my thoughts on.... 'Victor Crowley'

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....

Adam Green, oh how I love your work. You never let anyone get in the way of what you want to do, which is usually something steeped in your love of the horror genre. Your 'Hatchet' series was a love letter to the 80's over the top slasher genre that took things to another level of insanity, but in a good way. Granted, I'm not the biggest fan of the Victor Crowley design, however, that's a minor hang up. You consistently get staples of the genre to join you in your madness, as your 'Hatchet Army' wallows in the fruits of your labor. In this 4th installment in the series and a re-branding of the franchise, Adam continues to do things his own way. This time, there seems to be a much lower budget, but he makes use of every dollar to make an incredibly fun film that features some of the mainstays and plenty of new faces to get ripped off. I think the best way to describe Adam's body of work is, “Metal”. There's a certain air to his projects that just feels like a heavy metal concert. Not just his use of metal icons, (I'm looking at you, Dee Snider in 'Holliston') but the way he presents his films. He also loves to blend a healthy dose of comedy among all the blood, guts, gore and icky stuff. It gives the audience a chance to breath and to laugh a little at the pure craziness that's unfolding before them. In 'Victor Crowley', he has some genuinely laugh out loud moments that are undeniable. By now you can probably tell that enjoyed this film. It's no secret that I'm a fan.

This time around, it's been 10 years since Victor Crowley's last rampage. No one has seen or heard from him and it seems like maybe he's gone forever. In the time that's passed, the Honey Island swamp has become a tourist attraction. People flock from miles around to visit his old stomping grounds. There are even toys in his likeness. The only survivor, that's telling the tale, is Andrew (played by Parry Shen). He's written a, somewhat factual, book on the events that nearly took his life. While on a promotional book tour, he's offered the opportunity to go back to the swamp and do an interview. Hesitant at first, he eventually gives in, when the money is too good to pass up. Meanwhile, a trio of indie horror film makers are trying to get their film adaptation of the massacre off the ground. They try and enlist Andrew to be a part of it, but he's already on his way out the door to the swamp. They head to the same destination to make a mock trailer of the film to get funding. While they're there, they begin playing the chant on YouTube that was used to bring him back from the dead. Not realizing that by doing this, they're starting the whole cycle over again. As Andres is on his way there, his plane crashes in the swamp. The trio goes to help and thus the rebirth of Victor Crowley begins.

While this film truly feels like it's on a budget, that doesn't make it any less enjoyable or entertaining. Adam utilizes minimal sets and actors, to increase the amount of blood shed and money shots. There are a few missteps in terms of special effects, but overall it's above par. This is one of the biggest draws of these films though. The over the top gore. With the 'Hatchet' films, there is zero subtlely when it comes to the violence. It's almost to the level of a Road Runner cartoon, but with entrails and eyeball gouging. It legitamtely feels like an 80's slasher film ala Tom Savini in his prime. While that may light a lot of us onlookers fire, there are some other horrific moments that don't require a blood pack or innards. Case in point, a drowning. Adam does his best to drive the point home so that when the death finally happens, it has meaning. It doesn't quite get to that level, but kudos to him for trying. He also pulls out all the stops with some fun casting choices, Kane Hodder ('Friday the 13th'), Laura Ortiz ('Holliston'), Brian Quinn ('Impractical Jokers'), Felissa Rose ('Sleepaway Camp'), Tiffany Shepis (anything low budget horror, probably has Tiffany in it), Jonah Ray ('Mystery Science Theater 3000' from 2017), Tyler Mane ('Halloween' 2007 and 2009), Adam Green (makes a cameo), Joe Lynch ('Holliston') and even Tony Todd ('Candyman') makes a comeback of sorts. Also, if you stick around through the credits, you might find another surprise. If that's not enough to get you interested, then you're reading the wrong blog.

At the end of the day, this is another decent entry in his incredibly fun franchise. If you don't mind spending almost the entire movie in or around a crashed, tiny airplane. If you like your horror on a budget. If you enjoy a solid laugh, while peeing yourself a little at the horror. If any of those things seem like something you'd dig, then this is a movie for you. It's a prime example of a film where you kind of shut your brain off at the door and just enjoy the hour and a half with old friends. It's a film that you can watch with your other Creepercast friends and share in the glow of a genre fanatics love letter to his fans. This film felt like Adam was paying tribute to his followers and thanking them for sticking by him for all these years. He didn't have to go back to the well, but I think we're all a little better for it. We don't have enough film makers in horror that just kind of do something for the sake of doing it. You can't have prime rib every night of the week forever. Sometimes you need some cotton candy. Something light and sugary to cleanse your palette. A treat that makes you feel like a kid again. That's what 'Victor Crowley' is. As long as you go into it with that mentality, then you won't walk out disappointed. I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars, for being the perfect piece of bloody candy. If you're a fan of the first three films, this may feel a bit unfinished, but I have a feeling that we're going to get another sequel at some point. If Jason Voorhees taught me anything, it's that you can't keep a good villain down.



