Blu-ray Review: CALL GIRL OF CTHULHU (2014)

CALL GIRL OF CTHULHU
Directed by Chris LaMartina
Distributed by Camp Motion Pictures

  You jut never know what you are going to get with low budget, independent horror films. Some can be really good, while others...actually the majority can be really bad.  I had no idea what to expect from CALL GIRL OF CTHULHU, but I am happy to report that this film is a hidden gem among low budget horror films!  Here is the basic plot from the Alternative Cinema website:

  From the makers of WNUF HALLOWEEN SPECIAL comes the goriest, most hilarious H.P. Lovecraft tribute to ever splatter the screen.
  Carter Wilcox (David Phillip Carollo) is a struggling artist who’s been saving his virginity for someone special. When he meets the enchanting escort Riley Whatley (Melissa O'Brien), he believes he’s found the one. Unfortunately, she’s also "someone special" to an ancient cult that believes she is the chosen bride of its alien god, Cthulhu.  Forced to mate with the tentacled deity, Riley becomes a vessel for the spawn that will destroy mankind.
  Now, Carter and his noise musician roommate, Erica Zann (Nicolette le Faye), must battle the sinister cult and unimaginable creatures to save Riley... and the rest of humanity.
  Will they save the world or surrender to the slimy grip of the Great Old Ones?

 One of the first things I noticed about this film was that it looked like a much higher budget movie than I think it actually was.   That, and the acting was much better overall than most films of this caliber.   There was also a great mix of comedy and horror, something that is hard to get right in films like this.  

  The best thing about this film in my opinion, are all the great and gruesome special effects throughout the film.  The best part about them is that they are almost all practical effects, something that is extremely rare in low budget horror movies these days.  These is something about practical effects that CGI just will never be able to duplicate.  You can definitely tell the difference on screen, and that makes for an overall better movie in my opinion.  

  This is a crazy flick for sure, full of crazy body modifications and gore, somewhat reminiscent of a Troma originally film, except it looks like a much better quality film than most Troma films.  If you like that crazy type of film, though, you should love CALL GIRL OF CTHULHU.  I highly recommend it! 

 CALL GIRL OF CTHULHU  is available now as a BD/DVD combo pack and contains the following special features:

*  Two Audio Commentary Tracks
*  Lights! Tentacles! Action!:  The Making of CALL GIRL OF CTHULHU
*  Dunwhich Whorers:  The Outtakes of Cthulhu
*  Kicstarter Videos
    - Kick Off Video
    - A Special Message From H.P. Lovecraft
    - My 5 Year Old Niece Explains Cthulhu
    - Cthulhu For President Commercial
    - A Special Message From George Stover
*  CALL GIRL OF CTHULHU Trailer
*  Camp Motion Pictures Trailer Vault


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the BD/DVD combo pack

Check out these great Dr. Seuss inspried H.P. Lovecraft stories for kids!

  Thanks to Fearnet.com writer Alyse Wax for her recent article about an Australian artist called DrFaustusAu who has taken some of H.P. Lovecraft's most well known stories and made them suitable for kids!  He has turned them into books done in the style of infamous kids author Dr. Seuss! 

  In addition to the full stories, he has also made some great covers based on some great horror movies, these too done in the style of Dr. Suess books.  Some of his fake covers include THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE EVIL DEAD, and SILENT HILL just to name a few!  Check out DrFaustusAU's website to take a look at all his great artwork!!



CLICK HERE to read THE CALL OF CTHULHU for beginning readers
CLICK HERE to read THE TOMB for beginning readers
CLICK HERE to read DAGON for beginning readers

Check out Dollar Bin Horror's latest giveaway!

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My friend Rhonny Reaper is giving away a great new prize over at her DOLLAR BIN HORROR blog  (one of the best horror blogs on the net, in my opinion!).  Rhonny always has some great prizes and contests, and this time is no different.  Up for grabs this time, is a very cool  CTHUHLU SHIRT from Tshirtbordello.com!  Entering is super easy, just go on over to the DOLLAR BIN HORROR giveaway post (link below) and leave a comment with your name, email, and a short message on why you want this cool prize.   The winner will be announced on April 5th, so enter soon!

CLICK THE DOLLAR BIN HORROR BANNER BELOW TO VISIT THE GIVEAWAY POST AND ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

DVD Review: COLOUR FROM THE DARK (2008)

I finally got a chance to watch Vanguard Cinema's release, COLOUR FROM THE DARK. Don’t let the confusing title fool you; this is one solid horror film, and it is one of the best I have seen so far this year.
In a genre filled with remakes, reboots, and rehashes of previously-done-plots, this film stands out as a unique vision in the world of horror. The premise is based loosely on a story by H.P. Lovecraft titled ‘The Colour Out of Space’, which was published back in 1927. Here is the basic plot synopsis from imdb.com:

Pietro and Lucia live on an isolated farm with Alice, Lucia's younger sister. They are poor farmers and live by tilling the soil. Pietro is a good worker and a strong man who, unlike his three brothers, is not at war (World War II) because of a deformed knee. Lucia is a beautiful and reserved woman, who is dedicated to her family. Their life is peaceful and good, in spite of the hard work. One day, while drawing water from the well, Pietro and Alice accidentally free ‘something’ from Earth's womb. A strange color flashes underwater, and then disappears. From that moment on, inexplicable events start happening all around the farm, and by night the surrounding vegetation glitters with a sinister glow. The color soon takes hold of the whole farm, and seeps inside Pietro and his family's minds, drawing them into its sick world of pain, blood and death.

From the moment the opening credits started to roll, this movie enthralled me. It is visually beautiful and shot with the grace and precision of a master-cinematographer. The plot is interesting and develops quickly, giving you just enough information to build upon as the story progresses. The pacing is perfect, building up to a climax that will leave you wanting the movie to continue, even as the ending credits roll. And the actors are superb, with screen veteran Debbie Rochon leading a stellar cast.
The cinematography, the settings, the acting, the suspense…everything is right in place with COLOUR FROM THE DARK. The film even contains one of the creepiest children’s dolls I have ever seen! It will make you squirm, for sure. Even the gore is right in line. One of the greatest scenes in the film is when Rochon’s character starts cutting her own face off with a straight-razor! Talk about intense!
This movie is very engaging and kept me riveted for the full 93 minutes of its run-time. I cannot say enough about the cinematography…you will simply have to see it to believe it. Probably the most amazing aspect of this is the fact that it looks like it was filmed on a standard video-camera; the shots are so well done, however, that you can’t tell!
I can’t say anymore about the plot because I might give too much away. But definitely check this one out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Hopefully we will see more from director Ivan Zuccon soon!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for COLOUR FROM THE DARK
CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of COLOUR FROM THE DARK on dvd

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Vanguard Cinema

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

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

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