Evil Dead – A Pure Massacre

Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival. Just got back from the theater, wiped the blood from my eyes and the gore from my clothing before finally allowing Evil Dead to “soak” in. A truly visceral blood soaked joy ride! In all honesty I was absolutely stoked for the film; waiting in feverish anticipation for the release of the remake of Raimi’s classic flick. Most of the time (for me anyway) the hype and build up a film destroy’s the actual experience of the film itself; with this in mind I nervously took my seat (at the back of the theater, of course) and began my journey back to that dilapidated cabin the woods. With dilated pupils I surveyed the frantic opening sequences of the film and a tense grin spread across my lips when the necronomicon was opened and the malevolent spirit began wreaking it’s bloody havoc on our unwary cast. As the madness set in, the massacre began. I was not to be disappointed; Evil Dead was arguably the best remake I have ever seen; a bloody re-imagining if you will. Bloody, insane carnage is the focus of the film and boy does it ever work! Gruesome practical effects, buckets of blood and brutally gory mayhem all combine to form one hell of a horror film. As a fan of hardcore horror and the original Evil Dead series I couldn’t be happier! Absolutely fantastic film! I will be expanding this into a review at some point this weekend so stay tuned…..In the mean time, GO SEE THIS FUCKING FILM!

5 Crazy Ass Horror Film Deaths #3

Why do we watch horror flicks….for the killing, the blood, the guts, the gore and to a lesser extent the scares. The third segment of Crazy Ass Horror Film Deaths (lol) includes a non horror flick (how dare I) but I think it fits in nicely. Anyway check it out, love it, hate it, whateva. Graphic Clips probably NSFW. Here they are in no particular order.

The Bighead, The Movie – Oh no they didin’t!

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this “this project has been funded” on kickstarter, referring to Edward Lee’s seminal splatterfest, The Bighead. What sicko’s would actually want to see that perverse, degrading, gross, atrocious, blood spattered book ever made into a film…….well me for one. I read the book, threw up, read it again some months later, blogged about it, threw up again and decided I enjoyed the book immensely. If you haven’t read The Bighead (must have a strong stomach) I suggest you do, it is the literary equivalent of A Serbian Film and The Human Centipede combined and on crystal meth. Here’s a link to a short write up I did on the book Wurd: The Bighead. Anyway (excuse my frothing at the mouth) a short film has concluded filming and is set to be premiered in Los Angeles on Saturday March 30, 2013 at 7:00 PM at the Acme Theater in Hollywood. Check out the trailer and all the juicy details below.

The Bighead Film Info

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Based on Edward Lee’s seminal and wildly controversial 2003 novel, “EDWARD LEE’S THE BIGHEAD” directed by Michael Ling is set in the West Virginian backwoods where vicious monsters, both human and supernatural, go on a terrifying rampage in search of a special young woman. Their path of destruction uncovers long held secrets and puts the fate of the entire world in jeopardy. The short film stars Raquel Cantu as the untamable sexpot Jerrica, Carrie Malabre as the shy Charity, Orson Chaplin as the demented psychopath Tritt “Balls” Connor, and Lance Trezona as Tritt’s dim-witted accomplice Dicky. Also starring are Ashley Totin as the prostitute Rosie, Michael Coons as conflicted priest Father Tom, P.D. Miller as the bartender Frank, and Kelsey Tipton as the Bighead’s first victim Wendy. The frightening Bighead monster itself is played by Cheetah Platt. Award-winning director of photography Fady Hadid shot the film from writer/director Michael Ling’s script. Geoff Skinner and Donald Wygal, Jr. produced.
Official Site: thebigheadmovie.com
Kickstarter Page: The Bighead on Kickstarter
Facecrack: The Bighead Movie Page

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LOS ANGELES MOVIE PREMIERE
Edward Lee’s The Bighead, the highly anticipated short film based on the cult classic book, will premiere in Los Angeles on Saturday March 30, 2013 at 7:00 PM at the Acme Theater in Hollywood.
135 N La Brea Ave (between Beverly and First)
Los Angeles, CA 90036

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The Bighead Trailer

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Edward Lee’s The Bighead: TRAILER from Michael Ling on Vimeo.

 

Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead

Mimesis. Another NOTLD film.

