DVD Review: SLAUGHTERED VOMIT DOLLS

Unearthed Films and Breaking Glass Pictures presents, SLAUGHTERED VOMIT DOLLS! With a name like that, you kinda know what you are in for here.

Here is the plot synopsis from imdb.com:

The gruesome tapestry of psychological manifestations of a nineteen year old bulimic runaway stripper-turned prostitute as she descends into a hellish pit of satanic nightmares and hallucinations.

Now, how they got that plot from this film I will never know. There really isn't anything that could be considered a story line or plot here. This an experimental gore film that is there not to tell a story, but merely to shock and disgust you, which they definitely succeed at. The film is just a montage of women, obviously drugged out and talking to the camera. The camera work is jerky and moves in and out of focus, and the sound is especially creepy, with the voices of the women slowed down to a deeper voice than they should have. The films is very slow in parts with the woman on screen rambling about religion and the occult. If you watch this for the gore, then you are in luck, as the gore scenes are incredible. Scenes include eyeballs being gouged out, a woman's face cut and peeled away while still alive, and a woman's arm sawed off while she watches. I found myself fast forwarding to get to the gore scenes, because the rest of the film is even more disgusting than these previously mentioned scenes! Based on the title, you knew it was coming...yes, the vomit. I don't even like that word. Let's use the less gross term throw-up from now on. Seeing people throw-up can be funny (i.e. Steve-O from the JACKASS movies), but seeing them do so due to being drugged out and just crazy is not funny and utterly disgusting.

To sum up, this film is disgusting, vile, gross, horrendous, and any other of those type words you can think of. This is a new sub-genre of Horror that I have never witnessed before. Am I glad I watched it? Yes, because it is something I had never seen before and finding anything original these days in the world of Horror is a good thing. Would I want to watch it again? Definitely not. But who knows, years from now we could be studying this film as experimental art! Think that is a crazy statement? Well, I say that because I remember seeing a short film called "Un Chien Andalou", a 1928 French short film in which a close up of a woman's eyeball being slit open with a razor blade is shown. I saw this film while in college in my film history class. That film is considered a classic, well before it's time, and is studied in Universities across the country. So it is not crazy to think in 40-50 years, this might be what is studied in film lecture classes nationwide!
I would only recommend this if you have a strong stomach, aren't turned off by throw-up, and are looking for something you have never seen before. If you do watch it, have a barf bag ready and don't say I didn't warn ya!

CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of SLAUGHTERED VOMIT DOLLS from the Unearthed Films Store
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of BREAKING GLASS PICTURES

CLICK HERE to visit BREAKING GLASS PICTURES Facebook Fan Page

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of UNEARTHED FILMS

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, March 30th

Here are the Horror related DVD's being released today, 3/30/2010

(click on the titles to see a trailer for that film)

* BIGFOOT

* GIRLY

* I SELL THE DEAD

* NEGATIVE HAPPY CHAINSAW EDGE

* THE SADIST WITH RED TEETH/FORBIDDEN PARIS (Double Feature)

* SMASH CUT

* VAMPYRES (blu-ray)

A couple of good titles coming out this week. Probably the best of the bunch will be I SELL THE DEAD. Click on the title above and check out the trailer if you haven't already. Also noteworthy is the dvd release of GIRLY (originally titled MUMSY, NANNY, SONNY, AND GIRLY). It is a film from 1970 and looks the trailer looks like it could be a great movie that most of us have probably never heard of before. Winning the best title of the week is NEGATIVE HAPPY CHAINSAW EDGE! Silly title, silly premise, but the movie itself looks absolutely beautiful in a CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS type of way...except this time with a chainsaw thrown in for good measure!

DVD Review: GORY GORY HALLELUJAH (2003)

GORY GORY HALLELUJAH is released by Indican Pictures and was written by Angie Louise and directed by Sue Corcoran. This is one of the better Horror/Comedies I have seen in a long time. There are some things that could be considered blasphemous to some due to some religious/Jesus jokes, so keep that in mind if you are easily offended. Here is the plot synopsis from the Indican Pictures website:

Inspired by the classic cult films, Seattle-based Corcoran and company have crafted a delightful B-movie musical biblical epic horror comedy. Obviously destined for cult status, Gory Gory Hallelujah will offend the humor-impaired—but everyone else will have a very good time. Four actors (a Black revolutionary, a bisexual hippie, a neurotic Jewish guy and a woman with sexual issues) audition for the role of Jesus. When they are all rejected, they hit the road on motorcycles to find on-stage glory in New York City. A fateful roadhouse run-in with a gang of Elvises strands the unlikely quartet in the town of Jackville. But the locals don't take kindly to blasphemers, alternative lifestyle choices, people of color—or anything else for that matter. Will our would-be saviors fall prey to evil small-town conspirators, flesh-eating zombies, or save the world from the Apocalypse?

I thoroughly enjoyed this film from beginning to end. One thing I have to point out is the acting. While you would normally expect horrible acting from a small silly film like this, the acting was actually extremely good. The plot can be a little confusing at times, but that doesn't take away from the fun of the film. The movie is definitely more toward the comedy side than the Horror side, but it still has its share of Horror, including a pitchfork through the abdomen scene and the best part of the film, the massive zombie uprising near the end that turns into a huge zombie musical number that must be seen to be believed! This is a great party film, that would be perfect for a group of friends to get together on a Saturday night to watch. In fact, this should be a must have for anyone living in a college dorm setting! So grab a group of friends and check out GORY GORY HALLELUJAH today!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for GORY GORY HALLELUJAH

CLICK HERE to purchase GORY GORY HALLELUJAH from Indican Pictures

Congratulations to JAMES SUGRUE, the winner of the Mr. Horror Blogosphere '09 award!!

The wait is over and the winner was announced......and the winner is: JAMES SUGRUE from the FEAR OF THE DARK blog. If you haven't checked out James' blog before, go do so now. It is a great site with tons of great horror news and reviews and is very deserving of this win! Congratulations James! Keep up the good work!!

