact, there's a ghost who lives in his mouth and speaks to him through his finger in a creaky voice. “It's just like pages in a book, Danny. It isn't real.”

The Exorcist (1973)

Heralded as one of the of the scariest movies of all time, this film put a whole lot of baby boomers into therapy. My mom will actually hit me if I mention it, so of course, I own the dvd. There's nothing to be said about this film which hasn't already been said, so just enjoy. I'd be freaking out if I saw this thing coming down the stairs, too:

Ju-on (The Grudge) (2002)

Here's a tale of ghostly revenge from J-horror auteur Takashi Shimizu. Ju-on stars a little meowing ghost boy, among other horrors. Skip the American remake.

Lastly, I'll just end this mammoth post with what I imagine childbirth must be like.

All Things Horror presents ZOMBIE LOVE b/w FRANKENSTEIN UNLIMITED July 7th at the Somerville Theater

Okay screwheads the next All Things Horror screening event is going down on July 7 at 8 PM at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. We have a killer double feature-length for that night and as an added bonus proceeds going to support an awesome cause. We have an international flavor going on even films coming from Montréal and the Netherlands.

First up we’re showing the mini-feature Zombie Love by director Yfke Van Berckelaer. This is a twisted and fun musical horror film fans of Joss regions Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and the Buffy musical Once More With Feeling are sure to get a kick out of. It tells the story of Dante at 200-year-old zombie who falls in love with the human woman rescues her from a pair of grave robbers one night. Fearing that a beautiful lady might have trouble falling for a guy's heart no longer beats and has a penchant for eating brains and testing deal with the occasional appendage falling off Dante chooses to hide his zombie nature from her. However is to grow closer together comes harder and harder to hide what he really is. Making matters all the more complicated is zombie buddies don't take kindly to him falling off the meat-eating wagon and are determined to bring him back to his brain chomping ways. Will the two star-crossed lovers have a happy ending? Why do all the zombies dress like extras from an Adam Ant video? Am I dating myself by knowing who Adam Ant is? Come to screening on July 7th and find out. The songs are ridiculously catchy and are going to stick in your head in the weeks that follow. Check out the trailer below.

We're also stoked to be the American premiere of the new anthology film Frankenstein, Unlimited. Six Montréal-based filmmakers all their own creative spin on the Frankenstein mythology. The only rules were no nuts, no bolts. It's a terrific collection blending a multitude of genres including film noir and kung fu. It's a terrific film and it's awesome to see a bunch of unique voices all in their own spin on Shelley's classic theme. The film is screening as part of the Fantasia Film Festival being held later in July, but we got it first suckers.

We are hoping to raise money for a wicked good cause: Boston Girls Rock Camp which runs August 2nd through the 7^th. This volunteer run camp teaches young women ages eight through sixteen and how to play an instrument (guitar, bass, drums and others), write their own music and perform in front of an audience. They also run workshops on how to put a band together, how to plan practices and how to do band promotion. The camp has already reached full enrollment, and we’re hoping we can do our small part to make it a success. Maybe it’s because I know have a daughter and I try to lull her to sleep with Sleater Kinney and Bratmobile records, but this strikes me as a cause totally worth your time. BTW, you should click the link to find out how you can contribute as well.

One change to note for anyone that has come to any of our other events-we’re starting at 8pm (instead of 7pm) for all our events starting with this one. Hopefully this gives more people a chance to check us out. 

Looking Beyond the Work in Three Outstanding Documentaries: Spine Tingler!: The William Castle Story, Dreams with Sharp Teeth, and Horror Business

My love for horror partially stems from my affection for the process of creating the work, and curiosity about the people behind the scenes. Though they are categorized in a genre that is often disrespected by critics and the public at large, some of the most talented, driven, and dynamic creators are working within horror. There's nothing better than a documentary to give you insight into the creative process behind our favorite books, comics, special effects, promotion, and movie-making. A few documentaries over the years have given fascinating glimpses into the work and personal lives of some amazing craftspeople toiling in their chosen field. I'd like to bring your attention to a few worth devoting your time, all of which are inspiring, informative, and entertaining:

SPINE TINGLER!: THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY



Spine Tingler!: The William Castle Story (2007): Spine Tingler is the biography of legendary Hollywood producer and promotional mastermind William Castle. Aside from his monstrously successful horror hits like The House on Haunted Hill, Homicidal, and 13 Ghosts, Castle is recognized for the brilliant promotional gimmicks that brought in movie-goers in droves. It’s a delight to see movie patrons lined up around the block to experience Castle’s innovative trickery such as the shock device fashioned to seats during The Tingler or the floating skeleton that flies over the crowd in The House on Haunted Hill. Castle is a personal hero of mine and while the film reveals his cigar-chomping, “everyone’s favorite uncle” demeanor was interrupted by periods of self-doubt, it is still a treat to watch the man at work. Solidifying a great time is being able to revisit Castle’s legacy with the likes of Roger Corman, John Waters, Joe Dante, and John Landis, all of whom appear in the film.



