The Short Round: Worm

In an odd bit of timing, Fatal Pictures short film Worm found its way to my mailbox the same week Wisconsin governor Scott Walker and the Republican House moved to pass anti-union legislature aimed at destroying the collective bargaining rights of teachers. While I aim to keep my political views off, it never ceases to amaze that the vitriol and disdain conservatives feel towards public servants. While the wealthiest two percent of income earners managed to convince the middle and working class that a three percent tax hike pushed the country towards socialism but demanding  teachers take five times the pay decrease, plus a massive loss in benefits and retirement allocations is simply asking them to do their fair share during economic hardships. In theory we pay lip service to the notion that investing in education is the single most important step we can take as a country in order to prosper going forward. In reality, if I were looking in to career options today, a close look at the low pay, increased classroom sizes, curriculum that emphasises standard testing, dated materials, the sense of entitlement parents have fostered on their kids which absolves them of any responsibility amongst other reasons would keep me out. Instead of infusing the profession with new blood, the education system finds itself saddled with tired, burned out clock punchers like Worm's Geoffrey Dodd (Robert Nolan).

Nolan effortlessly slips into the role of a burned out high school English teacher right down to the standard issue uniform of drab, rumpled Arrow dress shirts and a desk drawer filled with half completed novels inked in composition notebooks.There's a moment early in the film, just after the opening bell signals the start of the first class, where you see the will completely sucked out of Dodd's body. For what must be the thousandth time one the thousandth day, he attempts to engage his class in discussion, only to find himself staring at a room full of disinterested, vacant faces. It serves as his daily affirmation that his role is less that of an educator than of a glorified babysitter.

Worm present the inner monologue of Dodd throughout his day. The first half works as a wicked black comedy.  No student or member of the faculty is above Dodd's scathing inner criticism. He's clearly at the "too-burned-out-to-give-a-damn anymore" phase of his career, and he fills his day with nasty thoughts. In particular, there a moment where he considers what must lie under one students head of hair are coat hanger scars from his mother's botched abortion. In the same breath he's cursing the student's mother out for her lack of aptitude in completing the job. Even the model students don't miss his contempt, as they just inspire jealously over their bright prospects while he simply marks the time with chalk stained fingers. During one conversation with a coworker you can almost see waves of rage spilling out of him as he talks to her through gritted teeth about her sick mother while he simply wants to get some writing done.

The second half of the short is considerably darker. We learn about Dodd's obsession with one student, as he fantasizes about kidnapping her and forcing her to fall in love with him. The more he focuses on her, the more he loses control. He starts having external conversations with his inner dialogue. As the school day winds down, Dodd unravels. His briefcase reveals a handgun and his thoughts reveal murderous intentions. All that's missing is the final spark to ignite a bloodbath.

What struck me about Worm is it plays out less like its own self contained narrative and more like either a brief character study, or the first act in a larger film. While that might leave the unaware viewer a bit disappointed at the lack of a wrap up, the producers of the short have confirmed this in one piece in a larger film. Preparations for the feature film have begun, and it should be interesting to see where they take the character of the unhinged teacher. In the meantime, Worm plays special screening events and festivals. Give it a watch if it makes its way to your area. Check out this brief clip below:

Indie Spotlight: An Interview with Maude Michaud

Maude Michaud at All Things Horror Presents

About a year ago I came across a review for Izabel Grondin's short film Fantasy on what was then the  Pretty/Scary website (now FanGirltastic). I was impressed with the review and  discovered the author, Maude Michaud had her own short film Snuff screening at various festivals. The film was available on her site. Told from the first person, it's a low budget Super 8 short that turned the stalking motif on its ear and had a great kiss off at its climax. We were fortunate enough to not only screen Snuff alongside her short Hollywood Skin at our June event, but also had Ms. Michaud in attendance for a Q&A. 

In the past year we've gotten to know and become friendly with a number of directors. Amongst them, Maude stands out as one of the most articulate and genuinely passionate people we've been lucky enough to come across. Aside from her creative pursuits, she joined the volunteer team for Montreal's Fantasia film festival in 2010. As she wraps up the editing on her latest short Red, the work has begun on her first feature, and continues on her academic documentary Bloody Breasts, which examines and defends the profile of the female horror fan. BleedFest also plans on showcasing her short film as part of its April lineup. 

Despite cramming twenty five hours of work in a twenty four hour day, Maude graciously answered a few questions for us recently.   

 I’m really digging the trailer for your latest short (Red) (in case you forgot the name of your own short, I put it in the italics next to these italics. Aren’t I clever?)   What can you tell us about the short? How did the idea come about for it?

I can’t say too much about it without spoiling the whole thing except that it’s a thriller that tackles the themes of voyeurism, fetishism and snuff films. It is also a sort of love letter to the fetishism associated with cinema; the scopophilia that some cinephiles (myself included) experience, the love of film grain and texture, the obsession with certain images and aesthetics, certain formats, etc… In a strange way, it is a very personal film because it encompasses so many things that define who I am and what I love (be it aesthetic, colors, textures, shots, etc).

As for where the idea comes from, I started out with a few key elements and scenes I wanted to incorporate as part of the story, but I was lacking something that could hold everything together and take it to another level. At the time, I was also toying with the idea of taking a classic fairy tale and stripping it down to its core to the point where all the key elements are still there, but you barely recognize it. Then, I realized that the tale I had in mind and the scenes I had written fitted together perfectly and complemented one another. That is how the story came together and became what it is.

