Saturday, March 16, 2013

St. Patrick’s Day Is Also A Day To Celebrate Liber Pater



liber_paterTomorrow we celebrate the day of drunkenness and debauchery! It is a time to drink and be merry. It is a day that has more pagan ancient origins. It is the day the Romans paid tribute to Liber Pater the god of wine and fertility. The Festival Of Liberalia, is the festival of Liber Pater and his consort Libera. The Romans celebrated Liberalia with sacrifices, processions, ribald and gauche songs, and masks which were hung on trees. How odd that the Oppressive Catholic authority of the time would create a day of drinking and merriment on this very day. (I say that with sarcasm because this was their thing. The church always found ways to warp pagan holidays into more Christian like versions in order to persuade the more staunch pagans in the communities to give in to the church’s way of life. After all it was Roman custom to incorporate older pagan traditions into Roman society. So why wouldn’t the Roman Catholic Church continue this crafty maneuver. )

This feast celebrates the maturation of young boys to manhood. Roman boys, usually at age 14, would remove the bulla praetexta, a hollow charm of gold or leather, which parents placed about the necks of children to ward off evil spirits. At the Liberalia ceremony the young men might place the bulla on an altar (with a lock of hair or the stubble of his first shave placed inside) and dedicate it to the Lares, who were gods of the household and family. Mothers often retrieved the discarded bulla praetexta and kept it out of superstition. If the son ever achieved a public triumph, the mother could display the bulla to ward off any evil that might be wished upon the son by envious people. The young men discarded the toga praetexta, which was probably derived from Etruscan dress and was decorated with a broad purple border and worn with the bulla, by boys and girls. The boys donned the clothing of adulthood, the pure white toga virilis, or "man's gown". The garment identified him as a citizen of Rome, making him an eligible voter.

The celebration on March 17 was meant to honor Liber Pater, an ancient god of fertility and wine (like Bacchus, the Roman version of the Greek god, Dionysus). Liber Pater is also a vegetation god, responsible for protecting seed. Liber, again like Dionysius, had female priests although Liber's priests were older women. Wearing wreaths of ivy, the priestesses made special cakes, or libia, of oil and honey which passing devotees would have them sacrifice on their behalf. Over time this feast evolved and included the goddess Libera, Liber Pater's consort, and the feast divided so that Liber governed the male seed and Libera the female. This ancient Italian ceremony was a "country" or rustic ceremony. The processional featured a large phallus which the devotees carried throughout the countryside to bring the blessing of fertility to the land and the people. The procession and the phallus were meant also to protect the crops from evil. At the end of the procession, a virtuous and respected matron placed a wreath upon the phallus.
 

409px-Kilbennan_St._Benin's_Church_Window_St._Patrick_Detail_2010_09_16Saint Patrick's Day or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, "the Day of the Festival of Patrick") is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on 17 March. It is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. The day generally involves public parades and festivals, céilithe, and wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Christians also attend church services and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day. St. Patrick's Day falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast--on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. With this little window of opportunity you can see how the festival became associated with a near frantic fast paced consumption of drink and food and merriment. Also the original color associated with the day was blue but morphed to green over time and the custom of wearing and displaying green ribbon and shamrocks caused the holiday to grew more quickly. It is not an official holiday in America but with a large portion of Irish descendants the day is celebrate with the fervor of an official Nationalized holiday.

Little is known of Patrick's early life, though it is known that he was born in Roman Britain in the fourth century, into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the Christian church. At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken captive to Ireland as a slave. It is believed he was held somewhere on the west coast of Ireland, possibly Mayo, but the exact location is unknown. According to his Confession, he was told by God in a dream to flee from captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to be a priest.

In 432, he again said that he was called back to Ireland, though as a bishop, to Christianize the Irish from their native polytheism. Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people. After nearly thirty years of evangelism, he died on 17 March 461, and according to tradition, was buried at Downpatrick. Although there were other more successful missions to Ireland from Rome, Patrick endured as the principal champion of Irish Christianity and is held in esteem in the Irish church.




‘American Horror Story’ Season 3 News



ahs3Apparently the third season will be about witches and titled ‘AHS: Coven’ which kind of explain the Voodoo and Salem mock posters about the new season that have been going around the net. The revelation came tonight during a panel in Beverly Hills that closed out the PaleyFest 2013 festival. Of the forthcoming season, co-creator and exec producer Ryan Murphy said, “It’s a really cool story we’ve been talking about for a couple of years, and this seemed the year to do it.” He also disclosed that AHS will be shooting in multiple locations for Season 3 when it resumes production this summer, including New Orleans, after having been anchored to the soundstage during its first two seasons. According to Deadline.

