DVD Review: A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS (2002)

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS is one of those rare films that nobody has heard of, but everybody should definitely see. Here is the plot synopsis from the Indican Pictures website:

After four years of incarceration at the state mental hospital, a madman is set free. Now the only imprisonment he faces is the one within the confines of his own tortured mind. He returns to his hometown to find that the madness that haunts him had its beginnings there behind the veneer of suburban bliss. The lost souls of this town seek redemption and when Taylor Melnick reenters their lives it sets in motion a journey of lust, betrayal, intrigue and crazed addictions. This is the harrowing story of Taylor Melnick's last days on earth.

First of all, don’t let the DVD cover mislead you; this film is nothing like The Devil’s Rejects or Saw, like the back cover states. I’m not sure who thought this movie was similar to either of those because it has only a minuscule smidge of gore and no real violence to speak of. It is, however, similar to 'The Shining', in that it contains a lot of mysticism and supernatural tones.

The film is shot very well and has plenty of suspenseful scenes. Some of the creepiest came from a series of flashbacks, where we see interactions between a young Taylor and his cruel mother (played by the ever-awesome Karen Black). Taylor’s mother often tells him that she cannot believe he’s still alive and that she expects God to take him at any minute. His sadistic mother’s rhetoric is what sets Taylor down the path of dementia.

I especially liked Taylor’s alcoholic neighbor. She makes a habit of just barging in to Taylor’s life at the most inopportune times, always intoxicated, and always making his life more difficult. Although there is a bit of comic-relief with this situation, the majority of the time I felt uncomfortable for Taylor shortly afterward.

The overarching story revolves around Taylor and an archaeological dig he is working on for his uncle. Taylor and the crew have to find evidence of an Indian burial ground or else a corporation is going to bulldoze the site for development. But unbeknownst to Taylor, there are forces at work behind the scenes, forces he never suspected.

The ending has a nice twist and even a moral message. If you like suspense and taut thrillers, then this movie is definitely for you. With top-notch acting and a well thought-out script, A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS is a must for your DVD collection.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Indican Pictures

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, August 31st

Here are this week's Horror related DVD's coming out tomorrow, Tuesday, 8/31:
(Click on a title for a trailer of that film)

* BRAINJACKED
* DEAD EYES OPEN
* THE EVIL DEAD LIMTED EDITION [Blu-ray]
* GIRLS ON THE ROAD
* HEAVY MENTAL
* POINT OF TERROR
* RED RIDING TRILOGY [DVD & Blu-ray]
* THE SPELL
* THRILLER: The Complete Series (TV)
* TORMENTED
* THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: Complete First Season (TV) [DVD & Blu-ray]

Nothing too great this week in my opinion, although the EVIL DEAD Blu-ray is very exciting. Might be the only thing in my shopping cart this week!

Have you seen PIRANHA 3D yet?

According to the box office..no, you haven't. Come on Horror fans, you have to get out there and support Horror in the theater! Gore fans will not be disappointed with PIRANHA 3D, it was by far one of the goriest films I have ever seen and was just plain fun. The 3D was cool, but I don't think it was necessary. I think this film would have been just as good and you can save the $$ on the ticket up-charge. But either way, go see this movie! What are you waiting for?!!

Must watch!! Trailer for AMC's new zombie series, THE WALKING DEAD

Have you seen the trailer for AMC's upcoming TV series, THE WALKING DEAD? Well, if you haven't you must watch this now. This looks truly amazing and if you are a fan of the comic like me, you are going to be super excited about this. The series premiers Sunday night (Halloween Night!) October 31st at 10/9c.



CLICK HERE to visit the official website of AMC's THE WALKING DEAD

DVD Review: PROJECT SOLITUDE: BURIED ALIVE (2009)

PROJECT SOLITUDE: BURRIED ALIVE was written and directed by Rustam Branaman and stars Eric Roberts as professor John Sola. It is being distributed through Synergetic Distribution.

Here is the basic plot from the Synergetic Distribution website:

A small group goes into the deep winter woods for a science project run by John Sola, testing human's survival instincts. But to their horror, this soon becomes more than just an academic question. One the campers disappears along with their van, their only way back to civilization. Then, their only cell phone can't get any reception in the remote area. Suspicion mounts as the survivors fend for their lives. Friendship fades, suspicion mounts and violence erupts among the dwindiling survivors, as the body count keeps rising.

This is a good film with enough going for it to keep you entertained the entire running time. The acting in this movie was great, especially from Eric Roberts, one of my personal favorite actors. I thought Stacy Stas also gave a great performance as the troubled girl named Kitty.

While the movie is slow in some parts, it remains entertaining and keeps you interested as it builds the mystery and suspense, leading up to finding out who the killer is. The kills are nothing too spectacular, but the are all very realistic, which adds to the validity of this film. Films like this are scarier than a crazy slasher or monster film to me, because this could easily happen in real life. There is nothing too out of the ordinary here. As the first few students turn up dead, the remaining students struggle with who they can trust, and have to come to the realization that someone might not be the nice person that they personify.

