Welcome to the new home of Creepercast.com. Where we let the fear creep in with all things horror genre. News, Reviews, and more! STAFF:
J.P.: Editor (EIC - Editor in Cheif), Writer (CC - Content Contributor);
Joel Kenyon: Editor (AE - Assistant Editor), Writer (CC - Content Contributor); William S Mayfield: Writer (CC - Content Contributor)
Horror anthology "Welcome to Hell", formerly entitled "Tales of Hell", has been acquired for release by Wild Eye Releasing and will see its official DVD distribution on October 9, 2018.
Cast members include Bill Oberst Jr., Nicholas Adam Clark, Calico Cooper, Kim Sønderholm, Dmitri Schuyler-Linch, Tracey Decresie, Gabriel Lee, Cara Maurizi, Tim Moran and many, many others..
Welcome to Hell consists of seven short films – "After Hours", "Dead Therapy", "Family Time", "Lucid", "Maternal Instincts", "Narrative" and "Slit" – from filmmakers Michael Aguiar, Sam Mason-Bell, Henrik Bjerregaard Clausen, James Cullen Bressack, Brad Bruce, Colin Clarke, Jeff Kacmarynski and Tony Newton.
For more information please look up https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6338506/
Welcome to Hell - A terrifying coven of tales designed to take viewers into the nether reaches of insanity, shock and horror.
Bill Oberst Jr and Rachel Alig are At Granny's House in writer-director Les Mahoney's award-winning indie horror, now available worldwide on VOD.
A Hitchcockian thriller with twists and turns, made for the YouTube generation with it's depictions of the ubiquity and downside of cellphone usage and connectivity thru social media, At Granny's House is the story of a young caregiver with a dark agenda moves into an elderly woman's house. Soon, Granny's house becomes a macabre place of death - and love.
Bill Oberst Jr ("Criminal Minds", Death House), Rachel Alig (Bikini Spring Break, 12/12/12), Les Mahoney (Mike Case in : The Big Kiss Off) and Laura Lee (Casting JonBenet) star in a Les Mahoney film, At Granny's House.
We have just learned from a reliable source (Bill Oberst Jr.'s Facebook Page) that our patron saint, the Master of Creeps, has officially joined the cast of Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects sequel, 3 FROM HELL! There has never been a better horror actor to receive such an honor. Though we agree some of us have been kind of luke-warm on the idea of DR sequel, we're starting to get excited by the project given Zombie's taste in actors. Keep checking in with us here at Creepercast.com for continued stalking of the project and our Master.
Written and directed by Nicholas Tana (and starring), 'Hell's Kitty' is a horror/comedy based on a web series of the same name based on "true-life" events about Nick, a Hollywood writer, whose love life is jeopardized by his hellacious cat named Angel. Nick's best friend and neighbor, Adam, (movie extra and slacker) is convinced that Angel is possessed. But Nick adores his cat and defends her despite all the obvious ominous warnings. There are other problems besides Nick's possessed cat. Nick never gets any sleep because the downstairs neighbor, a nameless recluse and horror movie makeup artist, stays up all night making strange noises, and leaving traces of blood in the hallway. Worse, Angel scratched his neighbor, Lisa, a girl Nick once dated, and Lisa is threatening to sue. But as strange supernatural events take place, and people start disappearing, Nick must do something to prevent further cat-astrophes before his life becomes a living hell. Admittedly I know nothing about the series, but, I'm pretty sure this soon to be released film is a culmination of the series in a cohesive storyline. Which is just fine with me since it means I'm experiencing the entire thing for the first time, as it was likely meant to be, and will be for you.
'Hell's Kitty' is an original and hilarious love letter to horror films. It features cameos, nightmare sequence homages to the classics, and a possessed cat. Even the characters names draw from beloved horror features from Father Damien to Rosemary Carrie. Scenes include well-placed objects like Stephen King novels and more importantly, 'Hell's Kitty' is a who's who of horror movie icons old and new. It's a plethora of anybody who's anyone in horror royalty. We've got the incredible Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water), Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes), Courtney Gains and John Franklin (Children of the Corn's Moridicia and Isaac, as... well, Mordicia and Isaac), Dale Midkiff (Pet Cemetary), Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet), reigning scream queen and succubus Victoria De Mare (Killjoy), Lynn Lowry (Shivers, Cat People), Chanel Ryan (Bad Kids Go to Hell, Circus of the Dead), Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog, Creepshow), and our beloved Master of Creeps Bill Oberst Jr (Circus of the Dead, Abraham Lincoln Vs Zombies), just to name a few. Believe me, that is just a few. Even a Killer Klown shows up to get its ass kicked by the demon kitty.
