Horror Movie Realism and It's Truthfulness

The Hills Have Eyes remake

2006-07-02T11:05:00.000-04:00

Just getting through the opening credits. The opening kill scene is brutal. I've heard alot of bad reviews for this one, but I think it will be pretty good. I'll post a review later on...

Catty Lou

2006-06-23T12:53:00.000-04:00

My wifes Grandfather passed away Tuesday. She was quiet close to him, but she seems to be taking it well. She's now at her Mom and Dads, ready to go to the wake which starts at 2 for the family and 4 for all other visitors. (I'm going with her to the funeral tomorrow - I felt it best to let her spend time alone and grieve with her family, alone)

We've watched a few comedies to try and lighten the mood around the homsestead, and I've been putting on my crazy hat to try and bring out that gorgous smile she has. I succeeded a few times, but made an ass out of myself on occasion.

One of the movies we decided to watch was The Cable Guy with Jim Carey. This movie gets alot of mixed reviews, but I think its a work of black comedic genius. Ben Stiller is truly a good director, but Carey and Broderick just play so well off each other. There's nods to numerous films throughout the whole film, but are made very subtle by the seemingly normal cycle of happenstance that seems to occur every few minutes or so.
Carey played to a tee a deranged cable guy with a lisp. It must have been hard to keep the same persona, and, especially the lisp throughout the entire film. To me, that takes talent, although, there's some people who think Carey is a talentless hack.
Nevertheless, TCG has now officially entered my top 40 list, alonside another Carey film, Dumb and Dumber.
Sometimes, I just need to steer clear from horror-land for a few days, to give my mind time to conceive the fact that there's other forms of cinematic entertainment besides someone getting their face cut off with fishing line. I've been trying to broaden my specs and my wife has been the main ring leader. I've watched alot of films lately that I would have never bought, but I'm glad 'Cat' has a sense of cinematic taste that even remotely fits mine. My last girlfriend (before marrying 'Cat') had no sense of cinematic charisma. She didn't know a good movie if it hit her square in her face, but Cat, she has some great choices for viewings.
Take for instance the 1994 film Legends of the Fall, with Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins - I NEVER would have bought a movie like that a year ago, but now, I'd even pick up Titanic if I found it at a convienent place and especially a convienent price.
Anyway, Thanks Babe. Now, I can enjoy a whole new world of cinematic ventures. Maybe, after going through all the drama and action sections, she'll introduce me to the porno genre. Just kidding, hun.

Rob Zombie and Halloween 9

2006-06-21T15:05:00.000-04:00

It's probably old news to everyone by now, but Rob Zombie was officially greenlighted to write and direct the next Halloween installment. I've got alot of mixed answers when asking people how they feel. Alot of people have never really forgiven Zombie for his first lucid nightmare House of a Thousand Corpses. I, for one, enjoyed the film quiet a bit, albeit all the cinematic and color mistakes throughout.
What I do know is that Zombie learned from his mistakes, as stateted by himself, and gave us a riveting, disturbing tale of disturbing family ties with The Devil's Rejects - A beautifully shot film, with great acting, without all those fast cut to's and cut aways, lacking that annoying psychadelic nusance from House of a Thousand Corpses.
What doI think? Well, I just gotta say that I've got GREAT faith in Zombie. The guys knows what it is fans want. He knew what they wanted in the first place, but being a novice behind the camera, it just didn't transmit all that well with House. Zombie uberly redeemed himself with Rejects and I totally believe that he'll give us a wonderful layout when it comes to Halloween 9.
I think alot of people will be eating their words - and - don't be surprised if we don't see Jamie Lee somewhere in the midst.I'm looking for Zombie to get an even greater budget than his 6 million for Rejects (which by Hollywood standards is pennies)- We'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, you can keep keep tabs by visiting the official Halloween Films site.

http://www.halloweenmovies.com/

Overlooking the ...

2006-06-18T19:17:00.000-04:00

Well, well, it's been a while since I've updated. I'm very sorry and by-god this one goes out to my nine regular visitors. There's no real reason I haven't posted in a while. Well, there's one, but involves a weedeater and a pair of golf shoes. I won't get into that, but if you're in the mood for ice cream, I could tell you about the time I shit my pants. Maybe next post?

Anyway, I'm just going to ramble a bit. Much-a-do about nothing much. I was watching Joyride the other day. The one with the Fast and the Furious guy...anyway, I noticed that he and his brother's name are Louis and Fuller. I never really paid any attention to this, but Louis Fuller was Lucio Fulci's American pseudonym. I thought that was a very cool hat tip to the Godfather of Gore.

I was also watching The Cable Guy with my wife over the weekend. Again, I never really paid any attention, but there's a nod to a seminal Canadian sleeper called Black Christmas. When Chip has Stephen locked up, he visits him in jail via telephone through the bullet proof glass. I'll not go into detail, but for you fans of Black Christmas, you'll pick it up right away.

Anyway, I found these things kind of cool and thought I'd toss them up.

Teaser

2006-05-27T22:00:00.000-04:00

I suppose all the masses out there would like to know a little more about me. Too bad. All I can say is that I'm a sometimes happily married man who thinks the world is governed by an elect few, who, behind the scenes, dictate world events with a numerical basis, to eventually spring forth a one world religion, alongside a World Wide Totalitarian Government. In other words, the NWO. No, Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall won't be riding horses of death throughout the land, claiming life by sword and shoe polish beards - They'll be no Jim Ross in the background saying "It's the Antichrist! It's the Antichrist! It's the Antichrist!", repeatedly just before the show ends.
It's more real than that folks. I sometimes feel as if it's my duty to share as much as my knowled of how things really work as I possibly can. I'm not a humanitarian by any means, but I do care (maybe even unconsciously) for my fellow man, so, why not at least try and warn them of the upcoming events even tho they call us mad screaming lunatics who haven't came off a good pot buzz. It's ok, because for the twenty who think we're crazy, they'll be two or three that actually want to learn more, and realize for themselves that everything isn't just one big coincidence -
Ever heard of The Freemasons? I'm sure after watching National Treasure a hundred times that you realize that this is actually a true group. A very old group. Anyone can learn more about Freemasonry, but to actually be a Freemason is another story. Just what is Freemasonry? I'm not even going to try and explain, because I'd be here all night - I'm saving all my knowledge for a book btw, so, I have an excuse.
I'm sure if you're familiar with the Govenator or George W Bush, you'll know they were members of groups, one being called Bohemian Grove in which Arnie was a member, and the other is Skull and Bones - George W's old Frat club, as well as his Fathers. These groups go further than just college years and offbeat shennigens. These groups consist of a powerful bunch of people. Not just anyone can get into these groups and almost all of them are Freemasons.
Anyway, I'm stopping right here, hopefully, to tease you a little, so you, yourself, will do some research on the subject and find out the truth about The United States, Washingtons love for the Egyptian Obelisk, and the all seeing eye on the back of the dollar bill.

Do a goggle on some of these terms:

Freemasons/Freemasonry
Washington Egypt Mystery Religions
Illuminati 9 11
Illuminati Antichrist
Ufo's Antichrist Illuminati Jesus

The Prowler

2006-05-26T22:57:00.000-04:00

I just picked this dvd up at Sam Goody this evening on a monthly shopping binge. I had seen it before, but I'm trying to up my dvd collection, so I thought I'd pick it up - even at the slightly high price of sixteen bucks.
Anyway, Joseph Zito (Director/Friday the 13th 4) does something different. Instead of your summer camp slayings, we get a My Bloody Valentine-esque venture, reguarding a party being held thirty some odd years after a double murder in 1945.
As I mentioned, a great double impalement by pitchfork, (by the hands of nonother than Tom Savini) follows a Dear John letter from a woman named Rosemary to her boyfriend who was across seas in WWII. It seems as if she just can't wait for him any longer, but still worries about him. I guess boyfriend has a hard time facing rejection.
We go down the road about thirty years where a small town is planning a dance. I 'm not sure what the dance was for (as I was distracted by my wife in a bathing suit at some points during the film), but it kind of reminded me of its distant cousin My Bloody Valentine.
To make a long story short, it seems as if the killer is either back, or someone just likes going around slicing and dicing the locals out of boredom.
We get some great special F/x from the maestro Tom Savini. The dvd has a few cool extras - a cool commentary and some behind the scenes footage filmed by Savini himself.
This is probably one of the most brutal slasher attempts I've seen in a long time. I imagine that this is the uncut version, as the camera lingers for long periods of time as the killers sharp instruments gourges and probes ita victims. Some scenes are quiet disturbing. If you like My Bloody Valentine, you any slasher film fan should find themselves enjoying the hell out of this one. Good acting. Great score. Even Great special f/x. Great kill and chase scenes. One good slasher flick I must say.

Wouldn't You Know It

2006-05-25T18:56:00.000-04:00

Every once in while, I like to sift through all the blood and guts and try and grasp hope through all the swishy stuff. But sadly, I find very little hope. Being 'political' is something I don't claim to be. In fact, hardly anyone knows of my love for politics, or better yet, what makes it all work. I don't guess it's as much me being in love with politics in general, but the mystique behind the people who make up our worldy political arena.
I got to thinking, since my url is called Antichrist Follies, why not post something in reguards to 'the' antichrist, if a bit loosely.
I'm sure that if you're reading this, you've either seen The Omen, or have at least heard of it. Of course, it's about a little boy named Damien, who incidently has the numbers 666 (the Biblical mark of the beast) imbedded into his scalp. Needless to say, the evil looking English-boy had quiet a few powers that silently enabled him to do away with certain people. As the sequels went on, it depicted Damien growing up, later going to military school where he learns his role and accepts it. It's all just a movie, sure, but ever who wrote the film (maybe a book first, I'm not sure) had some Biblical background floating around.
Stepping aside from the film, let's talk of the potential for a real antichrist. We can imagine what 'the antichrist' will look like. Some of us think of Adolf Hitler when we hear the word antichrist. Other's ironically think of a man of peace, embracing the whole world. Symbolically, this much could be true, but identifying the antichrist isn't something that can be done until it's too late.
I've heard many idiots stating that George Bush is the antichrist. These people have obviously never even heard of Revelations - (There's no way I can quote the Bible word for word, so I'm not even going to try) It states something to the effect that this antichrist will come as a man of peace, and that the whole world will wonder after him. This pretty much rules George W out. Over half the world despises GWB, most of them right in his own country.
This man is also going to have great charisma. In the book of Isaiah, it refers to the antichrist as being stouter (stronger) than the normal man. This also knock Bush out of the water, along with half the people everyone consider to be the antichrist. Now, what we have is a very well built, big-muscular man, with great charisma - Probably a very handsome man. Remember folks, the antichrist is the devil in the flesh. He's not going to pick a body of an old ugly, decrepid man. Many think the antichrist is the pope, and that the Catholic Church is 'the beast' - To a certain extent, this is true, because religion is going to play a major part in the transformation to a one world government that's right around the corner. Afterall, Catholosism does mean Unity. If anything, the Pope 'could' be the False witness referred to in Revelations.
Now, before I go any further, and I delve into some potential prospects for the antichrist, let me shed some light on the goal of the antichrist and what he hopes to accomplish. First of all, the antichrist wants complete control over the world and its assetts. He wants complete control over all monetary transactions. He wants a one world currceny (probably with his face on it) in which all the world money will flow through one big world bank. He wants control over what you eat, the drugs/medicines you put into your body - So, where does the mark of the beast come into play? It's already here. I'ts a tracking device imbedded under the skin of cattle to monitor them. It's only a matter of years before this starts happeing to humans. Well, they just want to do this to keep track of terrorists! That's conspiracy bullshit! First, yeah, it will probably be brought about after some major catastrophe in the name of the aforementioned event. It's going to seem harmless, and after the world is shocked and dazed, just like cattle (how ironic), we'll accept it willingly and out of panic. Sounds bad, but could be worse, right? Well, yeah, but it gets worse. Worse. Much worse. Probably a Global economic collapse which will kill millions by famine.
The man behind the upheavel in the first place will be the man who steps up and suddenly has the answers to everything. He's going to have the ability to simultaneously speak more than one language. He's going to have such a presence, that the Bible says that "He'll fool even the very elect" - Which means die hard Christian believers will be duped by his lying powers and the forces that guide him. The chip will be implanted under man, woman and child alike. The chip will be placed in the right hand, or forehead and is pretty much like being scanned at the grocery scanner you see at Wal-Mart. Instead of getting a paycheck when you work, all your money will be placed in the form of digits, just like a credit card under the skin. The only way to not die is to accept this chip/mark, because there's no paper money anymore. There's no possible way to legally buy anything unless you use the devils currecny, which is ultimately the chip under your skin.
To shorten this post a bit, I'll rev about who some potential prospects for the antichrist could be in my next post.

Frank Dietz Interview

2006-05-24T23:44:00.000-04:00

Frank Deitz

Some of you horror film fans, especially fans of 'Rock n Roll' horror, may know him as the good guy cop, alongside Adam West in Zombie Nightmare. Other's may remember him as a punk from Rock n Roll Nightmare, or another heavy metal laiden horror film, Black Roses. He's also quiet the artist, and to my knowledge, has written a few screenplays. Be looking for this interview to be posted on a website, soon. Not necessarily this one, but I'll let you know.

