Rue Morgue Magazine issue #99 is on stands now!

The April issue of Rue Morgue Magazine in on newsstands now, and check out this amazing cover art. Half old Freddy, half new Freddy, the newest issue of Rue Morgue is a must have for you Horror collectors!! The issue has a great interview with both Robert Englund and Jackie Earle Haley, who plays the newest version of Freddy Krueger in the this months A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET remake.
Also in this issue is a great story on the crazy film, THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE, which I mentioned a few posts back.
If you haven't already, get your copy today!!

DVD Review: MASKHEAD (2009)

I just recently finished watching Toe Tag Pictures' release of MASKHEAD, and I think I am still traumatized from it! This movie is messed up. It is sick, twisted, demented, and just plain dirty...so naturally, I loved it! I did feel the need to take a shower after watching it though, so be prepared to feel dirty after watching this film. The film was written by Scott Swan, and was directed by both Swan and Fred Vogel.

Here is the basic plot synopsis from the Toe Tag Pictures website:

Maskhead tells the depraved tale of Syl and Maddie, a lesbian couple who produce extreme fetish and dark specialty movies. With the help of their sociopathic associate, The Cowboy, the ladies audition numerous up-and-coming talent to act in their top selling, stomach-turning fetish series: "MASKHEAD", which features a large man in a bizarre mask who tortures and kills his "co-stars" on camera. Everyone has a fetish. What's yours? What turns you on?

That is really more of a plot than I could have ever come up with after watching the film. It is basically just Syl and Maddie, auditioning guys and girls for their films, (which we see through the eyes of their video camera), and then a cut scene to them "performing" in the film which finally leads to their murder. Each killing is different and more gruesome than the last. The acting is pretty good for a film of this caliber, and the gore effects are outstanding! I really think we might need to look into the making of this film, because some of these effects look so real, I wonder if they are actually fake or not! Not really, but I just want to make a point on how good the effects are. The main one is a man who is strapped in a chair and the main killer, known as Maskhead, breaks the man's arm with a hammer. His arm is bent and the skin is broken as blood pours out of the wound. This effect was very well done and the make up/effects crew on this film should be congratulated on the job they did.

The film also has some dark humor thrown in for good measure, mainly from the tales and the actions from the character of "The Cowboy".....I bet you can't guess where he looses his ring? ICK!! I quiver just thinking about it. Mainstream Horror fans probably won't like MASKHEAD, but if you like underground, grittier Horror films, then you will like this for sure. Also, fans of the "torture-porn" genre as it has been called (eg. the SAW and HOSTEL films) will like this film as well.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for MASKHEAD

CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of MASKHEAD on dvd from Toe Tag Pictures

CONGRATULATIONS to our latest giveaway winners!!!

Congratulations to our winners of giveaway #6! Our winners are Rhonny Reaper , who runs the awesome DOLLAR BIN HORROR blog, and James Cortez who runs the equally awesome, PLANET OF TERROR blog! Each of these fellow horror bloggers will receive a copy of Stockholm Syndrome Film's MADNESS on dvd.

If you didn't win this time, don't worry, you can CLICK HERE to buy your own DVD copy of MADNESS from amazon.com!

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Stockholm Syndrome Film

Thanks to everyone that entered....there will usually be a giveaway going on at all times, so enter the next one if you didn't win this one. Giveaway #7 is already up and running! CLICK HERE to go to the original giveaway #7 post to enter for your chance to win a copy of TONY on dvd!!

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

DVD Review: DEADLANDS 2: TRAPPED

The zombie genre never gets old for me.

As such, I am more than thankful there are tons of titles out there in the ‘land of the dead’ for me to choose from. But this blessing can be a curse. Directors cannot redo what has already been done otherwise the fad will start to fade. The trick to keeping the genre alive is to keep the ideas fresh and the plots original. Anyone can put a few walking corpses on film…but it’s what you do with them that makes the movie.

DEADLANDS 2: TRAPPED makes good use of a unique premise and location to help keep the zombie genre ‘alive and well’, if you’ll pardon the pun. Set primarily in a movie theater, the film follows six people who have taken refuge inside the building to escape a zombie infestation that has overtaken their town. The zombies are a result of a government biological-weapon test. When a new nerve gas is released into the town’s population, it kills the townsfolk but then reanimates them and sparks a zombie apocalypse.

For being a low-budget venture, this film is remarkably well done. The pacing is perfect and the plot moves quickly along. The camera angles work very well, however I have to point out that many of the scenes are so dark that it is sometimes difficult to tell what is happening. The special effects team is to be commended for their zombie effects. And although the gore scenes are few, they are definitely done with gusto and flair; my favorite one involves two zombies tearing a man’s face off. The acting talent in the film is spot-on also, for the most part. I have to admit that I was not too impressed with them in the pre-zombie- apocalypse scenes, though. The cast is phenomenal during the dramatic parts, capturing the intensity of each moment perfectly, but the small-talk and no-drama scenes lack a bit of plausibility to me for some reason.

The only part of this movie that completely threw me off was the very beginning. When the movie started playing, I thought for a second that I had put the wrong DVD in the player. The grainy image of an Elvira-like vixen in a graveyard made me wonder what it was that I was watching. But when this character turned out to be a sort of narrator, I began to understand what the filmmaker was trying to accomplish. As it turns out, Helena, the ‘Hussy of Horror’ as she dubs herself, gives us a very brief glimpse into the upcoming movie. I was disappointed to discover she did not show up at the end of the film however.

