Terror Time: A Clip From 'House of 1000 Corpses' (2003)

The opening sequence of 'House of 1000 Corpses', helped to cement Captain Spaulding's place in horror history. Here's one piece of it, just to get your feet wet.

my thoughts on.... 'Street Trash'

There are some of the films that defy description. Some of the films that fell through the cracks of horror history. The films that die hard fans hold dear and that are now starting to see the light of day, thanks to the love and care of some amazing restoration artists. These are the cult classics and b-grade schlock fests that we all secretly love, behind closed doors. These are some of the films, that are now slowly finding their way into my collection, onto my shelves and into my heart. They say that the Blu-ray medium will never replace the digital revolution. These films may just prove that theory wrong. These are the diamonds in the rough. For your consideration, I give you....
'Street Trash' (1987)
James M. Muro, has only one feature length film directorial credit to his name. It's a shame that beyond that one film, he never gave the world anything more than some episodic television, but it doesn't matter. He gave the world 'Street Trash'. Together with writer, Roy Frumke, they created the kind of weird magic that only happens once in a blue moon. This film kind of defies explanation, not that it's totally unique, but in it's presentation and considering when it was made it's kind of an anomaly. This is the kind of gem that you would have found on your local video store shelf and immediately shared it with any and all of your friends. After the fall of the video store, so many titles like this went the way of the dinosaur and slowly became extinct, never to be heard from again. If it wasn't for the die hard fans resurrecting these from the horror graveyard, they would have stayed gone forever. Blu-ray has become the medium of choice for the cult movie collector, as the results can be staggering and the extra features put your average film releases to shame. It says a lot about the rabid fan base that horror has. No longer relegated to the shadows, these cult favorites have a new audience and a new lease on life. Even myself, someone who considers himself a horror nerd, has realized that there's a whole sub basement to the genre that even I have yet to explore.

Similar to 'The Stuff', that was released 2 year prior, 'Street Trash' tells the story of a seedy liquor store owner who finds a crate of liquor hiding in the basement. What he sees inside of the crate, is a dust covered collection of something called Viper. Realizing the potential to make a quick buck, he prices the bottles at a dollar a piece, puts them on the shelf and waits for the profits to start rolling in. Soon, our wayward “hero”, Fred, wanders in and promptly steals a bottle. That bottle then gets stolen from him and what happens next, is something that you have to see.... to believe. A fellow bum and petty crook, takes his ill gotten liquor and goes to his secret spot, to drink it all by himself. After a mere swig of Viper, he begins to melt. Not just into a pile of ordinary people goo, he begins to bleed and dosolve into a multicolored mess of a former man. What could have been something horrifyingly disgusting, turns into a living work of art. As the story progresses, we see the street bums being killed off one by one by the mysterious Viper. A side story develops between Fred and a psychotic street urchin named, Bronson. As most of you know, I don't like to lay out the entire plot, as I feel the joy of the movie goers experience lies in the journey and not just the destination. With that being said, you'll have to see for yourself, what happens next.
Despite my utter praise for this film, it's not without it's drawbacks. My biggest and only real complaint with this film is one sequence in particular. It's when Fred comes across a drunken socialite who's not a good person, but whom doesn't deserve the punishment she receives. Upon finding her, she mistakes him for her boyfriend, follows him back to his home in the dump and they have some rather awkward sex. What happens after that is not pleasant. If I could edit that who sequence out, this would be a near perfect example of old school, indie film making with a message. However, I cannot and although I don't like it, I respect the vision of the writer and director to include it in the final cut. Other than that, this stands alone as a weird missing chapter in horror history. A page that was, somehow, torn out and lost under the couch. Thankfully, it's been found and restored to even better than it's former glory. It simply blows my mind what was able to be accomplished with this film. Not only is it well directed, but it's well cast, the story is unique and the cinematography is quite brilliant. It literally feels like a work of hobo art. If you choose to venture down this newly paved road, I highly recommend you watch the feature length documentary about the making of this movie. It made me appreciate it that much more and gives some amazing insight into what went into this film and where the actors are today. There also is a wonderful explanation of why the victims die the way they do. According to the visual effects creator, she wanted the characters to blend into their surroundings and to become one with the world that was created. So, because it's a city full of broken down buildings, a dump full of everything under the sun and graffiti is everywhere, it stands to reason that their multicolored melt downs would look the way they do. This also gives the viewer a break from the horror they're actually witnessing and makes it all a little easier to swallow.