Could this be the greatest movie ever?

Quiet Earth has recently posted a pic of the movie poster for the upcoming film, GLADIATORS V. WEREWOLVES: EDGE OF EMPIRE!

Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:

The Romans occupy Britannia and Hadrian's Wall divides the land, built to keep back the warrior tribes of Caledonia, and something far more dangerous; savage wolf-like creatures which roam the lowlands

GLADIATORS V. WEREWOLVES is being directed by Rob Green, who's last directorial effort was the 2001 film, THE BUNKER. If this movie is half as cool as this poster is then I can't wait! I will keep you updated with more details as they come along! Thanks to my buddy Scott over at the Shattered Ravings blog for bringing this film to my attention!

To read the entire article about the film on the Quiet Earth website, CLICK HERE

Happy Birthday QUENTIN TARANTINO!!

Today, March 27th, is Director Quentin Tarantino's birthday! I love Tarantino's films and want to wish him a happy birthday. Thanks for all the great movies you have given us genre fans!

By the way...have you heard that KILL BILL V. 3 has been announced? The KILL BILL films were some of Tarantino's finest work in my opinion, so I am super excited the the adventures of The Bride will continue!

Book Review: AMERICAN ZOMBIE GOTHIC by Kyle William Bishop

For all you zombie lovers out there, you will definitely need to add this book to your library. It is called AMERICAN ZOMBIE GOTHIC: THE RISE AND FALL (AND RISE) OF THE WALKING DEAD IN POPULAR CULTURE by Kyle William Bishop. You gotta love that sub-title! It is published by McFarland Publishers(http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/).

Here is the main description of the book from McFarland's website:

Zombie stories are peculiarly American, as the creature was born in the New World and functions as a reminder of the atrocities of colonialism and slavery. The voodoo-based zombie films of the 1930s and ’40s reveal deep-seated racist attitudes and imperialist paranoia, but the contagious, cannibalistic zombie horde invasion narrative established by George A. Romero has even greater singularity.
This book provides a cultural and critical analysis of the cinematic zombie tradition, starting with its origins in Haitian folklore and tracking the development of the subgenre into the twenty-first century. Closely examining such influential works as Victor Halperin’s White Zombie, Jacques Tourneur’s I Walked with a Zombie, Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2, Dan O’Bannon’s The Return of the Living Dead, Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, and, of course, Romero’s entire “Dead” series, it establishes the place of zombies in the Gothic tradition.

AMERICAN ZOMBIE GOTHIC discusses the meaning and popularity behind the zombie as a film character starting with the very first Zombie films such as WHITE ZOMBIE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE and going all the way to the modern zombie films such as George Romero's last zombie film, DIARY OF THE DEAD. Of course, a main part of this book is focused on what most film historians to be the greatest zombie film, Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD from 1968. Bishop goes very in depth with the early zombie films, discussing the origins of zombies from Haitian folklore and voodoo inspired films. He also notes the relationship between the zombies and the subject of slavery and the deep seeded racist attitudes of that generation. Bishop then goes on to discuss various films from each decade and goes "behind the scenes" so to speak, to bring out some of the real basis' and inspirations for some of the zombie films, including the Vietnam War and the commercialized society of the 1970' and '80's.
This is a great book full of great information and full of great pics from most all the zombie films discussed. Along with the Chapter Notes, bibliography, and index, the book also contains a filmography of all the movies discussed in the book. This is especially handy to use as a checklist of sorts in case you want to try to view all the zombie films discussed in the book. The book is softcover with 247 pages of pure zombie fun! Get your copy today!!


You can call McFarlands toll free order line at 1-800-253-2187 to purchase the book or order directly from McFarland's website by CLICKING HERE.

ATTACK OF THE MOVIE REMAKES!!!

While browsing the great Shattered Ravings blog, I found a post where blog author Scott Baker has put together a nice list of all the movies either already being re-made or in consideration for a remake. I went through and picked out the Horror themed ones. What do you think of these films being re-made? Any Horror films you think that should be re-made that haven't yet?

Movie Remakes Either in Production or Under Consideration

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Alien

An American Werewolf in London

And Soon the Darkness

Angel Heart

Anguish

Art of the Devil

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Battle Royale

Bride of Frankenstein

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Children of the Corn

Child’s Play

Creature From The Black Lagoon

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

Don’t Look in the Basement

Drop Dead Fred

Fright Night

Hellraiser

I Saw What You Did

I Spit on Your Grave

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

It

Lady Vengeance

Let the Right One In

Little Shop of Horrors

Martyrs

Motel Hell

Mother’s Day

Night of the Demons

Nightmare on Elm Street

Pet Sematary

Piranha

Poltergeist

Predator

Re-Animator

Room 205

Rosemary’s Baby

Scanners

Silent Night, Deadly Night

Straw Dogs

Suspiria

Tell No One

The Birds

The Blob

The Brood

The Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Fly

The Fury

The Gate

The Host

The Howling

The Orphanage

The Phantom

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Thing

They Live

Videodrome

Who Can Kill a Child

X: The Man With X-Ray Eyes

While some people are totally against remakes of classic or "perfect" horror movies, I actually like remakes. It brings the films to a new generation of fans and could actually get them interested in seeing the original films. And it is not like when a remake is made, the original is gotten rid of. We will always have the originals, so I say bring on the remakes. We love these stories and characters, so anytime I can see more of them, then so be it!!

What do you think about the remake craze in Hollywood right now??

To see the complete list of movies in consideration for a remake, view the original post on the Shattered Ravings blog by CLICKING HERE

DVD Review: THE CARETAKER (2008)

Leading independent home entertainment studio MTI Home Video presents, THE CARETAKER! The film was written by Jackie Olson and directed by Bryce Olson and stars Kira Verrastro, the lovely Jennifer Tilly, and our favorite Breakfast Clubber, Judd Nelson!
Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:


A group of teenage boys out to give their girlfriends a good scare on Homecoming night, which also happens to be Halloween, head to an abandoned house in an out-of-the-way fruit orchard where they uncover the story of a real life urban legend.