While I won't give away the ending, of course, I must say that it was great and I didn't see it coming.

Fans of survival Horror will love this movie, and there are enough good kills and suspense for most all Horror fans.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for the film
CLICK HERE to purchase the film

CLICK HERE to visit the film's official movie blog for behind the scenes stories and photos!

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Synergetic Distribution

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE LATEST 4H DVD GIVEAWAY!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the latest 4H DVD Giveaway, Matthew Scott Baker and Jeff Atencio! Both Jeff and Matthew have won a copy of the Zombie film, THE SKY HAS FALLEN on DVD!

Don't worry if you didn't win....I have one more copy that I will give away soon! Check back often!

And if you can't wait until then, you can purchase you own copy of THE SKY HAS FALLEN by CLICKING HERE.

DVD Review: TERROR OVERLOAD: TALES FROM SATAN'S TRUCK STOP (2009)

Last night I had the chance to check out the film, TERRROR OVERLOAD: TALES FROM SATAN'S TRUCK STOP from Not For The Squeamish Productions (otherwise known as NFTS Productions). I had never even heard of this film, so to be honest, I wasn't expecting much at all. I assumed it was going to be like most low budget, independant Horror films and just be ok at best, and then soon forgotten. What I have found is a lost gem among the Horror DVD's that have been released recently. Here is the basic plot from the film's official site:

In the wrap around story called "Devil Driver", a creepy truck driver spins a trilogy of terrifying tales to a hot stranded hitchhiker that include "Dinner Date", "Lot Lizard" and "Mongo Chupa"! She has no idea what this ride has in store for her! Genre fans that love their ultra-low-budget horror flicks loaded with over the top blood, boobs, creatures, sleaze and sex will not be disappointed with Terror Overload!

This is a film you can tell is by people that love Horror films. It is made with the Horror fan in mind and gives you everything you could want out of a Horror movie. It is low budget and some of the effects show that, but some are done as well as any big budget Horror film. Of the 4 stories listed in the synopsis above, I found the weakest to probably be "Mongo Chupa", a story of a killer Chupacabra/human hybrid run amuck! That being said, the story was still highly entertaining. The film is full of humor, both dark and silly, and makes the movie even that more fun.

The story of "Lot Lizard" was truly disturbing and features a scene that is guaranteed to make every man squirm!! "Dinner Date", the first story, was fun and the gore effects in this short story were truly amazing.

This is a film I would recommend to any fan of the Horror genre. Out of the 4 stories, there is definitely something for everyone in this film. This film is an instant cult classic, and is one of the most fun films I have watched in a long time. I hope this film is discovered by more Horror fans.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of NFTS Productions

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, August 24th

Here are this week's Horror related DVD releases that came out today, 8/24/10:

(Click a title to watch a trailer for that film)

* DIEner

* THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT

* KING OF THE ZOMBIES

* METAMORPHOSIS

* NINJAS Vs. ZOMBIES

* SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD [DVD & Blu-ray]

This week's must buy is George Romero's SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD. I found this to be one of his better Zombie outings, improving greatly over his last couple of "DEAD" films.

Would you see this movie? MOBY DICK: 2010

I just ran across this while browsing one of the best genre sites around, Quietearth.us. The film is MOBY DICK: 2010, and the JAWS inspired movie poster makes me laugh. I have a felling the movie will make me laugh as well, even though it will be unintentional I'm sure.

Here is the basic plot synopsis:

A modern adaptation of the classic novel of the captain of a high tech submarine and his obsessive quest to destroy the enormous prehistoric whale that maimed him.

So there ya go. So what do you think? Will see this movie?

Will this be one of those "so bad, it's good" type films or just one of those "so bad, it's really bad" type film?

Check out the awesome trailers for the Ford Brother's Zombie film, THE DEAD!

Bloody-Disgusting.com recently posted a new trailer for the African Zombie epic, THE DEAD. Here is the basic synopsis from the film's official website:

An American mercenary, the sole survivor of a plane crash, has to run the gauntlet across Africa, battling with the living dead. Joining forces with a local military man, desperately searching for his son amongst the chaos, they fight together to survive, in the first Zombie Road-Movie set against the stunning backdrop of Africa.

From the looks of these trailers, I think we are all in for a real treat! The film is making the festival circuit right now. I will let you know as soon as I hear anything about a formal release date.

CLICK HERE to watch Trailer 1

CLICK HERE to watch Trailer 2

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of THE DEAD

DVD Review: WOMEN'S STUDIES (2010)

WOMEN'S STUDIES was written and directed by Lonnie Martin and is being released on the Big Bite Entertainment label at R-Squared Films. Here is the basic plot synopsis from the RSquared Films website:

At Ross-Prentiss Women's Academy female empowerment is taken to a whole new, murderous level! Grad student Mary has just finished another summer working for Senator Gayle Hamlin, but on her way back to school, Mary and her friends become stranded. A group of students led by Judith offer them shelter at their isolated campus. On the surface, the academy appears to be a feminist utopia, but Ross-Prentiss has a darker side: indoctrinating women into their apocalyptic sect and sending them into the world to strip men of power.... and their lives!

