DVD Review: 2010: MOBY DICK

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

2010: MOBY DICK

Directed by Trey Stokes

Courtesy of The Asylum

Released: 2010

Before I jump into the review of 2010: MOBY DICK, I have to admit something about the film up front: when Hayes handed me the case, the cover art instantly made me angry. Why, you ask? Well, because it's a direct rip-off of Jaws. That was the initial reason for my anger, anyway. But then, after I watched the movie, I was angry for a different reason. I'll explain that later on.

For those of you not familiar with this dramatization that is based on Melville's classic novel, here is a synopsis from The Asylum's website:

"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."

I will be honest: I did not like this movie. It literally almost put me to sleep. I WANTED to like it very much...I mean, I’m a huge creature-feature fan, after all. But there are so many problems with it that they kept distracting me to the point of boredom.

For example, look at the cover of the DVD...the whale is big, right? Well, in the movie, it keeps changing size! One minute it's a massive behemoth that's big enough to make a normal whale look like a goldfish (it literally bites a whale in half)...and the next, it’s not much bigger than the submarine that’s chasing it! This flaw alone made me roll my eyes constantly. It’s also the secondary reason for my anger about the cover.

And aside from the horrendous CG effects, the details in this movie are extremely overlooked. The interior of the submarine is enormous, with large, open rooms and non-cramped quarters. Are you kidding me? Have you ever been in or around a sub? Check one out sometime…they are very cramped, with barely any space at all. Just about every square inch of space is utilized in some form or fashion.

Add this to the fact that many of the Navy personnel look like they are wearing Army uniforms. WTF? Really? I have to wonder if the production team did any research at all before shooting this film.

So many non-plausible things happen in 2010: MOBY DICK, too. I normally don’t have a problem with reality detachment, which is how I’m able to enjoy so many different types of movies. But damn…there was no way I could immerse myself in this movie. I mean, a one-legged submarine captain? And he’s able to get away with not communicating with Naval Command for several weeks? C’mon…the military would have been all over him within just a couple of days of missing a communication check-in. And then, when the Navy finds him, they shoot at the sub? What??? No way, especially not a nuclear sub. But even if they were going to shoot, they sure wouldn’t use bullets…try maybe a torpedo.

I can’t even say the acting is good, either. I mean, choosing Barry Bostwick as the lead? Granted, he could make a decent Ahab in an actual adaptation of Melville’s book, but he couldn't pull off a military persona at all to save his life (he was Brad Majors in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, for Pete’s sake!). And Renee O’Connor as a doctor? Yeah, right. That’s about as believable as Tara Reid playing one. O’Connor is forever stereotyped in my mind as Xena’s side-kick.

Even though I love The Asylum and most of their films, I have to say that this one is an epic fail. It’s not even one of those that are so bad, it’s good…it’s just plain terrible. I can honestly say that I lost 90 minutes of life to it and would really like that time back.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of The Asylum Home Entertainment

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

Here are this week's Horror related DVD's coming out Tuesday, 11/30/10:
(click a title to see a trailer for that film)

* ALL ABOUT EVIL
* SHADOWLAND
* VOODOO COWBOYS

Wow...very light week in terms of DVD releases. Oh well. Also, I guess I should point out that TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE is coming out tomorrow as well, although I couldn't bring myself to include it on the list of real Horror movies! HA!

Download a copy of SODOMATIK VOL. 1 today!!

Gore fans rejoice! Digital Grindhouse Entertainment has recently released, SODOMATIK VOL. 1! DGE describes the film as "70 non stop minutes of nothing but the most graphic gore scenes in the history of film set to music!" Check out the trailer for a sampling of what you will see. I didn't recognize most of the scenes from the trailer, so you are sure to see some obscure gore scenes that you aren't familiar with. This is basically a "Greatest Hits" of Gore!!! Check it out!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for SODOMATIK VOL. 1

CLICK HERE to purchase a download version of SODOMATIK VOL. 1 for only $3.00!!!

Check out the trailer for BATTLE: LOS ANGELES

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I have been hearing a lot lately about a movie coming out called BATTLE: LOS ANGELES. I knew it was an alien invasion flick, and those type films usually don't excite me too much, but this film looks absolutely amazing. I just got around to watching the trailer today and I am blown away and can't wait to see this film. While more Sci-Fi than Horror, it is still worth a mention and worth taking a look at. The film is scheduled for release on March 11, 2011.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for BATTLE: LOS ANGELES

Check out the trailer for GRAVE ENCOUNTERS (2010)

I recently ran across this trailer for GRAVE ENCOUNTERS. It is another entry into the "found footage" sub-genre of Horror films. These films are really getting popular again thanks to the great success of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films. While you might just think this is a cheap knockoff of the PA films, this actually looks like it could be really good and even scarier than the PA films. Here is the basic plot from the films official website:

LANCE PRESTON (Sean Rogerson) and the crew of "Grave Encounters", a ghost-hunting reality television show, are shooting an episode inside the abandoned Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, where unexplained phenomena has been reported for years.
All in the name of good television, they voluntarily lock themselves inside the building for the night and begin a paranormal investigation, capturing everything on camera.
They quickly realize that the building is more than just haunted - it is alive - and it has no intention of ever letting them leave. They find themselves lost in a labyrinth maze of endless hallways and corridors, terrorized by the ghosts of the former patients.
They soon begin to question their own sanity, slipping deeper and deeper into the depths of madness, ultimately discovering the truth behind the hospital's dark past... and taping what will be their final episode.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for GRAVE ENCOUNTERS

Happy Thanksgiving from Hayes Hudson's House of Horror!! Here is what I am thankful for.....