If you like this, check out: 'Hatchet', 'Hatchet II' and 'Hatchet III'

my 'classic' thoughts on.... 'Laid To Rest'

Dragging the depths of my old horror reviews, I thought they might need to see the light of day again. So, I bring you some of Joel's 'Classic' horror reviews....

Last night, I had the pleasure of watching a little low budget nasty called, 'Laid to Rest'. It isn't going to win any awards. It didn't re-invent the wheel, but it's an hour and a half of non-stop blood, guts, gore and icky stuff. Not too mention that the killer was fairly original and entertaining to watch and learn about. In a sea of stellar slasher flicks, it's nice to find one that is a tad above the bar. The basic premise is that a woman wakes up in a casket with no memory. Soon, she finds out that she's being chased by a serial killer called 'Chromeskull'. Shortly after that, we're off to the races! She tracks down some help, along the way, and each one is killed off one after another. More and more is revealed and soon we've reached the climax of the film. Meanwhile, you're wondering where the time went?

The stand out parts of this film, invlove the gore. The special effects are above average and tend to overshadow the story, which is very simple in scope. There are some violent kills, but nothing very new or inventive. Still, it's worth the price of admission. One thing that left me feeling a bit let down was the ending and the lack of closure. It seemed like we got a lot of build up to only end with a slighly abrut and unsatisfying finale. I'd say it pays off, however, not as well as I'd hoped. I mean, they build up this killer so much, that it would have left itself wide open for a franchise. Sadly, that probably won't happen, but I've said too much. (Editorial note: There was a sequel to this film called 'Chromeskull: Laid To Rest 2', that was released 2 years later. There is also a 3rd film in the franchise in the works now.)

All that being said, if you have Netflix, it's on demand right now or to rent. (Editor's note: This film is no longer available to stream online.) I would say it's worth a night of popcorn and brainless slaying. You won't find any great revelations and will probably feel slightly let down, but the rest of it is so strong, that it holds up to the test of above average slasher film. If this piece of bloody good fun is an indication of what the director and writer have in store for the future, then I'm eager to see what's next. All in all, 3 out of 5 stars. Worth your time, but perhaps not worth repeated viewings. Check it out for yourselves and let me know what you think. A killer for a new age. One of cell phones, fast cars and shoudler mounted video cameras. Keep in mind though, this one isn't for the faint of heart.



If you enjoy this movie, check out: 'Splinter', 'P2' and 'Scream'

On this day in horror history.... May 9th, 1980

On this day in horror history.... The world became afraid of camping in the woods, along with having unprotected sex, as 'Friday the 13th' (1980) is released theatrically. The brainchild of Sean S. Cunningham, this took what Hitchcock did with 'Psycho' and transplanted it into a summer camp setting. Spawning sequels and a remake, along with so much more.... Jason Voorhees is truly the killer that will never die. However, this is where it all began, with his mother and a desire for revenge.

my thoughts on.... 'Los Inocentes' aka 'Bloody April Fools'

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....

I really enjoy foreign horror films. Something about them always feels different and it's not just the need for subtitles (on a lot of them), it's an undefinable shift in tone. They seem to be more willing to take risks and have less overall control from the studios. Either that or they're willing to let the writers and directors do what they feel is best. For that reason, these films tend to have a bit more fresh and unique spin on them, even if they're telling the same stories that we've seen a hundred times before. Case in point, 'Los Inocentes' aka 'Bloody April Fools'. A true to form, slasher film of the 80's variety. From the origin story to the main character, all the way down to the twist ending and silly, over the top kills. This movie oozes the 80's aesthetic. Now, going into this thing with no knowledge of what it was about or what to expect, may have been a misstep on my part. Why, you may ask? Because I didn't realize what the backstory was to it and this caused a bit of confusion and made me kind of look at it as a traditional style of horror film. As I was watching this, I did a quick bit of research, on http://www.IMDB.com, and saw the massive amount of writing and directing credits. It kind of threw me for a loop and in my review notes I was taking, I made a not to find out why? The reality was, that this is a movie that was made up of directors in their senior year of a directing workshop at ESCAC (Barcelona's film school.) Now, that is something I never saw coming! It also made me look at the entire project differently. Even the very short run time of one hour and 5 minutes, made more sense.