 When we were lucky enough to have you come down for our Boston screening, you’d mentioned during the Q&A you had a bit of an obsession with slasher and snuff films. How did that come to be? Have you done a straight up slasher film at all

I want to start by clarifying that my obsession with snuff films has to do with the whole myth/urban legend surrounding them (i.e. that films where people are killed for real are made for the enjoyment of an individual or a select few) and not with actual snuff films!

What fascinates me is also what sickens me: the idea that people would derive pleasure from watching someone die on screen and know what they’re watching happened for real (as opposed to horror films which are made using special f/x and actors). It forces me to reflect on my own enjoyment of horror, especially with the growing trend of special effects that are more and more realistic… Personally, I have no problem watching a fictional murder on screen (as part of a horror film) no matter how gruesome is it, but I couldn’t stand watching a real murder. However, I’m sure there are some people out there who would get a kick out of watching real murders, and this is really terrifying to me… I think this is why I find the theme of snuff films so inspiring as far as my fictional work is concerned.

As for slasher films, no, I’ve never done a straight up slasher! I’m tempted to say that it’s one of my favorite subgenres of horror. When I started watching horror films, I would always beeline for slasher films at the video store, so I’ve seen a lot of them growing up. I don’t really know why I enjoyed them so much; I think it was because they were so ubiquitous in video stores during the 80’s and 90’s, so watching the popular slasher franchises seemed an obvious choice. However, I’m not really interested in making one. Despite my love for it, it is a subgenre for which I feel pretty much everything has been done. So, unless I find a great and clever way to address it, I don’t really feel the need to add yet another title that repeats the same formula without bringing anything new to the table.

Your lead in Red looks a bit like the Canadian answer to Michelle Williams. How did you find her-has she been in any other genre work before?

No, she hasn’t been in any other genre film before; actually Red will be her film debut! Olga has been a friend of mine for a few years, and I had always wanted to work with her. I knew she did a bit of theatre growing up, so when I finished writing the script, I auditioned her and she was great! She understood the role perfectly and embodied the character just the way I imagined before I even gave her directions! In addition to being extremely photogenic, she has a very interesting and uncommon beauty which was just perfect for the role, and let’s not forget her cute Russian accent which I feel adds so much to the character.  

How do you keep your actors/crew comfortable on the set when it’s edging towards uncomfortable terrain-whether it’s sex, violence or whatever?

That is a very good question; I’d say it depends on many different factors (the shoot, the actors, the situation…)  Although, I must say right away that the cast and crew always seem to be more comfortable with violence than sex… I’ve worked with a lot of actors/actresses who were totally cool with having blood splashed on them, had to wear prosthetics, be slashed/stabbed, etc… However, when it comes to making out or simulating sex, it’s always a tricky process and it involves some negotiating. That’s why I always address whatever potentially uncomfortable situations the film presents during the audition; the actors’ reaction will guide my choice. Then, it’s all a question of making the set feel safe for them when we’re about to shoot the scene: only keep the essential crew members, help the actors be comfortable with each other, etc. I must say though that when you shoot this kind of scene, you feel a change in the vibe; everyone is quiet on set and avoids looking directly at the action (except for the director and camera operator, of course!).

For Red, the hardest part to shoot was the opening sex-murder scene (aka the snuff tape) which is one long continuous take. I was lucky to work with Isabelle Stephen for this scene as she was totally comfortable with the content and really managed to make everyone feel at ease. I had previously worked with Isabelle, so there was already a certain level of trust; she knows the kind of work I do and she knows I won’t do anything that is too exploitative, so this really helped too.

I guess my advice would be to talk things through and not to hide anything from the actors. It’s all a question of being professional and 100% honest about your intentions/expected outcomes.

You recently made a pair of announcements-one that you’re going to be releasing a DVD comp of your shorts and two that you’re starting work on a feature. When will we see the comp, and what shorts/bonus features will it have? Has the work begun on your feature-can you share any story details or are things still percolating?   

These two announcements are actually inter-connected as the DVD compilation is the first step I’m taking toward funding my first feature!  Over the years, I’ve always wanted to compile my shorts so I could share my work more easily, so after years of seeing it on my list of “things and projects I have no time to do because I prioritize other bigger/more fun/urgent projects” I finally gave it the attention it deserved. The timing couldn’t be better as I figured it’d be a good way to get the fundraising started for the feature!

My compilation, titled Strange and Macabre Tales, is now available through my blog (http://maudemichaud.blogspot.com) and will be on my brand new website (www.quirkfilms.ca) that I’ll be launching next week. It includes three of my shorts: Recessed, Snuff, and The Portrait (which I shot a while ago, but only recently completed) as well as two of my first short films (which I’ve never shown before), and the trailers for Reflection (from Frankenstein Unlimited) and the upcoming Red. What I find really cool is that the shorts included have been made over a period of 6 years, so you can see an evolution and an exploration of different themes. However, I must admit that they are not all horror, hence the title!

As for the feature, sadly my lips are sealed for now as the project is still in the development stage, so a lot of key things haven’t been confirmed yet.  However, what I can say is that it will be a drama-horror hybrid, and that I will push further an idea I started exploring with Red. Be assured that I’ll give you more details as soon as I can (which will be very soon as I want to get the ball rolling with different fundraising initiatives.)

How is working coming along on the Bloody Breasts web documentary you’d started?What's the reaction been like in the horror community (from male and female counterparts alike)?