That urban legend the plot synopsis is speaking of, is that of Adam and his wife Tansy. Adam apparently became enraged with jealously whenever anyone would even look at his wife. He went mad and moved him and his wife to a grapefruit orchard. He covered the windows so no one could see her and eventually even chained her to the floor. He eventually killed her and took off with their baby, never to be seen again. That is until now! When these kids come snooping around the orchard to play a joke on their homecoming dance dates, the joke is really on them! Adam still lurks around the grapefruit orchard, with his sharpened fruit-picker in hand, and after the kids arrive, he starts "picking" them off one by one! One very clever thing throughout the film is the before Adam kills someone, he rolls a grapefruit in front of them! Very clever Adam!
The acting is good, the eerie music is good..my only complaint would be the lack of gore. ALL of the killing happen off screen, which is a shame because I would really like to see what kind of damage a sharpened fruit-picker could do!!
Also...one more thing I have to mention is the drop dead gorgeous Lola Davidson. She plays ditsy Missy and has one of the most memorable scenes from any film I have ever seen. The scene is when she undresses for her boyfriend and then makes Boob-a-lanterns. That's right...you heard me, Boob-a-lanterns. This must be seen to believed and is at least one...er two good reasons to watch the film right there!
Overall this film is very tame, so not good if you are looking for a hardcore, gory, fright fest. It is rated R, but I can only think that would come from the nude scene early on in the film, because as stated before, all the killing happen off screen and there is very little blood in this film.
Also, I couldn't help but mention the twist ending at the....well, end. I had to rewind it about 3 or 4 times and I still don't really understand it. If anyone has seen this, please explain it to me!!
While the film wont keep the interest of most hardcore horror fans, it is still an enjoyable flick that would be great for the younger horror crowds.

Fun Fact: Look for Jonathan Breck who plays the limo driver. Jonathan played The Creeper from the JEEPERS CREEPERS movies!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for THE CARETAKER
CLICK HERE to purchase THE CARETAKER from Amazon.com
CLICK HERE to visit the official site of MTI Home Video

Its time for DVD give away #6!!!

Stockhold Syndrome Film has provided me with 2 copies of the great Horror film, MADNESS, for 2 lucky readers of HAYES HUDSONS HOUSE OF HORROR!!

Here is the basic plot of MADNESS from the film's website:

Friends Jenna and Tara are on their way to a cheer leading contest. At a gas station, they decide to help two guys, Chad and Oliver, who are having problems with their car. What they don't know is that they are being watched by a group of mad men. Their only intention is to hunt them down and kill them for all sorts of sadistic pleasure. After being captured and locked up, survival is the only thing that matters, but just how far are they willing to go?

I posted a review for MADNESS a while back which can be viewed by CLICKING HERE

CLICK HERE to watch the TRAILER for MADNESS
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Stockholm Syndrome Film
CLICK HERE to visit the official website for MADNESS
CLICK HERE to buy your own DVD copy of MADNESS from amazon.com

TO ENTER THE CONTEST, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

1. If you are not already, become a FOLLOWER of this blog! (Click the FOLLOW button under the "Followers" section of the blog on the right hand side).

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2. Leave a comment on this post with your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS so I can contact you for your shipping info if you are the winner (if valid email address is not given, I will post the winners name on the site and winner will have one week to contact me with their shipping info. If prize is not claimed within one week, prize will be forfeited).

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3. Only one comment per person. Multiple comments will result in removal of all your comments therefore removing your chances of winning!

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4. Contest is scheduled to end on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Comments must be left by NOON Central time on 4/07/10 in order to count towards the contest.

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5. Contest winner will be chosen by random.org and must agree to let me post their name in a separate post stating who won the prize.

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6. Due to shipping costs, contest is open to U.S. Residents only. Thank you for your understanding.

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GOOD LUCK!!

DVD Review: BANSHEE!!!

MVD Visual presents a real screamer with its release of BANSHEE!!! The film was directed by Colin Theys and was written by John Doolan, Gregory C. Parrke, and Christian Pindar. Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:




A group of college friends on a spring break camping trip are stalked and slashed by an unknown creature with the ability to make them hallucinate through sound waves. The survivors hold up refuge in an isolated farmhouse, cut off from all communication. Now, they have to come up with a plan to kill this unrelenting creature before it kills them. "Banshee!!!" takes the idea of the legendary Irish myth and spins it around into a terrifying and unstoppable monster!


Let me start out by saying that I LOVED this movie. If you have not seen or heard of this film, do yourself a favor and get a copy right now! I didn't really know what to expect when I started out watching this film. I have seen a lot of low budget creature features and was expecting just that...a low budget film with minimal scares and some horrible CGI. What I got was just the opposite. While I assume the budget was small, the final product doesn't show it. The scares and Gore were plentiful and finally, the CGI creature effects were very impressive. While the Banshee was was obviously computer generated, it blended it nicely with the film and didn't distract from the film like some CGI creatures do.
The film had lots of creepy moments, mostly coming from the fact that the Banshee can take the shape/form of other people...I can't imagine how unsettling it must be to be getting killed while looking yourself right in the face! The acting was better than would be expected from this type of film and the camerawork and lighting is excellent as well. And kudos to the filmmakers for not skimping on the gore! Any movie that features a man getting cut in half at the waist and then his legs and feet still walking around without an upper body gets an A+ in my book! (You will just have to see that to believe it....and did I mention the excellent exploding head scene?)
I can't say enough about how much I liked this film. Watch the trailer below and get your copy today!!!

