This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

Here are the horror related DVD's that came out today, 5/31:
(click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  THE CAT O' NINE TAILS  [Blu-ray]
*  A NIGHTMARE IN LAS CRUCES
*  PREY
*  SAVAGE COUNTY
*  TRUE BLOOD:  THE COMPLETE 3RD SEASON [DVD & Blu-ray]

Not too much coming out this week...Argento fans will definitely want to get one of his early films, THE CAT O' NINE TAILS, on Blu-ray for the first time ever!  Check out the trailer for SAVAGE COUNTY....it looks like it could be pretty good.  And all you TRUE BLOOD fans will definitely want to pick up TRUE BLOOD SEASON 3 out today  (I got mine at Best Buy today...on sale for only $29.99 for a limited time)!

Blu-ray Review: BLOOD (2009)

BLOOD
Directed by: Ten Shimoyama
Distributed by: Well Go USA

First off, let me start by saying that I have never been a huge fan of the Vampire sub-genre of horror films.  I guess I was always more of a zombie kind of guy.   Those romantic vampire movies of late have not helped my opinion of vampire films in any way, that's for sure.  But..things are starting to change.  With last year's LET ME IN  ( a remake of the 2008 Swedish film LET THE RIGHT ONE IN), and now this film, the Japanese film BLOOD, I just might be on track to becoming a vampire fan after all!  Here is the plot of BLOOD from the Well Go USA website:

Police Detective Hoshino (Kanji Tsuda) investigates the murder of a maid at a mansion belonging to Miyako Rozmberk (Sugimoto), a seductive vampire mistress and "cougar" all in one. Ukyo Kuronuma (Jun Kaname), an Edo-era swordsman who was turned into a vampire by Miyako is fingered for the crime but before anything can be done about it Hoshino ends up under Miyako's spell as well. This leads Hoshino and Ukyo to battle one another for the privilege of staying with Miyako for eternity.

I am a huge fan of martial arts films, and love the new wave of martial arts/horror flicks we have seen lately  (MACHINE GIRL, TOKYO GORE POLICE, etc).  These films always have a ton of martial arts action and a ton of blood.  BLOOD is no exception.  This film is a full of awesome martial arts action, in fact, it starts of with an awesome sword fight set in the snow (more on this in a minute).  The fighting scenes in this film are as good as you will see in any other martial arts movie.  The fighting choreographed very well and looks extremely realistic.   While the martial arts action is an impressive part of this film, it is not the main part, so even if you aren't into martial arts films, you should still have plenty to like about this film from a horror fan's perspective.

The Cinematography in this movie is spectacular.  That is not something I really notice with most films, so when I do notice, I know that there is something special about it.  The camera work is amazing with some really cool camera shots and angles.

One of the main things I liked about this film was the use of color.  As stated before, the film opens with a sword fight in the snow.  This occurs at night and when blood is spilled, it is a bright red contrast against the otherwise dark blue and black colors that dominate the scene.  I noticed this a few times throughout the movie.  They blood really stands out against the muted background colors.

I thoroughly enjoyed BLOOD and highly recommend it.  If you've seen it already, leave a comment and let me know what you thought of the film!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD or Blu-ray

Win a copy of THE BRAIN EATERS BIBLE from the Dollar Bin Horror Blog!

Most of you have heard me talk about the DOLLAR BIN HORROR blog before..it is one of my favorite horror sites on the internet.   Rhonny Reaper is the brains behind this site, and just like here at the 4H blog, she is always giving away awesome prizes!  I like to let you guys in on her contests, because...well, who doesn't like a chance to win free stuff!!

Rhonny's latest contest ends in just a few days, so go enter NOW!  She is giving away an awesome copy of THE BRAIN EATERS BIBLE by Pat Kilbane.   This is an awesome hard cover book full of info for the newly turned zombie!   Pat was a regular cast member on MAD TV, so you know this book will be full of some good zombie humor!


CLICK HERE to visit the Dollar Bin Horror giveaway for your chance to win!

Check out the cool trailer for the shark film, BAIT 3D!