Now I'm definitely not going to say that 'Hell's Kitty' is brilliant in any way. But it is everything you could possibly love and hate about a B-horror comedy. You'll love mining the film for popular horror references. Between all the blatantly placed callbacks ('The Shining', 'Children of the Corn', and 'The Exorcist' just to name a few) and all the well-placed items in a scene, or even cleverly placed lines in dialogue, there is a lot of horror nostalgia to look for. You'll also love the cameos that not only strengthen the homages but humorously play on what we think we know about these characters based on their iconic roles. My favorite is when Michael Berryman, a very scary looking guy who (if you follow him at all on social media, is really pussy cat) first pops into a room to a startled Nick and says "Do I scare you?" Bill (Oberst Jr.) as a creepy vicar is, as always, briliantly portrayed. Also, Doug Jones possessed by a cat demon is horror comedy gold. How's that for a tease?
As for what's possible to hate about 'Hell's Kitty" keep in mind that I mean it in the "you gotta love it anyway" way. So, of course, there are some quirky and or ridiculous aspects of the film. One of them is the slightly disjointed clipping together of the webisodes into the storyline. It's kind of fun although slightly annoying. The plot itself is amazingly goofy. Again, you gotta love it despite that. I mean who hasn't thought that cats are possessed by a demon? I'm pretty sure all of mine are despite being just as cute as Angel. Now Nick's relationship with his cat is very creepy. But all that makes sense once the mystery of the demon unfolds, and who can't appreciate the idea that a house cat could shred someone she doesn't like to bloody ribbons. Finally, when Dale Midkiff finally makes his appearance it will blow your mind. Just sayin'.
Ahead of the March digital and DVD release of the feature film, the filmmakers behind 'Hell’s Kitty have produced a hilarious video for their original song CHAINSAW KITTY. The CHAINSAW KITTY music video was meant to reflect the often schizophrenic personality of the movie’s central antagonist and is currently available on Amazon and Spotify; soon to be available on iTunes.
To kick off the movie release and to share their love for cats, the creators behind the film teamed with HOLLYSHORTS MONTHLY SCREENINGS and the TLC CHINESE THEATER recently hosted a premiere at the legendary theatre to raise money for FixNation.org. FixNation provides a free, full-time spay/neuter clinic with two full-time veterinarians capable of sterilizing as many as 100 cats per day. They also help hundreds of cats find suitable homes. For more info on the cause click here.
'Hell’s Kitty' is available on all VOD platforms March 13, 2018 and on DVD March 27th, 2018 via Wild Eye Releasing.
Finally, when you get your hands on 'Hell's Kitty' be sure to have the bar stocked for a ‘Drinking Game’ from Doug Jones where you have to chug a beer when someone screams in the movie, Angel the cat scratches someone or you spot one of the many horror icons in the movie (be it Doug Jones, Adrienne Barbeau, Dale Midkiff, Michael Berryman et al). See the infographic for the rules and good luck!
On this day in horror history.... our patron saint, Bill Oberst Jr, does it again. 'Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies' shambles its way into our lives. The Asylum's answer to 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter', this little movie that could, shows what Bill is truly capable of. Not only is he an amazing Lincoln, but a bad ass zombie killer and a bit of an action hero. This one may not have had the major studio backing that the other film did, but it doesn't matter.... it still kicks ass.
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'
A dark and fatal secret's revelation turns an elderly woman's house into a place of love and death.