DVD Special Features include:

*Theatrical Trailer for 'Assault of the Sasquatch'
*Animated Interactive Menus
*Optional Spanish/English Subtitles
*English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio
*Deleted Scenes
*Bloopers & Outtakes
*Commentary
*Theatrical Trailer for 'Banshee!!!'
*16 x 9 Digitally Mastered Widescreen Presentation


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for BANSHEE!!!
CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of BANSHEE!!! on DVD from SeeOfSound.com

This week's Horror related DVD releases: March 23rd

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out Tuesday, 3/23/2010:

(click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

* BANSHEE!!!

* CARNEY

* DREAD

* THE FINAL

* THE GRAVES

* HIDDEN

* KILL THEORY

* LAKE MUNGO

* THE REEDS

* ZMD: ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION

A few good looking films come out this week, with the highlight for me being BANSHEE!!! Check out the trailer and then check back here soon for a review of the film! CARNEY and ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION also might be worth checking out. Click the titles above to watch the trailers for those films.

Watch WITHIN THE WOODS, the film that was the basis for THE EVIL DEAD!!

Most fans of THE EVIL DEAD series have heard of WITHIN THE WOODS, but not many have seen it. I never realized it was sitting out there on Youtube for all to see so easily!! This is the film Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Robert Tapert shopped around to investors in order to raise money to shoot their first feature, BOOK OF THE DEAD, or as we now know it, THE EVIL DEAD. Here is the basic plot:

A group of friends spend a weekend at a remote cabin, and one of them accidentally desecrates an Indian burial ground. This causes him to turn into a zombie, and kill off his friends. They must band together to try and survive being massacred.

Sounds somewhat familiar, huh? Thanks to Youtube user TheUltimateEvilDead for posting this! He has the film split up into 4 parts, so CLICK HERE to watch part 1 of 4. When that is done, look at the "More from: TheUltimateEvilDead" section and pick part 2 of 4 and so on until you have watched all 4 parts.

Keep in mind, this was never meant for home video release. It was shot on Super 8mm film and has aged terribly, so it is hard to watch in terms of film quality. It is like watching a VHS tape that is all crinkled up. BUT....us true EVIL DEAD fans will look past that as long as we get a chance to watch this long heard about early effort from the folks that brought us the greatest Horror trilogy of all time, THE EVIL DEAD films!!!

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CLICK HERE to watch part 1 of 4 of WITHIN THE WOODS

DVD Review: NEW YORK CITY HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

I recently had the pleasure of watching Vanguard Cinema's NEW YORK CITY HORROR FILM FESTIVAL (NYCHFF) DVD. This DVD showcases 8 of the best short films from the NYCHFF. The short films contained on the DVD are:

PLASTICITY by Brian Forest
CUP-O-ABOMINATIONS by Ben Hillman
ENTRAPPED by Alan Smithee
NON-ABDUCTEES ANONYMOUS by Phillip Powell
SLASHER FLICK by Nick Basile
TOMORROW'S BACON by Bryon Norton
SUBWAY by James S. Murray
SCREAM FOR ME by Chris Broadstone

Bonus Features include an introduction by festival director Michael Hein, 2002 fest coverage, and the making of SUBWAY.

Now, based of the warning on the front of the box (WARNING! Contains scenes of extreme violence.....not for minors, the squeamish, or the faint at heart!), I was expecting some really crazy, gritty, stuff here. What I got were some short films that were actually all pretty tame, at least by today's standards. But, that being said, they were all still very enjoyable films, I just feel that warning tag line was very unnecessary and a little mis-leading.
The films themselves were all very well made. My favorite shorts were SLASHER FLICK and the more comedy than horror short, NON-ABDUCTEES ANONYMOUS. In fact, this DVD is worth a purchase for NON-ABDUCTEES ANONYMOUS alone! It tells the story of a group of people who are upset and very hurt by the fact that they have never been abducted by aliens! They wonder what is wrong with them and why the aliens have never chosen them. It is a great short with lots of laughs packed into its short run time. SLASHER FLICK is a great spoof of splatter flicks, poking fun at many of the splatter movie cliches we have come to expect from that type of film.
Most of the other features are more dialog driven, and not gore driven as that previously discussed tag line may lead you to believe, but each short is worth your time to check out.

CLICK HERE to purchase your own copy of the NYCHFF DVD from Amazon.com
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of VANGUARD CINEMA
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of the NYCHFF

Guest DVD Review: DEAD SNOW (2009)

Welcome to another Guest Review on Hayes Hudson's House of Horror! Tonight's reviewer is Matthew Scott Baker. Scott is a Science Fiction author (check out and purchase his books HERE) and is the moderator of the Sci-Fi themed Shattered Ravings blog. Scott recently watched the movie DEAD SNOW and was kind enough to share his thoughts about the movie with us:


For me, truly great zombie films share many different attributes: a good story, believable make-up and effects, a healthy dose of gore/head-shots, likable and detestable characters both, humor (no matter how light or dark), and last but most importantly, unique ways of offing the living dead. Unfortunately, truly great zombie films are usually few and far between. There are many out there that contain most of the above qualities, but are usually lacking (severely, in most cases) in one or two.
I’m happy to report Dead Snow IS one of those truly great zombie movies and does not lack in any area.
Dead Snow is Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola’s foray into the realm of walking corpses. Released on DVD late last year, the film was originally shown at the Norway’s Os International Film Festival in 2008. From what I understand, the film was shot on a relatively low budget, but Wirkola managed to do amazing things with the money he did have.
The plot for Dead Snow makes use of some of the greatest (or worst, depending on your point of view) clichés in the horror industry. According to imdb, Dead Snow is about:

“A ski vacation turns horrific for a group of medical students, as they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies.”