Night of the Living Ripoff

2006-05-24T18:34:00.000-04:00

Once in a while one finds a rare treat that's always been there, but evidently covered by the mud and muck of other bigger named movies that's traveled further ahead.
Revenge of the Living Zombies isn't a masterpiece by any means. One could even call it a rip-off of George A Romero's 1968 masterpiece, Night of the Living Dead - or - One could simply call it an homage. I guess it depends whether one likes the movie or not.
Besides having one of the most recognizable faces from Night of the Living Dead, (making his return in what seems to be the same make-up and attire) reprising his role as a pale faced ghoul, Bill Hinzman, also known as the Cemetary Zombie, directs, writes, and stars in this little NOTLD ripoff/homage.
Instead of some unknown force causing the dead to return to life and attack the living, we actually get a clue as to how this supposed zombie outbreak comes about. It deals with a semi-satanic theme, which beholds our favorite zombie, Bill Hinzman, buried beneath a stump, with a tombstone with some satanic gibbersih written on it. There just so happens to be a stump that a local farmer needs to remove. The grave is directly underneath the stump, which brings the farmer to dust off the stone and eventually uncover the grave. Satanic Zombie Man doesn't look all that bad. He's still able enough to jump up, grab the man, and resume munching on his bodyparts. Of course, this starts the zombie outbreak that leads to our little zombiethon.
It just so happens that a group of the ugliest college coeds I've ever seen are taking a hayride through the woods. You can pretty much guess what happens from this point on. At times, I didn't know if I was watching an unofficial remake of Night of the Living Dead, or if Hinzman got the big head and thought he could outdo Romero with virtually the same style. It's hard to really know what was going through his mind.
The acting is bad at times. The actors and actresses have the worst accent I've ever heard. It's a mix between Virginian and Southern Pennsylvanian, crossed with a little bit of Kentuckiana. I'll have to say that there are some genuinely good scenes in the movie. One being when a little girl (Hinzman's real life daughter) is dressed up as an angel for Halloween. The doorbell rings...guess who? It's Satanic Zombie Man. He quickly picks little girl up and pretty much devours her. (offscreen, of course)
There's more tits and ass in this little venture than Fulci's Zombie. I still say that the only reason Hinzman decided to make this film was to have an excuse to grope as many naked homely Pennsylvanian women as he could possibly get away with, without a lawsuit.
The ending. What can I say. Imagine Night of the Living Dead, except with two surviving characters. We have the local redneck posse, fronted by nonother than Vince Stryvinski. (The guy who shot Ben in the original NOTLD). We even have an old farmhouse where the coeds hole up in search of shelter from the zombies.
The score is spot on. A piano-esque score, adding a hint of depression and darkness to the atmosphere - Transforming it a notch above pure cheese, to something a 'little creepy'. There's also a few good gore shots. One being Satanic Zombie Man ramming his hand in a womans bare stomach and pulling out her liver. Not bad. Not bad.
What can I say in finality in reguards to Revenge of the Living Zombies? For the zombie fan, you simply can't miss. I know of loads of die hard zombie fans who have longed to see this, but can't find a copy. It was also released as Zombie Nosh and Flesheater. All in all, not a bad time waster, especially for the zombie film fan.

Wake Up Calls

2006-05-23T21:20:00.000-04:00

When is too far, too far? Just when does a company cross the line with immoralic behavior and sheer brutality ?- Rape/Revenge (I Spit On Your Grave) - Power Trips (Last House on the Left/Devil's Rejects) - Gut Munching (Dawn/Day of the Dead) - Cannabilistic depravity (TCM)

So many people think horror films represent the bottom of the barrel. The people who watch horror films are associated with low IQ's and bad taste, when in all actuality, most horror fans I've met are extremely smart, hold down good paying jobs, and consider horror films nothing more than watching a play on celluloid. Put an incestuous, murderous, depraved family on camera, and its considered a 'nasty', put it on the stage and it's considered Hamlet. I think most of the nay statements that come forth in reguards of the slasher/horror film come from a hippocritical mass - People who are afraid to face the facts that horror movies tell it like it is. Death isn't pretty, or death isn't funny (unless the writer/director wants it to be) - For example, look at Lucio Fulci's Italian sleazefest, The New York Ripper - Totally depraved. Totally raunchy. Totally lacking remorse. Dishing out brutality, bondage, pornography, and drug use, wrapped up in a dirty cop suit and perverted doctors and prostitutes. This film pretty much filters every taboo known to man through our television sets. It deals with a rampid, but true theme. New York, in my opinion, was portrayed perfectly. Look at the murder rate, the rape rate, and the prostitution and drug use statistics. People who shy away from films like these and call them mysgyonic are right, to a certain extent, but it represents the sad and macabre truth that some people in the world get their kicks in some of the most devious ways.
Last House on the Left is a film that will certainly leave a lasting impression on you. Here's another film that has been shunned by the masses, except for the elect few who consider this a cult classic. We really don't enjoy what we're seeing - Two girls getting tortured and raped by a bunch of escaped convicts - Forced to urinate on themselves and to make out with eachother at gun and knife point - The sensless stabbing and shooting death of two seemingly innocent young girls who just wanted a joint. Again, we have a sad but true cinematic affair going on. It's not fancy, what we see - It's rude and it's crude, but it's true. Things like this happen every single day in the world, some to an even greater degree. Wes Craven meant to shock us and that's pretty much what he did. Sometimes we need a wake up call, and there's nothing that can grab your attention more than an all out, symbolic Agression film. Sometimes we need to realize that all the philanthropist bullshit saying how the world is such a great place is bullshit. Don't be fooled. We're going to hell in a handbasket, fast.

Zombie Nightmare

2006-05-23T19:55:00.000-04:00

"Maybe he had a good batting average, Frank" - This said by police chief to young cop after someone is found impaled by a baseball bat.

Zombie Nightmare is one of those films that one loves to sit up late and pick at on some drunken Saturday night. Tony is a huge guy. He's a muscle bound Samson type guy with long straight hair, dressed in his joggers and cut off tee-shirt. He forgets to pick up his mother's groceries. She soon sends him back to the store with that 'look at my son. He's the man' look in her eyes. A proud mama indeed. She has every reason to be proud. He can hit a softball with the best of 'em.

Anyway, it seems as if going back to the store would soon turn into quiet an eventful evening. Tony breaks up a robbery by single handedly busting up two would be robbers from taking the old mans money. As if this wasn't enough, upon leaving the store premises, he's ran over by a bunch of drugged and drunk teenagers, hellbent on disaster. The teenage crew, led by a mullet wearing pussy named Jimbo, rev the engine, leaving poor old Tony's mangled body lying on the damp cold pavement. For some odd reason, instead of calling the ambulance, or the police, the store-owner and a couple friends bring Tony back to his mother's house, carrying him in a blanket. The mother freaks out, as usual, deriving those desperate intentions that were once just fairy tale.
It's not long before we figure out Mom has a plan. There just so happens to be a voo doo priestess who lives nearby, who seems to be a friend of the families. She's brought to where Tony's body lies and requests that one of the group go to the butchers shop and bring back blood from a live animal. Mmmmm, things are starting to get interesting.
Zombie Nightmare shoots itself in the foot on purpose, blatently doing the bunny hop all the way till the end. Usually, self inflicted wounds are not a good thing, but, for Zombie Nightmare, a shot in the toe is just what it needed.
Molly Mokembe (played marvelously AND hilariously by Mansuka) places our fallen Tony in a makeshift casket, candles all around, spouting out some voo doo claptrap while decked out in here papa shango attire. We soon learn that Molly can indeed bring Tony back for awhile, but only long enough for him to be able to avenge his death by hunting down the people who caused it.
What we get is a hulked out zombie in a sweat suit, carrying around a baseball bat. This hulking dead man seemingly walks around this small town, without anyone seeing him, bashing people with his baseball bat. Evidently, this zombie is a vegan, 'cause he doesn't eat nary a limb through the whole movie. Shouldn't there be at least a little gore with a premise like this? A slasher/zombie epic such as this? Yeah, right. Anyway, the highlights of the film involve Adam West (Yes, Batman) non-shalantly passing off these 'gruesome' deaths as apparent suicides, caused by marijuana and rock music. Of course, the rookie cop digs a little deeper, finds a few hidden secrets, and it's ultimately a 'twist' of good versus evil, with an extra person to fill in the holes. CHEESE. CHEESE. CHEESE.
I gotta mention Mansuka's performance again. Let me put it this way....you'll never forget it as long as you live. Jimbo, the long haired rapist punk of the group is one of the most annoying, but strangely likeable characters I've ever seen.
Watch it simply because it is what it is....a cheese fest meant to entertain you a little. It's not scary. It's not atmospheric, although the 80's metal tunes do up the ante a little. John Mikel Thor does do as decent job as Tony, but he had better stick to his singing.

Sunburned

2006-05-22T12:55:00.000-04:00

It's been about a week since I last posted (and I'm sunburned and agitated) so, for my one fan, I'm gonna remain loyal and true - afterall, my fan is legion.

I've mentioned before that I'm a huge fan of slasher films, but I also like it's Italian cousin, the Giallo. I've really not paid much attention to our American cousin, therefore, I've almost talked myself into making a pact with yours truly - a mutual will towards self admiration - I'm going to go on a gialli binge. I'm going to buy oddball Giallos, along with the classics I already know about and seen already. Out of the giallo's I've seen, New York Ripper (Lucio Fulci) is probably my favorite. It's dirty, sleazy, and full of melted Italian cheese. Alot of people throw off on this film and call it an 'incoherant mess', but I have to disagree. It's simply a Father's revenge story. (Albeit with some perverted twists)

Anyway, there's dozens of giallos waiting on me to either rediscover them - or - view them for the first time. As I view, I'll throw up some watered down reviews (which could be much much better if I were to take my time, but you'll take what you get and like it).

I'm going to throw up a review to another movie sometime today. I don't know what movie just yet. This probably won't be a giallo, but....

Home (not so) Sweet Home

2006-05-16T20:27:00.000-04:00

Jake Seinfeld. Body By Jake? Big Brother Jake? Well, anyway, if by some chance you now who this bohemeth is, there's probably something you don't know. Our advice giving big brother, with a smile that barely fades his brow, was once an escaped mental patient, hyped up on LSD, ready and willing to slice and dice a family all set for Thanksgiving dinner. That's basically it.
To be totally honest, the premise is more believeable in reguards to slasher films - An ordinary, albeit muscled out man, dazed out on drugs, committing atrocities via car hoods, knives, and everything else he can find. He repeatedly giggles and laughs hysterically throughout the whole film, almost cohersing the viewer into cackling out loud at his absurd expressions. Nevertheless, being the slasher film completist I am, I have to like it, but I don't have to love it. While there's more trash out there that makes way for a more boring experience, this is still an amateurish attempt at cashing in on the slasher craze that hit America shortly after Carpenter's Halloween.
I'm not even going to try and explain it, but I'm going to mention it: White faced, portable guitar freak. If your curiosity is raised just a hair, join the masochists of the world and track down Home Sweet Home.

If this semi review tickled your interests, check out a full review at the link below.
http://bleedingskull.com/vhs/homesweet.html

Graduation Day

2006-05-13T19:32:00.000-04:00

Spoilers Below

I'm straddling the fence on this little slasher 'epic'. I get the idea that Herb Freed, director -(now there's a name) thought he had himself a slasher gem on his hands. This film takes itself way too seriously, but does deliver on a few levels, albeit mediocre at best.
Good old stand-by Chris George (Pieces, The Gates of Hell,)is an overbearing track and field coach and likes to push his students over the edge. He must have pushed just a little too hard, because one girl decides to 'give up the ghost' during a public track meet, falling over dead from an apparent heart condition [from a race] due to over exhurtion. Uh oh! We just know that someone has got to avenge the death of the girl, and much to our expectations, someone does. Whomever it may be is doing away with people on the track team, donning a sweat suit, giallio-esque black gloves, and a stopwatch. It seems as if the killer times his victims deaths - from the time he spots them, he/she hitting the button, until the murder is over. The haneous killer tries to orchestrate his kills in under thirty seconds, the same amount of time our little female track star had to please the coach's demand for a fast time. (Before she kicked the bucket)
Graduation Day is filled with would-be red herrings, but none of them played out too extensively. The fomulatic layout of the slasher film in the earliest of the 80's was still in its infancy, so-to-speak, so Chris George's character COULD have been conceived as being the killer. (Although we find out later he's not, when he's confronted by the killer)
I'll give Herb Freed SOME credit. I'll not detract from his wanton slasher 'masterpiece'. There are some very Italian-like shots that present themselves in subtle ways throughout the entire film, but it was quiet hard to enjoy my old RCA vhs and its constant glare throughout. It's like watching a movie through a sunlit riddled window, a light haze hovering above everything.
Hey, I almost forgot big sister (who is in the Navy, doesn't get along with her father and is 'tough as nails') and the mock Friday the 13th scene - ala Annie being given a ride by a husky old truck driver, as this time, its the big sister of the fallen track star making her way home for her sisters funeral. Is it big sis in a rage, murdering everyone in her path, via different weapons and black gloves?
We also have 'Kevin'. He's probably one of the ugliest individuals I've ever seen. He looks like someone the casting agents picked up off the streets, decided to shave, and ultimately, give the part as a mourning boyfriend who planned to marry 'track girl' on 'Graduation Day'. To be totally honest, it's not real hard to guess who the killer is. He does have a unique, albeit cheesy way of offing his victims. We have one chic getting murdered in the girls locker-room. The last time I checked, it's pretty much hard to kill someone in a school without getting caught- or- at least blowing their own brains out. Nevertheless, slasher films don't make room for much continuity, so there's not much to pick at if one has conceived this idea from the get-go.
I'm not totally gonna diss Graduation Day. It has its flaws, but it also has its moments. There's some really good chase scenes entwined with some off-beat atmosphere, and a few original murders - Like a spike horizontally stuck through a football, thrown in a perfect Dan Marino spiral directly into its human target -or- the loley pole vaulter lands on a pad full of strategically placed spikes. At least a little bit of thinking went into the death scenes. By some odd means, I find myself watching this one more than I should, even though I don't watch it very much. (Is that a paradox?) Anyway, for the slasher completist like me, this is a must have, simply becuause its Graduation Day. For fans of old 80's horror in general, if you can find it, it's well worth the 99c rental at your local videostore. While you won't get many scares along the way, you'll get a full stomach by getting extra helpings of cheese.

EU and America's. Closer Ties.

