‘Mankind is on the menu’

Night Claws – aka Apex-Predator – is a 2012 American horror feature film written and directed by David A. Prior (Zombie Wars; Mutant Species; Aerobi-Cide; Sledgehammer) from a story by executive producer Fabio Soldani (Blood Pigs). The movie stars Reb Brown, Leilani Sarelle, Ted Prior and Sherrie Rose.

A small town is being terrorised by a killer Bigfoot. Scientist Sarah Evans (Leilani Sarelle) arrives to help the town’s sheriff (Reb Brown) and his deputy girlfriend Roberta (Sherrie Rose) hunt the creature and put an end to the killings.

At the same time, Hunter Crawford (David Campbell) is a thug-like character who along with his two henchmen, is hunting the creature himself, for his own personal gain.

Enter Charlie Parker (Ted Prior) a tough east coast type who is on a survivalist camping trip, led by the seasoned survivalist Sharon Farmer (Tara Sanford Kleinpeter) at the behest of his young trophy wife (Alissa Koenig) and whom, by no fault of his own, winds up being used as bait for the creature.

Furthermore, a sinister plot is afoot and at its centre is the vengeful Mister Testi (Frank Stallone)…

Reviews:

“Night Claws is somewhere mediocre, if ranked among other Bigfoot movies. It is worse than Abominable, yet much better than most recent Bigfoot movies […] So, if you’re simply a fan of bigfoot movies, you might as well skip Night Claws. However if you know who Prior, Stallone, Rose, and Brown are, then definitely give it a look.” BZ Film

” …culminates with a baffling third act plot twist built around the backstory of a character who up until the moment another character appears for the first time to reveal that backstory had almost no inkling of a backstory of any kind. And none of it has anything at all to do with Bigfoot […] Fun is something Night Claws just doesn’t deliver enough of to overcome all of its other shortcomings.” Dread Central

“Night Claws is an example of good intentions gone wrong, missteps in motion. The film embraces its b-movie aspirations but lacks the confidence to go full cheese or commitment to go totally original, resulting in a confusing and boring mess. The film steers to far from its titular creature and over complicates the plot with too many distractions.” Horror News

“The acting is decent, it’s a joy to see the return of Reb Brown to the screen as he hasn’t done any acting since 1998. The camerawork and editing is good. The soundtrack is nice. The pacing is very good, the running time is just over 80 minutes and I like that Night Claws isn’t too predictable as there are a couple of twists along the way.” Jorgen Lundin, Independent Flicks

“The acting is roundly awful, the dialogue hilariously bad and the editing is so clumsy that actors can be seen preparing their lines before they speak them. Most viewers will lose patience after the first scene but if you can appreciate those lightning in a bottle moments when passion and naivete meet ineptitude, you’ll have a blast with Night Claws.” Eric Hillis, The Movie Waffler

Cast and characters:

• Reb Brown … Sheriff Joe Kelly – Robowar; Howling II: … Your Sister Is a Werewolf; Sssssss
• Leilani Sarelle … Sarah Evans
• Ted Prior … Charlie Parker – Aerobi-Cide
• Sherrie Rose … Deputy Roberta Glickman
• David Campbell … Hunter Crawford
• Frank Stallone … Testi – ChupaCobra short; The Masque of the Red Death (1989); Heart of Midnight
• Tara Kleinpeter … Sharon Farmer
• Alissa Koenig … Cindy Parker
• Art. James … Cooter Brown
• Edward Saint Pe’ … Edward
• Candace Weber Shiffman … Linda
• Tracy Miller … Doc Hopper
• Garrett Hines … Donny Ulrich
• Chelsea Rowland … Sandy Sanders
• A. Wade Miller … Thomas

Filming locations:

Mobile, Alabama, USA

IMDb

Bigfoot on HORRORPEDIA

The following is a list of the best horror films currently available on Netflix USA and UK in June 2018.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

In small-town Virginia, police are called to a gruesome crime scene where a family has been massacred in their own house. In the basement, an even more disturbing discovery is made: the partially buried corpse of a nude woman.

The cops take this unidentified victim to a small, family-run morgue, where they ask proprietor Tommy Tilden (Brian Cox) to perform an urgent forensic analysis in order to help determine what happened at the blood-stained house… [read more]

The Babadook (2014)

Six years after the death of her husband, Amelia struggles to discipline her “out-of-control” six-year-old Samuel – a son she finds difficult to love. Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both.

When a disturbing storybook called “The Babadook” turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he’s been dreaming about… [read more]

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

In 1897, newly-qualified solicitor Jonathan Harker takes the Transylvanian Count Dracula as a client from his colleague R.M. Renfield, who has gone insane.

Jonathan travels to Transylvania to arrange Dracula’s real estate acquisition in London, including Carfax Abbey. He meets Dracula, who discovers a picture of Harker’s fiancée, Mina, and believes that she is the reincarnation of his dead wife Elisabeta… [read more]

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Technicians Gary Sitterson and Steve Hadley prepare for an operation, one of several taking place around the world, while joking with fellow technician Wendy Lin.

College students Dana Polk, Jules Louden and her boyfriend Curt Vaughan, Holden McCrea, and Marty Mikalski go to a remote cabin in the woods for a vacation. While there, the technicians control the local environment and give them mood-altering drugs to manipulate the group into following a scenario. The drugs gradually reduce the group’s intelligence and awareness, and also increase their libido… [read more]

Carrie (1976)

Withdrawn and sensitive teen Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) faces taunting from classmates at school and abuse from her fanatically pious mother (Piper Laurie) at home. When strange occurrences start happening around Carrie, she begins to suspect that she has supernatural powers. Invited to the prom by the empathetic Tommy Ross (William Katt), Carrie tries to let her guard down, but things eventually take a dark and violent turn… [read more]

The Conjuring (2013)

When a rural family of seven begin to suspect that they are not alone on their Harrisville, RI farmstead, they hire world-renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren to check out their secluded farmhouse.

The Warrens may be seasoned ghost hunters, but they soon realise that they are in over their heads. As supernatural activity around the home becomes increasingly violent and ominous, the couple must fight for their lives in order to destroy the most terrifying evil they have ever encountered… [read more]

Creep (2014)

Aaron (Patrick Brice) is an optimistic videographer that decides to work for Josef (Mark Duplass) after answering his ad on Craigslist. All Aaron has to do is record Josef throughout the day and remain discreet about the entire set-up. Josef tells Aaron that he’ll be recording a series of videos for his unborn son, as he’s suffering from a terminal illness and will never be able to see him grow up. While Josef seems strange, the money is too good for Aaron to pass up and he agrees to the task.

However, as the day progresses Josef becomes increasingly strange and Aaron finds it difficult to tell whether or not some of the things Josef is saying or doing are truly jokes or actually a sign of true danger and mental instability… [read more]

Cult of Chucky (2017)

Confined to an asylum for the criminally insane for the past four years, Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) is erroneously convinced that she, not Chucky, murdered her entire family.

However, when Nica’s psychiatrist introduces a new therapeutic “tool” to facilitate his patients’ group sessions — an all-too-familiar “Good Guy” doll with an innocently smiling face — a string of grisly deaths begins to plague the asylum, and Nica starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t crazy after all… [read more]

The Descent (2005)

Having entered an unmapped cave system, six young women become trapped and are hunted by bloodthirsty human hybrids lurking within… [read more]

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

On the run from a bank robbery that left several police officers dead, Seth Gecko (George Clooney) and his paranoid, loose-cannon brother, Richard (Quentin Tarantino), hightail it to the Mexican border.

Kidnapping preacher Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel) and his kids, the criminals sneak across the border in the family’s RV and hole up in a topless bar. Unfortunately, the bar also happens to be home base for a gang of vampires, and the brothers and their hostages have to fight their way out… [read more]

Gerald’s Game (2017)

Once again, Jessie Burlingame (Carla Gugino) has been talked into submitting to her husband, Gerald’s, kinky sex games—something that she’s frankly had enough of, and they never held much charm for her to begin with. So much for a “romantic getaway” at their secluded summer home.