'Street Trash' is a perfect storm of all the elements of horror film making blending into one cohesive narrative about life on the streets of 1980's New York. Except that it's taken to a hyper realistic place that doesn't exist in any other format, other than this disgusting morality tale about disgusting people becoming beautiful piles of living abstract art. If you think you've seen everything under the sun and consider yourself a jaded horror fan, then I challenge you to watch this film and I can almost say with all certainty that you will walk away feeling satisfied and with a new appreciation for the genre. A solid 4 out of 5 stars and something that will stay with you long after the credits roll. This is a stand alone classic that we may never see the likes of again. Thankfully, it's been given a proper release and can be enjoyed in all it's gory rainbow glory.

If you like this, I'd normally point you in the direction of some other similar titles, but this is in a class by itself. The closest titles I could relate it to are possibly some of the Troma catalog.

Indy Review Re-visited: Some Guy Who Kills People

The horror, thriller, dark comedy Some Guy Who Kills People has this guy, call him Every-Guy-Who-Has-Survived-Childhood-Prosecution, But-Not-Without-Several-Years-of-Therapy; or Some Guy works too. More importantly, he kills people. No, really, it’s in the title and this movie title doesn’t lie. It also doesn't let down when it comes to dark humor and slashing skill.

Thankfully Some Guy is at the forefront of one of those movements that defines the independent film making style of art-house/fringe that is fresh and exciting. Starting with the the title - Some Guy Who Kills People - straight forward, blatantly obvious, and sums it up in five easy words. Another of these recent logline titles is Hobo with a Shotgun, again, you know exactly what this movie is about in four words - or do you? As previously mentioned, in the film scripting business this kind of title doubles as a logline. A logline is designed to represent the entire movie in a pitch to film execs. Designed is the key word especially when it comes to Some Guy. It literally “sounds” simple by “design,” but in contrast to what you actually get on page and screen the simplicity of it fades in comparison to the multi-layered meaning behind the words. Some Guy Who Kills People is a title that asks…“What guy?” “Who does he kill?” “Why does he kill them?” “How does he kill them?” “What other things does this guy do?” “Is he justified?” “Will they catch him?” “He is the guy, right?” Well the last one, at least, is obvious. But before getting into that here's a look at the major players in this film.

Writer/Producer Ryan Levin is one of those guys responsible for shows like Scrubs and South Park and even pitched jokes to Sascha Baron Cohen when he stormed America with Borat et al. He put together his first short film to contemplate “what if” there had actually been casting involved in putting together the atrocious 2 Girls 1 Cup phenomena. His foray into horror began with a short film called Tour de Fright (2008) which is about some Americans who find out competing in the Tour de France is more than just physically demanding. As a follow up he created the sardonically humored The Fifth about some poker buddies that have a hard time keeping a fifth player because one of them has a job that continually gets in the way (he's a serial killer). Ryan claims The Fifth is the inspiration for Some Guy Who Kills People (See “Some Guy Who Kills People” by Creepercast for more). Even though there's little similarity between the two films one should be able to figure out the most important correlation. Some Guy is undoubtedly a culmination of all his experiences. A dark comedic horror with a slasher, a love story, a small society study, and ultimately a lesson. Meanwhile, director Jack Perez is best known for putting together some of those silly Asylum Pictures many love to hate/hate to love, the most notable being Mega-Shark Vs Giant Octopus (2009) (See “Some Guy Who Kills People” by Creepercast for more). Making an Asylum film, for directors, is really an exercise in how to create a lot with very little despite the silliness. A technique that Jack brings to Some Guy Who Kills People with expertise of purposely crafted silly. Asylum films also have the knack for creating expert director-story tellers. Something Jack had already proven with his independent masterpiece The Big Empty (1997) and perfects with Some Guy. The independent horror doesn't stop there for this duo (Jack and Ryan), shortly after wrapping Some Guy they teamed up for the twisted fairytale short-film T is for Tantrum (a Tooth Fairy gone wrong story) as part of The ABC's of Death anthology from Drafthouse Pictures. Finally, Some Guy is Executive Produced by none other than John Landis (Animal House (1978), An American Werewolf in London (1981). Add a stellar cast and a darkly layered humorous story, Some Guy Who Kills People is a recipe for a well put together independent horror flick.