Sping-Tingler!: The William Castle Story Trailer




DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH



Dreams with Sharp Teeth (2008): Love him or hate him, Harlan Ellison is one of speculative fiction’s greatest treasures. The man is hugely prolific having written some the literary world’s most exceptional novels, short stories, and essays, as well as teleplays and screenplays. This documentary gives us a glimpse at the life of Ellison, one of the most vitriolic, respected, and feared writers in the business. Not content with merely creating fantastic stories, he is also a master editor having compiled the groundbreaking, controversial anthologies Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions. Ellison can be an incredible asshole in every best sense of the word, and here we see him at his best and worst, which can sometimes be one and the same instance.



Dreams with Sharp Teeth Trailer




HORROR BUSINESS



Horror Business (2005): I recommend Horror Business both to aspiring filmmakers or film fans with any sort of curiosity about the often agonizing, rarely rewarding experience of making a film. It’s a fascinating look at what to do and NOT to do when trying to make a movie. While some of the filmmakers on display here may not appear to have a clue, others show an unparalleled level of dedication to their craft. Consisting of interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, Horror Business features such well-known filmmakers as Herschell Gordon Lewis and Lloyd Kaufman, as well as prolific film buff Joe Bob Briggs, actor Sid Haig, and independent filmmakers Mark Borchardt, David Gebroe, Ron Atkins, John Bloom, and David Stagnari among many others.

Horror Business Trailer

What Watching Horror Movies Has Taught Me: What To Do When Running For Your Life

While most of us watch horror flicks for kicks, there's no denying survival skill that can be derived from even an average movie. Not many other genres of film folks such at the claim. The only thing you might learn from watching a romantic comedy is Matthew McConaughey has a winning smile and killer abs. Consider this post a public service announcement for you our cherished reader. After all if you're mangled remains are left in a ditch somewhere by a roving gang a homicidal hooligans, you sure as heck aren't going to be reading our site.

Today's top tip: What To Do When Running To Safety

It doesn't matter how it happened. Maybe your car broke down on an old country road populated by cannibal hill people. Maybe the dilapidated house at the end of the block you entered on a dare was not as deserted as advertised. Maybe you pissed off the checkout guy at Target one time too many. However it occurred you just got abducted. But bully for you, instead of closing your eyes and waiting for the inevitable sweet release of death, you managed to take advantage of the diversion and make a break for it. Kudos.

Okay so now that you have a made a break and doing your best Speedy Gonzales impersonation, you need to keep one thought at the front of your mind. Keep those feet pumping until you're completely out of harm’s way. Makes sense right? You might be insulted and even suggesting such a tip. Let me ask you something. How many times have you watched a film where the escapee gets right to the edge of safety, sees security just ahead, and then stops choosing to simply scream for his or her life instead of pressing on those last few yards? Flapping your arms doesn’t turn you into a bird and you’re not going to fly away, dummy. You need to remember Newton’s law:  A body in motion stays in motion and a body at rest gets disemboweled by a pitchfork.  Sometimes when watching a horror movie I'm wondering if the characters think they're playing some fatal version of red light/green light and when they stopped Capt. Insano stops as well. Here’s a couple more top tips for you. Number one-don't scream for help. You might as well hand whoever's chasing down a GPS system that tells them specifically where you are located. Also, if you stumble upon a construction site try as you might you're not going to be able to scream over a dozen bulldozers moving it once. Keep going until you’re locked safely away behind closed doors. Plus if you are a remotely attractive woman a construction worker is much more likely to whistle at you then offer you assistance. Also, if you come upon a house and start banging on the door and nobody answers within the first 10 to 15 seconds- move on. There are always more homes. All you are doing is giving whoever chasing you the opportunity catch-up and skewer you on the front porch. Following these simple words of advice will go a long way to keeping you alive.

Never underestimate the benefits of well tied shoes. You never know when you might be sent sprawling over a loose lace, and the seconds you need to recover could make all the difference. If you're especially clumsy, invest in shoes that fasten with velcro straps. 

This public service announcement has been brought to you by your friends at All Things Horror.