I have to give credit to the production team for the attention to detail they gave the film. They did an excellent job with the details for each scene, right down to every minor prop and effect. I especially liked the military uniforms and weapons. I found a short feauturette in the Special Features about the costumes and weapons used for the film. It was very interesting, as it was hosted by the military advisor to the film. As it turns out, the military uniforms and equipment used in this film were exact replicas of those being used in Afghanistan right now. The production team definitely did their homework. I also liked how the filmmaker gave a nod to his previous DEADLANDS production: in the background of one scene, the movie marquee lists DEADLANDS: THE RISING as one of the movies playing.

Overall, this movie is well done, entertaining, and definitely one to add to your collection. It is uplifting to see low-budget movies with this kind of quality. I will be surprised if I do not see director Gary Ugarek behind the camera of a major Hollywood motion picture production within the next couple of years.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for DEADLANDS 2: TRAPPED

CLICK HERE to view the official website of the DEADLANDS TRILOGY

CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of DEADLANDS 2: TRAPPED on dvd

CLICK HERE to view the official website of Anthem Pictures

This week's Horror related DVD releases: 4/6/10.....AND....you can win a FREE DVD of one of this weeks' releases!!

Here are the Horror related dvd's coming out Tuesday, April 6th 2010:

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

* AUTUMN

* BLOOD FOREST

* BLOOD RED MOON

* BLOOD TIES: THE COMPLETE SERIES
* THE DAMNED
* MALPRACTICE
* SENSORED
* TAXIDERMIA
* TONY

A couple great movies are coming out this Tuesday. Check out TAXIDERMIA if you haven't seen a trailer yet...it is a Hungarian film that is just twisted. Also, check out the trailer for the remarkable film, TONY. I did review of TONY just a couple of days ago which can be seen by CLICKING HERE.

And hey, guess what? The fine folks at REVOLVER ENTERTAINMENT have supplied me with a brand new copy of TONY to give away to one of my lucky readers!! To enter, become a Follower of this blog if you are not already, then leave a comment telling me what your favorite serial killer movie is.....or actually was, because after you watch TONY, I'm sure it will be your new favorite!!

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).
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2. Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite serial killer movie is. Include in the post 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).
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3. Only one comment per person. Multiple comments will result in removal of all your comments therefore removing your chances of winning!
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4. Contest is scheduled to end on Wednesday, April 14th, 2010. Comments must be left by NOON Central time on 4/14/10 in order to count towards the contest.
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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.
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6. Due to shipping costs, contest is open to U.S. Residents only. Thank you for your understanding.
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GOOD LUCK!!

DVD Review: PENANCE (2009)

Let me start of by saying this is an amazing film. One that probably not too many people have heard of, but definitely should have. With as many Horror films as I have seen, it is not often that a film has something in it that I have never seen before. This movie did. It is not often that a movie makes me uncomfortable while watching it. This movie did. This movie is twisted and demented and I loved every single minute of it. PENANCE was produced, written, and directed by Jake Kennedy.

Here is the plot synopsis from the MVD Entertainment website:

Based on a true character, and from the award winning horror writer/director of 'Days of Darkness', and the producer of the indie horror hit 'Automaton Transfusion', comes a cautionary tale that will make you squirm and twist in your seat. With unrelenting suspense and terror, Penance is the tale of a young, demure single mother, Amelia (Marieh Delfino), who hits upon hard times and decides to take her future into her own hands and becomes a stripper. Everything is going well until Suzy, her stripper friend, is beaten up on a job and recruits Amelia to take her place. Reluctantly, Amelia takes the job, only to find the job isn't everything it seems. Driven to a strange location by a dark and mysterious man (Tony Todd), and confronted by a grizzled hit man (Michael Rooker), Amelia's world is turned upside down, as her captor (the mind bending Graham McTavish), is intent on one thing and one thing only - to purify Amelia and the other women in his incarceration.

This is one of the better movies I have watched in a long time. The film starts off fun and uplifting, with Amelia talking about why she is having to turn to stripping to pay her debts. She has a best friend that is a stripper, Suzy, that teaches her the basics. They have fun at first, but then after Suzy is beat up, Amelia realizes that this is not the life for her and swears she will not strip again. That is until Suzy offers her one last job that pays big money. Amelia can't resist the thought of being able to get out of debt, and decides to take this one last job. It was a decision that will change Amelia's life forever. She is driven to a secret location by a chauffeur played by veteran Horror actor Tony Todd. The place looks to be some sort of hospital and she soon meets the "staff", which includes another veteran Horror actor, Michael Rooker, and Graham McTavish, who plays the leader of this demented hospital staff. Amelia soon realizes that these people are not going to let here go anytime soon. She also realizes that she is not the only girl here, as there are many others who are being held captive. She witnesses first hand brutal beatings, whippings, and electrocutions being performed on the girls. Amelia attempts an escape and films the whole thing, hoping to get video evidence that she can someday use to bring these vicious people to justice. The escape attempt is seen through her camera in a first person view, that is very terrifying. Even after all the beatings, Amelia swears not to give up and to get revenge on these people.

The film is full of some great gore scenes, esp. one that the PENANCE official website says is "the most outrageously graphic scene in movie history". Now that is a huge statement, but one I cannot argue with. I can't think of any scene in any other film I have ever seen that has bothered me more. I won't go into any details, as you really must see it for yourself.
I must note here that the music is wonderful throughout the film and really sets the creepy tone for the film. The acting is wonderful as well, from all the veteran actors, to the lesser known actors such as Eve Mauro and especially Marieh Delfino, who plays Amelia. Her torture scenes are among the worst and are made to be very believable through her wonderful acting skills.

