DVD Review: HAUNTEDWEEN (1991)

HAUNTEDWEEN
Written & Directed by Doug Robertson

  I love finding out about lesser known, independent horror films.  I find a lot more passion and heart goes into these films than a lot of the well known, mainstream horror films that we are constantly fed these days.   This was the case when I came across Doug Robertson's low budget horror film called, HAUNTEDWEEN.    I love checking out low budget horror films, and I am so glad I had to opportunity to watch this one!

 Here is the basic plot synopsis courtesy of the film's IMDb page:

  Twenty years ago a deadly accident forced Eddie Burber from his home. Since Eddie was younger he wanted to be part of the family business "The Burber Haunted House." A note is placed on the local Fraternity giving permission to use the old house as a fund-raiser. While the students prepare the house, they soon are hunted down and placed in the Haunted House for amusement. One thing is for sure. Nobody knows it really happening - People are dying, and people are laughing.

 First thing I have to get out of the way right away is to mention again that this is a very low budget movie.   Know that going into the film and you will have a lot of fun with this one.  Yes, you have to get past some pretty bad acting, but it is still a lot of fun.   I could tell from the beginning that this was a film made by horror fans that knew what other horror fans wanted in a film.   They did not disappoint at all!

 The film has a very cool premises of a killer that makes his way inside a haunted house and turns one of the supposedly fake rooms into an actual killing room.   In this room, the maniac kills off the college kids one by one, in some crazy, bloody ways.  All this happens while the customers of the haunted house look on and cheer the killer on, believing what they are watching was set up by the makers of the haunted house.   It's really quite eerie if you think about it, and makes you wonder if this has or ever could happen in real life.  

  All of the effects are practical, of course, and the filmmakers did an amazing job with the budget they were working with.  

 If you are a fan of low budget, independent cinema, you will definitely want to give this one a watch.   The DVD is available now and contains the following special features:

*  45 minute making of Documentary
*  Photo Album of the cast and crew
*  Director and Producer running commentary
*  Scene titles and jump to feature
*  Hauntedween - the music video
*  Original movie trailer


CLICK HERE to view the HAUNTEDWEEN Facebook page
CLICK HERE to visit the HAUNTEDWEEN website and purchase the DVD

CD Review: MUSIC TO BE BURIED BY by Gravetone Productions

MUSIC TO BE BURIED BY
Music CD by Grave Tone Productions

  One of the great things I ran across at this year's Texas Frightmare Convention, was the Grave Tone Productions booth.  As I got near the booth I heard some great music coming from a speaker system they had set up.  It was a very cool sound so I stopped and talked a bit.  I left with a copy of their 1st CD, MUSIC TO BE BURIED BY.  I have been listening to it off and on the car on the way to and from work over the past couple of weeks and I find myself liking it more and more with every listen.

  According to their website, "Grave Tone composes music for films, sound design for film/tv, haunted attractions, websites and more."   I have heard some music similar to this in the past, made for use in horror films and haunted houses and such, but I have never heard anything quite like this. This is haunted house music pumped up with some heavy metal mixed in.  All of the songs are written and arranged by Grave Tone Productions, and they have some very talented musicians on hand.  All of the songs are very well done, and the heavy guitar riffs add a very cool edge to the creepy sound of the album.  A lot of the songs make you think you're listening to the soundtrack of a horror movie, which is obviously what the musicians were going for.

  If you have never heard anything by this talented group of musicians, I urge you to check their stuff out as soon as you can.  MP3's of their songs are available on iTunes, CDBaby, and Amazon,  or click the link below to purchase a physical CD.


CLICK HERE to purchase the CD

Have you watched the trailer for the POLTERGEIST remake yet?

 If not, do yourself a favor and check it out now!  I haven't really been too excited about any new horror films coming out lately, but this one looks like it could be really good!  I loved the original POLTERGEIST and can't wait to see what producer Sam Raimi's Ghost House Pictures does with this new film.  Here is the plot of the new film from the movie's imdb.com page:

  Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi and director Gil Kenan reimagine and contemporize the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is invaded by angry spirits. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and take the youngest daughter, the family must come together to rescue her.

