This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 11/20:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)
  
*  BACKROAD
*  THE CARETAKER
*  DARKLANDS
*  THE DEAD INSIDE
*  DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEE
*  THE LOST REALITIES OF HOG CALLER
*  MARK OF THE DEVIL
*  THE PETE WALKER COLLECTION:  HOUSE OF WHIPCORD/DIE SCREAMING MARIANNE/THE COMEBACK/SCHIZO
*  PORCELAIN MAN
*  PSYCHO HORROR DOUBLE FEATURE:  PSYCHO KICKBOXER/CANVAS OF BLOOD
*  PUPPET MASTER 2 [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  PUPPET MASTER 3 [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  SCHIZO:  REMASTERED EDITION
*  SLAUGHTER CREEK
*  SLAUGHTER TALES

Blu-ray Review: RE-ANIMATOR (1985)

 
RE-ANIMATOR
Directed by Stuart Gordon
Distributed by  Image Entertainment

  RE-ANIMATOR is one of my all time favorite horror films.  It is perfect in every way and you will never here me say one bad thing about this film.   It is in my top 5 horror films for sure....maybe even cracking the top 3.  I love this film.  I didn't think I could love it any more, but now Image Entertainment has released it onto Blu-ray format, which gives me another reason to love this film.   For those not familiar with the film, here is the plot synopsis from the image entertainment press release:

  Adapted by Dennis Paoli, William J. Norris and Stuart Gordon from the H.P. Lovecraft short story, Re-Animator tells the strange tale of medical student Dan Cain (Bruce Abbot) and his girlfriend Megan Halsey (Barbara Crampton), both of them drawn to odd new student Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) who’s conducting secret experiments involving the re-animation of dead tissue. When one of the instructors, Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale), stumbles upon their activities, West murders him -- but is brought back to life, now thirsting for revenge as well as lusting after Megan. The final denouement features the re-animated Dr. Hill squaring off against Herbert and Dan in a battle royale within the school’s morgue, complete with resurrected “henchmen” and undoubtedly one of the greatest visual double entendres in all horror cinema!

  As I stated before, I love this movie.   It has everything you'd expect from a mid-80's horror film.  Tons of great gore, some dark humor, some cheesy (but good) dialog and acting, etc.  Jeffrey Combs plays the creepy, weird new scientist Herbert West and is absolutely perfect in the role.  I can't picture anyone else pulling this performance off as well as Combs does.  The film also features the beautiful Barbara Crampton in my favorite of all her roles. She has some truly memorable scenes, especially the "head" scene which anyone who has seen the film will immediately know what I am referring too! 

 Most true horror fans probably already have a DVD copy of this film, but this is definitely one that is worth upgrading to Blu-ray.  The picture and sound quality are superb in this new HD version of the film.

RE-ANIMATOR is available now on DVD and Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

*  Documentary:  "Re-Animator Resurrectus"  [Blu-ray Exclusive]
*  Audio Commentary by Director Stuart Gordon
*  Audio Commentary by Producer Brian Yuzna and Actors
*  Interview with Director Stuart Gordon and Producer Brian Yuzna
*  Interview with Writer Dennis Paoli
*  Interview with Composer Richard Band
*  Music Discussion with Composer Richard Band
*  Interview with Fangoria Magazine Editor Tony Timpone
*  Deleted and Extended Scenes
*  Theatrical Trailer
*  TV Spots


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

DVD Review: THE GIRL IN ROOM 2A (1973)

    
THE GIRL IN ROOM 2A
Directed by William Rose
Distributed by Mondo Macabro / Diabolikdvd.com

I had never heard of THE GIRL IN ROOM 2A until receiving the film in my mailbox.  Upon opening it up and seeing the great retro looking cover art, I was really expecting to be blown away by this film.   I expected a great giallo style horror film in the likes of Dario Argento or Mario Bava.  Well, I have to admit it wasn't as good as I had hoped, but I think it is still worth checking out and is a pretty crazy film for all those that are into weird cinema.  Here is the basic plot synopsis from the Mondo Macabro website:
 

Before HOSTEL there was THE GIRL IN ROOM 2A... A terrifying tale of a young girl who moves into a boarding house run by a kindly older woman, only to discover that the place has a dark and sinister past - young and pretty girls seem to disappear from there without a trace. Where they go and what happens to them is the dreadful secret of GIRL IN ROOM 2A.

For the first time ever on DVD, fully uncut and uncensored, this is a classic slice of 1970's Italian shock cinema. Packed with scary scenes and demented characters, teh film is both full-on horror and an intriguing mystery. What is the secret of Room 2A?