In Mexico and all over the Catholic world, December 28 commemorates the Santos Inocentes or Holy Innocents. It's basically the equivalent of America's April Fool's Day. A day where jokes are played on the innocent, hence the original Spanish title of the film, 'Los Inocentes'. However, for American audiences, it was changed to 'Bloody April Fools', which doesn't make sense, as the film takes place on December 28th. Regardless, it begins with a bunch of teenagers at a local hostel. They're all having a good time and playing pranks on each other, but one of the pranks goes too far. A rather nerdy teen, gets locked into an area where the hot water furnaces are and gets horrible burned and possibly even killed, in a very painful and cruel manner. Fast forward 15 years later, to the day. It's December 28th again and a group of teens are all loaded in a van, traveling together to an unknown destination. Upon realizing it's getting late and looking for a place to crash. They see the sign for the old hostel and stop at a local gas station to grab food and alcohol, before heading there for the night. The locals warn them that it's closed down, but they go anyway. All, but one of them. As the night slowly starts to wear on, they're each killed one by one. By the end of the evening, only two of them remain, as they fight for their lives against an unseen killer.

Sound familiar? It probably should. It's the basic outline for 75% of the slasher films ever made. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as you're getting what you pay for. Even since Sean S. Cunningham unleashed the original 'Friday the 13th' on the world, back in 1980, people having been copying it's outline for countless films ever since. Although, 'Los Inocentes' takes place in a hostel, it still follows the basic formula of teens + sex = death. Even the killer and the twist at ending, are carbon copies of things you've seen 100 times before. But, when you consider this was conceived in a classroom, by film students, it kind of makes more sense. Where this movie shines, is in the atmosphere and direction. It looks and feels beautiful. It's got very rich tones and is lush with amazing shots of the darkened hallways and abandoned rooms. The color palette is shockingly good. It also makes great use of a decent orchestral score and other found music, that fits well into the mood of the piece. Where it shows its inexperience is in the sound editing and poor cutting between scenes. It also suffers from trying to hard with the original kill concept. I can see what they were all going for, with the use of pranks and dark humor, to emphasize the 'Fools Day' aspect, it just falls short of hitting the mark. Even with all of that working for and against it, these young directors show an amazing amount of promise. With some time and experience, I can see the beginnings of some very cool things to come. I only wish the instructors had reigned them in just a bit, to make it all a bit less amateurish.

What has resonated with me, ever since finishing this last night, is the fact that it was all done as a group effort, by students cutting their teeth in the genre. There are many film makers, currently in the studio system in America, that aren't putting out the quality that I saw in 'Los Inocentes'. Even though I may never need to watch this one again, it's still something that I would recommend to up and coming film students, to show them that they can make art. Bloody, horrific art. Being a former film student myself and knowing my limitations and where I've ended up, I tip my hat to all of them. For working together and making something to be proud of. In my opinion, it's a 3 out of 5 star film, with moments of 4 stars and moments of 2 stars. It stands as a testament of what anyone can do, if they put their minds to it and have a little knowledge under their belt. Give this one a try and watch it with the eyes I didn't have. Perhaps you'll walk away from it with a renewed sense of faith in the foundation of the genre being strong for the future. I'm a slasher fan from way back and it's nice to see that there are other genre fans paving he way for a lot more bloody fun to come.



If you like this, check out some of it's bigger influences: 'Friday the 13th' (1980), 'The Burning' (1981) and 'Halloween 2' (1981)

my thoughts on.... 'Lumberjack Man'

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....

Every once in a while, you come across a movie that makes you wonder if the film makers were making it just for you. This was exactly what happened tonight, when I had the pleasure of seeing Josh Bear's 'Lumberjack Man'. Within the first ten minutes, I knew exactly what kind of film this was going to be and that I was already in love with it. From the opening credit sequence, showing the killer preparing for his reign of terror and questionably ending with him making some pancakes, you could tell that this wasn't going to be your run of the mill camp hack and slash kind of outing. Being a bit of a jaded horror film fan, at this point, I've practically seen it all. When something comes along that catches me off guard and makes me giggle like a school girl, I know that it's going to be something special. It takes a lot these days, to scare me or make me flinch and even more to make me audibly laugh out loud. Although, 'Lumberjack Man' was neither very scary or cringe worthy, it was incredibly funny and full of some genuinely horrific moments. Feeling like the love child of Lloyd Kaufman and Sean S. Cunningham, you could instantly tell what the film makers had grown up watching, as kids. I could easily imagine them sitting around the TV with their friends, hoping that mom wouldn't come downstairs and catch them watching something they weren't supposed to be seeing. Just like I did, when I was a youth. Except that I ended up writing about those films, as an adult, and not making them instead.