There are a couple of new shark films coming out soon, and one is called BAIT 3D.  This one is a little different than most shark films.  In most shark films, the people go out into the water to where the sharks live and are attacked.  In this film, though, the water and sharks come to the people!  
Here is the synopsis:

In a sleepy beach community shoppers at an underground supermarket are terrorized by a crazed bandit when the unimaginable occurs: A monstrous freak tsunami swallows the town. Now trapped, with rushing water threatening to entomb them in a watery grave the survivors discover they are not alone. The tsunami has brought unwanted visitors from the depths. Not only must they overcome the threat of drowning and the predator within their midst, but a threat far more deadly and far more bloodthirsty – hungry great white sharks.

Now I know this premise sounds..well...kinda dumb.  But watch the trailer.  Even though it is a little far fetched, it still looks like it could be a really cool movie.  And I have to say, the shark effects don't look half bad!  I found the trailer while browsing Quietearth.us (one of my favorite websites).  Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

DVD Review: RE-GENERATION (2004)

-------------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------------------

 

 

RE-GENERATION

Directed by: Anais Granofsky

Distributed by Indican Pictures

RE-GENERATION is one of those films that's hard to categorize. Sure, it has a science-fiction premise, but it's also a drama and a thriller. Amazingly, though, the film pulls off all three genres pretty well.

If you're not familiar with RE-GENERATION, here is the plot, courtesy of the DVD cover:

In the not too distant future where earth is decimated by eco-catastrophe, the human population is declining and most of the world's resources are controlled by a select few. A new underground market emerges -- limb sales and regeneration. Disgraced Dr. Gabriel Goode is beckoned to the remote wilderness to regenerate a rich politician's daughter illegally, but soon he finds out dark family secrets and forbidden love with the politician's mutant daughter that leads to an X-file finale.

RE-GENERATION is an interesting foray into surrealism. It's almost hard to describe. The setting and props give it a vintage feel but the story and back story definitely lend to the futuristic vibe. The conflicting result almost confuses your brain as you watch the film. My mind kept trying to process the film as set in the past, but I kept having to remind myself that it's set in the future.

I enjoyed RE-GENERATION for the most part, but I feel that it could have been better. The primary negative for me is that the story is not that engaging. It's not that the plot isn't interesting...on the contrary, the synopsis makes it sound pretty good. But the execution comes across as a bit bland, almost drab in certain scenes. There are also several things in the film that are never explained, such as the doctor's 'visions' that he experiences when taking a specific drug. This isn't enough to take you out of the film, but it definitely left me with a frown as the credits rolled.

The acting however is quite good, although actress Ingrid Veninger looks very creepy as an albino, dread-locked young woman. She manages to bring to her character a certain sense of mystery, albeit a scary a one. And Peter Stebbings does a great job as well, along with the supporting cast.

I was expecting more in the special effects department for RE-GENERATION, however I was quite let down. There are not many scenes that contain them and they don't seem overly impressive when they're on-screen. You would think a film about a limb salesman would have lots of appendages flailing about. Still, I suppose I can see the production team focusing more on the story than the visual, which is fine for this type of film.

To summarize, I'm a little torn on this one. Although I enjoyed it overall, I don't see myself revisiting it. I am pretty sure this is one of those films you have to see for yourself to decide whether or not you'll like it. So, I guess my bottom line for RE-GENERATION is check it out, but be prepared for possible disappointment

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

DVD Review: CROPSEY (2010)

CROPSEY
Directed by:  Barbara Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman
Distributed by:  Breaking Glass Pictures

A few nights ago I watched one of the best documentaries I have ever seen.  That might seem like a bold statement, but that is no exaggeration.  The film is called CROPSEY,  a documentary about the legend of an escaped mental patient on Staten Island that kidnapped kids and killed them back in the 1980's.  Here is the official plot from the Breaking Glass Pictures website:

Growing up on Staten Island, filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio had often heard the legend of ‘Cropsey.’ For the kids in their neighborhood, Cropsey was the escaped mental patient who lived in the old, abandoned Willowbrook Mental Institution and would come out at night to snatch children off the streets. Later as teenagers, the filmmakers assumed Cropsey was just an urban legend: a cautionary tale used to keep them out of those abandoned buildings. That all changed in the summer of 1987 when 12-year-old Jennifer Schweiger disappeared from their community.

Now as adults, Joshua and Barbara have returned to Staten Island to create "CROPSEY", a feature documentary that delves into the mystery behind Jennifer and four additional missing children.  The film also investigates Andre Rand, the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.  Embarking on a mysterious journey into the underbelly of their forgotten bouough, these filmmakers uncover a reality that is more terrifying than any urban legend.