It’s coming along great!  I’m currently in the editing stage, so I’m hoping to release the first “webisode” very soon (in the next few months or so)!  So far, the reaction has been very positive in the horror community, especially with the Women in Horror Recognition month helping to generate some interest in the work of female horror filmmakers.  I wish I could have released it sooner, but I think the timing is great now as it gave me more time to pre-promote it, and get a clearer idea of what I want the project to become down the line.  



RED - trailer from Maude Michaud on Vimeo.
  

Last Week To Submit Films To Viscera!

A friendly reminder that there's only one week left to get your films submitted in time for acceptance to the 2011 Viscera Film Festival. The brainchild of Shannon Lark (The Chain Saw Mafia) and Heidi Martinuzzi (FanGirltastic.com, The Scare-ening podcast), The Viscera Film Festival kicked on in 2004 as a DIY film fest dedicated to giving female creators the opportunity to showcase their short horror films.

For rules, forms and addresses click the following link: http://www.viscerafilmfestival.com/


For those that don't have a film up for consideration, but want to help contribute, check out the Indie-A-GoGo page. Theater rentals, programs, statuettes, and DVD's don't come cheap, any contribution helps out. A $20 donation nets you a Viscera Compilation DVD filled with short films, plus your name/organization on their website and projected on screen during the festival.

2011 Viscera Film Festival Indie-a-Go-Go page

The 2011 Viscera Film Festival takes place Sunday July 17th at The Silent Theater in Los Angeles CA.


Viscera 2011 Teaser/Trailer from Shannon Lark on Vimeo.

The Best Horror Trailer You'll See All Year Belongs To A Video Game

Remember a long time ago, I mean Friday, when I bemoaned the lack of creativity when it came to marketing horror films? Less than a day later I stumbled upon the trailer for an upcoming video game Dead Island. In a few short days, the trailer has amassed over two million views from gamers and horror fans alike.

It's easily the best trailer for any I've seen in a long while.

The trailer entwines time-reversed footage along with events occurring chronologically in depicting a family's desperate last stand against a horde of undead at a vacation resort. Against the backdrop of a simple score with a haunting melody, the camera zooms out from the dead eye of a little girl, then the action races backwards, thrusting her through the air towards the glass window she'd been tossed out of moments before. In three short minutes, the trailer, consisting of nothing more than animated characters, evokes more emotion than the recent scores of soulless paint-by-the-numbers films that prioritize product placement and licencing deals over storytelling. The trailer ends at the beginning, presenting snippets of the family smiling and waving at the camera during happier times at the start of their vacation.

Without knowing anything else about the project, this game catapulted to "must buy day-and-date" status for me. This might not have been a big deal a few years ago, but with a mortgage, a toddler and less time to dedicate to gaming, it's rarer than how I enjoy a fine porterhouse that I won't wait until I can pick a game up for less than $30 before I'll plunk down cash for it.

Roger Ebert infamously said that video games could never be considered art. With due respect to the esteemed critic, the advances made in console technology allow for gaming experiences on par with Hollywood blockbusters. Games have matured from their roots as side scrolling adventures in button mashing and their audience has matured with them. As visual capabilities skyrocketed, game designers placed a larger emphasis on both storytelling and voice acting. In the past few years, games such as Bioshock, Red Dead Redemption and Mass Effect provide fully realized worlds with intricately crafted and often emotional stories that unfold at the gamers fingertips. While costly Hollywood projects such as the recent "I Am Number Four" flounder, often tagged with the criticism that their little more than video games projected on to a larger screen, critics miss the point. Visuals make up only one component of a successful game. While Hollywood takes audiences for granted with regards to what they want to see in theaters, the gaming industry has evolved into a powerful entertainment medium.

Ironically enough, based on the response to the Dead Island game trailer, the ink is just now drying on turning the property into a film as well. While it will be interesting to see if the eventual movie trailer carries the same impact as the one embedded above, I highly doubt it.

Horror Movie Pet Peeves: The Marketing Of Movies

I’m finding it hard to get jazzed up for the slate of films due to get a theatrical release this year. In the past it’d be easy to blame my lack of interest on “sequelitis” (twenty seven sequels-exactly half of the films slated for wide release in 2011-are a sequel)  or wanting to hop off the remake gravy train. While there definitely is a little bit of that going on, it does seem both trends have started to pull back, even if just a little bit, as audiences have grown bored and box office returns have dwindled.   I’m burned out on the way films are currently marketed. More often than not I’ve lost any interest in heading out to the cinema months before a film debuts. I really mean months since nowadays even the most no-frills film costs so much to make and market, studios hedge their bets so far in advance it’s impossible for a film to sneak up on an audience, or build a word of mouth campaign past the opening weekend. The days of letting a film build over time has long passed. The only thing that matters is the first three days of release. Because those numbers are so important, studios bombard the potential audience with trailers, posters, clips, spoilers and news nuggets.

Despite this, box office numbers in 2011 are stale. Revenue is down slightly, factoring in rising ticket prices, actual attendance is down a good chunk. I’d argue a good reason for that is the poor way movies, especially genre films, are marketed. Here are three of the biggest turn offs

Bland Poster Art (or as BJ-C  would call it- Terrible Poster Tuesday)

Ask yourself when is the last time you’ve been standing in the lobby waiting to plunk down too much cash for hot-buttered Carbs nectar of carbonated sugar water when you’ve been stopped in your tracks by a movie poster that belonged hanging in a gallery, or failing that, tacked up above your bed.  