2006-05-12T20:57:00.000-04:00

I sort of predicted in the Surprise letter from Iran post that U.S. ties with the EU would slowly writher away. A stepping stone to proving my point came today, when the EU vowed stronger relations with the America's -Bolivia, Venezuela and Hugo Chavez were main players in the role, as Brussels was the main factor in establishing EU/South American ties. This is probably raising an eyebrow with American politicians who support the war in Iraq, and favor the EU as their closest ally. Of course, we all know of President Bush's disdain for Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez. This is why I must stick to my guns with the statement I made in the aforementioned post. Again, energy/oil plays the main factor involving surprise political agendas and new team-ups. We all know of the energy crisis facing the world today. We also know that the EU is facing a gas shortage (even moreso than the rest of the world) and establishing ties with Venezuela and other Latin countries is a stepping stone for cheaper prices at the pump- and a better long-run outlook for the citizens of The European Union. Below is a link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4763999.stm

Zombie Lake

2006-05-12T15:23:00.000-04:00

If you like your zombies with green make-up that gets washed off by the water as they rise and submerge from a stagnant pond, you'll love this cheesy flick. It's more along the lines as a softcore porn than a zombie film. There's a storyline that involves Nazi soldiers, somewhat teetering on a love-story. I bought the Euro-Collection dvd just because it was quiet hard to find around here. I wish I had saved the eight bucks I spent on it.

The Nastiest Man in the World

2006-05-12T13:39:00.000-04:00

Giovanni Lombardo Radice -aka- John Morghen - By alot of cult filmmakers and cult cinema lovers, he's considered 'The Nastiest Man in the World'. No matter what horror film he's in, you can count on him do die an excruciating painful death. Drills through the head, penis chopping, being scalped, crushed, you name it. You can also expect the film you're watching to be filled with vile imagery and content. Aside from all this, Giovanni is one of the nicest people in the world. I love the Italians. Really. Cultural, yet open minded. Back in my hay-day, I did an interview with Lombardo-Radice, which I'll post soon.

Lucio's Antonella

2006-05-12T13:38:00.000-04:00

To the left are pics of Antonella, the daughter of the late great Lucio Fulci. I got a chance to speak with her back in 2003 (as mentioned in a previous post) , but also did a very extensive interview with her. Some of the questions were about her, but alot of them reguarded her father as well. She's a kind and gernous soul and I hope to meet her again one day. BTW, be looking to the long interview with her, coming soon.

The Horror, the horror!

2006-05-11T22:41:00.000-04:00

It's a shame. Good old America. It's full. Seriously put, America IS full. There's no more room for foreigners. This isn't because we hate you, or despise you because of your cultural beliefs, or simply don't want a 'chink' , 'wetback' or a 'kike' living next door to us. For the most part, the American citizen can get along with everybody. The everyday blue collared workers who make up America are a rare breed. Where I'm from, just think of the main cast in George Mihalka's 1981 slasher film, My Bloody Valentine, and you pretty much have an inside look at the people who make up my area. (With better hair and a better wardrobe, of course. Although, you still see the occasional VW bug now and again.) Hell, we love everybody. You really cant blame someone from the bowels of El Mexico to want to just cross the border - an invisible line. They should change the old saying from 'Grass is greener on the other side' to ' A Mexican's grass is greener on the other side. Hell, you can pick up a good lb of Mexico's best for a hundred buck a pound, but I'd hate to be the runner who had to stick the goods up his ass before crossing the border. I wonder if he would ever get the munchies, since, well, the weeds already, well...
We love you all, we just can keep you. We might even have to send some of you back. True, there's some of us Americans who hope you die and wish you a thousand deaths, not only upon you, but your families and the traitors you associate with. This is only a small percentage. (The rest of Americans are too politically correct to come out and say, "we wish you would just get the hell out', but let me assure you, they're feeling it, but still, we don't hate you. If we could, we would just blow all other countries off the map (but not before giving everyone a deadline to come to America. The ones who didn't make it, well...) and call America 'The World'. We'll do away with the globe and make new ones called 'plasitic hemispheres'. We can't tho.

Lucio Fulci: In The Office

2006-05-11T12:16:00.000-04:00

Everyone horror fan knows who the 'Godfather' is, the Godfather of Gore, that is. Back in 2003, I had the chance to speak with Antonella, daughter of Lucio.
I incidently had the chance to ask her some personal questions, and a few about her horror making father. Antonella is a very generous person. She gave me a couple pictures of Lucio 'in his office'. I'm not sure if they've ever been published after being shown briefly on an old site of mine about four years ago, so here's a few for you Fulci fans to gander at.

Copyright: 2006
BOTH PICS

Driving School

2006-05-10T16:39:00.000-04:00

Just got home from my driving school from an incident that occured back in January - on the 25th to be exact.
Well, what the hell do you have to go to driving school for, you ask? It's really a simple story.
Both my wife and I had to spend the night in jail - Me, for driving under the influence. Under the influence of what? Marijuana. I've been a smoker since I was fourteen. My wife spent the night in jail for NOTHING. She takes a prescription medication for a nervous condition (which she stated to the cop). He made her to the heel-to-toe walk-and-turn -- on gravels to beat it all. He stated that he saw powder in her nose, which God 'nose', you couldn't pay my wife a million dollars to snort anything up her head. The absolute main reason he took her jail was because her 'eyes were jerking'. (Which is a side effect of the medication) We have a major problem in my small town with cops illegally arresting people. This case with my wife was a blatent illegal arrest, which was later beaten in court with the judge precluding the case, but not before making crude remarks about the carelessness of her arrest. You could tell the cop was furious she beat her charges.. I've been trying to get her to file a lawsuit, but, she's a procrastinator, but is also busy with her job. She needs to do it quick. I told her that if she and a few other people would stand up to the overbearing police assholes around here, all this bullshit would at least halt a little.

Coolest Guitar EVER.

2006-05-09T15:22:00.000-04:00

This guy is a genius.

http://horrormovieguitars.com/jason.html

Romero Bytes

2006-05-09T00:22:00.000-04:00

George Romero. When someone mentions the name, scenes of an apartment complex in seige of zombies, or an underground bunker full of mouthing soldiers and disgruntled scientists come to mind - not to mention the cemetary zombie and 'Bub'.

It's sad, but true - Romero is getting older. Along with this comes the fact that he'll probably never make another truly epic zomvie film. Land of the Dead will pass, but it just wasn't the magnus opus I was hoping for. Day of The Dead 2: Contagium, that's simply a disgrace to the wonderfully gory 'Day of the Dead' - a slap in the face, if you will.

Here's a quote from an article I read sometime back:

''We were all sad when George Romero’s Land of the Dead – a fierce and brilliantly good entry in his Dead series – didn’t do as well at the box office as the current crop of crappy horror films. I worried that this would be the end of the series – not because I wanted to see an endless rehash of the same stuff but precisely because Romero does the opposite, bringing new themes and ideas to each of his films.

The Dead films could be continuing, though, in a whole new way – as a series of direct to DVD releases.

Today I spoke with John Harrison, who has worked with George Romero throughout his career as assistant director, composer, and even as the Screwdriver Zombie in Dawn of the Dead. I was talking to John about the recent DVD release of the lost horror classic Effects (starring Tom Savini and Day of the Dead’s Joe Pilato – the excellent new Effects DVD from CHUD!), and he mentioned that he had been working with Romero on some new projects.

“I can’t talk about them too much because they’re in the nascent stages,” he told me. “There are a couple of smaller projects, including one that could be really fun. I can’t talk too much about it, unfortunately, but what I can say is that it remains in the world he is known for and it would be a new DVD franchise.”

There’s more – including talk about Romero’s Dracula film, upcoming Clive Barker movies, and the possible future of the Dune franchise, as well as lots of great information about the lost classic Effects – in my full interview with Harrison, which should run in the next day or so!''

Script Writing Game

2006-05-09T00:12:00.000-04:00

The daily members of the discussion forums over at bodycount-continues are doing as little screenwriting game. Each one who participates writes a scene to a slasher film set in the 80's. Check out the forums and sign up. The game is taking place in the General Bullshit Section.

http://bodycount-continues.com

Surprise: Letter from Iran

2006-05-08T23:22:00.001-04:00

Well, it's late, and I'm still up, as usual. As my wife snores to her hearts content, I'm left up, pondering on lifes adventures and certain little mishaps, dwelling on the days activities.

It seems as if a surprise infiltrated the airwaves today. I just got a chance to catch the news this evening and found out that the leader of Iran (I'm not going to even try and spell his name) personally sent a letter to President George Bush today. Supposedly, it was to contain a more lighter tone, something very different and unusual coming from such an eccentric leader who publicly denied the holocaust, and called for Israel's complete destruction. I'm not really sure what to make of it. It's supposed to state that Iran is willing to take certain options in reguards to a diplomatic approach to solving the spliff between Iran, the U.S. and The United Nations. Sec. of State Rice stated in a conference that the letter sent by Iran's President would not "resolve standoff".

I don't know about the world and its population sometimes. Doesn't the world know by now that George Bush is not going to backdown until his last second in office? He's stuck pretty much by everything he said he was going to in reguards to Iraq and Afghanistan, and even let the world get a first hand look at his view of the world by naming off countries he considerd to be an 'axis of evil'. George Bush is not one to be taken likely, and it's no surprise to me that the letter was probably used to light one of Bush's cigars. It's just a matter of time before a showdown between the US and IRAN, (with GERMANY as the key ally. By this time, the British will have backed off a bit.) occurs. The world should also know by now that the UN is useless. There's been alot of talk lately of dismantling the UN completely, or simply tossing Annan to the curb - (which should have been done along time ago). The IAEA is another organization that's helpful to a certain extent, a 'watchdog' if you will, giving a public eye to who's doing what, but they've been completely useless in their attempts at a resolution. BTW, take a look at the first name of the president of the IAEA.. Anyway, we'll have to see in the weeks ahead how the President of Iran publicly disgraced himself in front of his Muslim fanaticals and the reactions thereof. Will he raise his rhetoric even more, out of sheer anger? Will he do it out of embarrasment? Does he realize now that nothing he said or done detorued Bush in any way? Looks like me may slowly be getting the picture.

I Drink Your Blood

2006-05-07T23:35:00.000-04:00

I just bought this dvd sometime back ( Cheezy Flicks release), but I loved it. I love old drive-in type flicks, and this is the epitimy of such. We have a band of satanic hippies who make their way to the country to lodge. They're simply a bunch of acid dropping idiots who like trouble. They're headed by a looney Indian named Bashkar (which incidently was paralyzed shortly after the film was made) who likes forcing old men to drop acid. Needless to say, the old man freaks out (Which is eerily comical, yet disturbing at the same time)
Just before this, the group gang rape a girl when they catch her spying on one of their satanic rituals. Well, it just so happens to be the grandaughter of the old man they force-fed LSD. With the acid droping senior citizen escapade and the raping of the girl, the grandson of the old man takes matters into his own hands. He shoots a rabid dog, drains the blood, and sells a load of meat pies to the hippies, as they've by this point taken over an abandoned house full of rats.
It's not long before the group start freaking out - foaming out the mouth, bugged out in this horrorific daze, hellbent on murderous intentions, whether by axe or large sword.
There's one truly scary part that would really be horrorific in reality. You have this crazed black man, frothing out the mouth, carring this large axe. He's got you bayed and has abnormal strength - crossed with the rabies and the drugs - He runs very very fast at you, hollering and screaming, freaking out after every high pitched sound he hears. Very intense scene for such a schlocky film.
A group of dam builders come to rescue, not until after a bunch try to take advantage of one of the infected chics - she going wild and biting her agressors. Needless to say, the rabies infection blows out of porportion as a bunch of frothing brutes come running full speed ahead with various sharp instruments. They're razing through the town, trying to viciously attack anyone who doesn't look infected.
There's alot of hig pitched bangs and squeals which goes along with the effect of the whole rabies symptom pattern - getting angry and upset at high pitched noises.
Nonetheless, while not a perfect film, this one delivers on a few levels. One can't deny it's one of the most original films ever made. The guy Bashkar was a really good actor (although I didn't care much for him), but incidently died this past year.
I didn't realize until after finally getting to see it that alot of films were inspired by this one.

AKA: Phobia

Just Before Dawn

2006-05-06T17:43:00.000-04:00

Jeff Leiberman's 1982 backwoods slasher Just Before Dawn is one of those needles in the haystack - you know it's there, but you truly don't appreciate it until after you've stuck yourself with it. What sets this film apart from the majority of 80's backwoods slasher attempts is the seriousness in which it represents within itself.

Spoilers Below

Staying in the same ball park as its older cousin, The Final Terror, we have a film filled with beautiful, albeit creepy imagery. It's doused with certain charms that one can't explain, giving it that extra oomph that a film like this needs. Leiberman went out on a limb with Just Before Dawn and succeeded greatly. Sadly, this film had gotten nowhere near the recognition it deserved over the years (as with The Final Terror), but not too long ago, Media Blasters released a special edition 2 disc set, packed with extra features. To be honest, I was hoping for better picture quality.
Anyway, we have a very errie opening scene that involves two hunters in an abandoned church. They just happen to be smack dab in the middle of nowhere, trees and landscape as far as one can see. They're standing in the church, (which happens to have a strategically placed hole in the roof) when the older hunter sees this huge bohemeth staring down at him. He gets freaked out, goes outside to check things out, but leaves his nephew Vachel inside. After a minute or two, as Vachel turns to follow his Uncle outside, the same face we saw staring down at them leaps out from behind a door and violently stabs him through the genital area and out the other side, sawing the rigid blade back and forth, grinding into Vachels tailbone. This scene made me jump. BUT, how could the same guy that was on the roof be inside? He's not Jason Vorhees, he can't be in two places at once, right?
We soon learn as one of the campers is walking across a rope bridge that there's actually two of these giants. Yep, their twins. Crazy, inbred, machete carrying twins.
Anyway, what we get is the normal slasher faccade - campers partying. Campers talking. Campers getting spooked a few times, especially in one scene that involves a couple swimming. The guy gets out, unbeknownst to the lady, all the while, seeing one of these psycho twins walking through a waterfall toward the chic. He submerges himself underwater and cops a feel of the naked chics T&A, just as she sees her boyfriend exiting the water, climbing onto the bank far in the distance. Needless to say, this is quiet a good scene.
To cut it short, if you're a slasher film fan of the 80's, Just Before Dawn has enough of every element to make it work. Good, good movie.

Silent Night, Bloody Night

2006-05-06T17:17:00.000-04:00

One of the best pre-era slasher films ever made. To be honest, Bob Clark (Black Christmas) should give Silent Night Bloody Night a few props.