Overall this was a pretty good film. While it did keep me entertained, there were some definite problems with this film, but there were also some high points as well.

First off, with the negative. The worst part about this movie to me was the acting. While the film was obviously a low budget film, I feel the acting should have still been a bit better. While the part of Mary was played pretty well by Cindy Marie Martin, the actor portraying her boyfriend was hard to watch. The story line was a little hard to follow at times, at least for this reviewer, and with what seemed to be a few different plot points all going on at the same time, it made for some times of confusion.

That being said, there were some very good things about this film. Mainly, the gore effects. While there were not as many gore scenes as I like in a movie, there were still more that I expected for this type of film...and some of them were done very well. The film was shot very nicely, so the picture is nice and clear.

I don't think this will be a hit with most of the casual Horror fans, a certain section of the Horror crowd will probably really dig this film. This could be the first Horror movie made specifically for women, as the film is a 90 exercise in feminism. Although it did make me wonder...is this film a pro-feminism film like I think it is? Or is it just the opposite, as it shows you how crazy these women can really be.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of RSquared Films

DVD Review: THE TERROR FACTOR (2007)

Throw-back films that pay homage to their original genres are always fun, and this one is no exception. THE TERROR FACTOR is a low-budget gore-fest that pays tribute to the slasher-flicks that ran rampant in the ‘80s. The plot, according to writer/director Garry Medeiros, is this:

Thirty years ago, Warren Wilcox brutally murdered his parents and now has just broken out of the Mental Hospital killing everyone in his sight. But, Wilcox is not the only one who the community should be afraid of. An aspiring serial killer decides that Warren is not going to have all the fun himself and quickly starts upping the body count. When Wilcox arrives at his old childhood home, he finds a group of teens who picked the wrong night and wrong place to party. Who will be the last man standing when the two killers finally meet and what is the Wilcox family secret?

THE TERROR FACTOR is by no means an Academy Award winning production, but I can’t think of a single slasher film that is. This movie is a lot of fun, however, and is well-done, given the minimal budget it was shot with. The camera-work is very well done and the overall look to the picture is perfect.

I especially liked the plot. Although it’s been done A LOT, I still enjoy the-escaped-killer-who-goes-back-home storyline. And this movie is unique because it throws in a SECOND killer, one who is “home-grown”. As the body count rises, so does the fun.

The only let-down for me is the acting. I know I shouldn't’t expect A-list talent, but the cast seemed to have a hard time conveying emotion without the use of profanity. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t mind profanity at all. But I don’t think it should be used at the expense of basic acting skills. One a side-note, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the F-bomb dropped so much in a single movie…not even Casino.

Overall, fans of slasher-flicks should be happy with THE TERROR FACTOR . It’s always fun to see what directors with small budgets can accomplish when they have a passion for their projects. And writer/director Garry Medeiros definitely goes the extra mile on this one.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Midnight Releasing

Have you entered to win the latest 4H DVD Giveaway?

If not, what are you waiting for?!! I have 2 copies of THE SKY HAS FALLEN on DVD to give away to a couple of lucky readers! This looks to be an awesome zombie film, so enter for your chance to win today!! Contest ends on Aug. 25th! And, if you want to double your chance to win, then share the original giveaway post link on your Twitter, Myspace, or Facebook account, and you can leave a 2nd comment giving you twice the chance to win! Just tell me where you shared the post in your second comment that you leave.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for THE SKY HAS FALLEN
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website


CLICK HERE to go to the original contest post and enter the contest. Please read the rules and leave a comment on the original post in order to enter for your chance to win! (comments left on this post will not count towards the contest...comments must be left on the original post)

DVD Review: INBRED REDNECK VAMPIRES (2004)

Formally known as BLOODSUCKING REDNECK VAMPIRES, the newly titled INBRED REDNECK VAMPIRES was recently released on DVD and distributed by MVD Entertainment. The film was written and directed by the team of Joe Sherlock and Mike Hegg. Here is the basic plot summary from the MVD Entertainment website:

Sexy vampire Catherine and her familiar Lendel are on the run from a ruthless vampire hunter. They hide out in the small redneck town of Backwash, where Catherine hatches a plan to turn the backwoods folk into an army of her vampire slaves. Cultures further clash when Ma Poissier wins a free room redecoration by fruity Frenchman Jean-Claude Les Eaux, who tries his best to fit in with crazy hillbillies like Lil' Junior and his buddy Cletus. Beer drinking, bean eating, tripe cooking, shower peeping, competitive farting, strip poker playing and all manner of insanity follow, all leading up to the town's annual Tripe Days Festival. Combine the gross-out and physical comedy of Animal House and American Pie with the country humor of Hee Haw, toss in some vampires and you've got the riotous romp Inbred Redneck Vampires!