Yes, you read that correctly: Nazi zombies.
The story involves Nazi gold that the Third Reich looted while occupying the area back in World War II and then stashed away shortly before their grisly deaths. In modern times, the medical students stumble upon the gold while partying and thus unleash the horde of Nazi zombies, who still thirst for their gold…and now, human flesh! As I’m sure you can imagine, death and carnage ensue as the students try to escape from the zombie menace.
Aside from the original story, Dead Snow boasts first rate make-up and special effects. No expense was spared for blood and gore, that’s for sure. The zombies look like, well, like decaying people, which works out well since that’s exactly what they’re supposed to be. And the gore…wow…the gore sure is impressive. For example, in homage to The Evil Dead, one of the characters saws his arm off with a chainsaw after he is bitten by a zombie, and then cauterizes the stump in a fire. Needless to say, nothing here is censored, and the snow runs red for quite a while afterwards.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie comes when one of the guys disembowels a Nazi, but is then grabbed by another Nazi who drags the guy and himself over the edge of a cliff. Fortunately, the guy has latched on to the disemboweled Nazi’s intestine, which allows him to swing below the cliff-ledge while the second Nazi plummets to his death, er, second-death.

Dead Snow probably won’t win any Academy Awards, but it’s a fun movie and a great zombie romp, if you are a fan of the genre. The English dub-over is a little coarse but easy to overlook once the movie gets going. I would also recommend watching with the dub-over, as the subtitles are quite distracting while you’re trying to take in all the carnage. And don’t forget to check out the Special Features for some behind-the-scenes footage and extras.
Dead Snow is a great film and a true testament to the quality of new talent that is emerging in cinema today. I highly recommend this movie and will definitely be adding it to my video collection.

Editors note: The reviews and opinions expressed by our guest reviewers are not associated with or necessarily shared with those of Hayes Hudson's House of Horror. If you would like to be a guest reviewer on the 4H blog, feel free to contact me at hch91@hotmail.com. Guest reviewers are not compensated for their reviews.

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!! Giveaway #5 winner announced!!

The winner of the ISLAND OF THE DAMNED DVD Prize Pack is none other than.....(drum-roll please).........SCOOB! Thanks to all that entered, and don't worry if you didn't win, you can still purchase your own copy of ISLAND OF THE DAMNED HERE, and you can buy an ISLAND OF THE DAMNED T-shirt HERE.



Be sure to visit the official site of ISLAND OF THE DAMNED, at http://www.direwitfilms.com/

HURRY!! My latest DVD giveaway ends TOMORROW!! Enter now if you have not already!!

Up for grabs is a DVD of ISLE OF THE DAMNED, a poster of the film AUTOGRAPHED by Director Mark Colegrove, and an awesome ISLE OF THE DAMNED t-shirt!! Enter for your chance to win this great prize pack!! The contest ends tomorrow (3/17) at NOON and the winner will be announced tomorrow night!!

CLICK HERE to go to the original post to leave a comment to enter the contest!!

This week's Horror related DVD releases: 3/16

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out tomorrow, March 16th:

(click on the title to watch a trailer for that film)

* D. C. SNIPER

* THE FOURTH KIND

Wow....a horrible week for us Horror fans. I guess everyone knows that TWILIGHT: NEW MOON was going to be so popular, that no one wanted to release their DVDs in the same week. (TWILIGHT: NEW MOON is being released this Saturday, 3/20)

VOTE NOW for Mr. Horror Blogospher '09!

For those that don't know, the MR. HORROR BLOGOSPHERE '09 voting is open and underway! It would be an honor to win this award (although, it is a HUGE honor just being nominated), so I ask all my followers (and guests), if you read HAYES HUDSON'S HOUSE OF HORROR and find it to be a good, fun, informative site, then please VOTE for me, Zombie Hayes, for MR. HORROR BLOGOSPHERE '09! Check out the other blogs as well, you might even find one you like better than this one, and if so, that is ok! Vote for your favorite, but either way, please VOTE! Thanks!

CLICK HERE to go to the Zombies Don't Run site to vote! (you will see the voting on the top right section of the page)

Little Known Horror: RABID GRANNIES (1988)

I used to think nothing was scarier than a crazy old person, but now I realized there is something scarier....a crazy old person with rabies!!! I ran across this film, one I had never heard of before. It is simply titled, RABID GRANNIES! Not sure how I missed this one, as the trailer looks like a great old school horror flick with lots of good gore. It even reminded me of..dare I say it...the EVIL DEAD films! Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:

When given a demonic present by their black sheep nephew two kindly old grannies are transformed into demons who proceed to gorily knock-off their greedy relatives.

Check out the trailer and let me know what you think!

If you like what you see, you can CLICK HERE and you can actually watch the entire film for FREE at imdb.com!
If you want to buy a DVD of RABID GRANNIES from Amazon.com, CLICK HERE

Also, CLICK HERE to read a review of RABID GRANNIES from "The Deady Doll's House Of Horror Nonsense" blog!

Check out my interview with the director and lead actress of the short film, CONTACT

If you have not seen or heard about the short film, CONTACT, please take a moment to watch it now! It is a great, psychological film that reminds me of the early short films of David Lynch. It is odd, creepy, disturbing, and beautiful all at the same time. The film is directed by Jeremiah Kipp and stars Robb Leigh Davis and the beautiful Zoe Daelman Chlanda (check out her official website HERE) as two lovers who share quite an experience with an certain drug.

Before you go on to the interview, take a moment and CLICK HERE to watch the short film, CONTACT, as the interview may contain a few spoilers.

Here is my interview I had the pleasure of conducting with Jeremiah Kipp and Zoë Daelman Chlanda:

4H: First off, I want to thank you for sharing this film with me and my readers. Let me start by asking where you got the idea for this short film?

Jeremiah Kipp: A few years ago I worked with a screenwriter friend named Carl Kelsch on a short horror movie entitled THE POD, which was also about a hallucinogenic drug. While I was very satisfied with how that project turned out, I remained haunted by an image that didn’t make it into the movie—which was of two lovers kissing, and their faces seeming to fuse together. You can trace the inspiration back to my enthusiasm for Norwegian painter Edvard Munch, whose woodcut of “The Kiss” particularly unnerved me. I wondered if an unsettling little tale could be built around that graphic sensual image, which feels like it was pulled out of a nightmare.