Director/Writer: Les Mahoney; Stars: Bill Oberst Jr., Rachel Alig, Laura Lee
Marion Rogers aka Granny (Glenda Morgan Brown), an elderly lady in the small town of Haley, reluctantly accepts the mysterious Rebecca Torrance (Rachel Alig) as her live-in caregiver, but eventually the two form a strong friendship. Rebecca soon sells Granny on the idea of turning the house into a guest house for travelers looking for free accommodations, which, in turn, leads to revealing Rebecca's dark and fatal secret. A strange love triangle forms when Rebecca and Ted, a guest at the house, fall in love. This leads to a violent confrontation.
At Granny's House is a decent concept with a serial killing, home invasion, captivity premise that works well. Rachel Alig may have over played the sinister nature of the care giver before we get to see her intentions. But she was perfect once we got to know her. Glenda Morgan is a delightfully mischievous Granny and I truly enjoyed her depth as a character. Bill Oberst Jr, of course, stole the scene yet again as the quizzical investigator. I'm telling you our Master of Creeps needs to always have the lead role in everything he does. Yet, we applaud his humbleness stepping into so many films as a supporting actor. Now, I'm not a fan of when a director casts himself (or his significant other - looking at you Rob Zombie and Tim Burton) in lead roles but but I'll let Les slide on the love interest role, no matter how overdone it was.
You can watch At Granny's House today at the link below.
#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.
Ok so if any fans of the Creepercast know, I am a dedicated fan and movie reviewer for the podcast. Been a fan since mid 2013 I believe (Jeff correct me on that if I'm wrong) Anyway I came across an indie horror actor by the name of Bill Oberst Jr and in my head I was thinking, who the hell is Bill Oberst Jr. Then I listened to Jason and Jeff's interview with The Master of Creeps on the podcast and I looked him up and bought a couple of his films and became a fan. Then the joys of Facebook allowed me to get in contact with Bill and we talked and I became more of a fan. We talked about doing a phone interview but unfortunately I lost contact with Bill when I deleted Facebook for reasons of rather not say. A few months ago I made a new twitter account and Bill and I talked more. And we set up a phone interview for Saturday February 4th, and I was nervous as all heck. 1:30 that Saturday afternoon came very very quickly and once I heard Bill pick up his phone my heart skipped. He asked me where I lived, as any Creepercast fan knows, I live in Ohio. I got right down to the questions and I only had 1 question in my head at the time and every question after was improvised based on what we talked about.
My first question to Bill was how he got involved with the band Disturbed's music video Asylum, off the album of the same name. He told me that the band's producer got in contact with him needing creepy looking guys for the doctors (Bill fits the part of creepy to a T and that's why I love Bill).
Now I asked a ton of questions and I might not get through all of them but the ones I feel need to mention I'm mentioning. My next mention to Bill was how he got involved with Criminal Minds (which he played the unsub in S9Ep20 I believe) Bill mentioned that Matthew Gray Gubler, the director of the episode and series regular got in contact with him after a friend of Gubler and Bill worked together. My nephew mentioned to me that Bill scared him when my nephew, Mom and I watched the episode on premiere night. My Mom told me to mention to Bill that she thought he did an amazing job.
My next question for Bill, and again I apologize I should have written these questions down as I went but I wasn't expecting to do this but I'm glad I am was how did his costar Chanel Ryan react to him on the set of Circus of the Dead (which I'm waiting slowly but surely for a DVD and Blu-ray release). He said that there's a scene in the film when he crashes through achieve window and grab Chanel which really scared her. He told me that everytime Chanel screamed he just screamed louder in her face. He improvised a scene in which he has Chanel pinned to a wall and Bill's only thought was he was going to lick her face. Bill has a line that mentioned that is "tastes like slut" which was improvised and a very good improvised line.
After a few minutes of talking I mentioned Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies and Bill mentioned he memorized everything from Lincoln to his speech ext. Bill mentioned he got a call from a person from Asylum saying to be in Georgia the day before filming and to read the script on the plane down. Now I'm not a big Asylum film fan but Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies was ok in my opinion and I'm not saying that to kiss Bills butt or anything.
Now a couple weeks ago I came across one of Bill's films on Netflix called the Three Dogateers. Bill laughed and said that that was a blast to shoot, I said to him it was like Air Buddies but the CGI dogs were horrible. He said it was an honor to work with Dean Cain (an outspoken born again Christian and star of Lois and Clark Adventures) and that the dogs were cute. He has had people say that the film they didn't like but their kids loved. Bill's accent according to him was an interpretation of many different accents.
