R.I.P. Gunnar Hansen

 Sad news this morning in the horror world.  I awoke to news that genre legend Gunnar Hansen has passed away.   Hansen died Saturday of pancreatic cancer at the age of 68. 

  Hansen was best known for his iconic role as 'Leatherface" in the 1974 film, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, but was cast in many more memorable roles throughout his 40+ year career including roles in films such as HOLLYWOOD CHAINSAW HOOKERS, MOSQUITO, HELLBLOCK 13, and 2013's TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D.   Mr. Hansen also wrote the book, CHAINSAW CONFIDENTIAL, detailing the behind the scenes making of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. 

  I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Hansen at TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND back in 2013. He was a very nice man for sure.   Mr. Hansen's role as Leatherface will be one that lives on for many generations to come, and probably forever.  He truly is a legend in the horror community and will be missed by millions of fans all over the world.

 R.I.P.  Gunnar Hansen

Blu-ray Review: MOSQUITO (1995)

MOSQUITO
Directed by Gary Jones
Distributed by  Synapse Films / CAV Distributing

  Once again, I am reviewing a film I have always heard of, but have never had the chance to see.  MOSQUITO has long been out of print on DVD, and was going for big bucks on ebay.  I was about to think I would never see this film until now!  The great folks at Synapse Films have put together a remarkable release of this cult favorite!   For those not familiar, here is the basic plot of the film from the Synapse website:

  Science-fiction becomes horrifyingly real for a park full of innocent campers, as a hideous horde of mutated mosquitos viciously attack without warning! A band of survivors flees the bloodthirsty swarm in a death-defying attempt to warn the world of the mosquito menace. Led by a brave young couple and a resourceful government agent, the group realizes their only hope is to take on the bloodthirsty bugs in an explosive final showdown! A chilling blend of sci-fi, humor and old-school horror, MOSQUITO is a tour de force of terror. Starring genre icon Gunnar Hansen (the original “Leatherface” from THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE) and the late, great Ron Asheton (founding member of the punk rock band, The Stooges), MOSQUITO is a gore-drenched tale made with traditional stop-motion and practical effects!

  I love finding hidden gems like this film.  Most of today's new horror films just can't compare to most of these older films.  One thing you'll notice right off the bat with this film is that all of the gore is done by practical effects!  That is a huge plus in my book.  The computer generated effects look really fake most of the time, especially when dealing with blood/gore.   The mosquitos look awesome in this film and the damage they do is pretty crazy.   Most all of the kills come by the stabbing of people with the mosquito's proboscis, but one kill in particular stays on the guy as his blood is sucked from his body by the huge mosquito, resulting in a very gruesome, eye-popping effect! 

   The acting in this film is good all around, and it was really fun to see screen legend Gunnar Hansen (a.k.a. Leatherface) on screen, especially when he yields his trusty chainsaw to take care of the overgrown bugs! I also really enjoyed actor Steve Dixon as the scientist looking for the meteor that hit.   Ron Asheton plays the park ranger that adds some comic relief to the film, which made the film even more fun.  

  I really wished this movie would have been horrible, because then I could have made some funny mosquito themed jokes like, this movie really sucked, or, I don't know what all the buzz was about...I'm sure I could come up with more.   The bottom line is, this movie was an incredibly fun and will be one I will revisit many times, I'm sure.   If you are a fan of creature features, you will want to add this one to your collection for sure! 

  MOSQUITO is available now from Synapse Films and CAV on DVD and Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

*  Audio Commentary with Director Gary Jones, Director of Photography and Co-Writer Tom Chaney, and Producer David Thiry
*  "Bugging Out!" The Making of Mosquito - Featurette
*  Deleted & Extended Scenes with Optional Director Commentary
*  Behind-the-Scenes Footage with Optional Director Commentary
*  Still Gallery
*  Theatrical Trailer
*  Reversible Cover Art


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