Original vs Remake: Last House on the Left

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With so many sites gnashing their collective teeth over the deluge of remakes in horror, I thought it be a fun idea to occasionally examine how an updated version of the movie stacks up against the original. I don't think remakes have to be bad by their nature and will give one that looks intriguing an opportunity. In the case of franchises sometimes the original series simply runs out of steam. In the case of one-off movies I can appreciate a fresh take on the material as long as it does more than retread over familiar ground.

For the initial installment I chose the Last House On The Left because Wes Craven's original film maybe want to shower and scrub myself clean immediately after watching it. It remains a singular most disturbing, unnerving movie experience I've ever had. While I appreciate Craven's artistry, especially given the low budget, I've never felt the need to go back and revisit the movie. It's seemed almost unremakeable from a commercial aspect unless the new creative team severely toned down the proceedings. Craven originally made the last House is a critique on the media and how we consume the violent images of Vietnam. He used Ingrid Bergman's The Virgin Springs ,a film which shares many of the same themes as Last House, as a template of sorts. The remake seemed to be a reaction to the horror subgenre of torture porn that had thrived Post-9/11. Yes there was a commercial grab for cash for a movie to promise to deliver the ultra violence and carried a name that genre fans of the least recognized even if they had never seen the original. The filmmakers also want to set out to see if they could still deliver a film that could shock an audience that had been jaded by films like Hostel in the barrage of Saw Movies.

The first smart decision the studio made was bringing Wes Craven on board as producer and consultant. Craven looked at the reboot is a way to expand on the story of the original with the budget that was simply unavailable to him in the early 1970s. New director Dennis Bill Illadis had been a fan of Craven's work for a long while and it shows in his update. His previous film Hard-Core it caught the attention of the studios for unflinching look at teen prostitution. Illadis wanted to explore what circumstances would push a normal, middle-class family to commit acts of extreme violence. He wanted to see if he could still shocked and disturbed audiences that had become seemingly immune to violence on screen in previous years.

The remake adheres closely to the original. Two teenage girls run afoul of spit escaped convict Krug and his gang: his girlfriend Sadie, his son, and his psychotic sidekick. In both films Krug’s son remains the sole sent a sympathtic member of the gang, seemingly unable to escape a violent path his father has put him on. In both films again systematically tortures, abuses, humiliates the two girls before disposing of them. Both films contain unsettling rape scene. In both movies the unflinching violence and the helplessness of the girls situation make the on-screen action so difficult to witness. Krug and company end up at Marie's parents home and both films and the unwittingly kick the pants off what they've done to the couple's daughter the third act in both movies finds the parents turning the tables on the game exacting revenge in a violent fashion and syncing to levels beneath those of even which Krug is capable of.

While the remake sticks close to the original source it does make significant changes. The most significant of which is Marie's survives her gunshot wounds this time around, it makes her way back to her parents home. In the original Marie stumbles in a haze to the Lakeside after her rate. As she waits into the water we understand that she is resigned to her fate, and perhaps even welcomes the bullets that Krug coldly pumps into her. In a follow-up Mari takes action and attempts to escape by swimming for her safety before she gets shot, seemingly dead.

The tone of the violence is different in each film. The updated version by and large does away with the psychological edge that Craven's original film contained. In the updated work the gang kidnaps the girls after they make them for the escaped convicts. They use violence as a way to do with them and ultimately punish them when the girls tried to escape while it is uncomfortable to watch the friends suffer some vicious beatings the proceedings have more of a modern day action movie feel to them.

In the original Krug & Co. toyed with the girls deriving pleasure from breaking them psychologically rather than physically. The antagonists could have disposed of the girls at any time yet they kept the two around seemingly for their amusement. In one of the film’s most disturbing moments Krueger force is one of the girls pee her pants, humiliating her in front of her friend and the gang. Krug brands Mari by carving his name into her chest before sexually violating her. What makes Craven's original film so hard to watch is the one thinks of depravity crew get his gang will go to torment the two girls just for kicks. Krug displays and exuberant sadistic streak throughout the movie. As Krug, lead actor David Hess, brought a cult leaders intensity and charisma to his portrayal. While the physical violence is disturbing to watch unfold if this mental manipulation that makes Craven's original film so unsettling.

That's not to say after Garrett Delahunt doesn't bring anything to the table is Krug. Delahunt brings a more pragmatic street character. He has a short fuse that sets off a violent streak. The fate of the girls is sealed not because of expediency of violence nor for kicks. Instead they are doomed because they insult him setting off his violent temper. His Krug does not take joy in what he inflicts on. He uses violence as a simple and effective means to keep his control over them.