Telling it like it is, upon watching this from the early days of childhood, I had to actually watch it a few more times to fully conceive the plot. I didn't know if things were so compilcated that I just didn't get it, or if things were so simple that they just slipped past me. I finally gathered the fact that it was indeed the latter.
A dark, grainy, gloomy, little early seventies slasher, that delivers on conspiracies and unanswered questions. I mentioned this in the bodycount-continues forums, but I'll still stand by it. I don't think a totally remastered release is the right choice for SNBN. I actually believe that the darkness and grain adds to the almost depressing atmosphere. It's almost like having the same feeling one got as a child on Dec 26th - After the fun - After all the family get togethers - The little hint of depression that lingers a bit until the new year is finally accepted. Theodore Gershuny (director) really knew how to use the camera to tell a story. The scenery is almost gothic in its delivery, making it almost feel like an 'over seas' production.
Not that my reviews are fruitful or just plain 'good' in the first place, but I have never been able to write a good review for it. SO, with this being said, I'll leave a link to Justin Kerswell's extremely grande slasher sight, Hysteria-Lives!.

http://hysteria-lives.co.uk/hysterialives/Hysteria/silent_night_bloody_night.html

The House on the Edge of the Park

2006-05-03T22:54:00.000-04:00

I never realized some of the bad cinematic choices made by my parents while I was growing up until recently. I say this not because HOTEOTP is a bad movie, it's the fact that the decision to allow a seven/eight year old kid to watch this Italian sleazefest - That's the bad part. God love them, tho.
David Hess pretty much carved his career in stone as forever being a brutal sadistic rapist, with no rguard for women or life in general with this Rugerro Deodato brute-fest.. Last House on the Left left him wounded, walking in a dead mans waddle, but House on the Edge of the Park was the fatal shot.
Alex (Hess) and Ricky (Italian sleazemeister Giovanni Lombardo Radice) are quiet the abnormal pair. From the get go, we're introduced to an 'ambush' rape - Alex seeing a short haired blonde in the car next to him, forcing her off the road, then raping her. For a few minutes, one may get the incling that Krug had somehow survived and made his way to Italy. We shouldn't be so lucky...
Alex and Ricki are two lone mechanics - Alex being the semi-boss, or the brains of the bunch, using the somewhat 'slow-minded' Ricky as a superiority crutch - someone to boss around and ultimately shove around. Ricky is somewhat likeable, as we see his childish innocence right away. From the start, we realize that Alex and Ricky don't make a good pair, especially the way Alex seems to be the one in control.
It's evening and Alex is getting all dolled up in his black and yellow club suit, looking mighty fine. Ricky is decked out in his leather jacket and jeans, discussing certain plans for the evening. Before long, a crew on their way to a party need a quick fix for their car and offer Alex fourty bucks to fix it. Incidently, after looking the car over, the crew invite the two dressed up mechanics out for a night of 'boogying'.
They soon arrive at a very large mansion, where a few more party goers await - one of the most memorable being a bald black woman. Yeah, a bald black woman.
Things go pretty good at first, until one of the guys at the party suggest playing a game of poker. Ricky has to pretty much ask Alex if he can play, but Alex being the good slavedriver he is, allows Ricky to play. Soon, Alex realizes that they're taking him for a ride and scheming together to beat his every hand. Ricky has no idea that he's being taken advantage of, not even after the little fiasco earlier, involving a half naked Ricky and the cold clubby hands of the female party goers.
To put it bluntly, Alex doesn't take well to the fact that they're tring to pull one over on them. He pretty much goes ballistic, beating the total shit out of a couple of the guys and cutting up and raping every woman in his path. He takes the house under seige, locking everyone in, telling them their every move. Ricky, being somewhat 'easier minded' than his bugged out friend Alex, just wants to call it a night, but Alex isn't done yet - He wants to have some fun.
To make a long story short, what we get is a brutal, sleazy, sadistic, mysgyonic piece of cinema, that serves no other purpose than to shock and repulse you. I'm not sure which is worse in terms of brutality, Last House on the Left or House On the Edge of the Park. I have actually interviewed both David Hess and Giovanni Lombardo Radice, and both guys have fun memories of each other, and most of all, fund memories of making House on the Edge of the Park. (I'll post the interviews soon). Like most rape/revenge flicks, Alex gets what's coming to him, but not after lashing out and accidently mortally wonding little ole Ricky. Hess puts on a pretty good performance and is always strangely likeable, even when he's a sadistic psycho. I could never understand this. Anyway, this ain't for the squeamish. I really feel sorry for people who actually 'enjoy' or as Lomberto-Radice likes to say 'get off on'' these types of films'. Films like these are pretty much a one time thing with me, as the subject matter is just a little to tight - The same can be said for I Spit on Your Grave. I still find myself watching this little Italian dung-fest from time to time, but I really have to put on my blinders and remind myself that I'm not depraved, I just need a wake-up call.

Land of the Dead (Game)

2006-05-03T15:39:00.000-04:00

I just played and beat the quiet simple Land of the Dead pc game. I've read alot of bad reviews for the game, and to tell you the truth, I expected a bit more excitement, but its ambiant approach was enough to keep me playing. The playability was quiet easy, but the zombie action was something to be desired. Like the movie, it was a hit/miss situation. Still, it's worth the play.

Graphics: Okay
Sound: Less than average
Playability: Good

7 out of 10 stars

Drive In Massacre

2006-05-02T20:40:00.000-04:00

With all this talk of nuclear weaponry and chaos and detruction, it's hard to store any hope for the coming futrure. That's why we should spend the rest of our time getting high and watching horror films. Iv'e watched quiet a few horror flicks lately, most of them being schlocky horror from the seventies and early 80's. If you're going to do it, do it right, eh?

I got around to watching a movie I haven't seen before. I have always heard of it, but was afraid to try it. I ordered the Driller Killer/Drive-In Massacre dvd off eBay a while back for a buck and incidently had to watch it. By the time it was all over, I ended up having to pay over eight bucks for the thing because the shipping was so high. So, in other words, I got a dollar dvd (something you can get at the Dollar Store for a buck) for eight bucks. Now, how pathetic can you get?
Anyway, I'm not really sure whether I like this movie or not. The tagline reads: "Your nightmares are about to come true" - giving us the feeling that this is going to be so gruesome, that our nightmares were literally going to come true while watching the film. Let me just say that watching some scenes from this flick is a nightmare, so, they got that part right.
Incidently, people start getting beheaded and cut to shreds at a drive-in. It looks to me like the owners would close it, but the owner states to the cops that he's made more money since the murders than before. You know, just business, right?
Anyway, it's business as usual. The drive-in remains open, the cops stake out the place, allowing a few people to get murdered during their stakeout. Dressed like women, the two dildo-headed police officers actually don't see two people being murderd by a large sword. Anyway, this scene is a page straight from the script of 'The Town That Dreaded Sundown'.
I'll give the director/producers credit, tho. They used a popular theme at the time and turned it into a 'massacre'. One point for them, but a thousand taken away for not closing the drive-in. The detectives should have won an award for the dumbest cops in a b-horror film. These two are even dumber than the two from Craven's 'Last House on the Left'.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

2006-05-01T23:11:00.000-04:00

I remember the very evening I watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. It was a very hot August evening back in 1986. I was around the age of seven, back when I went to the theater and saw ALL horror movies. Throughout the years, this has still remained high on my horror priority list. I absolutely love the comic book characters the writer construed through the pen and his imagination. He turned the cannibalistic Sawyer family into something of an enterprise. This is definitly a cinematic statement and is more on cue in a commentated sense with TCM 4: NG , than either TCM installment.
To put it plainly, Stretch, a radio disc jockey, captures the murder of two yuppies on their way to TEXAS OU Weekend in Dallas. It just so happens that the buzzed up kids called in to harrass Stretch on the air on their car phone ( must have been extremely rich to have a car phone back in 1986). Just as they begin their phone taunts, a truck they had purposely ran off the road in a drunken game of chicken a hundred miles earlier stop them dead in their tracks by beaming their headlights. The yuppies try to speed up, but it's to no avail. The truck speeds up (backwards) , weaving back and forth, but managing to keep up with the speeding car. All the while, the driver has Stretch on the other line. From out of no where, a large cloaked figure jumps up from the back of the truck with a very large chainsaw. It's obvious that this person has the dead body of someone else somehow tied around him, making it look like a macabre puppet, flailing its arms as it attempts to start the chainsaw. The chainsaw buzzes loudly, blue smoke filtrating the night air as both the yuppies and the psychos in the truck speed down the long lonely bridge. The chainsaw digs into the side of the yuppies car, sparks flying wildly as they speed along.
To sum it up, it's Leatherface, this being revealed when the passenger in the car shoots his decaying marrionette in the head, moving the corpses writhered skull, allowing us to get a glimpse of an even more sinnister face...LEatherface.
The next day, Leautenant Lefty Enright, (a relative of Franklin and Sally Hardesty from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre) makes his way to the car accident scene. It seems as if he knows that the killers are close by, as he figures this accident was constructed by the hands of Leatherface and his "bunch of goons". He's not very welcomed by the local police cheif, who sees Lefty as an eccentric Bible beating redneck who's obsessed with the deaths of his brother kids. This isn't far from the truth, as later down the road, Venita "Stretch Brock (the dj) and Lt Lefty Enright team up, sort of. It just so happens that Stretch caught the killings on tape. Lefty has a devious plan to use Stretch to play the tape on the radio, no matter how many listeners she pisses off, or no matter how many regulations she has to break to do it. Stretch, someone who is tired of "playing head banging music" and "wants to do something real", is eager to become Lefty's right hand gumshoe, so, she plays the tape....a bunch of times. She was supposed to hear from Lefty after playing the tapes, but he never showed.
Wouldn't you know it? Leatherface and his brother like to listen to the same station and even consider Stretch one of their favorite dj's. They just so happen to hear this on the radio, call Dreyton Sawyer (chili king -cook from the original TCM) on his car phone and tell him the bad news. And all this- after Drayton wins a chili-cook-off with his wonderful chili and secret human additives.
It's closing time and LG, (a big teddy bear of a man) tries to put his moves on Stretch, being jealous of 'this guy, Lefty'. He propositions her with a coffe and a 'big steak', but she declines, wanting to wait on Lefty to show up.
To make a long story short, Leatherface and is fucked up brother, "Chop Top' make their way to the radio station to do away with Stretch and steal the only copy of the tape. LG shows back up, gets his head bashed in numerous, I mean NUMEROUS times, all the while, still being able to hock up noogies and propell them into the air.
Stretch uses her woman capacities and coaxes Leatherface into not killing her. Leatherface lies to his steel plate wearing brother and nods his head as if he's done away with her. The brother steals a few records, honks a bicycle horn a few times and they make a break for it.
I don't know if it was Stretch's gumshoe tendacies, or the plain fact that she's an idiot, but she jumps into her Jeep and follows this band of macabre puppies. They lead her to an abandoned underground theme park, where The 'Sawyers' do their ghastly deeds - and maintain their monetary income. Somehow, while snooping around, Lefty shows up in his car, scaring Stretch. She tries to run away from the lights, through some makeshift or unfinished steel-ribbed tunnel, but soon finds outs it's Lefty. He evidently knew that if they didn't kill her, she would eventually follow them. So, he used her as bait to find their supposed hideout. Lefty's quiet the little sumbitch ain't he?
Anyway, Stretch falls through one of the clans trap doors and falls directly into the corridors of their hideout. She can't seem to remain quiet, knocks over some meat tools while Latherface cuts LG into bits with an electric fillet knife and again, she's accosted by our chainsaw welding maniac. By this time, we're not scared of LEatherface. He's more of a cuddly muddly litle teddy bear, only he wears someone elses face and carries the chainsw. The only true mistake made with this film is that Hooper gives LEatherface TOO much of a persona. He's not sinnister anymore. Man, if they had sustained Leatherface's character level from the bridge scene, he would have been one bad mother fucker...again.
Anyway, what ensues is some of the quirkiest and zaniest black comedy you'll ever see. Chop Top, played marveously by Bill Mosely (Devils Rejects, House 1Kc), delivers some of the funniest shit I've ever seen with his overly loud obnoxious self. Dreyton Sawyer (the cook from part 1) is really a comical guy, adding a comic book feel to it, alongide his costar Bill Mosely. Leatherface is a pussy in this one. Lefty is a strange individual. He ultimately fights the clan as a would be gunslinger, a chainsaw in each holster and one huge barred saw in hand - representing the cowboy way. A funny, sometimes scary, slap-dash horror film that delivers on the gore and cheese all together. This is quiet a different viewing eperience and should be viewed at least once by all fans of the genre.

Immigrant March

2006-05-01T20:37:00.000-04:00

Today (Monday), hundreds of thousands of immigrants marched throughout the United States in protests against talks of immigration reforms on both sides of congress. I'm very surprised how the media has sort of down-played things. I thought this would be one of the biggest mediated events of the decade, but the media has turned it from such, into basically just a nusance.
Maybe this was the snakes way of letting the pray survive a little longer, who knows. I was secretly praying for something to be done in reguards to immigrants and illegal aliens entering the United States. It's time that the world faces the facts and acknowledge that there's simply no more room for immigrants. As much as I am all for legal immigrants coming to the United States, it's simply time to close the gates. It's been a good run. Don't pack your bags in anticipation to reach 'paradise on Earth'. Stay home. There's no more vacancies.
In case efveryone hasn't noticed already, America is overflowing with people as it is. It's not America anymore. It's a haven for all people, not the 'home' of Americans, for the American. The good old U S of A: The Great Immigrant Nation. It's time we stop trying to exbrace ALL cultures and get back down to the cultural beginnings that made America great in the first place. America simply cannot be great as long as we take the ten commandments out of schools and courthouse. America cannot be great when we have to be sensitive to our 'Muslim' or 'Peurto Ricans' brothers. Who cares if some immigrant is offended by prayer to God Almighty in our childrens school. Who cares if some Muslim or Jewish born citizen is angered by the the word 'God' or Jesus'. This country was based on Biblical morals and the Constitution states evidence to back that up. It's time people stop wiping their ass on the constitution. If you do not agree with the Constitution of the Uunited States, or are offended by America's Christian and political views, stay where you are. America shouldn't have to change or 'adapt' to suit any foreigners needs.
America is where it is now because of immigrants. The United States cannot be a haven any longer for any Tom, Dick and Harry who wants to hop on an inflatable guitar and float over here.
Stay home, immigrants! Contribute to your society. Find ways to make your own society better. The only reasons you're here in the first place is because the conservatives need your votes and the democrats are afraid to send you home, afraid they'll lose a vote once Bush is out of office.