I want to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!! I am very thankful for all my readers who have helped to make the 4H blog such a success. This blog would be pointless if it weren't for you!! Thanks to all my followers especially! It has been fun to watch my "followers" number grow and grow!!

I also want to say thanks to my contributing writer, Scott Baker, for helping me get through the stacks and stacks of DVD screeners and books I have received for review on my website. I could not have done it lately without his help.

And a very special thanks to my awesome wife, for giving me the time to do this blog...posting EVERY night takes some time away from our very rare free time together, but she realizes how much I love Horror and love talking and discussing it, so she lets me have this little Horror outlet. Thanks for your patience and understanding babe!!

Now, just for fun, check out the Thanksgiving themed Horror film, THANKSKILLING!! This looks like it could be in the "so bad, it's good" series of films!!! And remember:

TO AVOID

FAINTING

KEEP REPEATING,

There's no such thing as an evil turkey
....no such thing as an evil turkey
....no such thing as an evil turkey
.....no such thing as an evil turkey

CLICK THE RUDE TURKEY TO WATCH THE TRAILER!!!

Check out THE WALKING DEAD on the cover of this week's Entertainment Weekly Magazine!!

It is not often that Entertainment Weekly gives much love to the Horror genre, but it is a real treat when they do. I just got the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly and was thrilled when I saw Sheriff Grimes from THE WALKING DEAD staring up at me from the cover, along with a group of rotting zombies! EW even exclaims that THE WALKING DEAD is "The Best New Show On TV"! I can't disagree with that by any means. TWD has been one of the best genre shows I have ever seen on TV.

Check out the December 3, 2010 issue (#1131) on sale at bookstores and newsstands now!!!

Way to go EW!!

DVD Review: DAMNED BY DAWN (2009)

I recently had the privilege of checking out one of Image Entertainment's newest releases, DAMNED BY DAWN. I posted the trailer back in May of this year and have been looking forward to this film ever since. The trailer was amazing and I was hoping the movie would be as good as the trailer made it seem to be. Well, I am happy to say I was not disappointed. In fact, the movie wasn't just as good as the trailer made it look, but it was even better. DAMNED BY DAWN was written and directed by Brett Anstey. This was Mr. Anstey's first feature film, and he has set the bar extremely high. Here is the basic plot from the Image Entertainment website:

Spoken of only in fearful whispers, a supernatural force holds a chilling grip over a remote, primitive farming community where Claire (Renee Wilner) arrives to visit her ailing grandmother. On her deathbed, the old woman warns Claire about the cost of interfering with a powerful spirit coming to claim her soul, and when the rest of the family fails to heed these ancient traditions, the dead are called up from their graves for a bloody night of retribution that leaves carnage and monstrous mayhem in its wake! A riveting roller coaster of terror in the tradition of The Evil Dead and Drag Me to Hell, this acclaimed new vision of horror reveals that there truly are things in the night much more frightening than death!

I almost hate to do a review of this film because I don't believe I have the vocabulary to properly explain how good this film is. Usually I start a review pointing out any negatives of a film, and then point out all the positives in order to end on a good note. With this film, I have absolutely nothing negative to say. Everything about this film is wonderful in my opinion.

The acting is top notch, even though the film does not contain any "big name" actors, at least that I am familiar with. I really like when movies, especially Horror movies, use newcomers and lesser known actors. It adds to the believability of the film and makes the characters much more believable.

The story is also a great one, a supernatural tale of a banshee, who's scream wakes the dead!
The dead come back as flying skeletons, some shrouded in a cloaks and resembling the grim reaper. The plot is simple and easy to follow, which lets you not have to worry about following a complicated story line, and lets you concentrate on the real star of this film, which is the visuals.

Visually, this is one of the most stunning films I have ever seen. The direction and cinematography are spot on and truly make this film. The entire film is very dark and atmospheric, with blues and grays being the primary colors in the film. Rolling fog and eerie music really sets a creepy tone for the film.

The film is not extremely gory, although there is one particularly gory scene, but gore is a not the main effect in this film. The main effects are those of the banshee and the ghost-like skeleton creatures. The film is very spooky overall, and actually gave me a few big scares..something that is very rare with most films these days. I have seen enough Horror films to usually know when a big jump scare is coming. I can usually always tell by the music or other clues, so I am prepared and I don't let them catch me off guard. I was not able to do that with this film. I actually jumped a couple times after being startled by this film. Kudos to the filmmakers for that!

Overall this is by far one of the best Horror films I have seen in years. In fact, I am going to go on and say that this is one of my new favorite Horror films of all time. Definitely in my top 10....maybe even in my top 5 Horror movies of all time! The description on the DVD describes the film as a "roller coaster of terror in the tradition of THE EVIL DEAD and DRAG ME TO HELL". This is a perfect description of this film. It really is a perfect blend of those two films. If you are an EVIL DEAD fan, you should love this movie. In fact, any Horror fan should love this film. This is one I will definitely be watching again very soon!

DAMNED BY DAWN is available now on both DVD and Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

* Cast Audio Commentary
* Crew Audio Commentary
* "Making Of" Documentary
* Trailer


CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website and watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD or Blu-ray

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Image Entertainment

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, November 23rd

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out Tuesday, 11/23/10:

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

* DIARY OF A SEX OFFENDER
* THE FISHMEN AND THEIR QUEEN

* GROTESQUE

* LORNA THE EXORCIST

* VAMPIRE SISTERS

Yikes...not much out this week for sure. I couldn't even find trailers for most of these films. The only thing I see worth picking up is the Japanese answer to the HOSTEL films, GROTESQUE. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but it looks pretty brutal!