Allowing Mari to live necessitates another dramatic departure from the original work in the update. In the original film Mari's grieving parents go on the attack against Krug and his gang are what they've done to their daughter. Finding her body in the lake causes something in them to snap. The audience witnesses exactly when a normal middle-class family will reach its breaking point and devolved into acts of mayhem and violence. Parents become the aggressors penis chomping, chainsaw wielding maniacs-capable of horrors normally reserved for mask wearing slashers. In the updated version of parents number one priority is to escape and bring their daughter to the hospital before she dies. They are less concerned with revenge and more concerned with protecting their girl. However as events unfold they are forced to take matters into their own hands as a matter of self-defense. It's really not until you get to the much maligned coda of the film-the infamous microwave scene that you see the parents go out of their way to exact revenge on any of the gang. 

That's not to say the updated film lacks brutality. Look no further than the garbage disposal scene when one of the punks has his arm chewed up to the elbow before taking a hammer to the back of the skull. However the remake lets the parents off the hook for their actions as they are simply trying to protect their daughter and escape. At times the violence of the third act closely resembles what you would see in a WWE hard-core match featuring Crash Holly and Mick Foley as Krug and the father do battle by throwing one another into tables, bookshelves, through windows and down stairs while using all manner of household appliances to bash each other around.

One welcome change to the updated film is the lack of comic relief in the form of the bumbling police officers will. Craven's original film featured the pair mucking about the area accompanied by odd out of place banjo music in their scenes were usually interspersed in between the most violent and cruel acts of the film. Illadis wisely disperses of these characters. This is a no-nonsense update on Craven's film lacking any and all comic relief.

If all studios handled updated and remade properties the way group pictures did air update on last House on the left, there would be much less complaining about emakes. Is the update is disturbing is the original? Of course not. The original film paved the way for shocking and disturbing Cinema over the next four decades. Craven's work cinéma vérité look and feel to it all the updated movie looks and feels much slicker. While the production values look great it detracts from the gritty subject matter. However, the updated last House on the left does something so many “torture porn” modern horror movies fail to do. Illadis makes you feel for the plight of these characters. He sets up truly nailbiting moments. He coaxes terrific performances from his cast especially Delahunt is the updated Krug and Sara Paxton as the good girl Mari. By allowing Mari to live he forces the audience to care if she and her family can escape their predicament. This is a marked departure from the latter round of Saw movies along with films like Captivity, The Collector and their ilk. These films essentially provide the movie going equivalent of hitting rotten bags of meat over and over again with a sledgehammer. Although not quite to the level of Craven's original work the updated last House on the left is worth your time to watch. 

One thing the original will always have over the remake though is the awesomeness of the trailer. I love the voice over, how it ha that typical grind house mixed with cautionary after school special flair to it. The menace put onto the phrase "good time", like it was synonomous with "penile leporasy" is unmatched by anything before or since. 

Planet of Terror presents Summer School/Alice Jacobs is Dead at Seattle's Crypticon

A heads up to our readers in the Pacific Northwest-this Saturday you’ve got the opportunity to support some great independent horror presented by one of our favorite sites and dudes (even though he’s a Chargers fan) James Cortez from Planet of Terror. James is presenting the terrific zombie short Alice Jacobs is Dead along with the feature film Summer School. This is all going down at the annual Seattle horror convention Crypticon. (also-check out the awesome poster art from Becky Sayers of The Horror Effect. Here’s the skinny:

'This Saturday, June 19th, Planet of Terror will be presenting two indie horror films at the annual Seattle horror convention known as Crypticon. From 3-5pm in the Hoyt room, they will be showing the following films:

Alice Jacobs is Dead--Winner of the San Diego Comic Con award for best horror film:

Set to the backdrop of a worldwide zombie threat, the film focuses on a doctor who's keeping a secret in his personal life at home. A unique zombie short film that focuses on the love between two people, the lengths one will go to in achieving an end, Alice Jacobs is Dead is touching, horrifying, and ultimately heartbreaking.

Summer School: Zombies, Nazis and Sadism, oh my!

Charles is a horror fanatic who's spent way too much time watching films and reviewing them for his blog. Due to a lack of sleep, he can't stay awake during his summer school classes. Everytime he dozes off and wakes up, he finds himself in a new horror-themed scenario of which he's the main victim. Will he wake up for real and make it out of school alive?

Each film is original and unique in its own way. Come one, come all in support of some innovative and unique horror films. For people that aren't fans of the run of the mill, remake or rehash of the same 'ol stuff.'

Here's a link to the conventions website: http://www.crypticonseattle.com/