Starring former Miss Italy, Daniela Giordana (star of Bava's Four Times That Night), this is cult movie making at its most extreme. Not to be watched alone!

    
I have to admit, maybe I expected too much from the film.  It did have it's moments and has some very good kills and some very creepy, atmospheric scenes, but there were not enough of these  type of scenes for me to outweigh the often slow, dialog filled sections of the film.  Also, the music in this film is very strange.  While some, if not most, of the soundtrack is what you would expect from an Italian giallo type film such as this, other scenes had some very weird upbeat music that just didn't seem to fit with the tone of the film. 

Something else strange, was that while watching it in English dub, every now and then a scene would switch to Italian dialog with English subtitles at the bottom.  I am assuming these were cut scenes from the original version that had been added back in and didn't have English soundtracks made for them. Kind of interesting, but at the same kind of distracting.  I wold recommend watching the entire thing in Italian with English subtitles so you have some uniformity throughout the film.

Don't be fooled by the trailer I posted below if you watch it.  The trailer is very faded and does not look good from a technical aspect.  The Mondo Macabro DVD looks very good with a new anamorphic transfer of the film.  You would never guess the film was almost 40 years old based on how the picture quality looks.  Now you will know it is from the early 70's immediately by seeing the clothing and the women's big hair.  All part of the charm of this film.  

If you are a big fan of Italian cinema, you will want to check this film out for sure.  But those that are expecting a film like HOSTEL, like the synopsis mentions, will most likely be a little disappointed in this one.

THE GIRL IN ROOM 2A is available on DVD now from Diabolik DVD and contains the following special features:

*  Brand new transfer taken from the negative
*  Filmed interview with films star Daniella Giordano
*  Trailer
*  Extensive notes & text essays on cast and crew
*  Mondo Macabro preview trailer
*  Scene access


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer  (**Warning -Trailer NSFW--contains brief nudity**)
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

Check out the trailer for creepy upcoming film, MAMA

 

  This movie looks creepy as hell!  I don't know what it is, but kids can be so creepy!   Check out the trailer for the new film from Executive Producer Guillermo del Toro called MAMA.   Here is the official plot from the film's official website:

  Guillermo del Toro presents Mama, a supernatural thriller that tells the haunting tale of two little girls who disappeared into the woods the day that their parents were killed. When they are rescued years later and begin a new life, they find that someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night.
  Five years ago, sisters Victoria and Lilly vanished from their suburban neighborhood without a trace. Since then, their Uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend, Annabel (Jessica Chastain), have been madly searching for them. But when, incredibly, the kids are found alive in a decrepit cabin, the couple wonders if the girls are the only guests they have welcomed into their home.
  As Annabel tries to introduce the children to a normal life, she grows convinced of an evil presence in their house. Are the sisters experiencing traumatic stress, or is a ghost coming to visit them? How did the broken girls survive those years all alone? As she answers these disturbing questions, the new mother will find that the whispers she hears at bedtime are coming from the lips of a deadly presence.


MAMA is scheduled to hit theaters January 18th, 2013.   I will be checking this one out for sure!
Watch the trailer and let me know what you think!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

Graphic Novel Review: IDENTITY THIEF

 
 
IDENTITY THIEF
Written by Bryant Dillon
Art by Meaghan O’Keefe
Produced and Edited by Barbra Dillon
Co-Produced by Sam Rhodes
  
 A while back I did a review for a great graphic novel from Fanboy Comics called, SOMETHING ANIMAL.  You can see that review here.  Fanboy Comics is back with another impressive graphic novel, this one titled IDENTITY THIEF.   Here is the basic plot of the book from the book's official website:

When Daphne and Craig move into a new apartment, they have every reason to believe that they have left their troubled past behind them. Everything seems perfect, but after the discovery of a mysterious hatch in his closet, Craig begins to realize that something disturbingly inhuman is seeking a way into his home, desperate to enter his life in the most intimate and unsettling way possible.
 
This is another great graphic novel from the folks at Fanboy Comics. The story is very interesting and is a fun read.  The art is very interesting. While at first look it might look sort of amateurish, a better way to describe it in my opinion is, raw.   While not as polished as some comic art,  the style of the art gives it a very dark, raw feeling.  For this story, the artwork is perfect.  In fact, in a way it reminds me of the art of Ben Templesmith from the 30 DAYS OF NIGHT series.

An interesting thing about this graphic novel is the limited use of dialog.  While there is dialog throughout, it is very sparse and some pages have no dialog on them at at.  Here you use the art to tell the story, which is interesting as it can leave certain parts of the story open to interpretation by each individual reader.