ENTER TO WIN MY BEST PRIZE EVER!!!!!!!!!!! An Autographed DVD of NIGHTMARE ALLEY!!

That's right, while my last contest just ended this past week, I think it is time to jump right in to the next one! This prize is so good, I just couldn't wait any longer. The DVD we are are giving away during this contest is in my opinion, my BEST PRIZE YET!!!

Walter Ruether, the director of the Horror anthology film, NIGHTMARE ALLEY, has been generous enough to offer one of my blog readers an AUTOGRAPHED NIGHTMARE ALLEY DVD!!! This DVD does not just include one autograph, which would be cool enough, but this DVD contains the signatures of 6 of the cast/crew involved in this film!

Here are the autographs contained on the DVD cover:

Walter Ruether -Director
Laurence Holloway -Director
Scarlet Fry -Host
Geno Dellamorte -cowboy-Creepsville666 vocalist
Brian Carr -star of "Death Chat"

Mercedes Lincoln -star of "Death Chat"

Look at the pic above and you will see this awesome, one-of-a-kind prize that you could win!!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

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, December 8th, 2010. Comments must be left by the end of the day on 12/08/10 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: SAVAGE WEEKEND (1979)

Title: SAVAGE WEEKEND

Distributor: Cheezy Flicks

Written and Directed by: David Paulsen

I have to admit, I had never heard of this film before. I thought I was pretty aware of most every Horror film, esp those from the late 70's and 80's, the greatest era of Horror films in my opinion. Somehow I didn't know about this one.

Here is the basic plot from the Cheezy Flicks website:

Nicky, Shirley, Marie, and two others from NYC travel deep into upstate New York for a long weekend vacation. Once at their destination they mix with Otis, Mac Macauley, and some locals who offer supplies, lumber, eggs, erotic cow-milking lessons, and they even like to tell strange tales. While the weekend vacationers have their fun with fishing, boating, nude sunbathing, relieving their sexual frustrations, and throwing costume dinner parties, there also marks the appearance of a masked killer who is dead set on ruining this weekend with whatever weapons are handy.

Ok, so maybe there is a reason I didn't know about this one. Any film that involving "erotic cow-milking" probably isn't going to be a mainstream Horror film. This is probably one of the strangest Horror films I have ever seen. Does that make it bad? No. Does that make it good? Well, No. This films falls somewhere in between. I have always liked weird films. Slasher flicks that follow the same plot line can get pretty boring, so at least this one changes things up a bit. Overall, compared to other slasher films this is pretty tame in terms of the killings. There are only a few kills and there is very little blood overall. This is a not a film for gore hounds. This almost reminds me of an old Italian Giallo film mixed with a slasher in the woods film. I think after watching this film, that will make more sense.

Now, that being said, there are a few memorable scenes, one involving a chainsaw, and the other is a scene of a woman being branded with a red hot branding iron. While most films would cut away and just show the end result, this film shows you the entire thing. This was a very good effect and looked very realistic for an older, low budget film. Congrats to the special effects crew on that shot alone.

The masked killer was another highlight....although he only shows up in the last half of the film, I really enjoyed the scenes he was involved in. The killers mask is very creepy looking, sort of a cross between Leatherface and Michael Myers.

With a larger budget and some more kills, this could have been a classic, unfortunately it falls a little short overall. While I don't think most mainstream Horror fans will like this one, I think there is a section of Horror fans out there looking for something different, and who like weird, off the wall films. This definitely falls into that latter category, and fans of obscure 70's Horror films should give this one a try.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Cheezy Flicks

MUST WATCH!! Check out the trailer for the film MIDNIGHT SON

I have to admit, I have never been a huge fan of Vampires. I guess I am just more of a Zombie type of guy. But that might have changed after watching this trailer. MIDNIGHT SON is a new independent vampire movie which looks like it was made with about 10 times the budget it was probably actually made with. The acting looks top notch and it looks like this vampire film will not skimp on the gore. Here is the basic plot from the film's official website:

MIDNIGHT SON is the story of Jacob, a young man confined to a life of isolation, due to a rare skin disorder that prevents him from being exposed to sunlight. His world opens up when he meets Mary, a local bartender, and falls in love. Tragically, Jacob’s actions become increasingly bizarre as he struggles to cope with the effects of his worsening condition. Forced by the disease to drink human blood for sustenance, he must control his increasingly violent tendencies as local law enforcement narrow their focus on him as a suspect in a series of grisly murders.

Check out the trailer by clicking below. I am super excited about this film and can't wait to see the entire film. I will keep you all updated once a release date is announced.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of the film

Congratulations to the winner of the latest 4H giveaway!!

A big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Nathan Hamilton from Loganville, GA, the winner of our latest DVD giveaway! Nathan will be receiving a copy of the great Horror/Comedy film, CRUSTACEAN on DVD as well as the CD Soundtrack of the film, featuring the hilarious songs from the movie.

Don't worry if you didn't win, you can still purchase your own DVD and CD of CRUSTACEAN!

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD, the CD, or both!

CLICK HERE to watch the uncensored trailer (NSFW)

DVD Review: VINDICATION (2006)

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

VINDICATION
Directed by Bart Mastronardi
Courtesy of R Squared Films
Released: 2006

I did with this movie what I did with the book Hayes had me review last week: I didn’t read anything about it before I sat down to watch it. Why? Well, two reasons, really: first, because having no preconceptions about a movie keeps you from having any misconceptions about it…and second, because the screener did not have a cover or any artwork/descriptions with it.