4H: What does the film mean to you? I have watched it multiple times and I seem to get something different out of it each time I view it. Is it an anti-drug message? A pro-drug message? Each time I watch it I can look at it and take it different ways.

JK: When you make a film, the meaning has to be precisely clear to the director, the cast, the crew—everyone has to understand, because then there’s specificity within every onscreen action. But if I were to spell that out for the viewer, what would be the point? The enigmatic quality of a movie is what allows it to bear repeated viewings, much like when we listen to a piece of music over and over again. It pleased me when I made a film called THE CHRISTMAS PARTY that festival audiences reacted in incredibly different ways. That particular narrative follows a young boy attending a holiday party run by Christians—the kind that want everyone else in the world to be Christian, too. French audiences considered it a satire on America, New England audiences labeled it social realism, San Francisco audiences found it as a horror movie, and religious festivals saw it as the struggle for grace. All of these interpretations are valid, and I hope CONTACT is also open to multiple viewings. What it means to me should stay close to myself, leaving the meaning open to the viewer.

4H: Zoë, how did you get involved with CONTACT, and with Jeremiah in general, as I see you guys have worked together before?

Zoë Daelman Chlanda: Jeremiah and I worked together on the set of Alan Rowe Kelly's THE BLOOD SHED. We also had the chance to get to know one another during the commute to and from that set—we car-pooled. We stayed in touch after that project wrapped, and have remained friends and continue to collaborate professionally. Jeremiah brought CONTACT to my attention and asked if I'd like to be part of it. I had no hesitation saying yes. I loved the script, and trusted that the team Jeremiah assembled for the project would do it justice.

4H: Zoë, from a glance at your IMDB page, it looks like you are mainly acting in films that fall within the Horror genre. What is it you like about Horror films and acting in them? And do you want to act in other genre of films in the future or do you want to stick to Horror films?

ZDC: Horror films have given me the chance to really flex my acting muscles. The genre deals with extremes. I love the challenge, and I am honored that the filmmakers who I have worked with continue to offer me roles. It’s a community that is extremely supportive and fiercely loyal. I don't see why I would stop working on horror films if the scripts are compelling. I enjoy acting, and I don't have a preference for any specific genre. I love variety. I hope to have a long career that encompasses many different films of all genres.

4H: The use of black and white was beautiful in this film. I liked that the main couple was an interracial couple. The black and white actors, in contrast with the black and white shooting style was very nice visually. What can you tell us about the use of color, or lack thereof, in this film?

JK: Black and white was always part of the concept. We pared down every ingredient of the movie—the plot, the narrative, the characters—as a way of getting closer to pure cinema, telling the story through pictures. There is something magical about black and white, something beautiful that seemed appropriate to this story. That creative decision was in place before we started casting the film. Once Zoë was selected for the lead role, we had to find a co-star to match her strong presence. I saw fifteen different actors for the role, all different types, and Robb Leigh Davis felt like the best choice. He has a worldliness about him; he knows who he is and has an easy confidence. While I agree that the choice of a black actor and white actress is compelling, the true heat was generated between Robb and Zoë as actors—they seemed a good match, and I believed them together. It helps that they had a good rapport off-screen, and were incredibly generous with each other during rehearsals and throughout the shoot.

4H: Zoë, how hard is it to act in a film with almost Zero dialog in it? It is easier or harder than a film like VINDICATION, where you have a monologue that lasts for several minutes? In some ways I would think it would be harder as you have to get a across to the audience what you are thinking and feeling with absolutely no words. What are your thoughts on that?

ZDC: Great question. Personally, I find it easier the less dialogue there is. The way I prepare for roles is by researching the emotional life of the character first. When I feel like I've got it, I then start putting the dialogue to it. Memorizing lines is the homework that's not as interesting, in my opinion. It feels like work. Monologues are the toughest for me. I worked very hard on that scene in VINDICATION. I'm grateful for the cast and crew on that set - everyone did their best and it helped me do mine.

4H: What genre would you place this film? It doesn't seem to be pure Horror, but does have a Horror aspect with some gore during the drug scene and a good scare at the end.

JK: When I made the film, it was with the full intention of creating a horror movie. It was specifically commissioned for a downtown Halloween film festival called Sinister Six, which screens every year in New York City. There are scares and a gory sequence, but what I prefer to have in my movies is an underlying tension that runs throughout. When the audience is wondering what it going to happen next, you’re posing dramatic questions to them and it keeps them engaged and interested. That’s inherently dramatic, so are we to call CONTACT an eerie drama? I do like the idea that it would appeal to audiences outside of the horror crowd, and hope it does, but at heart I am a genre fan.

4H: Speaking of the drug scene, I have to ask about the scene where the two lovers are kissing and begin to pull away and are connected by something. What exactly did you mean this to be and to mean?

JK: Someone asked me recently whether that image was a metaphor, and it’s true that the horror movie can provide us with poetic images to represent something terrifying. Imagine, in real life, being connected at the hip to your lover and not being able to pull yourself away and define your own space. Now propel that idea to its most extreme, or its most grotesque. Horror movies are able to tap into literal images of our deepest fears. The special effects were created and sculpted by Daniel J. Mazikowski, a mad genius. He needed very little explanation of the body horror imagery we were going for; we mostly discussed the practical application of the gag and the comfort level of the actors, who were good sports throughout the entire three to four hour process.

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4H: I have to admit the very end scene gave me quite a startle. I had the lights out and the headphones up loud and was not expecting that in the least! What exactly was the meaning behind that, or was it just for the nice jump scare at the end? Was it setting us up for something else in the future?