So here's the story... Ken Boyd (Kevin Corrigan - True Romance (1993), Grounded for Life (2001)) is a depressed fellow just released from an insane asylum where he was treated for severe depression due too torture he received from school bullies years before. As part of his release and reintroduction to society his sardonic mother (Karen Black - Hitchcock’s Family Plot (1976), and Rob Zombie’s House of 1,000 Corpses (2003)) reluctantly takes him in and his best friend, Irv (Leo Fitzpatrick – The Wire (2002), My Name is Earl (2005)), also helps out by getting him a job at the hometown ice cream parlor. No one has ever said that reintegration was easy, especially when you go back to the same town that made you insane to begin with. Flashbacks cleverly link to new taunts by old bullies, a mother learns to cope with her troubled prodigal son, and a town ruled by rumors and labels struggles to accept one of their own back into the fold. Fortunately Ken still has his main coping mechanism, the graphic art novel he's created, to bridge his troubles from the past to those of the present. Ken also manages to attract a girlfriend (Lucy Davis – Shaun of the Dead (2004)), but his life is further complicated by his daughter Amy (Ariel Gade - Dark Water (2005), Alien vs. Predator-Requiem (2007)) that didn’t know he existed prior, and is un-relentless in her desire to learn more about him and make him a part of her own troubled life. As if this wasn't enough, while some guy in a ski mask is killing off all the old bullies, the deceptively bumbling Sheriff Fuller (brilliantly portrayed by Barry Bostwick – The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Spin City (1996), and Cougar Town (2010)) is hot on the trail of the killer, and Ken's mother. The fact that Ken's latest graphic novel depicts each grisly bully death in detail probably doesn't help his case.

As mentioned earlier, the title Some Guy Who Kills People is by “design.” There is this amazing juxtaposition between literal and metaphorical killing at work that is both exhilarating and cathartic. Ken Boyd is “Every-Guy-Who-Has-Survived-Childhood-Prosecution-But-Not-Without-Several-Years-of-Therapy” because he represents geeks, nerds, and outcasts who can feel for, nay, identify with the mentality that lead to Ken murdering these bullies on the page. Now of course this isn’t a new concept. It’s too easy of a concept to not have been exploited before. But today, as concerns over childhood bullying has become prevalent in the news, Some Guy stands as a testament to what separates the artist from the realist, or, fictional horror versus real life horrors. Some Guy is Ryan and Jack's commentary on the horrors of bullying and the methods by which people cope with real tragedy, vindication, and revenge. So the question that remains when it comes to Some Guy is... does life imitate art, or art imitate life? It's a really slippery slope.

As far as dark comedic horror goes Some Guy Who Kills People is at the top of the game. Kevin Corrigan (Ken) easily balances angst and torment with ridicule. Karen Black (Ken's Mother) sarcasm is real and her clever interplay with Bostwick is fun to watch. Ariel Gade (Amy) is intelligent, brash, and delightful. But, without question, a greater portion of the comedy accolades go to Barry Bostwick and his “seemingly bumbling” portrayal of Sheriff Walter Fuller (See “We Talk with Mr. Barry Bostwick!” by Creepercast for more). Aided by Levin’s writing and Perez’s directing, his depiction of an ignorant and self absorbed Sheriff in a middle class American society is archetypal. He has all the great one liners and delivers them naturally. Upon the discovery of one victim he declares, “Where’s the head? We have a body but there aint no head! You can’t have a body without a head!” The inter-action between Bostwick and Karen Black (Ken's mother) after he has to arrest Ken as a suspect for all the murders is priceless. The Keystone Cop like pairing with a deputy that thinks all the one liners are planned and tries to join in with his own horrible puns only adds credence to this realism. Sheriff Fullers best line? “We’re going to find this guy, and we’re going to skin him. Then we’re going to make him wear his own skin!”