 Fanboy Comics is doing a great job putting out some great independent comics.  Check out the sites below to learn more about Fanboy Comics and to purchase IDENTITY THIEF.


CLICK HERE to purchase IDENTITY THIEF
CLICK HERE to visit the IDENTITY THIEF website
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Fanboy Comics

Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary

  Recently I was contacted by filmmaker John Campopiano about a new film he and his film partner, Justin White, were making called UNEARTHED & UNTOLD:  THE PATH TO PET SEMATARY.   The film is an independent documentary on the making of the film PET SEMATARY.  Here is the official plot synopsis of the film from the film's official Facebook page:

  Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary is an independent documentary taking an extensive look at the making of Pet Sematary, the origins of the story, the stories of cast and crew, memories of the Maine locals who helped make the film, and the legacy the film has established among horror fans and scholars of Stephen King's work. In addition to featuring many cast and crew members never before interviewed about their involvement in the film, this documentary will also take fans on a tour of all the filming locations. With never-before-seen photographs and footage from behind-the-scenes, original props from the film, media coverage of the 1988 production, and new stories about the Hollywood production being on location in Maine, Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary is an all-encompassing documentary by fans for the fans.

 

  Check out the film' official Facebook page to keep up with all the news and info about this film.  I am a huge fan of PET SEMATARY, so I personally can't wait to see this documentary.  It sounds like the filmmakers are pulling out all the stops and covering all the bases in what looks to be like a very entertaining look at the making of the PET SEMATARY.

 

CLICK HERE to visit the official Facebook Page for the film

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, November 13th, 2012

   

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 11/13:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  5 DARK SOULS
*  BIGFOOT:  THE LOST COAST TAPES
*  DEVIL'S ANGEL
*  GHOSTMAKER

Win a copy of the classic horror film RE-ANIMATOR on Blu-ray from the Shattered Ravings blog!!

  
 One of my favorite horror films of all time is the classic Stuart Gordon film, RE-ANIMATOR, starring Jeffrey Combs and the beautiful Barbara Crampton.   I assume most of you have seen this film, and if you haven't, please stop what you are doing and go do so now!  Words can't express how good this film is.  It is a true classic of the genre. 
 Well, as some of you know, my buddy Scott (who occasionally does some guest reviews on my blog) runs the Shattered Ravings blog, where he discusses not only horror, but sci-fi and the fantasy genres as well.   Scott is giving away a copy of RE-ANIMATOR on Blu-ray to one lucky winner, and entering is super easy!  Click the link below to go to the contest post and learn how you can enter this awesome giveaway!  The contest ends November 16th, so this is your last week to enter!  Good luck!!


CLICK HERE to view the contest post to find out how to win this awesome prize!!

Have you seen the trailer for Brad Pitt's upcoming zombie film, WOLRD WAR Z?

If not, I suggest you go do so now!  I know a lot of people are complaining about the hordes of CG zombies, but I think it looks awesome.   It's something different that we haven't really seen before, and that is always a good thing for a zombie film.   WORLD WAR Z is based on the book of the same name by Max Brooks.  If you haven't read that book, I highly recommend it.  The book is basically a series of interviews and eye witness accounts of zombie attacks from all over the world.  One  thing we don't see in this trailer is a close up of any of the zombies.....I'm eager to see if they use more practical effects for the close ups.   Either way, I think this movie looks pretty cool and I will definitely be checking this one out in the theater. 
WORLD WAR Z is scheduled to hit theaters on June 21st, 2013.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official facebook page

Blu-ray Review: TWINS OF EVIL (1971)

 
TWINS OF EVIL
Directed by  John Hough
Distributed by  Synapse Films

  I am  huge fan of the Hammer Films, although I have to admit I have not really
seen that many. I have enjoyed every Hammer film I have seen so far, but maybe none as much as I enjoyed TWINS OF EVIL!  I knew nothing of this film going into it, but I can see now why this is considered on of the Hammer Production Company's best films.  For those not familiar with this film, here is the plot description from the Synapse Films website:

Two beautiful orphaned identical twins, Maria and Frieda Gellhorn (Playboy centerfold models Mary and Madeleine Collinson), move to the village of Karnstein to live with their uncle Gustav Weil (played by Hammer horror favorite, Peter Cushing), a fanatical puritan and leader of the local witch-hunting “Brotherhood.” The village Count (Damien Thomas, Never Let Me Go), an evil man who secretly practices Satanism, uses black magic and transforms into a vampire. Unhappy with her new life, Frieda seeks escape and tragically falls under the spell of the Count. Now overcome with an insatiable hunger for human blood, Frieda has to hide her secret from her sister, and escape her uncle’s killing grasp!