After Jessie is handcuffed to the bedposts—and Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) crosses a line with his wife—the day ends with deadly consequences. Now Jessie is utterly trapped in an isolated lakeside house that has become her prison—and comes face-to-face with her deepest, darkest fears and memories… [read more]

Hush (2016)

After an accident robbed her of her hearing as a teenager, author Maddie Young began to lead a life of seclusion. As an adult she spends her time in an isolated cabin out in the woods, but Maddie soon realises she is no longer alone and is now being hunted by a masked killer… [read more]

The Invitation (2015)

Will and Eden were once a loving couple. After a tragedy took their son, Eden disappeared. Two years later, out of the blue, she returns with a new husband… and as a different person, eerily changed and eager to reunite with her ex and those she left behind.

Over the course of a dinner party in the house that was once his, the haunted Will is gripped by mounting evidence that Eden and her new friends have a mysterious and terrifying agenda… [read more]

It Follows (2014)

For nineteen year-old Jay, fall should be about school, boys and weekends out at the lake. But after a seemingly innocent sexual encounter, she finds herself plagued by strange visions and the inescapable sense that someone, or something, is following her. Faced with this burden, Jay and her teenage friends must find a way to escape the horrors that seem to be only a few steps behind… [read more]

John Dies at the End (2012)

A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return as no longer human. Can two college dropouts save humankind from this silent, otherworldly invasion? [read more]

Misery (1990)

Sick of his 19th Century romantic heroine, Misery Chastain, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) kills her off and writes a more personal, modern novel.

When his car crashes in remote mountains Paul is saved by ‘number one fan’ Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who adores Misery and has even named her pig after her. As she nurses him back to health at her remote dwelling, he realises she is not just going to let him go… [read more]

Oculus (2013)

Ten years previously, tragedy struck the Russell family, leaving the lives of teenage siblings Tim and Kaylie forever changed when Tim was convicted of the brutal murder of their parents.

Now in his twenties, Tim is newly released from protective custody and only wants to move on with his life; but Kaylie, still haunted by that fateful night, is convinced her parents’ deaths were caused by something else altogether: a malevolent supernatural force­­ unleashed through the Lasser Glass, an antique mirror in their childhood home… [read more]

The Omen (1976)

American diplomat Robert (Gregory Peck) adopts Damien (Harvey Stephens) when his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick), delivers a stillborn child. After Damien’s first nanny hangs herself, Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton) warns Robert that Damien will kill Katherine’s unborn child.

Shortly thereafter, Brennan dies and Katherine miscarries when Damien pushes her off a balcony. As more people around Damien die, Robert investigates Damien’s background and realises his adopted son may be the Antichrist…

[read more]

The Ritual (2017)

After a tragic robbery and homicide incident, four British former university friends reunite for a hiking trip in Sweden. However, they encounter a menacing presence in the forest that seems to be stalking them… [read more]

Se7en (1995)

The newly transferred David Mills (Pitt) and the soon-to-retire William Somerset (Freeman) are homicide detectives who become deeply involved in the case of a sadistic serial killer whose meticulously planned murders correspond to the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, pride, lust, and envy… [read more]

Teeth (2007)

Dawn (Jess Weixler) is an active member of her high-school chastity club but, when she meets Tobey (Hale Appleman), nature takes its course, and the pair answer the call. They suddenly learn she is a living example of the ‘vagina dentata’ myth, when the encounter takes a grisly turn… [read more]

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) packs her things and leaves her apartment, angry over a dispute with her partner Ben (Bradley Cooper). While driving away she turns on the radio; it claims that there are numerous blackouts in major cities. Michelle becomes distracted after Ben calls her, and her car crashes and goes off the road from the distraction, flipping upside down.

When she awakens, she discovers she is chained to the wall in an unknown location. After reaching her phone only to receive no signal, a man named Howard (John Goodman) enters the room and tells her he saved her life and the world outside is now uninhabitable due to the nuclear or chemical fallout from “an attack.”… [read more]

30 Days of Night (2007)

In the far Northern Hemisphere, the small town of Barrow, Alaska, experiences a solid month of darkness every year. Though most of the residents head south for the winter, some townspeople remain behind. However, those that stay regret their decision when, one year, hungry vampires descend on Barrow to feed. Sheriff Eben (Josh Hartnett), his wife (Melissa George) and a dwindling band of survivors must try to last until dawn breaks over Barrow’s monthlong twilight… [read more]

Train to Busan (2016)

Seok-woo is a fund manager, workaholic, and divorced single father to his young daughter, Soo-an. For her birthday, she asks him to take her to Busan to see her mother.

As the train departs, a convulsing, ill young woman boards with a bite wound on her leg. She becomes a zombie and attacks a train attendant, quickly spreading infection in the train. Seok-woo receives a call from his co-worker warning him that “violent riots” have erupted in Korea… [read more]

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)

A group of “college kids” are going camping in the Appalachian mountains. While at a gas station, they encounter Tucker and Dale, two well-meaning hillbillies who have just bought the vacation home of their dreams: a run-down lakeside cabin, deep in the woods. On Tucker’s advice, Dale tries to talk to Allison, but because of his inferiority complex and appearance, he only scares her and her friends… [read more]

Veronica (2017)

Madrid, 1991: During a total eclipse of the sun, Catholic schoolgirl Veronica and two friends decide to make a Ouija board to invoke her father’s spirit. After the glass shatters, Veronica enters a kind of trance and passes out, frightening her friends.

Having recovered, she starts to perceive strange things at home that make her think she’s brought her father back to the world of the living [read more]

The Wailing (2016)

A mysterious sickness is spreading among the people of the Goksung village, causing violent murderous outbreaks followed by stupor and eventually death.

Police and doctors first suspect the victims were poisoned by wild mushrooms. Officer Jong-goo, who is investigating the cases, meets a mysterious young woman called Moo-myeong (“no name” in Korean), who tells him about a Japanese stranger and his involvement with the deaths… [read more]

Zombieland (2009)

After a virus turns most people into zombies, the world’s surviving humans remain locked in an ongoing battle against the hungry undead. Four survivors — Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) and his cohorts Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) — abide by a list of survival rules and zombie-killing strategies as they make their way toward a rumoured safe haven in Los Angeles… [read more]

Cry Little Sister is a rock song written by Gerard McMahon (under the pseudonym Gerard McMann) and Michael Mainieri and performed by McMahon for the soundtrack to the horror film The Lost Boys (1987). The album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200, however the single did not chart in the US.

McMahon has said that he “wanted it to be about the longing for family from a rejected youth’s perspective, which I went through myself and that many of us have felt.”

Lyrics:

Cover versions:

• Charlie Sexton, on his 1989 self-titled album
• Mystic Circle, as a bonus track on their 2002 album Damien
• Zug Izland, on their 2003 album Cracked Tiles
• Blutengel, on their 2005 album The Oxidising Angel
• Aiden, on the soundtrack of the sequel film Lost Boys: The Tribe and the song also featured from the film Lost Boys: The Thirst.
• Nikki McKibbin, on her 2007 album, Unleashed
• Vesperian Sorrow, on their 2007 album, Regenesis Creation
• Ventana, on their 2009 album, American Survival Guide Vol. 1
• L.A. Guns, on their 2009 Album Covered in Guns
• Seasons After, on their 2010 album Through Tomorrow. This is the only charted cover of the song, reaching #20 on the Mainstream Rock charts.
• Eminem samples the track on his song “You’re Never Over” on his 2010 album Recovery
• Tangerine Dream, in their 2010 album Under Cover – Chapter One
• Celldweller released a “Klash-Up” in October 2012, featuring incidental music titled Hello Zepp from the first Saw movie.
• Krayzie Bone samples the track on his song “Hold on to Your Soul” on his 2015 album Chasing the Devil
• Dee Snider on the album Oculus Infernum, part of his side project Van Helsing’s Curse.
• Shining covers the song on their 2018 album X – Varg Utan Flock.
• On June 15, 2018, Marilyn Manson released a single cover version for Josh Boone’s upcoming film, The New Mutants.