If you couldn't tell already, this is a Horror/comedy film, and to be honest, it is much more on the comedy side than the Horror side. First off, I will give you some of the problems I found with the film. The acting is mediocre at best, and some is just plain bad. The editing is bad and many scenes are cut off sooner than they should have been, almost to the point of cutting off a piece of the character's dialog. Also, the film clocks in at 1 hour and 48 minutes, which to be honest, is about an hour more time than they had material for. This film could have had many parts cut out and taken down to a 70-80 minute film and I think it would have helped, as some parts seemed to drag in spots.

Now, on the positive side, I did enjoy when the Vampires actually made an appearance, and there are some good scenes of blood and gore. The movie really falters with some of the horrible CGI used here, but there is one scene in particular that is so bad, it was good. A lady that has recently been infected and turned into a Vampire uses a tanning bed and is immediately burned to a crisp. Her fried corpse is made of a claymation model in a scene so rediculously bad, that you can't help but enjoy it! There is also some very funny stuff in this movie....mainly the dialog from the "inbred rednecks". This actually plays better as a comedy than a horror film, although I must say that I find the use of flatulance to be a cheap gag to get a laugh, and one that just doesn't work on an older, more mature audience. Although, that is proabably not the audience the filmmakers had in mind when making this movie. I have a feeling younger kids and teenagers will love this film, as it is full of all the stuff that age group finds funny....or at least I assume still do...I know I did when I was that age! I can also see a group of college guys gathered around to watch this and having a pretty good time, but the seasoned Horror veteren looking for a real scare will probably want to pass on this one.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the film for what it was, and even caught myself laughing out loud at some parts, which is a good sign. While this film won't win any awards, it did manage to entertain me for the majority of the running time, which is what a movie should do.

CLICK HERE to watch a trailer for INBRED REDNECK VAMPIRES

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of MVD Entertainment

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, August 17th

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out tomorrow, 8/17/2010:

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

* BURNING BRIGHT

* DARK AND STORMY NIGHT

* DEXTER: The Fourth Season

* THE LOST SKELETON RETURNS AGAIN

* ROGER CORMAN CREATURE COLLECTION

* ROGER CORMAN HORROR COLLECTION

A very slow week of DVD releases for Horror fans....Roger Corman fans will like these two box sets, with the Creature Collection containing: Attack Of The Giant Leeches, The Wasp Woman, Creature From The Haunted Sea, A Bucket Of Blood, and Last Woman On Earth. The Roger Corman Horror Collection features the films: The Little Shop Of Horrors, The Little Shop Of Horrors, Dementia 13, She Gods Of Shark Reef, and Swamp Women.

Check out the trailer for the Japanese gore fest, MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD!

Check out this awesome trailer for the upcoming film, MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD! I don't know about you, but I love these splatter flicks from Japan. They hold nothing back and show much more blood and guts than most American movies for some reason. I can't tell exactly what this film is about, and the trailer is in Japanese, but I can still tell that I must see this film. It reminds me of other films such as MACHINE GIRL or TOKYO GORE POLICE.

Click below to watch the trailer and let me know what you think!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of the film (text in Japanese)

Comic fans...check out Robert Steven Rhine's SATAN'S 3-RING CIRCUS OF HELL

All you fans of Horror comics must do yourself a favor, and get your hands on a copy of SATAN'S 3-RING CIRCUS OF HELL by Robert Steven Rhine and over 40 of the worlds greatest artists! Some of you might know Mr. Rhine, or "Corpsy" as he is often referred to, as the creator and deaditor-in-chief of Girls and Corpses magazine! Mr. Rhine is a man of many talents and here he shows off his wonderful skill of story telling, through a series of short comics compiled together into this great volume of work. Every story in this book is written by Mr. Rhine and each one is illustrated by a different comic artist, each in their own unique style. You will see the work of over 40 artists such as William Stout, Tim Vigil, Frank Forte, Nenad Gucunja, Steph Dumais, Jacob Hair, John Cassaday, Hilary Barta, D.W. Frydendall and Kevin Golden just to name a few of my favorites.

This book contains a variety of different stories and topics, so every comic fan will find something they like. The book is packed with blood and gore, something that seems to be lacking from most "Horror" comics released today. It also contains plenty of Mr. Rhine's signature dark comedy undertones that you've come to expect if you are a regular reader of the horrifically funny Girls and Corpses magazine.

Some of my favorite stories in this books are:

THE ADVENTURES OF DR. NARCOLEPSY: A story that shows you why going to a doctor diagnosed with Narcolepsy is a bad idea!

EAT ME: The story of the newest reality show, a where contestants must actually eat parts of themselves in order to win the prize!
MAGICIAN FROM HELL: The story of a psycho magician, who's cutting a girl in half trick looks a little too realistic....

PARTY CLOWN: A story that teaches you that the best kind of clown to hire for your child's birthday party is not the one you pick up on the side of the road....

SEPARATION ANXIETY: A man tries to kill off his lover's Siamese "twin" with disastrous results!