Murphy  also hinted he may be getting over his aversion to producing a vampire show, and that along those lines he’s had preliminary conversations with FX Networks chief John Landgraf about “a companion piece” to American Horror Story that could conceivably be vampire-based. So yeah another vamp show coming out hopefully. I love True Blood and The Vampire Diaries but honestly how many more seasons can those two shows produce before the waning appeal finally lies dead. So please please please see that this happens (my prayers to the ungodly powers that be!) Now check out a few of those spooky promo cards I mentioned.

ahs coven card
voodoo
salem promo

Tom Wadlow And Tommy Draper Journey Into The Wasteland



wastelandWasteland” is a zombie apocalypse film written by Tommy Draper and directed by Tom Wadlow. The film is currently seeking crowd funding for extra special effects and post-production marketing costs with the film actually being in the final stages of completion. It stars Shameer Seepersand, Jessica Messenger, Rachel Benson, Edward Nudd, Mike Rhodes, Carl Cropley, Carl Bryan and follows Scott Miller, a man carving his life out of a world torn apart by an 'infection' that has almost totally wiped out the human race. His days are spent finding water, food and avoiding the dangers that lurk outside while he waits for the return of Beth, the love of his life.

“Wasteland” is the story of a man's journey as he fights to survive, to find hope, to find purpose within this new violent world. Will he find the answers he seeks as all hope seems lost and life is less than fleeting? The film is being produced by Tommy Draper Screenwriter and Triskelle Pictures in collaboration with Light Films Ltd. They hope to have the film ready for the Cannes Film Festival in May. Check out the trailer below and then check out the film’s Kickstarter Page.

Check Out Trailer For Sci-fi Horror “Pounce”



pouncePounce” is a horror/thriller film about a group of conspiracy theorists that are secretly watching a Top Secret military base in the desolate Welsh mountains. They are looking for experimental and highly classified test aircraft to report about in a magazine, when they suddenly discover a Top Secret and highly lethal creature (secretly discovered in the 1920′s) which the military and Government are testing who’s fur has the ability to turn invisible in moon light. The film follows their plight as they are hunted both by the creature (which the Army has nick named “The Silverhide” and the military who will stop at nothing to keep their classified specimen a secret.

Directed by Keith R. Robinson and starring Kelly Wines, Lucy Jane Clarvis, Phil Stone, Jordan Murphy, John Hoye, Sean Hayes, and Matt Brewer. Check out the trailer below and see what you think.

New Trailer Released For “The Human Race”



human raceA new trailer has been released for the action gore sci-fi thriller “The Human Race”. The film is directed by Paul Hough who also wrote the script for this Indie flick. It stars Paul McCarthy-Boyington, Eddie McGee, Trista Robinson, Richard Gale, Domiziano Arcangeli and follows 80 people ripped out of their daily lives and all re-appear in an undisclosed location. They are from all walks of life: young and old, athletic and disabled, white-collared and homeless. Forced into this sinister “race” as the rules boom into their heads, in their own voice and language, laying out what will become a horrific race of terror. Check out the trailer below.

Psychotic Saturdays! Six Flicks Of Classic Insanity


psychotic saturdays![3]


Today since it is Psychotic Saturdays! and it has been a few weeks since I created such a post to celebrate this day of personal madness away from the 9 to 5 time of social insanity I make this post in celebration of classic psychotica. These six films are true cult crazies of truly demented derelicts of humanity. The most sinister of sinful madmen to ever be created in cinematic glory. From the mad scientist to the simple maniac the cult of personalities in these films are true examples of the psychotic. These fabulous flicks are true classics from the start of b-movie madness and should be great to entertainment for the old soul fighting for his (or her) sanity as well as great for introducing the beginnings of genre dementia to those young impressionable minds just tasting their first bitter sweet flavor of insanity.

1 Maniac (1934)


maniac1934“Maniac” tells the story of ex Vaudeville star Don Maxwell who seeks refuge from the law in the laboratory of Dr. Meirschultz where he becomes the mad scientist’s assistant. The film is one of the earliest ventures into exploitation horror blends and dares to play upon subject matter deemed socially unacceptable for the time. A true and wondrous start to b-movie madness indeed. How else are we to learn the errors of our ways if not through the well portrayed melodrama’s where insanity and slaughter go hand in hand. The film stars Phyllis Diller, Horace B. Carpenter, Harry Cording, William Woods and was directed by Dwain Esper.
Dr. Meirschultz, a mad scientist attempting to bring the dead back to life. When Don kills Meirschultz, he attempts to hide his crime by "becoming" the doctor, taking over his work and copying his appearance and manner. In the process, he slowly goes insane.The "doctor" treats a mental patient, Buckley, but accidentally injects him with adrenaline, which causes him to go into violent fits. Buckley's wife discovers the body of the real doctor, and blackmails Don into turning her husband into a zombie. The ersatz doctor turns the tables on her by manipulating her into fighting with his estranged wife, a former showgirl. When the cat-breeding neighbor Goof sees what's going on, he calls the police, who stop the fight and, following the sound of Satan the cat, find the body of the real doctor hidden behind a brick wall.
 