Wikipedia

‘Never sleep again’

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 2010 American supernatural slasher horror feature film directed by Samuel Bayer from a screenplay by Wesley Strick (Cape Fear) and Eric Heisserer. The movie stars Jackie Earle Haley, Kyle Gallner, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker, and Kellan Lutz.

A remake of Wes Craven’s 1984 film of the same name; produced by Michael Bay and Platinum Dunes, it was conceived as a reboot of the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.

A Nightmare on Elm Street was originally going to follow the same design as Platinum Dunes’ other remake, Friday the 13th (2009), with the writers taking the best elements from each of the films and creating a single storyline with them. Eventually, they decided to use Craven’s original storyline, and try to create a scarier film. They reduced Freddy’s quips, bringing him back to a darker nature; which included making the character not just a child killer but a molester too.

The decision was also made to bring Freddy’s physical appearance closer to that of an actual burn victim, and the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) was used in certain sections of Haley’s face to further assist in that vision.

Craven has expressed his displeasure with the remaking of his film, primarily because he was not consulted on the project as has been done on previous films of his that have been remade. Robert Englund, who portrayed Freddy in the previous eight films, voiced his support of the remake and the casting of Haley in the role of Freddy.

Kris Fowles (Katie Cassidy) goes to the Springwood Diner to meet with her boyfriend, Dean Russell (Kellan Lutz), who falls asleep at the table and meets a man covered in burn scars. The burned man cuts Dean’s throat in the dream, but in reality it appears that Dean is cutting his own throat.

At Dean’s funeral, Kris sees a photograph of her and Dean as children, but cannot recall ever knowing Dean before high school. Kris begins to dream about the burned man herself and refuses to go to sleep for fear that she will die in her dreams.

Jesse Braun (Thomas Dekker), Kris’s ex-boyfriend, shows up to keep her company while she sleeps, but Kris meets the burned man in her dreams and is murdered. Covered in her blood, Jesse runs to Nancy’s house and learns that Nancy has been having dreams about the same man: Freddy Krueger (Jackie Earle Haley)…

Reviews:

“The complaint I heard most was that it’s too dark to be a Freddy movie but if you watch the original, it’s just as dark. None of the kills or dream sequences are memorable. They homage the Tina kill, but if you’re gonna do that why not try and make it better? It’s not that awful but it’s nothing special.” John Moser, Awful Horror Movies

“Despite the darker turn and some better visuals, the movie just doesn’t seem as scary as the first A Nightmare on Elm Street. The jumps are just not shocking, and if you saw the first movie many of the deaths echo the first deaths. The end of the film gets kind of sloppy with and uncovering that Krueger did molest them (there was some doubt for a bit) doesn’t really add much.” JP Roscoe, Basement Rejects

” …a barely-cohesive narrative supported by poor acting, terribly dull characters, sluggish pacing, generic atmosphere and music, and a Freddy Krueger who looks more like a deformed space alien than, well, Freddy Krueger.” Martin Liebman, Blu-ray.com

“Here even Freddy is just Jason with clunky dialogue who has no imagination or charisma that boils down to zingers like “Remember me?” and “I am now.” Who knew demons spoke in short hand? His kills are conventional and boring and the rest of his new mold is based around how many times he can pop up and shock the audience for an instant…” Felix Vasquez, Cinema Crazed

” …while director Samuel Bayer didn’t take full advantage of his opportunity and improve on the original, he has managed to direct the best film in the franchise since Part 3. Although the premise has become tiresome, this film has managed to add something new to the saga… Digital Retribution

“I did jump a few times, and I liked Haley’s dour malevolence, but overall, the new Nightmare on Elm Street is a by-the-numbers bad dream that plays a little too much like a corporately ordered rerun.” Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

“The pace never quickens nor slows to a dread-inducing creep […] Although there’s admittedly something truly unsavory about Haley’s portrayal of the relentless dream stalker, even with his electronically deepened voice and a pointless amount of backstory, there’s just no replacing Englund.” Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter

“Bayer plays with shape and color interestingly in a scene where Quentin (Kyle Gallner) nearly drowns and dreams Freddy’s backstory, but beyond that, he settles for delivering the cheapest, lamest, and most unoriginal of thrills, and in so doing accomplishes something unlikely: making one hanker for the ‘80s and the beauty of analog-age special effects.” Ed Gonzalez, Slant magazine

Main cast and characters:

• Jackie Earle Haley … Freddy Krueger
• Kyle Gallner … Quentin Smith
• Rooney Mara … Nancy Holbrook
• Katie Cassidy … Kris Fowles
• Thomas Dekker … Jesse Braun
• Kellan Lutz … Dean Russell
• Clancy Brown … Alan Smith
• Connie Britton … Dr. Gwen Holbrook
• Lia Mortensen … Nora Fowles

Filming:

Principal photography began on May 5, 2009 and wrapped on July 10, 2009.

Release:

A Nightmare on Elm Street was released in the USA on April 30, 2010 to 3,332 movie houses and approximately 4,700 screens.

Wikipedia

‘Somebody wants to talk to you’

Seance – aka 666: Seance Hour – is a 2011 Australian supernatural horror feature film written and directed by Nathan Hill. The movie stars Daniel Rankin, Bronwyn Murphy, Piers Cunningham, Stephanie Wakefield, Lara Welsh and James Lawson.

After William Trigger’s fiancé dies in a car accident, his life begins to spiral downwards into loneliness and seclusion.

Taking a friend’s advice, he attends a gathering, unaware that a séance is waiting for him on his arrival to try and contact the deceased. When he returns home things are not what they seem. Something or someone begins to haunt him…

The movie is released on DVD in the USA by Bayview Entertainment as 666: Seance Hour on September 18, 2018.

Reviews:

“This isn’t an out and out horror film; Séance is a journey into one man’s fall into madness and it chilled me to the bone. The overall mood of the film is dark and creeping, with a slow pacing that definitely doesn’t hurt the film at all – it actually completes it!” The Other View

” …the atmosphere and tension is warp into factor nine and beyond. Nathan Hill adds the chill to Australian horror, and doesn’t break a sweat in doing so […] Some of the acting is slightly on the wooden side of the bench, and in a couple of places I wondered if the dialogue wasn’t slightly too formal for an Aussie setting.” Jeff Ritchie, Scary Minds

” …quite dreary in subject matter and quite slow in pacing. The film left this film fan with a bad taste in the mouth and this is an independent thriller that is more about following a depressed lonely man moping about than offering any horrifying thrills.” Michael Allen, 28 Days Later Analysis

Filming locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Absentia and Return of the Killer Shrews also use this artwork

‘Fear the skies!’

Roadkill is a 2011 American/Irish horror feature film directed by Johannes Roberts (The Strangers: Prey at Night; The Other Side of the Door; 47 Meters Down; Storage 24; et al). The movie stars Kacey Barnfield, Oliver James, Diarmuid Noyes and Stephen Rea.

Kate (Kacey Barnfield) is traveling around Ireland in an R.V. with her ex-boyfriend Ryan (Oliver James), brother Joel (Colin Maher) and friends Hailey (Eliza Bennett), Chuck (Diarmuid Noyes), Tommy (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith) and Anita (Roisin Murphy).

After driving into the countryside, the group stop off at a small shop, where they encounter Luca (Ned Dennehy) who attempts to scam them from buying a medallion, and warns them it is dangerous before Chuck steals the medallion and the group attempt to make a quick getaway.

However, as they drive away they hit an old woman, who puts a curse on the group, telling them the mythical bird the roc will take vengeance on them, before dying.