Driller Killer

2006-05-01T14:50:00.000-04:00

Like most classic horror films of the seventies and the early 80's, I saw most of them when I was a kid. Driller Killer just so happened to be a rental one Saturday night by the folks. I remember the copy of the vhs we rented stated at the beginning that 'This film is meant to be played loud'. I never really fully got what this artsy film was trying to say, but after many years and alot more experience in my my cinematic indulgences, I understand what director Abel Ferarra was trying to pull of.
We have a strange painter (Reno) , living with his two female roomates in what could be considered a 'shanty' place. They're barely making ends meat. Reno's paintings haven't been selling and the neighbors that moves in next door to him do nothing to elevate his artistic visions. 'The Roosters', a VERY LOUD Punk band play their music day and night right next door to Reno, driving him insane. Needless to say, like most painters whom I've came into contact with, they get the hots for portable drills. Reno seems to get a little too excited when he sees commercials on television for a portable drill for only twenty bucks. He also has these wierd scenerios in his head - all blood crimson, his face and hair covered in blood at the sound of this very aggruvating squelching.
This is where the statement I mentioned earlier comes into play. If you turn the film up louder than normal, you get the sense of what Reno must have endured (even to a greater degree) on a daily and nightly basis. Ala 'I Drink Your Blood', where a group of satanic hippies infected with rabies freak out at loud high pitched noises, Driller Killer delivers on lousy sounding nuances to literally pound the viewers senses. There's this horrible urge to turn the television down, but there's also this feeling that we're missing out on the whole point if we do. Irritating, vibrating, high pitced noises - All the way through the film. Together with Reno's dead painting career, lack of money for the bills, and his failed love attempt, it's no wonder he goes mad and murders homeless people. I think this is also a statement. Reno was only one step away from being homeless himself. Reno despised the homeless 'bums', but was overly afraid of becoming one himself, thus, taking his murderous agression out on them. That's not the only 'class' of people Reno kills, however.
If you're in for something a little different, but still not the greatest thing in the world, check out Driller Killer. Not an early bad effort from Ferarra, who later delivered a few more cult favorites.

Hunters Blood

2006-04-30T00:26:00.000-04:00

I won the 1987 backwoods slasher flick 'Hunters Blood' off eBay sometime back. I've read alot of good things about it. Alot of my online aquaintances have praised this film, putting it in the same boat with Rituals and the great backwoods epic, Deliverence. I can't wait to check it out. I'm a huge fan of backwoods slashers. Alot of people dislike the film due to the lack of kills, but I think the 1981 Deliverence themed slasher 'The Final Terror' really has alot going for it. There's great acting, great locations, great night shots. The few kill scenes that do occur are very creative. I'll do a review on this before too long. Another backwoods favorite of mine is 'Just Before Dawn'. 1981 was a pretty good year for slashers, and Just Before Dawn was no exception. Here's another slasher gem that doesn't contain much slashing, but relies on premise and location to hearkn the slasher elements we all crave. If you like well filmed slashers, with a believable story, shot in their own unique style, check out Just Before Dawn and The Final Terror.

'Hunters Blood' came a little late in the game, (from what Justin Kerswell from Hysteria-Lives! calls the 'overkill' period) in 1987, but it sounds as if it's right on the money. Maybe it's one of those attempts that recognizes the genre is dying, going all balls and delivering something off the wall. Let's hope so. BTW, when I receive 'Hunters Blood', I'll spring up a review for it.

Keith Richards Hospitalized in New Zealand

2006-04-29T22:52:00.000-04:00

Just a few days after my interview with Keith Richards, he had the media say he fell out of a palm tree, injuring himself, as in, he is alive. Dead people don't injure themselves, since afterall, they ARE dead. Just another show of pull from one of the richest dead men in the world.

Look at the left side of Keith's jaw (or right side, camera view). You can perfectly tell his flesh is glued to his face, as it was announced by one of his bodyguards that a piece actually fell off when he passed out in a ditchline. The fly bites soon turned to gangrene which left his face all disfigured. It's a well known fact that dead men don't grow tissue, which made it quiet hard for surgeons frome the American Surgeon Alliance to regenerate his dead flesh. It was leaked by a press agent that pieces of skin left over from a Michael Jackson incident were used in trying to persue the correct tone and structure. Actually, Michaels skin was a bit too light.

Take a look at that dye job. Especially, take a look at that hairline. Richard's ex-wife blurbed in an interview on a local television station that Keith had went bald not long after he died. What we acually see is surgically implanted gorilla hair, combed and thinned to look as if he had a full head of hair all along. It certainly beats looking at the mushy decaying glob on the ide of his forehead, caused from passing out for twenty-four hours with his head leaned back in his reclining chair. When one dies, the point of contact becomes amongst the first of the bodyparts to decay, coagulating blood into one spot. It's reported that Richards don't stay at home one hundred days out of the year, but in a secret room guarded by L Ron Hubbard and Tom Cruise in the basement of their church of scientology. Supposedly, they sit Indian style, praying to their solar god xenu to allow Richards to decay more slowly, so he can make some more money from he being convinced by Cruise and Hubbard that he can pay them for letting him live.

It's Curtains for you

2006-04-29T17:37:00.000-04:00

I remember back in the early 80's, sitting at my friends house on a Saturday evening. We were around the age of eight and just exploring the gruesome world of the horror film. It just so happened that my friends older brother had rented Canada's 'little mess' called 'Curtains'. It's an artsy version of the slasher flick, embedded with sophisticated performances by John Vernon and Samantha Eggar.
Johnathan Stryker, a smooth talking director, is holding auditions at his mansion for the part of Audra, a film of the same name. It just so happes that Samantha Sherwood is an aging actress, and isn't quiet nailing her performance as Audra. Like most method actors, she's stark raving mad to begin with, and carves it in stone when she and Stryker come up with a cynnical plan. The plan is to have Sherwood locked up in a mental institution, so she can grasp the schizophrenic tendacies of her character first hand. They stage a little act while she is being evaluated, grabbing a pencil and pretending to stab the doctor. She's quickly ushered off by a group of orderlies and locked away in the institution. Stryker must have forgotten to discuss the fact that he had no intentions of ever getting Samantha out, which gives prelude to showdown to come.
It's finally time. Five or six young up and comers make their way through the snowy highways to Strykers villa. It just so happens that one of the females didn't make it.
What ensues is a revenge/love tale, polished off by Strykers smooth woman-bedding performance, and Eggars classy delivery. We're treated with a side dish of a few great kills scenes, one of them being one of the most memorable from any slasher film. One of the actresses is ice skating on a pond when someone in an old hag mask, all dressed in black, skates furiously toward our, with a very large schithe in hand. This is one of the truly scarier moments in slasher filmdom. Who's killing our houseful of actresses willing to do anything to get the part of Audra? Is it Samantha Sherwood, back from the institution to seek bloody revenge against the actresses who stole her part as Audra -and- Johnathan Stryker for being the sleazebag he is? Weave through all the artsy fartsy set pieces and classy performances and what you have is the skeletal remains of a good slasher film.
Richard Ciupka ultimately used the psuedonym, Johnathan Stryker - I guess it is no coincidence that John Vernon's character is of the same name. This should be a tell tale sign that the movie was riddled with problems, and indeed it was, taking quiet a long time to complete - with reshooting and all that.
Not a bad time waster with a few good slasher-esque moments.

The Dorm That Dripped Blood

2006-04-29T01:18:00.000-04:00

The Dorm That Dripped Blood is one of those films that will slip by you if you aren't careful. I actualy had the pleasure of watching this when I was in the sixth grade, back in 1988. The television I viewed it on had a flaw in the contrast toggle, making the viewing experience quiet dark. I could see what was going on for the most part, but since most of the film consisted of the dark corridors of Meadows Hall, it was hard to make out certain scenes.
I finally got around to ordering a mint condition Media version vhs of The Dorm That Dripped Blood, off eBay some years back. Upon my second time watching it, I was quiet surprised - especially since two directors - Stephen Carpenter and Jeff Obrow helmed the film. Usually, when it takes two directors to finish a film, it's bad news.
Anyway, we start off with some lone guy (that has nothing to do whatsoever with the rest of the film) running and hiding from this sinnister force that's chasing him. He stops behind some bushes to catch his breath and from out of the darkness, someone lashes at him with a kinife, slicing his hand in two. We're soon succumbed to the highest pitched stacattos I've ever heard.
We're soon taken to a party where it's evident that Joanne's boyfriend is going away for a few weeks on a skiing trip with his buddy. Joanne has to stay behind in her obligation of heading a crew whose job it is to take inventory of all the remaining junk from Meadows Hall - A dorm that's in line to be demolished.
We've got a pretty boring clan, but are soon introduced to red herring #1, John Hemmit, played by Woody Roll. He's a severly fuzzy headed hermit who's using the confines of the dorm as shelter. He's a pretty interesting character to say the least. And we have Bobby Lee Tremble - as junk euntrapeneur(sp). He gets the hots for Joanne while picking up a load of inventory, but Joanne is already sweet on Brian, one of her coworkers, torn between her boyfriend and this puppy love she's feeling for Brian. Finally, there's Craig. He's quiet the ancy little fellow with an attitude. He and Brian don't see eye to eye on alot of issues and it's soon made clear.
We get a litle early cameo from Melrose Places Daphne Zuniga. She had gained much more experience by the time her 1984 release of 'The Initiation' came out.
We really have no backstory, just someone offing the group one by one with a plethora of weapons - one of the two most memorable being a Groen pressure cooker and a baseball bat with barbed wire wrapped around it. Of course, he used a few simple methods as well. He simply choked one victim to death by easily opening the door and quietly sneaking into her back seat. He gets lazy and just backs over one victim with a car after she passes out from seeing her maimed father and choked-to-death mother.
The whole film has this certain chlosterphobic element about it that draws you in. I'm not trying to give it more credit than it's due, but it's a very good little slasher attempt. The camera-work can look amateurish at times, but the directors make up for this by actually going hard at the storyline, hardballing it until the end - no exeptions. We get a very twisted ending that I truly never saw coming. If you're looking for a slasher film with alot of heart and decent delivery, especially in reguards to the kills and the variety thereof, check out The Dorm That Dripped Blood.

The Redeemer -aka- Class Reunion Massacre

2006-04-28T15:28:00.000-04:00

I've been a huge fan of the almost forgotten early slasher film of the 70's. Released in 1976, Class Reunion Massacre (the video release) AKA: The Redeemer (theatrical release) takes a ballsy approach at the religous theme, entwining it with slasheresque moments - giving us the elemental 'revenge motive' at the end.
A short dumpy kid rises from a lake, fist in air, as in some triumphant mode. He makes his way through the water, to the banks of the quarry and ends up at the home of a sleeping preacher. During this little scene, we see something of a transformation. The kid simply transfers his third thumb, to the hand of our preacher. Yeah, the kid has a third thumb - which stated by TG Finkbinder (the redeemer) was an ''epifany'' by Directo Constantine S Gochis in has backyard one evening. He also stated that Gochis consumed a case of beer everyday while on the set, which may say something about the whole feel of the movie.
We're soon taken back to the kid. His clothes are soon dry and he finds hiself waiting on a blue and white church bus to pick him up. He end up at the church, where soon, we find out he's a choir boy - but - not before being harrassed by the local bully, simply because he didn't laugh at his whore/sailor joke. The kid gets a knife blade pressed against his neck, just as the church bell ques the choir boys to their positions in the church.
It's not long before the preacher pounds his fists and spouts out dogmatic religous jargon, all the while, being taken to the lives of six ordinary individuals, albeit evil in the eyes of our preacher. By some truly good editing, we step back and forth between the lives of these people, showing us what kind of supposedly evil people they are - an actor who is vanity laiden, a lawyer who cares about nothing but the dollar, a lesbian, a rich bitch who shoots live doves for sport, a fat glutton who likes to call the son of his new fling a 'little bastard', and a seemingly innocent lady who has incidently been married and divorced a few times. Even tho a few of the characters were assholes, they certainly weren't worthy of the barbaric deaths they endured.
Anyway, these people represent a portion of the seven deadly sins. The preacher marveously sets up a faux class reunion, only inviting the six aforementioned individuals. The seventh deadly sin, to my knowledge, comes right before the caretaker of the school is killed by The Redeemer. He was a semi-crippled man who denied the redeemer's help on his request to help him pick up his keys. Evidently, the preacher or 'the redeemer' saw this as 'pride', and shot the bastard cold dead.
Soon, the six former highschool students (who must have been good friends) make it to the old highschool, which looks deserted from the get-go. They are soon let in my the redeemer, disguised as the caretaker. He seems immune to the fact that a class reunion is going to take place, even tho there's a huge banner overtop the threshold that states "Class of 67'.
They're in side, but everything is missing. All the trophies which helped the fat glutton remember the days when he was a popular jock, not an overweight prick. The whole place is deserted, but the sound of music and the smell of food lures the crew to the cafateria where a meal fit for three kings sits, waiting on the crew to dig in. There's a really cool shot that has everyone sitting horizontally behind the table, reminiscent of of 'The Last Supper'.
To make a long story short, the redeemer offs the crew, using their daily life rituals as a crutch to murder them....for instance, the glutton is baked by fire just like the food he eats. The make-up wearing divorcee is drowned in a sink bowl. A statement on her jezabell ways. A lawyer is forced to shoot himself in the head, making it look like suicide. The actor is offed by way of huge schimitar directly though the top of his skull as he seemingly becomes furious at the fact that the redeemer is doing this weird Shakesperian gig, taking the spotlight away from himself.
.
Anyway, the crew are dispatched one by one as mentioned earlier. The redeemer looses his third thumb after redeeming himself from the murders and the kid returns back to the lake, to sink beneath the watery depths once again. - but - not before killing the bully who harrasses him during the beginning of the film.
This is one of the best pre-'Halloween' era slashers ever made. I was shocked at how good this film was. It does have its flaws, but not many by comparison to the other trash that polluted the silver screens in the 80's. It has gained some popularity as of late, as Code Red dvd plans of putting out a special edition dvd of this. Incidently, I did an interview with the star of the film, TG Finkbinder, which is placed on my good friend Dusk's site. Below is the link:

http://www.slashers.ultimate-horror.com

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4: Satire of the World Today