The plot of VINDICATION, per imdb.com, is this:

“A morality tale about a young man, Nicholas Bertram, whose attempt at suicide fails causing his guilt to manifest into reality.”

The tagline for this movie pretty much sums the whole thing up: “Guilt shows no mercy.” This phrase is repeated numerous times throughout the film, usually by a horrific entity that is never named but who is more than likely the personification of Nichols’s guilt. In a sense, this movie shows no mercy, either. It is a gritty, dark film about how guilt can overwhelm and eventually consume you.

I have to start my commentary by stating VINDICATION is a hard movie to get in to initially. This is basically due in part to the first hour being dedicated to Nicholas fighting depression, attempting suicide, and then dealing with the resulting psychological aftermath. Not that this wasn’t entertaining (if that’s the right word) to watch, but the subject matter is so dark and haunting that it almost drags you down into the despair. I like to feel immersed in a movie and also to have a reason to care for a character…but this is almost too much.

Luckily, the rest of the movie grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. At (literally) about the hour-in point, Nicholas snaps and goes on a massive killing spree. The guilt, it seems, overtakes his mind and warps his sense of right and wrong. He begins to believe that he has a duty to free people from their guilt.

I have to say: for being a low budget picture, the special effects in this movie are excellent. The body scars and wounds look real and the blood sprays are intense and effective. There’s even a one-on-one fight towards the end between Nicholas and his step-brother that is very believable as well.

My favorite scene is when Nicholas strolls into a night club and slaughters everyone on the dance floor. With the deep bass pumping and the strobes flashing, the resulting scene is phenomenal, giving it a surreal but intensely realistic feel. My runner-up favorite would be the scene where Nicholas chokes his step-brother to death with barbed-wire.

But for all the film’s positives, there is one glaring negative that stands out for me: there are several bizarre, Alice-in-Wonderland-type scenes that are never explained. For example, Nicholas visits the apartment of an eccentric fat woman who reads his future. In the apartment, a wannabe photographer is taking pictures of a red-painted body-builder wearing angel wings. The body-builder is crying out in anguish as he raises his hands to the heavens. From a symbolic standpoint, I would take this is Lucifer wallowing in anguish at being banished from Heaven. But why is the scene in the film? It doesn’t make sense. I can’t find a single reason for it to be here, other than to maybe add a little Twin Peaks sort of innuendo.

But aside from that and a couple of smaller things (a few miscues on acting and some sound problems--in one section of the DVD, the vocals and sound effects don’t sync up with the film), this movie is a win for me. This isn’t your typical slasher film, but more of a human-drama study of one man’s slide into madness…that just so happens to end in a massive bloodbath. Just keep in mind, though: it IS a low-budget film, so don’t expect multi-million-dollar quality. But even so, I think you’ll definitely be entertained in the end.


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



CLICK HERE to visit the official website of R Squared Films

Check out the awesome short film, GET OF MY PORCH

I have recently come across a great production company called SenoReality Pictures. I recently watched their latest short film titled, GET OFF MY PORCH. Before we go into the film, first I want to give you a little background on SenoReality Pictures. Here is a description of the company from the SenoReality Pictures official website:

SenoReality Pictures, LLC is a production company based on the talents of Patrick Rea, Ryan S. Jones and Josh Robison. We were founded in March 2002 and are based entirely in Lawrence, KS. We run Avid and Final Cut Pro, DVD authoring and Digital 5.1 sound mixing. Since our foundation, we have produced numerous films, including two feature DVD releases in 2007--The Empty Acre (Cinema Epoch) and Heartland Horrors - Season 1 (Elite Entertainment). In 2008 we won a regional Emmy for the short film Women’s Intuition.

This is a great company and one to keep your eye on for sure. Now, back to the short film. GET OFF MY PORCH is probably one of the best short films I have ever seen. I know that is a bold statement, but I stand behind it 100%. I will definitely be watching this again in the near future. Clocking in at just 14 minutes, it is the perfect length to tell its story, but not overstay it's welcome as some "short" films do.

The basic premise of the film is that a couple of girl scout type girls called the Adventure Girls go to sell a man cookies, which he does not want to buy. The girls are very adamant about him buying some cookies, as most of his neighbors have bought some, but he is having no part of it. The girls don't take no for an answer and go as far as invading his home, laughing and giggling the whole time. But while they seem like sweet little girls, they are hiding a very big secret which the man soon discovers.

I wont ruin it for you by telling you too much, you will have to see it for yourself. I will give you a hint, the film reminded me of such films as INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS mixed with a bit of THE STEPFORD WIVES. Apparently, these cookies do more than just taste good!

The acting in this film is superb. It was shot well and directed well. Production wise, this movie couldn't have been any better. The film mixes suspense, horror, and even some humor together flawlessly. Take a look at this film and keep checking back over the next few weeks as I highlight more short films from SenoReality Pictures!


CLICK HERE to watch GET OFF MY PORCH for free, online at Vimeo.com

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of SenoReality Pictures

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, November 16th

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out tomororw, 11/16:

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

* CHILDREN OF THE CORN (2009 Remake) [Blu-ray]

* CROWLEY [Blu-ray]

* DON'T LOOK BACK

* EXHIBIT A

* GHOST MACHINE [Blu-ray]

* THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER [DVD & Blu-ray]

* THE POSSESSION OF DAVID O'REILLY

* ROBOGEISHA [DVD & Blu-ray]

* STAUNTON HILL [Blu-ray]

* THE TWILIGHT ZONE Season 2 (TV) [Blu-ray]

Not too much coming out this week. The only must buy I see here is the awesome Japanese flick, ROBOGEISHA!! Check out the trailer and my review here.