The dvd is an Unrated Director's Cut with a run time of 85 minutes, and includes the following special features:

-How to strip featurette with Eve Mauro and Marieh Delfino
-3 alternate endings

-Interviews of the cast in character

-Anatomy of a scene

-Interview with the director

-Behind the scenes Featurette

-Commentary with the director

-Commentary with the director and producer

-Deleted scenes

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for PENANCE

CLICK HERE to purchase PENANCE on dvd from Seeofsound.com

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of PENANCE

DVD Review: TONY (2009)

The UK serial killer film TONY was written and directed by Gerard Johnson and is being distributed here in the U.S. by Revolver Entertainment. The film follows around the socially inept Tony, and shows how this simple man deals with his problems the only way he knows how..by killing. Here is the full plot synopsis from the Revolver Entertainment website:

A week in the life of Tony, an alienated psychopath with severe social problems, an obsession for action films and a horrible moustache. Unemployed and unemployable, Tony prowls the streets, his nervous attempts to make human connections rebuffed by laughter or contempt. Occasionally he snaps, and violence is the result…

This is a very dark film, and very disturbing on many levels. The camera follows around Tony as he walks the streets of London and we see how socially awkward Tony really is, through his many attempts at making conversations with normal people. Tony lives alone and is at his best when he is alone, and prefers it that way. The few times he tries to bring someone over to his apartment ends up bad, as Tony always manages to mess things up and has to deal with them the only way he knows how. The scenes of the killings are pretty disturbing and will definitely have an effect on the viewer. Also to note, is the scenes that take place after the killings, which show Tony disposing of the bodies. He has everything worked out perfectly and you can tell he has done this many times before. Tony has killing down to an art, and he is a masterpiece of his medium.
The acting in this film is remarkably well done, especially on the part of lead actor Peter Ferdinando who plays Tony. He is extremely believable as the troubled introvert Tony. The supporting cast does an excellent job as well. The music in the film is very well done also, including an exceptional score by British musician Matt Johnson of the 80's band The The.
The film has received some comparisons to the 1986 classic HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER and I feel that is very warranted. This film is gritty and disturbing. It is a classic in the making that I'm sure will be talked about for years to come.

TONY will be released on dvd this Tuesday, April 6th and is available for preorder now from Revolver Entertainment.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for TONY
CLICK HERE to visit the official website for the film TONY
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Revolver Entertainment and pre-order your copy of TONY on dvd

Check out the trailer for THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE

My buddy Scott over at the Shattered Ravings blog, told me about this film he read about on the Quiet Earth website. He thought it might be something I would want to put on my blog, and boy was he right! This looks like one crazy F'ed up movie....just like I like them! It is called THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE: FIRST SEQUENCE and it is just what it sounds like.
Here is the plot summary from imdb.com:

Outside the more outré work of Takashi Miike and David Cronenberg, you wont have seen anything quite like Dutch avant-garde artist Tom Six totally bizarre off-the-wall oddity. Internationally respected Siamese twin surgeon Dr. Josef Heiter has a demented vision for mankinds future existence. He wants to remove human beings kneecaps so they have to exist on all fours and then surgically graft them mouth-to-anus to form a centipede chain. When two stranded female Americans arrive at his luxury home-cum-hospital looking for help, his long-gestating plan swiftly moves into chilling action with a shocking force. Kidnapping a third Japanese male tourist he begins the tissue matches, teeth removal and buttock moulding to create his triplet creature The First Sequence in Sixs intended trilogy features truly unforgettable imagery, clinically dazzling direction and a so-far-round-the-bend mad doctor performance from German superstar Dieter Laser you'll scream. Behold the grotesque New Flesh. If you dare!

WOW! You had me at mouth-to-anus grafting! HA. What a crazy concept. I can't imagine how anyone could come up with this idea, but I sure am glad they did! The film was written and directed by Tom Six, so I guess we have him to thank for this crazy flick. Apparently the film is part of a planed trilogy, with THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE II: FULL SEQUENCE due next. The film is slated for an April 30th limited theatrical release from IFC Films. Hopefully it wont take too long to get to DVD, as I am really wanting to check this one out! Click on the link below to watch the trailer and let me know what you think!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE: FIRST SEQUENCE

DVD Review: BULLETFACE (2010)

If you have not heard of the film, BULLETFACE, then you are missing out on an extremely enjoyable film. The film was written by Randall Fontana and directed by Albert Pyun, and can be summed up with one word...style. This is a very stylistic film that keeps you entertained the entire running time. The acting and direction is excellent and this is my favorite film of Mr. Pyun's so far! Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:

The story is set along the Mexico/California Border, principally in Imperial Beach, CA. It concerns a female DEA agent, Dara Maren, who, in protecting her petty criminal younger brother, gets herself arrested and imprisoned in a nightmarish penal colony outside Tijuana. You can guess how bad it gets in there -- prison officials even harvest organs from the inmates. While she's in prison, Dara's brother is murdered by a drug lord who's creating a new DNA-altering drug made from human spinal fluid tapped from the living. Hundreds of dead bodies are turning up along the Border, and the drug addicts become something less than human. The drug is so addictive that even law enforcement and government officials are on the stuff. A rogue FBI agent bribes the prison officials to let Dara out to avenge her brother's murder as well as bring down the drug lord in ways the Feds cannot. When Dara comes out of prison, she is not the same person who went in. The catch? She only gets a 60-hour get-out-of-jail card and must return to the prison to serve out her 20-year sentence, or the FBI agent, who got her out, must take her place.

While not necessarily a Horror film, it has some horror elements, and is just a freaking cool movie so I feel it definitely deserves some recognition on this site! The style of the film is excellent. I loved the way the characters are introduced, with the frame being paused as they come onscreen and their character name being printed on screen. There is also the used of some split screen shots that is very interesting. The music is also very good in the film and the look and sharpness of the film is very impressive. There is a lot of gun play and some pretty violent scenes of Dara getting raped and beaten in the Tijuana prison. The theme of revenge is strong and is reminiscent of the 70's grindhouse style of revenge flicks and reminds one of the lead character from I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE. The character of Dara is out to seek revenge for her brothers death and she is not going to let anybody stand in her way. Dara is an beautiful but strong character who doesn't back down from anyone. As I said, the gun play is plentiful, so expect lots of great action from this film. As a Horror fan, I especially liked the plot line about the new drug the drug lord is making out of human spinal fluid. The method by which they extract it is very brutal and is the basis for some of my favorite scenes.

The BULLETFACE dvd is presented in a beautiful 5-Disc set and is available exclusively through AlbertPyunMovies.com! The 5-Disc set is comprised of the following:

-Bulletface: Feature Film in widescreen and 5.1 soundtrack DVD

-Bulletface: Special Director's Commentary Feature Film

-Bulletface Original Music Soundtrack + Songs by Elyzium CD

-Left for Dead: Inferno Version Feature Film DVD

-Left for Dead Original Music Soundtrack CD.

So, not only do you get the remarkable BULLETFACE movie, you also get an earlier work of director Albert Pyun's, LEFT FOR DEAD! This set is a steal at the regular price of $29.99, but for a limited time you can order the 5-Disc set for only $17.99 + s&h. That is 40% off the regular price! Do not miss out on this great deal!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for BULLETFACE

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of director Albert Pyun

CLICK HERE to purchase your 5-Disc set of BULLETFACE

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Also, to read another opinion on the film, read my buddy Scott's review over at the Shattered Ravings blog by clicking here.

KILLER CUP 3-D coming soon!!

A while back I posted a review of the great short films, KILLER CUP and KILLER CUP 2 (click here to see that original post). We now have news that KILLER CUP 3 is on it's way, and this time it is in 3-D! CLICK HERE to watch the first teaser trailer for KILLER CUP 3-D! As soon as the second teaser trailer is released, I will let you know! The films are produced by A.Normale Productions and are a lot of fun. If you haven't seen them, I highly suggest you get a copy of the first two KILLER CUP films. The Double Feature DVD and all the rest of the great films from A.Normale Productions can be bought from their web store by CLICKING HERE.

Guest DVD Review: PONTYPOOL (2008)

Welcome to another Guest Review on Hayes Hudson's House of Horror! Tonight's reviewer is a returning reviewer, Matthew Scott Baker. Scott is a Science Fiction author (check out and purchase his books HERE) and is the moderator of the Sci-Fi themed Shattered Ravings blog. Scott recently watched the movie PONTYPOOL and was kind enough to share his thoughts about the movie with us:

PONTYPOOL
Directed by Bruce McDonald

It should be no surprise that my second movie review for Hayes Hudson’s House of Horror is yet another zombie film. Anyone that knows me knows how fanatical I am about the zombie genre. For some reason, and I’m not exactly sure why, I find the living dead to be better movie-companions than vampires and werewolves…well, for the most part, anyway.

Pontypool is a smart Canadian excursion into zombie madness. Set in a small town named Pontypool (somewhere in an unnamed Canadian province), the film begins as a snowstorm is blanketing the town with several feet of snow. An ex-shock-jock DJ named Grant Mazzy arrives at work for his new gig—as a small-town, low-key DJ. Something unspoken forced him out of his previous high-brow job and into this lowly position.

But low-key is just the opposite of what this day turns out to be as reports soon begin to filter in via phone and e-mail of horrific attacks happening within the town…something is causing the citizens to go crazy and attack each other, with some of the victims being torn apart and/or eaten! The eye-in-the-sky weatherman even calls in to give play-by-play commentary on the events as they unfold.

Mazzy and his two-person radio staff are forced to isolate themselves inside the radio station. They learn that a virus of some sort is overtaking the citizens of the town, and as a result is forcing them into these brutal acts. But the town doctor arrives, seeking sanctuary after escaping a hungry mob of townsfolk, and offers a horrifying glimpse into how the virus might be spreading. And while the world outside unravels, Mazzy and his crew contemplate their very existence, wondering if survival is even worthwhile.

First off, let me say that overall, this movie is very well done. It did tend to drag in certain parts, which is not good because the movie is only 93 minutes long. But once it regained momentum, the story was off once more with a vengeance.

The unique aspect of how the virus is transmitted has, to my knowledge, not been seen before in any zombie movie. I was very impressed with the idea, although I did not like the way the doctor came to the conclusion about it so quickly. It was basically one of those “Oh, by the way, I had this brainstorm…” type of situations that have no credibility with me (or most viewers, I would imagine) and tend to take me quickly out of my reality-detachment-immersion.
The other downside to this movie is the lack of watchable zombie attacks. Many are heard over speakers or even assumed, but there are very few that are actually seen on-screen. This goes along with a general lack of gore throughout the film as well. One of the simple joys I have with zombie movies is the splatter-fest that erupts from multiple headshots. I mean, who wouldn’t like that? In this film, there are no headshots that I can recall, but there is one choice piece of gore that had me rewinding the scene to watch it over and over again; it occurs when one of the infected townspeople projectile-vomits blood and internal organs all over a window as she’s dying. It is definitely something you have to see to appreciate.