The group quickly drive away but hit a patch of thick fog and become lost, as fears of the curse heighten. Stopping, they encounter a young boy in the road. Anita talks to the boy, but he runs away before the roc grabs Anita and drags her into the air. Her body is dropped, with half of her face mauled off before the roc returns and flies away with her…

Reviews:

“In case you’ve not realized this yet – this was a “SyFy Original” movie. I didn’t actually know that going in, but the pedigree was obvious after only a few minutes. Had it been called “Mega-Roc” I would have known before pressing “play”.  Just stay away from it.  It’s the worst kind of bad – uninspired, lazy and insipid.” Depressed Press

“Roadkill is by all accounts bad, but, as with Beneath Loch Ness, it ticks a lot of the silly monster movie boxes for me. I don’t know that it’s the best Syfy horror movie I’ve seen, but it’s probably in the top ten or so.” Devon B., Digital Retribution

” …Roadkill would’ve been reminiscent of Jeepers Creepers 2 with Ireland substituting for whichever cornfield state Victor Salva’s sequel was set in. However, screenwriter Rick Suvalle jimmies a secondary plot involving a backwoods-style killer a la Wolf Creek or Eden Lake. Here, it’s the evil gypsies who aren’t happy about the murder – but aren’t exactly altruistic in any case. The protagonists run afoul of them several times, leading to shotgun blasts and other “torture p*rn” shenanigans.” Justin Felix, DVD Talk

“Yes the bird looked kind of crappy, but that’s why we had hillbilly gypsies. Sure the movie was wildly inconsistent and erratic, but outside of Hailey the slut on occasion, most of these actors were super consistent in keeping their accents in check. What I’m saying is that ‘Roadkill’ is like another Sci-Fi epic, Pterodactyl, only entertaining. And there’s no Coolio.” Christopher Armstead, Film Critics United

” …Roadkill is just another one of those poor late night creature features which relies on cliches and uses poor CGI. The only genuinely good thing about it is that it is shot on location and the scenery is a pleasant distraction.” Andy Webb, The Movie Scene

Cast and characters:

• Keith Burke … Deputy – Boy Eats Girl
• Stephen Rea … Seamus – Out of the Dark; Asylum (2014); Werewolf: The Beast Among Us; Underworld: Awakening; The Devil’s Mercy; Feardotcom; Interview with the Vampire; The Company of Wolves; et al
• Kacey Clarke [as Kacey Barnfield] … Kate – Bayou Tales; Underworld: Afterlife
• Roisin Murphy … Anita
• Colin Maher … Joel
• Kobna Holdbrook-Smith … Tommy
• Oliver James … Ryan
• Diarmuid Noyes … Chuck
• Eliza Bennett … Hailey
• Ned Dennehy … Luca
• Stella McCusker … Fortune Teller
• Eve Macklin … Drina
• Una C. … Gypsy [uncredited]

Filming locations:

The film was shot on location in Ireland.

Release:

Roadkill was released on DVD in the UK on August 30, 2011.

The post Roadkill – USA/Ireland, 2011 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘That which you carve may come back to carve YOU’

Night of the Pumpkin is a 2010 American horror feature film directed by Bill Zebub (SantaClaus: A Horror Story; Dickshark; Holocaust Cannibal; ZombieChrist). The movie stars Chelsea O’Toole, Kellyn Lindsay and Shoshana McCallum.

The Pumpkin Man embarks on a murderous spree on Mischief Night…

Reviews:

“The villain in the movie is supposed to be based on the Irish myth of Stingy Jack. The original myth is spun/twisted to fit into the weird religious narrative between two of the girls. The movie totally fails to build suspense or be the least bit scary.” AdClark09

The film is released on DVD in the USA on November 13, 2018 as Pumpkin Man.

“Halloween ushers the most original monsters ever conceived. The night brings terror of a kind that could only be imagined. Witness a slasher movie that is not a slasher movie; a monster movie that is not a monster movie, a horror movie that is not a horror movie, and absurdity that masks wisdom.”

The post Night of the Pumpkin aka Pumpkin Man – USA, 2010 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘One way in. No way out’

Hole is a 2010 American horror thriller feature film directed by Joaquin Montalvan (Cannibal Corpse Killers; Legend of the Hillbilly Butcher; Mobius) from a screenplay co-written with  Eunice Font. The movie stars Paul E. Respass, Teem Lucas, Jim Barile, Charlotte Bjornbak and Char Frost.

Ed Kunkle (Paul E. Respass) is a convicted felon tormented by his own demons – and currently the suspect in a string of serial killings involving five missing local women.

Eve Adams (Teem Lucas) is a single woman trying to cope with a tragic loss. And Bodie Jameson (Jim Barile) is a homicide detective looking for answers. All three lives will intertwine with disturbing, deadly consequences when they discover what is inside Ed’s Shed…

Reviews:

“The film has a rawness about it that makes it a more interesting watch than it would be as a polished product. It’s gritty and dirty in a way that reminds me of a low budget Rob Zombie flick. And I mean that in a good way. The editing leaves the film feeling a bit disjointed, but it has a personality to it that is undeniable…” Seth Poulin, Celluloid Terror

“The acting in this one is actually very well done and Respass does an amazing job in his role. Respass puts his heart and soul in to his performance and it shows. That, or he truly is unstable like the characters he portrays. The story is actually very detailed and complex. Unfortunately, it does not unfold well on screen.” Horror Society

Release:

Hole was released on DVD in the USA on November 24, 2015 by Wild Eye Releasing. Bonus features include commentary by writer-director Joaquin Montalvan, a making-of documentary and a featurette titled “Ed’s Journal.”

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Danielle Harris is an actress and director, born in New York on June 1st, 1977. Her career began with roles in various TV series in the mid-’80s, eventually growing to independent films, blockbusters and some notable voice acting. However, it was her participation in a four Halloween films that set the course for Danielle’s fate as a scream queen.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers was directed by Dwight H. Little (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series; et al) and released in October 1988 to great commercial success. Set ten years after the original massacre, Michael Myers is back to kill his seven-year-old niece, Jamie (Harris) on Halloween. Danielle beat out several child actresses including Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina the Teenage Witch) to secure her first film role, and subsequently kept her on-set clown costume for years; even going trick or treating as Jamie Lloyd.

Danielle portrayed Jamie again in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard. The character is mute for half of the film and must escape her masked killer uncle once more. Although Halloween 5 wasn’t as successful as its predecessor, Danielle decided that horror movies were all she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

When it came to Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), Danielle stepped back from reprising her role as Jamie Lloyd due to scripting issues and the low salary offered. It was instead taken on by an older actress, although Danielle can still be seen in ‘The Producer’s Cut’ which offers an alternate ending.

1998 saw Danielle playing goth girl, Tosh, in the slasher Urban Legend directed by Jamie Blanks (Valentine). The film centres around a group of college students who suspect that a series of murders are connected to… urban legends! Tosh is murdered in her bed while her roommate sleeps with headphones in on the other side of the room. It was Danielle’s first return to horror since Halloween 5.

The 2007 Halloween remake re-launched Danielle’s career after a long spell of small-time roles and was the highest grossing film in the Halloween franchise. Initially, director Rob Zombie (The Devil’s Rejects) didn’t want anyone from the previous films involved, but Danielle’s audition changed his mind and she was cast as Annie Brackett. Unlike the original, Annie survives Michael Myers’ brutal attack, only to be finished off by him in Halloween II (2009). Danielle has stated that she had a much harder time with the remakes, which didn’t have the same sense of fun as her childhood roles as Jamie. First-time nude scenes and an abundance of physical violence were difficult for the actress to shake off emotionally.

Also in 2007, Danielle starred in Left for Dead directed by Christopher Harrison: another Halloween-themed horror based on a group of frat boys that are stalked by a machete-toting maniac. She then landed a leading role in 2009’s Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet directed by Frank Sabatella. A group of teenagers uncover the truth about the legend of Bloody Mary after conducting a séance at the grave of a local axe murderer. Word has it that Mary Hatchet will keep returning to kill until she finds her child, Alissa (Harris).

In the same year, Danielle appeared in The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond from director Gabriel Bologna. Nine friends holiday on a private island and discover a game that brings out the worst in all of them. She also starred alongside Robert Englund in the web series Fear Clinic, where a group of young adults visit a clinic to treat their phobias; only for them to seep into a terrifying reality.