Let me start off by saying that I am a huge fan of True Crime stories and movies.  I have seen a lot of documentaries about serial killers but this one is by far my new favorite.  This film is as good as the PARADISE LOST  films  (The documentaries about the West Memphis 3...it you haven't seen these, they are a must watch!), if not even better.

The filmmakers do an excellent job giving you the back story on the alleged killer, Andre Rand, as well as the history of Staten Island.   The film is full of old, original news footage, both newspaper and news video clips of the Rand case.

The old Willowbrook Mental Hospital is the centerpiece here, and we get some back story on it as well.  They even show us a clip from an old expose on the Hospital (while it was still in use) by a then unknown Geraldo Rivera!  The filmmakers spared no expense in covering every aspect of this legend and more specifically, the Hospital itself.  They take the cameras with into the now abandoned Hospital and down into the tunnels underneath the Hospital, which connected all the different buildings on the Hospital's campus.  This is very creepy, especially after seeing the scenes of what happened in this Hospital years ago. Almost everyone originally involved with this case is interviewed for this film.  It was very interesting to see the original news footage and see the people back then and then see them present day and hear them talk about this case with such detail.  This case obviously effected these people and you can tell it is something they will never forget.    The filmmakers even get candid interviews with the the parents of almost all the victims.  This is very chilling to see how these folks are effected by this tragedy so many years later.  Interviews with Andre Rands friends and even his own sister are very interesting as well.  All that is missing is an interview with Rand himself, which the filmmakers tried very hard to get as we see. 

Part horror, part suspense, and part drama, this film has something for everyone.  Was Andre Rand actually the 'Cropsey' all the kids told stories about?  Or was Rand just an easy target who was set up by the real killer........meaning the real killer is still out there among us?  We may never know.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out tomorrow, 5/24:
(click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  DEATH HUNTER:  WEREWOLVES VS. VAMPIRES
*  FERTILE GROUND
*  FORGET ME NOT
*  PSYCHO GOTHIC LOLITA
*  SECONDS APART

Nothing too great coming out this week, but check out the trailer for FORGET ME NOT, it looks like it could be pretty good.  Also, check out the trailer for PSYCHO GOTHIC LOLITA..a film with make-up and gore effects done by Yoshihiro Nishimura  (Tokyo Gore Police, Machine Girl), so you know the blood and gore is going to be over the top!

Book Review: "The Complete History of THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD" by Christian Selelrs and Gary Smart

I recently read the book, THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD by Christian Sellers and Gary Smart.  Actually, I must confess...I haven't read all of it yet.  It will take me months to get through all of the info in this book, but I have read enough to know that is this by far the best book about a horror film or franchise I have ever read!  The book is published by Plexus Publishing (www.plexusbooks.com) and is a must have for all you Horror fans.  Here is the basic description of the book from the Plexus Publishing website:

An aficionado’s delight, The Return of the Living Dead is still one of the most influential zombie franchises of all time, spawning such modern splatter classics as 28 Days Later and Zombieland. Now more popular than ever, the films boast a loyal following of diehard enthusiasts. For the first time in 25 years, the cast and crew of all five films in the cult horror-comedy franchise reveal their secrets from behind the scenes, telling of life on set as well as the feuds, legal battles and sackings that plagued the makers. Featuring hundreds of previously unseen photos and exclusive artwork, this unique, eye-catching history is the ultimate celebration of the Return franchise and all those who contributed to its creation.
This book is a large size paperback, clocking in at 288 pages and contains over 500 photos from the ROTLD franchise. And these aren't just your regular press photos...this book is packed with rare, behind the scenes photos.  One thing I found particularly interesting was the concept art and sketches of some of the zombies seen in the films. I loved the sketches of Tarman...one of my favorite film zombies of all time!  Other photos include rarely seen storyboards and pics of publicity items for them films. 

The book mainly focuses on the first film in the franchise (and the best film, of course), in fact, almost half the book is dedicated to the classic original film.  The book does go on to cover parts 2 and 3, and then even dedicates a chapter each to part 4  (Necropolis) and part 5 (Rave to the Grave).   The authors have spared no expense here, and obviously spent numerous hours doing research and interviews for this book.   Almost every main actor from every ROTLD film is interviewed in the book along with most all the cast and crews from the films, including John Russo, Tom Savini, James Karen, and Linnea Quigley just to name a few.  