A couple questions that I asked I didn't even intend on asking but I mentioned Bill winning the Lon Chaney award for excellence in indie horror back in 2015 I believe and Bill said it was an honor to receive the award from Chaneys family.
My next question for Bill came in the form of his guest starring role on the FOX horror series Scream Queens. My only real question on that subject was his reaction to working with actual scream Queens legend, Jamie Lee Curtis. Now I probably would have been like a 6 year old girl meeting Justin Bieber for the first time if I met Jamie Lee Curtis but Bill being professional told Ms. Curtis that it was an honor to work with her. Now after hearing all that I asked a question that I wasn't expecting an answer too and that's something I loved about Bill. He had a solid answer for every question I asked.
I asked him about excluding Dean Cain, Jamie Lee Curtis and the criminal minds cast, has he worked with any other A list actors and his answer surprised me in the form of he has worked with Hugh Jackman on a car commercial for China and Jim Carrey.
Now Hugh Jackman is my favorite actor apart from Bill and Ryan Reynolds, Bill said that both Jackman and Carrey were the nicest people you could meet.
Now this is where I might get some backlash and im going to end with this. I covered a majority of the questions I asked Bill but this last one is one about Bill's Christianity. Now if you see Bill you might not see a man of God but from my own personal information, he is and he credits God everyday. My question was is he or has he starred in any Christian based films like pureflix and he said he has. Apostle Peter and the Last Supper is the film and Bill portrayed Satan who tempted Peter in jail.
Now my time with Bill for that 1 hour was amazing and I loved every minute of it. So thank you to Jeff for allowing me to be apart of the Creepercast and Bill for talking with me. I hope to hear from Bill sometime later and hope to have interviews with others in the future!
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....
Found footage comes in my different shapes and sizes. Ever since 'The Blair Witch Project' was released in 1999, the genre has proven to be a marketable format for film makers and producers to keep costs low and profits high. It's also shown itself to be the preferred method for young directors, to make a movie no matter what kind of resources they have available. The problem is, that it's also flooded the market with a lot of bargain basement quality product. So much so, that the found footage genre has started to leave a poor taste in audiences collective mouths and made it a bit of pariah, especially in modern horror films. However, there are a lot of die hard fans out there that are still waiting for the next 'Blair Witch Project'. Among all of the cookie cutter product that's been produced, you still can find a diamond in the rough. When I started watching 'Children of Sorrow', I had no idea what I was in for. All I knew was that our patron saint, Bill Oberst Jr, was in it and was the lead. That was enough to make me intrigued. As soon as the film began, I realized that it was not your standard narrative, but a found footage style descent into darkness. For me, that's not a bad thing. I'm still a fan of the cinéma vérité style and was intrigued to see what director, Jourdan McClure, might bring to the table. What I got, was something that's lingered with me, ever since the credits rolled, after the third act was complete. That's not a simple feat, especially considering how many horror films I see in a year. I want to be shown something new or to feel that overwhelming sense of dread, that used to come more often, when I was younger. 'Children of Sorrow' brought all of those feelings back and has left me still puzzling over what I had seen.
The film tells the story of Simon Leach (Bill Oberst Jr), a man whose motives are clearly not pure from the moment the audience is introduced to him. He's being filmed by his partner in crime, Mary, as they begin to set the stage for some kind of semi-religious cult type retreat. As we get indoctrinated into his world, we begin to meet the men and women he would prey upon. One by one, their backstories are provided through exposition and character interaction. Slowly, things begin to take shape. At first, you feel that maybe the film title is a little misleading. That's something that doesn't last for long. Simon begins to reveal, what we think, are his true intentions, but not before the entire film takes a sharp left turn and the whole thing is turned on it's side. What happens over the rest of the second and third act, will shake you to the core and make you happy to be safe in your own home. It's not like anything I've seen portrayed in a film, outside of (maybe) Ti West's 'The Sacrament'. Even that film has a bit more redeeming qualities to it, if that's possible. This film shows the true heart of darkness and his name is Simon.