In 2010, Danielle took over the leading role of Marybeth in the Hatchet series. Beginning in 2006, the comedic slasher horror series directed by Adam Green sees a group of tourists taking a haunted swamp tour in New Orleans. After getting lost, they find themselves on the run from the disfigured hatchet-wielding legend, Victor Crowley (genre icon Kane Hodder). In Hatchet 2, Marybeth (Harris) returns to the swamp with an army of hunters to put an end to Crowley’s reign of terror; however, it isn’t until Hatchet III (2013) that she learns the secret to ending his curse once and for all.

Again in 2010, Danielle starred in the superior post-apocalyptic vampire flick Stake Land directed by Jim Mickle; and Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer from director Mark Vadik. Further genre credits include ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 (2011), Shiver (2012), Havenhurst aka Resurrection of Evil (2016) and a leading role in See No Evil 2. The 2014 slasher directed by Jen and Sylvia Soska (American Mary) sees hulking psychopath Jacob Goodnight rising from the dead and launching a killing spree in the city morgue, where undertaker Amy (Harris) is celebrating her birthday with friends. Also making an appearance is fellow scream queen, Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps). Although star-billed in meta-slasher Camp Dread (2014), it’s only really a cameo role.

2012 saw Danielle’s directional debut, Among Friends, in which a group of friends attend a murder mystery-themed dinner party hosted by twisted psychologist, Bernadette (Alyssa Lobit). Having placed secret cameras in various rooms of the house, Bernadette has a history of evidence that shows the group aren’t as close as they all thought. As secrets and betrayals come to the fore, the game turns torturous and Bernadette’s guests soon become her prisoners.

Among Friends is a small production with a simple plot and some satisfactory moments of gore. A mixed bunch of characters keeps it interesting, and while not all are likeable or believable, there’s plenty of wit flowing throughout the dialogue. Slightly Saw-esque in parts, the confined setting and dark humour succeed where comparable low-budget films have failed. Danielle knows how to get the most out of her cast, no doubt injecting her personality and experience into this debut.

Overall, Among Friends is a fun contribution to horror with a cameo from the star herself, wearing the clown costume from Halloween 4. Danielle has expressed her intentions for more directing in the future and hopes to see the horror genre return to its classic roots, rather than the torture themes as popularised over the last decade. Danielle says that the upcoming Joe Dante produced Camp Cold Brook, which follows a paranormal team that check out an abandoned summer camp with a bloody history, has more of that 80s/90s feel.

Inoperable (2016) gave the actress another pleasingly focused central starring role, although the Groundhog Day-style movie itself is a mixed bag.

Danielle has been referred to as ‘horror’s reigning scream queen’ by New York Daily News, as well as being praised by The Soska Sisters and she has featured on the covers of magazines such as Gorezone, Invasion and Scream Sirens. With roles in the aforementioned Camp Cold Brook, and Frankenstein Gothic, Danielle looks set to keep her scream queen crown for some time to come.

Rae Louise, HORRORPEDIA

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Chris Labrenz is an American artist, illustrator and tattooist with a penchant for horror and sci-fi subject matter. Chris also designs specialist horror-themed clothing such as baseball caps and trainers.

The following gallery offers a mere taster of his artwork and talent:

Instagram

All images are copyright © Chris Labrenz and are posted here with his full permission.

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‘Everybody has a dark secret’

Purgatory is a 2012 Belgian psychological thriller feature film directed by Reginald Van Severen from a screenplay by producer Johan Vandewoestijne [as James Desert] (Laundry Man; Maniac Nurses; Rabid Grannies; Lucker the Necrophagous). The movie stars Jorka Decroubelex, Rudy Dermaux, Marc Lensly, Hugo Vanden Bremt, Ruth Verhelst and Richard Smolenaers.

After being locked up in an institution for several years for a personality disorder and murder, Kristen Birger (Ruth Verhelst) is released on parole. By means of therapy the medical staff of St. Carrol’s Psychiatric Institution instruct her to return to her former apartment where she committed the crime seven years earlier.

The moment she arrives at her flat, past and present seem to take her on a rollercoaster ride of fear. On top of that, a mysterious man and religious fanatic, living in the room next to hers, has a hidden agenda…

SGL Entertainment has released Purgatory on Amazon Prime prior to releases on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD.

Filming locations:

Kortrijk, Belgium

New and future releases

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‘Mankind is on the menu’

Night Claws – aka Apex-Predator – is a 2012 American Bigfoot horror feature film written and directed by David A. Prior (Zombie Wars; Mutant Species; Aerobi-Cide; Sledgehammer) from a story by executive producer Fabio Soldani (Blood Pigs). The movie stars Reb Brown, Leilani Sarelle, Ted Prior and Sherrie Rose.

A small town is being terrorised by a killer Bigfoot. Scientist Sarah Evans (Leilani Sarelle) arrives to help the town’s sheriff (Reb Brown) and his deputy girlfriend Roberta (Sherrie Rose) hunt the creature and put an end to the killings.

At the same time, Hunter Crawford (David Campbell) is a thug-like character who along with his two henchmen, is hunting the creature himself, for his own personal gain.

Enter Charlie Parker (Ted Prior) a tough east coast type who is on a survivalist camping trip, led by the seasoned survivalist Sharon Farmer (Tara Sanford Kleinpeter) at the behest of his young trophy wife (Alissa Koenig) and whom, by no fault of his own, winds up being used as bait for the creature.

Furthermore, a sinister plot is afoot and at its centre is the vengeful Mister Testi (Frank Stallone)…

Reviews:

“Night Claws is somewhere mediocre, if ranked among other Bigfoot movies. It is worse than Abominable, yet much better than most recent Bigfoot movies […] So, if you’re simply a fan of bigfoot movies, you might as well skip Night Claws. However if you know who Prior, Stallone, Rose, and Brown are, then definitely give it a look.” BZ Film

” …culminates with a baffling third act plot twist built around the backstory of a character who up until the moment another character appears for the first time to reveal that backstory had almost no inkling of a backstory of any kind. And none of it has anything at all to do with Bigfoot […] Fun is something Night Claws just doesn’t deliver enough of to overcome all of its other shortcomings.” Dread Central

“Night Claws is an example of good intentions gone wrong, missteps in motion. The film embraces its b-movie aspirations but lacks the confidence to go full cheese or commitment to go totally original, resulting in a confusing and boring mess. The film steers to far from its titular creature and over complicates the plot with too many distractions.” Horror News

“The acting is decent, it’s a joy to see the return of Reb Brown to the screen as he hasn’t done any acting since 1998. The camerawork and editing is good. The soundtrack is nice. The pacing is very good, the running time is just over 80 minutes and I like that Night Claws isn’t too predictable as there are a couple of twists along the way.” Jorgen Lundin, Independent Flicks

“The acting is roundly awful, the dialogue hilariously bad and the editing is so clumsy that actors can be seen preparing their lines before they speak them. Most viewers will lose patience after the first scene but if you can appreciate those lightning in a bottle moments when passion and naivete meet ineptitude, you’ll have a blast with Night Claws.” Eric Hillis, The Movie Waffler

Cast and characters:

• Reb Brown … Sheriff Joe Kelly – Robowar; Howling II: … Your Sister Is a Werewolf; Sssssss
• Leilani Sarelle … Sarah Evans
• Ted Prior … Charlie Parker – Aerobi-Cide
• Sherrie Rose … Deputy Roberta Glickman
• David Campbell … Hunter Crawford
• Frank Stallone … Testi – ChupaCobra short; The Masque of the Red Death (1989); Heart of Midnight
• Tara Kleinpeter … Sharon Farmer
• Alissa Koenig … Cindy Parker
• Art. James … Cooter Brown
• Edward Saint Pe’ … Edward
• Candace Weber Shiffman … Linda
• Tracy Miller … Doc Hopper
• Garrett Hines … Donny Ulrich
• Chelsea Rowland … Sandy Sanders
• A. Wade Miller … Thomas

Filming locations:

Mobile, Alabama, USA

Bigfoot on HORRORPEDIA

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‘Hail to the Chief… or he’ll hack you to pieces!’

President’s Day is a 2010 American dark comedy slasher horror feature film directed by Chris LaMartina (Call Girl of Cthulhu; WNUF Halloween Special; Witch’s Brew) from a screenplay co-written with Jimmy George. The Midnight Studios production stars Bennie Mack McCoy IV, Lizzy Denning, Nicolette le Faye and Ryan Thomas.

