CD Review: CARNIVAL ARCANE by MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE

Some of you might recognize the band Midnight Syndicate from the 4H review of their film, THE DEAD MATTER a while back  (see review here).  Well, Midnight Syndicate is back with a brand new CD entitled, CARNIVAL ARCANE. For those of you not familiar with Midnight Syndicate, here is a little bit about them from their official website:

For the past fourteen years, dark music pioneers Midnight Syndicate have been creating Halloween music and gothic, horror, fantasy soundtracks for the imagination. Formed by composer/director Edward Douglas in 1995, their music has become a staple of the Halloween, gothic music, haunted attraction, and role-playing game industries. With a catalog of CDs that blend dark, orchestral horror and fantasy movie score-style music with sound effects, the band consisting of Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka has had its soundtracks to imaginary films featured in everything from Hugh Hefner's infamous Halloween parties, Barbara Walters specials and Monday Night Football to X-Box games, tracks by the Academy-Award winning rap act, Three Six Mafia, as well as concerts by dark music pioneers The Misfitsand King Diamond. The music has also been featured on countless television shows and documentaries relating to horror films and the supernatural.

Midnight Syndicate's latest CD, CARNIVAL ARCANE, is the band's fourteenth studio album.   The theme for this album is a dark carnival theme and the band does a wonderful job of capturing the sounds of the carnival, well, all the spooky sounds of the carnival at least!  

I like that in the description it says they create "fantasy soundtracks".  That is a perfect description of this CD.   Listening to CARNIVAL ARCANE is like listening to the soundtrack of a cool horror film.   As I listened to the CD on my way to and from work today, I couldn't help but imagine in my head a scene that would fit the sound of the song that was playing. 

The CD is mainly just instrumental music, basically like a score to a horror film.  A lot of the songs I can picture being the opening song of a film as the credits are displayed, or the end song as the credits scroll.   The song Welcome To The Carnival would be a perfect opening song for a film.  One of my favorite songs, the perfectly titled Dr. Atmore's Elixirs of Good Humor and Fortification, is a catchy fun tune with a beautiful background melody. Lights Out made me picture a woman being chased through the woods by a masked killer, and Kiddieland is just totally creepy!  Never have kids laughing and singing sounded so scary!   This is just a few of the great tracks on this CD, there are 26 tracks total, so you are definitely getting your money's worth with this one!

While some are just cool, spooky sounding songs, some are very beautiful songs that could easily be used as  title music for a big budget, blockbuster film.  Yet even in the songs with a nice classical sound,  the band still manages to sneak some creepy things into it...whether it be a creepy whisper or voice, or just a creepy chord or sound. 

I highly recommend you go check out Midnight Syndicate's homepage and pick up a copy of CARNIVAL ARCANE and some of their other CDs.  I think all horror fans will enjoy this music for sure!


CLICK HERE to visit Midnight Syndicate's official website
CLICK HERE to purchase Carnival Arcane and other CDs and Merchandise
CLICK HERE to visit Midnight Syndicate's official Facebook Page

DVD Giveaway deadline extended!!! Hurry and enter to win!!

Due to an extremely low turnout (6 entries!) for my latest DVD giveaway I have taken the liberty to extend the contest.  I mean really, only 6 people want a free DVD?  There have got to be more people out there that want a FREE copy of the awesome flick, SHELLTER!  So, I am giving you one last chance to get your name in the drawing for this awesome film.   The contest will run one more week, from today, so get your entries in by the end of the day on next Wednesday, October 5th.   Entering is easy, just follow the rules posted on the original contest post and leave a comment on the original post.    There is nothing to it!  2 lucky readers will each win an awesome DVD!!!    Good luck!!


CLICK HERE to visit the original contest post and enter to win!!