For example-check out the poster art for David Cronenberg’s The Fly. With white light spilling from the inside of the pod in a blinding fashion, it hid the contents except for that one arm grasping at the jamb and that one tentacle leg jutting out. The first time you see that poster, aren’t you convinced that there’s no way you can miss this film just to see the horrific creation that’s going to spill out?

How about the poster for The Stuff.  It starts with the massive WARNING that covers nearly a quarter of the poster’s real estate. The text on the left actually engages the viewer, rather than boil itself down to an awkward slogan or catch phrase. Finally, there’s the horrifying image of one of The Stuff’s victims. Its whole head and fingers appear to be stretched out like salt water taffy and even then his body can’t’ contain THE STUFF as it spills out of his eyes and screaming mouth. This poster alone must have launched a thousand nightmares long before the first patron plunked down his allowance for tickets.

Unfortunately, terrific poster art has become the exception, not the rule. Digital artwork and Photoshop Suites help studios churn out artwork on the cheap, and it’s far too often bland and soulless. It might announce that a picture is coming soon, but it offers little enticement to set a land speed record back to the theater on opening night to experience the film firsthand.

As much as I love the first Scream film (and we’ll be getting back to the sins of the franchise later) they were one of the first films guilty of the disturbing new trend to just put a picture of the cast on the poster. The franchise went on to create the iconic slasher of its decade in the Ghostface Killer, but there’s no hint of him on the poster. Instead, all you get here are the pretty faces alongside David Arquette that will appear in the film. most movie posters now follow the borrowing trend of doing nothing more than photoshopping boring headshots against boring backgrounds.  

Trailers That Reveal The Whole Film

If Hollywood ever wants to argue against the notion it costs too much to go to the cinema, they could easily point out that moviegoers are often getting a double feature for the price of one film. It just happens to be that one of the movies has a two minute run-time. A special place in hell is reserved for those who cut trailers that reveal the last frames of the film –we’re looking at you Paranormal Activity and Quarantine. I understand the point of the trailer is to lure the moviegoer to exchange cash for a ticket, but goddamn it, do you have to give away the freaking money shots for free? Imagine firing up the Wayback Machine to 1999 and seeing a trailer for The Sixth Sense. Now imagine that the trailer ends with the tagline: “Bruce Willis IS one of the dead people the kid sees. Dun-Dun-DUNNNN!” There is no chance in hell you’re going to see that film.

The Internet

Here’s to the worst offender of them all. Studios have so little confidence in marketing films they resort to spilling the beans on every twist, scare and plot detail months before it hits screens. I’m not sure they understand the concept that moviegoers often like to let the story unfold as they watch it, rather than wait for spoiled moments to eventually play out across the screen. The best scenes show up in clips on the official site of the film. Again, why should I plunk down cash for your movie if you think so little of it that you’re willing to give me the best parts for free, and on top of that, you think that three inch by five inch video files played back on tinny laptop speakers is the best way to experience your film for the first time? With the internet being so pervasive, and with social media invading almost every aspect of online life, it’s too easy to get accidentally spoiled. If you want to walk in to a movie fresh, you better lock yourself into your panic room for the three months before a film comes out. Hope you brought something good to read and something clean to pee in.

Here’s a recent example that picks on the Scream franchise again. A few weeks ago Dread Central leaked the news which starlet would be on the receiving end of the blade as the opening scene kill. I’m not going to link it here, it’s easy enough to find on their site if you….just….can’t….wait.

Would it be safe to imagine that a sizable portion of your crowd might turn up on opening weekend just to see if the new series kicks off with the new Ghostface accomplishing what his predecessors couldn’t by offing Neve Campbell? Apparently Craven and company not only don’t believe you should buy the cow, but they’re more than happy to hand deliver the milk to your doorstep for free as well. The power of the first film of the franchise was the opening scene with Drew Barrymore. She was at her absolute peak in popularity, and to be toyed with then dispatched in such a brutal fashion came as a shock to audiences and served notice that after a decade of soft, safe horror fare, the slasher film was back with a vengeance.

In 2011 that moment would be spoiled. First via "exclusive" news sites on the internet. Then the clip would leak. Then the trailer would show Drew hanging by her entrails. At least it wouldn't be on the poster, since those all pretty much suck  

Also, do you get the feeling that one of the criteria to write for a site like Ain’t It Cool or Dread Central is “As a child, when you left a screening of Empire Strikes Back, did you walk past the line of the patrons waiting for the next showing and yell out as loudly as possible: ‘Darth Vader Is Luke’s Dad and Han Solo gets frozen by the dude that sells Colt 45!’” What the fuck is with releasing “exclusive” scenes from films on a website or post lengthy reviews written with all the panache of a third grader scribbling down his “What I Did Over Summer Vacation” report for school? The former bugs me the most. I go to movies to get sucked up in the story, and let the twists and scares happen as they unfold. I don’t want the best parts told out of context in three minute commercials on a 15” with micro speakers. I certainly don’t want to watch random chunks of the film on my iPod before I even have the chance to see a film theatrically. 

Head To Bloodsprayer For A Terrific Discussion On Indie Horror

While I edit down my latest post, can I point you in the direction of a topic near and dear to my heart elsewhere

Our good FOATH James Cortez recently posted the question over at Bloodsprayer.whether your typical horror fan gives indie films a fair shake. It's a terrific article, and it's inspired thought provoking discussion in the comments section as well. The idea he raise is despite the ease and ready availability of films that one would have to scour months to sniff a glimpse of, too many terrific films (Dawning springs to my mind) still slip under the radar by your typical Platinum Dunes/Fangoria card carrying member. Check out the post by clinking the link below:

"The question could be posed to fans of film in general but this is a horror website so..."