Plot:

It’s campaign season, and the students of Lincoln High are buzzing about who’s going to be class president… But when a psycho dressed as Abraham Lincoln starts hacking up students, the candidates must run… for their lives.

One-by-one, the mighty Lincoln Lambs are being slaughtered by the merciless maniac in the stovepipe hat. Everyone is dying for a vote…

Reviews:

“While the film is populated with the requisite amount of blood and boobs, it’s a shame that some of the FX work comes off as even less natural than a certain pair of breasts in the film. Chris does a fair job at cutting around a few of the lesser gags, but, with a film that takes place mostly in broad daylight it’s hard to disguise all the flaws in the lackluster gore gags.” Bloody Disgusting

” …the giddy splattery tone is set and stays on course for its swift, well-paced 81-minute running time. With a body count in the double-digits and several doses of busty top-popping, this is a tasty beer n’ chips programmer with a barrel of blood and a whole lotta heart.” Horror 101 with Dr. AC

“President’s Day is a solid entry that deserves a place amongst the slasher elite. There are many new-age stalk and slashers that get lost in their attempts to either try something different or pay endless tributes to the hits of the eighties. Chris LaMartina proves here that all you need to do is include enough of the recognised ingredients and have a bit of a ball with them.” Luisito Joaquin Gonzalez, A Slash Above…

Cast and characters:

• Bennie Mack McCoy IV … Barry
• Lizzy Denning … Joanna
• Nicolette le Faye … Chelsea
• Ryan Thomas … Officer Kennedy
• George Stover … Mr. Wright
• Shawn C. Phillips … Dennis
• Ruby Larocca … Michelle
• Paul Fahrenkopf … Detective Kurtz
• Andrea Hearn … Jenna
• Lee Armstrong … Janitor
• Chris Magorian … Eddie Mills
• Mary Jane Oelke … Mrs. Frederica
• Ron LaMartina … Mr. Roemer
• Matthew Bowerman … Merv Perkins

Production:

Shot in 21 days for a budget of $5,000 in the Baltimore area.

Release:

The film had a limited release on Presidents’ Day in 2010 and was released to DVD on April 9 the same year.

Trivia:

Not to be confused with the 2016 movie of the same name which features past-presidents as zombies.

Related:

President Evil (2018)

The Tripper (2006)

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James Karen – November 28, 1923 to October 23, 2018 – was an American character actor. He was best known by horror/fantasy fans, and probably by the wider public too, for his roles in Poltergeist (1982), The Return of the Living Dead (1985) and Invaders from Mars (1986). He died, aged ninety-four, having appeared in over two hundred TV and movies roles including a cameo appearance in 2018 comedy horror Cynthia.

Karen was born Jacob Karnofsky in Wilkes-Barre, in northeastern Pennsylvania, the son of Russian-born Jewish immigrants Mae (née Freed) and Joseph H. Karnofsky, a produce trader. As a young man, Karen was recruited into a production at the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre. He later attended the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York.

His big break came when he was asked to understudy Karl Malden in the original Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Beyond theatrical roles, Karen went on to play numerous characters on popular TV shows such as Starsky and Hutch, The Bionic Woman and The Rockford Files. He once remarked: “People don’t know my name, but they know my face because I’ve done so damn much work.”

His first notable film role, billed as Jim Karen, was in 1965 in the low-budget Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster playing Dr. Adam Steele. Often cited as one of the worst movies of all-time, Robert Gaffney’s sci-fi pic is undeniably great fun for fans of trash cinema.

As previously mentioned, one of Karen’s best-known roles were in the low-budget horror comedy The Return of the Living Dead, in which he starred as the manager of a medical warehouse who inadvertently releases a military gas that re-animates the dead. Karen and Thom Matthews proved so popular with audiences, they both returned for the sequel in 1987, playing different roles because their characters were both killed in the first movie.

In the original 1982 Poltergeist he played Mr. Teague the greedy real-estate developer who built the Californian community of Cuesta Verde on the site of a former cemetery.

In a 2006 interview about The Return of the Living Dead (1985), Karen said that he helped write most scenes of his character: “It was the deal where he figures out he’s becoming a zombie and decides to incinerate himself in the crematorium…He kisses his wedding ring as he goes in. It was a very emotional scene, but it also got me out of being one of the rain-drenched zombies milling around outside the place at the end of the film. I didn’t really want to do all that muddy stuff”

Selected filmography:

Cynthia (2018)

Bender (2016)

America’s Most Haunted (2013)

Dark and Stormy Night (2009)

Trail of the Screaming Forehead (2007)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Piranha (1995)

Congo (1995)

Future Shock (1994)

The Unborn (1991)

The Willies (1990)

Girlfriend from Hell (1989)

Return of the Living Dead Part II (1987)

Invaders from Mars (1986)

The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Jagged Edge (1985)

Time Walker (1982)

Poltergeist (1982)

The China Syndrome (1979)

Capricorn One (1977)

The Bionic Woman (TV series, 1976)

The Invisible Man (TV series, 1975)

Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965)

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The Awakening is a 2011 British supernatural horror feature film directed Nick Murphy (The Mist TV series; Dracula TV series) from a screenplay co-written with Stephen Volk (The Guardian; The Kiss; Gothic). The movie stars Rebecca Hall, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton and Isaac Hempstead-Wright.

Plot:

In 1921, England is overwhelmed by the loss and grief of World War I. Hoax exposer Florence Cathcart visits a boarding school to explain sightings of a child ghost. Everything she believes unravels as the ‘missing’ begin to show themselves…

Reviews [may contain spoilers]:

“Cinematographer Eduard Grau maintains a healthy, overcast atmosphere throughout, even when things go indoors, helping give the ghosts, in all their forms, an expectedly welcome place to manifest themselves within.  Everything feels like a nice British chamber Guignol, mildly stodgy and claustrophobic…” Kyle Saubert, Allusions of Grandeur

” … a ghost story with a nice kick and deeply felt emotions. The surface details suggest a banal return to a formulaic haunting, yet The Awakening, while imperfect, captures an intensity of gradually eroding conviction that carries the iffy material all the way to the intriguing head-scratcher of an ending.” Brian Orndorf, Blu-ray.com

“The Awakening unfolds in a purposely calculated manner that matches the supernatural literature of its setting’s post-Victorian era. Some call that boring; I call it a slow ratcheting of suspense, and the lovely, headstrong Hall serves as a terrific guide through the good ol’ ghost story.” Rod Lott, Flick Attack

“I found the final, colossal revelation to be contrived, but there are some nicely creepy moments, and director and co-writer Nick Murphy interestingly dramatises some of the neuroses feeding the appetite for ghostly phenomena…” Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

” …the film has a strong and well-written series of themes that run throughout about fear, loneliness and the guilts of the past. Perhaps the least satisfying section of the film is when it feels the need to have to throw in a M. Night Shyamalan-esque conceptual spin…” Richard Scheib, Moria

“The trouble was, there was a very decent ghost story that could have been drawn from this groundwork, it’s just that the filmmakers chose to plump for sensation (loud music courtesy of Daniel Pemberton overemphasising every fright) over a nice, creepy atmosphere.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“Rarely does a horror film make the back of your neck tingle with the calibre of its performances as well as its jumps and jolts – but The Awakening, a beautifully mounted ghost story in the style of The Turn of the Screw, provides chills of both kinds.” Robbie Collin, The Telegraph

” …familiar goings-on featuring the requisite dank shadowy halls and dead children mouthing CGI-stretched Edvard Munch screams. Nick Murphy’s big screen directorial debut has good atmospherics that only go so far to prop up a mystery whose overdue explanation is convoluted and underwhelming.” Dennis Harvey, Variety

Cast and characters:

• Rebecca Hall … Florence Cathcart
• Dominic West … Robert Mallory
• Imelda Staunton … Maud Hill
• Isaac Hempstead Wright … Tom Hill
• Shaun Dooley … Malcolm McNair
• Joseph Mawle … Edward Judd
• Diana Kent … Harriet Cathcart
• Richard Durden … Alexander Cathcart
• John Shrapnel … Reverend Hugh Purslow
• Cal MacAninch … Freddie Strickland
• Lucy Cohu … Constance Strickland
• Anastasia Hille … Dorothy Vandermeer
• Andrew Havill … George Vandermeer
• Tilly Vosburgh … Vera Flood
• Ian Hanmore … Albert Flood
• Steven Cree … Sergeant Evans
• Alfie Field … Victor Parry
• Felix Soper … Julian Dowden
• Sidney Johnston … John Franklin

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Gila! is a 2012 science fiction horror feature film directed by Jim Wynorski (Chopping Mall; Sorceress; Transylvania Twist;  Piranhaconda; et al) from a screenplay by William Dever, Steve Mitchell, Jim Nielsen and Paul Sinor. It is a remake of The Giant Gila Monster (1959) and a pastiche of ’50s monster movies in general.