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Here are this week's horror related DVD's coming out Tuesday, 9/27:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

* BASKET CASE [Blu-ray]
* THE BLOOD TRILOGY [Blu-ray]
* CHUD
* DEAD CERT [DVD & Blu-ray]
* THE ECHO GAME
* THE FOURTH KIND
* MIMIC [Blu-ray]
* MOTHER'S DAY [DVD & Blu-ray]
* PHOTOGRAPHER: INSIDE THE MIND OF A PSYCHO
* SNUFF FILM: DEATH ON CAMERA
* TERROR TRAP
* TORSO [DVD & Blu-ray]

 

Check out the ultra creepy trailer for the film, BLOOD WIDOW

  
 
I love masked killer movies.  Everyone knows about Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers,  and Leatherface, but there have been a lot of new masked killers pop up over the years.  Some include the killers from MIDNIGHT MOVIE, Chromeskull from the LAID TO REST films, and the more recent Marcus Miller, otherwise known as, THE ORPHAN KILLER.  Well, a new one has just popped up, and it might be the most eerie of them all.  Arcani Pictures has recently produced a masked killer movie called, BLOOD WIDOW.  The killer in this film wears one of the creepiest masks I have seen to date.  I can best describe it as some kind of porcelain doll face, and it is creepy as hell!  
Here is the basic synopsis of the film from the films official website:

Laurie and Hugh are a successful young couple who have just closed on a weekend home away from the city. Unbeknownst to them, the neighboring property contains the crumbling remains of a boarding school that was shuttered in the wake of an unspeakable massacre. The one responsible for that massacre resides in the ruins of the school, hiding from the world and wanting only to be left alone. When Laurie and Hugh’s friends explore the property, they have no idea that they disturbed an emotionally-broken killing machine: The Blood Widow.

Now, if that doesn't sound cool enough, check out this blurb about the film also found on the film's
official website:

Arcani Pictures LLC are proud to announce information on a terrifying new independent horror film entitled Blood Widow. Principal photography took place in and around off-the-beaten-path locations in central Florida on the Red One camera. The film takes its cues from classic slasher movies from the 70s and early 80s such as Friday the 13th, Halloween, Black Christmas, and My Bloody Valentine. A consciously old-school approach was applied, featuring all practical special effects with no CGI. Arcani Pictures set out to give horror fans what they want.

WOW!  It "takes it's cues from classic slasher movies from the 70s and early 80's", and, NO CGI!  That right there is reason enough to be excited about this film.

Check out the  trailer and see what you think.  I will let you know once I hear a release date for the film!


CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website and watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Arcani Pictures

DVD Review: SPIKE (2008)

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

SPIKE
Written and Directed by:  Robert Beaucage
Distributed by:  Maverick Entertainment

SPIKE is one of those movies that slips through the cracks of classification. I thought it to be horror initially but found out very quickly that it is not. It’s not technically a thriller, either. As the credits rolled, I actually had to sit for a minute and think about how it would be classified. In the end, I decided to label it as a suspenseful romantic-tragedy.

 

Here is the plot synopsis for SPIKE, courtesy of Maverick Entertainment:

 

After skidding off the road in the dead of night, four friends find themselves lost in the forest and tangled in a twisted love story. As they are each picked off one by one by a bizarre beast it becomes clear that none of them will make it out of this forest alive; unless the one the monster so desires is left behind. Will they stick together and find their way out of the grips of this love sick monster or will they turn on each other and perish in this dark fairytale?

 

What initially drew me to SPIKE is the creature art on the cover of the DVD case. All you see is a humanoid figure covered in black spikes. I was like “Wow, I LOVE creature-features and monster flicks almost as much as I love zombies! This movie is gonna rock!” Interestingly, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

 

But even though the film didn’t knock my proverbial socks off in a horror-related way, it’s actually not bad...as long as you’re not expecting to be scared. SPIKE is a thoughtful, well-acted reprisal of the Beauty and the Beast legend, but with a modern and weird twist to it.

Set in a single night in the forest, SPIKE tells the story of an obsessive teenager who bears a unique deformity: his entire body is covered with dangerous quills. He is obsessed with a girl he befriended as a child and eventually fell in love with. When a chance accident on the road leaves said girl stranded in the woods, the teen oddity hopes he can show her his love and maybe kindle that same spark inside of her. Unfortunately for him, the girl’s boyfriend is with her and events do not unfold as he had planned.