'Lumberjack Man' is a story about revenge. At it's very core, it's a story about a simple man who was taken advantage of. Because of this wrong doing, he's seemingly cursed to come back every 30 years, to wreak havoc on anyone that happens to be in his path. The film opens, at the beginning of another murderous anniversary. As the Lumberjack Man has come back, yet again, to slice and dice his way through the unsuspecting camp full of Christians. (not that he's the religious type, they're just victims of circumstance) We see a bus load of camp on their way to camp, complete with all of the expected stereotypes. Meanwhile, we also meet Dr. Peter Shirtcliff (played by Michael Madsen), who's headed the same direction, but for a very different reason. He knows about the Lumberjack Man and is hell bent on stopping him.... or at least getting all of the camp counselors out of harms way. But of course, every one thinks he's crazy and doesn't want to heed his warnings. Not long after everyone arrives at the camp ground, does the murder and mayhem begin. One by one, each of the staff is cermoniously dispatched by the backwoods butcher. Before long, it becomes clear to everyone that maybe their lives are in danger. Sadly, it's too late to escape the wrath of the Lumberjack Man, except for a small rag tag group of people willing to fight back. Will they survive the night? And will there be breakfast in the morning?

Co-written and directed by Josh Bear, this movie is everything I want a horror comedy to be. A great villain, over the top kills, main characters that you want root for (either to survive OR get killed) and a touch of absurdity to make it stick out. Sure, it's got some flaws here and there. I mean, how realistic can you make a giant stack of pancakes? It's also got one of silliest premises I've seen a film of this kind, but that's what balances out the whole mixture. Plus, if you've ever wanted to see Michael Madsen be funny, then this is the movie for you. Not too mention that item on my bucket list that I never knew existed.... seeing Micheal Madsen get out of a tiny car. Check. Now, 'Lumberjack Man' isn't all fun and games. There are some genuine moments of brilliance. For example, the ax throwing scene, is pretty amazing and I'm still not entirely sure how it was pulled off. Or the scene where the boy is pulled back inside the mess hall and the garage door slowly closes. That's the kind of stuff, straight up horror is lacking in. There was also a big question mark on what the purpose of the glowing red eyes, behind the mask, was. I soon found out, during the part when the lights go out and then again at the end. It's a very original twist on the theme of a faceless killer and one I've never seen done before.

I can't say enough good things about this film and I recommend that anyone with a taste for the bizarre, should check this one out. There are so many little jokes sprinkled throughout the run time, that it begs for repeated viewings, to catch all of them. My only regret is that I can't watch it again with fresh eyes. (also, why is this not on Blu-ray?) At this point, I've already talked this movie up so much, that I can only hope that it will live up to the hype, if/and when you take the time to enjoy this little slice of horror heaven. Perhaps, in this case, the people that are always telling me about films that were 'made for me' are right. It's like someone crawled inside of my head and pulled out all the stuff that makes me laugh like an idiot. 'Lumberjack Man' is a full on 4 out of 5 star powerhouse, that deserves a larger audience. Maybe not everyone will get it and I'm sure that quite a few will be offended at the jokes made about Christianity, but life is full of too much political correctness as it is. It's time to step back and laugh at ourselves. There's not enough humor in the world today. So kudos to everyone involved in the production and I'm very much looking forward to what comes spewing forth from their collective brains in the future. Until then, I've got this little gem to tide me over. Now where's my syrup?



If you like this film, be sure to also check out: 'The Final Girls', 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead' and 'Thankskilling'

A Terror Time Out featuring 'Haute Tension' aka 'High Tension' (2003)

A blood soaked, mind bending, French slasher story that turns traditional stereotypes on their heads and leaves a mark long after the credits roll.
4 out of 5 stars

A Terror Time Out featuring 'Halloween' (1978)

The film that started a new revolution in slasher films, while barely having a single drop of blood.... one of the greatest horror films ever made.
5 out of 5 stars