2. Monstrosity (1964)


220px-MonstrosityMonstrosity is another of those b-movies that deal with scientific genius which results in pure madness and insanity all for the benefit of mankind’s leap forward through discovery. It also deals with the social conflict that pits the young and beautiful against the old and wealthy. The film is total cult mania as an extremely rich woman seeks to find a new younger body to call her own in order to maintain her wealth and not see it squandered by a younger more flightier generation. Directed by Alfred Taylor and starring Frank Gerstle, Marjorie Eaton, Judy Bamber this story is about Mrs. March and her attempt to live forever by funding the scientific and insane research of Dr. Frank who believes with obvious results that he can transfer the human brain to a new body of choosing. This film is also known as The Atomic Brain.


3. Bowery At Midnight (1942)


220px-BoweryatmidnightBowery At Midnight isn’t a film about a mad scientist at all instead it is a film about a plain madman who happens to be a devious criminal master mind. Bela Lugosi stars in this cult classic as a sinister criminal who by day is a professor at the local university and by night manipulates his fellow criminal elite to steal wealth before offing them to protect his twisted plan. This be movie gem was directed by Wallace the movie also stars John Archer, Wanda McKay, Dave O'Brien and Tom Neal.
Kindly soup kitchen operator and professor of criminology Bela Lugosi uses his soup kitchen as a front for a criminal gang who commit a series of daring robberies and murders. When things get out of hand, Lugosi kills his henchmen, who wind up as zombies in the cellar of the soup kitchen.

4. Tormented (1960)


220px-TormentedTormented is a 60’s flick that deals neither with the madman nor mad scientist, instead it is a film about a man driven to madness by his wicked deeds. The film directed by Bert I. Gordon has a swinging jazz pianist trying to enjoy some time before his wedding nuptials to his new young bride on a nice quite island community. Unfortunately for him his little piece on the side comes over to coerce him into not marrying the woman and threatens him. It doesn’t end well for her and as revenge her spirit comes back and torments the jazz pianist. The movie uses classic ghost effect tricks of the time to play up a supernatural element but the majority of the film relies simply on the jazz pianist’s self guilt and descent into madness for his wicked actions. This gem stars Richard Carlson, Susan Gordon, Lugene Sanders, Joe Turkel and Juli Reding.


5. One Body Too Many (1944)


one-body-too-many-1944-theatrical-posterLong before there was Clue there was One Body Too Many. The film deals the madness that comes from greed. A desire to obtain all that an insane and selfish mind tells one that belongs to them. In this classic noir horror comedy a young potential heir plots to take out all of the competition at the reading of old man Rutherford’s will upon his death. The film was directed by Frank McDonald and stars Jack Haley, Jean Parker, Bela Lugosi, Lyle Talbot and Douglas Fowley. The film is one of the early successes that blended elements of horror, noir and comedy although some of the humor is very much dated and irrelevant today. Still this is a timeless cult classic with a set up and story theme that has been re-imagined time and time again.
Insurance salesman Albert Tuttle arrives at the Cyrus J. Rutherford estate to sell the millionaire some life insurance. Rutherford is already dead and his heirs have gathered at the mansion to hear the reading of the will. Rutherford's will won't be read until he is properly entombed and the heirs are forced to stay on the premises or be denied their inheritance. Tuttle soon finds himself mixed up in shenanigans involving Rutherford's niece, secret passages, a missing body and murder.

6. The Sadist (1963)


220px-SadistmpThe Sadist is pretty much a very early version of Kalifornia in that the set up within the plot are similar. A psychotic killer and his crazy girlfriend leave a body count on the rush to stay ahead of the law that are quick on their trail. Unfortunately for some friends who are on their way to a Dodger’s game in L.A. their paths cross and the psycho sets out to terrorize the men. The film plays on that fear of urban legends where road trips go wrong and open highways where psychopaths roam free. Directed by James Landis and starring  Arch Hall, Jr. ,Richard Alden, Marilyn Manning, Don Russell and Helen Hovey.
Three high school teachers, Ed, Doris, and Carl, are driving through rural Southern California on their way to a Dodgers game in Los Angeles. The group’s Chevrolet Belair has some trouble and they are forced to pull off to a gas station/junkyard on the side of the road. Charlie Tibbs, a rather large man wielding a Colt .45, and his girlfriend Judy show up in the station owner’s home absent the owners themselves. Cultures and lives clash as Charlie and Judy have spent the past several days heading west from Arizona, leaving a trail of corpses behind them. Law enforcement is on the hunt for them now intending on stealing the men’s car.