As fellow Creeps, you all know that I stray away from giving out too many details in my review. I'm a firm believer that experiencing what the writer and director have crafted is the only way to see a horror film. Too much information can kill an effective story and take away the gut punch contained within its run time. 'Children of Sorry' is a prime example of that. If I had gone into this film, knowing all I know now, it would have lost something. I was able, instead, to live out the moments that the naive main characters were forced to endure. It was unpleasant and off putting, but incredibly well done and something I won't soon forget. Once again proving that Bill Oberst Jr is an under utilized talent. Despite his lack of traditional Hollywood leading man qualities, he oozes charisma and swagger. He embodies each character that he portrays and never turns in less than a 110% performance. In this movie, he's surrounded on all sides, by fellow actors and actresses that jump feet first into the story and provide him with a solid base in which to move and breathe.
What more can I say about 'Children of Sorrow' other than, see it. Avoid all spoilers and just watch the movie unaware of any more than I've provided you in this review. It's a film that slid by under the radar and might be that weird little addition to your horror lexicon that you can introduce to your friends. All the while, hiding a sly little grin, letting them know that they're in for something special. I feel that this deserves a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Granted, it's not for everyone and could be difficult for some people to watch. Not that it's insanely gory, although it's pretty bloody, but that it's more psychological. Many of the most horrific death scenes are played out in short bursts of a few frames here and there. Some is more implied than shown and some are blatantly graphic. All of which, keeps you off balance and wondering what you may or may not see next. In the end, what are Simon's true intentions and what will happen after the credits have ended? You'll have to watch to find out. I only hope that this isn't a recruitment for Bill's personal fan club. If so, I could understand why people are dying to get in.
If you like this film, check out: 'The Sacrament', 'Red State' and 'Jug Face'
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....
It's fascinating how some films hit you one way and other, similar films, can hit you in a completely different way. 'Circus of the Dead' was one of those films that has left me puzzled, ever since the final post credits scene ended. I can't legitimately decide how I feel about it. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's unusual to walk away from a movie without having any concrete impressions of it. This one, in particular, took me on a bizarre roller coaster ride of emotions. At some points, I was wide eyed at the performance of Bill Oberst Jr (the patron saint of The Creepercast) and others, I was disgusted by his characters motivations and actions. He created something, with Papa Corn, that proves he's an under utilized talent in the larger film making community. Not too say that the man doesn't work, because if you look at his IMDB credits, it's a wonder he finds time to sleep. There were times where I feel disgusted at the actions of the main characters of the clowns. They were truly sadistic and completely un redeeming people. However, you can't take away from them, the charisma and iconic sensibilities that they possessed. It was like you couldn't help but love to hate them. Meanwhile, feeling like you needed to take a shower during most of their screen time. All of it punctuated like the claw end of a hammer, by the ring leader himself, Papa Corn. Our main 'hero' in the story, Donald, was merely a means to an end. A pawn in a violent game of destruction and violence. Sadly, despite all of the efforts of the clowns, there were so many cringe worthy performances from everyone else, that it tended to take away from the overall movie going experience. All in all, 'Circus of the Dead' was something that defies a recommendation to others to view. Rather, it garners a warning that only true deviants and horror fanatics should delve into the world of pain and suffering that director, Billy Pon, has created. Perhaps that's the greatest compliment that a film maker could hope for, but it limits your audience to a very small niche society of horror lovers that can stomach the underbelly of evil itself.
At the beginning of 'Circus of the Dead', were confronted with the thoughts of another killer clown, John Wayne Gacy. He's quoted as saying, “You know.... clowns can get away with murder.”. I didn't understand the meaning of this at first, but throughout the course of the films run time, we learn that this is the entire premise that it's based on. Time and time again, we see that this is true, as our cavalcade of circus killers just waltz their way through one murder after another. No one ever even looking twice in their direction or suspecting them of the atrocities that they are committing. Co-written and directed by Billy Pon, he quickly sets the stage for what's to come, as the film opens with the clowns already in progress. Torturing and murdering people, right before going into the center ring, to delight and entertain a tent full of unaware onlookers. During this time, we're introduced to Donald, a family man with 2 daughters and a beautiful wife. It's made apparent that maybe his life isn't perfect, but he loves his family anyway. They decide to go out and spend a night at the circus, where Papa Corn takes a liking to them and selects them as his next victims. He soon, kills Donald's wife, kidnaps his children and forces Donald to do whatever they want in order to see his daughters again. Over the course of the rest of the film, we see murder after murder occur as the clowns continually leave evidence, framing Donald for all of their horrific acts. I don't want to spoil the ending or too much of what occurs during the remaining film, as it detracts from the the finale. I'd rather you experience it, just as I did. Completely unaware of what was coming next. Not unlike Donald, himself. Also, stay throughout the entire credits.