The acting in this film is very good, although you do get some common 1970's over acting, but that helps to give the film some of it's charm.   Hammer regular Peter Cushing was extremely good in his role of the twin's evil Uncle.  Speaking of the twins, Mary and Madeleine Collinson play twins Maria and Frieda and do a wonderful job. They are great actresses and are extremely easy on the eyes as well! 

The film has some great effects, and even a few good gore scenes, including a remarkable beheading scene that I have to imagine was very shocking at the time of the film's original release.   The film looks remarkable on this Blu-ray edition. You would never know this film was over 40 years old based on how crisp and clear the picture is.   TWINS OF EVIL is available now on a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack  from Synapse Films, and contains the following special features:

* THE FLESH AND THE FURY: X-POSING TWINS OF EVIL (84 mins.) - An all-new, feature-length documentary exploring Hammer's infamous 'Karnstein' trilogy from the origin of Carmilla, to the making of TWINS OF EVIL! Featuring exclusive interviews with director John Hough, star Damien Thomas, cult film director Joe Dante, Video Watchdog editor Tim Lucas, and more!
*  THE PROPS THAT HAMMER BUILT: THE KINSEY COLLECTION – Featurette (Blu-ray Exclusive)
*  Motion Still Gallery (Blu-ray Exclusive)
*  Deleted Scene (Blu-ray Exclusive)
*  Original Theatrical Trailer & TV Spots (Blu-ray Exclusive)
*  Isolated Music & E ffects Track (Blu-ray Exclusive)

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

It's Election Day!

 

It's Tuesday, November 6th, which means it is Election Day!  If you haven't already voted, don't forget to go vote today!  Every vote counts, especially in a Presidential race that looks as close as this one is going to be!   Make the Crypt-Keeper proud and cast your vote today!

 



This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, November 6th, 2012

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 11/6:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  AMERICAN NIGHTMARE
*  BAD BUSH
*  DEATH SHIP
*  DOG MAN
*  IMMORTAL KISS:  QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
*  OUTPOST:  BLACK SUN  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE PACT [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  REC 3
*  THEY LIVE (COLLECTOR'S EDITION) [DVD & Blu-ray]

DVD Review: ZOMBIE UNDEAD (2010)

   
-------------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------------------
 
 
ZOMBIE UNDEAD
Directed by Rhys Davies
Distributed by MVD Visual

One of the coolest aspects of doing reviews for Hayes is that I get to see some films that I probably would never watch otherwise. I suppose I should preface that by stating this aspect is both a good thing AND a bad thing because there are just some films that are better left unwatched. But the good has definitely outweighed the bad in this regard and I’m glad I can offer my reviews to his blog.

This week’s selection is ZOMBIE UNDEAD, a British film that tries to capture some of Danny Boyle’s living dead magic. Unfortunately, where Boyle succeeded, director Rhys Davies did not and the result is a lackluster zombie flick that left me wanting a whole lot more.

If you are unfamiliar with ZOMBIE UNDEAD, here is the plot synopsis courtesy of the DVD cover:

A terrorist detonates a dirty bomb in the heart of a densely-populated city, unleashing a gruesome zombie plague that spreads like wildfire. Sarah’s father was bleeding out, and she knew he would die if she didn’t get him to a hospital fast. The scene that greets them on arrival is one of chaos. The floor, awash with blood, is covered with the bodies of the dying and injured, doctors dart back and forth, clearly overwhelmed. Sarah stumbles back and her world fades to black. Upon regaining consciousness, she is greeted by the uneasy silence of a seemingly deserted building...
 
I have to credit Rhys Davies, however...his heart was definitely in the right place with this one. I see where he was trying to go with ZOMBIE UNDEAD, but he just doesn’t quite get there. The setup in the darkened hospital was a good idea, especially given the number of zombies that a survivor could potentially run across. But for me, the look and feel was way too much like the pilot episode of THE WALKING DEAD. I think this was the major turning away point for me.

The acting is not bad, although some of the British accents are so thick that it’s hard to understand what is being said. The special effects are mediocre, with some of the zombies looking like Halloween costumes, but I suppose that is forgivable considering the budget. And overall, the film is shot pretty well.

But the main negative for ZOMBIE UNDEAD is that it is simply not interesting. I literally found myself bored about 30 minutes in. The characters are two-dimensional for the most part and gave me no reason to be vested in them; the film lacks intensity; and the scares that are supposed to be there are simply not.

As I regularly do after I write a review, I ventured out to IMDB.com to see what other viewers thought of this one as well. Interestingly, this film only garnered 2 stars out of 10 from the 262 people that reviewed it. I would have to agree with that assessment. ZOMBIE UNDEAD is not a bad film overall...it just doesn’t have anything going for it. I would give this one a pass.


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

Yôhei Fukuda's film X-GAME is coming to DVD December 4th!

  As most of you know, I am a huge fan of Japanese horror films.  Not the Ringu and Ju-on movies, but the more bizarre, gory, Japanese horror films that have been coming out in the last few years.  Films such as TOKYO GORE POLICE, MACHINE GIRL, YAKUZA WEAPON, HELLDRIVER, etc.  I love those films with their over the top gore and it looks like we might have a new one to add to the list!  Japanese cinematographer/director Yôhei Fukuda's film X-GAME is coming to DVD this December (12/4) from Danger After Dark films!  Here is the plot synopsis from the film's press release:

  In 'X-GAME,' Hideaki is kidnapped and when he awakens the next day, finds himself in a recreation of his old schoolroom, along with his recently reunited classmates. Trapped and held captive by mysterious hooded figures, each of them must now play a brutally violent, version of the punishment game...or face death. A twisty, horror/mystery 'mash-up' peppered with dark humor and inventive gore, director Yôhei Fukuda's ('Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad aka Chanbara Beauty') shows how revenge is a dish best served cold and not very sweet - Japanese style

  This film looks pretty crazy.  It kinda looks like a mix between SAW and BATTLE ROYALE.  Check out the trailer and see what you think.   X-GAME is available to pre-order now.
 
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
 
Pre-order your copy today at:
  
Amazon.com:    http://amzn.to/ShWH1m
Diabolik DVD:  http://bit.ly/QJND7x
TLA Cult:          http://bit.ly/PoUcwS

Sorry, for the lack of posts this week.....oh, and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 is a huge letdown....

  Halloween week is obviously a busy week around the Zombie Hayes household, so I apologize for the lack of posts lately.  I have been very busy most nights this week with various Halloween related activities.  Regular posting will resume shortly, I promise. 

 I didn't do a blog post last night because I got a chance to go see PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4.  I have enjoyed the all the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films, but I was a little let down with Part 3 and was hoping this new film would redeem the franchise for me, but unfortunately it was worst than part 3 to me.  PA4 had it's moments, including a few jump scares we have all come to love from these films, but when part 4 used a cat jumping in in front of the camera not once, but twice, I knew they had run out of ideas.  A cat jumping into a scene is the oldest jump scare in the book, used in countless numbers of horror films.  I expect better from the PA franchise.

  Oh well.  If you have seen the film, let me know what your thoughts on it are. Is it just me, or was this the weakest of the PA films by far.   Oh, and don't even get me started on the ending!!!

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, October 30th, 2012

Here are this week's horror related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 10/30:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)
   
*  666:  THE RITUAL
*  ROSEMARY'S BABY (The Criterion Collection) [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  SICK BOY

Have you seen NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3D: RE-ANIMATION ?

  Has anyone seen this film?  NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3D:  RE-ANIMATION just came out about 2 weeks ago on DVD.  I had seen the first trailer, but just saw the second trailer for the film tonight.  The second trailer actually shows footage with star Jeffrey Combs  (of RE-ANIMATOR fame) and the film looks like it could be pretty good...let me know if you have seen this film.  I would like to hear some thoughts on it before tracking it down to watch for myself.   I love a good zombie film, and have always been a fan of Combs, so hopefully this will be one worth watching.  Leave a comment if you have seen the film and let me know what you think.  

 
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to watch the second trailer

Watch the new EVIL DEAD Red Band trailer!

 Just last week I posted the leaked trailer for the EVIL DEAD remake that was shown at the New York Comic Con.  It was recorded by someone in the theater, so the quality was not good. 

 Well, the trailer has been officially released, so now we can watch this better quality version of the trailer.  It's the same trailer, but a clearer version and let's face it...this trailer is good enough to watch again and again.  I can't tell you how excited I am to see this film!  I think this will be a cool experience to witness an EVIL DEAD film in the theater, something I have never got to do.  I know some people are worried that this film is going to not be any good, but I don't see how that is possible by the looks of this trailer.  Also, the film is produced by Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, and Robert G. Tapert  (the creators of the original film), so I have faith that these guys will not let an inferior product hit the theaters.

 The EVIL DEAD remake has a set release date of April 12, 2013.


CLICK HERE to watch the Red Band Trailer

Blu-ray Review: WRONG TURN 5: BLOODLINES (2012)

  
WRONG TURN 5:  BLOODLINES
Directed by  Declan O'Brien
Distributed by  Fox Home Entertainment

 I have to start by admitting I have never seen any of the WRONG TURN sequels.  I saw the first WRONG TURN and absolutely loved it!  I thought it was a fun premise and had some great effects in terms of the kills.  I always meant to watch WRONG TURN 2, but just never got around to it yet.  Then, part 3 came out,  and before I knew it, there was a part 4, and now we have WRONG TURN 5:  BLOODLINES!   The good news is you do not have to see the other films to enjoy this one.  I think these films are starting to be like the FINAL DESTINATION films, where there ares some basic key elements that continue from film to film, but basically each film is a stand-alone film.
Here is the basic plot of WRONG TURN 5 from the film's imdb page:

 A small West Virginia town is hosting the legendary Mountain Man Festival on Halloween, where throngs of costumed party goers gather for a wild night of music and mischief. But an inbred family of hillbilly cannibals kill the fun when they trick and treat themselves to a group of visiting college students.

 

 This was a very fun film and is worthy of your time (and $$).  While the gore is great (and I will discuss that more in a bit), the highlight of this film for me was the presence of veteran horror actor Doug Bradley.  You know him best as Pinhead from the HELLRAISER films.  That is really all I had ever seen him in, but hopefully he will do more stuff now that he is done playing the Pinhead character.   Bradley is a very good actor and was very fun to watch in this film.  He plays the lead villain, and is sort of the Father figure to the group of backwoods, inbred hillbillies that terrorize the group of visiting college kids. He has some great lines and delivers them wonderfully.  I couldn't help but smile when he referred to someone in the film as a "Pinhead"! Ha!

  The film almost plays out like one of the FINAL DESTINATION films, where the focus is on killing off each character in very bizarre and gruesome ways.   Like I mentioned before, the gore is incredible in this film and the kills are great, including a crazy scene involving a farm tractor...you see this eluded to in the trailer.

  WRONG TURN 5 was a lot of fun, and it makes me want to go back and check out all the other entries in this series.  The film is available now on DVD and Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

 *  A Day in the Death
 *  Hillbilly Kills
 *  Director's Die-aries
 *  Audio Commentary by Declan O'Brien

 

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

Check out the teaser trailer for the new CARRIE remake!

  
  I am a big fan of the original CARRIE (1976), based on the Stephen King novel of the same name.  The movie was remade in 1988 and again in 2002.  You would think that would be enough remakes of this film, but a 3rd remake is due out in 2013 starring Chloë Grace Moretz in the title role, and Julianne Moore as Carrie's Mom.   I have to admit I wasn't too excited about this film until I just saw the teaser trailer a few minutes ago.  I don't think what is shown is actual film footage, but just shot to make this promo teaser.  This teaser is pretty darn cool, though, and from the feel of this teaser, I think this is going to be a much darker version of CARRIE than we have seen before, something I didn't think was even possible. 
  Moretz looks great as Carrie and she has really turned into quite a good actress, so I am expecting big things from her.  Check out the teaser and let me know what you think!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

 










Here are this week's horror/exploitation related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 10/23:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  247F  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  ABOLITION
*  ABRAHAM LINCOLN:  VAMPIRE HUNTER  [DVD/Blu-ray/3D Blu-ray]
*  BLOODY CHRISTMAS
*  BOOLEY
*  CARGO
*  CLAUSTROPHOBIA
*  DROPPING EVIL
*  FROM BENEATH
*  JACK IN THE BOX
*  MARK OF THE BEAST
*  OCTOMAN (40th Anniversary Edition)
*  THE PENALTY  [Blu-ray]
*  PUPPET MASTER X:  AXIS RISING  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE SELLING
*  SHATTER DEAD
*  SLICE
*  UNDER THE SCARES
*  WRONG TURN 5:  BLOODLINES  [DVD & Blu-ray]

DVD Review: ALL NIGHT HALLOWEEN PARTY (2012)

  
ALL NIGHT HALLOWEEN PARTY
Distributed by:  Apprehensive Films

Apprehensive Films has recently released a must have DVD for any fans of Halloween, and who of us horror fans is not a fan of Halloween?!   ALL NIGHT HALLOWEEN PARTY is a great DVD perfect to play at your upcoming Halloween Party, or really any time of the year in my opinion!
Here is a brief description of the DVD from the official press release:

The All Night Halloween Party is retro, spooky fun for the entire family. This compilation of old-school cartoons, stop-motion animations and vintage horror trailers creates the perfect ambiance for any Halloween party. Plus it's an ever-looping DVD so it doesn't stop until your party does! With so many unique short subjects, the All Night Halloween Party can be enjoyed over and over again. Some of the classic titles included are: Balloon Land, Cobweb Hotel, Wot a Night, Magic Mummy, Devil's Ball and many, many more! Get ready for a Halloween you won't soon forget!

  I love the fact that this DVD is an ever-looping DVD, meaning it will play over and over again on your DVD player until you manually stop it.  That makes it perfect  for putting on and playing at your Halloween party for some great background ambiance, although I bet it will begin to become the center of attention at the party as your guests start noticing it and watching it.   This doesn't just have to be for a party, though.  I watched it the other night by myself and enjoyed it thoroughly.  I love the old school animation  (cartoons on this DVD are from as far back as the 1930's!) and I also love the fact that they have put a trailer for a "classic" horror film between each cartoon.  I love movie trailers, especially for films of movies I have never seen, or in this case even heard of.  Along with trailers for films we all know like THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, there are trailers for films I knew nothing about, such as the King Kong rip off KONGA and the looks-so-bad-I-bet-it-is-amazing creature feature called REPTILICUS! 

  This DVD is a lot of fun.  I highly recommend this one. 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD from TheGrindHouse.Net
  

Short film review: NIGHT OF THE PUNKS (2010)

   
NIGHT OF THE PUNKS
Directed by:   Dan Riesser
Written by: Dan Riesser and Mike Kinshella

 I recently got a press release about a short horror/comedy film called NIGHT OF THE PUNKS.  The film is currently available to watch for FREE on Youtube and on the film's official website! 
Here is the plot synopsis from the film's website:

Small town punk rockers THE BRAIN DEADS have their first out of town show, but there are a few problems: The venue is deserted, the promoter is a creep, their bassist has gone missing, and the only kids in the audience turn out to be bloodthirsty punk rockers from Hell. NOTP is a splatterpunk love letter to 1980's horror cinema, heavily influenced by films like Return of the Living Dead, The Evil Dead and Night of the Demons.

NIGHT OF THE PUNKS is a lot of fun.  The plot is simple and the film is shot very well.  The acting is superb by everyone involved and the demon and creature effects are very well done.  The film is shot in a style of film from the 80's, and it really has that feel to it.   The film also mixes the comedy and horror perfectly.  A lot of horror/comedy films are more comedy than anything, but NIGHT OF THE PUNKS balances it perfectly.   This is a great film and I look forward to future projects from Mr. Riesser and all the filmmakers involved with this production.

 The film is only about 20 minutes long, so check it out when you have a few minutes.  Director Dan Riesser says that a feature length version of the film is in the works!  I will pass on more details about that as they become available, or, keep checking the films official website for updates.
 
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website and watch the short film

Have you seen the trailer to the EVIL DEAD remake?

  If you haven't seen it yet, the trailer for the remake of EVIL DEAD has been leaked onto the internet.  The trailer was premiered at the New York Comic Con and I can't tell you how excited I am to see this movie.  The great folks over at JoBlo.com have posted the trailer on their website. At first, the trailer looks just so - so....like your typical teen horror film, but stay with it, as it gets crazy as it goes on.   
  This looks like a much darker, more true horror film than the original from what I can see from this trailer.   This should be an interesting take on the classic film we all know and love.  I personally can't wait to see this film.  Watch the trailer and let me know what you think by leaving a comment below!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

It's [almost] time for another giveaway!!

 Hello fright fans!!  I got a box of goodies just waiting to give out to some lucky contest winners!  I haven't done a contest in a while, so I am thinking I need to do one soon!  So, here's the deal...The 4H blog has 395 blog followers as of this posting. As soon as we get 400 followers, we will announce our next big giveaway!!  That's right, just 5 more followers of the 4H blog and it will be giveaway time!!  Tell your friends! 

DVD Review: ADAM CHAPLIN (2011)

 
ADAM CHAPLIN
Written & Directed by  Emanuele De Santi
Production Company:  Necrostorm Productions
Distributed by:  Autonomy Pictures

 
I'm not sure how I came across ADAM CHAPLIN, but I knew nothing about this film going into it and I really haven't heard much about this film.  This surprises me, because this is a film I would think more people would be talking about.  I see "cult classic" all over this film!
For those not familiar with the film, here is the plot from the film's official website:

Set in the fictional country of Heaven Valley, the film is the story of a man, Adam, who following the suspicious death of his wife begins to investigate her murder and in doing so, discovers the involvement of local mafia boss: Denny Richards.Unable to trust the police, corrupt and controlled by Denny, Adam, consumed by anger, summons a demon who offers him superhuman strength and dark powers. The demon follows him during his trip, promising to lead Adam to the door of the murderer if he does everything the demon asks. This unleashes a bloody war that will bring Adam, the demon on his side, against the police department with all its dark allies. The fight begins and it will be extreme!

  A lot of films claim to be "The Most Bloody Movie Ever Made", as this film does on the cover of it's DVD, but this is one of the few that could actually take that title.  Saying the film is bloody is an understatement. This film is extremely bloody and violent, with crazy gore that has to be seen to be believed.  I guarantee you have not seen anything like this before.  Gore and violence that you would think could only be drawn on the pages of a graphic novel come to life on screen.  While I was watching it I remember thinking that it was as if I was watching a live action comic book. 

  Now I do have to admit, the plot was a little confusing and unclear at times, but you don't watch this movie for the story line.  This film is all about the violence and gore and it delivers that on many levels.  I kinda liken this film to Peter Jackson's BAD TASTE.  That film is not that great story wise, but that film is a fan fave among horror fans for the over the top effects.   ADAM CHAPLIN, to me, should be in this same category of film.  This is the film film for writer and director Emanuele De Santi according to his imdb.com page, so for this being a first film for a director, I would say Mr. De Santi has hit a home run in his first up to bat!   I can't imagine the great films that are in store for us if De Santi keeps on making horror films!

  Do yourself a favor and check out ADAM CHAPLIN, available now on DVD.   The DVD includes 5 great documentaries in the special features section including:

-Mechanism of Gore
-From Idea to Screen
-HABS
-Building Up Adam
-Scene Autopsy


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 Necrostorm Productions

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

Here are this week's horror/exploitation related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 10/16:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  2 YOUNG 2 DIE
*  AIRBORNE
*  AMICUS:  HOUSE OF HORROR
*  BACK FROM HELL
*  CHERNOBYL DIARIES  [DVD & DVD/Blu-ray combo pack]
*  DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE
*  EXCISION  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  EXORCISM  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  FEMALE VAMPIRE  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THE FUNHOUSE  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  GREYSTONE PARK  [DVD & DVD/Blu-ray combo pack]
*  NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD:  RE-ANIMATION
*  PENNY DREADFUL:  THE SPECIAL EDITION
*  RITES OF PASSAGE  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  TERROR TRAIN [DVD/Blu-ray combo pack]
*  THE TORTURED

The wait is over!!!

 That's right....the premiere of THE WALKING DEAD Season 3 is finally here!!  Tonight at 8pm Central time on AMC.   Now I know I don't have to tell any of you that...if you are like me you have your calendars marked and have been waiting on this day for months!   But, it is still exciting news and I couldn't think of posting anything else that was better news than this.
  It is going to be hard to top last season, especially with the Sophia story line and reveal...but I know the makers of this show won't let us down, and from what I hear, the first episode tonight is filled with bloody zombie carnage as Rick and the gang try to take the prison for themselves.
  It should be a great night of zombie mayhem!! 

CLICK HERE to watch THE WALKING DEAD Season 3 trailer

If you are in Las Vegas, be sure to visit Eli Roth's GORETORIUM!

 
 
  For those of you in the Las Vegas area, or those planning a trip to Vegas anytime soon, you might want to do yourself a favor and head over to Eli Roth's GORETORIUM!  The Goretorium is a year round haunted house on the Vegas strip.  If there is one thing Eli Roth knows, it is horror and gore, and I suspect that the Goretorium will have plenty of both.   I can't imagine what this attraction will be like.  It is open now and I hope to make it out there someday.   Check out the website by clicking the link below or click the pick above.   The website is great with tons of great pics and videos about the Goretorium.
The website also has a section where you can watch a web cam of people going through the Goretorium, although at the time of this writing, the web cam was not working.  I will keep checking back to see if it back online, because I think that would be a very fun web cam to watch!
If you have been to the Goretorium, please leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on it!

CLICK HERE to visit Eli Roth's GORETORIUM website!

 

Obscure horror video games: ENGLISH OF THE DEAD (Nintedo DS)

  The Japanese are known for some of their crazy video games, but this one is a little too far fetched. In order to teach kids English, they took the HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2 game and changed it into a learning tool! They did this by taking away your gun and making you spell words to kill the zombies!! The game challenges players to correctly translate words into English from Japanese in order to kill the zombies. Other modes include zombies that speak English out loud, where players must translate what they're saying. 
  I'm not sure how well this worked, but it's pretty amusing to me. I assume this was only available overseas, as I doubt kids here in the U.S. would buy into this concept.  Click the link below to see some actual game play.

CLICK HERE to see the game in action  (fast-forward to about the 1:20 mark to start watching the actual game play)