Friday, March 15, 2013

Horror Anthology “Sinister Visions” Cover Art Released



sinister visionHorror anthology “Sinister Visions” from Apotheosis Film is making its way out on the world as we speak – cinematic showings are planned during the summer in the UK, Italy and Spain and a DVD release for the North American market is planned for early autumn. The cover art has just been revealed. Are you ready for a terror attack combining both succubi, women possessed by demons, serial killers in electric chairs, aggressive zombies, vengeful crazy women, men with very deep emotional scars and of course a fair amount of amputation and gore? SINISTER VISIONS consists of five grueling horror stories to make your bones freeze.


SUCCUBUS is about a beautiful young blonde, Emma, studying to become an archeologist. On an excavation trip to Syria she finds something in the sand that is about to change her life completely. She hurries home hoping to be able to escape it, but she is about to get wiser.

MY UNDEAD GIRLFRIEND is a twisted story with a lot of morbid, dark humor, telling the story of the day Keith woke up next to his girlfriend who had out of the blue turned into a flesh eating undead and tonight he is about to meet her parents for the first time! This day is going to be a bit out of the ordinary!

MOTHER KNOWS BEST is the story about Carl, a somewhat shy man preparing for a date with his childhood sweetheart, Rebecca. Carl’s mother has quite a few objections about the date and she is not too shy to express them, though.

In A WOMAN SCORNED we meet Gail tied to a bed by Holly. Gail have had the nerve to start a relationship with Richard, who unfortunately is Holly’s former husband – and Gail does not approve at all!

Finally, GENITAL GENOCIDE presents us to serial killer Charles Albert Harris who, sitting on death row waiting for the switch to be turned on, takes us through his crimes while the audience of the court room listens. Harris wants a last reaction out of the audience that consists of many relatives of his audience – and a reaction he gets.

Sinister Visions is a collaboration between filmmakers from USA, UK, Sweden and Denmark and features works from skilled writers such as Garry Charles, Stefan Bommelin, Henric Brandt, Rasmus Tirzitis, Cody Cather, Doug Gehl and Lars Egholm Fischmann while the directing has been in the capable hands of Henric Brandt, Doug Gehl and Kim Sønderholm. There is a trailer coming soon.

Starring: Kim Sønderholm, David C. Hayes, Michael Harrelson, Debbie Overbey, Rob Douglas, Rick Dyer, Daren Palacio, Bart Overbey, Brian Weir, Liana Hubbard, Tori Montgomery, Pamela Ricardo, Peg Thon, Kat Herlo, Miriam Yeager, Nadia Bond, Lars Bjarke, Ralf Beck, Pontus Olgrim, Camilla Löjdström, Andreas Rylander, Stefan Jonasson, Babs Brinklund, Mehrnaz Bagheri Beiknejad, Mette Løvendahl, Toke Lars Bjarke, Nadine and many, many others.






First “Evil Dead” 2013 Clip



Evil-Dead-remake-image-3Check out this quick but thrilling 30 second clip from “Evil Dead” 2013. The film will hit theatres April 5th and is one that most definitely intend to check out. It has been one of my most anticipated remakes and releases for this coming year. Check out the “Mirror” clip below.

One Sheet Released For American Remake Of “Las Afueras de la Ciudad”



hidden-in-the-woods-movie-posterThe Chilean horror film “Las Afueras de la Ciudad” is getting an American make over. The first one sheet for “Hidden In The Woods” has been released. The film is currently in pre-production thanks to  Blanc/Biehn Productions. The cast thus far is set as William Forsythe, Krzysztof “The Polish Experiment” Soszynski, Michael Biehn, Jeannine Kaspar, Electra Avelan, Mark Burnham, Jennifer Blanc, Richard Gunn and Nick W. Nicholson. Patricio Valledares is set to begin directing the film in June.

Hidden in the Woods tells the story of two sisters who have been raised in isolation, subjected to the torment of their abusive, drug dealing father. When they finally decide to report him to the police, he kills the two officers and is put in jail. But things go from bad to worse when the girls must answer to their Uncle Costello, a psychotic drug kingpin, who shows up looking for his missing merchandise which is hidden in the woods.