2 new guests confirmed for TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND 2011!

Two new guest have been announced for appearance at next year's TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND! Actor Dieter Laser and Director Tom Six from the awesome film, THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE, will be on hand to meet and greet at next year's TFW event! This is a very rare U.S. appearance for both of these great guests.

The TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND horror convention and film festival will be April 29-May 1, 2011.

TOM SIX hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhDIETER LASER

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND and purchase your tickets today!!

Check out the wonderful trailer for the Gothic Horror film, JANE EYRE

I must admit, I know nothing about the story of JANE EYRE, but the first trailer for this new film based on the classic novel looks amazing, and I definitely will be checking this one out. Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:

After a bleak childhood, Jane Eyre goes out into the world to become a governess. As she lives happily in her new position at Thornfield Hall, she meet the dark, cold, and abrupt master of the house, Mr. Rochester. Jane and her employer grow close in friendship and she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Happiness seems to have found Jane at last, but could Mr. Rochester's terrible secret be about to destroy it forever?

JANE EYRE is scheduled to be released on March 11, 2011.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer courtesy of Yahoo Movies

DVD Review: HOUSE OF FEARS (2007)

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

HOUSE OF FEARS, released by Synergetic Distribution, accomplishes a feat that I haven't seen in very many horror movies: it gets its point across with minimal profanity. Not that profanity will ruin a movie for me or anything. But I think doing something like this shows a lot of talent for the script-writer. I only caught a couple of 'hells' and 'damns' but otherwise the language is pretty clean. This movie is fun and good overall, but I have to be honest and say it was a little 'ho-hum' for me. It is very well done, but it never really reaches a sense of 'true suspense. The plot of House of Fears is this, courtesy of imdb.com:

The night before a local haunted house opens for Halloween, six friends sneak in for a few hours of fun. Soon after entering, they find themselves trapped inside with no way out. Their evening of fun rapidly turns into their worst nightmare as they begin to die and disappear in the most freakish of manners. With every effort to escape blocked, the survivors find themselves being driven deeper into the carnivalesque world of terror. Unable to tell what is real and what is counterfeit, they must trust one another, even if it kills them.

Just from looking at the cover of the DVD, I was expecting a lot of gore and a lot of scares. Instead, I got a wee bit of gore and just a few scares. The blood and gore are shown primarily in flashes, which is fine and works well, but I was wanting to see some of the characters actually meet gruesome demises (what can I say? I like that, ok?).

But even so, the movie is well crafted and moves at a great pace. The acting is excellent and the haunted house looks great. Director Ryan Little is to be commended for the superb use of what little budget he had (I would guess this was done for just a few thousand dollars).

I think fans of horror should definitely check House of Fears out, if anything just to see a freaking creepy a clown can be (ergo, see the DVD cover). But don't expect intense terror or horrifying gore. It is simply a pretty good movie. It is also a perfect example of how temperate good horror can be.

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

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Synergetic Distribution

Check out the trailer for the Swedish Zombie flim, ZON 261

Check out the trailer for the Swedish Zombie Film, ZON 261.   The trailer is not subtitled, so I have no clue what they are saying, but it doesn't matter.  The zombie effects look great and it looks like this could be a great film.   Here is the translated plot synopsis from Quietearth website:

Landskrona, 2013. Strong disagreements between Svenner and immigrants. A ship crashes into the harbor. Police enter the wreck - and are attacked by the infected herd. The bitten policemen are in a coma, and wake up as monsters.
The infection is spreading like wildfire. Many attempts to flee the city,but the city is quarantined - National Task Force and the military set up a concrete wall. The few non-infected - Svenner and immigrants - taking shelter in the citadel.
Meanwhile, the infected try to turn themselves in to their haunts, they must be uninfected decide which ones are the worst monsters: their former enemies on the inside - or those infected out there.
While the conflicts inside escalates to boiling point, the non-infected, in order to survive, to determine if they see their former enemies as monsters - or as sisters and brothers, if they see each other as Svenner and blue - or as neighbors.

Sorry for the broken English, I tried to clean it up a bit, but that was the best I could do from the translation!
Anyway, check out the trailer and let me know what you think!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for ZON 261

Book Review: THE DEAD PATH by Stephen M. Irwin

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

THE DEAD PATH
by Stephen M. Irwin

When Hayes told me he got a book in the mail to review, I asked him if I could do it before he even told me the title. You see, I’m a big-time reader. Hard to believe, I know, since I love movies so much, but it’s true. Heck, I like books so much that I have about 500 of them at home.

I especially like to read books that I know nothing about; that way, I have no preconceived notions about it. So when I got The Dead Path from Hayes, I jumped right into reading it without so much as reading the inside of the jacket. And I’m proud to say the book drew me in so well that I finished it in four days.

If you’re not familiar with The Dead Path, here’s the plot, courtesy of Amazon.com:

Australian author Irwin's impressive debut, a supernatural thriller, evokes a world full of death and spirits to which we are, mercifully, oblivious. Since the night of his wife's death, Nicholas Close has been cursed with second sight to see ghosts re-enacting the final moments before their own often violent deaths. These disconcerting visions drive Nicholas back to his family home in Tallong, Australia, where, instead of finding comfort, he sees the ghost of a childhood playmate replay the murder that almost took Nicholas's life instead. Clues from other local murders and data gleaned from his father's books of occult lore apprise Nicholas of ancient unhallowed traditions still being practiced in the forest near his home--and of malignant powers attempting to reassert a balance that was upset when Nicholas escaped death.