'Circus of the Dead' is full of things you can pick apart and complain about. Poor acting, some sound editing issues and the weird transitions from one scene to the next, that feel like a commercial break is warranted. However, this shouldn't take away from the craftsmanship and firm grasp on storytelling that Billy Pon possesses. If he's capable of something on this scale, with (what I'm guessing) he had for a budget, then he's a man to keep your eye on. Granted, I have a feeling that his films won't be for everyone, but that shouldn't take away from his obvious love of the genre and desire to tell stories. He even tied in an earlier film that he made, 'Doll Boy'. However, I can't say that I enjoyed this film, but I can't say that I didn't, either. It's a unique situation where I hated what I was seeing, a lot of the time, but couldn't take my eyes away from it. Imagine a hybrid of Fred Vogel's 'August Underground' trilogy mashed up with Rob Zombie's '31' and a little Quentin Tarantino thrown in for flavor. It's something that you might not have never seen before, but feels all too familiar. I know that it feels like I'm constantly flip flopping with my feelings on this film, but that's because I am. It's like a train wreck. You want to see what's actually happened, but all the while, feeling that gut sensation that you need to look away. Perhaps, because it's all too real, in it's presentation, but yet it still has a surrealistic quality to it. My belief is that this unique sensation is partially due to the unique characterizations of each clown and the scene stealing powers of Bill Oberst Jr. No matter how much you want to hate them for the things they are doing, you can't take your eyes off of them when they're on the screen. Everything else in between feels like filler, compared to the antics of our protagonists.
At the end of the day, I'm curious to see where Billy Pon takes us next, in his already announced sequel to 'Circus of the Dead' It feels like there are many more stories to tell or nightmares to live through. Either way, this movie has already proven to have a solid base of fans and deservedly so. For me, it's a 3 out of 5 star rating. Something that I don't regret seeing, but I don't know that I ever need to live through it again. It's proof that there are still new ideas out there and iconic characters to be born. In a world of remakes and reboots, it's nice to see something we've never seen before. Not everything in 'Circus of the Dead' is an original thought, but it doesn't have to be. You're getting what you pay for and it pays off every promise that it makes. If you're blood lust lies on the more gritty and realistic side, with a dash of insanity, then maybe you should buy a ticket and take the ride, but be warned, you must be at lease this tall to ride.
If you enjoyed 'Circus of the Dead', check out: the 'August Underground' trilogy, '31' and anything featuring Bill Oberst Jr
"An independent film with a class A story and actors that rivals Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer."
“Jenny Bilson, a high school senior, is the perfect student, a wonderful daughter to a veteran police detective and an all American Dream. But the one mistake she is unaware of making is about to haunt her in a very violent way, as her past returns for revenge.” (IMDB)
Ditch Day Massacre is definitely an independent film, but it follows the pattern set by Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer so well that by the end you forget the other two existed. That's mostly because it takes you a step further than its predecessors by letting you get close to the primary antagonist to the point where you'll not only empathize with him, but hope he gets his revenge and maybe even redemption in the end. Of course he's also an insane methodical killer that happens to be played by the always amazing Bill Oberst Jr. If you only know Bill by the creatures he portrays on screen you'd think twice about how close you actually get to him. But that isn't all that's worth talking about in this film.
Ditch Day Massacre is the beloved cautionary tale about the indiscretions of your past coming back to bury an axe in your head. Our perfect girl's mistake was drinking and driving and the reason she initially got away with it was because her father was a cop. Bill Oberst Jr and his family just happened to be in the car she plows into. This is all pretty obvious pretty quickly so I don't feel like I'm giving anything way. If nothing else it adds to the cautionary aspect of the film, I mean seriously, how bad aof luck would you have to have to be leaving a high school party and crash into Bill Oberst Jr? Yep, something like that only guarantees that in a couple years, before you graduate, while ditching school to party with your friends, something really bad is going to happen. But of course, that’s the whole point!