Also included in this book, is Mr. Rhine's short story "Propeller Boy" which was the winner of the NYC World Horror Con Best Dark Fiction award!

This is a great collection of short comics that every fan of Horror comics should add to their collection!

CLICK HERE to go to the Girls and Corpses Store to order a copy of SATAN'S 3-RING CIRCUS OF HELL!

Book Review: THE OFFICIAL ZOMBIE HANDBOOK (UK) by Sean T. Page

While written specifically to help people survive a zombie outbreak in the UK, THE OFFICIAL ZOMBIE HANDBOOK by Sean T. Page is a tome of international importance. The skills and tips found within can be used to help survivors of all nations, although it is interesting to read how some things differ when it comes to zombie outbreak in the US vs. the UK.

Here is the book synopsis from the Severed Press website:

Since pre-history, the living dead have been among us, with documented outbreaks from ancient Babylon and Rome right up to the present day. But what if we were to suffer a zombie apocalypse in the UK today? Through meticulous research and field work, The Official Zombie Handbook (UK) is the only guide you need to make it through a major zombie outbreak in the UK.

This book contains everything you need to survive the upcoming zombie apocalypse. Inside you will find basic hints that anyone new to the realization of the upcoming outbreak can use all the way to more advanced tips that even the most trained zombie killer will find helpful. Hints include the types of weapons to use, the best places to hide out and set up camp in, and even gives charts to let you know the shelf life of most common canned foods. The book is broken into many parts and is explained very well in common terms which makes it very easy to read and understand.

The book starts out giving you the basic definitions of a zombie and discusses all the different schools of thought on the causes of the zombie plague. Detailed case studies of previous isolated zombie attacks are discussed, from the first noted outbreak in the Roman Province of Atlas in 55AD to the most recent outbreak which occurred in Burma (Myanmar) in 1986. The book then goes on to discuss how the different defence forces in the UK would fare against the zombies, including the British Army, The Royal Navy, The Royal Air Force, and even the British Criminal Underworld! Very interesting stuff.

While other books about surviving zombie outbreaks are out there, this is by far the most complete, comprehensive of them all, and it is a must have if planning on surviving the inevitable upcoming zombie apocalypse.

CLICK HERE to check out the Youtube trailer for the book

CLICK HERE to purchase THE OFFICIAL ZOMBIE HANDBOOK

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Severed Press

DVD Review: DEFILED

DEFILED is a hard movie to watch, in that it deals with subject matter that is all too real. It is a well made movie, though, and one you can definitely appreciate. The film was written and directed by Zachary Paul and is released by Alternative Cinema.

Here is the basic plot from the Alternative Cinema website:

Cassidy has a taste for sex with strangers she meets on the Internet. Never fully satisfied by these encounters, she decides to take things to the next level. Placing a post online, she receives a phone call from The Man she thinks she’s been looking for. Unfortunately, he has no intention of leaving once the night is out…

The acting in this film is a little weak overall, although the main character of Cassidy is played well by actress Amanda Myers. The movie is scary in that this is something that could easily happen. While most slasher flicks and ghost movies we can play of as being "just a movie", this one you can't take so lightly. This kind of thing does happen. The hardest part of watching what Cassidy goes through is realizing that she invited this upon herself in a way. It's never a good idea to invite strange men into your house to act out a rape fantasy....I don't think any good could ever come from that!

One thing that surprised me about this film, was the great gore effects for such a low budget film. An ax to the head, an eyeball popped out of woman...all these things are done with the same caliber that you would see in a much more expensive film. This film is gritty, grimy, and dirty...just like most of the great films released through Alternative Cinema.

DEFILED is set for release on DVD September 21st, 2010.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer (WARNING!! Not Safe For Work)
CLICK HERE to pre-order DEFILED from Alternative Cinema

CLICK HERE to visit the Alternative Cinema website

Check out the awesome magazine, GIRLS AND CORPSES!

Hopefully all you Horror fans out there know about the great Horror/Comedy magazine, GIRLS AND CORPSES! If not, you are definitely missing out! G&C calls themselves "the world's first comedy magazine about death." Who knew death could be so funny! G&C is the brainchild of Founder, Publisher, and Deaditor-In-Chief Robert Steven Rhine, or "Corpsy" as his fans call him. Here is how Mr. Rhine describes his magazine:

"Girls & Corpses is sort of like Maxim Magazine meets Dawn Of The Dead. There are pictures in each issue of beautiful, scantily clad young beauties posing with hideous, decaying, festering corpses. Also, we have interviews, comic book art, music and movie reviews and other mayhem. What could be better?"

It really is a mixture of all sorts of things dealing with death and Horror in general, but always with a little dark humor thrown in for good measure. The magazine started back in 2003 as an online only magazine, but due to the overwhelming popularity, they began printing hard copies of the magazines starting with issue #16.

Well, they are up to issue #26, and this newest issue is bigger and better (and deader) than ever!

Mr. Rhine always manages to get top talent in the Horror industry for pictorials and interviews in his magazine. This newest issue contains great interviews with both Eli Roth and the legendary Takashi Miike. Each issue also has comics and movie reviews, and fake ads that are always good for a laugh.