 

Most everything with SPIKE is well done. The acting is excellent with Edward Gusts giving an outstanding performance as the deformed teen. The special effects are truly note-worthy as well. I’m not sure how the production team made the quills that covered the creature’s body, but they are very believable and don’t waver when he moves (much like you would expect cheap spikes to do). Also, the cinematography is great as well.

 

My sole complaint about the film is that the lighting could have been much better. Many of the scenes are so dark that it’s hard to make details out, specifically in relation to what’s going on. I found myself backtracking every now and then to make sure I hadn’t missed something. But, otherwise, most everything else is great.

 

I would recommend this film to anyone looking to escape from the everyday chick-flick romance, or anyone that is looking for the lighter side of obsession. While not normally my genre, I still found myself entertained. Check this one out if you need a break from horror.

 

 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

 

 

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Maverick Entertainment

Check out the spooky tailer for, THE AWAKENING

Thanks to my buddy Caleb for showing me the trailer to THE AWAKENING.  The film tells the story of Florence Cathcart, a hoax exposer who visits a boarding school to explain sightings of a child ghost.  Check out the trailer below....I think this film looks really good!

THE AWAKENING is playing national film festivals now.  When I hear about an official release date here in the U.S., I will let you know!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

DVD Review: HACK JOB (2011)

HACK JOB
Written and Directed by:  James Balsamo
Produced by:  Acid Bath Productions

Well, I can say one thing about this film right off the bat...it was named appropriately!   HA!  Ok, so maybe the film is a HACK JOB.......yet, for some strange reason, I couldn't help but kinda enjoy it....kinda.  Ok, before I go any further with the review, here is the basic plot courtesy of imdb.com:

James and Mike are tired of art films taking away the credit that horror films deserve. So, they get a script from the devil to make the best horror film ever. The script has three stories in it. The first is about Nazis that awaken a mummy's curse. The second tale is about an alien that crashes a battle of the bands and then starts eating the contestants, and the last story is about a man who gets possessed to kill televangelists.

Well, I'm glad there is a printed plot synopsis, because that is the only way I would have ever known what was going on in this film.  I have to be honest, this film is a mess from many aspects.  The film is shot on what looks to be an old VHS camcorder based on the picture quality at some point.  The picture can be fine one scene and then grainy and blurry the next.  The sound is not good either, with some lines barely audible over the background noise (I assume they just used the external mic on the camera).  And most the time in this movie, I had no clue what was going on or who the characters were.  And what's up with the commercial for a popular horror t-shirt company right in the middle of the film?  Hack Job? More like Sell Out!

The acting is pretty bad as well, and the actors spewing out some horrible dialog doesn't help matters any.

So..why don't I totally hate this movie?  Well, with all the bad does come some good.....first off, the movie is full of cool metal music and it has a great original theme song.   There is also some great gore in this film.  Now, keep in mind this is a very low budget film, so the effects are cheap and practical, but I like that in a horror film...gives more of a sense of realism to a film.  You will see  a lot of blood in this film which is always a good thing, along with lots of guts being spilled on the floor, an amazing hatchet to the head scene, a clown getting his head sawed in half,  and, most incredible of all, a man getting his spinal cord pulled out through his eye socket.  Yes, you read that right.  A guy pulls another guys spinal cord out of him through his eye socket.  Oh, and then he stabs him in the stomach with it, as if pulling out a mans spinal column wasn't enough damage already.

The filmmakers have obviously been influenced by the Troma movies and even got Lloyd Kaufman to make a cameo in the film.  I wouldn't recommend this film to most horror fans, but fans of low budget films like the Troma films will probably have a good time with this one.


CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website and watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to buy the DVD and other HACK JOB merchandise

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

Here are the horror related DVD's coming out Tuesday, 9/20:
(click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  AREA 51
*  BLUE SUNSHINE
*  CHROMESKULL:  LAID TO REST 2  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  DEAD END DRIVE-IN  (1986)
*  DEAD HEAT  [Blu-ray]
*  THE DEVIL WITHIN HER  (1976)
*  FINAL EXAM  (1981)
*  FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC (1987)
*  GEORGE ROMERO PRESENTS:  DEADTIME STORIES V. 2
*  THE INITIATION  (1984)
*  MOUNTAINTOP MOTEL MASSACRE  (1986)
*  MUCKMAN
*  THE OTHERS  [Blu-ray]
*  PARANORMAL HAUNTING:  THE CURSE OF THE BLUE MOON IN
*  RATLINE
*  SAVAGE
*  SECRETS IN THE WALLS
*  SISTER, SISTER  (1988)
*  SLUGS (1987)
*  THE STUFF  (1985)
*  VAMP (1986) [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE VINEYARD  (1989)
*  WE ARE THE NIGHT
*  ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE:  REDEMPTION


HOLY COW!  I can't tell Halloween is getting close, as companies are pouring out the horror DVD's!!  There are a ton of Horror DVD's coming out this week, thanks in a large part to Image Entertainment's Midnight Madness series.  This is a series of classic horror films from the 1980 being re-released to DVD.   So....what will you be buying this week? 

DVD Review: BIKINI GIRLS ON ICE (2009)

 

 
BIKINI GIRLS ON ICE
Written and Directed by:  Geoff Klein
Distributed by:  Well Go USA Entertainment

Don't let the title fool you....BIKINI GIRLS ON ICE is not a movie about girls ice-skating in bikinis.  No, the "on ice" in this film refers to literally putting the girls on ice...like in as an ice chest...after they have been killed.  Oh, and as you can probably guess, they are all wearing bikinis.
Here is a more detailed plot from the Well Go USA website:

Stranded on their way to a bikini car-wash fundraiser, a group of hot college girls find refuge in an abandoned gas station on the outskirts of town. Soon their broken down bus is the least of their worries as a maniac axe-man mechanic starts picking them off one by one.
Scared, alone and miles from help, the girls are faced with a psycho killer who wants to put these hot girls on ice. Instead of struggling to raise small change, the honeys are now in the biggest fight of their lives.

When I saw that Well Go USA was distributing this film, I was excited.  I have loved all their films up to this point.  I don't think I have ever done a negative review for them, so I was expecting great things from BIKINI GIRLS ON ICE.  Unfortunately, all winning streaks must eventually come to an end, and I am afraid BGOI is the film that has ended that streak of positive film reviews. 

Now don't get me wrong, this film is not awful.  I have seen worse...MUCH worse of films when it comes to slasher flicks.  It just wasn't as good as I hoped/thought it would be.  

The film is shot well and both looks and sounds great.  The filmmakers definitely know what they are doing in that aspect.  The problem is with the delivery.  First off, this is a typical slasher flick where hot girls are picked off one by one by a crazy killer.  We have seen that time and time again and to be successful with that formula in today's horror market, you have to bring something new with it to the table.  Unfortunately, there is nothing new here....except for every girls is in a bikini the entire time, but even that is not enough to add to a slasher film to make it unique...although it definitely didn't hurt matters either!  All the women in this film are gorgeous with perfect bodies, and they are showing them off the entire time (although in bikinis only...there is surprisingly very little actual nudity for a film with that title), so that helps the enjoyment factor a little bit.

The film does have a few good gore shots, most notably a throat cutting scene that is very realistic looking, but overall it is very tame with the kill scenes.  Except for the previously mentioned throat cutting scene, every other kill is an off camera kill, with the camera cutting away before we see anything happen.  The camera doesn't even cut back to show what happened, usually we just see some blood fly in the air or onto a wall and that is it, the scene ends or cuts to a scene of the killer taking the girl to the ice chest  and laying her on ice. 

This brings up some questions that I think needed answered in order to bring a lot more enjoyment to this film.  Why is the killer putting the girls on ice?   Does he need to preserve them in order to do something with them later?   And even more basic that that, why is he killing them at all?   We get absolutely zero back story when it comes to the killer...something that bothered me the entire time I was watching this film.   Maybe the filmmakers were saving this back story for a sequel or a prequel, assuming they will make another BIKINI GIRLS ON ICE film.    Hopefully they will and they can explain the killers back story, as I think that would help tremendously.