2006-04-27T22:28:00.000-04:00

Just recently, I braved the waters once again and decided to give Kim Henkel's TCM: The Next Generation another go 'round. I hated this movie from the time I saw it back on video in '97. (Except for Mathew Mconaghey and his insanely brilliant performance) I had always despised Robert Jacks portrayal of Leatherface, turning him from a sadistic madman with no identity, into a screaming, whimpering shell of his former self. Leatherface's sexual identity crisis must have gotten worse over the years, since he has a pension for wearing beautiful dresses, velvety wigs and too much rouge. I simply never got the message until this last viewing.
I've been doing alot of research on 'The Illuminati' over the past two years. I've done extensive research, many hours behind the computer and pages of a books, trying to decipher the worlds mystery and the conspiracies and events that this 'Illuminati' group want to spawn.
If I were to go into detail (for those of you not in the know of just what the Illuminati is), trying to describe to you exactly what it is, but it's a subject better read and propelled from the lips in the form of answers. To keep myself from being labeled a mad paranoid idiot, I'm steering clear.
Anyway, TCM 4 is chock full of NWO (New World Order) and occultic symbolism, starting with Leatherface himself. As the world is slowly turned into a genderless society, angry and confused at simply not knowing who they are, Leatherface represents these people, angry and confused, lashing out with his chainsaw. Vilmer, who has an electronic brace on his leg, has more remote controls than everyone in New York combined, and loves to take his sick agression out on a group of teenagers - having no compassion for them whatsoever. Vilmer represents the society today controlled by the media. He represents all the couch potatoes, force fed garbage and only what mediated venues allows him to hear. Again, he's angry, murderous and abusive, taking his agressions out on his wife because of the stress of his job. The big breasted lady is just that. She plays a good looking woman who has obviously been pumped up in the boob department and injected with some collagen in the lips. She's the faceless woman, fake, molded into plastic, sex object and represents the plastic faced actresses and artificial porn star.
The whole film and its different array of characters represent different classes in th world, being controlled by this murderous, albeit wealthy man in a black limousine. This rich sadistic man who has ordered the 'Sawyer Family' to inflict as much pain on their victims as possible and to ultimately 'show them the true meaning of horror', represents the rich politicians and sadistic occultic leadership that makes up the 'Illumnist's' - Who ultimately own everything and infiltrate the minds of the world with so much fear and corruption, we'll be like sheep to the slaughter during the formation of the new world order.
Kim Henkel is one of my new favorite directors, even tho the conspiracist may not enjoy it.

Asia? Dario? Who can tell?

2006-04-26T20:03:00.000-04:00

I've been noticed alot lately that Italian starlet Asia Argento, looks more and more like her giallo making father, Dario Argento. This is definitly not a good thing.

Keith Richards: Dead/Alive all those years

2006-04-26T18:56:00.000-04:00

Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones actually died sometime back, but he still enjoys main-lining now and again. I was able to sit down with him for an interview, but it tended to drag when parts of Keith Richards kept falling off.
When I asked him how he liked being dead, he simply stated that "It's like being in The Village People instead of the Stones. I shoot so much heroine, that I can actually deal with the fact that I'm dead".
To be honest, I thought Richards looked pretty good during the interview. When asked what he did to keep himself half alive all those years, he said: "To be honest, if not for the heroine, sex and alcohol, I could have never accomplished this. I give thanks to all the illegal opium farmers who have built cities because of my habit."
I thought that was a pretty fair statement, coming from a dead man.
During the end of the interview, I asked him if and when he was going to tour with the Stones again,. he had this to say,: "Jagger is a little pussy. Just because I'm dead, Micky won't allow me to perform with the band anymore. I don't see what the problem is"
Me either, Keith. Face the facts Mick, if not for Richard's 'dead-on' guitar licks, you would still be selling your ass for heroine. Because of Keith, you're able to buy it with your own money. Big Lips. PHBBTT!

Horror Movie Suggestions

2006-04-26T15:44:00.000-04:00

I've been on a real horror binge lately. I've dug around the dung pile and picked out a few golden peanuts.

While not one of the most exciting films ever made, Satan's Blade, an early 80's slasher attempt does deliver on tension and atmosphere - in some respects. I picked this up at a ma and pa video store in the big box.

Let's just say that some people go to a cabin in the snowy taundra of some Northwestern territory, where, you guessed it, someone does away with them one by one. What sets this apart from other slashers is the seriousness behind the film. Let's face it, it's hard to take many early slasher films at face value, but this one has the one cent mark on it that makes it not TOTALLY worthless. A dark damp atmosphere, with a surprise beginning and a twist ending that I NEVER saw coming. If you're in it for a more boring version of certain 'Halloween' moments, check it out. I won't promise that you'll fully enjoy it, but you'll agree, if you're a fan of horror cinema, it does deliver on some levels.

Another movie that has always been a favorite of mine is American Gothic. A Canadian movie (odd for the title), it doses out that frigid lonely Canadian feel that i love from Canadian Slashers. A group of friends take their small plane to an island for some fun after one of the members gets out of the hospital from a nervous breakdown. The plane malfunctions and everyone is stranded. They roam the damp area until they run upon an old house. They simply go inside, make themselves at home - rummaging through their things, listening to an ancient phonograph and glimpsing at issues of The Saturday Evening Post. It's safe to say no one has been home for a while, but soon, like always, the owners return. Needless to say, it looks as if they would have been upset, but instead, the old couple played marvelously by Rod Steiger and Yvonne DeCarlo, invite them to stay until help arrives.
Things start getting stranger and stranger as the old couple introduce to the crew their children. The thing is, these people aren't children, but well into their fourties. They behave, dress, talk and act like children - playing jumprope, cowboys and indians, etc.
What we get is evidence that ma and pa and the 'kids' are a deranged group if incestuous religous fanatics who are hell bent on ridding their area of evil doers.
This is probably one of the weirdest horror films I've ever seen. If by some chance you guys haven't seen it, check it out.

Croation 'Dracula' Revived to Lure Tourists

2006-04-26T15:34:00.000-04:00

This is probably one of the most desperate attempts at gaining tourisim that I've ever seen.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060424/ts_afp/croatiatourismdracula

The Dead Next Door

2006-04-25T19:55:00.000-04:00

Once in a while we run into a gem of cinematic genius that leaves us with a lasting impression. One mention is J.R. Bookwalter's The Dead Next Door. I had heard good things about the film, but decided to buy it sometime back. I managed to pick up the Anchor Bay special edition that is packed with killer extra's.
Anyway, with obvious homages to Romero's Dawn of the Dead and Creepshow, and even Raimi's The Evil Dead, The Dead Nextdoor delivers on the gore and storyline. We have a zombie outbreak where bleeding hearts and a religous cult are trying to protect the zombies and induct them into a post apocalyptic army of sorts. There's a little more to the story, but the whole thing reminds me of things happening in the world today
We are the dead next door. We are zombies in a world of corruption, cruelty and lies - Being force fed cryptic Christianity of Christian netorks, zany preachers and gurus spouting out jargon similiar to the occultic trash from our deranged religous leader in 'Dead Next Door'.
We are a world longing for a saviour, but don't have the guts or are ashamed to believe. We know we're sinking in a quagmire of skeletal remains, with no way of ever climbing out, understanding we're dying as a nation and world, but like always, man has the answer. We can believe in evolution, the fact that animals just simply grow new body parts over time- We can cheer for the actor who believes in his occultic god Xenu - We laugh at anti Christian jokes, but conceive satanic practices as everyday normality - but - we can't believe in a God actually creating us. The whole idea of evolution is ludicrous. A belief that the world just simply evolved from nothing, into an overloaded glob of gumbo is ridiculous. That's not different than saying that a tornado can pass through a jnk yard and whip together a functioning 747 Jetliner. Bullshit.
It's time we stop being zombies, forcefed daily garbage in the form of nightly news. It's time we stop letting the media tell us what's right and what's wrong.

Roger DeMarco - Afghan Prince

2006-04-25T17:42:00.000-04:00

Anyone who's a fan of the horror film will recognize the name Roger DeMarco (Scott Reiniger). I just found out a bit of news that's been around for awhile now. It just so happens that his great great grandfather was the first American to set foot on Afghan soil. According to a treaty he signed, his heirs are granted the title Prince of Ghor. Anyway, here's the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3750931.stm

Japanese-horror director: H'wood 'short of good ideas

2006-04-25T15:35:00.000-04:00

I couldn't agree more. With all the remakes, its almost hard to remember a time when something truly original was made. They just don't make them like they used to. Instead of remaking classic films, why not just steal the formula, ala -80's slasher era, use nobody actors, spend the extra money on prosthetics, bring back the synth score - be done with it.
Eli Roth and Rob Zombie are new beacons in the horror world. Anyway, below is a link to an interview with Takashi Shimizu on his likes of the remake, because lets face it, they've made him rich - but also his dislikes, like the films coming back to haunt him.

www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/25/film.grudge.reut./index/html

Divisions 'could tear UN apart'

2006-04-25T15:09:00.000-04:00

Now, this is what I like to hear. The United Nations (as well as the former League of Nations) is nothing but a starting point for a one world goverment. The UN is all about unifying the global economy and forcing upon us a one world religion. We are also either to swear our allegance to this one world totalitarian goverment, or simply not eat. As the Christian faith believes, it's not in the best interest to take the mark of the beast, being the 'mark of a man' - six hundred three score and six - 666. Personally, I think the beast is a system - the beast of Revelations and the antichrist being two different people.
Anyway, thwarting any further discussion on end times, here is a bit of good news that can shed a glimmer of hope for just a few years longer.

Here's the link to the article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4944038.stm

Mining and Massacres

2006-04-25T12:44:00.000-04:00

My father has been in the coal mining industry since his 18th birthday. He has spent almost fourty years of his life, underground, working and slaving, breaking his bones and his back for the sake of the hard earned dollar. Needless to say, he's pretty much climbed the corporate ladder (an irony in the coal business) and is making tons of bucks. I've been around the mining business all my life. I grew up around coal miners in their dark blue jumpsuits and mining clothes - the hard hats, the resperators, knee pads, and all the mining slang and black faces to go along with it. Seeing my dad writher in pain from over exhurtion from crawling around in a 25 inch crawlspace for twelve hours at a time was more than enough to detour me away from ever stepping foot in a coal mine as a profession. I took the easy way out and found jobs paying good bucks while sitting flat on my ass. I'm not a lazy person, but a relaxed person. Anyway, there has always been one movie that strikes home in reguards to this. Yep. It's a slasher movie. You've probably already guessed I'm referring to George Mihalka's 1981 cut to shreds slasher, My Bloody Valentine.
Even tho Canadian, miners partying and smoking dope on the weekends was exactly how it was here in the states. I remember many Saturday nights as a kid excited by a livingroom full of mom and dad's friends, drinking and smoking, talking about mining and using as much profanity as possible. I loved it. For the most part, the portrayal of the miners in MBV is right on the money - the spats over women and all.
Paramount, the creators of the famed Friday the 13th series had MBV chopped to bits upon its theatrical release. All the blood and gore is completely removed. Aside from this, this is still the perfect slasher film. The small mining town was right on the money. The setting of the mine was a perfect location to film a slasher film - dark, dank and chlosterphobic.
The story is simple, really. A couple of supervisors leave five men underground by themselves because they're anxious to get to the towns Valentine party. They forgot to check the methane levels and BOOM! The mine explodes, leaving one lone survivor, Harry Warden, sitting in rubble, feasting on the leg of one of his co-workers. Well, guees who supposedly comes back to town?
There's a certain comedic element, or comic book feel to it that really levels out the playing field. Good characters, good dialogue and some very tense kill scenes, despite the choppy edits. Everytime I watch this, I'm waiting for dad to call from the mine and explain how the men got hacked up by some crazed lunatic carrying a pick-axe.

Terror Train

2006-04-24T19:56:00.000-04:00

I ordered the Terror Train dvd off the net sometime back and was quiet satisfied with the quality, but was disapointed that there were hardly an extra's - I think we get a trailer, however. This one ranks right up there as one of my favorite slashers. There's just something about Canadian slasher films that I absolutely crave. I think it's the frigid atmosphere.
Jamie Lee Curtis again plays our climatic heroine, belting out two ten thousand dollar screams in an onvious 'contract' with the filmmakers to give two of her best lung tremors. Anyway, Doc (named fittingly because he's a pre-med student) is a practical jokester. He likes to get a kick from other peoples expenses. Kenny is a nerd who wants to join Doc's fraternity. Let's just say that the prank goes wrong, sending this poor kids mind back to the crazy box it came out of. You can pretty much guess what happens next. We roll a few years down the road, there's a party on a train celebrating the end of the semester - and - guess who shows up? I'm not telling We get a pretty good hack n slash feature with a smothering atmosphere. The train setting is absolutely chlosterphobic - in a good way. We have a couple great characters, 'The Conductor', to name one, played by AA winner Ben Johnson. Even tho Doc is an ass, I liked his character for some odd reason. Some of you may know him also as the professor in Urban Legends 2. (Hart Bochner)
There's a cool, but sometimes irritating magic show from nonother than David Copperfield himself, lasting for what seems like hours. Another thing I thought was cool was the way the killer changes into the costume of his last victim In other words, this is a great time waster if you're a fan of the slasher.

Not to get too long winded as I'm ever so capable of doing, the name 'Terror Train' strikes a chord within me. I've often wondered why terrorists haven't used a suicide bomber on one of America's transits? It's a very likely scenerio and more than likely will happen to some degree involving some form of grounded public transportation in the future. Train stations aren't that well protected in terms of security and more ought to be done to reform this. Anyway, watch the movie before you have to watch it on the news.