There are some great stories in this book, some of which are very humorous, but there are some that are not as funny, as we read about battles between actors and directors and the replacement of the original make-up/effects guy (William Munns) due to him and director Dan O'Bannon not seeing eye to eye on all the effects.  The book tells of O'Bannon having to step in and fix some of the effects himself, making him very critical of Munns and eventually leading to his replacement by Make-up specialist Tony Gardner.

This is just one tiny example of the behind the scenes stories you will read about in this book.  I love books about horror films like this one, and this is by far my favorite of them all.

The book is currently available from Amazon.com for under $20.  This is a steal for a book this nice full of such great photos and info on one of the greatest horror films ever made  (in my opinion).  Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book today!!


CLICK HERE to purchase the book from Amazon.com
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Plexus Books

Check out these awesome CEREAL KILLERS Trading Cards from Wax Eye LLC.

Newly formed company WAX EYE has unleashed it's debut product to the world, and they have hit a home run off the first pitch!!  Their first product, CEREAL KILLERS TRADING CARDS, is a hilarious set of 55 base cards in the 1st Series, along with numerous bonus insert cards.   These cards are hilarious Horror spoofs of all the popular breakfast cereals done by artist Joe Simko, who's previous works includes Garbage Pail Kids cards and Topps Wacky Packages cards.  Each card has a ghoulishly cool spoof of a cereal box front on the front of the cards (nice glossy fronts!), and the backs have a variety of things on them including games and trivia, while some of the backs are a part of a larger puzzle!  Some of my favorite cards include:  Children of the Cornflakes, Loco Puffs, Fiber the 13th, and Hellraisin Bran! 

Bonus insert cards you could pull include Magnets, Black light Stickers, Temporary Tattoos, Gold Foil Cards, and even original sketch cards!  These sketch cards are hand drawn by artist Joe Simko and are a true one of a kind collectible!   There is one premium bonus card in each box of CEREAL KILLERS cards...and with 3 boxes to a pack, you are guaranteed 3 premium bonus cards.  My box contained cool black light sticker, a temporary tattoo, and an awesome magnet that will look perfect on my refrigerator!

Each pack contains 20 cards, so you get 60 cards total per 3-pack box.  You are not guaranteed a complete set per box, but you will come close for sure.  I think I am missing about 10 cards from having a complete set already!   What's fun is you can trade your cards through the Wacky Packages trading forum found HERE!

Check out these cool cards asap!  I haven't gotten excited about trading cards since I was a kid!  These are a must have for you Horror fans out there!



CLICK HERE to watch a cool video of artist Joe Simko painting one of the bonus insert cards you could pull

CLICK HERE to purchase CEREAL KILLERS Trading Cards!

DVD Review: HIGHWAY 91

HIGHWAY 91
Directed by:  Sonny Fernandez

HIGHWAY 91 is the latest film from indie director Sonny Fernandez.  While obviously cheaply made on little or no budget, the film is fun, entertaining change from most independent zombie films out there. Here is the basic plot of the film:

"Highway 91" follows a group of survivors after the zombie apocalypse, together, they are trying to reach a rumored sanctuary along the old abandoned highway, on the way however, they will have to face serial killers, religious cults and each other. "Highway 91" Is another true indie epic from Down Twisted Studios and features the usual bullet flying, brain blowing, gore soaked madness you've come to expect!

... (more info)

Sonny Fernandez is the man behind Down Twisted Studios...makers of such films as THE NEW GIRLS, THE ABORTED, and THE LAST BATTLEGROUND.  I have seen any of these previous efforts from Fernandez, but after seeing H91, I will definitely be checking out some of his other films.

It seems as though every independent Horror movie studio always makes a zombie film...and most of the time they are bad...really bad.   Luckily, Down Twisted Studios' zombie effort does not fall into that category.  Now don't let me steer you wrong...this film is not for everyone...and it very low budget, but I enjoyed it and I have a feeling most true Horror fans  (and zombie fans, especially) will enjoy this film.  I saw one website's review claim it was  "better than THE WALKING DEAD". Well, I wouldn't go that far....its not anywhere near the caliber of THE WALKING DEAD, but that is not a fair comparison anyway due to the extreme differences in budget and film making experience.  It's no WALKING DEAD, but it is better than most independent zombie efforts.