In director Geoff Klein's defense, this was his directorial debut.  I see some very positive things in this film and a glimmer of hope for his future films.  I hope Mr. Klein takes this review (and other negative reviews) not as bashing his film, but a form of constructive criticism.  This was not bad for a first effort and I can see a lot of potential for his future directorial efforts.

Special features on the DVD and Blu-ray include:

* Behind the Scenes
* Bloopers
* Deleted Scenes
* Trailer


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




CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Well Go USA

DVD Review: BRAIN DEAD (2007)

 
  
-------------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------------------
  
BRAIN DEAD
Directed by:  Kevin Tenney
Distributed by:  Breaking Glass Pictures/Vicious Circle Films

  

Zombies of any kind are almost always fun...especially those that don’t take themselves too seriously. (Which sorta begs the question of whether or not zombies have a sense of humor...?) BRAIN DEAD is one of those unique comedy-horror hybrids that can actually frighten you during one scene and then have you chuckling in the next.

 

If you are not familiar with BRAIN DEAD, here is the plot courtesy of the Breaking Glass Pictures website:

 

After an extraterrestrial parasite crash-lands in a backwoods American town – landing squarely on the head of a local fisherman – it sparks a fast spreading zombie infestation. As the brain hungry monsters multiply, three pairs of unlucky misfits convene on a fishing lodge for shelter. With zombies pounding at the door, the stranded, mismatched travelers must band together to stop the invasion – or serve themselves up as a main course. The problem is, they may lose their minds to each other before losing their brains to the zombies.

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this film; the screener disc came with no cover art, nor was there anything on the disc itself except for the name. But regardless, the plot synopsis said it was about zombies, so I was hooked.

And wow, am I glad I got to watch this one! BRAIN DEAD is a wild romp into horror that will entertain you on many levels.

 

A zombie film must (in my opinion) devote a good deal of effort into the make-up effects. And, from the look of them, the production team did just that for this film. The zombies in BRAIN DEAD are not groundbreaking in appearance, but they sure look good. And the gore is excellent as well. There’s plenty of the red stuff splattering, and a few scenes will even make you cringe!

 

Of particular note is a scene involving a young woman’s nether-regions (you will definitely know what I’m talking about when you see this one). I am not sure how they special effects team pulled this shot off, but wow...it definitely leaves an impression...and makes you squirm at the same time! I had to pause the movie for a moment and walk away. It’s that crazy!

 

The acting is pretty good, although I think a couple of the characterizations were a bit over the top. The writing and storyline are well done, too. I was a bit surprised, though, to see director Kevin Tenney turned to do a kid’s movie after this one (BIGFOOT)...especially after he had already amassed several other thrillers and horror movies under his belt prior. I guess that goes to show his diversity.

 

Still, though, BRAIN DEAD is a must see for those fans that enjoy a good dose of humor mixed in with their horror. Gore-hounds will be happy as well. I enjoyed it immensely and am looking forward to watching it again.

 

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



CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Breaking Glass Pictures/Vicious Circle Films

Blu-ray Review: THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD (1982)

THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD
Directed by:  Stephen Carpenter & Jeffrey Obrow
Distributed by:  Synapse Films

I finally got a chance to sit down and watch the classic early 80's slasher film, THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD.  The film is also known by it's alternative title, PRANKS.  This new Blu-ray + DVD combo pack put out by Synapse Films actually contains the Uncensored Director's Cut of the film, and goes by it's original title of DEATH DORM.  Confused yet?  Well, don't worry about what it's called, just sit back and enjoy this sleazy shocker from the golden age of the slasher film, the early 80s.   Here is the basic plot from the Synapse Films website:

On the eve of Christmas vacation, a college dormitory stands condemned… the dark halls now vacant, and unsafe. Student Joanne Murray and her close friends volunteer to help close down the building, unaware a psychopathic lunatic is hiding in the shadows. As the students disappear one by one, Joanne discovers the horrifying reality that if she is to survive, she alone will have to find a way to slay the brutal murderer.

