‘What doesn’t kill you makes your richer’

Cheap Thrills is a 2013 American black comedy thriller horror film, directed by E. L. Katz in his directorial debut and starring Pat Healy (Starry Eyes), Sara Paxton (The Innkeepers), Ethan Embry and David Koechner. It premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 8, 2013, and was acquired by Drafthouse Films and Snoot Entertainment. Cheap Thrills was released on March 24, 2014, in the United States.

Plot teaser:

Craig (Pat Healy,) is a struggling family man who loses his low-wage job and is threatened with eviction. In an effort to delay facing the music at home, he heads to a local bar and encounters an old friend (Ethan Embry). The two friends are roped into a round of drinks by a charismatic and obscenely wealthy stranger (David Koechner) along with his mysterious wife (Sara Paxton). The couple engage the two friends in a series of innocent dares in exchange for money over the course of the evening, with each challenge upping the ante in both reward and boundaries. It seems like easy and much needed money, but the couple’s twisted sense of humor pushes just how far Craig and his friend are willing to go for money and cheap thrills…

Buy Cheap Thrills on Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“It’s about as subtle as a massive brick to the head, but that doesn’t stop it being joyously entertaining in a thoroughly mean-spirited fashion. Cheap Thrills is like the younger, punk rock second-cousin to the likes of Haneke and von Trier and it leaves no holds barred, so be prepared…” Brutal as Hell 

“E.L. Katz’s Cheap Thrills is a very effective piece of body horror, teasing in its attempts to keep the audience guessing, but the cruel irresistibility of its premise wears itself out before the film’s final minutes.” Slant Magazine

“Cheap Thrills is everything you’d want out of a satirical thriller and more; it’s also a remarkable directorial debut by Katz, who delivers one hell of a story that was continuously surprising, shocking and visceral with wildly unexpected events that were often played out with a quiet restraint.” Dread Central

Wikipedia | IMDb

WH

Buio Omega – aka Beyond the Darkness, Buried Alive and Blue Holocaust – is a 1979 Italian horror/exploitation film directed by Joe D’Amato [Aristide Massacessi] from a screenplay by Ottavio Fabbri based on a storyline by Giacomo Guerrini.

The film stars Kieran Canter, Cinzia Monreale (The Beyond; The Sweet House of Horrors; The Stendhal Syndrome), Franca Stoppi (The Other Hell), Sam Modesto, Anna Cardini and Lucia D’Elia. The score is by Goblin (credited as The Goblins).

The film remains controversial in many countries, even today, notably Australia, where it has been banned since 1992 due to very high impact violence throughout. Buio Omega remains banned in several other countries to this day although a quick internet search means you can watch it fully uncut online.

Plot teaser:

On a luxurious estate in the Italian countryside, Francesco mourns his deceased lover. Soon pain and loss turn to madness and violence, as this troubled young man decides he cannot part with his love just yet. Excavating her corpse, he preserves her body with excruciating attention to detail. That, however, is only the beginning. Soon he is overcome with rage, murdering innocent young women and anyone else who infringes on the privacy of his estate…

It has been rumoured that D’Amato used actual cadavers in some of the autopsy scenes and during the attack on the hitchhiker. The presence of pretty obvious prosthetics makes this highly unlikely. A goregrind metal band named themselves after the film.

Buy Beyond the Darkness on DVD from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

‘Despite a couple of mis-steps here and there, D’Amato’s movie is capped off with a nifty little shock moment that is a fitting end to an already intriguing, lunch launching little movie. Beyond the Darkness is still a strong feature all these years later and a shining, if highly repugnant example of extreme Italian horror.’ Cool Ass Cinema

‘Despite its shortcomings, Beyond the Darkness has some truly classic scenes that could potentially stick in the viewer’s mind forever. A must for all fans of Italian horror cinema, Beyond the Darkness could well be D’Amato’s best movie.’ The Spinning Image

‘Unfortunately, Massacessi’s approach is cheaply realist, trying to shock by unimaginatively filming butchery and cruelty. The potential poetry of a mad, necrophiliac passion that animates, for instance, Bava’s Lisa e il Diavolo (1972) is kept at bay by the crudely exploitative approach…’ Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia

‘Beyond the Darkness is a great movie; gory, kinky and surreal in a way that only D’Amato could deliver it. His cinematography leaves nothing to complain about, he knows what he wants from his compositions and that’s what we get. Ornella Micheli’s editing is perfect once again, and then there’s that excellent soundtrack by Goblin, that constantly keeps the movie moving along with their progressive rhythms … although not as violent and aggressive as Anthropophagus: or Absurd is possibly Joe D’Amato’s finest hour as a horror director.’ CiNEZiLLA

Also Known As:

Wikipedia | IMDb | Image thanks: Wrong Side of the Art

WH

‘Come and get it’

Hannibal is an American psychological thriller–horror television series developed by Bryan Fuller for NBC. The series is based on characters and elements appearing in the novel Red Dragon by Thomas Harris and focuses on the budding relationship between FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), a forensic psychiatrist destined to become Graham’s most cunning enemy.

Hannibal has received critical acclaim, with the performances of the lead actors and the visual style of the show being singled out by critics.

Season 3 of Hannibal introduces some new characters, such as Richard Armitage as Francis Dolarhyde as serial killer The Tooth Fairy and Rutina Wesley as Reba McClane, a blind woman whom Francis is attracted to. Meanwhile, the role of deformed psychopath Mason Verger is being taken over by Joe Anderson, whilst Zachary Quinto will play a former patient of Dr. du Maurier, and Tao Okamoto will play a handmaid to Hannibal’s Aunt, Lady Murasaki. Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) is also joining the show.