Let me start by saying this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. This is Irwin’s first book, but you would never guess that. He has a unique style of prose that captures each scene in vivid detail and breathes more life into the simplest of scenes. Irwin is truly a master of his craft and does not disappoint.

The story Irwin weaves is dark and filled with raw feeling. His word-weaving conveys so much emotion that I found myself growing cold and withdrawn, like I was the main character Nicholas himself. To illicit a response like this in a veteran reader like myself…wow. I knew this book was a winner.

The true joy of this book for me is that the description above from Amazon does not truly scratch the surface of the story. Irwin has imbedded many different types of stories within the main plot, including mythology, historical fiction, fantasy, horror, and even (slightly, in a skewed sort of way) romance. This cross-genre molding works brilliantly for the story and gives more credibility to his voice.

My favorite aspect of The Dead Path is Irwin’s unique method of description. Whether by simile or metaphor, Irwin is a master of wording and practices his craft frequently within the text. Several times, I found myself wandering back to specific descriptions with a smile on my face, reliving the vivid imagery that the initial read presented. A few choice selections that stuck out to me were:

“Words spilled out of the woman like marbles from a split sack.”

“The aircraft cabin was as dark as a cinema.”

“The bones of a city don’t change. Perhaps its skin grows tight or flaccid as suburbs grow fashionable or become déclassé; crow’s feet spread from pockets – new streets, new arteries into fresh corpulence. But the skeleton of its founding roads, the blood of its river, the skull of the low mountain that looms over it with its thorny crown of television towers like its own blinking Calvary…these things hadn’t changed.”

“The word hung in the air like despair in a dying man’s bedroom.”

The Dead Path is an excellent book all the way around, and one that I will definitely revisit again in the near future. If you’re looking for a nice combination of dread, suspense, and terror, give this one a look. You won’t be disappointed. Now, if we could just get Hollywood to give it a look as well…

CLICK HERE to purchase the book
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of author Stephen M. Irwin

DVD Review: ROBOGEISHA (2009)

A few posts back I brought you a review of FUNimation Entertainment's VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL.   As good as that film was, FUNimation is back with an equally, if not even more entertaining film, ROBOGEISHA!!  Here is the basic plot:

Kikuke is a geisha known for her glamour and grace. Yoshie is her abused sister, banished to the shadows. When a mysterious corporation transforms their soft bodies into murderous machines, the rival vixens rush toward an ultra-violent final confrontation.

From reading the plot and even watching the trailer, I really wasn't sure exactly what the story was going to be about in this film.  What I could tell from the trailer, though, was that I was in for a wild ride with this movie.   This is one of the craziest movies I have ever seen....EVER.  That is a compliment for sure, as I have seen some pretty crazy stuff.   Just when you think things couldn't get any crazier with this movie, they do.   

To get the technical stuff out of the way, I need to start by complimenting the director, Noboru Iguchi.  Mr. Iguchi is the same person that brought us the awesome MACHINE GIRL and the upcoming MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD.    The film is beautifully directed and filmed, with some amazing camera work on display.  There are tons of fight scenes throughout the film and these are all done superbly, with some brilliant fighting choreography.

Now with the technical stuff out of the way, I can say that this film is just plain F-U-N.   You will see some crazy things in this film, including machine gun boobs and women that shoot throwing stars out of their....um, back sides.    These are just some of the craziest things you will see, but there are many other surprises in store for you that I won't ruin in this review.   As with Mr. Iguchi's other films, the blood flows very freely in this film with the expected exaggerated blood sprays.  Along with the gore effects, there are many other great special effects including a walking robot house thing that terrorizes the city.   (I guess you have to see it!).    Take all this, mix in a healthy does of crazy, off-the-wall humor, and you have one of the most entertaining movies to come out of Japan in the last 20 years!

ROBOGEISHA will be available at major retailers November 16th.   This is one film you do not want to pass up.  I recommend this for any fan of weird, bizarre, funny, and gory movies.  That should cover just about everyone! 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of FUNimation Entertainment

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, November 9th

Here are this weeks Horror related DVD's coming out tomorrow, 11/9/10: (Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  ANITCHRIST  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  BLOOD MOON RISING [Blu-ray]
*  BLOOD TIES [Blu-ray]
*  THE BRAZEN BULL
*  COMA
*  DAMNED BY DAWN [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  DEAD ENDERS
*  ESQUIZOFRENIA
*  EVIL BONG/EVIL BONG 2:  KING BONG double feature
*  HIDE AND GO KILL
*  HIDE AND GO KILL 2
*  PUPPETMASTER COLLECTION
*  TREMORS [Blu-ray]

A lot of titles coming out this week!  I would definitely recommend you checking out the trailer for DAMNED BY DAWN.  If the movie is half as good as this trailer looks, we are all in for great film!

Comic review: BLOKE'S TOMB OF HORROR HALLOWEEN 2010 ANNUAL

A while back, I did a post and let you know about a great Horror comic book company called Virus Comix. One of the titles I reviewed was called Bloke's Tomb of Horror. Well, Virus Comix has recently just released it's latest edition of this comic, the awesome BLOKE'S TOMB OF HORROR HALLOWEEN 2010 ANNUAL! The huge comic (clocking in at 104 pages of pure horror!) contains 8 short stories, all written by Jason "Bloke" Crawley with each story illustrated by a different artist.