Teaser Trailer Released For “The Campground”



the campgroundA teaser trailer has surfaced for the Indie flick “The Campground”. The modern slasher film is a return to classic slasher horror films and will be  directed by Roman Jossart from his own screenplay. The film is in the very early stages of pre-production. I am posting this article is support of the project because one-I love Indie horror and two-I love slasher flicks. There is always room for more super psychotic homicidal supernatural serial killers! Jossart states the film as the : re-launching of a franchise that has long been away!” on the movie’s Facebook Page.


The Serial slasher "Charlie Varsin" lurks within small town Rising Sun, Indiana.

A few friends decide to go down to a campground to celebrate a birthday party but the mood soon changes when people start missing and turning up dead. The film is an original telling of a masked serial killer named Charlie Varsin you'll be sitting on the edge of your seat just dying to see what's around the next corner. Take a look at the teaser trailer below and check out the Facebook Page to keep up with this project. I have to say that the setting for this film is a plus…



the campground crew

Red Band Trailer For “American Ecstasy”



american ecstasyCheck out the red band trailer for the shock exploitation flick “American Ecstasy”. The film is described by the director as an anthology of Americana nightmares with “tales of resilient women snared in a single terrifying, hallucinatory nightmare, fates left gasping in the gloved hands of a mad everyman, this is the movie that will prove, once and for all, that the most monstrous of highway predators is America itself.”

They come from the middle of nowhere. They flee fine families and broken homes in search of experience and dreams. They travel the same interstates and back roads as we do. Trigger the same bells entering 24-hour convenience stores. Veer off at the same rest stops headed for places like the Adirondacks, Woodstock, Myrtle Beach and Tampa. And then they vanish. In the wake they leave trails run cold, memories of fresh faces and promising smiles later recalled by strange passersby.

These young women are now heroines of the American Ecstasy, the new feature-length chiller from celebrated photographer and filmmaker Jonathan Leder. An anthology film exploring tales of resilient women snared in a single terrifying, hallucinatory nightmare, fates left gasping in the gloved hands of a mad everyman, this is the movie that will prove, once and for all, that the most monstrous of highway predators is America itself. Starring Britany Nola (November 2012 Playboy Playmate), Amy Hood, Lindsay Roan, among other rising female actors.



Clip Released For “My Amityville Horror”


my amityvill horror promo
My Amityville Horror” is a documentary about that infamous home of horrors that spawned a good number of movies and is probably one of the most famous paranormal events in American history. This however is the first time that Daniel Lutz is speaking about the ordeal his family endured in their short 28 day stay in the two story home on Ocean Avenue on Long Island. March 15th, ‘My Amityville Horror’ opens in select theaters and will be available to watch on Cable VOD, SundanceNOW and other digital outlets like iTunes, Amazon Streaming, PS3 Playstation Unlimited, XBOX Zune, Google PLAY and YouTube.




Clip And Trailer For “Psychometry”



psychometryCheck out this five minute clip for the South Korean sci-fi thriller “Psychometry”. The film comes from Kwon Ho-young. Luckily there are a couple of channels on my line up that offer Asian horror and sci-fi films with subtitles so my fingers are crossed that this will appear one day on my box. I have grown fond of Asian horror story telling.

Touch it and you can see the past!

A little girl is kidnapped and murdered in the jurisdiction of gangbuster detective Yang Chun-dong (Kim Kang-woo), 3 years on the job.

During the case, he realizes the crime scene is the same as the mysterious wall paper he saw once on the street and starts tracking down Joon (Kim Beom) who drew it.

Just then, he is arrested but Chun-dong realizes that Joon had the 'psycho-metry' ability to see the past by touching someone or something with his right hand. He'd lived his life alone blaming himself for his ability but had been drawing clues to crimes with it. However, he becomes a suspect for the murder case.

Chun-dong uses Joon's power to track down the real criminal as he believes Joon is the only witness to the case.

Will the case be solved?





New Trailer Released For “Gingerclown 3D”



gingerclownCheck out the latest trailer for horror comedy “Gingerclown” 3D featuring Tim Curry as Gingerclown.

1983: A group of high school students are having a great time near Hollywood Hills at the weekend when they bump into the Loser from their school, Sam, who’s just on his way home. Sam would do anything in order to get Jenny’s attention, one of prettiest girls in school. Unfortunately she’s also the girlfriend of the school’s bully, Biff, the quarterback of the football team.

Biff and his buddies are keen to take Sam to the old abandoned amusement park to make him prove his courage as part of their initiation ceremony. They involve Jenny in their cruel game as the grand prize of the competition. Sam accepts the challenge, but the girl wouldn’t let him go in by himself; she follows him into the amusement park and a night they’ll never forget.