Hannibal returns to NBC on June 4th, 2015. Meanwhile, you can read Digital Spy’s interview with Bryan Fuller

Buy The Art and Making of Hannibal book from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Buy Season One on Blu-ray + Digital HD from Amazon.com

Buy Season 2 on Blu-ray + DIgital HD from Amazon.com

Buy Season 1 and 2 on Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk

Poster images source: Screenrant

Rabies (Hebrew: כלבת‎, Kalevet) is a 2010 Israeli film written and directed by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado. It stars Lior Ashkenazi, Ania Bukstein, Danny Geva and Yael Grobglas. It is the first Israeli horror film and was shown at the UK’s Frightfest and the Tribeca Film Festival in the USA.

Plot teaser:

A brother and sister who run away from home find sanctuary in a deserted nature reserve. When the sister falls into the trap of a psychopathic killer, the brother sets out on a race against time to find help. In a twist of fate the rescue of the sister becomes inadvertently intertwined with the lives of a group of young tennis players, a ranger and his dog, as well as a team of policemen…

Buy Rabies on DVD from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“Fortunately, Rabies represents more than a glorified footnote in an international encyclopedia of obscure horror. A whole lot more, actually. In fact, it’s the most fun I’ve had with a horror flick all year… and this is a genre that often feels piped into my system continuously, IV-style.” Slant

“Rabies is a confident, interesting thriller; a very well-directed, intriguing spin on a deeply derivative premise. Situations mount and the characters do unspeakable things – sometimes due to mistaken identity, through malice, or by way of plain, character driven revelations.” Eye For Film

“Rabies’ subversion of the usual body count discourse is admirable to a point, but it mostly just feels like one of those neat concepts whose execution is sometimes lacking because the film doesn’t do anything else remarkably well. Though it’s briskly paced and has a few good shocks, Rabies only adds up to a fairly decent movie.” Oh, the Horror!

Wikipedia | IMDb

WH

‘Serum of Satan, One drop… and a raging monster is unleashed to kill… and kill again in an unending lust for blood!

Voodoo Heartbeat – aka The Sex Serum of Dr. Blake – is a 1972 American horror film written and directed by Belgian ex-pat Charles Nizet (The Ravager; Help Me… I’m Possessed). It stars Ray Molina (producer of Island of Lost Girls in 1969), Philip Ahn, Ern Dugo, Forrest Duke, Stan Mason, Mike Zapata, Mike Meyers, Ebby Rhodes, Mary Martinez and Ray Molina Jr.

io9.com states that cast member Mike Zapata was a descendent of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. In an issue of Boxoffice Magazine dated May 15, 1972, Robert Saxton, president of TWI International, the film’s distributor, is quoted to say “Mike Zapata will be one of the top stars of the motion picture and television mediums during the next few years, as he has all the attributes of a James Cagney. The response was so great, says Saxton, that he already has entered into negotiations with Ray Molina Productions to make a sequel entitled Dr. Blake’s Revenge.”

Plot teaser:

Upon discovering the US is in possession of a youth serum, Red China kidnaps a group of American scientists in hopes Mao Zedong can stay in power for as long as possible. To keep the drug out of Communist hands, a rogue American scientist named Dr. Blake injects himself with the formula. Unfortunately, the serum metabolizes faster than his body can process it, creating within him an insatiable thirst for blood. Police track the now monstrous Blake, culminating in an explosive speedboat chase which ends up with Blake dead and his body withered to a mummified husk. [courtesy of io9.com]

Reviews:

” … a fairly well-made exploitation picture that could appeal to both the horror fans as well as “cult enthusiasts.” Torture scenes are fairly realistic and depict the butchering of arms, ears and what have you. Ray Molina’s starring role as the doctor turned madman is handled well. Molina also produced the picture. For nudity there is a brief ritual scene shot in semi-darkness, but quite unrevealing. Charles Nizet’s direction is only passable as he follows his own screenplay. “Voodoo Heartbeat” should do well in exploitation hardtops, but will find its best returns in drive-ins when hard sell is applied.” Boxoffice Magazine

“In this truly awful vampire picture, spies search for a serum with which to achieve eternal youth. Instead of making them young, however, it transforms them into bloodsucking deviates. The film was shot in Las Vegas with an inordinate number of bikini-clad girls performing voodoo rituals. You won’t find a more ridiculous vampire than the middle-aged Molina, sideburns and all, who dresses conservatively in his bloodstained suit and tie. Too weird for words.” TV Guide

“Charles Nizet’s script lacks logic, is heavy on clichés and features a cast of non-heartthrobs.” John Stanley, Creature Features

Buy Drums of Terror from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Buy Regional Horror Films, 1958 – 1990 from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Filming locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada

IMDb | Info and image sources: io9.com | Temple of Schlock | Wrong Side of the Art!

Related: Help Me… I’m Possessed

‘Nine innocent people. One dark night of hell on earth. One by one, horror by horror, they will play the game of death.’

The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond is a 2009 supernatural horror film directed by Gabriel Bologna (African Gothic) from a screenplay co-written with co-writers Sean Clark and Michael Berenson. It stars Robert Patrick, Danielle Harris and James Duval. The film’s score was provided by Harry Manfredini (Friday the 13th and sequels).

Release:

It premiered on October 11, 2009 as part of the Freak Show Horror Film Festival at the yearly Spooky Empire horror convention and the limited theatrical release was on April 9, 2010.