Although this is more of a psychological zombie movie than a traditional living dead scenario, it still works and is still a true credit to the genre. It is nice to see directors who are not afraid to push the limits of the zombie mythos and even create new aspects to add to it. And with a tagline like “Shut Up or Die”, this movie is definitely a positive addition to the genre.

MSB

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for PONTYPOOL

Editors note: The reviews and opinions expressed by our guest reviewers are not associated with or necessarily shared with those of Hayes Hudson's House of Horror. If you would like to be a guest reviewer on the 4H blog, feel free to contact me at hch91@hotmail.com. Guest reviewers are not compensated for their reviews.

DVD Review: SLAUGHTERED VOMIT DOLLS

Unearthed Films and Breaking Glass Pictures presents, SLAUGHTERED VOMIT DOLLS! With a name like that, you kinda know what you are in for here.

Here is the plot synopsis from imdb.com:

The gruesome tapestry of psychological manifestations of a nineteen year old bulimic runaway stripper-turned prostitute as she descends into a hellish pit of satanic nightmares and hallucinations.

Now, how they got that plot from this film I will never know. There really isn't anything that could be considered a story line or plot here. This an experimental gore film that is there not to tell a story, but merely to shock and disgust you, which they definitely succeed at. The film is just a montage of women, obviously drugged out and talking to the camera. The camera work is jerky and moves in and out of focus, and the sound is especially creepy, with the voices of the women slowed down to a deeper voice than they should have. The films is very slow in parts with the woman on screen rambling about religion and the occult. If you watch this for the gore, then you are in luck, as the gore scenes are incredible. Scenes include eyeballs being gouged out, a woman's face cut and peeled away while still alive, and a woman's arm sawed off while she watches. I found myself fast forwarding to get to the gore scenes, because the rest of the film is even more disgusting than these previously mentioned scenes! Based on the title, you knew it was coming...yes, the vomit. I don't even like that word. Let's use the less gross term throw-up from now on. Seeing people throw-up can be funny (i.e. Steve-O from the JACKASS movies), but seeing them do so due to being drugged out and just crazy is not funny and utterly disgusting.

To sum up, this film is disgusting, vile, gross, horrendous, and any other of those type words you can think of. This is a new sub-genre of Horror that I have never witnessed before. Am I glad I watched it? Yes, because it is something I had never seen before and finding anything original these days in the world of Horror is a good thing. Would I want to watch it again? Definitely not. But who knows, years from now we could be studying this film as experimental art! Think that is a crazy statement? Well, I say that because I remember seeing a short film called "Un Chien Andalou", a 1928 French short film in which a close up of a woman's eyeball being slit open with a razor blade is shown. I saw this film while in college in my film history class. That film is considered a classic, well before it's time, and is studied in Universities across the country. So it is not crazy to think in 40-50 years, this might be what is studied in film lecture classes nationwide!
I would only recommend this if you have a strong stomach, aren't turned off by throw-up, and are looking for something you have never seen before. If you do watch it, have a barf bag ready and don't say I didn't warn ya!

CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of SLAUGHTERED VOMIT DOLLS from the Unearthed Films Store
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of BREAKING GLASS PICTURES

CLICK HERE to visit BREAKING GLASS PICTURES Facebook Fan Page

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of UNEARTHED FILMS

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

Here are the Horror related DVD's being released today, 3/30/2010

(click on the titles to see a trailer for that film)

* BIGFOOT

* GIRLY

* I SELL THE DEAD

* NEGATIVE HAPPY CHAINSAW EDGE

* THE SADIST WITH RED TEETH/FORBIDDEN PARIS (Double Feature)

* SMASH CUT

* VAMPYRES (blu-ray)

A couple of good titles coming out this week. Probably the best of the bunch will be I SELL THE DEAD. Click on the title above and check out the trailer if you haven't already. Also noteworthy is the dvd release of GIRLY (originally titled MUMSY, NANNY, SONNY, AND GIRLY). It is a film from 1970 and looks the trailer looks like it could be a great movie that most of us have probably never heard of before. Winning the best title of the week is NEGATIVE HAPPY CHAINSAW EDGE! Silly title, silly premise, but the movie itself looks absolutely beautiful in a CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS type of way...except this time with a chainsaw thrown in for good measure!

DVD Review: GORY GORY HALLELUJAH (2003)

GORY GORY HALLELUJAH is released by Indican Pictures and was written by Angie Louise and directed by Sue Corcoran. This is one of the better Horror/Comedies I have seen in a long time. There are some things that could be considered blasphemous to some due to some religious/Jesus jokes, so keep that in mind if you are easily offended. Here is the plot synopsis from the Indican Pictures website:

Inspired by the classic cult films, Seattle-based Corcoran and company have crafted a delightful B-movie musical biblical epic horror comedy. Obviously destined for cult status, Gory Gory Hallelujah will offend the humor-impaired—but everyone else will have a very good time. Four actors (a Black revolutionary, a bisexual hippie, a neurotic Jewish guy and a woman with sexual issues) audition for the role of Jesus. When they are all rejected, they hit the road on motorcycles to find on-stage glory in New York City. A fateful roadhouse run-in with a gang of Elvises strands the unlikely quartet in the town of Jackville. But the locals don't take kindly to blasphemers, alternative lifestyle choices, people of color—or anything else for that matter. Will our would-be saviors fall prey to evil small-town conspirators, flesh-eating zombies, or save the world from the Apocalypse?

I thoroughly enjoyed this film from beginning to end. One thing I have to point out is the acting. While you would normally expect horrible acting from a small silly film like this, the acting was actually extremely good. The plot can be a little confusing at times, but that doesn't take away from the fun of the film. The movie is definitely more toward the comedy side than the Horror side, but it still has its share of Horror, including a pitchfork through the abdomen scene and the best part of the film, the massive zombie uprising near the end that turns into a huge zombie musical number that must be seen to be believed! This is a great party film, that would be perfect for a group of friends to get together on a Saturday night to watch. In fact, this should be a must have for anyone living in a college dorm setting! So grab a group of friends and check out GORY GORY HALLELUJAH today!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for GORY GORY HALLELUJAH

CLICK HERE to purchase GORY GORY HALLELUJAH from Indican Pictures

Congratulations to JAMES SUGRUE, the winner of the Mr. Horror Blogosphere '09 award!!

The wait is over and the winner was announced......and the winner is: JAMES SUGRUE from the FEAR OF THE DARK blog. If you haven't checked out James' blog before, go do so now. It is a great site with tons of great horror news and reviews and is very deserving of this win! Congratulations James! Keep up the good work!!

Could this be the greatest movie ever?

Quiet Earth has recently posted a pic of the movie poster for the upcoming film, GLADIATORS V. WEREWOLVES: EDGE OF EMPIRE!

Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:

The Romans occupy Britannia and Hadrian's Wall divides the land, built to keep back the warrior tribes of Caledonia, and something far more dangerous; savage wolf-like creatures which roam the lowlands

GLADIATORS V. WEREWOLVES is being directed by Rob Green, who's last directorial effort was the 2001 film, THE BUNKER. If this movie is half as cool as this poster is then I can't wait! I will keep you updated with more details as they come along! Thanks to my buddy Scott over at the Shattered Ravings blog for bringing this film to my attention!

To read the entire article about the film on the Quiet Earth website, CLICK HERE

Happy Birthday QUENTIN TARANTINO!!

Today, March 27th, is Director Quentin Tarantino's birthday! I love Tarantino's films and want to wish him a happy birthday. Thanks for all the great movies you have given us genre fans!

By the way...have you heard that KILL BILL V. 3 has been announced? The KILL BILL films were some of Tarantino's finest work in my opinion, so I am super excited the the adventures of The Bride will continue!

Book Review: AMERICAN ZOMBIE GOTHIC by Kyle William Bishop

For all you zombie lovers out there, you will definitely need to add this book to your library. It is called AMERICAN ZOMBIE GOTHIC: THE RISE AND FALL (AND RISE) OF THE WALKING DEAD IN POPULAR CULTURE by Kyle William Bishop. You gotta love that sub-title! It is published by McFarland Publishers(http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/).

Here is the main description of the book from McFarland's website:

Zombie stories are peculiarly American, as the creature was born in the New World and functions as a reminder of the atrocities of colonialism and slavery. The voodoo-based zombie films of the 1930s and ’40s reveal deep-seated racist attitudes and imperialist paranoia, but the contagious, cannibalistic zombie horde invasion narrative established by George A. Romero has even greater singularity.
This book provides a cultural and critical analysis of the cinematic zombie tradition, starting with its origins in Haitian folklore and tracking the development of the subgenre into the twenty-first century. Closely examining such influential works as Victor Halperin’s White Zombie, Jacques Tourneur’s I Walked with a Zombie, Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2, Dan O’Bannon’s The Return of the Living Dead, Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, and, of course, Romero’s entire “Dead” series, it establishes the place of zombies in the Gothic tradition.

AMERICAN ZOMBIE GOTHIC discusses the meaning and popularity behind the zombie as a film character starting with the very first Zombie films such as WHITE ZOMBIE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE and going all the way to the modern zombie films such as George Romero's last zombie film, DIARY OF THE DEAD. Of course, a main part of this book is focused on what most film historians to be the greatest zombie film, Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD from 1968. Bishop goes very in depth with the early zombie films, discussing the origins of zombies from Haitian folklore and voodoo inspired films. He also notes the relationship between the zombies and the subject of slavery and the deep seeded racist attitudes of that generation. Bishop then goes on to discuss various films from each decade and goes "behind the scenes" so to speak, to bring out some of the real basis' and inspirations for some of the zombie films, including the Vietnam War and the commercialized society of the 1970' and '80's.
This is a great book full of great information and full of great pics from most all the zombie films discussed. Along with the Chapter Notes, bibliography, and index, the book also contains a filmography of all the movies discussed in the book. This is especially handy to use as a checklist of sorts in case you want to try to view all the zombie films discussed in the book. The book is softcover with 247 pages of pure zombie fun! Get your copy today!!


You can call McFarlands toll free order line at 1-800-253-2187 to purchase the book or order directly from McFarland's website by CLICKING HERE.

ATTACK OF THE MOVIE REMAKES!!!

While browsing the great Shattered Ravings blog, I found a post where blog author Scott Baker has put together a nice list of all the movies either already being re-made or in consideration for a remake. I went through and picked out the Horror themed ones. What do you think of these films being re-made? Any Horror films you think that should be re-made that haven't yet?