Because in the old park, hidden in the darkness, are frightening and somewhat eccentric monsters who love to torture innocent human beings while intensively annoying each other.
 



French Trailer For “Under The Bed”



Under-the-Bed-Check out the International trailer for Steven C. Miller’s “Under The Bed”. The film stars Jonny Weston, Gattlin Griffith, Peter Holden, Musetta Vander, and Kelcie Stranahan. The film is expected to hit this summer after being picked up by XLrator Media who gained U.S. distribution for the flick as well as rights to “American Mary”. Miller stated that “UNDER THE BED is a loving tribute to all the horror classics I grew up with, from Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist to Joe Dante’s Gremlins and The Howling to John Carpenter’s The Thing”.

Every child knows about the monster under the bed—Neal Hausman’s mistake was trying to fight it. Neal (Jonny Weston) has returned from a two-year exile following his tragic attempt to defeat the monster, only to find his father ticking ever closer to a breakdown, a new stepmother who fears him, and his little brother, Paul (Gattlin Griffith), terrorized by the same monster. While Neal and Paul work together to try to fight the nocturnal menace, their parents are taking desperate measures to get the family back to normal. With no support from their parents, the brothers have nothing to rely on but each other and courage beyond belief.


Flesh Eaters Unleashed In “State Of Emergency”



state of emergencyThe bio-hazard zombie flick “State Of Emergency” hits on the atmosphere of such classic chilling tales of the zombie apocalypse in this ominous trailer. The film directed by Turner Clay will be released on VOD, DVD April 16th and stars Jay Hayden (A Warrior’s Heart), Tori White (Silent Night) and Andy Stahl (The Blind Side). The film comes from Image Entertainment and features the more ravenous flesh eaters that have come to epitomize what zombies shall be. It also offers a different catalyst to the apocalypse as opposed to the standard mysterious virus conjured in some lab of sinister origin, a bit like the Chiller movie “Remains” and the classic “Return Of The Living Dead” did with the atomic explosion , chemical spill as the cause for zombies. A complete nod to the classic 50’s b-movies indeed. I have been watching a lot of them lately and they all had such high and horrible hopes for atomic energy as well as scientific advancement.

After an explosion unleashes the contents of a military bio-weapons plant, the unsuspecting populace is transformed into a roaming army of flesh-eating zombies. Trapped in the quarantine zone, Jim finds himself cut off, confused and fighting for his own survival. Contacted by a small band of others unaffected by the toxins, Jim sets out to reach their besieged warehouse. Becoming the survival group’s de-facto leader, he struggles to keep order as they hunker down, fortify their stronghold and arm themselves against the attacking mutants. Fragmentary radio reports from outside hint at a last-ditch government rescue plan.

But can the survivors hold out until help arrives… or will they succumb to the living hell of an undead apocalypse? Will anybody survive?

Thursday, March 14, 2013

My Review Of Slasher Short “Limbless”



zum-vergrößern-anklickenRecently I watched a short film from Germany titled “Limbless”. The film comes from young Indie director Daniel Konze and focuses on the in your face splatter gore genre. It is a pretty low budget and completely Independent short film with a lot of great aspects that show why Germany is one of the leaders in gore cinema. The story follows two young hunters out in the backwoods for a weekend of hunting and camping. They inadvertently cross the path of a homicidal maniac who seeks only the pleasures that come from hunting humans.

For me the short was very entertaining and tells a graphic classic story of psychopath meets victim. There are a couple of flaws visible in regard to the special effects, notably the camera grabbing things that it should not be showing when dealing with the gory aspects of the movie. That aside I have to say that the cinematography on this little film is very well done and shows true character as far as the directors love and desire to make movies. Splatter gore is not a genre for all but for those who love the gory bloody messy side of cinema then “Limbless” does deliver. And speaking of the blood I thought the consistency of the red stuff used in this film was quite believable. I upon asking the director was told that it was not animal blood but the crew’s own home-made recipe.

“Limbless” is a short but gruesome little story that maintains consistency in it’s plot and could beg for a feature adaptation primarily where the killer is concerned. With him I longed to know more, see more and gag more. This was the first film by Konze that I have viewed but since then I have also seen the promo for some off his other works and hope to see more from this German Indie company. You can check the guys out at their website and Facebook Page.