Story titles in the Halloween Annual include: My Forever Love, Invasion of the Slag Maggots, Teacher Doesn't Always Know Best, Till Death Do We Part, What's Buggin' Sarah Sitnam?, Portrait of Death, Do You Want Onions on That, and, The Bride of Bloke. The stories vary widely in topic giving you a nice variety of Horror sub-genres, including a story about Werewolves, Zombies, Aliens, and even Cannibals! There is something here every Horror fan will love. I have always enjoyed anthology comics like this. It is fun to get such a wider arrange of stories in one book. The stories are all well done, without a single "dud" in the group, something very rare among anthology comics such as this one. A lot of the stories in this anthology have a sense of humor to them as well, some more darker than others. This adds to the fun for sure, but don't worry, there is still plenty of gore for you gore fans out there, myself included! Having each story drawn by a different artist is very cool as well. It is really interesting to see such a wide variety of pencil and art styles associated with each different story.

Included at the end of the book is a pin-up gallery featuring 19 horrific images done by different artist who have worked on previous Virus Comix projects. This is a nice edition to the anthology and showcases some on the greatest art talent today in independent comics.

I highly recommend BLOKE'S TOMB OF HORROR HALLOWEEN 2010 ANNUAL for all fans of Horror comic books. This will be a nice addition to your comic collection.

CLICK HERE to purchase Bloke's Tomb of Horror Halloween 2010 Annual

EVIL DEAD fans....this is something you have to see!! EVIL DEAD iPhone app coming soon!

To fellow iPhone users out there, this news is HUGE! I recently read on Horrorbid.com about an EVIL DEAD iPhone app coming out soon. Well, the trailer is up and it looks like this game will be a lot of fun. It is done in somewhat of a cartoonish way.....almost looking like those LEGO Star Wars games, but it still looks like it will be very cool. I don't know anything about the actual game play, but this trailer gives us an idea of what the game will look like. Enjoy!! I will let you know if I hear an actual date on the release of this app.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for THE EVIL DEAD app

Don't forget to enter to win this FREE DVD/CD Soundtrack combo prize pack!!!

My latest prize giveaway from HAYES HUDSON'S HOUSE OF HORROR is up and running! Up for grabs once again, is a DVD/CD combo of the outrageous Horror/comedy CRUSTACEAN, written and directed by L.J. Dopp. The winner of this great giveaway will get a DVD of the film and the CD soundtrack full of the great songs from the film!! The contest is scheduled to end on Wednesday, November 17th, 2010. Comments must be left by NOON Central time on 11/17/10 in order to count towards the contest.

While normally you can only leave one comment per person, I am going to change it up a bit. If you will re-post the link to the giveaway on a qualifying site, then you can leave an additional comment (for a total of 2 per person), doubling your chances to win. Qualifying sites include your Facebook or Myspace profiles, a Twitter account, or your website/blog. In the additional comment you leave, you must tell me what site you posted the contest link to.

CLICK HERE to visit the original post and leave a comment for your chance to win!!

DO NOT LEAVE A COMMENTS ON THIS POST---ONLY COMMENTS ON THE ORIGIANAL CONTEST POST WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN THE DRAWING

DVD Review: 8213: GACY HOUSE (2010)

I recently had to chance to watch one The Asylum Home Entertainment's most recent releases, 8213: GACY HOUSE. Here is the basic plot from The Asylum's website:

John Wayne Gacy murdered 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978 in suburban Chicago. 26 bodies were found in a crawl space beneath his house and 3 others were buried in the backyard. Although the house was completely demolished during the exhumation of the bodies, on May 15, 2004 a group of paranormal investigators wired the home that was built in its place with paranormal detection and surveillance equipment. The outcome of the investigation was grisly, terrifying and disturbing.

The film is obviously a chance to cash in on the popularity of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films, using the same "found footage" technique to tell the story. While a lot of these knock off type films are just made to make a quick buck, director Anthony Fankhauser and the rest of the crew actually put a lot thought and hard work into this film and it shows.

First, the few complaints I have about the film. The film is slow paced at first, in fact, really slow at the beginning while the audience is waiting for the first sign of any 'paranormal activity'. But stick with it and your patience will definitely pay off. Also, the group of "ghost hunters" constantly bicker and gripe at each other, which definitely gets old.

Other than that, the movie is very enjoyable. The acting is very good for this type of film. The effects are good as well, starting of small and harmless and then increasing in number and severity as the the night progresses. While the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films already showed us a lot of what these characters witness early on in the night (shadows, bedsheets being moved, doors slamming) we do see some stuff later in the film that you probably have not seen before. Everything comes to a boil in the films final 20 minutes or so, when the actual figure of the ghost of Gacy is picked up by the ghost hunters special cameras. Gacy becomes increasingly violent to these people and it makes for a very hectic and unnerving final scene.
The film ends with shots of the autopsy reports of each character, adding to the realism of this found footage film.

While these found footage films are coming out in increasing numbers these days to ride the popularity of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films, this one manages to keep some originality to it with the inclusion of the John Wayne Gacy serial killer plot. The mixture of serial killer film and ghost film was nice touch that I had not seen before. If this film would have come out before the PA films, I think it would have been a huge hit. I am afraid this film wont get the recognition and accolades it deserves since coming out later and people disregarding it as as cheap "knock-off" of sorts. I hope you will give this film a chance and enjoy it for the fun, entertaining film that it is. Turn down the lights, turn up the sound, and try not to be disturbed and unnerved, especially when you see the ghost of Gacy staring back at you. This is one I will definitely watch again and I hope you will check it out as well.