The movie stars Bruce Munson, Adrienne Atkins, Brian Patrick McCulley and Brian Gross. Terence Knox and Kelli Maroney have cameo roles.

Plot:

A young couple are parked in a bleak, rural locale when a giant gila monster attacks the car, sending them running for their lives. Chase Winstead (Gross) , a young mechanic and hot rod racer and his girl Lisa (Voges), meet up with Chase’s former nemesis, Waco Bob (Janzen) and his sidekick Carla (De Rosa).

Prompted by calls from Mayor Wheeler (Pauwels), the local Sheriff (Knox) enlists the help of Chase, locates the crashed car in the ravine and finds evidence of the giant lizard. They attempt to destroy the creature, but that only makes it more vicious…

Reviews:

“Looking more cheaply made than your average Syfy channel movie, Gila! is undemanding and fairly entertaining with an amusing CGI creature (designed by Killer Klowns from Outer Space’s Charles Chiodo) and a cast imitating the cheesy earnestness of small town characters in fifties and sixties monster movies (with nods to old-school sexism, the Communist threat, and polio).” Eric Cotenas, DVD Beaver

“First off, it’s set in the 50s and is a remake of the 1959 The Giant Gila Monster. So that’s cool, a throw-back to the old style, but they only got it half right. Sometimes the extras are dressed in modern clothes and it always seems like a high school set that someone who didn’t even live during the 50s designed. It’s part homage, part spoof, a mix of silly and serious that could have been much more solidified.” Olie Coen, DVD Talk

“The monster attack scenes are fun, especially when they involve two drunk Irishmen driving away from the giant lizard in reverse. But they’re spread thin. There are endless scenes involving the characters figuring out what the monster is, making you say, ‘get on with it, already!’ There’s also entirely too much driving around and inane dialogue.” Horror News

” …Wynorski pulled off a very rare feat in making a pic of this ilk entertaining. And to his credit, he’s got a clear, albeit basic vision that he brings to life relatively well. He certainly siphons some memorable performances from a series of relative unknowns, and he keeps a certain degree of synergy coursing through the cast. That’s respectable. Matt Molgaard, Horrorfreak News

“The effects work here is sub Syfy quality which is likely why the creature is glimpsed for mere moments. When the film is titled Gila! that’s gonna be an issue now don’t you think? Set in the 1950 the low-budget of this one didn’t exactly make it easy to capture the vintage aesthetic – they give it a good try but the styles sorta come and go from scene to scene.” Ken Kastenhuber, McBastard’s Mausoleum

“There are some historical anachronisms that pop up occasionally, but Gila! is a low-budget monster movie playing 1950s dress-up, and it doesn’t aspire to be much more than that. If that doesn’t sound like fun to you, then it probably won’t be.” Christian Bates-Hardy, Rock! Shock! Pop!

“The soundtrack is all rock n’ roll music, lots of muscle cars are used that are fun to look at, and again those two female leads make for an entertaining yarn that just about doesn’t outstay it’s welcome […] Gila! does nothing at all original and has really bad special effects but it is feel good and a great B-Movie, the acting is decent also which is a big plus in my book!” Daniel Simmonds, The Rotting Zombie

Cast and characters:

• Bruce Munson … Johnny Langostina
• Adrienne Atkins … Betty
• Brian Patrick McCulley … Don
• Brian Gross … Chase Winstead – 2001 Maniacs, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Chase Adams … Pike
• Madeline Voges … Lisa
• Bone Ramsay … Dave
• Vinnie Van Dolsen … Rick
• Jesse Janzen … Waco Bob
• Christina De Rosa … Carla
• Dave Haney … Joe (as David Haney
• Tom Sparx … Bill
• Callie-Nycole Burk … Elsa
• Robert Hay Smith … Lars
• Micheal Price … Clete
• Terence Knox … Sheriff Parker
• Kelli Maroney … Wilma – Hell’s Kitty;Transylvania Twist; Not of This Earth (1988); Chopping Mall; Night of the Comet
• Jenna Ruiz … Missy Winstead
  Ellen Kingston … Dorothy Winstead
• Julie McCullough … Vera
• Gerard Pauwels … Mayor Wheeler
• James Wolford Hardin … Karl Swenson
• Judy Joseph Crippin … Maybelle Swenson
•  Steve Anderson … Injured Driver
• Jeff Bodart … Ambulance Driver

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‘The legend of the living dead’

The Dead and the Damned – aka Cowboys & Zombies – is a 2010 American Western horror feature film edited and directed by Rene Perez (It Hungers; From Hell to the Wild West; Playing with Dolls trilogy; The Obsidian Curse; et al) from a screenplay co-written with Barry Massoni. The movie stars David Lockhart, Camille Montgomery, Rick Mora and Robert Amstler.

Plot:

1849: During the California Gold Rush, Mortimer receives a bounty for Brother Wolf, a Native American accused of carnal crimes. Mortimer ostensibly buys a young woman, Rhiannon, as a wife but in reality as bait to lure out Wolf. However, once he meets Wolf, Mortimer becomes dubious about the charges against him.

Meanwhile, a group of prospectors unleash a zombie virus when they attempt to mine a meteorite. Mortimer, Rhiannon, and Wolf must band together to stop the zombies…

Reviews:

“With a small principal cast of solid actors, effective use of a standing frontier town set, and skilful direction that manages to be clever without pretentious, plus a well-honed script that doesn’t waste a word, Cowboys and Zombies is great viewing. Exciting, sometimes scary, never silly or self-indulgent and a commendably taught 82 minutes.” MJ Simpson, Cult films and the people who make them

“With too little plot and too little visual imagination to justify a feature runtime, we’re left with plodding scenes of predictable exposition, poorly executed action and lingering gazes at bare breasts peppered with occasional minutes of something approaching genuine entertainment.” Gareth Jones, Dread Central

” …The Dead and the Damned must get kudos for trying. The Old West town set is a bit questionable, but everything else — the horses, the gunfights, Brother Wolf — is definitely above the standard “Hey, let’s put on a show!” feel which some low-budget indies have. The acting is pretty good, most notably Lockhart, although there are some moments where I felt as if the actors were waiting for their cues.” Mike Long, DVD Sleuth

“The film’s low budget is obvious but not too much of an impediment. The sets are on par with those of a western theme park. The costumes, although far from historically accurate, serve their purpose. The dialogue is obviously not chronically correct, exacerbated further by inexperienced actors. The score is all over the place…” Alex DiVincenzo, Horror News

“Another problem with this film is the pacing and quick habit of advancing the story by way of montage or music video […] The Dead and the Damned had a lot of potential, on both sides of the camera, and it could have succeeded with a bit more experience.” Horror Talk

“Soundtrack and the usual lower budget film jitters aside, there is a certain level of fun to be had with the mix-up of genres. The western aspect supersedes the horror tangent, but it’s a nice character driven change of pace that seems iffy at first but proves to be a winning idea come climax.” Brett H., Oh, the Horror!

“Cowboys & Zombies – it has a few cowboys and it has zombies, boobies, a lot of bad CGI blood and some old-school body parts and an occasional unintentional belly laugh. In other words, it is a perfectly acceptable way to waste your life, if you like. If that sounds good enough to make you happy, then go for it… but we can’t give you our copy of the film, ’cause we already tossed it out.” A Wasted Life

Filming locations:

Near Yosemite National Park, Central California

Release:

The Dead and the Damned premiered at the Another Hole In the Head film festival on July 17, 2010. It was released on DVD in the US on July 26, 2011, and in the UK on August 1, 2011.

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Scary Story Slumber Party is a 2012 American horror anthology feature film comprised of eleven shorts directed by John Johnson [as Johnny Johnson], Jonathan Moody, Myke Wilson and Coven Delacruz. The movie stars Devanny Pinn, Sierra Holmes, Jackey hall, Heather Dorff, DaNae West, Jay Gates and Lindy Starr.

Plot:

Three friends gather together to throw an old fashion slumber party like they did in the old days. They begin to tell each other scary stories to liven up the fun. But the fun leads to something a bit more sinister…

Reviews:

“Editing, cohesion and story placement issues aside, that still wouldn’t resolve all of the film’s problems. The wraparound segment feels like a complete and utter throwaway. Some stories just aren’t fleshed out enough (Valentine’s Prey, Capture & Kill, Imaginary Fiend). Scary Story Slumber Party needed a better overall sense of direction from under developed stories to poor story placement.” Brandon C. Sites

“In terms of quality of film for Scary Story Slumber Party, everything was great. All of the short films looked like that had a lot of hard work and dedication. I particularly enjoyed that each piece wasn’t just a “blood and guts” short. It seemed like they had a theme.” Horror Society

“A bunch of amateur actresses tell stories which are very limited in terms of horror content and merely full of wooden acting, boring line delivery, and trite dialogue.” Leofwine_draca

Cast and characters:

• Faron Brown … Jeep (segment “Valentine’s Prey”)
• Russell A. Bryan … Evan (segment “Bashed”) (as Russ A. Bryan)
• Takiah Coleman … Erin (segment “The Pledge”)
• Brittany Colley … Erin (segment “Noise Complaint”)
• Henry D’Alonzo … Jack Bradford (segment “The Deadly Hook”)
• Lauren Dawson … Bar Girl 4 (segment “UnLucky Night”)
• Jessica Dole … Danielle (segment “The Slumber Party”)
• Heather Dorff … Becca (segment “Event Invitation”)
• Jay Gates … Brad (segment “UnLucky Night”)
• Jackey Hall … Holly (segment “The Dare”)
• Sierra Holmes … Rachel (segment “UnLucky Night”)
• Sarah Kaminski … Hilary (segment “The Pledge”)
• Casey Lane … Party Boy (segment “Noise Complaint”)
• Rachael Lang … Melissa (segment “The Pledge”)
• Vince Martinez … Matt (segment: “Backstabber”)
• Brandon McPherson … Aaron (segment “Noise Complaint”)
• Jonathan Moody … Tommy (segment Valentine’s Prey”)
• Mathew Moore … Steven (segment “Noise Complaint”) / Jeff (segment “Imaginary Fiend”)
• Amberly Pecsek … Karissa (segment: “Slumber Party”), Courtney (segment: “The Pledge”) / Tiffany (segment: “Noise Complaint”)
• Devanny Pinn … Lindy (segment “Valentine’s Prey”) / Kate (Segment: “The Pledge”)
• Brittney Scalf … Brittney (segment “Slumber Party / Grave Misfortune”) / Megan (segment “Noise Complaint”) / Kristen (segment “Imaginary Fiend”) (as Brittney M. Scalf)
• Diane Sokolowich … Amy (segment: “Backstabber”) / Emma (segment: “Noise Complaint”)
• Elizabeth Spaetzel … Party Girl (segment “Noise Complaint”)
• Lindy Starr … Claire (segment: “Noise Complaint”) / Jaclyn (segment: “Imaginary Fiend”)
• Ashley Vetere … Jenna (segment “The Pledge”)
• DaNae West … Kristen (segment “Bashed”)

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‘Visitors welcome’

Catskill Park is a 2012 American science fiction horror found footage feature film written and directed by Vlad Yudin. The movie stars Lauren Francesca, Wen Yann Shih and Katelyn Pearce.

Plot:

Halloween, 2011: A camping trip turns into a living nightmare when a blizzard traps four friends in 36 inches of sudden snow… with shrieking alien sounds outside of their tents. A race for life ensues as they are hunted by horrific monsters, discovering a larger alien conspiracy with every terrifying stride…

Reviews:

“Catskill Park has some genuinely creepy sequences that make use of both the dark woods and sound effects. Even if we don’t see anything, we know they’re there […] When we do see the aliens and their ship, the effects by visual effects supervisor/producer Wayne Harry Johnson Jr. (Ahockalypse) and his team are excellent.” Jim Morazzini, Voices from the Balcony

Cast and characters:

• Lauren Francesca … Sam
• Wen Yann Shih … Karen
• Katelyn Pearce … Girl – Clinton Road; Gravedigger
• Alexander Cendese … Ex
• Brittney Lee Hamilton … TBC
• Gregory Lay … Tommy
• Rajesh Nahar … Dr. Charles
• Gio Perez … Mike
• Conan Marchi … Ranger
• Derek Solomon … Town Resident
• Tom Dunn … Local Man #1
• Tim Schumacher … Jimmy
• Melissa Haley Smith … Monica
• Joseph R. Duguay … Town Resident
• Katie Wilbur … Town Resident

Release:

Catskill Park was released on VOD and Digital HD via Freestyle Digital Media on November 27, 2018.

Image credits: Voices from the Balcony

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‘The Christmas spirit never dies’

Christmas with the Dead is a 2012 American  comedy horror feature film directed by T.L. Lankford [as Terrill Lee Lankford] from a screenplay by Keith Lansdale, based on a story by Joe R. Lansdale. The movie stars Damian Maffei, Brad Maule and Chet Williamson.

Plot:

In his quest to fulfil a promise made to his wife, Calvin sets out to right his wrongs and make it the best Christmas ever for his family. If only it weren’t June and the majority of the population, including his wife and daughter, hadn’t been turned into flesh-eating snappers by a mysterious atmospheric phenomenon, he’d be in pretty good shape.

Driven by guilt in a race against the apocalyptic clock, Calving teams up with G.M., a wily ex-garbage man turned undead slayer, as together they attempt to deck the halls during the most magical time of the year. It’s Christmas in June. And snappers be damned… The lights and decorations are going up.

Reviews:

“…clever, and quite funny, tongue-in-cheek humor abounds herein, from the snappy, knee-slapping dialog…the caustic, albeit laughable interaction of the characters…even to the zombies themselves, who shamble, jerk, spark and ‘pop’ about, as if they were uncontrollably plagued by perpetual body Tourette’s Syndrome…” Kevin Moye, Cinema Head Cheese

“Hilarious, scrappy, and even creepy!” Chris Alexander, Fangoria

” …comes to life with some snappy dialogue and a crafty sense of humor. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise as legendary scribe Joe R. Lansdale wrote the short story of the same name. Adapted for the (small) screen by his own spawn Keith Landsale, we finally have a shot-on-video, amateur acted, low-renter that is actually well-written, through no fault of its own.” Thomas T. Sueyres, Video Junkie

Cast and characters:

• Damian Maffei … Calvin – Haunt; The Strangers: Prey at Night; The House That Cried Blood short; Night of the Pumpkin short; Nikos the Impaler
• Brad Maule … G.M.
• Chet Williamson … Reverend Mac
• Clyde Williams … Driver
• Madeline Brassell … Tina
• Marsail Carlo … Snapper
• Katie Chambers … Snapper bride
• Adam Coats … Ray
• Jennifer Daniel … Snapper
• David Evett … Snapper
• Kristen Hall … Gate snapper
• Sheri Hambrick … Nana zombie
• James Harris … Santa snapper
• Jaime Hedrick … Snapper
• Christopher Shea Howard … Man with shotgun

Ho, Ho, Horror! Christmas Festive Fright Films – article

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