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JK: There is indeed a shock at the climax of the picture, but forgive me if I leave the meaning open. The final image was a discovery we made in the editing room, and we had a feeling it would arouse a strong reaction in the audience. Our intention was to make them jump out of their skin, but there have been different takes on why we might have gone in that direction. You must understand that the movie no longer belongs to me, but to those who watch it.

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4H: Zoë, I noticed you have a film coming up called DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT. Is that a remake of the 1973 film of the same name? I am assuming so based on the synopsis I read. I like the 1973 film, especially the surprise ending, and I always thought it would be a great candidate for an update. Can you tell us a little about this project?

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ZDC: You are right! I am working on a remake of DON”T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT. I'm very excited about this project. I'll be working with Alan Rowe Kelly and Anthony Sumner, among many other talented cast and crew. The original is amazing and we plan to honor it with a remake that we hope will also wow audiences.

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4H: Jeremiah, can you tell us about any projects you have coming up, especially any pertaining to the Horror genre?

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JK: There is a feature length monster movie I have written, which hopefully find its way before the cameras in the near future. I am also working in collaboration with the producer of CONTACT, Bart Mastronardi, on an anthology film based on the work of an American Gothic writer, and am contributing a disturbing vampire tale to executive producer Marv Blauvelt for his anthology creature feature, which will start shooting sometime this year. After our experience making CONTACT, I hope to work with the cast and crew on many other projects, since this collaboration was very inspiring and rewarding for me.

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4H: Zoë, are there any other future projects you would like to tell us about?

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ZDC: I'm looking forward to collaborating with Jeremiah and [CONTACT director of photography] Dominick Sivilli this spring on an as of yet unnamed project. I have DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT shooting this summer, and a project with the lovely and talented Susan Adriensen happening sometime in the Summer/Fall. I am always keeping my ears and eyes open for projects, continuously submitting myself and auditioning. Its a wonderful roller coaster ride.

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4H: Finally, if I have left anything out, or if there is anything else you would like my readers to know about Jeremiah, Zoë, CONTACT, or anything else, please let me know!

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JK: We are very proud of this film, and hope viewers are entertained.

ZDC: If you haven't already seen CONTACT, please do so. I am so proud to be a part of such a wonderful film!

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Jeremiah and Zoe, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for me! I look forward to keeping up with both of your careers going forward. I am also looking forward to going back and checking out some of your older film that I was not aware of!

DVD Review: I AM VIRGIN

I AM VIRGIN is the directorial debut from director Sean Skelding and is brought to you by Cheezy Flicks Entertainment. The film is a spoof of the popular Will Smith film, I AM LEGEND.
Here is the basic plot from Seeofsound.com:

It came without warning. The virus wiped out most of the world's population in just a few days, and everyone who survived became a vampire with an insatiable thirst for sex. Everyone except Robby. He's the last normal man in a world of unbridled sexuality, and he's a virgin. Accompanied by his trusty Basset Hound, Billy, he's looking for love in a city full of vampire vixens who want nothing more than the next depraved thrill. Faced with temptation, Robby must resist the lure of this world of lust and sensuality or risk becoming one of the sex-mad undead creatures himself!

The film is very well made, with extremely impressive sets and camera work. The scenes of the deserted cities are done remarkably well and give off a very creepy vibe. I am impressed the filmmakers were able to pull off such a great feat considering this is a much lower budgeted movie than the real I AM LEGEND. The other thing I loved about this film are the corpses strewn all over town. They are very realistic looking and add a very eerie vibe to the film. My only gripe with the film is that with a city crawling with so many vampires, there is absolutely NO vampire action! Not one drop of blood is shown in the film. These "vampires" are after one thing only and it ain't blood! Be warned....if sex and nudity offend you, then you will definitely want to steer clear of this film, as this film is full of both. And don't worry, even though the film features a cameo appearance from Ron Jeremy, he stays fully clothed for his scenes!
Overall this is a good film, I just wish for a film about vampires, that it would have had a little more bite.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for I AM VIRGIN
CLICK HERE to visit the I AM VIRGIN official website
CLICK HERE to purchase I AM VIRGIN

DVD Review: MADNESS (2010)

Last night, I had the chance to watch the great horror film, MADNESS. This film is produced by STOCKHOLM SYNDROME FILMS and it is a true tragedy that more people don't know about this film!! Here is the basic plot from the film's website:

Friends Jenna and Tara are on their way to a cheer leading contest. At a gas station, they decide to help two guys, Chad and Oliver, who are having problems with their car. What they don't know is that they are being watched by a group of mad men. Their only intention is to hunt them down and kill them for all sorts of sadistic pleasure. After being captured and locked up, survival is the only thing that matters, but just how far are they willing to go?

I am so glad I watched this movie, I just wish I would have watched it sooner! Backwoods hillbillies are really scary to me, and this movie as plenty of them! Fans of "crazy killer family" movies such as WRONG TURN and revenge films such as "I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE" will truly love MADNESS! I was a little concerned at first about the acting in the film, as it started out sorta dry, but it actually got better as the movie went on. In fact, there were some scenes where the actors were portraying sheer terror so well, it almost made me uneasy and I could really believe they were in that situation.
Gore fans will not be disappointed either, as there are plenty of scenes of great kills and lots of the flowing red stuff!! The make up and effects in this film are superb for a lower budget movie of this sort. The movie has a bit of everything, including some great chase scenes through the woods, one of which results in a great knife/axe fight!

I can't say enough about this film, it is one you should definitely check out soon!!

ALSO..check back soon, as the fine folks at Stockholm Syndrome Films have supplied me with 2 brand new DVD copies of MADNESS to give out to the readers of HAYES HUDSON'S HOUSE OF HORROR!! Check back after our current contest, for your chance to win one of 2 copies of MADNESS!!