Check out the newest issue at a newstand near you, or order online if nowhere around you sells this fine magazine!

CLICK HERE to go to the GIRLS AND CORPSES website store to order this new issue or any of the previous back issues.

GRINDHOUSE finally getting a proper DVD release!! Well...Blu-ray to be exact....

Fans of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez will be happy to know that their collabaertive Horror/Exploitation film, GRINDHOUSE, is finally getting a proper release! For those that don't remember, this was a great "double feature" film that was released in 2007 and was made up of two feature films played back to back with fake trailers played between the films, made to re-create the feeling of the old 42nd Street grindhouse double features from back in the 70's.
When the film came out on DVD, it was sold as the 2 films split up, each on it's own single disk. That is now about to change, as coming out in October is the complete GRINDHOUSE movie the way it was meant to be seen, including all the fake trailers that were left off of the previous DVD releases.
The two pics to the right are the actual Blu-ray cover art and the slip case the Blu-ray will come in.
I am super excited about this...the film didn't do so well at the box office, but those of us that did go were rewarded with an awesome theater experience that you just don't get these days!
This Blu-ray will be released on October 5th.

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, August 10th

Here are this week's Horror related DVD releases for 8/10/10:

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

* GRAPHIC SEXUAL HORROR

* HORROR HIGH

* JINGLES THE CLOWN

* KILLER WEEKEND

* THE KILLING ROOM

* NIGHTMARE ALLEY

* OFFICE OF THE DEAD

* PROJECT SOLITUDE: BURIED ALIVE

* THINGS

I don't see any must haves this week......check out the OFFICE OF THE DEAD trailer....looks like it could be fun.

DVD Review: CARMILLA, THE LESBIAN VAMPIRE (2004)

If anyone watches CARMILLA: THE LESBIAN VAMPIRE and thinks that it looks familiar, you might have seen the film VAMPIRES VS. ZOMBIES. CARMILLA is the ORIGINAL UNCUT, UNRATED version of Creepy Six Films’ 2004 flick VAMPIRES VS. ZOMBIES, which was first released in the U.S. and Canada with an R-rating, and over three full minutes of gore and undead mayhem were cut from the movie. Now you can watch the film the way it was intended to be, with all the great zombie gore re-instated into this updated version. The film was written and directed by Vince D'Amato and was produced by Creepy Six Films. Here is the basic plot:

Beautiful young Jenna Fontaine falls victim to a strange vampire plague that causes all sorts of wild hallucinations. With her father, Travis, she sets out to find and eradicate the source of the vile infection, a vampire baroness names Carmilla. Their destination is Carmilla's hometown where the apocalyptic horror began, and where Jenna and Travis are to meet their mysterious friend, The General Banding together, they'll have but one opportunity to destroy Carmilla. Carmilla, however, has other plans for Jenna. On reaching the town they find themselves facing off against Catholic schoolgirl zombies, cannibals, demon nuns and the ferocious vampire locked in Travis's own trunk! All while Carmilla is slowly seducing Jenna's body and soul.

I have to admit, I wasn't putting out much hope for this film. I have watched lots of Vampire movies lately, and I was getting a little burned out on them. I was pleasantly surprised, though, when I found out very early in the film, that this is no ordinary, run of the mill Vampire flick. This flick has Vampires, but also contains a good amount of Zombies as well...and while that sounds like 2 genres that would be impossible to mix, somehow the makers of this film managed to do so in a way that doesn't seem that out of place. They actually mesh the two genres very well and make one entertaining film....one that both Vampire and Zombie films should find entertaining.

The acting in the film is good overall, although there are a few times when lines are either over-acted or just sound like they were read line for line off the script, but that is only a few times and not the norm throughout the film. The direction and pace of the film is wonderful, with hardly any slow spots and nice, quick 77 minute run time.

One thing I was really surprised about from this film was the gore level. I knew I was in for a treat when I watched the opening scene of a Zombie scrambling up the road, only to be met head on by a driver aiming right for the zombie. The result is one of the coolest Zombie deaths by car collision you will ever see. There is a lot of blood and gore in this film.....from the crawling zombie squirting blood and other bodily fluids from the rips in his flesh (stomach turning!!) to beheading and some good 'ol slicing and dicing of both Vampires and Zombies.

This is one film you will definitely want to check out!

Also noteworthy on this DVD is the inclusion of 2 short films from director Vince D'Amato, "Heads Are Gonna Roll" and "Sex & Death: 1977", of which the latter film is remarkably entertaining, even though I have to admit I don't understand what is going on in it at all! That didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying it, though! Other special features on this DVD are are "Making of Carmilla" feature, Director and Producer Commentary, Outtakes, Photo Gallery, trailers, and a interview with star Brinke Stevens.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for CARMILLA

(trailer is NotSafeForWork! Contains nudity and gore galore!)

CLICK HERE to buy CARMILLA on DVD!