First off, let me get the bad stuff out of the way.   Yeah, I said it...bad stuff.  There is some bad stuff in this film.   Most noticeable is the poor video quality.  I'm not sure what kind of camera they used for this film, but it is a not very good quality.  It looks like it was shot on a regular Mini DV home video camera.  I know that is a budget thing, as camera's are very expensive, but investing in a higher quality camera (HD) would make a world of improvement for Mr. Fernandez's films.  Although, at the same time, the poor video quality gave the film kind of an old VHS feel, which was actually kinda cool now that I think about it. 
Another concern I have is the editing...it is very choppy at times when I feel there should have been a smoother transition between scenes.  This effects the music in some scenes, as the sound will just stop instead of just fading out.
I also spotted a major goof which is very noticeable as our group of survivors is walking through a field.   The Camera is in front facing toward the group and the sun is behind the cameraman.  As the walk through the field, the shadow of the cameraman is in plain site on the ground below.
Lastly....my main complaint was the length of this film.  It clocks in at over 2 hours long.  I feel this could have been cut down to a good 80 or 90 minutes, as some scenes did seem to drag at times.  But, kudos to the filmmakers for having enough of a story and plot ideas to make a movie this long!  Most independent zombie films run a little over an hour and some of them seem like they have enough substance for about a 20 minute short and they somehow stretch it into a full length film.

Now for the good stuff...as stated above, this is not your typical cookie cutter zombie film.  This movie is full of great ideas, and I love the way that new characters are introduced throughout the film.  Just when you think the film is getting "routine", a new plot point is thrown in.  At one point the group of survivors happen across a house that is secured, but is run by a crazy cult who's leader, the one they call the "messiah",  has created a serum to reverse the effects of the zombie virus, although he hides this and plays it off as if he has a magical power over the zombies....the reason the followers believe he is the chosen one to be their leader.
Another great thing about this film is the dialog. The dialog in H91 is hilarious at times.  The actor that plays the part of Virgil is especially enjoyable and has a lot of the funniest lines. 
Now to the real starts of the show...the zombies!!   This film boasts some great zombie makeup and effects...some are very over the top, but some are just spot on and look great.  And I have to give props to the filmmakers here for actually having zombies buried in the ground that come up out of the ground.  I'm not sure why most zombie movies don't ever actually show the zombies rising from the ground, but most low budget, independent zombie movies seem to skip this step.  It seems like a very cheap and easy effect  (buy a shovel....dig a hole) and looks really good on film.
CGI, but it is well done and it lots of fun.

While not one of the greatest zombie films ever...its is leaps and bounds above most low budget horror films.  Bottom line is that it was very entertaining, which is the main thing a movie should be.  I would encourage all of you to check it out and keep an eye out for future films of Sonny Fernandez...if his films keep improving, he could be a big name in the horror industry some day!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase director Sonny Fernandez's older films from Amazon.com. 
(HIGHWAY 91 will be available soon!)

Check out this great list of "40 Classic Books Every Horror Buff Should Read"

The Accredited Online Colleges website has a blog that has lots of goods lists on it, mostly dealing with literature and academics.  Their latest list is a list is one titled "40 Classic Books Every Horror Buff Should Read". 
 
Look through the list and you will find some excellent Horror novels, including those that we all know about such as The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley to ones you probably have never heard about. Check out the list and you will get some excellent ideas for some Summer reading! Do you know of any Horror novels that you feel are essential to the Horror buff to read? If we expanded the list to 50, what books would you add?


Check out the list by clicking HERE

DVD Review: THE TAINT (2010)

THE TAINT
Directed by:  Drew Bolduc and Dan Nelson
Written by:  Drew Buldoc

I just had the experience of watching THE TAINT, and I am pretty sure it is one I will not soon forget.    You truly do experience this film, not just watch it.  That is very rare with movies these days, but this movie is beyond anything I have seen in a long time.  This is not your cookie cutter little Horror film.  This film punches you square in the face and makes you pay attention!  For those not familiar with this film, here is the basic plot from imdb.com: 

The water is tainted. The Taint poisons the minds of men. It turns them into raging misogynists: monsters who want nothing more than to crush women's heads with rocks (or other objects). When society is transformed into a land of sadistic violence and horrible brutality, it is up to Phil O'Ginny and his hot friend, Misandra, to combat the horrible evil that is The Taint. Can they survive a world brimming with castration and endless head crushing?!