The film’s DVD and Blu-ray release was long-delayed until September 10, 2013.

Buy: Amazon.com

Plot teaser:

On a remote island, party animal Rick (James Duval), wild child Veronique (Mircea Monroe), uptight Robert (M.D. Walton) and six other friends are on vacation staying in a plush mansion, where they find a mysterious board game. But the game proves dangerous when it draws out the nastiest qualities in all of its players.

As buried fears, resentments, greed and sexual attractions quickly and unsettlingly emerge, the game’s goal becomes crystal clear: stay alive…

Reviews:

“As truths unfurl, resentments flare, and soon the kids are slaying each other with all manner of sharp objects, including, of course, a chainsaw. Bloody and gory, but in a friendly way, this is a movie for old-school horror fans who understand that, sometimes, bad is good.” Chuck Wilson, Village Voice

“Rather than the hard-edge, gruelling approach of many contemporary horror films, Black Waters of Echo’s Pond opts for the old-fashioned, sudden sting – which is over almost as soon as it begins. It’s almost quaint in its utter effectiveness. Easily the most impressive effect is the computer-generated blackened eyes of the possessed, which clear up with eerie efficiency as they expire.” Steve Biodrowsky, Cinefantastique

“Multinational, multi-ethnic protags are so shallow and bitchy we can hardly wait for them to start getting offed, but it takes nearly an hour for that mayhem to commence. Even then, pacing remains flat, exacerbated by bad dialogue, some subpar f/x and variable perfs. Overall production values are B-grade, cable-ready.” Dennis Harvey, Variety

“Give the movie a little credit for coming up with the idea of an ancient monster. And the design of the game is terrific. But this is just Jumanji with gore effects and topless scenes.” Stephen Witty, Newark Star-Ledger

“Besides the rough start to the movie, a plot line that is also confusing almost midway through, and not being 100% polished; The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond was worth the wait! I can see myself watching it again, and soon too! It has everything a horror fan could want, and an ending that isn’t too predictable.” Horror Society

Choice dialogue:

Rick: “Shit, we’re fucked!”

Cast:

• Robert Patrick as Pete
• Danielle Harris as Kathy
• Sean Lawlor as Charles
• James Duval as Rick
• Mircea Monroe as Veronique
• Nick Mennell as Josh
• Arcadiy Golubovich as Anton
• Electra Avellan as Renee
• Elise Avellan as Erica
• Walker Howard as Trent
• M.D. Walton as Robert
• Declan Joyce as Danny
• Nitsa Benchetrit as Florence
• Adamo Palladino as Niegel
• Jason Loughridge as Clint
• Steve Eoff as The Butler
• Melissa Barker as Inn Keeper
• Julie Stensland as The maid #1
• Tom Proctor as Thomas
• Richard Tyson as Nicholas
• Kurt Carley as The Pan

Wikipedia | IMDb

Frankenstein Created Bikers is a 2016 American exploitation horror film written and directed by James Bickert and is a sequel to his Dear God No! (2011). It stars Jett Bryant, Laurence R. Harvey, Tristan Risk, Madeline Brumby and Ellie Church.

The film was part-funded by a Kickstarter campaign.

Plot:

The story focuses on the re-animation of the South’s most notorious biker gang – The Impalers. Dr. Marco and his assistant are performing gruesome experiments in their asylum lab and have resurrected the thrill-kill Motorcycle Club to capture a Bigfoot containing a pathogen that will allow them to perform a human head transplant.

When news of the gang resurrection draws the attention of bounty hunters, law enforcement and rival gangs, the lofty aspirations of these mad scientist starts to spiral out of control.

Things get even worse for the occupants when past failed- experiments escape from the basement and the lab is attacked by a bomb-happy femme fatale named Val…

Red band trailer [over 18s only]:

Promo [over 18s only]:

IMDb

‘Victim. Survivor, Avenger.’

Survival Knife is a 2016 horror revenge slasher film directed by Mike McKown (Stiff; Boxed; 60 Seconds to Die; Grindsploitation 2: The Lost Reels) from a screenplay by Jim Towns (House of Bad; Snowfall; 13 Girls) for Robot Monkey Studios.

Main cast:

Danielle Donahue (Amityville Death House; Queen Crab; Bigfoot vs. Zombies), Tara Davis (Alexis), Josh Ebel (Boxed), Chrissy Jenness, Melody Joy, Tom Kolos, Jesse-Lee Lafferty, Bruce Lentz, Dawn Lilly, Kaitlyn Shoeb, Candice Starks.

Press release:

picks up where the typical Hollywood slasher film ends. Penny is the sole survivor of a vicious attack that killed five of her closest friends. To escape, she was forced to brutally kill her would-be murderer. As she begins the slow process of recovering both physically and mentally, she struggles to deal with the violence that happened to her – and the violence she committed herself – and worries that the same killer instinct that helped her survive is slowly turning her into something else…

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Wild Eye Releasing trailer:

Robot Monkey Studios trailer:

IMDb

‘Sex. Blood. Vengeance. And that’s just the first date’

Julia X – aka Julia X 3D – is a 2011 American horror thriller produced and directed by P.J. Pettiette (Jennifer’s Shadow; Bad Dreams storylines) from a screenplay by Matt Cunningham (Decampitated; The Mangler Reborn), The film is based on Pettiette’s story outline.

Main cast:

Valerie Azlynn (Dark Awakening)
Kevin Sorbo (Piranha Sharks; Paranormal Movie)
Alicia Leigh Willis (The Terror Experiment; Raven)
Joel David Moore (Hatchet; The Dead One; Grace: The Possession)
Ving Rhames (Dawn of the Dead [2004]; The People Under the Stairs); Piranha 3D)
Gregg Brazzel (Mountaintop Motel Massacre; Dark Breed; The Mist)
Cassie Shea Watson (Feast II: Sloppy Seconds; The Last Possession)
Saxon Sharbino (I Spit on Your Grave; Poltergeist; Bedeviled)

Plot:

Internet dating has never been more deadly as Julia is about to find out. What starts out as a night of romance ends up being anything but as the man of Julia’s dreams, known only as The Stranger, turns out to be the sort of guy your mother warns you about…

Trapped in The Stranger’s sights, Julia soon finds out his true identity is not the suave, smooth-talking lover but a sadistic and amoral killer who wants to play a deadly and possessive game.

Branding his victim with a X, Julia is destined to be the next in the long line of ex-dates but unbeknownst to The Stranger, this time he has picked on the wrong girl…

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

” … well-wrought generic thriller fleshed out in 3D. The depth is enhanced, as well, by a multi-dimensional plot with doses of cheeky humor and verbal panache, as well as in-your-face visual thrusts that make keen use of the format. Ripped from the news pages of Craigslist killers and Internet predators, Julia X is a twisted concoction of modern-day dating dilemmas, as well as a satiric slant on the “soul mate”- delusions of naïve romancers.” Duane Byrge, The Hollywood Reporter

” … this is really just yet another dumb slasher movie — sort of. See, it even kind of falters at that level because the body count is rather low … I’d hesitate to call this a good movie, but it’s sometimes clever and entertaining, even if it reads like a freshman year treatise on violence and feminism. Gory, tactless, but not without a keen sense of self-awareness, Julia X is stupid fun at best.” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

“Three quarters of the movie become essentially a comedy torture-thriller, filled with humour, vicious attacks and two hot blondes. Whilst it’s mildly entertaining at the beginning, especially with the unexpected twist, it soon becomes a tired exercise with the story lulling in mid-air and leading nowhere fast.” Bat, Horror Cult Films

” … while much of the action is verbally understated, the violence these people heap upon each other is ridiculous. It’s a staple of the genre, the serial killer as unkillable superhero, but here it’s taken to such an absurd extreme that, once again, I am unsure whether they meant it to be silly, or just don’t understand why this shouldn’t be in a serious movie.” Ben Bailey, Stupid Blue Planet

“The humor falls flat, the cinematography and set design is hideous and cheap (two pipes show up in one of the house’s bedroom more than once, making the set look like a boiler room) and – worst of all – all the characters are unredeemable and hateful. Pettiette’s commentary on the sexes is meaningless, mean and the most misogynistic thing to hit the big screen since Deadgirl.” David Harley, Bloody Disgusting

“Kevin Sorbo masterfully portrays a twisted serial killer and, dare I say, in a sexy way. In many of these movies we tend to get a lot of useless camera angles. The camera was placed and used perfectly – no wasted motion. The soundtrack, which is scarce as all get out, is used to great effect. We are not bombarded with useless music that acts as a “tell” of the story and/or action. The tone of the movie is dark but is full of twisted and fun dark humor.” Hack Johnson, HorrorNews.net

IMDb | Image credits: HorrorNews.net

Alive. is a 2018 Canadian horror feature film directed and edited by Rob Grant (Fake Blood; Mon Ami; Yesterday) from a screenplay by Chuck McCue and Jules Vincent. The movie stars Thomas Cocquerel, Camille Stopps, Angus Macfadyen (Saw III and IV) and Chantal Perron.

A severely injured man and woman awake in an abandoned sanitarium only to discover that a sadistic caretaker holds the keys to their freedom and the horrific answers as to their true identity…

Official site

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New and Future Releases

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Daddy’s Girl is a 2018 American horror feature film about a sadistic serial killer and his captive stepdaughter directed by Julian Richards (Reborn; Shiver; The Last Horror Film; Darklands) based on a screenplay by Timothy Hill. The Zee Studios International production stars Costas Mandylor, Jemma Dallender, Mark Arnold and Jesse Moss.

In the deep South, Zoe (Jemma Dallender) is a young woman being held captive by her stepfather (Costas Mandylor) after the suicide of her mother. An Iraq war veteran and serial killer, he uses Zoe as bait to lure new victims until a rookie cop and a female vigilante come to her rescue…

Daddy’s Girl will premiere at the Raindance Film Festival in London on 4 October 2018.

Cast and characters:

• Costas Mandylor … John Stone – The Horde; Blood Trap; Saw IV and V
• Jemma Dallender … Zoe
• Mark Arnold … Sheriff
• Jesse Moss … Deputy Scott Wallace
• Britt McKillip … Jennifer
• Annie Quigley … Staci Jones
• Cherise Silvestri … School Administrator
• Micavrie Amaia … Annie
• Diana Care … Danny

Filming locations:

 Tbilisi, Georgia

Working title:

Suicide Solution

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‘You’re not what you appear to be’

Atelophobia is a 2015 American horror feature film written and directed by Joe Lujan (Rust; Afflict; Twisted Forest 3: Bloody Vengeance). The Carcass Studios/Dark Water Productions movie stars Corey Taylor, Brittany Enos and Taylor Kilgore.

Atelophobia: Chapter 2 followed in 2017 and a third entry has been announced for 2019.

Meredith is a girl who so desperately tries to fit in with the beautiful people: a group of beauty pageant girls that have been friends since they were kids. When her attempts fail, and the bullying laps over into adulthood from these girls, Meredith snaps and begins a terrifying life or death game with the girls who treated her so horribly. They must either kill themselves, or live their lives with some sort of “imperfection”…

Reviews:

“Atelophobia has the heart of an artistic music video coupled with strong multi-leveled commentary. Where the roles and acting lack the practical and cinematography shine. Lujan developed great material for the indie horror scene, one that bridges the gap between senseless violence and fierce storytelling.” Ken Artuz, Decay Mag

“Atelophobia is shot in a very stylized manner, making great use of split screen, jump cuts, black and white, slow motion, still images, and bold lighting effects. Though very shocking in content, the images are artistically choreographed and expertly executed. The moments of torture are hard to watch and terrifyingly effective.” John Migliore, Indie Horror Online

Main cast and characters:

• Corey Taylor … Meredith
• Brittany Enos … Bianca
• Taylor Kilgore … Riley
• Allison Francheteau … Olivia
• Gabriella Martinez … Erin
• Ashley Modzelewski … Trish
• Paul Tumpson … Locks
• Andrew Wells … Red
• Vince Parrino … Step N’ Fetch
• Gary Flynn … Enzio

Image credits: Indie Horror Online

New and future releases

Rust – USA, 2015

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Trauma is a 2017 Chilean horror exploitation feature film written and directed by Lucio A. Rojas (Path aka Sendero; Perfidy; Zombie Dawn). The movie stars Catalina Martin, Macarena Carrere, Ximena del Solar, Dominga Bofill and Daniel Antivilo.

Review:

Trauma is nasty. It’s a brutal, horrifying journey into the atrocities related to the US-backed corrupt Chilean militia that following the coup d’état which ended socialist president Allende’s government. In 1973, General Augusto Pinochet’s blood hungry reign was perpetrated through murders, torture and ‘La Venda Sexy’ – the sexual monstrosities that included the most taboo depravities known to man.

Trauma opens up with a horrendous Discothèque ‘Venda Sexy’ scene, in which a teenage young man forced to violate his bound and beaten mother in the presence of evil military soldiers. During this abuse, young Juan’s face slower begins to fade from terror into gratification as he becomes desensitised for their sick pleasure.

Fast forward into modern day as four females reunite in the countryside to have a typical “girl’s weekend” full of alcohol, fun and some impending confrontations. While they play catch up, in walks a much older and sinister Juan, with a deranged side kick who wastes no time in taking complete control over the country house… and the women.

Without warning, the men thrust themselves onto the women, tossing them around like rag dolls and penetrating them in the most violent and disturbing manner. Taking a page right out of Cape Fear, the viciousness escalates into murder before they take their leave from the blood soaked home.

What began as a free-spirited vacation has become a definitive nightmare and the broken women not only fight for justice, but to save the life of a local little girl whom the men abducted.

Through a series of flashbacks, Juan’s upbringing after his mother’s death is displayed in nothing short of one sickening experience after another. The boy was raised to be a merciless monster to human life, including innocent children. Through this cold blooded childhood, Juan lives up to the expectations of the general who reared him. Pure callous evil.

Many will look upon Trauma as a political statement against the Chilean government’s terroristic supremacy. Others will focus on the feminist movement of justice being served to a subservient fallacy. However, this is merely a highly unnerving film that is focused on inhuman acts inflicted on others, which are completely void of emotion and remorse.

If you can make it through this tough-to-watch film, you will be glad that you did… however nightmares may ensue.

Meredith Brown, HORRORPEDIA

Other reviews:

“The violence in this film is horrendous. Worse still, ninety-eight percent of the violence is of a sexual nature, not only that but it is the most graphic depiction of these acts that I have seen on film. The film tests your resilience and at least in my case, plays on your mind in the days after viewing. I can’t really recommend this film but its power is undeniable.” Ryan Morrissey-Smith, Haddonfield Horror

“This film packs a mean punch and certainly puts your face directly into the action in a way that even many other genre offerings can’t or won’t do. I also think that the film does an excellent job of not only showing the women as victims at first but then going on to show them as survivors and then instruments of vengeance.” Morbidly Beautiful

“The film is full of brutal violence, beautiful women and a madman who enjoys inflicting as much trauma as he has been through himself. Expertly made, supreme make up effects and no holds barred, Trauma is one of the most intense, memorable and violent films of 2017.” Richard Taylor, Pop Horror

Cast and characters:

• Catalina Martin … Andrea
• Macarena Carrere … Camila
• Ximena del Solar … Julia
• Dominga Bofill … Magdalena
• Daniel Antivilo … Juan
• Eduardo Paxeco … Pedro
• Felipe Ríos … Mario
• Claudio Riveros … Diego
• Florencia Heredia … Yoya

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‘Remember not to kill.’

Dry Blood is a 2016 American horror feature film co-produced and directed by Kelton Jones from a screenplay by Clint Carney who also stars. The Bloody Knuckles Entertainment production also stars Jaymie Valentine, Graham Sheldon and Rin Ehlers.

The synthesizer soundtrack score was also composed by Clint Carney as System Syn.

Plot:

Drug addict Brian Barnes takes refuge in a remote cabin to clean up one final time. However, his well-meaning plans are soon interrupted by the torments of a sadistic Sheriff and ghastly visions of ghosts (that may or may not be hallucinations brought on by his withdrawal). While pulling at the threads to this horrific mystery, it may be Brian’s sanity that unravels first…

On October 30, 2018, it was announced that Dry Blood has been picked up for distribution by Epic Pictures via their Dread Central Presents banner and will be releasing the film on VOD platforms and Blu-ray on January 15, 2019.

Reviews:

“The final revelations about Brian’s character are shocking, but fail as any kind of dramatic payoff since, up to then, we learn very little of substance about him that might point towards his motivations. Repulsion (1965) did this kind of movie right. This one, however, doesn’t.” Evan Popplestone, Cinema’s Fringes

” …put on your big boy or big girl pants, grin it, bear it and make your way through to the third act. Totally worth it once you get there. With several call-outs to Kubrick’s The Shining, a decent lead performance from Carney and one of the biggest and best comebacks of any (initially) not-so-great film…” Michael Klug, Horrorfreak News

“Filmed mostly in and around a cabin in the San Bernardino mountains, this micro-budget indie film packs quite a punch. Dry Blood is a crazy, bloody trip through insanity and back! This is definitely not a happy vacation in the woods.” Morbidly Beautiful

“Dry Blood is an enjoyable mindf*ck of a movie, as it really plays with the perception of the audience in regards to what’s real what’s illusion just like the lead character is never really able to tell, and time and again it neglects the rules of linear storytelling just to confuse the viewer – in a rather clever sort of way.” Mike Haberfelner, Search My Trash

“A frequently frustrating but at times rewarding experience. While often hampered by ropey acting and pacing issues there is a decent concept in there, some moments of real wit in the script and the brutal finale is excellently done.” Slime House TV

Cast and characters:

• Clint Carney … Brian Barnes
• Jaymie Valentine … Anna
• Kelton Jones … Cop
• Graham Sheldon … Todd
• Rin Ehlers … Meagan
• Robert V. Galluzzo … Clerk
• Macy Johnson … Alecia
• Savea Kagan … Alecia (voice)

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Nightmare Circus is a 1973 American exploitation horror feature film directed by Alan Rudolph [as Gerald Cormier] from a screenplay co-written with Roman Valenti. It has also been released as Terror Circus and The Barn of the Naked Dead.

The film stars Andrew Prine (The Town that Dreaded Sundown; The Centerfold Girls; Simon: King of the Witches, Grizzly), Manuela Thiess, Sherry Alberoni and Gyl Roland.

The discordant jazzy score was provided by Tommy Vig (Sweet Sixteen; Forced Entry remake).

Plot:

Three young women are heading to Las Vegas to work as showgirls when their car breaks down in the desert.

Andre (Andrew Prine) offers to help them and takes them to his place where he keeps women confined in chains and makes them perform circus tricks in his barn. Meanwhile, his father, who has become a homicidal mutant because of the homestead’s proximity to a nuclear power plant, lives next to them in a shed…

Buy The Barn of the Naked Dead + Scream from Amazon.com

Reviews:

“The whole movie has dully sadistic scenes set to cheery, boppy jazz music and filmed on a shoestring budget with junkyard sets. As mind-blowing a feat as this is, it even manages to make the wild Nevada desert look ugly as hell. I do see people sometimes praise Andrew Prine’s performance here, but I just don’t see it. He’s got a few hammy monologues, but he’s far from a memorable villain.” Pete Trbovich, All Horror

“Lead lunatic Andrew Prine is the only one granted an actual character to play, which he essays with glowering eyes and little else. Director Alan Rudolph went on to work with Robert Altman on several features and became a celebrated art-house director in his own right; barely any of his future promise is evident in this amateurish mess of sex fantasy and nuclear horror.” Fred Beldin, AllMovie.com

“Though there isn’t much in the way of blatant skin or gore to be found here, fans of degenerate ’70s horror should still enjoy the antics of the always watchable Prine..” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

“I did like the look of the movie and the music. It looked a whole lot like Texas Chain Saw Massacre ’74. The whole aesthetic was very similar, so it had that going for it. The music and sound effects were pretty damn creepy as well. But really, when the story goes nowhere, ends abruptly and there is no real action, it just isn’t enough.” Greg Baty, Cinesploitation

“Barn of the Naked Dead is terrible movie with bad acting and virtually no production values, but it would be a little bit better if it were content to be what it actually is – a piece of junk.” Welch Everman, Cult Horror Films

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

“This film is more about aesthetics than plot. It has some nice set pieces and scenes but not a strong enough story to tie them together.  It has the kind of things you might find there; a severed head in a bird cage, a monster escaping a locked room, a barn for of mutilated victims and a deranged ringmaster.” Sinful Celluloid

Choice dialogue:

“Why’s he got that cat in a cage? Why’s he got that cat at all?”

Cast and characters:

• Andrew Prine … Andre
• Manuela Thiess … Simone
• Sherry Alberoni … Sheri
• Gyl Roland … Corinne
• Sheila Bromley … Mrs. Baynor
• Gil Lamb … Mr. Alvarez
• Al Cormier … Sheriff Stanford
• Chuck Niles … Derek Moore
• Jeane Manson … Jean

Filming locations:

Lancaster and Palmdale, California, USA

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‘Hell isn’t a word. It’s a sentence…’

Death House – aka DeathHouse – is a 2017 American horror feature film written and directed by Harrison Smith (Camp Dread) and based on an original story by the late Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface in the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre).

The film, which is being touted as “The Expendables of horror,” has a cast that includes Adrienne Barbeau, Michael Berryman, Barbara Crampton, Sid Haig, Kane Hodder, Lloyd Kaufman, Camille Keaton, R.A. Mihailoff, Bill Moseley, Bill Oberst Jr., Debbie Rochon, Felissa Rose, Tiffany Shepis, Brinke Stevens, Tony Todd, Dee Wallace, Vincent M. Ward, and Vernon Wells.

Plot:

During an exclusive tour, a power breakdown inside a secret prison known as the Death House sends two agents fighting through a labyrinth of horrors while being pursued by a ruthless army of roaming inmates.

As they fight to escape, the agents push toward the lowest depths of the facility where they learn a supernatural group of evil beings are their only chance for survival…

Reviews:

“The reality of the picture is its tedium, with Smith possibly unable (due to budgetary limitations) do something appropriately volcanic with the premise. He aims for something slightly ambitious, trying to bring a John Carpenter sensibility to what eventually becomes a prison riot feature, but Smith doesn’t work the material into a frenzy, potentially disappointing those expecting more of a free-for-all bloodbath, not just a series of pseudoscience monologues.” Brian Orndorf, Blu-ray.com

“Death House was basically the cinematic viewing experience equivalent of the infamous tunnel scene in the 1971 Fantasy Musical Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It was exciting and unnerving, delightful and disturbing, and just an overall wild ride with trippy visuals and a hell of a creepy build-up…” Misty Wallace, Cryptic Rock

“Maybe a capable cinematographer would have lit the warehouse set so viewers could actually see the action, or suggested not staging 70% of scenes in front of a green screen with poorly rendered CGI backdrops. And maybe a responsible producer would have stopped cutting checks for horror celebs to stand still in the background for novelty value and apply that cash in a narratively beneficial manner instead.” Ian Sedensky, Culture Crypt

“Not all of the performances are standout, but the bloody pandemonium and creative writing make this a damn good movie worthy of becoming a cult favorite. Death House is much more than just another slasher film and makes some profound statements about the universal balance of good and evil and the revelation of self. ” Michelle Swope, Dread Central

“Derivative and uninspired, Death House may have its moments but it has far too little in between to justify the 95 minute running time. It has been billed as ‘the Expendables of horror.’ It’s too bad that comparison applies not to the stars, most of whom we see only briefly, but to the quality of the script.” Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film

“Death House unfortunately doesn’t deliver. Its many references and horror icons don’t contribute much to a story that is far too caught up in itself to be any fun. Its graphic and lewd nature don’t much help either, and as a result, the film has few earned scares. Basically, come for the stars, but don’t expect to take anything away with you.” David Fontana, Film Inquiry

” …it brings me no satisfaction to deem Death House a monumental mess. Why do we need an exposition dump while Boon and Longo shower (leery camera ogling included)? How can so many psychopaths make for such dull lockdown paranoia? […]Fun for a brief few minutes as 1,001 maniacs like Balthoria, Crau, and Thile are introduced, abandoned by the remaining 90-ish minutes that do absolutely nothing with each icon.” Matt Donato, Flickering Myth

“For what its worth, Cortney Palm and Cody Longo are reliably bland as Boon and Novak. This film just craters so thoroughly, not even Hodder can save it. It is all just rather messy and eh. Not recommended…” Joe Bendel, J.B. Spins

“Overall, Death House is an exciting and fun ride that twists and turns…and drops you off at the end miles from where you began. The last 20 minutes gave me goosebumps, and Bill Moseley is just perfect as one of the 5 Evils. Yeah, I didn’t even touch on the 5 Evils here. You’ll want more of them. I was thrilled and relieved to love this movie.” Jason McFiggins, Morbidly Beautiful

“Director Harrison Smith knows what the horror fans want from Death House and caters for the intended audience. Practical gore effects, memorable one liners, and some outrageous action stunts fulfill the expectations which have you sitting there either laughing or with a fixed grin across your face. ” Philip Rogers, Nerdly

“It may be jam-packed with stars, and have a pretty high gore and nudity quota; but hey, so does the filmography of Uwe Boll. And – yes, I’m gonna go there – I daresay Boll would have done a better job with this material than B Harrison Smith has done here. Many old school horror fans will doubtless be lured in by the cast, but let me urge you not to take the bait on this one.” Ben Bussey, Warped Perspective

” …a movie with some obvious problems — the CGI effects are terrible and the final act loses a LOT of steam — but at the end of the day it’s still a fairly fun, nostalgia-baiting B-tier genre offering that isn’t afraid to wallow in the red stuff and white meat.” James Swift, Wicked Horror

“Filmed to accommodate the shooting schedules of its large cast, Death House is an almost incoherent script of cameos. The backstories of how the prisoners got into Death House penitentiary are told via glitchy, virtual reality green screens that attempt to excuse numerous cameos that serve no purpose in the later story when the prisoners are released.” Without Your Head

Choice dialogue:

“I can’t see anything!”

Filming locations:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Los Angeles, California, USA

Buy DVD: Amazon.com

Release:

Death House was released on VOD on November 6, 2018, and DVD on December 1, 2018.

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‘Practice doesn’t always make perfect.’

Piercing is a 2018 American dark comedy horror feature film written and directed by Nicolas Pesce (The Eyes of My Mother) based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Ryū Murakami (Audition). The movie stars Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowska and Laia Costa.

Piercing will be released by Universal Pictures in limited theaters and on Digital HD and VOD platforms on February 1, 2019.

Plot:

Reed (Christopher Abbott) is going on a business trip. He kisses his wife and infant son goodbye, but in lieu of a suitcase filled with clothes, he’s packed a toothbrush and a murder kit. Everything is meticulously planned: check into a hotel and kill an unsuspecting victim. Only then will he rid himself of his devious impulses and continue to be a good husband and father.

However, Reed gets more than he bargained for with Jackie (Mia Wasikowska), an alluring call girl who arrives at his room. First, they relax and get in the mood, but when there’s an unexpected disruption, the balance of control begins to sway back and forth between the two. Is he seeing things? Who’s playing whom? Before the night is over, a feverish nightmare will unfold, and Reed and Jackie will seal their bond in blood…

Reviews:

“Piercing can’t seem to figure out how to advance or complicate its sick-joke premise […] Pesce, unfortunately, sees only a kinky power struggle: Audition as a one-note black comedy, albeit one made with the visual flair he exhibited in his truly disturbing debut…” A.V. Club

“Piercing is a propulsive, intricately crafted thriller that plays like the twisted lovechild of American Psycho and Phantom Thread. Slick and sick, sometimes sexy, and surprisingly sweet, the film is carefully crafted to never let up on the tension while always pulling the viewer deeper into the intimacy unfolding between these two violently kinky loners.” Collider

“The stakes of the game are out in the open, it seems, but the question of consent lingers stickily in the air. Is someone about to get killed, and if so, is that person actually OK with it? We don’t know for sure even at the end, but that final moment before the credits offers a surprise so strange and pitch-perfect, it makes the whole affair look almost, well, sweet.” The Hollywood Reporter

“Piercing plays out like a swift tribute to Takashi Miike’s Audition filtered through Quentin-Tarantinoesque exuberance: Split screens, ubiquitous pop songs, and elegant camerawork make it clear that this wacky two-hander treasures idiosyncratic flourishes over narrative sophistication; clocking in at a brisk 81 minutes, it’s at once enjoyable in the moment and utterly disposable.” IndieWire

“The film is expertly crafted with jewel-toned cinematography, terrifically sleazy saxophone music, and performances by Abbott and Wasikowska that take turns seizing command. Still, like Reed’s solo rehearsals, Piercing has the feel of a blueprint, a talented man exercising his technical skills while waiting for a whack at the real deal.” Variety

Cast and credits:

• Christopher Abbott … Reed
• Mia Wasikowska … Jackie
• Laia Costa … Mona
• Olivia Bond … Bunny Girl
• Maria Dizzia … Reed’s mother
• Marin Ireland … Chevonne
• Dakota Lustick … TBC
• Wendell Pierce … Doctor

Running time:

81 minutes

Production companies:

• Paradise City
• YL Pictures Co
• Borderline Films
• Memento Films

Release:

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018.

Trivia:

Features music from Italian giallo thrillers The Red Queen Kills 7 Times (1972) and Tenebrae (1982).

Related:

The Eyes of My Mother

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Christmas Cruelty! – original title: O’Hellige Jul! [“Oh Holy Christmas!”] – is a 2013 Norwegian dark comedy horror feature film directed by Per-Ingvar Tomren and Magne Steinsvoll from a screenplay co-written with Eline Aasheim, Janne Iren Holseter and Anita Nyhagen. The Stonewall Productions movie stars Eline Asssheim, Tormond Lien and Magne Steinsvill.

Plot:

We follow a serial killer and his victims as they all prepare for Christmas in their own ways. This year it doesn’t matter if you have been naughty or nice, Santa is coming to town no matter what, and he knows where you live…

Reviews:

“When this movie shows a scene of a person being decapitated, it’s not like your typical slasher movie. Jason at least had the decency to cut his victims heads off in one swing. In Christmas Cruelty, the killer here uses a knife to painstakingly cut a person’s head off, for a full twenty minutes, on screen, with each sound of the bone crunching and blood squirting, for your viewing… “pleasure.” Fanpop

“The movie was filmed by first-time directors Per-Ingvar Tomren and Magne Steinsland, and featured a cast of amateur actors . . . but what the film lacks in polish, it makes up in buckets of blood and truly messed up situations (and dark humor).” Fansided

“With an extreme level of festive sadism, Christmas Cruelty is no John Lewis ad. Its depravity won’t be for everyone, but if you’ve got the stomach for it, O’Hellige Jul! is a nasty little Christmas gift to genre fans that I thoroughly recommend you unwrap as soon as you can.” UK Horror Scene

“While the acting is about as rank amateur as you can get, the script is mostly ad-libs and the directing is basically pointing a video camera at people, the gore effects are surprisingly top-notch. Not that I really cared by the time that point rolled around, but in one scene we have a guy get his face smashed in with a hammer, a surprisingly well-crafted effect for what is clearly a zero-budget movie.” Video Junkie

“This unique slice of Norwegian cruelty combines holiday levity with extreme brutality like no other movie I’ve seen. One moment you are watching a silly and laid-back slacker comedy, the next scene has a killer do things like power-saw a baby to death with happy holiday music in the background.” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre

Cast and characters:

• Eline Aasheim … Eline
• Tormod Lien … Serial-Santa
• Magne Steinsvoll … Magne
• Per-Ingvar Tomren … Per-Ingvar
• Raymond Talberg … Boybandreka
• Nina-Shanett Arntsen … Daughter
• Tone Søyset Døving … Victim #1
• Jørgen Torp … Victim #2
• Eiric Lien … Victim #3
• Ranja Hjelvik … Victim #4
• Vilde Reiten Gommesen … Victim #5
• Thomas Utgård … Thomas
• Solveig Sahr Bergheim … Solveig
• Frans Hulsker … Christmas tree salesman
• Olav Kåre Torjuul … Chainsaw salesman
• Mats Nerli … Mats
• Irene Anita Holsether … Wife
• Torgeir Marvin Utgård … Torgeir
• Martinus Ersvik … Martinus

More Norwegian horror

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