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

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of The Asylum Home Entertainment

DVD Review: VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL (2009)

If you are a fan of MACHINE GIRL, TOKYO GORE POLICE, and other Japanese gore films such as these, you are going to love one of Funimation Entertainment's newest releases, VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL! VGvsFG was directed by both Yoshihiro Nishimura and Naoyuki Tomomatsu, and they take you on one extremely wild, blood drenched ride. Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:

Transfer student Monami has a secret and a past that has caught up with Mizushima. Deceiving Mizushima into eating a token gift of chocolate, laced with her blood, he is then catapulted into Monami's vampire world of blood, death and love. Jilted girlfriend Keiko has other ideas. With a sudden twist of fate, she is then transformed into the hideous and unforgiving Frankenstein Girl, and the battle for Mizushima's heart begins.


I have to start by saying I absolutely love Japanese splatter films. I don't know why U.S. filmmakers haven't caught on to this over the top gore rides and made splatter flicks like this of their own. Until then, we have the film industry of Japan to thank for keeping these films going. This movie is hard to describe, as there really isn't much of a story going on. The main thing of this film is the visuals. Some scenes are absolutely stunning in their (mostly blood red) brilliance. The use of colors in this film (again, a LOT of red) is very cool. I can't imagine how hard it was to film a movie like this. Some of the sets and scenes are so wild and over the top, it is amazing this is actually a live action film. Watching this film feels like you are watching a cartoon to some extent, as things this wild and crazy don't normally happen on film.

As simple as the plot is, it can actually be somewhat confusing at times. There are some things within the film that, while very entertaining, you wonder what it actually has to do with the story. This is a hard review to write, as it is such a crazy movie with too many things to wrap my mind around and to comprehend. So, don't take the film too seriously. Just sit back and get ready for a wild ride with TONS of gore. In fact, this could be the goriest film I have ever seen, and that is a bold statement to make. I mean, what other movie shows a girl getting her faced peeled of like someone was peeling an apple, with her head spinning around and around as a strip of skin is peeled off, eventually revealing her bloody skull! Brilliant!

Watch the trailer below and then go buy this DVD. This was a fun, entertaining movie that I will be watching again very soon for sure.

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

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Funimation Entertainment

DVD Review: FACES OF SCHLOCK (2009)

FACES OF SCHLOCK is a film made up of 4 short films and is being distributed by Alternative Cinema, home to some of the greatest Horror and exploitation films to be found. The film is an homage to Horror films of the 80's with a campy feel and an aged look. I found 3 of the 4 films to be a lot of fun, with only one "dud", so overall, this is a great buy. Here are the plots of the 4 individual films from the Alternative Cinema website, followed by my thoughts on each individual film:

“BLOOD WITCH”
Obsessed with revenge, a young woman uses occult powers to summon a seventeenth century witch to perform diabolical deeds. Directed by Andrew Shearer, starring Monica Puller and Countess Samela

BLOOD WITCH was a fun film, clocking in at just 20 minutes, it was the perfect length to tell the story it was needed to tell. A woman summons a witch to do her bidding and kill anyone that annoys her, whether it be her roommate, or the annoying telemarketer that keeps calling. There is some good gore and a bit of dark humor thrown in as well. Also, this short had a very nice twist at the end, that I did not see coming. The acting was good, as was the camera work.

“MIKE WUZ HERE”
The night shift at an old movie theater becomes a terrifying game of cat-and-mouse when the ghost of a suicide haunts the century-old building. Directed by Justin Channell, starring Josh Lively, Zane Crosby and TJ Rogers

This was the one film in this set that didn't do anything for me...in fact, I fast forwarded it after a while to go on to the next film. I can't say much about this one except that maybe hardcore ghost story fans will appreciate it.

“ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE”
When malpractice results in the loss of a beautiful young dancer’s foot, she reanimates the appendage by black magic for a horrifying revenge! Directed by Chris LaMartina, starring George Stover (John Waters' “Hairspray”) and Sara Cole.

This was by far my favorite film of the bunch. Seeing a woman's decapitated foot come to life and cause all sorts of havoc was just plain fun! The foot seeks revenge on all those that were responsible for separating it from it's owner. The worst revenge is when the foot shoves itself up the arse of the doctor that amputated the limb. The foot goes all the way inside the doctor up his torso and out his mouth. Just plain nasty fun. There is tons of humor throughout this story as well, which works very nicely. The Foot Doctor is constantly making bad "foot" puns to his patients which is surely to get a laugh out of most audiences. It is almost worth it to "foot" the bill for the DVD just for this story alone! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

And finally...

“SLAY RIDE”
Abandoned by her family on Christmas Eve, a delinquent teenage girl is sucked into a frenzied spree of sex, murder and mayhem. Directed by Henrique Couto, starring Ruby LaRocca (Lord of the G-Strings) and Sandy Behre.

This one is hard to explain, and while enjoyable, I'm still not sure I totally understand the story. But basically a girl is left along on Christmas by her parents as punishment, and she and her nerdy tutor are terrorized by a crazed neighbor with an axe. But then Santa shows up and kills the bad guy with the star from atop the Christmas tree. See what I mean?

FACES OF SCHLOCK is hosted by "Slutpira", a sluttier version of Vampira, if that is possible. While that might sound corny, which I guess it is, Slutpira's introductions of each film are somewhat amusing and actually somewhat humorous. Overall this is a fun DVD that is worth the purchase, esp while it is on sale for only $7.99 at the Alternative Cinema website!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD