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Friday, March 31, 2017

A Terror Time Out featuring 'Motel Hell'


A trippy, cannibal film that left a lasting impression with only this single image.
3 out of 5 stars



Thursday, March 30, 2017

my top 12.... 'Friday the 13th' films - number 12


With the upcoming release of the new 'Friday the 13th: The Game', on Xbox One, it's had me thinking a lot about one of my favorite franchises. Granted, it's a bit of a guilty pleasure, Jason has always held a soft spot in my heart among the horror icons. With a new film seemingly in development hell, there is a bright spot with the fan made 'Never Hike Alone', currently in production. However, there's 12 other feature films that have been released since 1980 and I thought it might be fun to rank them, according to which ones I consider to be the best. So here we go, my personal top 12 'Friday the 13th' movies....

Number 12) Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday

When it comes to sequels, this one takes the cake. It takes an already established character and throws a whole lot of new backstory into the mix, that just doesn't work. Jason looks awful (for the short amount of time he's on the screen) and there's very little to enjoy about this entry into the franchise. I would go so far as to say, that it's hard to even watch. 2 out of 5 stars.



Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Larger Than Life - Lemmy Kilmister Mural Debuts at Lemmy's Lounge at Sunset Strip's Rainbow Bar and Grill


Lemmy's Lounge, located in the outdoor patio at the world-famous Rainbow Bar and Grill on LA's Sunset Strip, just got a very big addition - a 20 foot high mural of the man himself. 
Already situated in Lemmy's Lounge is a bronze statue immortalizing the Motörhead singer. The life-size sculpture - based on a famous Lemmy photograph by Robert John - features shades of black and metallic bronze throughout, with detailed lines and strategic crevices capturing Kilmister's familiar features, from his bristly whiskers to his infamous moles to his signature hat and boots.  
The statue, built from a successful crowdfunding campaign, was placed where Lemmy could frequently be found at his favorite hangout when he was in town, Artist Matt Glenn handled the project, using the proceeds from the campaign for materials and donating the rest to cancer research. 
In memory of rock's greatest front man, the patio where Lemmy spent most of his life when not on the road or in the studio was dedicated to him by naming this area Lemmy's Lounge, thanks to Rainbow owner Mikael Maglieri.
Roxy owner Nic Adler and Paul Tollett of Goldenvoice subsequently agreed to allow the painting of a celebratory mural commemorating the life of Lemmy and Motorhead on the side wall of the Roxy, opposite Lemmy's Lounge and statue.
Motörhead's management ran a contest seeking a muralist painter to provide their services to paint this immortal artwork in celebration of our fallen hero's life.The winner was Jules Muck (Mural created by @Muckrock). Although it was not known at the time she was chosen, there may have been a divine intervention in her selection, as it was later learned that she was born in the same U.K. town as LemmyStoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.  Like Lemmy, she's now adopted Los Angeles as her home.
Here is a 60 second video by Luciano Podcaminsky and edited by Robert Escamilla featuring the making of the mural: https://youtu.be/2z-eObZLWSc
Motörhead manager Todd Singerman says, "This is for the fans. Lemmy would always say, at every show, 'We are Motörhead, and we play rock 'n' roll. Don't forget us.' That's my job now."
To that end, the statue and mural appear to be only the beginning of a series of plans to honor the band and its beloved frontman. Singerman's current efforts include working on opening another Lemmy's Lounge as well as a museum dedicated to the group.
Said one fan, "Everyone came to give praise and respect to Saint Lemmy, and that is a beautiful thing. The Rainbow is now a rock & roll church."
In other Motörhead news:
- Lemmy and Motörhead recently swept the RockHard Germany reader's poll ranks! Fans voted Motörhead as their number two favorite band, and Lemmy as their number one favorite musician and personality of the year. Clean Your Clock was voted in the top 40 albums of the year, and Bad Magic charted on at number six on the January reader charts.
- "The Hall of Heavy Metal History" inducted Lemmy Kilmister into their 2017 Annual Celebrity Gala and Benefit Concert Honoring Legendary Heavy Metal musicians and Music Industry Executives on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 in Anaheim CA.  This non-profit organization enshrines forever those legendary musicians, artists, music industry executives, journalists, and producers who are responsible for making Heavy Metal music what it is today. Their contribution to the genre is invaluable, and they keep inspiring Heavy Metal fans throughout the world, from generation to generation.   
  
- With Lady Gaga joining Metallica (who performed as "The Lemmys" as a tribute to him for his 50th birthday) on stage at the Grammys recently, there is talk of a resurgence of heavy metal in the community. Will Lady Gaga's collaboration with her newest fav artist cause a revival?
- Lemmy was always an excellent judge of talent.  He signed numerous artists to Motörhead Music.  One of the first was Barb Wire Dolls. They've been on tour in Europe, and will continue to do so in May and June.  However, they will be performing a residency at the Whisky on the Sunset Strip every Monday night in April before returning to their European tour dates. A video for their song, "Heart Attack," directed by Steve Appleford (of Rolling Stone and the LA Times), has received great attention. Watch here: https://youtu.be/YKksirf3Mck
Another Motörhead Music artist, Budderside, will hit the road with L.A. Guns.
Lemmy knew what he was doing....
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Tuesday, March 28, 2017

On this day in horror history.... March 28th, 1979


On this day in horror history.... Don Coscarelli's magnum opus (and decade spanning franchise), 'Phantasm', is released theatrically. Mixing horror, sci-fi and action, 'Phantasm' is a hallmark in genre bending film history. The world he created, has stood the test of time and will live on forever.



TV NEWS: The Strain comes to an End



The Strain, the FX vampire drama from Guillermo del Toro and Carlton Cuse, will wrap with season four. The initial plan for the drama based on the book trilogy from del Toro and Chuck Hogan was for season one to cover book one with the final two books potentially split into multiple seasons for either a three- or five-season run.


The fourth and final season will air this summer (2017).

Monday, March 27, 2017

INTRODUCING DEVILWORKS UNIQUE SLATE OF GENRE FILMS: PEELERS (2017)

Devilworks, a leader in genre film sales, dropped new stills, artwork & trailers from their Genre slate, which the company shall bring to the European Film Market (EFM). Boasting a robust slate of unique voices and fresh talent in genre filmmaking, the company’s lineup includes...



PEELERS by editor/director Sevé Schelenz (SKEW) follows Blue Jean (played by Wren Walker), a small town strip club owner who must defend her bar, her strippers and her life when violent zombies show up on the final closing night and all hell breaks loose. The film recently screened at Sitges 2016.



"We are very excited to bring such a strong slate of films to EFM," said Samantha Richardson. "Genre filmmaking is an ever-growing industry and these unique stories are guaranteed to impress distributors searching for fresh voices in cinema."

About Devilworks
Devilworks is a boutique World Film Sales Agent, representing films that challenge the preconceptions of genre and creating a new way of storytelling.

Devilworks specialise in entertaining films, ranging from Action, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller and cutting edge Documentaries, bringing their passion of unexpected stories to the world market. Working closely with producers, Devilworks connect unique stories with the demanding business of film distribution.

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Bad Kids of Crestview Academy (2017) Review




Four years later at Crestview Academy, a new group of students has been placed in Saturday detention. When sophomore Siouxsie crashes the party to avenge her sister's death, a detention reserved for the privileged seniors turns into a date in hell.


Director: Ben Browder; Writers: Barry Wernick (screenplay), James R. Hallam; Stars: Sammi Hanratty, Colby Arps, Sophia Taylor Ali


Based on the best-selling graphic novel sequel 'Bad Kids Go 2 Hell. Bad Kids of Crestview Academy was released, appropriately, on Friday the 13th, 2017. As a direct sequel to the Creepercast loved Bad Kids Go To Hell (2012) based on  Matthew Spradlin and Barry Wernick graphic novels, BAD KIDS OF CRESTVIEW ACADEMY has a lot to live up to from Breakfast Club references to a principal (principle?) cameo by Judd Nelson. Well, if you’re going to trust anyway to helm this kind of project than Ben Browder (Farscape) seems like an obvious choice.





Browder has a small ominous role in the original Bad Kids as the creepy janitor who always seemed to be lurking about. In BAD KIDS OF CRESTVIEW ACADEMY his role grew into an even creepier janitor with possible notorious intent, and director of the film. He also brought along Sean Astin who unashamedly took over the Nelson role as Principal Nash, and provided well timed comedic relief. He has also assembled another perfect cast of young talent to portray our spoiled rich kids and one outcast. Sammi Hanratty as a child star has worked with everyone big, Colby Arps is a an up and comer along with Sophia Taylor Ali, Drake Bell, and Sean's own prodgy Ali Astin. And we can't forget another film alumni from the past, Gina Gershon (Melrose Place, Showgirls) as the senatorial parent of note.





Alright, so Browder and Wernick have assembled another clever story to go with this ensemble. We find ourselves 4 years after the original events shortly after a party in which Siouxsie’s sister allegedly killed herself at a party, chaperoned by the principal no less. We won’t question the fact the High School Principal was at this party, we’ll just accept it because it leads to some of our rich kids getting detention. Can’t help but love a principal that hands out detention at a party. Even a school party being held a students house. Anyway, Siouxsie tricks her into getting detention with the rich kids, when they are normally held separate of the average kids, in order to get to the bottom of her sister's death that may or may not have been caused by one of them. In the meantime we get a homage to The Faculty, as the school counselor is not what she seems. Nor is the janitor, or the principal it would seem. Hilarity ensues, sinister forces are at work that are not of this world, and there will be blood, lots of blood.





BAD KIDS OF CRESTVIEW ACADEMY is an excellent sequel and ties in perfectly with all other Bad Kids marketing. Who knew Ben Browder could direct? Definitely check out Bad kids in all their forms especially the new website. There is a lot of great information about the fictional world of Crestview Academy and cool merchandise including signed posters, patches, etc. Speaking of signed posters, we at the Creepercast have several original Bad Kids posters signed by creators Matt Spradlin and Barry Wernick we’d love to give you for a donation to the website. Send us an email or look for us on Facebook to make arrangements!





BAD KIDS OF CRESTVIEW ACADEMY is available on Amazon today along with its precursor!




Saturday, March 25, 2017

Go North (2017) Review



From Writer/Director Matthew Ogens, in the aftermath of an unknown catastrophe, a community left with zero living adults has descended into a modern-day Lord of the Flies, run by a small cabal of what had been the jocks occupying the athletic and social upper crust of the local high school, headed by Caleb (Patrick Schwarzenegger, SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE). Faced with the bleak despair of their situation, Josh (Jacob Lofland, MUD) and Jessie (Sophie Kennedy Clark, PHILOMENA) strike out on a dangerous journey into the unknown to find family and hope for the future, with Caleb and his vicious underling Gentry (James Bloor, LEATHERFACE) in hot pursuit.



GO NORTH is post-apocalypse film without zombies. Well, without any of the normal end of world scenarios that we know of. No time is spent explaining to us what has happened to lead us to to this 'lord of flies' time period as we are thrust into a world that has obviously seen better days. Jacob Lofland leads the cast as the bullied Josh, who sees more to life than the prison style way the jocks control things. Patrick Schwartzenegger (yep, Ahnold's son) leads the jocks, but not without some compassion, he is the quintessential troubled and plagued leader with a sister (Sophie Kennedy Clark) to protect. Rounding out the lead cast is Patrick's alternate, the bully and likely serial killer James Bloor, that pledges allegiance to his leader but is probably hoping to overthrow him some day. The entire cast is well assembled and the story unfolds without explanation or apologies.



I personally find the lack of exposition refreshing. We learn just enough about this apocalypse through the new life these kids have and as they look back at artifacts and memories of what it was before. There are few flash backs although pictures are talked about. Also, the leaders of this new society have chosen to wipe out memories of life before by banning religion, and everything related to their once modern world in favor of living in the now and teaching survival skills rather than reading and writing. Survival skills are something not taught in school today and I believe they should be just in case the real apocalypse happens. Make it a part of health class or something, Sex Ed/Survival training. Anyway, the point of the refusal of the jocks to live in the past is reasonable if not a little naive. History has taught us the importance of remembering the past as well as moving beyond it. This has also caused a rift among the younger survivors who are often persecuted for trying to make sense out of their new lives amongst the hardships of the bleakness of the new landscape and the under the thumb of the ruling jocks. If nothing else GO NORTH is the study of a society broken, that has gone back to basics, in the hopes of rebuilding something new.



GO NORTH is a beautiful piece of cinematography. I couldn't help but be impressed by each perfectly framed shot reminescient of classic films like Cool Hand Luke during the field working scene. Also, when viewing the aftermath of whatever has transpired, the bleak landscape, the delapitate homes, and abondoned cars/houses/buildings are framed in such a way that this new world is character itself. Each still is a piece of art both beautiful and depressing. In the end we have the required confrontations, budding love story, and hope for the future. Though not a flawless and perfect film, GO NORTH is something else adn worthy of viewing along side your favorite post-apocalypse films like The road.



Available today at Amazon!


Friday, March 24, 2017

Thursday, March 23, 2017

On this day in horror history.... March 23rd, 1964


On this day in horror history.... Bulging eyed creep master, Peter Lorre, took his final bow. Known for playing the skulking villain in some of the most memorable films of his time, Peter was a master craftsman of making people feel uncomfortable. One of the most iconic character actors of all time, he has and will always be missed.


Top 5 Cult Leaders in Horror Films You Probably Haven't Seen Yet Complete List

Lets face it, cults are scary, and horror movies have the greatest cults, and cult leaders. Take Isaac of Children of the Corn and those crazy folks from The Wicker Man. That being the case we decided it is about time to expose the rest of the world to the Top 5 (plus honorable mention) horror films that have featured a cult leader you probably haven't met yet. Making this list was extremely difficult given how many films we have to choose from but we stand by these 6. All of them have something in common, they are twisted and mimic real life cult leaders. At least one takes you behind the scenes and exposes the charlatans for what they really are, scam artists. Please join us for the next few weeks as we discuss the Top 5 Cult Leaders in Horror Films You Probably Haven't Seen Yet.

Honorable Mention

Steve Railsback as Charles Manson in 'Helter Skelter' (1976 TV Movie)

Whenever anyone brings up the subject of serial killing cults the first name likely to pop up in discussion is Charles Manson. This TV mini-series relives everything from the Tate murders to the court room. The man tasked with making Manson realistic and scary as hell is Steve Railsback. He looks and plays the Manson Family patriarch with no shame, undoubtedly making the real Manson proud and a force that needs to be dealt with.

Charles Manson Monologue Clip


#5 Blanca Guerra as Concha in 'Santa Sangre' (1989)

Alejandro Jodorowsky's Mexican avant-garde horror film is basically 'Psycho' goes to the circus. But Blanca Guerra embraces her role as the  leader of a religious cult that considers, as its patron saint, a little girl who was raped and had her arms cut off by two brothers. Proof that a religion can be built around just about anything. The film continues into main character Fenix's madness as Blanca leads her son down the path.

Santa Sangre Trailer


#4 Luc Picard as Roch 'Moïse' Thériault in 'Savage Messiah' (2002)

A French Canadian film based on the true story of cult leader Roch 'Moïse' Thériault who lead a small religious group based near Burnt River, Ontario, Canada from 1977-1989. Thériault punished his followers with great bodily harm, require them to prove allegiance by decapitating themselves and also "purify" them with beatings. His crimes are too numerous to mention, lets just that he was the 70's Marquis de Sade. Luc Picard took on this twised role and drove the madness and gore home. Charles Manson had nothing on this guy but the film plays out like 'Helter Skelter'.

Savage Messiah Trailer


#3 Bill Oberst Jr as Simon Leach in 'Children of Sorrow' (2012)

Desperate to discover what has become of her sister, Ellen (Hannah Levien) infiltrates Simon Leach's (Bill Oberst Jr.) cult. All she knows is that her sister was last seen joining his group in order to find herself, only to go missing after joining. Ellen is welcomed with open arms and although her initial intent is to search for her sister, she finds herself drawn to Simon's magnetic personality and message of love and acceptance. However what she soon discovers is that she, along with all of the cult's companionship-hungry members, are being manipulated to a more sinister and dark end than she could have predicted. 'Children of Sorrow' takes us behind the scenes of creating and maintaining a cult with the ever brilliant Bill Oberst Jr.

Children of Sorrow Trailer


#2 Thomas Jane as Jim Jacobs in 'The Veil' (2016)

In kind of a unique take on the modern cult film, twenty-five years after members of a religious cult committed mass suicide, the lone survivor returns to the scene of the tragedy with a documentary crew in tow. Thomas Jane dominates the film as leader Jim. Jane rewrote most of his character's dialog to convert him from a fundamentalist Christian to an occultist. This works in so many ways as Jane seems to be chanelling Jim Jones and David Koresh, with elements of the rockstar Charles Manson. Its kinda like if Jim Morrison had a cult.

The Veil Trailer


#1 Gene Jones as Father in 'The Sacrament' (2013)

Ti West's 'The Sacrament' dominates the cult worshiping film world with a modern look at the Jonestown Massacre. Based on the real recordings of witness testimonies and adding A.J. Bowen and his documentary crew to provide us with a first hand account of the inner workings that lead to drinking the Kool-Aid. 'The Sacrament' is as close to real as it gets and its scary as hell. At the forefront of it all is the unexpectedly charismatic Father (brilliantly portrayed by Gene Jones). At first he is an entirely believable and perhaps even lovable character. Later his conspiracy theories and madness lead to chaos. In the end a question still remains as to who was right and who was wrong. That's the real horror in how well Jones convinced us that not all cults are worse than society as a whole.

The Sacrament - You're Dealing With Their Lives Scene

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Creepercast Approved Project to Support: Zombies, Run! The Board Game



From the makers of Zombies, Run! the app comes a interactive boardgame designed to work in conjuction with an App. What began as a Kickstarter project is currently in production and you can pre-order your copy of the game for a December 2017 release.

Escape zombies. Find allies. Save humanity. Prepare for frantic, real-time, audio-driven fun for 2-4 players!



Order yours today at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sixtostart/zombies-run-the-board-game

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

TV NEWS: So Long Teen Wolf



MTV's longest-running original series — and first scripted drama — Teen Wolf will say farewell after six seasons. From exec producer Jeff Davis, the drama will end after hitting the 100-episode milestone.



The final season began January 17, 2017

Monday, March 20, 2017

On this day in horror history.... March 20th, 1964


On this day in horror history.... One of Herschell Gordon Lewis' many blood stained classics, '2000 Maniacs!' was released in the theaters! Continuing in the tradition of gore and girls, '2000 Maniacs' continued to raise the bar for horror films of the time. Granted, it may not be the best film ever made, but it holds an important place in horror history. If you've never seen it, Creeps, then you need to change that and soon.



INTRODUCING DEVILWORKS UNIQUE SLATE OF GENRE FILMS: CUT SHOOT KILL (2017)

Devilworks, a leader in genre film sales, dropped new stills, artwork & trailers from their Genre slate, which the company shall bring to the European Film Market (EFM). Boasting a robust slate of unique voices and fresh talent in genre filmmaking, the company’s lineup includes...



CUT SHOOT KILL by director Michael Walker (PRICE CHECK, CHASING SLEEP, THE MAID’S ROOM) stars Alexandra Socha (RED OAKS, EMOTICON) and Phil Burke (HELL ON WHEELS, BILLY & BILLIE). Serena Brooks (Socha), an ambitious young actress, signs on as the star of a horror film with a crew of backwoods filmmakers that have worked together for years. When the cast starts disappearing, Serena has to become her character if she wants to survive.



"We are very excited to bring such a strong slate of films to EFM," said Samantha Richardson. "Genre filmmaking is an ever-growing industry and these unique stories are guaranteed to impress distributors searching for fresh voices in cinema."

About Devilworks
Devilworks is a boutique World Film Sales Agent, representing films that challenge the preconceptions of genre and creating a new way of storytelling.

Devilworks specialise in entertaining films, ranging from Action, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller and cutting edge Documentaries, bringing their passion of unexpected stories to the world market. Working closely with producers, Devilworks connect unique stories with the demanding business of film distribution.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

On this day in horror history.... March 19th, 2004


On this day in horror history.... One of the best examples of how to handle a remake, Zack Snyder's 'Dawn of the Dead' (2004), is released in theaters. A film that takes all the best parts of the original and ramps it up to 11. It still has its flaws, but be easily able to be included in any list of best zombie films of the past 20 years.



Atrocity (2015) Review




When a nineteen-year-old boy decides to catch his girlfriend cheating on video, he and his friends are hit with some devastating surprises that quickly escalate the situation. Seven years later, a police detective and sheriff involved in the original investigation uncover the truth.


Director/Writer: Jeff S. Chimenti; Stars: Luke Wright, Ryan Claxton, Brittney Karbowski



Atrocity begins as a found footage film with friends gearing and boozing up to ambush one of their girlfriends who has reportedly cheated. Then it turns into a documentary about a found footage film as we are introduced to the mystery of what actually transpired that night. As much as I hate to use a current trend descriptively, it's the inception of found footage, and much like that movie, falls flat with the suspension of disbelief. That’s not to say that Chimenti fails completely with his offering. Nor is Luke Wright, Ryan Claxton, and Brittney Karbowski unable to sell the story. It just seems like there’s too many attempts at contriving a complex yarn. I mean, just because the girlfriend's step-dad is an ex-con they are convinced to take fantasy weapons to protect themselves, the worst actually happens, and in the end there’s a bloody mess with the possibility of it having been orchestrated due to a love of snuff films. The legend of the snuff rears its head again. Which immediately reminds me of the film Popcorn, or the ever brilliant Cigarette Burns. The last time I’ve raved about a storyline involving snuff films was with the studio backlot film CUT! Which Atrocity strives to be, but in the end it feels more like a college film project with a few holes that are hard to fill with suspension of disbelief.





Again, Atrocity doesn’t fail on all fronts. It is a clever, well acted, concept that looks like it was developed from a V/H/S short. There’s enough blood to sustain its life and a twist worthy of a sequel.





Available at Amazon!



Saturday, March 18, 2017

On this day in horror history.... March 18th, 1950


On this day in horror history.... character actor extraordinaire, Brad Dourif, was born. Known for his roles in 'Halloween' (2007), 'Halloween 2' (2009) and probably his most iconic performance as Chucky in the 'Childs Play' franchise. Brad continually creates memorable characters in every part that he plays. Happy Birthday, Mr. Dourif!


my thoughts on.... 'Scream at the Devil'


As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....

At The Creepercast, we make a point of seeing anything and everything featuring our patron saint, Bill Oberst Jr. When 'Scream at the Devil' came across our desk, we got excited to see his name attached and I happened to be the lucky one assigned to watch this film. From the get go, there were several things to be excited about. Not only was Bill in it, but he was surrounded by some other favorites of mine too; including Tony Todd ('Candyman'), Eric Etebari ('Witchblade') and Shari Shattuck ('On Deadly Ground'). The poster for the film, was pretty creepy and seemed to have a 'Last Exorcism' vibe to it, which was another positive. The prospects were all pointing in a good direction. What happened over the course of the next hour and 38 minutes, were not what I was expecting to see at all.


The movie opens like a Roman Polanski film and from the very beginning, I could appreciate all the love of 70's and 80's supernatural movies writer/director Joseph P Stachura was paying homage too. We initially meet our protagonist, Mirium (Shattuck), as she seems to be worshiping some kind of god or demon, praying for a child of her own. It's clear that she's tried and failed before, to conceive a child, and is desperate to try anything. Soon, we've moved forward a couple of days and she's moving into her brand new home, with her husband Gabriel (Etebari). They seem happy enough, as they slowly settle into their new lives in a beautifully, picturesque, mountain view home. However, it would appear that some other entities have moved in as well. Over the course of the rest of the movie, we watch as Mirium appears to slowly descends into madness or is she really being tormented by the devil and his minions? The walls of reality start to bend and blur so much, that even the viewer no longer can tell the truth. Not until the final scene of the film plays out.

In story and structure, the film is very straightforward. The locations are minimal and the actors are all well seasoned and know their craft. We have a classic tale of what happens when you ask for something from the darkness, before thinking about the consequences. On paper, this idea seems like it should work. Sadly, in it's execution, it falls incredibly flat. I could tell, from the early scene in the bedroom when Mirium see's the screaming/yelling demon, that this was not going to be a very good film. The practical effects, CGI and other special effects all looked to be stolen from a late 90's Cinemax film, but all of that could be forgiven, if the rest of the movie was stronger. There are some strong points to the film, however. Bill Oberst Jr, although in a very minimal appearance, steals the scene and is suitably creepy. There is also the stand out performance of Teddy Vincent as Bellah. She's channeling her inner neighbor from 'Rosemary's Baby' and makes your skin crawl with her overly friendly evil. 'Scream at the Devil' strives to be a classic demon story, but just never finds it's foot hold in the genre. For example, the over use of special effects to show you the evil that's plaguing Mirium, instead of letting your mind create the terror. Especially considering how much Mr. Stachura plays with the notion that maybe this is all just in her mind. Sometimes less, truly is more. The more I think about the film and what happens throughout, the more I realize how heavily it borrows from 'Rosemary's Baby'. From the obviously demon like neighbors, to the hellish love making scene, all the way down to the idea of carrying the child of the devil. It's all in there. The only thing that sets this apart as a different tale, is the psychosis of our lead character. Which is also what takes away from the end result.


I wish that I had more positive things to say about this film, but unfortunately there's just not enough there to elevate it beyond a 1 out of 5 star review. It's clear that Etebari and Shattuck are doing the best with what they have. Even Tony Todd brings his 'A' game to his character, trying to breathe life into the third act of the story. It's not really any one person at fault here, it's just that all of the pieces of the puzzle don't fit together like they could have. I truly respect and can appreciate anyone who is willing to do everything it takes to make a movie on their own terms. You can't please everyone and as long as, at the end of the day, you're happy with the end results. Then that's all the matters.



If you like movies like this, please check out: 'Rosemary's Baby' (1968), 'The Lords of Salem' and 'The House of the Devil'

Friday, March 17, 2017

Irish Horrors to Celebrate Your Day O' the Green!



The Day of Irish Horror is upon us and we've assembled a list of as many Irish horrors has we could find whether it be about the Irish (Leprechaun) or came from the isle! Some we haven't reviewed yet, others we can't rave enough about. Click and enjoy this St. Patrick's Day!

Grabbers (2012)
Wake Wood (2010)
The Hallow (2015)
Dead Meat (2004)
Citadel (2012)
Shrooms (2007)
Rawhead Rex (1986)
The Canal (2014)
Let Us Prey (2014)
Byzantium (2012)
Stitches (2012)
Isolation (2005)
Dementia 13 (1963)
The Eclipse (2009)
Assault of Darkness (2009)
The Sleep of Death (1980)
High Spirits (1988)
Dark Touch (2013)
Outcast (2010)
The Inside (2012)
Botched (2006)
Wilderness (2016)
The Ten Steps (2004)
Spider Hole (2014)
Without Name (2016)
The Boogeyman (2010)
Leprechaun (1993)
Maniac Cop (1988)
Red Clover (2012)
Holidays - St. Patricks Day segment (2016)

A Terror Time Out featuring 'Grabbers'


A St. Patricks tradition in my household, Grabbers will drag you away to good times and even better bibes!

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Top 5 Cult Leaders in Horror Films You Probably Haven't Seen Yet #1


#1 Gene Jones as Father in 'The Sacrament' (2013)

Ti West's 'The Sacrament' dominates the cult worshiping film world with a modern look at the Jonestown Massacre. Based on the real recordings of witness testimonies and adding A.J. Bowen and his documentary crew to provide us with a first hand account of the inner workings that lead to drinking the Kool-Aid. 'The Sacrament' is as close to real as it gets and its scary as hell. At the forefront of it all is the unexpectedly charismatic Father (brilliantly portrayed by Gene Jones). At first he is an entirely believable and perhaps even lovable character. Later his conspiracy theories and madness lead to chaos. In the end a question still remains as to who was right and who was wrong. That's the real horror in how well Jones convinced us that not all cults are worse than society as a whole.


Wednesday, March 15, 2017

My review of Swamp Ape by William S. Mayfield


Who loves old school creature feature films? Yep, this guy and if you do to then Swamp Ape is the movie for you. Set in the swamps of Florida, Swamp Ape gets its title from the mythical Skunk Ape, basically the Big Foot of the swampy areas of our country. I grew up in Louisiana so I remember hearing the stories also. Our story is about a group of college students out on a over night camping trip for there science grades. Lead by Professor Stein(Robert Fox) the small group of teens make there way to the camping area with a some of the funniest moments I have seen in any movie in years. They stop at the usual last stop for supplies we all have been in on vacations and are told by the local Chief that this is not a good time to camp, there is a blood moon coming and they should turn back. The professor tells him they have papers for this trip and takes his group anyway. Once they get to the camp they all settle in and meet there guide. The rest of the movie is pretty standard what was that noise and lets go scare the girls in their cabin you would expect from a Indy film but the love of the genre can be felt through the whole film. Directed and written by Geoff Ward for a estimated $20,000 dollars I could tell this movie was fun to make and Mr. Ward must have a love for these types of films. Swamp Ape has comedy, action, humor, and beautiful women, and a “very large” creature. What else could you possibly ask for.



I give Swamp Ape a solid 8 out 10.