“The Pyramid” Unleashes It’s Horrors


provabanner
“The Pyramid” is an anthology from Empire Video and Alex Visani. The series is set up in four segments with a wrap around and offer some of the finest genre story telling from today’s rising Italian stars. The stories are connected by one object; a bizarre little pyramid. Over the centuries the pyramid has been the catalyst for wide-spread death and destruction and, after being lost for years, it has accidentally been reawakened to once again bring forth madness and mayhem. Showcasing directors Alex Visani - Antonio Zannone - Luca Alessandro - Roberto Albanesi -Simone Chiesa “The Pyramid” is expected to be released sometime later this month (March 2013).

The first episode Ritual which is the opening of the entire movie. An unfortunate guy found the pyramid (we see, during a short intro the story of its creation by demons) and slowly becomes possessed by the infernal object. It’s a story of possession and struggle with evil forces with gore and also ironic moments. Raffaele Ottolenghi (who writes the episode with Alex Visani) and I were inspired by Clive Barker’s Books of Blood, Evil Dead 2 and there are some influences from Tales From The Crypt the serial.

After the conclusion of Ritual there’s a girl who came in to the possession of the pyramid and this is the beginning of Dream Door, the second story. In this case the influence was Notte Profonda (Deep Night) directed by Fabio Salerno, Wes Craven’s Nightmare On Elm Street and a bit of Hellraiser, of course. During the episode we will see the difficult relationship between a young girl and his boyfriend, who’s a comic artist, and the terrible effects of the pyramid on them. This is the most introspective segments with a strange and elucidative dreaming atmosphere.

the-pyramid-banner


Then is the turn of Pestilence in which we’ll see the contagious effects of the pyramid, which now has gained great powers. It will spread an horrible sort of pestilence, in the vein of the masterpiece Prince of Darkness from the master John Carpenter. This is the most aggressive and full-packed action episode.

Then there’s Apocalyspe that will show us the ultimate effect of the previous pestilence. The world is near to the end, the human race is almost extinct but there’s a little hope still alive. A couple of post-nuclear knights that will fight to find and destroy the evil pyramid. Of course this epsiode is gory homage to post-atomic b-movies of the eighties.

The ambitious project is born from the collaboration of five young independent Italian directors: Alex Visani, Antonio Zannone, Luca Alessandro and the duo Roberto Albanesi & Simone Chiesa. Each one of them will give birth to an episode of terror generated by the pyramid.

THE PYRAMID gather the strength and passion of this group of artists and represent the Italian independent scene in fact each one of the segments will be filmed in different parts of Italy to prove that horror is alive and kicking and take its wrath along all the country.

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“Pieces Of Talent” Now VOD On Vimeo



pieces of talentThe horror thriller “Pieces Of Talent” is now available to watch on demand over at Vimeo. The film is directed by Joe Stauffer and comes from Shutter Blade Media. It stars Kristi Ray, David Long, Nate Panning, Barbara Weetman, Jon Stafford, Taylor Kowalski, Shaun O'Rourke and tells the story of Charlotte, a disillusioned aspiring actress who works a night job as a cocktail waitress in order to make ends meet. Charlotte catches a break when seemingly chance circumstances put her in contact with a local filmmaker, David Long. David and Charlotte form a quick friendship that leads to Charlotte landing the starring role in David’s newest project. David quickly becomes obsessed with Charlotte and begins building his bloody masterpiece by killing members of the community. He films each encounter with the ultimate goal of filming Charlotte as his final installment. David is a happily obsessed individual willing to do whatever it takes to make “true art”. He utilizes his charm and skills to make something dark and deranged seem utterly beautiful and loving.

Trailer Released For “Legend Of The Hillbilly Butcher”



Hillbilly ButcherA trailer has been released for Joaquin Montalvan’s “Legend Of The Hillbilly Butcher”. The film is produced by SledgeHammer Films and stars Paul E. Respass, Theresa Holly, Chris Shumway, Stephen Feinberg. On a side note I can’t find anything about this film’s portrayal of hill folk offensive because quite frankly being from the south I talk this way and by god if it would be permitted socially I sure the fuck would write this way as well. I think imma gonna like dis un!

In a lonely backwoods shack, Carl Henry Jessup spends his time drinkin' and thinkin' bout dem good ole days with only his half sister Rae Lynn and his friend Billy Wayne to keep him company.

He lives an isolated existence - that is, until folks start tresspassin' on his property, and Carl gets off his ass and becomes the Hillbilly Butcher.

“Cyclical Effect” Has It’s Release Date



cyclical effectFaux Pas Films “Cyclical Effect” has been given it’s release date. The Michael Wade Johnson directed horror/dramedy will be released on April 1st and stars Dustin Risley, Russ Croley, Michelle Tomlinson, Shannon Sylvia, Melantha Blackthorne and Bianca Barnett. You can get your copy at the film’s website.