There is very little about Some Guy Who Kills People that wasn’t delightfully designed. It builds in pace with cleverly sprinkled death scenes as each kill is quickly pulled off. Creative camera shots with minimal blood and gore that holds to a level of dark comedy that should make the Coen Brothers proud. Even so, it quickly becomes obvious that the deaths were not the real focus of the film. Ken Boyd’s struggle with normalcy in a far from normal world is the real story. This makes Some Guy a must see for fans of slashers that want heart, style, comedy, and thought provoking interaction. Of Course such a slasher flick doesn't exist, the whole idea is an oxymoron and reserved for family films. Well friends, Some Guy Who Kills People is a living and breathing oxymoron!

For the trailer and more visit Some Guy Who Kills People's YouTube channel. Rent Some Guy from Netflix (DVD) or Redbox. Purchase it at Amazon and get bonus features like behind the scenes footage, commentary from cast and crew, and the inspirational short-film The Fifth.

A Terror Time Out featuring 'Let The Right One In'

I can sum this entire film up in just 5 words: Best. Vampire. Film. Ever. Made.
Period.
5 out of 5 stars

Lovesdragons Momentary Review: Venom (2005)

So far it's about some old lady that unburied a suitcase in the cemetery. She started doing
something voodoo curse or whatever and left. Then you got the young kids and a strange guy that
no ones likes. Old lady ends up crashing and the kids and strange guy try to help. He goes back in
for the suitcase and the snake come out and bite him and attack. He has risen and is killing. Ar
you shocked?

.....You have the normal annoying girls that you can't wait to die. Their whining and screaming is
irritating. The acting wasn't that bad and it was interesting. A film to watch if nothing else looks
good at that moment.

News: The Demented Duo TWIZTID to Re-Release Coveted Album "The Green Book" on CD, Vinyl & Cassette

Pre-Order Today via www.TwiztidShop.com

Rap's most demented duo TWIZTID will re-release their most coveted album to date, 2003's The Green Book, on August 19, 2016. After acquiring the rights to this instant classic, TWIZTID immediately sought out to re-distribute it in refreshed CD and vinyl formats, which you can now pre-order via www.Twiztid-Shop.com. Visit the link or see the image above for pre-order options.

 

Watch a teaser commercial for The Green Book here:  

 

 

What is surely TWIZTID's most requested out of print album, The Green Book features guest appearances from Shaggy 2 Dope, E-40, Esham, Tech N9ne, Violent J, Layzie Bone, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Anybody Killa and Bushwick Bill and originally debuted at #52 on the Billboard charts nearly 13 years ago.

 

The Green Book track listing:

1. The Green Book

2. On The Other End

3. White Trash Wit Tat-2's

4. Afraid of Me

5. Wondering Why?

6. Call Me

7. I'm The Only 1 (with Shaggy 2 Dope)

8. Speculationz (with E-40)

9. The World Is Hell (with Esham)

10. Nikateen

11. U Don't Wanna B Like Me

12. Serial Killa (with Tech N9ne)

13. Marsh Lagoon (with Violent J)

14. Bobby's Dad

15. Hydro (with Layzie Bone)

16. Frankenstein (with Blaze Ya Dead Homie)

17. Everybody Diez (with ABK & Bushwick Bill)

18. Fat Kidz

19. HOM-SHA-BOM

20. Darkness

 

TWIZTID states, "It was a mission to get the rights back to The Green Book. This album was originally released in 2003 and out of print for years, people have been demanding it for a long time! On August 19 the world can yet again get their hands on this classic. The best part, it's being put out on our record label, Majik Ninja Entertainment. Get hype! We are!"

 

 

Stay tuned for more updates coming soon regarding The Green Book and other upcoming TWIZTID releases.

 

TWIZTID has several performance dates scheduled for next month. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates, including a special autograph signing at the Days of the Dead Horror Convention:

 

TWIZTID TOUR DATES:

With special guests: Jarren Benton, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Rats & AJAX

6/17 - Dayton, OH @ Oddbody's -

6/18 - Jackson, MI @ Michigan Theater

 

With special guests: Lex The Hex Master & Rats

6/23 - Valpariaso, IN @ Big Shots  

6/24 - Indianapolis, IN @ Emerson Theater

 

Days of the Dead Horror Convention & Autograph Signing:

6/25 - Indianapolis, IN @ Wyndham Indianapolis West

 

 

About TWIZTID:

For over two decades, TWIZTID - the cult-phenom brainchild of diabolical duo Jamie Madrox and Monoxide - has infectiously meshed flavors of rap, rock and beyond while fervidly moonlighting as the sonic manifestation of a Hollywood horror flick. TWIZTID's most recent album, The Darkness, debuted on the Billboard Top 200 charts at #29, marking their 11^th overall album debut on the chart. The Darkness marks the Detroit, Michigan natives' first Billboard debut since the launch of their independently owned and operated label, Majik Ninja Entertainment. Order your copy of The Darkness now via www.TwiztidShop.com.

 

For more information on TWIZTID, please visit:

www.Twiztid.com

www.Twitter.com/TweetMeSoHard

www.Facebook.com/Twiztid

www.TwiztidShop.com *official webstore*

www.Instagram.com/OfficialTwiztid

www.youtube.com/officialtwiztid

my thoughts on.... the trilogy.

What is it about the trilogy that makes it so endearing? Why, when a film becomes successful, do they always talk about turning it into a trilogy? Why not just call it what it is, that they're starting a franchise? I mean, that's really what they're planning on doing.... toys, books, spin offs, etc. Yet, regardless of all that, the franchise continues on, to be the accepted course for any popular film to take.... but why is that?

Let's start with the basic core of any good storytelling. The standard format would be that it takes place in a 3 part story arc, with a beginning, middle and an end. During the course of that story arc, the main character or characters, has some sort of change or evolution. Perhaps this is what creates the success of the trilogy, that it follows the same blueprint? There's the first film, the origin story, that is act 1. Then comes the second film, where the use of the established characters starts with a bang and ends with a bang. That is act 2. Finally the third film, where we see our characters end their journey, with some sort of ultimate resolution, act 3. Each one independent of the other and capable of being a stand alone film, but all of them together, creating an epic story that should satisfy your love of the characters involved. Not unlike a good meal, it starts with a salad or an appetizer, then moves onto the entree and ends with a sinful desert. However, on some occasions.... we see the door left open at the end of the third film and that leads us into the earlier mentioned, franchise. One with potentially no end, but that's for a different article.

I, personally, am a fan of the second part of the trilogy, over the origin story. Why is it that the second installment in the series is usually the most beloved? For example, 'The Empire Strikes Back', 'The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence' or 'The Dark Knight'. Each of these is a solid film on it's own, but as a part of the whole, they create the trilogy. All of these are a second installments in a three part story arc. I think, for me, it's all about the fact that you have an established character or characters and you throw them in a new situation and just let things happen. There doesn't always have to be the best plot, sometimes it's a repeat of the first movie's story line and other times it's a new direction for the series. No matter what though, since the origin story is out of the way, all bets are off.

This isn't always the case, however. There are just as many bad examples of number two's (hehehe) that left a lot to be desired. 'From Dusk 'till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money' or 'Predator 2', as a couple of examples. There's no hard and fast rules as to which part of a trilogy will stand out the most, but there is one thing that seems to stay fairly consistent, the third part is usually a let down. Why is it then, that when you have all the pieces of the puzzle and something that the public wants.... does the third and final act of the trilogy almost always disappoint? Could it be that the writers ran out of ideas or that the engine just ran out of steam? Perhaps it's a third reason, that we'll get to shortly. 'Hostel III' or Spider-Man 3', are examples of trilogy's that failed to complete the cycle. It isn't always the rule, there are a few exceptions to the rule, but you could almost put money on the fact that the third part of a trilogy will always let you down. However, for OCD completionists like me, I have to watch it, no matter what and if I love the trilogy as a whole.... I have to own it too. No exceptions. Yeah, I'm a glutton for punishment.

Occasionally, you get the trilogy that starts strong, continues strong and ends with a bang. They're few and far between, but they do exist. My belief is that the movies that are created, written and always treated as though they'll be a trilogy, end up being the most successful ones. Meaning, that if you conceive a story to be broken into three parts or is long enough to be divided into a trilogy, then those films will work as a whole body of work. Because the writer knows exactly where the characters are going to end up and how they will get there. The result is that we don't have to suffer through a weak chapter in the trilogy. The only issue, these diamonds in the rough seem to experience, is poor translation to the screen. I have, as of the writing of this article, yet to see a trilogy be rebooted/reimagined into a new trilogy that is as strong as the original. 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' films may prove that it can be done. The original films are incredibly strong and the first part in David Fincher's re-telling was just as strong. When the material is air tight, it just takes a little bit of magic and all the moving parts to work in unison and you get cinema magic.

 

What's the point of all this? I spent a period recently, watching several trilogy's to see what I could gleam from the experience. 'Hostel', 'Joyride' and 'The Human Centipede' were some of the movies on my list. Of those, 'Hostel' fell prey to the standard cliches mentioned in the first part of the post. 'Joyride' never had a chance. The material was not strong enough to support more than one film. The second and third were basically after thoughts to cash in on the success of the original. Sadly, they were complete garbage. Finally, 'The Human Centipede', proved to be the last type of trilogy I mentioned. The one where the creator had a trilogy in mind from the beginning and had the support and drive to make it a reality. Was it successful? I think Tom Six made something that will stand the test of time and be puzzled over and studied for years to tome. I've become somewhat of a fan boy, over the years, but worry that he might not be able to translate that success into something new? Something outside of 'The Human Centipede'? Time will tell, my friends. Time will tell.

I'm a fan of the stand alone film, but if the character is strong enough, I love seeing it turn into a trilogy or a franchise. For me, if I love a character, I want to see them in other situations. I want them to come back and entertain me again. No matter what genre it is or whatever the outcome. Every movie has the potential to become a series of movies. I've seen so many films that should have never had the capability or reason to be more than one film. Yet, box office results, big studio decisions and new ideas from the writers, can turn a single into a series. Sometimes they overstay their welcome, but who's to say when enough is a enough? Is it that different from a television series? A standard season of any series is between 6 to 13 + episodes. At 30 mins to an hour each, that's longer than most trilogy's and sometimes even some franchises. (I'm looking at you 'Witchcraft'.) I think it's all about changing your perspective. Look at it like you would a television series or a book series or a comic book. Some stories are intended to be serialized and ongoing, but for some reason, movies are held to a slightly different standard and I'm not sure why that is? Just like with reboots or remakes, why can't these just be considered another legitimate form of creativity? If you can cover another persons song, why not retell another persons movie? If the character, world or story is iconic enough, it will continue to live outside of the original source material. It may even outlive the creator themselves. Just look at something like 'Star Wars', 'James Bond' or 'Doctor Who', these creations took on a life of their own and have lent themselves to so much more out of the humble places where they began. So much so, that the fans have taken up the mantle and are expanding the universe beyond anyone's wildest imaginations. Horror may be every other genre's uncle, that nobody talks about, but even it has characters like Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees. Characters so iconic that they've spawned video games, comic books and a mythos that John Carpenter, Wes Craven and Sean Cunningham never dreamed of when they first gave birth to the ideas. So let's embrace the trilogy, for what it is, and encourage film makers to strive for a character or world that can support the weight of multiple entries. I'm all for watching a character grow or change or even in some cases, just keep killing campers in unique ways as a cautionary tale for premarital sex. Plus, box sets look great on my movie shelves.