The next Hitler?

2006-04-24T15:12:00.000-04:00

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - The guy is either a complete Zionist hater with an agenda that calls for the complete destruction of Israel, or he's a liar who's just trying to use hardcore rhetoric to frighten the U.S. Either way, i think the guy should be assasinated. Yeah, Pat Robertson would be proud, but here's a case for lagitmit cause. The guy has publicly denied the holocaust and called for Israel 'To be erased from the map'. If the guy had the means, there's no doubt in my mind he would use nuclear weapons against Israel. Only time will tell whether or not we will go to Iran or use sanctions through the UN. Personally, I think the UN is useless and should be dismantled. If there was ever a chance for a totalitarian world goverment, leaving the UN in power would be a starting point.

Paul Partain (TCM '74 review)

2006-04-24T14:49:00.000-04:00

Back in 2002, I conducted an interview with Paul Partain (Franklin) from 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. Justin, from Hysteria-Lives!, was gracious enough to post the interview on his awesome slasher related website. Not only that, he allowed me to have my review of TCM posted on the site as well. Hats off to Justin.

http://hysteria-lives.co.uk/hysterialives/Hysteria/texas_chainsaw_massacre.html
Dig around the site and check out the interview and the review. Once again, thanks Justin.

Funniest interview ever.

2006-04-21T19:36:00.000-04:00

I fooled around at Sam Goody's the other day and picked up two of the worst films ever made. I purchased one simply because it was a Doris Wishman film, and the other one I purchased because it was on the U.K's 'Video Nasties' list back in the day.. Just in case you're wondering, the titles are 'A Night To Dismember' - Doris Wishmans chopped to bits, semi-slasher mess, well, there's not much to say ecept for the fact that it had a hilarious commentary from Wishman and her regular cinematographer. 'Unhinged' is something of an enigma. We have three girls on their way to a jazz concert when they have an accident. They later wake up in a mansion where some eccentric family resides. - Mama in a wheelchair spouting out mean verbals to her fourty-year old virgin daughter, accusing of her being a whore. Sounds interesting, but let me assure you, it isn't. The first kill scene was indeed one of the best kill scenes from any slasher - The victim running upon her cloaked murderer in a damp dank forest, holding the largest schytche I've ever seen, making a run for help upon climbing a leafy knoll. She grabs the blade as it slices into her hand, making way for a tounge biting scene. That one scene is very Itallian in its delivery. It was obvious that director Don Gronquist was a follower of early giallo films from the likes of Dario Argento and Mario Bava. What I want to piss on tonight is one of the special features on the 'Unhinged' dvd. It's stock footage from an interview of Gronquist and the female lead in the film. Anyway, Gronquist can't say shit with a mouthfull. When he's asked a question, he freezes up like a deer in headlights and makes weird faces like he's on the verge of letting a brown tidal wave flood his tighty whities.
I decided to watch the interview while my wife was asleep one night and eventually woke her up from hysterically laughing out loud. For the whole evening, I thought I have wasted $7.50 on the dvd, but realized that the dvd was worth its weight in gold when I witnessed "THE' interview.
His female counterpart was calm and collected, finished her sentences smoothly and ultimately in a coherant form. Grounquist obviously had a lot to say and didn't have much time to say it, the interview being about ten minutes. I think what he tried to do was compile everything he had in mind to say into one big glop of fat, leaving himself in a tight spot when his slow little mind overloaded with all those rampid thoughts. You can see his face turn twelve shades or red at times, but our cool hostess saves the day and pretty much finished Gronquists sentences. I was seriously waiting on Gronquist to explode. His experience is akin to someone smoking a hefty J and being pushed out on stage with lights and a camera in their face, someone culling the fact that they were going to be on national television at the last minute.
To sum it up, please, I beg of you, if you don't want to buy the dvd (because it does suck except for the gory surprise ending and the first murder), bid on a dollar copy on eBay or something. Real life 'what the fuck do I do now' moments. F...u...nn.y. Oh yeah, it's got one hell of an axe murder in it as well.

The Video Dead

2006-04-19T23:10:00.000-04:00

**THE VIDEO DEAD** is a movie I hold closely to my old black heart. I managed to catch this cheesiest-of-them-all zombie epic early one Saturday morning on the USA Network (when it was still watchable - in the late 80's) around 10A.M. Anyway, it's become one of my favorites.
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A television set arrives at a house where two high school aged kids (brother and sister) are home alone. The delivery man lets them sign for it and they bring it insde. It's not long before little brother realizes that the only thing the television plays is a zombie film called, 'Zombie: Bloody Nightmare' Anyway, zombies start coming out of the television set and wreaking havoc. The budget and gore is low, but the cheese is high. You gotta love a film that introduces a cheee ball cowboy type figure half way through the movie with all the answers, and especially the kicker - zombies who don't think they're dead and have to convince themselves by looking into the mirror that they're maggot ridden carcasses who had bit the dust eons ago. Kind of sounds like, well, America, eh?

Gluttony by force

2006-04-19T15:26:00.000-04:00

I'm sure most of you have seen the Brad Pitt/Morgan Freeman thriller 'SE7EN'. Of course, it's about the seven deadly sins and how one lone man wants to rid the world of evil biddeers. It follows the outline of murders construed to fit the persons supposed deadly sin. For instance, there's a scene that involves the death of a young woman. She has her face maimed by our avenging 'angel'. Afterwards, he places a bottle of pills in one hand and the telephone in the other. In case you didn't know, her bout with a deadly sin came in the form of vanity.. Surely, with the telephone right in her hand, she being able to dial a number, then she would call for help. Well, no. She decides that she can't live in the world without her good looks and decides to overdose on the pills. So, indeed, this was a case in point. To be honest, the woman didn't deserved to be maimed, but I'm incapable of showing remorse towards anyome who would rather be dead than gorgous.
This scene alone speaks volumes. The world today (especially Americans) are fixated with outward apperances. I'll admit, sometimes I'm even guilty of this, but wanting to have matching clothes and clean socks is a far cry from actually cutting ones wrists because they aren't as pretty as the sexy girl down the block.
Movie stars are glamourous, sure, but at what cost? Half the actresses you see on television are fifty percent plastic, the other half silicone. This trend of 'mutating' the body has pitifully cascaded down to the younger generation, with girls as young as fifteen having breast implants, rhinoplasty, tummy tucks, and God knows what else. To me, this is very disturbing. We have a generation of young females who aren't going to be individuals, but clones of the beautiful sick-skinny movie stars they see on television. Besides all this, what in the blazing hell are the parents thinking? Parents who would allow a fifteen yr old girl a boob job for her birthday should be taken into the nearest whipping post and bludgeoned to death with silicone filled dildo. This proves my point. You even have parents willing to put their childrens health at great risk to satisfy not only their daughters need for outide improvement, but the Mothers as well. This reflects on the materialist need to be pretty on both ends. Mother's want pretty daughters and a select few would be willing to risk lives to do so.
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The media is a roaring beast. It can make you, or it can break you, but ultimately, it can dictate you, your thoughts, your opinions, and tell you what the world says you should be. When I refer to the media, I'm not just referring to CNN Headline News, I'm refering to other main outlets suchs as television in general, which can easily be manipulated by the powers that be for the sake of consumerisim and secret agendas.
Again, this subject leads right back to the halls of high school - back to the institution that shapes and molds societies. You have your football players, reminiscent of a 'high school' movie star - the popular and good looking ones - the ones who make straight F's on their report card and is still yet elidgable to play football..(ala being caught for a load of cocaine and getting off scott free just because your the famous Robert Downey Jr. - one in the same) You have your cheerleaders representing the high school equivilency of a hot bodied movie star actress, with guys flocking toward them, hanging out in their own little clicks, the 'less fortunate' girls wishing they were in their shoes even though they despise the very gym floor they walk on.
It's no wonder that so many young boys and girls committ suicide. Everyone can't afford Abercrombie or Tommy Hilfiger clothes, or the most expensive Nike sneakers - and let's face it, everyone isn't born looking like Been Affleck - - Not everyone is coordinated enough or has the interest to play sports. So many kids are pushed into playing sports (mostly by their parents simply because they too want the recognition of having their kid on the county footbsll team,) where they are expected to do their best, reguardless of he/she even wanting to participate. This is the same scenerio and actually goes hand in hand with high school students and the way the media affects us. You have a generation of kids having things imposed upon them, innocent individuals unknowingly forced into bondage by a hoard of corrupt minded wolves.
I feel much like Kevin Spacey's character from 'SE7EV' - Not to the degree of serial killing, geez, what kind of person do you think I am? But, his view of the world was utterly correct. He saw a world full of greed, hate, debauchery, hedonism, vanity, gluttony (alll things one needs to satisfy the needs of the flesh), and took matters into his own hands. By all means, I don't condone hurting anyone. I myself wouldn't hurt a fly, but we, as a republic, need to start taking matters into our own hands and stop allowing mediated venues to dictate our every thought.

We're living in the Days of the Dead

2006-04-19T11:48:00.000-04:00

George Romero's 1985 zombie epic 'Day of the Dead' wasn't a far cry from the signs of the times, then and now. The threat of nuclear weapons have changed the way the world handles things.
Today, we are a society of made-made-zombies. we're zombies of propaganda, silver tounged devils claiming military options left and right.
In 'Day of the Dead', there was battle between a team of civillian scientist and a group of foul mouthed 'soldiers', all the while, being cooped up together in an underground bunker while living dead roamed the world outside. The situation in this film is much like the situation today. At the rate we're going, the world is going to end up much like the scenerio in 'Day of the Dead' - A wasteland of dead bodies and lifeless individuals left to roam in the ruins of rubble and much from a nuclear blast.
The military today, much like in 1985, bares down hard on it's enemies and restrains them as much as possible. Much like the army guys in 'Day of the Dead' tried to leash the zombies and control them, the same can be said today as we try to restrain the Islamic extremist movement from further destroying the world. In all essence, I agreed with the military personell in 'Day of the Dead'. Gasp!@!

It started with Romero and ended with the 'Twins'

2006-04-18T21:30:00.000-04:00

I had seen alot of tv 'horror' pictures when I was a kid, but most of my viewing pleasure came in the form of a big box vhs and a top loading Panasonic. Around '85/'86, my parents oddly started renting these vile explicit horror films such as 'Last House On The Left' and 'Driller Killer'. I had saw my fair share of horror films by the time I was ten. I guess my first true horror experience came around '86. My Dad had incidently rented 'The Evil Dead' and 'Romero's 'Dawn of the Dead'one Friday night. I always contributed 'Dawn' as being my first true horror experience, when in actuality, it's the first film I ever considered a favorite.

Anyway, we sat down to watch the movie and I was scared shitless. I had never seen anything like it before. I didn't even fathom the idea that films like that actually existed, and there was probably loads of others. I had alot of fun and terror all in the same basket. It was a very, well, let's just call it an experience.
The second time that a film really struck home was after finally getting to watch 'Dawn of the Dead'. For some reason or another, I didn't get the chance to watch 'Dawn' the first time around, and just so happened to rent it right around the time my Mother went into labor with my baby sister.
My cousin was designated to babysit me. That cold January evening, snow flying heavily, cold as hell, we decided to sit down to the wonderful delights of George A Romero's 'Dawn of the Dead'. Amazed is really an understement. Let's say that I was captivated. Yeah, that's a better term. I know this may sound like a stretch, but I was never the same person after watching 'Dawn of the Dead'. At the tender age of eight, here I was, already a changed man.
The experience with 'Dawn' have lead me to entwine that viewing experience with things that happen in our world today. There's always some cinematic comparison out there for every real life scenerio, some prophetic statements in the form of celluloid and some flashing 'hidden' occult symbols inside their films to signal that certan agenda's are a 'go ahead'. Much like my first true mezmerizing experience with 'Dawn', the events of Sept 11, 2001, again made me a changed man. Just like after my first horror experience, I wanted to get all the information and horror films I could, and get down to the bottom of the barrel and see what was going on in the horror world that I didn't know about. Things rings true in reguards to 9/11 as well. Ever since witnessing that 'horror' film played out in real time I've wanted to learn as much about the events that just occured as possible. During my long hours of studying, reading and writing, I've learned probably more than I should know, and oviously more than I wanted to know., I've never quiet been the same. Just like 'Dawn' struck home with me due to some of the same sourroundings, something that looked familiar to me (the setting)was riddled with madness after the topple. Much like zombies, the people during the aftermath were incoherant, their skin pale from the dust, bruised and bloody. Things had gotten out of hand in both scenerios. The zombie epidemic in 'Dawn' spun out of control due to bleeding hearts, wanting to preserve and protect their dead loved ones who ultimately were lifeless killers. Again, there's so much symbolism protruding from films of the past that it's really uncanny. Again, we have a country and a world full of bleeding hearts, giving cold hearted monsters called Muslim Extremists a benefit of a doubt. The evident is right in front of our eyes folks, yet we still seem not to address the truth of the matter due to being politically correct. I'm absolutely sick of the media and certain television venues warning their anchor people to be sensitive to the Muslim community. Excuse the frence, but BULLSHIT! It's it's time to see what these people are - Zombies - Lifeless killing machines whose full goal is to inflict as much pain and sorrow on non-Islamic believers as they possibly can - To cause as much carnage and death as they can get away with. Much like the zombies in 'Dawn of the Dead', they had overun the living - by Romero's sequel 'Day of the Dead', the zombie population outweighed the humans 400,000 to 1. The same can be said for the Muslim community. No, I'm not saying someone committ genocide or simply kill off the Muslim population - I'm saying it's time to tune them out and shut them out. It's time to isolate them and send all Islamic believers back to their homelands where they truly ought to be. If they are firm believers in claiming stakes, why not go back to Pakistan or Iran and be with your brothers who obviously hate the country you live in anyway.
It's time to lay down sanctions, prohibit any trade with Iran or any middle eastern country who has ties with Al-Queada or Hamas. Cut off the funding for these groups by disallowing business conduction with companies that donate money to Hamas and oher terrorist organization. I've done a little research work and just realize that a signifigant number of our foreign middle eastern doctors here in the state 'could' be funneling money to charity cover-ups for terrorist organizations.