So let me get my few minor complaints out of the way...the plot is a little hard to follow or even find at some points in this film and the acting is pretty bad in some scenes.  There...that's out of the way. None of that really matters anyway in this film....now on to the good stuff.  

More than anything, THE TAINT has some of the best gore effects I have ever seen in any film.  From independent to huge Hollywood films, this movie outdoes them all.  As stated in the plot summary above, the film involves a tainted water supply that turns men into raging, women hating lunatics.  All they do is try to rape women and/or just bash their heads in...usually by the use of a large rock.  And as much as I want to forget it....I have to mention that the men do this all while their (obviously prosthetic) manhood hangs out of their pants.  What can I say...this movie is messed up!!  Anyway..all this head bashing provides some spectacular gore effects.  Some were so good in fact, that I cringed and even backed the DVD up to watch again..trying to see where it was cut from the real actress to the dummy that actually gets its head crushed, and I never did see a cut.  One minute a woman would be talking and then the next second her had is getting smashed in a car door or with a rock. The scenes are flawless.  I honestly have no clue how the filmmakers did this. The filmmakers also use what looks to be 100% practical effects.  If any CGI was used, it was used so perfectly that you couldn't tell.  Co-Director Dan Nelson, along with prop makers Chris Bolduc and Billy Davis are to be commended on such excellent work here.  Nicotero and Savini might be the masters of effects, but these three guys from THE TAINT are putting themselves right in line to take over that throne!

These effects were so realistic that I was actually uncomfortable at times.  It reminded me of being a kid and watching those old FACES OF DEATH movies that we all thought were real back then.   I remember the feeling you got thinking what you saw was real.  THE TAINT took me back to my younger days by giving me those exact same feelings.   Kudos to the filmmakers for that achievement!

THE TAINT is destined to become one of those films everyone eventually hears about but a lot of people are scared to see.  It is an instant cult classic that would be perfect for midnight showings at your local seedy theater.  Also worth mentioning are the dream sequences which to me were very reminiscent of something David Lynch would have done.

Crude, rude, ridiculous, gross, uncomfortable, vile, and disgusting are just a few words that can truly describe this film...and I loved every minute of it!

***NOTE*** HAYES HUDSON'S HOUSE OF HORROR does not condone violence towards women in any way...whether having drunk from tainted water supply or not.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer  (WARNING:  This trailer is UNRATED and definitely not safe to watch at work...or anywhere else!)
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of THE TAINT
CLICK HERE to visit the official Facebook page
CLICK HERE to purchase THE TAINT products, including the DVD and even a VHS!

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out tomorrow, 5/17/11:
(click a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  DEEP RED [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  DIABOLIQUE [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE FERGUSONS
*  JU-ON WHITE GHOST / JU-ON BLACK GHOST  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE RITE [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE ROOMMATE [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  VANISHING ON 7TH STREET  [DVD & Blu-ray]

Nothing big coming out this week, but Argento fans will want to grab a copy of DEEP RED, now on Blu-ray for the first time.  Also, the Anthony Hopkins film, THE RITE, looks really good.  I didn't get a chance to watch this in the theater, so I will definitely be checking it out on DVD.  Also, take a look at the trailers for THE ROOMMATE, JU-ON: WHITE GHOST/BLACK GHOST, and for VANISHING ON 7TH STREET....all of these films look very promising based on their trailers.

Check out the awesome trailer for FINAL DESTINATION 5

I don't know about you, but I love the FINAL DESTINATION movies.....the last one was  little lacking (although that opening race car scene was killer!!), but I think we are in for a huge treat with FINAL DESTINATION 5!   Check out this awesome trailer....If you were ever thinking about getting laser eye surgery or acupuncture, this might make you change your mind!



FINAL DESTINATION 5 is scheduled for theatrical release on August 12th, 2011 in 3D!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for FINAL DESTINATION 5

DVD Review: STRIPPERLAND (2011)

STRIPPERLAND
Directed by:  Sean Skelding
Distributed by:  Cheezy Flicks

"First They Dance, Then They Kill!"

I just watched the latest flick from Cheezy Flicks Entertainment, and if there is one word that can sum up this film, it is F-U-N!   STRIPPERLAND is a take off of ZOMBIELAND except instead of just people turning into zombies, well now some virus or something is causing just women to turn into zombies...and strippers.   Here is the official plot from the Cheezy Flicks website:

In a world where women have turned into exhibitionist man-eaters, a small band of survivors must make their way to the safety of the West Coast. Along the way, they encounter hordes of ravenous half-dressed strippers. Will they survive, or be eaten alive by millions of pole dancing zombies?

As stated above, the film is an obvious spin off or spoof of the film ZOMBIELAND, a film most Horror fans should be familiar with.  The film has many similarities, in that a dorky kid meets up with a cool dude and meets up with 2 girls along the way.  They all work together to fight off the hordes of zombie strippers...or stripper zombies.  

Ben Sheppard plays the dorky role of Idaho and plays it well.  He is one of the better of the actors in this film in my opinion and has some of the funniest lines.  He has his set of rules for dealing with stripper zombies, and they are popped up on screen for you to see, just like they were in ZOMBIELAND.  

Along with the obvious comedy in the film, STRIPPERLAND has a great amount of gore in it.  Tons of shotgun blasts the guts and heads of the stripper zombies and blood flying everywhere!  My only complaint was the most all the blood/gore was CGI instead of practical effects, but I understand the necessity of it, especially on a low budget film such as this (imdb lists the estimated budget at $500,000).

The film also includes a lot of notable cameos from some of Horror's most famous icons, including scream queen Linnea Quigley, Troma's head honcho Lloyd Kaufman, and a great cameo from Boyd Banks (Dawn of the Dead remake, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead) as a pimp, one of the funniest scenes in the film in my opinion. Also, I have to mention that one of the infamous Baldwin brothers (Daniel) makes an appearance here as rapper named Double D.  And just as an F.Y.I...his rapping skills are about as good as his acting skills....maybe even worse! HA! 

Daniel Baldwin rapping aside, this is a great movie that I thoroughly enjoyed.  The film had a funny ending that set it up perfectly for a sequel.   I would recommend this film for all you who like a little comedy with their Horror, and a little zombie with their strippers...or vice versa.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchas the DVD

Happy Friday the 13th!!

Sorry for no post last night....Blogger was down.  But it is back up and running today!  Friday the 13th is lucky after all!!  Well, it would be blasphemy not to do a post about FRIDAY THE 13th on Friday the 13th, so with that in mind, I bring you this awesome video!  Jason Voorhees visited the set of The Arsenio Hall show back in the late 80's to promote his latest movie, FRIDAY THE 13th PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN.  Check it out!!

Check out another great short film from Senoreality Pictures...the Hostel/Saw spoof, TORTURE PORN

Check out this short from from Senoreality Pictures, and writer/director Patrick Rea called TORTURE PORN.  Patrick has done some excellent work, such as the short films GET OFF MY PORCH (see my review here), DO NOT DISTURB, and NEXT CALLER (reviews can be found here).  TORTURE PORN is just as good as his other films, except this one throws some comedy into the normally grim torture sub-genre of horror films.  The film is shot beautifully and has some great effects in it!   Check this out now!!!

CLICK HERE to watch the short film, TORTURE PORN

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out TODAY, 5/10:
(click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  ALIEN  [Blu-ray]
*  ALIENS  [Blu-ray]
*  ALIEN 3 [Blu-ray]
*  ALIEN:  RESURRECTION  [Blu-ray]
*  BLACK DEATH  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  BLOOD JUNKIE
*  BLOOD OATH
*  CHILDREN OF THE CORN 3:  URBAN HARVEST  [Blu-ray]
*  CROPSEY
*  DAHMER VS. GACY
*  DETENTION
*  EYES OF THE CHAMELEON
*  HALLOWEEN 6: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS [Blu-ray]
*  HELLRAISER 4:  BLOODLINE  [Blu-ray]
*  I SAW THE DEVIL  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  KILLER YACHT PARTY
*  PAYTON COLLINS:  SERIAL RAPIST
*  SLEDGEHAMMER
*  SLIME CITY MASSACRE
*  THE VIOLENT KIND [DVD & Blu-ray]

Geez...us Horror fans are going to go broke this week!  The ALIEN series on Blu-ray is a must have! What will you be buying this week?

Guest Post: 9 NETFLIX STREAMING HORROR MOVIES WITH GREAT COVER ART by Todd Russell

Todd Russell started writing at a young age and has honed his bizarre style along the likes of Rod Serling, Robert R. McCammon, and Stephen King. Mental Shrillness, a collection of six twist ending horror stories, is his first book. An Amazon reviewer writes: “I was appalled … the stories are horrifying, disturbing and nauseating at times. I recommend Mental Shrillness to adult readers to challenge themselves on how strange a story they can handle.” You can follow Todd’s work at http://toddrwrite.com. 

Do you ever check out movies by their cover art? I do. Here are nine horror flicks available on Netflix streaming as of this writing that have great cover art. Let me know in the comments what you think. I've ordered them by my least to most favorite. This is not a ranking based on how great the movie is only how cool is the cover art.

#9 - Black Swarm



Black Swarm - this is one of the most gruesome faces on Netflix right now thanks to the black swarm. And lol on the teaser: "The Ultimate Buzzkill" Poor guy.






#8 - Organizm

Organizm - what is that growing underneath the eye? Squirm-worthy and something that compels us to watch the movie and learn more.



#7 - The Human Centipede



The Human Centipede - you'll never react the same to the word "eat" the same after seeing this horror flick and the cover art makes you feel like you are underneath the Human Centipede. Shiver!





#6 - We All Scream For Ice Cream



We All Scream For Ice Cream - you'll never look at clowns and ice cream the same way again after checking out this cover.










#5 - MOH: Brad Anderson: Sounds Like



MOH: Brad Anderson: Sounds Like - a Netflix marked title that might be more horrific than the movie but that ear graphic looks delicious to the eye. Or is the title simply Sounds Like? Whatever the case, the art rocks.





#4 - The Howling


The Howling - another classic horror film and the best werewolf cover art currently on Netflix
streaming



#3 - MOH:  Pro-Life



Pro-Life - is this the most eerie fetus ever? And a John Carpenter movie too? Oh yeah.






#2 - Poltergeist




Poltergeist - A classic, creepy movie and an image that burns into the brain like falling asleep with noise on TV.






#1 - The Shining



The Shining - possibly the best movie cover art for Stephen King's masterpiece. King doesn't like this version as much as the much less popular TV version but Jack Nicholson, can scare anybody with this face.





What's your favorite horror movie cover art? Did I miss some great cover art for horror movies available on Netflix streaming? Let's discuss it in the comments.

-TR

NOTE FROM ZOMBIE HAYES:
Todd is on the Mental Shrillness Blog Book Tour promoting his new book, and is touring all over the horror blogosphere!! Check out the http://toddrwrite.com/mental-shrillness/tour-1.phtml blog book schedule to see his next stop.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Ok, I'm back, and this time I'm not going anywhere for a while.  I hope you all had a good week wile I was gone!   I had a great time on vacation and got some much needed rest and relaxation! 
I arrived back today on Mother's Day!  Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there!  We sure appreciate all your do for us! 

Speaking of Mother's Day, we all know about the 1980 classic film, MOTHER'S DAY, but did you know that there was  remake made last year?  CLICK HERE to visit the official website of the new film.

HAYES HUDSON'S HOUSE OF HORROR will be taking a brief hiatus for about a week.....read more for details!

A note from Zombie Hayes.....

 I know I just got back, but the 4H blog is taking about a week break, as I will be in and out and not able to make posts on a regular nightly basis.   Be sure to check back in about a week (6 days to be exact) and then HAYES HUDSON'S HOUSE OF HORROR will be back up and running on a daily basis again!

If there is anyone that heard about the site from the postcards distributed at TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND, post a comment and introduce yourself!  Next week you will see new daily posts, but until then, feel free to browse around, check out the archives and see what you may have missed in the past!

See you all again real soon!!

Zombie Hayes

I'm baaaaaack!

I'm back from another successful trip to the TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND!!  This was my 3rd year in a row to attend this particular event, and it is my favorite of all the conventions I have attended.  I can't wait until next year!! 

Well, I said I would be back with a full report, but that will have to wait.  My camera was not working, so most all the good pics my buddy and his wife took with their camera.  As soon as they can get all those pics to me, I will post some for you all to see. 

I can report though, that I had a really fun time!!  I met lots of cool celebs, including Freddy himself, Robert Englund!  I also got to meet Director Tom Six and actor Dieter Laser from THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE.  They were a lot of fun, very cool, down to earth people.  I also got to meet one of my favorite directors, Japan's own Yoshihiro Nishimura and got to see a screening of his latest film, HELLDRIVER!