Movie Remakes Either in Production or Under Consideration

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Alien

An American Werewolf in London

And Soon the Darkness

Angel Heart

Anguish

Art of the Devil

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Battle Royale

Bride of Frankenstein

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Children of the Corn

Child’s Play

Creature From The Black Lagoon

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

Don’t Look in the Basement

Drop Dead Fred

Fright Night

Hellraiser

I Saw What You Did

I Spit on Your Grave

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

It

Lady Vengeance

Let the Right One In

Little Shop of Horrors

Martyrs

Motel Hell

Mother’s Day

Night of the Demons

Nightmare on Elm Street

Pet Sematary

Piranha

Poltergeist

Predator

Re-Animator

Room 205

Rosemary’s Baby

Scanners

Silent Night, Deadly Night

Straw Dogs

Suspiria

Tell No One

The Birds

The Blob

The Brood

The Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Fly

The Fury

The Gate

The Host

The Howling

The Orphanage

The Phantom

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Thing

They Live

Videodrome

Who Can Kill a Child

X: The Man With X-Ray Eyes

While some people are totally against remakes of classic or "perfect" horror movies, I actually like remakes. It brings the films to a new generation of fans and could actually get them interested in seeing the original films. And it is not like when a remake is made, the original is gotten rid of. We will always have the originals, so I say bring on the remakes. We love these stories and characters, so anytime I can see more of them, then so be it!!

What do you think about the remake craze in Hollywood right now??

To see the complete list of movies in consideration for a remake, view the original post on the Shattered Ravings blog by CLICKING HERE

DVD Review: THE CARETAKER (2008)

Leading independent home entertainment studio MTI Home Video presents, THE CARETAKER! The film was written by Jackie Olson and directed by Bryce Olson and stars Kira Verrastro, the lovely Jennifer Tilly, and our favorite Breakfast Clubber, Judd Nelson!
Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:


A group of teenage boys out to give their girlfriends a good scare on Homecoming night, which also happens to be Halloween, head to an abandoned house in an out-of-the-way fruit orchard where they uncover the story of a real life urban legend.


That urban legend the plot synopsis is speaking of, is that of Adam and his wife Tansy. Adam apparently became enraged with jealously whenever anyone would even look at his wife. He went mad and moved him and his wife to a grapefruit orchard. He covered the windows so no one could see her and eventually even chained her to the floor. He eventually killed her and took off with their baby, never to be seen again. That is until now! When these kids come snooping around the orchard to play a joke on their homecoming dance dates, the joke is really on them! Adam still lurks around the grapefruit orchard, with his sharpened fruit-picker in hand, and after the kids arrive, he starts "picking" them off one by one! One very clever thing throughout the film is the before Adam kills someone, he rolls a grapefruit in front of them! Very clever Adam!
The acting is good, the eerie music is good..my only complaint would be the lack of gore. ALL of the killing happen off screen, which is a shame because I would really like to see what kind of damage a sharpened fruit-picker could do!!
Also...one more thing I have to mention is the drop dead gorgeous Lola Davidson. She plays ditsy Missy and has one of the most memorable scenes from any film I have ever seen. The scene is when she undresses for her boyfriend and then makes Boob-a-lanterns. That's right...you heard me, Boob-a-lanterns. This must be seen to believed and is at least one...er two good reasons to watch the film right there!
Overall this film is very tame, so not good if you are looking for a hardcore, gory, fright fest. It is rated R, but I can only think that would come from the nude scene early on in the film, because as stated before, all the killing happen off screen and there is very little blood in this film.
Also, I couldn't help but mention the twist ending at the....well, end. I had to rewind it about 3 or 4 times and I still don't really understand it. If anyone has seen this, please explain it to me!!
While the film wont keep the interest of most hardcore horror fans, it is still an enjoyable flick that would be great for the younger horror crowds.

Fun Fact: Look for Jonathan Breck who plays the limo driver. Jonathan played The Creeper from the JEEPERS CREEPERS movies!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for THE CARETAKER
CLICK HERE to purchase THE CARETAKER from Amazon.com
CLICK HERE to visit the official site of MTI Home Video

Its time for DVD give away #6!!!

Stockhold Syndrome Film has provided me with 2 copies of the great Horror film, MADNESS, for 2 lucky readers of HAYES HUDSONS HOUSE OF HORROR!!

Here is the basic plot of MADNESS from the film's website:

Friends Jenna and Tara are on their way to a cheer leading contest. At a gas station, they decide to help two guys, Chad and Oliver, who are having problems with their car. What they don't know is that they are being watched by a group of mad men. Their only intention is to hunt them down and kill them for all sorts of sadistic pleasure. After being captured and locked up, survival is the only thing that matters, but just how far are they willing to go?

I posted a review for MADNESS a while back which can be viewed by CLICKING HERE

CLICK HERE to watch the TRAILER for MADNESS
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Stockholm Syndrome Film
CLICK HERE to visit the official website for MADNESS
CLICK HERE to buy your own DVD copy of MADNESS from amazon.com

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).

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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).

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3. Only one comment per person. Multiple comments will result in removal of all your comments therefore removing your chances of winning!

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4. Contest is scheduled to end on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010. Comments must be left by NOON Central time on 4/07/10 in order to count towards the contest.

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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.

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6. Due to shipping costs, contest is open to U.S. Residents only. Thank you for your understanding.

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GOOD LUCK!!

DVD Review: BANSHEE!!!

MVD Visual presents a real screamer with its release of BANSHEE!!! The film was directed by Colin Theys and was written by John Doolan, Gregory C. Parrke, and Christian Pindar. Here is the basic plot from imdb.com:




A group of college friends on a spring break camping trip are stalked and slashed by an unknown creature with the ability to make them hallucinate through sound waves. The survivors hold up refuge in an isolated farmhouse, cut off from all communication. Now, they have to come up with a plan to kill this unrelenting creature before it kills them. "Banshee!!!" takes the idea of the legendary Irish myth and spins it around into a terrifying and unstoppable monster!