The Indie corner: TAINT-ed Love

When a film opens up with black and white images zoomed in on ladies' breasts then immediately has our main character interrupted mid-coitus and chased down by a dookie-dropping, sickle-wielding psychopath who has his cock exposed through shit stained onesie pajamas, you get a fairly good idea from the outset what kind of time you're in for. Drew Bolduc's low budget opus The Taint manages to be equal part hilarious and offensive by providing the kind of film the retarded love child birthed by John Waters and David Cronenberg would create.

When the water supply becomes tainted, women find them selves under attack as the menfolk become violent, sadistic killing machines-hellbent on maiming limbs and pulverizing pretty faces to atoms. It's through these wanton acts of violence the men achieve mind shattering orgasms, the likes of which haven't been seen this side of a "Best of Peter North" DVD.In the midst of the mayhem is dimwitted Phil O'Ginny (also the writer and co-director alongside Dan Nelson), who manages to stumble from place to place, trying to make sense of it all.

The Taint works because of Bolduc's everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach to schlock cinema. There's no act too depraved, too violent or too offensive o be shown on screen. Bolduc and crew set out to make as cheesy a film as possible, and as over the top violent and nauseating as it can appear at times, it's impossible not to laugh knowing full well the crew of The Taint are well-in on the joke with the audience. ANY idea that could be deemed over-the-top in its violent or gross out nature gets a free pass and makes its way on screen. You'll see closet case gym teachers get their face peeled off by Kabuki scientists. Our Busey Jr. lookalike goes Bronson in Death Wish performing "castration by .44" while draped in Old Glory. Paper mache heads get caved in mercilessly while brains come spilling out. Oh, and there's a brief appearance by Nazis. We even get a 80's style homoerotic workout montage that reminds us just how sexually confused that era's cable TV staples actually were.

Edging The Taint to near-genius category are the smash cuts editing and deadpan reactions to the bizarre breakdown of society. Bolduc's O'Ginny doesn't have any real character arc so much as he just wanders from place to place and shit happens around him. He's a dimwitted prep school kid that looks like Gary Bussey Jr. overdosed on an iPod of shitty mall punk emo after injecting a month's supply of quaaludes. In all the reviews I've read-no one's mentioned the hysterical introduction of the just barely in the closet sadistic gym teacher and his merry band of idiots. Eighties synth builds to a crescendo as he introduces his crew (among them-"Chili dog." "Brown Eye. "Alligator Fuckhouse") when the scene cuts on a dime to Phil's over the top wave and "Pleased to meet you". That one stupid moment amongst hundreds was the one where I knew these guys knew exactly what they were doing. His lack of reaction to the insanity around him makes up the bulk of the humor. The Taint embraces its low budget nature with its cheesy practical effects and a never-ending parade of rubber dongs spilling seed from the exposed zippers of the male extras.

The question's come up in a number of reviews as to whether The Taint is a work of misogyny or a film that's meant to combat misogynistic tendencies. I don't think Bolduc's film is anti-woman at all. However, you have to wonder if the kind of film that ends with a woman bound and whipped while writhing in ecstasy as her tormentor projectile spews a gallon of manjuice in her vicinity is going to attract the kind of audience best suited to discuss the issues Bolduc at least attempts to address. However, fans of satirical horror films like Larry Cohen's  The Stuff or raunch fests like Street Trash are going to love having The Taint to add to their collection.  


Go to the official site to download the film or buy DVD


The Taint Trailer (NSFW) from Dan Nelson on Vimeo.

Indie Films YOU Can Help Make Happen

If you take a moment to look to the right hand column, you'll notice badges asking for contributions to a pair of upcoming independent films. I don't think any of would argue that money is tight all around right now for just about anyone (if you're out there Mr. or Mrs. JP Moneybags, please feel free to drop us a line)but these projects look freaking awesome and well worth your money

First up we have the latest feature from Lis Fies, director of The Commune and founder of the monthly event BleedFest. There are two reasons I think this project is worth your Hamiltons. 

Number one, Lis has tirelessly worked to raise the profile of women in Hollywood. It's impossible to have a conversation with her for more than a few minutes and not discover at least three films made by her compatriots that you need to drop everything and check out stat. Her BleedFest event gives creators the chance to screen their work, network and bring their films to a captive audience every month. For Lis, it's all about creating new opportunities in film making for all talented women, not just promoting her own brand. This is the kind of person All Things Horror desperately want to see succeed, any way we can.

Second, and more to the point-THIS FILM SOUNDS B-A-N-A-N-A-S!! Using William Lustig's Maniac as a blueprint, Psychosexual is going to twist all the slasher film norms on its ear. In their own word, here's your description: the premise of PSYCHOSEXUAL is to reverse the gender roles of the prototypical slasher/detective movie. Everything will be the same...same erotic kills, same cheesy dialogue, same slovenly middle-aged detective with a bewildering pick of fantastic lovers...only the deaths are happening to men, the weaker species in this world. Puerile feminist exercise, or a big bag of awesomesauce? I'm not sure. I know everyone involved is having a heck of a lot of fun, and the resulting movie is still freakishly frightening and suspenseful. 