This film was released in 1982, I was only 8 years old at the time, so I obviously never saw this one upon its initial release.  With as many horror films as I have seen in my life, I still find films like this all the time that just passed by me somehow.  I have heard of this film before, but just have never had the chance for one reason or another to check it out.  Synapse Films is helping to fix this with a slew of films from the 80's they are re-releasing onto Blu-ray and DVD.  Check out their website to see all their great films!!

Ok, back to the movie at hand.  THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD is a slasher film that was quite often cut and censored  upon its initial release.  Luckily, with this uncensored directors cut, we get a never -before-seen alternate version of the film, containing additional scenes and additional gore removed from earlier cuts of the film.  This is a good thing, because the gore really does make this film.   Now don't get me wrong, the film would still be good without all the gore...in fact, it would remind me of some of the early Italian Giallo films, and would be a good who-done-it type of murder mystery, complete with a twist ending when it comes to who the killer is. Now that the gore is added back in, we don't just get the mystery movie, we get a full on horror flick.

One example of the fine gore on display here is when the killer takes a bat (full of nails sticking out of it) and swings it right into a guys head....over and over again.  Most films would cut away right as you were about to see the bad make contact, then maybe show some blood hitting the wall, then cut back to the man laying on the ground all bloody.  Well, not this film.   There is not cut-away with this film, as they show you everything.  Kudos to the sound crew as well for recreating perfectly what I would imagine the sound of a bat with nails in it slamming into a dudes face would sound like.   The dull thud and sound of ripping flesh at the same time was very impressive to say the least! 

Another thing I noticed about this film is the music....it has the perfect music for a slasher flick, check out the trailer to see what I'm talking about.   The movie is a little dated, of course, with the clothing and esp the hair styles (I forgot how big bangs were in the 80's!), but this is still a fine horror film worthy of adding to your Blu-ray/DVD collection.

Special Features include:

* Audio Commentary featuring Directors Jeffrey Obrow and Stephen Carpenter
* Interviews with Composer Christopher Young and Make-Up FX Creator Matthew Mungle
* Isolated Music Track
* Original Theatrical Trailers
* Reversible Cover Art with Alternate Title and Artwork


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray + DVD combo pack




CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Synapse Films

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Here are the horror related DVD's coming out tomorrow, 9/13/11:
(Click a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  THE BASEMENT: RETRO 80'S COLLECTION
*  BOGGY CREEK:  THE LEGEND IS TRUE  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  BORN OF  EARTH
*  BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER [Blu-ray]
*  CAMP MOTION PICTURES DOUBLE FEATURE (BEYOND THE DUNWICH HORROR & PRETTY DEAD THINGS)
*  DEATH OF THE VIRGIN
*  THE FRIGHTENERS [Blu-ray]
*  GINGERDEAD MAN 3:  SATURDAY NIGHT CLEAVER
*  THE HAGSTONE DEMON [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  HALLOWEEN 2 (1981) [Blu-ray]
*  HAUNTING AT THE BEACON  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY [Blu-ray]
*  HIDE AND SEEK [Blu-ray]
*  THE HILLS HAVE EYES  (2006)  [Blu-ray]
*  KILLER DOUBLE FEATURE (BAD DREAMS & VISITING HOURS)
*  LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972) [Blu-ray]
*  MANHUNTER [Blu-ray]
*  PHOBIC [Blu-ray]
*  POLTERGEIST II [Blu-ray]
*  RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD [Blu-ray]
*  THE SILENT HOUSE
*  SUPERNATURAL:  THE COMPLETE 6th SEASON  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  SWEATSHOP
*  X-CROSS [Blu-ray]


Holy cow!  That is a ton of new releases this week!   Looks like a lot of that volume is made up of older movies getting first time Blu-ray treatments.  What will you be buying this week?

Blu-ray Review: SUBSPECIES (1991)

 

SUBSPECIES
Directed by:  Ted Nicolaou
Distributed by:  Full Moon Entertainment

SUBSPECIES is one of those films I have always known about, but had never seen before.  I remember seeing it years ago on the shelves at my local movie rental store, but I just never got around to renting it.  Well, it's 20 years later, and what better way to see it for the first time than on an excellent remastered Blu-ray!  (click here to watch a short video to see the difference in the original version and this newly remastered HD version).  For those of you not familiar with this film, here is the basic plot courtesy of imdb.com:

The evil vampire villain Radu returns to his hometown of Prejnar, after spending years in exile. He steals the precious blood stone which is said to be bleeding from all saints, from his father and kills him. Meanwhile two American schoolgirls teams up with a local girl for a work on Roumanian culture. Radu becomes attracted to them but runs into trouble when his brother Stephan helps the girls.

This is one of my new favorites when it comes to the Full Moon films.  Now let me say, Full Moon films are an acquired taste, I know.  Much like how Troma films have their fans, Full Moon has their fans as well, and you know what you are getting yourself into when you pot a Full Moon film into your DVD player.  I personally, love the Full Moon films.  While some are super silly, (GINGERDEAD MAN anyone?), they are still a lot of fun, which is what I want out of a horror film.
This one is actually one of the more serious efforts from Full Moon.   This is Full Moon's signature vampire film and they have given us a nice edition to the vampire genre.  

Veteran horror actor Angus Scrimm brings some major credibility to the film, although he is only in the film a very short time.   The main vampire, Radu, is played by actor Anders Hove, and is one of the  most menacing vamps I have seen on film in a long time.  His elongated hand and fingers made me think of on of the first on screen vampires,  F.W. Murnau's NOSFERATU.  The makeup effects for Radu are excellent, and his creepy, raspy voice gets my vote for the creepiest vampire voice of all time.

My only downfall with the film is that I would have liked to have seen a little more bloodletting....I mean, it is a vampire movie right?  I think I only counted 2 or 3 neck biting scenes in the entire film.  Also, I would have liked to have seen more of the actual subspecies, Radu's evil minions that were created from his fingertips that he broke off and brought to life.  These are cool little stop motion creatures  (reminded me of Full Moon's PUPPET MASTER film) that I really wanted to see be more of a vital part of this film.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed SUBSPECIES and recommend it to all my readers, especially those that are fans of the other Full Moon features.

Special Features on the DVD and Blu-ray include:

*  Subspecies VIDEOZONE:  Making of Documentary
*  6 Full Moon trailers



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




CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Full Moon Entertainment

Check out the trailer for the new global pandemic film, RETREAT

 I just got an email about a new film starring Cillian Murphy, Jamie Bell and Thandie Newton called, RETREAT.   The film is being distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films, and is set for release on Oct. 21st of this year.  Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:

Kate and Martin escape from personal tragedy to an Island Retreat. Cut off from the outside world, their attempts to recover are shattered when a Man is washed ashore, with news of airborne killer disease that is sweeping through Europe.

I love these king of global pandemic films...they are usually very scary, especially when you realize that something like this could actually happen.....check out the trailer and let me know what you think.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!! Enter to win a copy of the great film SHELLTER on DVD!!

I just realized that it has been quite a while since I hosted a giveaway on the 4H blog!  Shame on me!  Well, I will make it up to you by giving you not just one, but 2 chances to win a DVD of the film SHELLTER, which was reviewed earlier in the year by contributing writer Scott Baker  (read that review by CLICKING  HERE).   That's right, I have 2 copies of SHELLTER on DVD to give away to a couple of lucky readers of my horror blog!
Just follow the rules/instructions below for your chance to win!!!   The contest will run through September 24th, so winner will be chosen on Sunday, 9/25.  Enter before Sunday, 9/25,  to be eligible! 

CLICK HERE to visit the official SHELLTER website and 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 all your chances of winning!

4. Contest is scheduled to end on Saturday, Sept. 24th,  2011. Comments must be left by the end of the day on 9/24/11 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!!!