Let me start out by saying that I LOVED this movie. If you have not seen or heard of this film, do yourself a favor and get a copy right now! I didn't really know what to expect when I started out watching this film. I have seen a lot of low budget creature features and was expecting just that...a low budget film with minimal scares and some horrible CGI. What I got was just the opposite. While I assume the budget was small, the final product doesn't show it. The scares and Gore were plentiful and finally, the CGI creature effects were very impressive. While the Banshee was was obviously computer generated, it blended it nicely with the film and didn't distract from the film like some CGI creatures do.
The film had lots of creepy moments, mostly coming from the fact that the Banshee can take the shape/form of other people...I can't imagine how unsettling it must be to be getting killed while looking yourself right in the face! The acting was better than would be expected from this type of film and the camerawork and lighting is excellent as well. And kudos to the filmmakers for not skimping on the gore! Any movie that features a man getting cut in half at the waist and then his legs and feet still walking around without an upper body gets an A+ in my book! (You will just have to see that to believe it....and did I mention the excellent exploding head scene?)
I can't say enough about how much I liked this film. Watch the trailer below and get your copy today!!!

DVD Special Features include:

*Theatrical Trailer for 'Assault of the Sasquatch'
*Animated Interactive Menus
*Optional Spanish/English Subtitles
*English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio
*Deleted Scenes
*Bloopers & Outtakes
*Commentary
*Theatrical Trailer for 'Banshee!!!'
*16 x 9 Digitally Mastered Widescreen Presentation


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for BANSHEE!!!
CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of BANSHEE!!! on DVD from SeeOfSound.com

This week's Horror related DVD releases: March 23rd

Here are the Horror related DVD's coming out Tuesday, 3/23/2010:

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

* BANSHEE!!!

* CARNEY

* DREAD

* THE FINAL

* THE GRAVES

* HIDDEN

* KILL THEORY

* LAKE MUNGO

* THE REEDS

* ZMD: ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION

A few good looking films come out this week, with the highlight for me being BANSHEE!!! Check out the trailer and then check back here soon for a review of the film! CARNEY and ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION also might be worth checking out. Click the titles above to watch the trailers for those films.

Watch WITHIN THE WOODS, the film that was the basis for THE EVIL DEAD!!

Most fans of THE EVIL DEAD series have heard of WITHIN THE WOODS, but not many have seen it. I never realized it was sitting out there on Youtube for all to see so easily!! This is the film Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Robert Tapert shopped around to investors in order to raise money to shoot their first feature, BOOK OF THE DEAD, or as we now know it, THE EVIL DEAD. Here is the basic plot:

A group of friends spend a weekend at a remote cabin, and one of them accidentally desecrates an Indian burial ground. This causes him to turn into a zombie, and kill off his friends. They must band together to try and survive being massacred.

Sounds somewhat familiar, huh? Thanks to Youtube user TheUltimateEvilDead for posting this! He has the film split up into 4 parts, so CLICK HERE to watch part 1 of 4. When that is done, look at the "More from: TheUltimateEvilDead" section and pick part 2 of 4 and so on until you have watched all 4 parts.

Keep in mind, this was never meant for home video release. It was shot on Super 8mm film and has aged terribly, so it is hard to watch in terms of film quality. It is like watching a VHS tape that is all crinkled up. BUT....us true EVIL DEAD fans will look past that as long as we get a chance to watch this long heard about early effort from the folks that brought us the greatest Horror trilogy of all time, THE EVIL DEAD films!!!

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CLICK HERE to watch part 1 of 4 of WITHIN THE WOODS

DVD Review: NEW YORK CITY HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

I recently had the pleasure of watching Vanguard Cinema's NEW YORK CITY HORROR FILM FESTIVAL (NYCHFF) DVD. This DVD showcases 8 of the best short films from the NYCHFF. The short films contained on the DVD are:

PLASTICITY by Brian Forest
CUP-O-ABOMINATIONS by Ben Hillman
ENTRAPPED by Alan Smithee
NON-ABDUCTEES ANONYMOUS by Phillip Powell
SLASHER FLICK by Nick Basile
TOMORROW'S BACON by Bryon Norton
SUBWAY by James S. Murray
SCREAM FOR ME by Chris Broadstone

Bonus Features include an introduction by festival director Michael Hein, 2002 fest coverage, and the making of SUBWAY.

Now, based of the warning on the front of the box (WARNING! Contains scenes of extreme violence.....not for minors, the squeamish, or the faint at heart!), I was expecting some really crazy, gritty, stuff here. What I got were some short films that were actually all pretty tame, at least by today's standards. But, that being said, they were all still very enjoyable films, I just feel that warning tag line was very unnecessary and a little mis-leading.
The films themselves were all very well made. My favorite shorts were SLASHER FLICK and the more comedy than horror short, NON-ABDUCTEES ANONYMOUS. In fact, this DVD is worth a purchase for NON-ABDUCTEES ANONYMOUS alone! It tells the story of a group of people who are upset and very hurt by the fact that they have never been abducted by aliens! They wonder what is wrong with them and why the aliens have never chosen them. It is a great short with lots of laughs packed into its short run time. SLASHER FLICK is a great spoof of splatter flicks, poking fun at many of the splatter movie cliches we have come to expect from that type of film.
Most of the other features are more dialog driven, and not gore driven as that previously discussed tag line may lead you to believe, but each short is worth your time to check out.

CLICK HERE to purchase your own copy of the NYCHFF DVD from Amazon.com
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of VANGUARD CINEMA
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of the NYCHFF