The next project is Exhumed, which is filming about an hour south of our home base-right in my old stomping grounds of Providence Rhode Island. The film stars indie scream queen Debbie Rochon and brought to you by the dynamic duo of Guy Benoit (writer) and Richard Griffin (director)-the team that brought you  Atomic Brain Invasion. While that project is a homage to the sci-fi horror drive in classics of the late fifties, their latest project takes its cue from the gothic era of Hammer. From their Kickstarter page:  Exhumed deals with a twisted family that is seemingly unable to leave their own home. Their gnarled existence and mounting animosity finally gives way to violence and visceral panic. Exhumed’s closest living relatives would perhaps be The House Of The Devil, Ils, and The Strangers. The recently deceased would include the weirdo Hammer efforts of the late-60s and early 70s: The Devil Rides Out, Vampire Circus, etc. Exhumed shares with these movies a claustrophobic fear of what lies inside both the home and the head. Sick stuff. Exhumed is produced by Ted Marr. Richard Griffin directs a script written by Guy Benoit. It stars Sarah Nicklin, Debbie Rochon, Michael Thurber, Michael Reed, Rich Trethaway and Ruth Sullivan.

There you have it folks, two projects well worth your funding. Please think of these projects the next time you check out fandango and see the only "horror" films playing are watered down pap like The roommate, then kick these projects some shekels. 

Valentine's Day May Be Bullshit But You Can Still Enjoy These HorRom Flicks

Okay, I know that Valentine's Day a complete and utter bullshit holiday that was spitefully put together by the all-powerful flower, chocolate and Hallmark greeting card cartels. Let me give you the hot diggity skinny as to why I'm making this post. First, I've been travelling for work all freaking week, and all I'm looking forward to right now is getting home Friday night, cuddling my baby and hopping into bed with my wife. I miss the buggers something fierce, and it's making me all mawkish. Second, there's two films that are germane to this list that are on my mind, and rather than suffer through a night of writer's block, or put this off for a few weeks, I thought I'd entertain myself but putting this together.

What's I've listed below are a handful of films with a romantic bent that even the most seasoned, hard-core gore hound can pop in with their sweetie pie and get a kick out of. After you've done the whole exchange of candy, flowers and body fluids, fire up the DVD player and snuggle under the cover for a night of horror

MUST LOVE DEATH
I reviewed this one way back when and it still has no US release date. However, it IS available for purchase via Amazon Canada, and well worth the $30 (including shipping). The basic premise is our sad sack main character has joined a suicide club after getting the heave ho from is lady friend. However, rather than slip softly into the abyss, he's fallen for the ruse of a group of psychos that want to maim and torture the poor bastard before killing him. What MLD does an incredible job of is taking the peanut butter that is over the top gore and torture that the kids love so much nowadays (there's some messed up shit in this film, not the least of which is the nail gun sequence of a person getting her leg popped like a giant pimple in a vice grip) with the jelly that is a Nora Ephrom style romantic comedy where crime doesn't exist in NYC an diner waitresses working the graveyard shift can afford $300,000 suburban homes into one tasty horror/rom-com sandwich. Also, any film that opens with a dead ringer for Brittany Spears during the tail end of the Federline white trash era getting reverse cowgirl anal in the back of a car while eating a double cheeseburger will always hold a special place in my heart.


MakeOut With Violence
I just reviewed this one recently so I'll be brief. What makes this film work so well is the courtship of the sweet and simple Carol and his life long crush Addy. As he grows closer to her, a whole new side of him matures, while his twin Patrick languishes with the animated corpse of Wendy, hidden away from the rest of the world. The film has all the heart of classic John Hughes and is an inspired take on the zombie sub-genre.



Tromeo and Juliet
Quick confession: this is the only film from Troma aside from The Toxic Avenger that I can actually stand to watch. A modern day retelling of the Bard's romantic tragedy that blows the DiCaprio/Danes version right out of the sky. Don't believe me? Well did that other version have decapitations, wanton car crashes, incest, giant cow monsters with massive schlongs, mutant Garbage Pail Kid babies or freaking Lemmy from Motorhead? I thought not. also, I will admit that I wore out the section on my video cassette with the lesbian kiss. That was absolutely the most scorching hot makeout in cinema history.




Return of The Living Dead 3 

This has a lot more in common with Shakespeare's tale than the above, especially if you are able to get your hands on the ultra rare first draft of the play which did indeed include toxic nerve gas and brain eating undead. Melinda Clarke has never, ever, ever, ever, ever looked better than she does here as a young woman desperately trying to hold on to the remaining bits of her humanity against the rising tide of her zombie nature. The finale, where she and her boyfriend walk together into the furnace, choosing to go up in flames together is fairly heartbreaking, especially against the lighter tone that marks the ROTLD series as a whole.


Zombie Honeymoon
Three movies guaranteed to make me tear up: Rocky, Rudy and Zombie Honeymoon. Danny and  Denise have just started their new life together but their honeymoon ends in tragedy. Pronounced dead after getting attacked on the beach, Danny revives to the surprise of his doctor and wife, but it becomes apparent soon thereafter that something is horribly wrong with him .While there's a fair amount of gore, the real triumph of the film is the chemistry between its leads Tracy Coogan and Graham Sibley. It's easy to buy into them as a young couple deeply in love with one another. As the story pushes on, they both know there's going to be no happy ending, no growing old together with rug rats running around their feet as they sit out and enjoy the summer nights and one another's company-yet the two can't let one another go. Denise does her damnedest to hide Danny's condition, but only manages to prolong inevitable heartbreak.


so you tell me-what horror flick do you put on when it's time to get down for some lovin'?

Indie Spotlight: An Interview With Patrick Rea (Nailbiter)

Patrick Rea has spent the past few years releasing horror shorts for his indie studio SenoReality Films (official site). The Kansas filmmaker has hit on a wide array of subjects-from spouse cheating vampires to Alzheimers riddled grandmothers that communicate with faries; from shock jocks to the evils of thin mint wielding girl scouts. One constant in Rea's work is a sharp undercurrent of humor to balance out the horror. Earlier this year, Rea wrapped production on his upcoming feature Nailbiter (official site) and is putting the finishing touches on the film for release later this year. In 2010 Rea won two separate Wizard World Convention short film competitions, earning both films automatic inclusion into the New York City Horror Film Festival. Patrick recently took the time to answer a few of our questions in between editing Nailbiter and wrapping up work on his latest short Hell Week while catching five minutes of sleep a night. Make sure to check back next week as we post an overview on Rea's short film work. 

On a scale of one to ten with ten being "I own Rod Serling footsie pajamas" how much of an influence would you say the Twilight Zone influences your short films? I ask this because a number of them (Time's Up Eve and Now That You're Dead come to mind) have last minute swerves (a flat tire for vampires racing the clock, Eve’s reveal about her working relationship with the Collectors) that he'd really appreciate.

Well, it's funny. I've had a lot of people compare the films to the classic Twilight Zone, which is awesome and flattering. To be honest, I was way more influenced by films like "Creepshow 1 and 2" and shows like "Tales from the Crypt" which I enjoyed when I was younger.  "Eve" is probably the most influenced by "Twilight Zone" because I decided to shoot the film in Black and White. That film alone I would say is a '7' as far as influence.  The other films I would say are more influenced by "Tales from the Crypt" and "Amazing Stories" as far as combining horror and humor.  I'd hope that if Rod Serling saw the films today, that he would enjoy them.  

You know, somehow I never picked up on the Tales From the Crypt vibe-which is totally appropriate considering the black humor some of the shorts have. Now I have to go back and add TFTC to my Netflix queue.  I definitely see the influence in “Get Off My Porch”. Every year the Girl Scouts trod out their cookie campaign and every year I'm suckered into buying them rather than break a young girl's hear and dammit those thin mints are so addicting. Get Off My Porch hits so close to home it hurts (especially the compulsive nonstop eating of said cookies) How did the idea for that short come up?

The New Face Of Evil.

I was a Boy Scout and had to go around selling stuff constantly.  I never really enjoyed it, and always felt like I was bothering people. However, I love Girl Scout cookies, and can never say ‘no.’ I wanted to make a horror film with humor about this subject.  I haven't seen it really done before.  It seems to really connect with people, since a lot of people get addicted to the cookies, especially thin mints.  Plus there is something inherently creepy about Girl Scouts or anyone who goes door to door selling sweets.  I just wanted to take it to the next level. The fact that we shot it in the dead of winter in Kansas also added to the strange atmosphere.

In some respects, the message of your follow up, Time's Up Eve is similar to  GOMP. Granted, "Eve" is a huge style departure-melding sci-fi and film noir and is a much darker story, but it still deals with humanity being stripped away, leaving the victims a mindless, autobot-like existence.  Do you notice a growing trend towards a loss of individuality? Or am I being paranoid?

The fact that there are thematic similarities between "Eve" and "GOMP" is a coincidence.  Though, I do find the idea of having humanity stripped away, and 'group think' scary.  "Body Snatchers" always bothered me.  The idea of being one of the last free thinkers is something has always terrified me.  In the case of "Get Off My Porch", I wanted to focus on "consumerism" and everyone buying the same product.  Plus I really like the movie, "The Stuff" which has a similar theme of people becoming obsessed with a health food that is actually taking over their minds.  With "Eve" I wanted to take it to a much darker place.  They both seemed so different from each other, but they do have parallels.  "Eve" has more to do with losing yourself in order to save your own skin.  Selling out the ones you love and betraying yourself so that you can either get ahead, or in the movies case, 'survive.'

I do think that in today's society, groupthink is growing.  Especially, with Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.  It has also diminished human interaction in many ways, since now we communicate so much by using 'chat' and 'email'.  It will be interesting to see where we will be heading in the next 5 years as a society.  I'm guilty of it as much as the next guy.  I spend a lot of time communicating via the social networks, especially in the film business.  I think that those aspects of communication that we now consider to be commonplace will be a constant conscious or subconscious influence in storytelling for years to come.

Does the current oversaturation of social media outlets make it more difficult for storytellers/film makers to tell stories now? One of my top laments with most current films is the absolute lack of suspense and buildup in most films. Are audiences too used to getting information/entertainment in 140 characters or 3 minute You Tube clips, and are we incapable of sitting through to exposition/setup/character development anymore?

There is definitely a certain anxiousness from the audience to get to the action rather than building suspense or character development.  It may be a result of the instant gratification that social media or YouTube has given us. It has helped me in terms of creating short films, because they are the perfect length for people to sit and watch an entire story in 15 minutes.  I also think that with the popularity of DVR, and improvements to Home Theater systems, people have gotten used to pausing a film and getting up, running an errand, doing the dishes, etc, and then coming back to a movie.  It's harder for people to just sit still and immerse themselves in a story.  However, I do think that because there has been a lot of films that tend to short change story for action, that a lot of filmgoers have grown hungry for films with more substance.  Look at the success of films like "Inception" or "The Dark Knight" which create a terrific balance of intelligent plotting and action.  

What’s the scoop with Nailbiter? The teaser looks fantastic. Maybe 'm over simplifying by saying it looks like The Descent meets a not-shitty version of Twister. Is that the gist of it? What strikes me is the feeling of being smack dab between a rock and a hard place- someone/something was in that house with you and it's either fight off the monsters which will probably lead to painful death, or run out in to 500mph winds which will also lead to inevitable death. 

The editing on "Nailbiter" has been completed.  We are now in the sound / music / visual effects stage, which can take a long time to get right.  The film is definitely a cross between The Decent and Twister.  It also has a sprinkle of The Howling. The tornado isn't as big of a part of the story.  The plot revolves around a mother and her three daughters who are on their way to pick up their dad from the airport, when they are caught in a Kansas tornado.  They are forced to take shelter in a cute little house and are trapped inside the cellar by a falling tree.  It becomes clear that they are not alone.  The film becomes a monster movie; however it's more about what you don't see.  We didn't want to make a CGI creature, so we are relying on atmosphere and some old school creature effects.  We were working with a very low budget, so we decided to really focus on 'practical' effects.    

With you hailing from the Midwest, I imagine you've seen your share of Twisters-what's the worst/most devastating thing you've seen during one?  

Well, to be honest, the basic premise of "Nailbiter" resulted from an incident in 1996 where my high school buddies and I were leaving the movie theater and we got stuck in a tornado warning.  We panicked and parked the car and ran to the nearest house, which happened to be occupied by an elderly couple.  We ended up sitting in their basement for an hour.  I always thought that we could have ended up in a really bad situation, but I think the couple was pretty scared of us too. As far as devastation, a few years ago we had something called a "micro-burst" in Lawrence, Kansas, which is like a tornado, but comes without warning.  I watched a roof get ripped off an apartment building that day.  It was pretty awesome. 

When are we going to finally see this film? Is it festival bound or still being tweaked?

I'm hoping for a May premiere.  I'm also hoping we find a distributor by the summer, but who knows.  The film will probably screen at festivals over the middle to later part of the year.  

Just an aside-the voice in teaser giving the tornado warning sounds an awful lot like the computer generated voice form the xtranormal site. Any coincidence there?

We did use a computer generated voice.  That's what the actual warnings use on the radio and television as well.  It's always a little unnerving since it sounds like Stephen Hawking is telling you to take shelter.

Thanks to Patrick for taking the time to answer our questions. Check out his award winning short "Get Off My Porch" for yourself down below.

Get Off My Porch from Patrick Rea on Vimeo.

The Soska Twins Have Their American Girl

The Soska Twins released the official announcement regarding who gets the titular role in their next film, American Mary.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome everyone’s favorite were-lady Katherine Isabelle. Genre fans know her and love her from a number of different works such as her guest starring stints on Supernatural and The X-files, and her co-starring role in Freddy vs. Jason. However, it’s her starring role as Ginger, a teenage girl whose werewolfism kicks starts her burgeoning sexuality in the Ginger Snaps series, that horror fans still rave about.

With American Mary, Jen and Sylvia Soska have positioned themselves to become household names with horror fans. Their first film, Dead Hooker In A Trunk, proved more than just a catchy title. It delivered smashingly great bits of violence, humor and action and wowed festival audiences as it tore through that circuit. They’re also tireless promoters with a mastery of social networking that has helped grow and galvanize their fan base. Getting a recognized name in the genre for their follow up film is huge news and a great sign of good things to come for the sisters. 

Of course, since the twins live by the creed go big or go home, they’ve made their announcement via a kick-ass PSA for this month’s blood drive that’s tied in to Women in Horror Recognition Month. Check it out below and get your office wiggle on. (Oh and look for special guest cameos in it from the Fies sisters and Maude Michaud)

The Short Round: "Waffles" Is The Breakfast of Psychotic Champions

It says a lot about the creepy factor of a film when the simple act of spreading strawberry syrup on an ego can bug you right the fuck out.

Dana’s got herself in one hell of a predicament. The pretty high school blonde is sitting through one hell of a tense dinner with Wendy, the school freak and resident science whiz alongside her beaming mother.  The atmosphere shifts from merely uncomfortable to terrifying when Wendy relays the old chestnut about smashing a classmate’s teeth in after being false accused of cheating on her project while her suburban soccer mother casually drops F-bombs denouncing anyone who badmouths her little girl.   

Of course, I don’t know how Dana expected to win the science fair when she lacks the brains to leave the house of psycho mom and freaky Wendy before making a call to her friends to badmouth the girl and blow her cover.  

In just over five minutes, writer/director Rafael De Leon whips up a gruesome high school outcast revenge flick. Without spoiling too much, the short’s title stems from Wendy’s rather unique deformity. De Leon knows how to frame a shot that allows the suspense to ratchet up while still delivering the goods. This is especially evident in the brief scene just after Dana’s call home. Poor Wendy screams herself hoarse in the basement while blood pours off her face. While we have no idea what’s causing her face to ooze, it becomes readily apparent that dessert’s not going to be a sweet time for Dana.

Well acted and tightly paced, De Leon's Waffle is one of the stand out shorts I've received this year.

WAFFLE (teaser) from Rafael De Leon Jr. on Vimeo.

Look for Waffle to play as part of Mike & Chris' Sick and Twisted Night of Horror March 2nd at the Somerville Theater.