CLICK HERE to watch the TRAILER for MADNESS

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Stockholm Syndrome Film

CLICK HERE to visit the official website for MADNESS

CLICK HERE to buy your own DVD copy of MADNESS from amazon.com

This Week's Horror Related DVD Releases: Tuesday, March 9

Here are the Horror Related DVD releases coming out Tuesday, 3/9:

(click on the title to watch a trailer for that film)

* CARNIVAL OF SOULS Re-issue (Cinema Insomnia Slime Line)

* CLOWNSTROPHOBIA

* DEAD LIFE

* GOD'S LEFT HAND, DEVIL'S RIGHT HAND

* HAUNTED ECHOS: A GHOST STORY

* NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Re-issue (Cinema Insomnia Slime Line)

* NINE DEAD

* ROT: REUNION OF TERROR

* TALES FROM THE DEAD

* TREMORS: THE COMPLETE SERIES (TV Series)
* UNDEAD: THE VAMPIRE COLLECTION 20 MOVIE PACK

Nothing too great this week (I am assuming you already have a copy of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD...if not, shame on you! ha). For fans of the SAW films, esp. the first SAW, then you might want to watch the trailer for NINE DEAD. At first it just looked like a cheap SAW knockoff, but the more of the trailer I watched, the more I realized this could be a really good, thought provoking movie like the first SAW was. Might be worth checking out! Also, ROT: REUNION OF TERROR looks like it could be fun, in a campy old school slasher way. And for fans of Japanese Horror, you might want to check out GOD'S LEFT HAND, DEVIL'S RIGHT HAND...it has some creepy images and scenes and looks like it could be really good! Well, that is all of my rantings for tonight!

Book Review: LURKER IN THE LOBBY: A GUIDE TO THE CINEMA OF H.P. LOVECRAFT

LURKER IS THE LOBBY is a must read for any fan of the films based on the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. The book is written by Andrew Migliore and John Strysik and covers over 50 films based (and some very loosely based) on the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft. You will find the very obvious entries, such as the RE-ANIMATOR films, THE BEYOND, THE CALL OF CTHULHU, IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS, NECRONOMICON, etc. You will also find some you might not know had anything to do with H. P. Lovecraft (i.e. CASTLE FREAK or ALIEN). The book also covers TV shows and shorts based on the stories of Lovecraft. A couple of the best features of this book are the Gallery section, which contains movie posters, movie stills, and illustrations from the films and the Interviews section. The Interviews section contains interviews with some of the biggest names in horror and film, including: Richard Band, John Carpenter, Jeffrey Combs, Roger Corman, Guillermo del Toro, Stuart Gordon, Dan O'Bannon, Brina Yuzna, and others!

The book was published in 2006 by Night Shade Books and can be purchased directly from their website by CLICKING HERE.

Sci-Fi and Horror sometimes go hand in hand...like this great creature flick, THE FURFANGS

Check out the great Sci-Fi/Horror short, THE FURFANGS!! Here is the official info from Director Andrea Ricca's website:

"The Furfangs" is a sci-fi-horror short-movie with 3D special effects. It tells the story of mysterious and aggressive creatures who came from space. The short lasts five minutes and was realized by only two people: the director Andrea Ricca and the 3D graphic designer Gennaro Acanfora. The work is a zero budget production. It had no external contributions and it made no payments to the sharers. The original score is by Gianfilippo De Mattia. It was realized with the only help of a MiniDV camera and a computer.

This is a very fun film, definitly worth taking a few minutes out of your day to watch. I am impressed at what two people can do to make such a great looking short film!

Click below to watch THE FURFANGS now!

CLICK HERE to go to the official website and watch THE FURFANGS!

GIVEAWAY #5 IS HERE!!! Enter for your chance to win this awesome DVD Prize Pack!!!!

Giveaway #5 is officially underway, and this is one of the best prizes yet!!! Up for grabs is a DVD of ISLE OF THE DAMNED, a poster of the film AUTOGRAPHED by Director Mark Colegrove, and an awesome ISLE OF THE DAMNED t-shirt!! See details below on how to enter your chance to win this great prize pack!!
For those unfamiliar with ISLE OF THE DAMNED, here is the plot synopsis from the official website:

In Antonello Giallo's follow up to the notorious Pleasures of the Damned, private investigator Jack Steele is hired by a mysterious treasure hunter to help find the lost treasure of Marco Polo. Along for the trip is Jack's adopted son, Billy. Their search brings them to an island off the coast of Argentina... and into the clutches of a primitive cannibal tribe, the Yamma Yamma. Alexis Kinkaid, a mysterious recluse who has made his home on the island amongst the cannibals, may hold the key to unlocking the island's secret... if they don't end up in the belly of a savage first! Isle of the Damned, shot on location in Argentina in 1980, brought Giallo under fire yet again... this time by the Argentinean government, who issued a warrant for Giallo's arrest under suspicions of abuse of the native peoples. Giallo fled the country before he could go to trial. The film has been long out of print, but is presented here in a digitally remastered form.

ISLE OF THE DAMNED is a parody of the Italian Cannibal films from the 1970's and '80's. Both shocking and hilarious, you are sure to have a great time watching this film! Watch for a review of the film here soon!

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of the film, DIRE WIT FILMS and to watch the trailer for the film.

TO ENTER THE CONTEST, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

1. If you are not already, become a FOLLOWER of this blog! (Click the FOLLOW button under the "Followers" section of the blog on the right hand side).
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2. Leave a comment on this post with your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS so I can contact you for your shipping info if you are the winner (if valid email address is not given, I will post the winners name on the site and winner will have one week to contact me with their shipping info. If prize is not claimed within one week, prize will be forfeited).
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3. Only one comment per person. Multiple comments will result in removal of all your comments therefore removing your chances of winning!
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4. Contest is scheduled to end on Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Comments must be left by NOON Central time on 3/17/10 in order to count towards the contest.
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5. Contest winner will be chosen by random.org and must agree to let me post their name in a separate post stating who won the prize.
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6. Due to shipping costs, contest is open to U.S. Residents only. Thank you for your understanding.
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GOOD LUCK!!