Though not exactly new, Ditch Day Massacre's director Joe Hendrick (Smiley, 2012), and writers Daniel P. Coughlin, Ryan Coughlin (Farmhouse, 2008. Lake Dead, 2007) have created a solid homage to horror masterpieces that is more than Craven worthy. The cast, besides our loved Bill Oberst Jr., consists of Katy Foley as our perfect angel with the deep dark secret, Zach Silverman as our princesses boyfriend who has a deep dark secret of his own, and a special appearance from the incorrigible veteran scream queen Lynn Lowry (The Crazies, 1973/2010. Cat People, 1982. They Came from Within, 1972) as the lonely cat lady next door. Together with the supporting cast, we have a hoard of characters that work well together and a bunch of up and coming actors that surely had lots of fun on the set! The practical effects are perfect, despite a few continuity issues, and the music definitely creates the desired ambiance.
"Writer and director Billy Ponn is one sick MF! Not only did he manage to take the irrational fear of clowns and legitimize it, but I'm certain he held a gun to the head of the entire crew to make this film. Circus of the Dead is torturous, raunchy, bloody good fun with grease paint, guns, and sharp objects." - Jeff of the Creepercast
The above statements are true, unless of course they are false. In which case they are definitely true. I also mean it in the most endearing, sick MF loving kind of way. Kinda like how Pappa Corn gives "it" what "it" wants, with a little less screaming, screaming is annoying, but keeps "it" happy. Circus of the Dead is an evil clown lovers dream, and the perfect nightmare for our clown fearing friends (right Jason?). It's also easy to believe that in the state that brought us Leatherface, Pappa and crew may exist. Not a comforting thought now that I think of it. And we're neighbors, will the clowns be coming here next?
Our murdering cast of clowns is not without a purpose. Their enigmatic leader Bill Oberst Jr (Pappa Corn) is actually playing a game of Lotería in which he matches the characters on the cards to their future victims. This is what draws his and his crües attention to doting family man Donald (Parrish Randall – The Quick and the Undead), his faithless wife Tiffany (Chanel Ryan – Bad Kids Go to Hell), and their daughter Rose. As if we haven't done enough Creepercast family name dropping Brad Potts (Zombies vs Strippers) also graces the screen with his “tough as nails” Trooper Weaver. These are only the big names in Circus of the Dead, the soon to be big names are the clowns themselves who have already made their screen debut in Doll Boy. I am, of course, referring to my favorite Noodledome (Ryan Clapp). There's also Mister Blister (Rusty Edwards), Jumbo (Mike Williams), after all, you can't have a true circus clown act without a little person or Pepe the Mime (Kyle Mueller). All of these killer clowns have something strangely endearing about them, and all are deadly little bastards that reminded me fondly of Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Oh yeah, our beloved Doll Boy (Sergio Gracida) pops in to bring the hammer down as well.
Circus of the Dead has been the most anticipated film of 2014. You've heard us talk to director Billy Ponn on the podcast and several news related articles have invaded the web with the warning that “The circus is coming, hide!” All with good reason, Circus of the Dead is an unrelenting slaughter fest. Pappa Corn is the ultimate evil that only wants to match his cards even it means taking you under his wing long enough to warp your logical brain into sillypuddy. His sidekicks all have personalities of their own even though they are obviously just in it for the kill of it (rumor has it Mr Fister will get his own feature!) The entire film is a roller coaster ride to death and mayhem. Ponn is also a genius at marketing, when you finally get a chance to check out this film notice the Perro Azul cigs and all the beer labels are of his own creation. On top of that Ponn uses every media available to push the circus on the masses with trading cards, specially designed posters, etc. I'm expecting action figures in the next months and hope I'm put on the list for Pappa Corn. I mean, who wouldn't want a Bill Oberst Jr. action figure that yells “It gets what it wants!” at everyone that walks by.
Circus of the Dead is not for everyone, but if you dig yourself some killer clown violence and mayhem its a do not miss...