  POLTERGEIST is scheduled to hit theaters on July 24, 2015 in both 2D and 3D versions.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

Check out the trailer for THE SCAREHOUSE

  I recently read an article about an upcoming horror film called, THE SCAREHOUSE.  I haven't really seen too many new horror movies coming out lately that I was excited by, so I was happy to hear about this one and see the trailer for it.   Here is the basic plot from the film's imdb page:

When two friends open a Halloween fun house on Devil's Night it is all fun and games until their former sorority sisters begin to arrive. These six sisters are confronted by their past as the night spins out of control.

 The trailer looks like this could be a very fun film!  THE SCAREHOUSE is set to debut on VOD and iTunes October 21st.  I have not seen a blu-ray/dvd release date yet.  



CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for THE SCAREHOUSE

Check out the trailer for the upcoming film, THE BABADOOK

    Holy cow this movie look creepy as hell!!   It's called THE BABADOOK from director Jennifer Kent.  Here is the the basic plot from the film's imdb page:

A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.

Check out the trailer and let me know what you think.  I think this movie looks super creepy. I will be checking this one out for sure.  I haven't found a release date for this one yet, but it should be coming out sometime this year.  


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

Check out the creepy trailer for Eric Hurt's horror thriller, HOUSE HUNTING

 
 I just got a press release for the film HOUSE HUNTING, and I jut had to share it.  I knew nothing about this film before reading the press release, but it looks like it is going to be a very fun film.  It is a haunted house flick, which I love.  Here is the basic plot courtesy of Phase 4 Films:

Two families attend an open house in the hopes of finding their dream home. Upon entering, their dream quickly becomes a hellish nightmare when they realize that every attempt to leave takes them right back to the front door. Stuck in this purgatory, the two families are haunted by the deserted home’s former owner with the declaration that only one of the two families will be able to call this house their home.
 
  Phase 4 Films has released some wonderful genre films lately, and it looks like this will be another great one to add to the list!  The film is directed by Eric Hurt, and is being released on Video On Demand by Phase 4 Films.  In fact, the film is available now on Comcast, Cox, Insight and Cable Vision!   Check out this film asap!  Let me know what you think of it once you see it!

Also, you gotta love the cool, retro looking movie poster!   Very nice!
 
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

Blu-ray review: DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (2010)

 
  
DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
Directed by:  Troy Nixey
Distributed by:  Sony Home Entertainment

 DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK is one of those films that I wanted to see in the theater, but never got the chance to.   I recently was able to check it out on the newly released Blu-ray from Sony Home Entertainment, and overall, I thought this was a wonderful film.  Here is the basic plot from the Sony Home Entertainment website:
 
 Sally, a young girl, moves to Rhode Island to live with her father and his new girlfriend in the 19th-century mansion they are restoring. While exploring the house, Sally starts to hear voices coming from creatures in the basement whose hidden agenda is to claim her as one of their own.

 I knew with a screenplay by Guillermo del Toro, that this was probably going to be a good film.   But not only was the story good, it was just so well made.  The cinematography is amazing, as are the sets and outdoor scenery.  The movie just looks good, from every aspect.   
 
 Another great thing I noticed about this film while watching it, was the great music and sound effects.  The film is full of creepy, moody, music and some wonderful sound effects.  The main ones being the whispering voices that young Sally hears coming from the house.    These voices were very creepy, especially when watching the film in 5.1 surround sound.
 
 Now, don't get me wrong...I really liked this film, but if I have to mention that I was slightly disappointed when I found out the things haunting the house were little creature things.  I really don't know what to call them and they were really never explained.  They look like a cross between a small troll and a chinchilla.   I guess I was just more surprised by this than anything....maybe if I knew going in that this was a "creature feature" type film, I would have been ok with it, but I was expecting a more typical haunted house style film where the house was haunted by more human spirits.  But, if you know about the creatures going in, then maybe you won't be disappointed.  Again, don't think this means I didn't enjoy this film.  I did, and I recommend it to anyone, it just took me off guard, that is all. 
 
The Blu-ray is packed with special features including a Conceptual Art Gallery, and a 3 part Making-Of Documentary which includes "The Story", "Blackwood's Mansion", and "The Creatures".
 
Also, just for fun, check out the official website of the film for a fun interactive search and find game!


CLICK HERE to visit the official website and watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

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: 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