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Dawn of the Dead - The best zombie film of all time
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Here's a few links for you:

http://www.houseofhorrors.com - Wonderful horror film related sight. Very indepth reviews and information

http://www.savethemales.ca - For those of you who have an incling there's a conspiracy alive and well in the world today.

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All for now
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It's Tuesday...

2006-04-18T15:34:00.000-04:00

It's a beautiful Tuesday here in South Eastern Kentucky. My black and tan dog had a gang of six puppies - We're assuming they're the offspring of our Chow/Sharpe' , but could very well be our Chow Chow's that's been missing for about three weeks.
Jeannie hasn't seen them yet, but I called her at work and let her in on the little secret. She was excited about coming home and seeing them.
I'm not quiet sure what we'll do this evening. We discussed going four-wheeling, but will probably stay in and watch movies. There's a couple options on the table - A comedy or horror film. I usually don't watch much in between and neither does Jeannie. She's a huge fan of the Hannibal Lector series, so, we may be watching either 'Silence of the Lambs' or 'Hannibal'.
I wasn't a huge fan of 'SOTL's until the past year, but find it one of the better horror films of the past twenty years. I actually saw it at the theater when I was eleven with my childhood buddy.
Jeannie had always been a big horror fan too - even before she married me. I think I've expanded her viewing choices quiet a bit, though. She likes films that she would have never been exposed to if not for me. I know this is nothing to brag about, but we have alot of fun picking at movies and their 'non-acting', or smoking a J while watching someone get their face cut off.

I was browsing the forums at Bodycount-Continues.com and noticed a few new members. I hope they aren't trolls. We have alot of great discussions on the board and truly have alot of fun. There's about ten regular posters, alot of which are moderators or Administrators, but we usually manage to catch a new regular member every few weeks or so.

Oh yeah, I just won 'Hunter's Blood' on vhs on eBay. I've been searching for this long forgotten slasher flick for a long time, but was unsuccesful until recently. I also won a bid on a double feature dvd: 'Driller Killer'/'Drive-In Massacre'. I haven't seen DK in a very long time and decided on the spur of the moment to bid on it. There were other copies of DK on dvd that had a few special features, but I'm a sucker for those double feature dvd's.

'Class Reunion Masscare' has been postponed for release for quiet some time now. Code Red DVD supposedly has a full fledged special edition including interviews and other extras. I spoke with the owner of Code Red and he stated that they tried to get the star of the film, TG Finkbinder, to do an interview, but supposedly, he hung up on them at their request. I later emailed TG myself and he agreed to do it. I contacted Code Red again, told them of the news, but they declined the offer. Oh well. They had him.

I bought a five movie set called 'Blood Feast' that features a few rare films. The main reason I picked it up is because it had the long forgotten slasher film 'Memorial Valley Massacre' on one of the dvd's. It also has the Spanish sleazefest, 'Pieces' in it. I already had 'Pieces', but didn't have the other four. All the films were quiet good. 'Die Sister Die!' - I had seen this a long time ago, but wasn't into the whole foreign film thing at the time. I was skeptical, since afterall, it was a cheap Diamond release, plus, I only paid five bucks for it (a dollar a movie). The film turned out to be pretty good - a family of secrets and death plots. Kind of like a tamer version of Mario Bava's 'Twitch of the Death Nerve' - well, sorta. 'The Undertaker and His Pals' - I was simply amazed that I had never seen this late 60's release. This is more of a black comedy rather than horror, but it was well filmed, well acted and well constructed for a film of its caliber. 'It Happened at Nightmare Inn' -I was also surprised at this little early 70's slice of cult cinema. Two religious sisters own and inn where they take matters into their own hands and kill the sinners who reside there. Good atmosphere and a semi-disturbing premise. To broil it down, the set was well worth the five bucks I paid for it.

I've been giving you guys a few movie suggestions, so I'll list a few more, below:

**'The Gates of Hell** - **City of the Living Dead** Lucio Fulci delivers atmosphere by the truckload. A priest commits suicide and all hell breaks loose. We have a woman puking up her entire intestinal tract - A drill through non other than Giovanni Lombardo Radice's head. - A maggot storm, and most importantly, a cardboard Christopher Lee. I adore Chris, but the truth is the truth, he sucks at acting. 'Graduation Day' is probably the best testament to last statement. Anyway, if you're looking for a film that delivers gloom and doom all the way through, accompanied by a truly eerie guitar and organ score, check it out.

**Demons** Lamberto Bava delivers a slap dash Italian gorefest with a solid heavy metal soundtrack and solid directing. It's obvious Lamberto (son of Mario) took a few lessions from his father. The plot is simple, really. Someone cuts their face on a demonic mask and demons infiltrate a theater. From then on, it's a fight for survival. Great special effects and some fine cinematic atmosphere. One of my favorite Italian horror flicks. I'm also a huge fan of part 2.

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Well, that's about it for now.

Trick or Treat:, smell my weapon

2006-04-17T21:57:00.000-04:00

I just finished watching the mid 80's rock n roll horror film 'Trick or Treat'. This is certainly not one of the films on the shit side of cinema, but it's definitly not on the clean side either. This does, however, have a fun performance by Ozzy Osbourne and a quiet serious role from everyones favorite big tounged freak, Gene Simmons.
I'm not a huge fan of the movie, but I can't bring myself to knock it. Seeing Skippy in rock music attire is enough to push it across the line of below mediocrite, right into the pulpit of such.
In alot of ways, I can identify with 'Ragman'. (Although not to that degree) Let's just say like Ragman, that I was indeed the Metal kid in high school. I got introduced to rock at a very young age, as well as horror films. By whom? My parents. My Mother was actually pregnant with me when she saw KISS at Rupp Arena, in Lexington.
I smoked ciggarettes in high school, smoked dope, but never drank. My Mother always said that she was happier to have a pot head for a son than a drunk. I can sympathize. Anyway, I wasn't a loner like Ragman, but had a certain circle of friends that were looked upon as dredges. I wore my Danzig t-shirts and my Doc Martin boots, and played guitar with my buddies on week-ends. I was sometimes taunted by my choice of heavy metal tees by the preppie kids, but usually paid it no mind. I was kind of caught in the middle of the social circle that makes up high school society. I wasn't a full fledged 'hood' as people liked to refer to them as, but I wasn't actually a 'prep' either.
Anyway, Ragman symbolizes alot of kids throughout the generations. He's an early rendition of a school shooter or suicide victim. - destined for revenge towards the ones who made his circle of society an abolute living hell. Let's face it, school is a childs main line in development, it defines what a kid will or won't be. The actual stress and cruelty behind school doors has yet to be fully discussed. We blame Marilyn Manson or Slayer, but we're to ignorant to point out the real causes of such events, mainly, the parents, fellow students and the teachers who should be doing their part in making EVERY kid feel as if they belong. Teachers today are just about as ignorant and cruel as the kids. Most teachers in these times are kids themselves and alienate the 'less fortunates' just like his/her peers have done throught his/her life. I can attest. I had a teacher in the eighth grade who constantly harrassed me - He was the football and the basketball coach - He was the poor pitiful soul who could never let his blissful high school popularity die along with his hairline - The closet drunk whose life was miserable, so therefore, he had to make other's lives miserable, mainly, defensless kids who could absolutely do or say anything because of his authority. There were numerous days I dreaded going to school just because of that bastard teacher. On one occasion, a Father of one of the students this teacher disciplined (when a good paddling was still legal) burst through the school doors and held the teacher at gunpoint. It just so happened that the teacher accidently missed the childs butt and spanked him a little ways up his back - almost mid part, leaving bruises and large whelps. I loved every minute of it, watching that bastard squirm. These are the feelings disgruntled kids with they could act out themselves. Most just grit their teeth and try their best just to make it to graduation, but others, well, others take it to the highest level and kills the people who they feel wronged them.
Anyway, Trick or Treat is a quiet realistic view of how kids use music as a weapon against those who ridicule and taunt them. They throw all inhibitions out the window in that one moment when they will be avenged, sometimes selling their own soul to accomplish revenge, or simply taking matters into their own hands and blowing the shit out of someone.

Some movie suggestions...

2006-04-17T20:50:00.000-04:00

It's a fact, most American's are movie lovers. I certainly am. I've been a big fan of cinema ever since I was a kid. Horror films are my main choice for viewing, especially slasher films of the 70's and 80's.
Of course, 'Halloween' actually became the mold for the slew of slasher films to follow, but 'Friday the 13th' actually kickstarted the slasher craze. The same can almost be said for zombie films. Of course, George Romero's 'Night of the Living Dead' is the 'big man' on campus when it comes to zombie flicks, but 'Dawn of the Dead' quickly became the new covenant in reguards to zombie flicks. Much like 'Friday the 13th' rode the coat tails of 'John Carpenter's 'Halloween', Lucio Fulci, (Italian gore guru, often times referred to as 'The Godfather of Gore')rode the coat tails of 'Dawn of the Dead' and kickstarted an exploitation craze that was short-lived, but profound in its staying power.
Some of the best viewing experiences can be had from an Italian horror film. Below, not only am I going to list various horror titles that didn't seem to have staying power over the years (both American and Italian). These are films that are good films, but simply forgotten.

**The Burning** A summer camp prank goes awry when Cropsy, a mean spirited caretaker is viciously burned and disfigured. He spends some time in the hospital and finally gets out around five years later, deciding to kill a prostitute and ultimately go back to Camp Blackfoot where the little burning escapade took place. Tom Savini delivers heavily on the special effects. If you can find the uncut version, grab it! You'll be able to see some of the scenes in their bloody uncut form. Simply one of the best 'Friday the 13th' clones ever produced.

**Class Reunion Massacre** aka **The Redeemer: Son of Satan!** A deranged preacher sets out for revenge against five people by staging a false class reunion. Supposedly, they're bad people - A lawyer, an actor, a rich bitch who likes to kill doves for sport, a slothful glutton who likes hamburgers and oysters a little too much, a seemingly innocent lady who has incidently been divorced a few times and....drum roll please.... A LESBIAN! I'm going to just spit it out. This is one of my favorite films of all time. The atmosphere is great - gloomy and dark all the way through with some great acting for a film of its caliber. Commendations have to go to TG Finkbinder, our masked maniac who uses many disguises to off our victims one by one. This guy chews up the scenery. He has this John F Kennedy accent that really adds an err of 'something different' to the film as a whole. He spits his dialogue out with ease. This one also has a little weird backstory going on. I'll not get involved, but it involves a kid with three thumbs rising from a quarry, passing along his third thumb to our ballistic preacher. If you like your cheese piled high, with a taste of means spirited goodness, you'll love this movie. If you can get past some of the other tripe that's delivered to us today, you'll be able to forgive a few of the plotholes that don't do much to throw the story off anyway. I actually did an interview with our killer preacher sometime ago - He's now a teacher in Maryland at Walter Johnson High School where most of his students get a kick out of his little snit behind the camera.

**Final Exam** A cookie cutter slasher film that has a big man in an army jacket killing off the students at Lanier College. Alot of people find that little happens aside from our first murders - Two co-eds in a convertable parked a little ways off-campus getting stabbed to death by the aforemention maskless maniac. We roll ahead to the next day where three students are discussing the murders.(Scream, anyone?) Radish, an obvious closet homosexual seems to have an akin for mass murderers and serial killers and seems to have gotten off on the fact that two students were knifed to death so close by. Courtney, she's our plain Jane virgin who seems a little jealous of her bodacious blond of a friend and her ability to get what she wants with her looks. There's also Wildman, Mark and a poor old fraternity pledge who gets treated like shit. Oh yeah, we also have Sherry Willis-Birch (Killer Party) playing an innocent minded college kid who's in love with the aforementioned college pledge. What we get is alot of talking and college hijinks ala 'Animal House' - only much more tame. To me, this is what adds to the believability to the film. I think that was what Jimmy Houston, (the director) was going for. I think he just wanted to deliver a believable film, having a human being, not a masked immortal creature, carve away at young college kids. We get to know these people. We learn soon that a few of them are assholes, but certainly not worthy of their horrible deaths. While at times, this feels much like a made for television movie, it delivers decently on a dark and gloomy atmosphere with a 'Halloweenesque' score for extra padding. Talky and a bit tame, with hardly any bloodshed, but worth the watch if you're a slasher completist like me. One of my favorites.

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I know it's a short list with probably a little too much info, but I just can't help myself. I'm a madman. A madman!

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Actually, I'm getting ready to take a break and in the interim, smoke some illegal substance and watch a horror film from my collection along with my wife. It looks rainy out. We had a really bad storm here around 2AM last night (Sunday). We also had some heavy winds and hail about a week ago that did some damage to my vehicle. I only have liability on this particular ride, so there's no getting it fixed without money coming from my pocket. I guess I'll just have to drive it around as is until I pull four or five hundred bucks from my ass.

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I've been planning on visiting my cousin Brian. His Mother died a few weeks back and he and his family have had a rough time. She was a long victim of Colorectal Cancer and finally lost the battle. She was a very healthy women at one time, but on her death bed I could have lifted her from the bed with my one hand. It actually bothered me WAY more than I thought it would. I tried to talk my wife into staying with me at my Mother's that night, but I guess she had better things to do than console her husband and be with he and his family. Oh well, you can't have everything you want in a woman, but is asking for just one woman with a heart too much to ask? They're usually born with one, right?

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I'll be adding some more general ramblings as time goes on, boring my one vistor with conscious laiden writings and idiotic meanderings, but geez, we see this on the news everyday. More movie info, more life experiences and plain old bullshit on the way.

Here's a few links for you to look at while you're anticipating my next post.

http://www.hysteria-lives.co.uk - Simply THE BEST slasher related site on the web. Smart witty reviews of cheesy slasher films from the bare beginnings, the hey-day of the modern slasher film and its post decline. Anything and everything slasher related.

http://www,Fridaythe13thfilms.com - EVERYTHING you wanted to know about the original and its sequels.

http://www.bodycount-continues.com - The ruins of a lazy webmaster, but the forums still remain. A great place to discuss slasher films and horror films in gneral. BTW, Joseph is a dick.

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That's about it for now.