Ian goes through a downward spiral as he loses control of everything solid in his life. He must reinvent himself but can he find a perfect match on a dating website and get to where he needs to be before the costumed killer preys on him?

Astronaut: The Last Push Has Finished Production


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Check out the trailer for the psychological sci-fi drama “Astronaut: The Last Push”. The film has just finished production and follows an astronauts journey through space as he makes his way to Europa. The film stars Khary Payton,Lance Henriksen in this emotional character study.

When a tragic accident cuts the mission to explore life on Europa short, the multi year journey home to Earth is riddled with obstacles, solitude and a life changing decision facing the survivors.

“Lord Of Tears” Makes Goal And Gets Accepted At San Diego Comic Fest



Lord Of Tears - Copy_thumbWow coming off of a great Kickstarter campaign which reached it’s total funding needs within 10 days “Lord Of Tears” has been accepted into San Diego Comic Fest and continues to gain interest in the horror community. Lawrie Brewster who directed the film from a screenplay written by Sarah Daly is now offering fans an opportunity to pre-order a DVD copy now as the film may not be available through traditional means until next year. Also check out the new trailer and some kick ass stills of the infamous Owlman featured in the psychological horror story steeped in superstition and mythology. 

“Lord Of Tears” hits San Diego Comic Fest in October at the Town And Country Resort & Convention Center from the 4-6th. Now would be a good time to jump over to the Kickstarter page to show some love and put your name on the list who will own the film way before the mass public. A film that has the royal Highness Sultan Saeed Al Darmaki of Abu Dabi attached to it as one of the films executive producers. Now check out that trailer and some awesome stills of the notorious creature that haunts our protagonist in “Lord Of Tears”.



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New Clip From “Maniac”



Maniac-UK-Poster“Maniac” finally will be available on June 21st for all of us who have been dying for the film to finally be released. Now we have a new clip from the cult classic remake starring Elijah Wood and Nora Arnezeder.

Just when the streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt.

Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As their friendship develops and Frank’s obsession escalates, it becomes clear that she has unleashed a long-repressed compulsion to stalk and kill.

Details On Horror Anthology “Tales From Hell”



Tales-from-Hell-610x909Tales From Hell” is a horror anthology from Silver Shadows Productions’ Kelly Michael Stewart. Bringing together directors Ryan M. Andrews, Navin Ramaswaran, Gabriel Carrer, Chad Archibald the stories are told in the classic format of such genre cults as Night Gallery and Tales From The Crypt being presented in an almost television inspired setting. There will be four original shorts hosted by Robert Nolan as different characters for each of the segments. Check out the concept trailer below.

My Review Of “Bludgeon” 2013


bludgeonBludgeon” comes from Indie director Shawn Burkett and tells the story of a rash of murders that end suddenly in 1992. Then twenty years later more deaths rock the small community just as before. The story is inspired by true events. At least the murders that occurred originally are actual events, I am not sure if the second set of murders are actual events or creative licensing of the story. Either way the story is disturbing to say the least. Burkett’s story is a somewhat dark, cold  view into the nightmarish tale and stars Haley Madison, Erin R. Ryan, Scott Gillespie, Jadie Goodpasture, Liz Wazenegger, Missy Stout, Corey Thrush, Ashley Rice.

First I have to say that the movie is truly surprising as I went in expecting one type of story but was quickly given a different tale all together. The story begins with a very classic montage of dark silent scenes of of young women falling meeting a fatal end as eerie folk music plays out. It sets the atmosphere and somber aspects of what is happening on screen perfectly and right away I am eager to see this film. The start is very reminiscent of 70’s grindhouse or classic gore flicks that I enjoyed growing up. However this is not your classic gore induced slasher fest happening. The film gracefully transforms into an arthouse indie character driven melodrama as the tale picks up twenty years later. The switch almost causes a revolt in my mind about the loss of the gore teasing slasher beginning but soon I found myself focusing once more on the story that unfolds in “Bludgeon”. It becomes more of an emotional story that builds on an abstract sense of chilling dark atmosphere.

I did enjoy the the contrast of of stories as the original gore inspired tale begins showing the brutal events that are obviously the true events that took place in the small town against the more cinema verite influenced story that unfolds in the larger portion of the movie. Both where shot beautifully and create a very sinister atmosphere of suspense. I did feel the film was lacking somewhat in actual story material which provides the arch between the two very different story lines of past and present. It was enough to make me feel conflicted about the overall movie but not enough to make me not enjoy the film or its off-beat aspects. There is not a whole lot of gore in the film but there is a lot of emotion played out here and I have to say that this is one of the first times I have ever felt more sympathetic to the psychopath than I should have for a homicidal maniac.

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