Blu-ray Review: THE ORPHAN KILLER (2011)

  

THE ORPHAN KILLER
Written and Directed by:  Matt Farnsworth

If you haven't run across a mention of THE ORPHAN KILLER on facebook, I would be very surprised.  I have seen many horror fans talking about this film online (esp. on facebook) and I finally got a chance to see what everyone was talking about.  THE ORPHAN KILLER has been hyped up to be a "New Horror Icon"...well, I had  my doubts to be honest, that is a huge statement to live up to.  Luckily, I was not disappointed in any way and I have to agree that THE ORPHAN KILLER is here to stay, and could someday be seen along the likes of Jason, Freddy, and Leatherface when it comes to discussions about the greatest horror movie killers. Before I go any further, here is the basic plot synopsis from imdb.com:

The Orphan Killer is a tour de force murder flick that defies classification. It goes far beyond current trends in gore and breaks open a new suffering genre of horror. Marcus Miller is a serial murderer hellbent on teaching his estranged sister Audrey what it means to have family loyalty. His lessons are taught in massive doses of vulgar and unimaginable pain. Throughout her brutal torture we learn that Marcus is not the only Miller with Killer in the bloodline as Audrey proves to be a formidable adversary.

Ok, lets get the technical aspects out of the way first.  The film was shot very well and looked crystal clear on my Blu-ray edition of the film.  The cinematography for this film is amazing for a lower budget film such as this.  The acting in this film was excellent as well, especially that of Diane Foster who plays Audrey.   She very convincingly portrays real terror while she is in her torture scenes.  
The film is timed perfectly, and director Matt Farnsworth packs a lot of action into the film's quick 84 minute run time.   There are never any slow or dull moments in this film.  It is non stop brutal action from the time you hit play until the time the credits role.  The back story of the killer is explained nicely through a series of flashbacks to when Marcus and Audrey were kids in the orphanage. This was a cool way to see why Marcus is the killer he is today.

Ok, now on to the good stuff....the plot synopsis tells you that the film "goes far beyond current trends in gore".  That my friends, is a major understatement.   The gore in this film is over the top and goes far beyond what we are used to seeing in today's "gore" films.   Some of these effects could make Tom Savini jealous!  You will know what I am talking about when you see the machete to the face scene.....grisly, grotesque, and just amazingly well done.  The blood flows freely in this film, so you gore hounds will not be disappointed in any way!   

The film is available now through THE ORPHAN KILLERS facebook store and will only be available in this edition for a limited time.  This is a test market release and the film will be widely distributed at a later time.  Both the DVD and Blu-ray come with a soundtrack CD of the film and both CD and Blu-ray are unrated and region free. This version of the DVD and Blu-ray is sure to be a collectors item, so don't hesitate to get a copy of this asap!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit THE ORPHAN KILLER online facebook store to purchase the DVD or Blu-ray
CLICK HERE to visit the official ORPHAN KILLER facebook fan page

This week's Horror related DVD releases: Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

Here are the horror related DVD's coming out tomorrow, Tuesday, 9/6:
(click a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  BACK TO THE BEYOND
*  BLOODWOOD CANNIBALS
*  THE ENTITILED  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  EVIL BONG 3:  THE WRATH OF BONG
*  THE HILLS HAVE EYES (1977) [Blu-ray]
*  A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  PREDATORY INSTINCT
*  WAKE THE WITCH

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 trailer is here!

Ok, I know I am a little behind with this, as this trailer has been up for a  few weeks now, but I kinda forgot about it and realized I had never posted about it.  So, here it is.  If you are a fan of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films, then this is a must see.  This is more of a teaser than a full trailer, so we don't get to see much, but it looks as if this is a prequel going back and showing footage from when Katie and her sister were little girls.   If this is anything like the sequel was  (I actually enjoyed PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 more than I did the first one), then we are all in for a treat!!  Check out the trailer by clicking below.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3

Watch the hilarious TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL Red Band Trailer

I first posted about the film, TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL, back in January of 2010.  I have been excited about this film for a long time, and it is finally here where we can see it!   TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL is out now on demand, and starts in limited theaters on 9/30.   Click below to watch the hilarious Red Band trailer (Red Band is mainly due to the gore).   Has anyone seen this yet?  Is it as good as the preview makes it look like it will be?

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer