Genre films seems to always have an uncanny way of being a reflection of the actual horrors that surround our society and environment. For instance, the horror films of the 1970's where a complete departure from the elegant and elaborate Hammer films of the 1960's, they where molded from a less optimistic cloth, covered in despair and the instinct to survive in a hostile and ever changing culture. It all began to go terribly wrong in 1970; Nixon , Viet Nam , the death of Janis Joplin , and the rise of the anti establishment punk rock movement , it was all a downhill journey from here on out. The horror films of the 1970's were based on fears grounded in reality as opposed to that of a supernatural nature , the enemy was right outside maybe even in your own backyard. No one was safe from the ever growing danger and hostility of a cruel and unpredictable world, the survival horror film was born. Within the past several years we have seen a resurgence of film makers trying desperately to capture that same aesthetic feel and genuine terror that those films so effortlessly created. Film makers have tried time and time again to recapture that magic with the use of shaky cams and various other forms of nostalgia inducing forms of cinematic methods, forgetting the fact that the reasons these films succeeded in the first place was not because of the off balance nature of the picture quality but the audacity and authentication that went into creating the scenarios. These films were frightening because they were relevant to the time and prayed on the fears that threatened society directly, feeding into the paranoia that hide around every corner.
Director Alan Rowe Kelly has created what I believe to be the first legitimate piece of survival horror to emerge from the genre in the last decade A Far Cry From Home , it is a relentless piece of cinema that dives deep into very real social issues and uses them to spring board into a tale of madness and terror that is one of, if no the most , galvanizing film experiences I have ever had.
A Far Cry From Home tells the gruesome tale of a young gay couple ( played brilliantly by Alan Rowe Kelly and Don Money ) who make a pit stop at a run down antique store while driving through the backwoods of New Jersey. Unknown to the couple the dwelling is inhabited by a group of radical ultra religious fanatics who hold a severe dislike for people of " alternative" lifestyles. What follows is a decent into pure terror and madness the likes this old girl has never seen.
All across the board the acting is amazing, both Kelly and Money are able to create a couple that is rooted in reality.Despite the arguing and turmoil that initially bubbles to the surface you can tell that there is a genuine love between both men that is both refreshing and enduring, which makes the hell they go through all the more relentless and hard to watch.But it is Kelly who truly stands out in what can only be described as one of the most emotionally and physically draining roles I have ever seen in genre cinema, the raw fear and emotion that he exudes is genius. It is a performance that DEMANDS attention and elevates the film to a completely different level. The mental humiliation and physical torture that this character endures will literally leave you breathless. The main component that works for this film is the reality that it is rooted in , we are given a group of villains that could come across as either over the top or morbid in any other film. The actors on hand do an exceptional job of injecting these terrible people with the perfect amount of nastiness and sleaze while not taking it into the " camp " territory. These are evil fucking people that are proud of what they do. Kelly and genius cinematographer Bart Mastronardi have created a landscape that radiates with the genuine beauty of nature. The film slowly makes its decent into living hell and the shadows become more and more violent, the sun that once created a beautiful backdrop becomes hidden behind a forest of gnarled trees and bushes and the beauty moves over to make way for darkness and depravity. It is a very beautiful and visually striking film that is rich in both atmosphere and style.
If it seems as if I am being more than a little vague on the specifics of the story itself, I am. A Far Cry From Home is best experienced first hand, it is not a film that can be explained or defined by any one person or news source, it is rather an emotion or an experience. Alan Rowe Kelly has taken a topic that is very much relevant to the time we live in and weaved it into a story of survival and madness that is one of the most important contributions to the genre since the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. However, unlike its brethren this is a film that is not given any doses of levity to lighten up the situation, once the shit hits the fan it is a straight up ride into hell. This is the kind of film that us horror fans wait to discover, a thoughtful and original work of genre cinema that doesn't water down it's horrifying content for mainstream audiences. I FUCKING LOVED IT !!
You know my bear faithful readers I have had some minor medical issues that have plagued me over the course of the past week or so. Laying in bed , popping pain killers , and being waited on hand and foot, sheer hell I tell you. During the course of my comatose state I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with none other then the FABULOUS Anthony G. Summer ( Slices Of Life), Mr. Summer is one of the many immensely talented individuals blazing the trails of the indie horror scene and is very well knowledge when it comes to genre and trash cinema. Below you can read over our little chat and see why Mr. Summer is the soon to be the future Mr. Demonica Vansant. ENJOY!!!
Tell me a little about some of the films you saw growing up that influenced you to make films within the realm of horror? Any films that fall into the "trash" category stick out as being particularly exciting to you?
I was really obsessed with horror films growing up and honestly the trashier the better. For me a trash movie is generally odd, eccentric, or just plain weird. The plot is often controversial, offering the viewer a story told in a manner that has not been used in previous films. I would say some of my biggest influences were Frank Henenlotter, early David Cronenberg, John Waters, Kenneth Anger, Roger Corman, Gualtiero Jacopetti, Dario Argento, Lucio Fulici, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Federico Fellini and many more. I think what excited me so much about the work of these directors was perhaps their themes and visual style where so original and unique- either by design or necessity. Their work is often unsettling, or just peculiar to me- which is exciting and usually the protagonists are outsiders, anti-heroes, lovable villains, losers, or slackers- which I always identified with.
How did you get into the film business? Was It something that you always had the desire to pursue?
I like to say it was Neil Diamond that inspired me to pursue the arts- naturally, LOL. I remember in 1976 watching him perform live on TV (from the Greek Theater) and thinking holy shit- that hair, those sequins and he is friends with Helen Reddy (Angie Baby is the creepiest song ever made) I wanted to be Neil Diamond.
But that was just one inspirational moment,. I had always loved making up stories and then drawing them out on paper, from a really young age. By the time I was in fifth grade I was already starting to experiment with 3 dimensional design and special make-up effects- the only way I knew to test my effects was to start filming them, so in 6th grade I bought a super 8 camera and started making horror movies with my classmates as victims. From that point on I have been filming. Later I got my college degree in filmmaking and then started to turn the skill set into a viable means to earn a living- which led to advertising, courtroom forensic videos, Investment bank IPO presentations government communications and a host of other businesses that you wouldn’t normally associate with media- but they had a need to visually tell stories and I was able to fill that need.
You appear to have a genuine love for the kind of cinema that was prevalent in the grindhouse era. The Pink Snapper segment from Slices Of life seems like an ode to the early films of Frank Henelotter with gooey critters and violent metaphors. Where did the idea and concept for this segment come from? Are there any direct genre influences? Any film that can pull off a killer pussy with such atmosphere and genuine talent as you did deserves major kudos in this old girls book.
Thank you so much, that really means a lot. I LOVE Frank Hennenlotter, I really think he is a cinematic genius, his stories have so much humor but never cut corners on the creepiness, the gore or the social commentary- he is one of my favorite filmmakers of all time. PINK SNAPPER was a story I wanted to do for many years, long before TEETH and the idea came when I was talking with a friend about how I wanted to make an outrageously themed film called PINK SNAPPER with a killer pussy parasite. At first it was kinda of a joke, but the more I thought about it, the vigilante aspects of the story began to develop and I really loved it- it was the anchor of the whole anthology and really began the process of us thinking about the entire feature film. I would say the biggest genre influences for PINK SNAPPER are BRAIN DAMAGE, SHIVERS and HANSEL & GRETEL. It was such a fun project with so many talented people involved. I think Deneen Melody, Judith Lesser, Galen Schloming all turned in fantastic performances under some very hurried and extreme conditions.
Can you tell me a little bit about the production of Jitters? The concept sound amazing. Was it your first journey into creating a short film? How was the experience?
JITTERS wasn’t my first short, there have been many over the years, but it was the first to sort of go back to the roots of work that I really liked as a kid. it was also the first narrative project I did with my producing partner Eric Richter. We saw that Fangoria was having short film competition for projects to be featured on their Blood Drive DVD- we saw the announcement literally 2 weeks before the deadline. So we pumped out a quick story and shot it in two days and then did post work and completed in time for the contest. We did NOT get selected, but the film did get selected for DragonCon, The New York Horror Film Festival, Shockerfest and many more. because of that project we met so many fantastic people while traveling to the festivals (including Alan Rowe Kelly) that we felt inspired and driven to start a micro-budget feature.
I see that W.O.R.M (a segment from Slices Of Life) was also one of your earlier short film production. How did you take that core idea and shift it for Slices Of Life? What are some of the changes that where made?
W.O.R.M was always conceived to be part of the SLICES OF LIFE anthology. When we wrote it, the intention was to for it to be part of a feature, of course we had no idea how long it would take to make the feature or how much we could spend on a feature. So W.O.R.M. was the first trial in a lot of ways- it helped to establish the budget we could spend per 30 minute short, shooting time etc. We also sent it out to festivals to see how it would be received and hoped the response would push to the finish line on the feature. W.O.R.M. was received really well and took home many awards including the Stephen King award for best horror short- so that really fueled us to continue and improve. When the final feature was put together we added some sound effects, trimmed a little and updated a couple VFX shots- but overall it is the same short that went to festivals in 2007.
Alan Rowe Kelly is a absolute favorite of The Trash Compactor. Can you tell us a bit about how you became involved with Gallery Of Fear and your segment in the film?
Well Alan Rowe Kelly is huge favorite of mine as well, I just love him and I’m in awe of his incredible talent. As I mentioned earlier, I met Alan at the New York Horror Film festival in 2006. Our film JITTERS was playing the festival and I had just recently seen I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW. When I saw Alan sitting at the bar the Varick Room (a connecting venue to the Tribeca Cinema) I ran up to tell him how much I loved I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW and invite him to the JITTERS screening. We hit off immediately and have been fast friends ever since. A year later when I was shooting W.O.R.M. I asked if he would play the webcam vamp that is the catalyst for the events that follow. When he agreed I was just so excited and feel like his scene in that segment is hands down the best part of the short. He is brilliant.
As for GALLERY OF FEAR, that was a project that Alan had been developing back in 2007 and we had been talking about it when I told him about BY HER HAND, SHE DRAWS YOU DOWNI.
BY HER HAND, SHE DRAWS YOU DOWN is a short story that I read in The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, Volume 13, this was the first story I had read by author Douglas Smith and it just blew me away. For me, it was hands down the best story in the book and one of the best I have read in years. So with a little online investigation, I made contact with Douglas Smith to see if he would grant me permission to adapt his story to the screen. I honestly didn’t know whether I would hear back from him, but his response was quick and extremely gracious. We both got excited and struck up deal to get the project off the ground. Naturally I wanted Alan’s opinion of the story, so I sent it along and he fell in love with it also and ask if I would like to have it be a part of the anthology GALLERY OF FEAR—of course I said YES and brought Alan on as co-producer.
In regard to casting, while I scripted and storyboarded the project, Alan lined up locations, actors, and specialty prop items. He showed the short story to Zoe and Jerry who immediately responded to the characters and wanted to be a part of the project- this was a huge coupe for me personally having been a longtime fan of both actors.
Once everything was in place, I loaded up my van with equipment and took off to the New Jersey shore for the one-week shooting schedule. Alan had arranged everything perfectly; we all stayed in summer bungalow rental, which allowed me extra time in the evenings to really work with the actors in between our full days of shooting. Jerry and Zoë both had such a great grasp of their characters and really brought pathos to their roles. Since it was the off-season, the barren boardwalks and amusements really created an eerie atmosphere that I don’t think we could have captured anywhere else. After principal photography was completed, I took the footage back to Chicago and did some pick-up green screen work, as well as some second unit photography in San Francisco the following month. We then focused on finalizing the edit, visual effects, and score.
I am so pleased with the final project and how well it has been received- We won Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Score, Best Director of Photography, Best Short at multiple festivals. http://www.byherhandmovie.com/. If you would like to get the Official Movie Companion eBook for BY HER HAND, SHE DRAWS YOU DOWN containing the original story, storyboards, interviews with the producer, director, lead actor & actress, photos from the shoot, and more- It can be ordered at Amazon for 0nly $2.99: http://tinyurl.com/3gbkz3j or even better you can pick up all of Douglas Smiths incredible stories (many e-books just $.99) at http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DouglasSmith
Tell us all a little bit about Slices Of Life and how it came to fruition. Where did the ideas and concepts for the film stem from?
I LOVE horror anthologies and shooting it as an anthology would allow us certain freedoms that wouldn’t exist with a single story narrative. We also wanted to switch up our styles and try something a little different with each segment, as a way to sharpen our skills with different sub-genres of horror. Each segment was developed with this intent, to create three disparate stories in three varied styles, all inspired by classic low-budget horror sub-genres. We divided the stories into slices of everyday life that everyone experiences- Work Life, Home Life and Sex Life, then we built a wraparound story that would tie these stories together.
The wrap around story is called Sketcher and focuses on Mira (Kaylee Williams). She awakens in front of a seedy roadside motel with little memory of whom or where she might be. She searches for clues to her identity in the pages of three bound sketchbooks, each of which represents a different aspect of everyday life, maybe her life.
The first book is WORK LIFE and is a homage to SciFi/technology horror and zombie flicks: A lowly clerk at a nano technology firm unleashes a deadly virus at the office headquarters, giving new meaning to the term corporate zombie. It is the most comical of the three and was the first segment we shot.
The second segment is HOME LIFE: As local girls begin to disappear, a young pregnant woman is haunted by visions of evil demonic children hell bent on stealing her unborn fetus. (Starring Toya Turner and Thurston Hill)
The third segment is SEX LIFE: A young brother and sister on the run from a sexually abusive home life, take refuge in a countryside Victorian manor- only to discover the monsters hidden in this house have been looking for a new home. (Starrin Deneen Melody, Galen Schloming and Judith Lesser)
Convinced that the characters from these books are roaming around the motel, Mira's reality begins to crumble. Are these visions real or is she going insane? Desperate, Mira turns to the motel caretakers Irma and Tiny (Marv Blauvelt and Helene Alter-Dyche), only to discover the true evil bound in the flesh covered books. We spent four years total completing the entire project, one segment at a time as we had the money to pay for it. It was our goal to have the project completely paid for when it was complete- no debt and then anything we made off of it could be used for the next project. Ultimately that is exactly what we did.
The incredible score was done by Gene Hodsdon, who managed to develop a seperate theme for each segment and was with the project from beginning to end. In addition to myself and Eric Richter who was DP for the entire project- we had a crew of 3 other guys Chad Norris, Brian Raida and Paul Mackey. In addition to crewing, most of the visual effects where done by Chad Norris and Paul Mackey. So it was really 6 guys and camera plugging along on the weekends that got the film made. http://chadnorris.net/home/http://www.soundclick.com/falseimagination Check out the soundtrack here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcCT9oa3kRw&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=SPD6BB811C6CB87952 . For scripting I really wanted to some variation in styles, so Eric Richter did the screenplay for WORM and the Sketcher. Alan Rowe Kelly did the screenplay for Amber Alert and I did the PINK SNAPPER screenplay. I think it added some needed diversity to the stories by have them scripted this way.
The special effects in Slices of life where amazing. Even the digital effects in the "Amber Alert " segment where very impressive and had a disturbing and off putting tone. How where the effects handled on this film? I know you have supervised effects on several of your productions, did you have a helping hand in creating any of the bloodshed?
Ahh- Thank you so much, we have gotten a lot of grief for the digital effects. But actually all the effects are a combination of practical and digital- many of the digital effects people are not even aware of, because they were just fixing little things like a boom pole, exposed light, crew member or even changing the motel sign to a different name- very subtle stuff. I would say that 95% of the gore was done with practical old-school special make-up effects and I did all of those except the first Pink Snapper monster you see in the film, which was done by the amazing Jeremy Selenfriend of Monster In My Closet (http://www.monsterinmycloset.com/). The flying snapper and the tail I made and then we enhanced them with digital effects. All the visual effects were handled by Chad Norris, Paul Mackey and myself. We just split up the work and did the best we could using Adobe After Effects- We certainly learned a great deal from the hurdles we had with III SLICES OF LIFE. Overall I am really happy with both the special effects and visual effects, considering how often I see shoddy work in motion pictures that had about 5,000 times our budget (no joke) Our entire budget for SLICES including production, post, sound, marketing and final deliverables was about the cost of a used chevy compact car.
Do you have any desire to revisit the world of Slices Of Life / If so what are some of the themes and concepts you'd like to explore next?
Not in the immediate future, because we have several projects currently in the works and one in production. With that being said, I love the short film format and would absolutely revisit SLICES OF LIFE. I think the general ideas original leave it open for a lot of interpretations of what is a horrifying “life story”. I think themes I would like to explore are our secret life, our social life, our child life—there are many options and it could easily translate into a web series as well with multiple directors and themes.
Looking forward what are some things you have lined up as a director? What are some dream projects that you would love to see developed?
There are a couple of other short story adaptations I am working on getting the rights and one of them I would like to expand to a feature. We have already started our second feature, which we hope to have principal photography done in the spring. it is a very different beast than III SLICES OF LIFE- so I am excited for everyone to see it. We also have a sleazy dance/musical horror film that we is currently be scripted and I hope to start in 2013- if the world hasn’t ended. Imagine Showgirls meets demons….no that is a dream project. LOL.
Who are some of you favorite " sleaze " or " obscure directors that influenced you to make films ? Slices Of Life seemed at times to invoke that early Cronenberg aura of inner demons manifesting themselves as body horror , any influence ?
Absolutely- we drew from many places for III SLICES OF LIFE and I think early Cronenberg and Frank Henenlotter are the most obvious. I love those two directors so much and of course other directors I admire are Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Tinto Brass, Roger Corman, Wes Craven, David Cronenberg, Joe D'Amato, Jörg Buttgereit, David E. Durston, Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, Baz Luhrmann, Ovidio G. Assonitis, Dwain Esper, Abel Ferrara, Peter Greenaway, Atom Egyon, William Lustig, Michael and Roberta Findlay, Jess Franco, Bruce LaBruce, Ted V. Mikels, Ron Ormond, Jean Rollin, George A. Romero, Daryush Shokof, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Lindsay Shonteff, Paul Bartel, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Juan Piquer Simón, Jack Smith, Ray Dennis Steckler, John Waters, Paul Morrissey, David Lynch, Brian DePalma, Philip Ridley, Doris Wishman, Lucio Fulci, Samuel Fuller, Jean Rollin, Robert Altman, Ken Russell, William Girdler, Jack Hill, Tobe Hooper, Lloyd Kaufman, José Ramón Larraz, Don Coscarelli, José Mojica Marins, Paul Naschy, Harry Kümel, Umberto Lenzi, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Danny Steinmann, Sean S. Cunningham, Bruno Mattei, Radley Metzger, Curt McDowell, George & Mike Kuchar, Kenneth Anger, Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury, Pete Walker, Michele Soavi, Romano Scavolini, Lamberto Bava, Alex Cox, Terry Gilliam, Todd Haynes, Takashi Miike, Maya Deren, Danny Boyle, Darren Aronofsky and of course Alan Rowe Kelly, Bart Mastronardi, Susan Adriensen, Cory J. Udler, The Souska sisters and many more.
What where some of the last " great " underground or sleaze cinema films you recall seeing in the past 10 years ?
SICK GIRL, HEADER, FEED, AUDITION, ITCHI THE SERIAL KILLER, THE BLOOD SHED, I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW, VINDICATION, SERBIAN FILM, BAISE-MOI, GOZU, SUICIDE CLUB, DOG TOOTH, STRANGE GIRLS, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH (AKA DEADLY END), DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK, GRACE, READ WHITE & BLUE, THE BLEEDING HOUSE, INSIDE, DEADGIRL, MARTYRS, DUMPLINGS, SHOWGIRLS, SHOWGIRLS, SHOWGIRLS (I don’t care that its older than 10 years- Showgirls speaks to all generations of sleazy dreamers), THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE, UNDOCUMENTED, DONNIE DARKO, SINGAPORE SLING, SOMEONE'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR, AMER, OTTO; OR, UP WITH DEAD PEOPLE, HANGER, ENTER THE VOID. OLDBOY, BRONSON, INCEST DEATH SQUAD, BAD BIOLOGY and many, many more…
Any directors currently working in the industry both independent and mainstream that you believe are working hard to keep that underground edge in the limelight?
Well I think the obvious choices are Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Jason Eisener and several other large budget directors- I really love the work Ti West and Paul Solet have been producing , but I also like to find the more obscure projects that you hear about through word of mouth more than through large press junkets. I think Simon Rumley’s films, particularly Red, White and Blue are brilliant. I also adore the work of Alan Rowe Kelly and Bart Mastronardi.
How difficult is it in these times of financial crisis to get an indie film financed and distributed ?
Its really tough, but we are used to working with ZERO money- so I guess in some ways it is something we are used to dealing with. So far we have been completely self-financed and that may change on future project, but you really have to look at the numbers and what the sales projections should be. So far our intention was to make back what we spent and use that for the next project- and that has happened. If someone else finances the film, they will get the money from the film- so we will be in the same place looking for investors. So we opted to self-finance and so far it has worked out.
It has become a trend in the past several years to remake horror films. What is your take on this trend ? What are some films you believe could use a good ole reboot?
I actually complain a lot about the remakes, but I also see almost all of them- so I guess the studios theory is working…we still pay to see them. I am all for new interpretations of movies, I just wish that more original product was being put out by the studios. I can honestly say that I don’t think very many of the remakes have had the charm of the originals and that could just be my age, but I think something is lost when you try to polish up these scrappy independent films and make them accesible to the broadest audience. Originals I love are I Spit on Your Grave, Mothers Day, Nightmare on Elm Street (horrendously remade), Friday the 13th, Last House on the Left, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, and My Bloody Valentine- I didn’t hate all these remakes, but none of them captured my excitement like the originals (I did hate the Friday the 13th remake/reboot and I hated the Nightmare on Elm Street reboot). I enjoyed Zombies Halloween, but it wasn’t Halloween- it lost the things I admired about the original Halloween. I just watched Don’t be Afraid of the Dark and I was really excited about it, because the original had so many areas that could be improved upon just by making it a theatrical film- but I was disappointed.
As a filmmaker how do you feel about the industry moving into the digital realm?
After film school I was a film snob for many years- but the reality is it was completely cost prohibitive for low budget filmmakers to shoot film and make prints that the digital age has opened up many doors for storytellers to express themselves. We would have never been able self-finance feature using film…So I love it. Plus the new equipment gives a person much greater latitude for image quality then ever before- so I am very happy with digital.
When working on the fringe outside of the studio system , does the MPAA tend to give you a lot of shit? Do you believe it is more difficult for indie directors as opposed to mainstream Hollywood productions?
Since our films are not released theatrically we don’t deal with the MPAA at all- being unrated is fine with me and I think the MPAA is a ridiculous organization to have in the 21st century. I don’t need a conservative group of people dictating what my moral compass should be- and that is exactly what they do…it is a sad statement on our population that we govern morality- and the MPAA is just one of the many forms of censorship in the US.
Luckily, other chains of distribution have made it possible to remove them from the equation- so we do.
And Of course since this is The Trash Compactor can you please tell us what your favorite SLEAZE moment is from any film in any genre?
The abortion in HANGER, The Newborn Porn in SERBIAN FILM, all the feeding scenes in FEED, the blow job in BRAIN DAMAGE, the header fuck n HEADER, the ending of FAT GIRL, piao wire cuts off foot in AUDITION, Baby removal in INSIDE, clit removal in ANTICHRIST, shit eating in SALO and PINK FLAMINGOES, Edith Massey in FEMALE TROUBLE and countless scenes in DESPERATE LIVING. Of course we cant the sex scene in NEKROMANTIK.
Thank You SO MUCH for taking the time to chat with this simple country virgin Mr. Summer. If any of you have not yet had the chance to see Anthony's Slices Of Life , get off your ass and grab a copy ASAP , it is one of the best genre efforts of recent memory.
Here at the Trash Compactor we are huge fans of the very talented and very sexy Mr. James Cullen Bressak, so naturally anytime his name is attached to a project this old girl's panties slide right off with anticipation. Below you can take yourself a gander at the press release for the new film Theater Of The Deranged as well as the teaser trailer. ENJOY my little kitten mittens.
From Executive Producer James Cullen Bressack and Jarrett Cohen of Psykik Junky Picture comes the newest horror anthology starring horror film iocn Shawn C. Phillips and adult film sensations Sophie Dee and Veronica Ricci: Theater Of The Deranged ( Theater Of Derange).
Join Andy the Arsonist as he shares five of his favorite short horror films in all their demented glory. The Collections features neer before seen films from popular indie horror icons Shawn C. Phillips, James Cullen Bressack , Liz Gilbert , Brian Dorton ( my future ex husband) and Creep Creepersin.
The Film was just picked up for world wide distribution by Worldwide Multimedia and comes out on DVD in 2012.
Here is a teaser trailer fo the film to wet your willy :
And below is a link directly to the IMDB page , take a gander, if you dare!
Hello my babies , well it's time to bid a firm fuck you and farwell to 2011 not a bad year for the genre at all. . So sit back , get the lotion and pump that rod a little for you dear old mama. ENJOY It's my picks for the best 0f 2011
10.) WRONG TURN 4
This movie, for me, was what millions of 80's throwback slashers have claimed to be: a fun nostalgic trip down slaughter street with little brains but a fuckload of entertainment. Writer/Director Declan O'Brien returns for his second round with the inbred cannibal clan everyone loves to hate, and this time comes up with a film that from start to finish is pure unadulterated camp/trash/gore at it's finest. Fun kills , ton of tits ( loved the lesbo couple) and just a good time to be had by all.
9.) HOSTEL 3
WOW!! Two direct to dvd sequels that kind of rocked my world. Eli Roth's Hostel was no doubt a genuine front runner in the new wave of splatter films, for me it worked on a much more basic violent level, not my fav film by any stretch of the imagination. The followup Hostel 2 , to me , is one of the best horror films of the past 10 years. Mr. Roth gave us gorgeous scenery that paid tribute to Italian cinema and brutality that rivaled anything I had seen in modern cinema for a long, long fucking time. Insaniac Scott Spiegal takes the the reigns this time round , with more focus on character then genuine gore he has managed to create a film that stays true to the mythos of the previous entries as well as stand on it's own two feet as a film. Loved the change of setting ( if this could exist anywhere in modern America, Vegas would be it), the use of simple yet effective physical violence , and a mean streak that popped up midway and never let up. Let the carnage continue I say.
8.) Dream Home
Dream Home kind of came at me out of nowhere , and man am I glade it did. Dream Home is so legit it's ridiculous how much it really manages to get right. Director Ho- Cheung Pang manages to weave a very devastating tale that is both socially relevant and brutal as all hell , some of the kill scenes in this film will make even the most die hard fans of extreme cinema wince in horror and look away. To reveal to much about the set pieces and specifics of this little gem would be a terrible disservice to you as horror fans , do yourself a favor and grab this one ASAP!!!
7) I Saw The Devil
I had ALMOST lost faith in Asian cinema, I'll admit it , I did. Countless offerings of paste white black haired girls out for revenge is enough to drive this old girl into a mad frenzy after about the one billionth time. Here we are 2011 and I stand corrected, head hung low in shame and reverence, I declare Asian cinema is back with a bloody fucking vengeance! I Saw The Devil is a film that I so did not expect, I had heard the rumblings of genius and read all the reviews adorning it with admiration and respect. Just didn't seem like my cup of tea. This film goes into places that I did not expect and at the heart of all the madness and excellent film making skills there in lies what is ultimately a story of some seriously fucked up people who do some major damage to each other. Brutal, sleazy, and amazing in every sense of the word.
6.) The Puppet Monster Massacre
A truly genius piece of genre film making in every way imaginable, director Dustin Millis is able to use special effects, puppets , and art to create what is a truly memorable tribute to 80's style creature features. I haven't laughed this hard at a film all year and the gore on display is truly impressive as well, add to the mix some memorable characters and some puppet tits, a great time is had by all. Think Peter Jackson's Meet The Feebles but not as vial and morbid and infused with the self aware comedy of Shaun Of The Dead. An instant cult classic.
5.) We Are What We Are
I am a simple woman, I make no qualms about it, I enjoy sleaze, debauchery and filth, ALOT!! This for me was a film that at it's central core is about some really,really terrible people and the awful things they do to ensure survival in a world that is also filled with terrible people. Director Jorge Michael Grau is able to create a bleak and desolate landscape that is populated by hookers, homeless people, incompetent cops ,and of course cannibals; all of this set to a grungy crumbling city struck with poverty and crime. A gorgeous and disgusting film that manages to be both a melodrama and fierce tale of isolation and despair at a family's core when faced with limited funds. So good!!
4.) Hobo With A Shotgun
RUTGER FUCKING HAUER WITH A SHOTGUN!!!! ENOUGH SAID!!!!
3.) Jessicka Rabid
I am a HUGE fan of Paul Morissey and his earlier films, they have a certain component of realism that makes it as if you are watching real people in real albeit nasty situations. Matthew Reel has created a strange and sadistic universe for his characters to reside in and one that feels extreme and realistic in equal meassures. Of all the films I have seen that claim to be paying a " tribute" to vintage sleaze cinema this is the one that seems the most authentic. It's as if I discovered an old vhs of a long lost classic from the 70's. Matthew and his crew should really be commended for creating a true masterpiece of modern underground entertainment.
2.) 3 Slices Of Life
First off this is a film made for fans of the genre by fans of the genre, the love of horror cinema is apparent and seeps out of every disgusting frame. Anthony G. Summer has created an anthology film that manages to be humorous and disgusting in equal measures. The acting is top notch , the effect work is nothing short of stunning, and the direction is spot on perfect induces more than a couple jolts to this old girls heart. Each story has it's own special spark that makes it memorable, but it's the last episode "Pink Snapper" that really sealed the deal. Deenen Melody gives, what I feel, is the stand out performance of the year, and the story itself is a madcap mixture of Henenlotter style body violence and pure savage gore. GREAT FILM!!
1.) Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence
I know most critics have shit badly on Tom Six's followup to his controversial 2010 film , it has been accused of being nasty, not having any base in logic or reason , and being a very mean spirited nihilistic experience. That it is, and I loved every fucking minute of it. I don't really give a shit if Tom Six was trying to say something or not with his somewhat meta follow up , this film showed me things that I have never seen before and did it all with a mean nasty streak of jet black humor. This is extreme cinema on it's most primal level, every single character , decision, and situation is oozing with sleaze and depravity. Who gives two shits if it "means" something or if it "breaks laws of human decency", its entertaining as fuck none the less.
There you have it my babies 2011 done and done, here we go 2012 bring that shit on!
Demon Queen , Cannibal Hookers , Scream Dreams ,Dorm Of The Dead , Chainsaw Cheerleaders; No this is not a list of my weekend activities my dears this is a filmography of one of SOV/low budget horrors most accomplished directors, Mr. Donald Farmer. Mr. Farmer burst onto the SOV scene in 1987 with his truly lurid tale of succubus consumption Demon Queen, one of the first of it's kind to gain worldwide distribution, and a damn good time to boot.
Mr. Farmer shows no signs of slowing down either as it appears he has a new film set to be released later in 2012 that is currently in post production, Shark Exorcist !! If the title alone doesn't warm the heart of every single gore hound and trash guru alike then jiggle your bits to some of the early scenes that Mr. Farmer has released thus far. If anyone can give me a solid idea of what this little diddy might be about I will personally come to your house and eat your ass for like 3 whole hours. From what I can gather this looks to be in the grand tradition of many of Mr. Farmers films, just a gonzo balls to the wall collection of excess that flows to it's own tune. Check out the clips, and ENOY!!
Trash aficionados and gore hounds alike have no doubt heard the name Charles Pinion circulated around the underground scene for awhile now. Mr. Pinion is the mad genius behind such epic sickies as Red SpiritLake and We Wait , if you have not yet had the pleasure of viewing either one of these sleazy sickies both are available on dvd over at Something Weird .
After a 15 year hiatus it appears Mr. Pinion is back with a new tale of terror and madness in American Mummy 3D. Details on the new film remain hush hush at the moment however you can catch a glimpse of the teaser trailer as well as trailers for his earlier films below. Also, don't forget to check out Charles Pinion's official website for more details and check back often as this is one I will definitely be keeping tabs on. ENJOY
Happy Holidays my little cock gobblers , we are once again at that time of year when we can all put our issues to rest, pick up the bottle, and fuck. Nothing warms this simple country girl's loins more then some good ole' fashioned holiday trash and slash flicks,oh and spiked egg nog. Below you can wallow in the filth that is my annual must see list of holiday trash. Some films may be omitted that are considered genre holiday classics but they lack that spark of smut that really yanks my cherry loose, so fucking deal with it. ENJOY!
1.) I am going to get A LOT of shit for this one, but what can I say ? I just prefer the Glen Morgan 2006 remake of Black X-Mas to Bob Clark's original 1974 film. There is no denying that Bob Clark's film is a masterpiece of suspense and has laid the template for millions upon millions of films after it , it's just not nasty enough for this old cow ( drunk Margot Kidder aside). Glen Morgan accomplished what many have set out to do with his reworking of this holiday slasher favorite , a remake that paid tribute to the original but also decided to go down it's own path, and what a glorious path it is. Black X-Mas 2006 has the balls to pack a lot of nasty shit into it's 94min run time.
We are given the usual set up , beautiful girls at a sorority on Christmas receive nasty phone calls from an unknown source. Girl's freak out , drink , fight , and are murdered in various and sometimes very inspired fashion. Nothing new here. It is the back story given the central villain that had my panties all tangled up in anticipation. Check it. In the 70's , young Billy is born with a liver disease that causes his skin to cast a yellow pigment and his mother rejects him as a son for most of his childhood. Some of the best dialogue ensues:
Young Billy : Mommy when do you think Santa will be here ?
Fucked Up Mother: Santa was shot down by the Marines, Santa is DEAD!
HAHA! Now that may not be verbatim what is said, but you get the picture. Later Billy witnesses his Father's brutal murder by his mother and her new boyfriend, and is locked in the attic alone for his entire childhood. One Christmas Eve new daddy seems to have whisky dick from sippin on the holiday sauce a little too much , and dammit Mama wants to FUCK! , so naturally she crawls into the attic and straddles her 13 year old son like a cowboy riding bareback. 9 months later baby girl Agnes is born. During Christmas , Billy escapes his imprisonment and brutally kills his Mother and Stepfather, using his mother's skin as the basis for some Christmas cookies that he eagerly munches on as he is hauled off to a mental institution. I'm sure you can surmise what happens several years later on Christmas eve, right ?
Glen Morgan has crafted a film that stands head and shoulders above most modern horror films in sheer audacity alone , i.e. incest , cannibalism , an obsession with eyeball removal, add to the mix a genuine mood of holiday festivities. VOILA. Trashy , nasty , and oh sooooooooo good. Kind of like a Christmas cookie, EAT IT UP!
MOMMY DEAREST
2.) The most well known of the holiday slasher flick is still one of the sleaziest and deranged of the lot. Silent Night , Deadly Night was one of the most controversial films of the 1980's because the killer is dressed as Santa and is featured with an ax on prominently on the ads and posters. Those nasty old cunts at the PTA fought to have the film yanked from it's initial release, and was seriously shit on by all major critics:
Silent Night, Deadly Night is actually a very well done and sleazy little Christmas treat that lives up to the hype that surrounds it , for once. We have the story of Billy a very normal young boy who takes a trip to visit one of the creepiest grandparents in screen history one Christmas eve. While Billy's parents are out of the room Grandpa treats him to his version of the myth of Santa Claus, lets just say the outcome is less than pleasant for the young lad. On the way home that evening Billy and his family are attacked by a maniac dressed as jolly old St. Nick , as Billy watches from a ditch in horror his mother is sexually assaulted by the crazed man. Needless to say,this event causes the young lad a bit of stress over the years, his fear of Santa and obsession with punishment is further fueled by a sadistic nun at the orphange\ he now calls home. When Billy reaches the age of 21 he accepts a job in a local department store as a stock boy and is eventually forced to don the Santa outfit as a favor to his boss. On Christmas eve Billy comes upon one of his female co workers being raped which stirs up long dormant visions of his mother's assault and murder, sending our young Billy into a frenzy of slaughter and holiday madness.
Silent Night, Deadly Night is a film which has stood the test of time, not only is it an effective slice of slasher entertainment , it also includes enough gore and sleazy moments to satisfy the sick fucks in us all. Who can forget the sight of a naked woman speared on a set o deer antlers on the wall ? A child beheaded by a sled ? Check , and check. Yes my babies this one has it all. Add to the mix an uncomfortable sexual/religious angle that really hits the catholic church right in the balls. BAM !!You have one of the best ( if not the best) holiday themed slasher films around.
3.) Where to begin ? Elves is pretty much where it all started for me folks. Rated PG-13 by a very confused MPAA , Elves was given to me at a very tender ( i.e. perfect) age. All the Christmas smut begins when teenager Kristen slices her hand on a piece of glass during an " Anti Christmas ( dyke feminist) ritual " deep in the woods, her blood awakens an evil Nazi Christmas elf. The elf is the main character in a modern day plot to bring about the master race that dear old Hitler always dreamed of. Our dear heroin is also a very important piece in the puzzle as she is the last remaining in a pure blood Aryan race. How you may ask ? Well you see Kristen's Grandfather fucked her mother ( his daughter) to ensure that the bloodline stay pure and un tainted. Man , that's what I call dedication to the cause.
If this all sounds more than a little fucked up and wrong, it is , the rest of the film continues on a dizzy spiral of smut and sleaze until it comes screaming to a hideously joyous conclusion. Wanna see a department store Santa get his balls hacked off by an evil Nazi elf ? DONE ! Want to see a loving mother drown the family house cat in a toilet as a form of punishment ? Here it is. Haven't you always wanted to see a 13 year old boy peep on his sister in the shower and refer to her as having " big fucking tits " ? You got it honey.
Throw in Grizzly Adams himself ( Dan Haggerty ) slumming it up as an ex alcoholic cop turned department store Santa , and a generous helping of tits and gore. VOILA !! A holiday tradition is born. Elves is truly gonzo low budget entertainment that is sure to warm your stocking this holiday season. SEE IT !!!!!
4.) Holiday creepers don't get much better than this my babies. There isn't alot that can be said about this flick that isn't painfully obvious from the front cover. Serial killer is transformed into a giant killer snowman when his prison bus collides with a truck carrying toxic chemicals. Serial killer returns to the town that he was arrested in to exact bloody revenge against the sheriff that put him away. Simple story , BRILLIANT execution. British playwright turned director Michael Cooney ( writer of the John Cusack shocker Identity ) has a ball with his low budget , using his limited means to maximum effect. It really is hard to describe just how giddy this little stocking stuffer makes me feel , so below I have created a list of highlights from the film.
1.) You get to see Shannon Elizabeth ( American Pie ) early in her career carrot raped by a giant horny killer snowman!
2.) The snow appear to be of the Styrofoam variety rather than that of water.
3.) It is suppose to be a hellacious winter in the film , however you never see any breath escape the actors mouths. Wind howls in the background but doesn't seem to move anything onscreen
4.) A snowman with no legs seems to be able to operate a motor vehicle with both ease and accuracy.
5.) It is definitely safe for anyone to roll around in a giant vat of anti freeze for long periods of time without any harm coming to them.
All in all it's best to experience the sheer genius behind this holiday classic first hand than read about it from some doped up old cow like me. Grab the kiddies and some anti freeze and have a fucking ball this holiday season.
Christmas Porn!!!
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
A fun and gory little holiday slasher that adds it's own little spin on the classic tale of " pinnochio". Written by
horror favs Brian Yuzna ( Re-animator series) and Michael Kitrosser ( Friday The 13th part 3) Silent Night Deadly Night 5: The Toymaker features ample amounts of gore and sex for all you sickos out there, it also features a sleazy performance by Mickey Rooney ( who protested the first film......... hmmmmmm ? )
This 1991 low budget effort from writers/directors Paul Talbot and Willam Cooke features Gunnar Hansen as a grizzled old drifter who tells four creepy tales to a group of teens deep in the woods. One of the tales involves a douche bag yuppie who is visited by a monstrous Santa " Satan Claus" The film is energetic and fun and puts a nasty spin on the classic tale of " jolly old St. Nick".
Well there you have it folks from my cold dark little heart to yours , HAPPY FUCKING HOLIDAYS. Strap it on , grab that favorite cidar and ENJOY.