(click "add to cart" at the very bottom of the page)

CLICK HERE to visit the Creepy Six Films official website

Book Review: AYEAR OF FEAR by Bryan Senn

I recently finished the book, A YEAR OF FEAR: A DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE TO 366 HORROR FILMS by Bryan Senn. The book is published by McFarland Publishers (http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/).

This is by far one of the best Horror film related books I have ever read. The basic premise of the book is that the author has taken literally every day of the year, and listed a holiday, historical birthday, or other event that is associated with that day. As if that wasn't a hard enough task, he then picks 1 Horror movie for each day of the year that somehow coincides with that particular day.

For example, the film picked for October 20th is 1931 film, DRACULA. It was chosen to represent this day because October 20th is the birthday of the film's star, Bela Lugosi!
Each day's entry includes the film's title and production year, a brief plot synopsis, and then info on how or why that particular film was chosen to represent that specific date in history. The entries also include some behind the scenes type info and interesting anecdotes about the film's production. The book is also full of great photos, from production stills and behind the scenes shots, to pics of classic movie posters!

The book is a large, soft-cover book with clocking in at almost 550 pages! This book is definitely worth the cover price, as this is not just an entertaining film, but a good Horror movie reference book to have on hand as well. What better way to plan what movie to watch at your next friendly get together? Now you can watch a film that is actually somehow meaningful to that particular day!!

Some of my favorite entries are:

May 1st -- KING KONG -- Chosen because the Empire State Building was completed on this day in 1930.
Aug. 27th -- DERANGED -- Chosen because August 27th (1906) is the birthday of Ed Gein.
Nov. 28th -- DEATH RACE 2000 -- Chosen because the first automobile race was held on this day in 1895.
Dec. 8th -- RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD -- Chosen because Dec. 8th, 1792 was the date of the first cremation in the U.S.


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

Check out the eerie trailer for DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

My friend Caleb showed me the eerie trailer for the film DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK today, so I thought I would pass this along to all of you, in case some of you haven't seen it yet. The film is produced and co-written by Guillermo del Toro (HELLBOY, PAN'S LABYRINTH), and directed by Troy Nixey. It is a remake of a 1973 film by the same name. Here is the basic plot synopsis from Quietearth.com:

Sally Hurst (Bailee Madison), a lonely, withdrawn child, has just arrived in Rhode Island to live with her father Alex (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes) at the 19th-century mansion they are restoring. While exploring the sprawling estate, the young girl discovers a hidden basement, undisturbed since the strange disappearance of the mansion’s builder a century ago. When Sally unwittingly lets loose a race of ancient, dark-dwelling creatures who conspire to drag her down into the mysterious house’s bottomless depths, she must convince Alex and Kim that it’s not a fantasy—before the evil lurking in the dark consumes them all.

Sounds pretty intriguing, and the trailer looks pretty spooky! What do you think? Will you be seeing this film based on this trailer?

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer courtesy of Myspace Video.

Book Review: VOYEUR DEAD by Alan Gandy

I recently read the great Zombie book, VOYEUR DEAD by Alan Gandy. Here is the books basic plot from the official website:

Witness the end of the world though the eyes of a voyeur in this photographic journal of a predator finding himself face to camera with the walking dead. Now predator is prey. The voyeur must look to his victims for salvation.

This is a very interesting and fun book. It is a story told through a series of photos and narrative. Our main "hero", or really "anti-hero" is a man who is turned on by watching women when they don't know they are being watched. He sets his sights on a girl name Clair and does everything he can think of to get photos and videos of her. He finds out she is a "dancer" at an adult club and sneaks in a video camera to record some footage of Clair. The footage he gets on his camera, though, is nothing what he was expecting.
He hears a struggle at the entrance door and sees the bouncers fighting with real life Zombies! The hunt is on as the Zombies fill the club as our "hero" tries to escape.

This book is very different than most any other zombie book I have ever read...mainly because, in this book, the main "hero" character is not a likable person at all. Instead, he is down right detestable. He is not above elbowing a woman in her face to knock her down in order to turn her into a nice meal for a Zombie, as long as it will buy him some time! Normally we would never be pulling for a sexual predator to come out on top, but I guess when it's a sexual predator or a Zombie, you always gotta go with the guy that's still alive.

The book is a very easy read and is lots of fun. Not only will you read about what the main character is seeing, but you will actually see it through the series of black and white photos that are throughout the book.

My only problem with this book is it's abrupt ending......it left me wanting more, which hopefully is exactly what was intended. It sets itself up nicely for a 2nd book, which I hope is in the works!

I highly recommend this book to any fans of the Zombie genre.

CLICK HERE to purchase VOYEUR DEAD from Amazon.com
CLICK HERE to visit the official VOYEUR DEAD website

It's time for....A NEW DVD GIVEAWAY!!!

I just realized it has been over a month since my last DVD Giveaway, and that is just unacceptable!! So, without further ado, here is what you can win in the newest giveaway!

Up for grabs are 2 copies of the zombie epic, THE SKY HAS FALLEN, written and directed by Doug Roos. You might remember this film from my previous post about it. Here is the basic plot of the film:

In a post-apocalyptic world, a new disease wipes out almost all of mankind within a couple hours. Trying to avoid infection, people flee to remote locations, but they start seeing mysterious black figures, carrying away the dead and experimenting on them. Now, Lance and Rachel, two survivors determined to fight back, must kill the leader of these creatures before the rest of humanity disappears.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for THE SKY HAS FALLEN

CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

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).

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).

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

4. Contest is scheduled to end on Wednesday, Aug. 25th, 2010. Comments must be left by NOON Central time on 8/25/10 in order to count towards the contest.

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.

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

GOOD LUCK!!

DVD Review: PIRANHA (1978)

I hate to admit this to you, but I had never seen the original PIRANHA before. And now after seeing the PIRANHA 3D remake footage, I got really excited about flesh eating fish and decided the time was right to finally sit down and watch it.

My only regret is that I waited this long!!

PIRANHA was produced by Roger Corman and directed by Joe Dante, so you have some awesome genre vets at the helm of this film. PIRANHA is one of those films that everybody knows about, but is very surprising when it comes to how many people have actually seen it. If you haven't seen this film, please, do yourself a favor and watch it soon! A new special edition DVD just came out today, so there is no excuse for not watching this now!

Here is the basic plot of the film from imdb.com:

When flesh-eating piranhas are accidental released into a summer resort's rivers, the guests become their next meal.

Ha, short synopsis, but really, it says it all! This isn't a movie that makes you think, it just tries to entertain you for 94 minutes, and in that it succeeds greatly!

One thing I was really surprised about was the amount of blood and gore in this film. For a film that came out in the late 70's, it was much more graphic than one would expect based on other films released in that same era.

A great thing about this film is there were no real slow parts....it was entertaining all the way through. If you are a fan of JAWS, then you will love PIRANHA. In fact...dare I say it....I might have enjoyed this film even more than JAWS! Is that possible? Have I gone insane? Have you seen PIRANHA...what do you think?

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, August 3rd

Here are this week's Horror related DVD releases coming out Tuesday, 8/3/10:

(Click on a title to see a clip of that film)

* AFTER.LIFE

* HAUNTING OF WINCHESTER HOUSE [Blu-ray]

* HOBOKEN HOLLOW

* HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP [DVD & Blu-ray]

* I AM OMEGA [Blu-ray]

* OPEN HOUSE [DVD & Blu-ray]

* PIRANHA [DVD & Blu-ray]

* SECRETS OF THE CLOWN

* SPIKE

Wow! Some great DVD's coming out this week. Two classics that you must own if you don't already, are HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP, and the criminally underrated PIRANHA! Both of these DVD's have been out of print for some time, and they are now making their debut on Blu-ray!

DVD Review: TRAILERS FROM HELL V. 1

For those that aren't familiar with the Trailers From Hell website, I suggest you go check it out. The site hosts a collection of old, rare, or just rarely seen trailers for all sorts of old genre films. But the best thing about the trailers, is that each one is "hosted" by a famous film director, who does commentary throughout the trailer.

The great folks at Trailers From Hell have now put some of their greatest trailers onto a DVD called, TRAILERS FROM HELL-VOL. 1 !

Here is how Trailers From Hell got started, from the official TFH website:

"TRAILERS FROM HELL is the brainchild of film director Joe Dante, new media entrepreneur Jonas Hudson, graphic artist Charlie Largent and producer Elizabeth Stanley. The series was born out of their mutual love of classic films of all types, but particularly horror and exploitation films."

The DVD has 5 directors hosting 4 trailers each. You will hear running commentary over the trailers from Joe Dante (Gremlins), Mick Garris (The Stand), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead), and Eli Roth (Hostel). The commentary can be insightful, but mostly it is just humorous notations about the film or the actual trailer itself. I'm not sure if the directors got to choose the trailers they wanted to discus or not, but it seems like they did, in that most all of the directors comment on the trailers about why the films stand out so much to them, reliving memories of the first time they saw some of the films.

It was really enjoyable to see and hear what these directors had to say about these films. Usually behind the camera with only their visions of their film on screen to see, with this DVD we actually get to see and hear in thier own voice their thoughts and opinions on these films.

My only complaint with this DVD was that is was too short....as enjoyable as it was, I wasn't ready for it to be over just yet! But, have no fear, this DVD is labeled Volume 1, so I am very certain that we will have a Volume 2 to enjoy soon, and then hopefully many more to come!

One more thing...as an added bonus on the DVD, you get the full length feature 1933 film, THE VAMPIRE BAT, as well as two classic cartoons, "The Haunted Ship" (1930) and "The Headless Horseman" (1934)!

CLICK HERE to see an example of a "Trailer From Hell"! This is the trailer for THE TINGLER featuring commentary from Joe Dante.

CLICK HERE to purchase your own DVD of TRAILER FROM HELL-Vol. 1