A group of horror fans find themselves unwilling participants in a nightmarish role playing game that pays homage to a classic horror film.
Director: Douglas Schulze
Writers: Douglas Schulze (story), Joshua Wagner (screenplay)
Stars: Allen Maldonado, Sid Haig, Lauren Mae Shafer
Taglines: Why watch a horror movie when you can live one
Release Date: 12 February 2013
Budget: $500,000

I just stumbled across Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead this morning while surfing Youtube and thought I’d post it. The film is set for a February 12 DVD/Blu-Ray release, while a “sequel”, the unrealated Mimesis 2 is in the works, based on Nosferatu. Being a jaded zombie enthusiast, I am just fascinated by the constant re-imaginings and remakes of the mighty Romero classic, Night of the Living Dead. It seems every year or so a new (usually crappy) vision of NOTLD crops up from the dark corners of the interweb. From the horrible NOTLD 3D to the upcoming NOTLD: Resurrection (sigh), it seems that people will never tire of butchering the classic. Will Mimesis turn out to be another weak re-imagining or a fresh new take on a played out classic? Check out the trailer below, it does look pretty good. Here’s hoping…..

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The ABC’s of Death (Released)

Twenty-six directors. Twenty-six ways to die. The ABC’s OF DEATH is perhaps the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived with productions spanning fifteen countries and featuring segments directed by over two dozen of the world’s leading talents in contemporary genre film. Inspired by children’s educational books, the motion picture is comprised of twenty-six individual chapters; each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free reign in choosing a word to create a story involving death. Provocative, shocking, funny and ultimately confrontational, THE ABC’s OF DEATH is the definitive vision of modern horror diversity.

The ABC’s of death is hitting Video on Demand everywhere today. Yeah! I’am going to track this badboy down and hit it up as soon as I can. In the meantime I caught T is for Talk on Youtube and wow! Bloody and disturbing, just the way I like em. If the rest of the anthology rolls like this, it’s going to be one hell of a ride. Check out the films info here (on this blog), Magnet Releasing (Official site) or over on IMDb. Check out the full version of T is for Talk below, some official stills from the film and a listing of where to watch on demand. NFSW
. Read my full Review.

The Day

The Day. 2011.

The Day is a 2011 Canadian post-apocalyptic film directed by Douglas Aarniokoski. The film stars Ashley Bell, Shannyn Sossamon, Dominic Monaghan and Shawn Ashmore. (Wikipedia)
Release date: September 15, 2011 (initial release)
Director: Douglas Aarniokoski
DVD release date: November 27, 2012
Running time: 90 minutes
Screenplay: Luke Passmore

I absolutely love Post Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, Outbreak and general world ending themes in films. The breakdown of humanity on a massively global scale has always been of great interest to me; am I jaded and soured by civilization, probably. One of the greatest questions asked by most PA flicks is; what would I do in that scenario. What would the viewer do differently? Or, could I survive. Do I have what it takes to survive? I think in that respect I enjoy this genre of horror immensely. I read the synopsis about The Day (not being aware of the film beforehand) and rented it immediately; pleasantly surprised to find out that it is a Canadian film (go Leafs!). The Day is set in a crumbling world where an unknown event has resulted in the collapse of society; global food shortages are hinted at in the film. Cannibalism is widespread and is a central focus throughout The Day. Various groups roam the rural landscape hunting and trapping human prey for food. The theme of cannibalism is standard fare in countless PA films but is portrayed in a rather bleak and desperate way in The Day. Touching on realism. The Day is shot in wonderfully crisp grey tones highlighting a shattered and dull world; bringing about a sad despairing feel to the film. With supplies and food running low a band of survivors (old high school friends) find themselves trapped in an old dilapidated farmhouse fighting for survival against a blood thirsty band of cannibalistic hunters intent on slaughtering them for their next meal. Wow cool huh? Yep. The Film begs the question; what would you do to survive? Or more specifically; what would you eat to survive? If you are into PA at all you have to give this one a go, it has its flaws (like anything else) but is a solid entry into the genre. Check out The Day @ IMDb.

Next Up: stock up on canned goods……

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Related articles

• Watch an Exclusive Clip from The Day (dreadcentral.com)
• Today’s the Day I Talk About “The Day” (improbablefrontiers.wordpress.com)
• Exclusive: Ashley Bell Discusses The Day, The Last Exorcism Part II and More (dreadcentral.com)
• Blu-ray Review: Gunfight At The End Of The World In ‘The Day’ (geek-news.mtv.com)

American Mary

American Mary. January 2013.

American Mary is a 2012 Canadian horror film starring Katharine Isabelle and written and directed by The Soska Sisters.It’s been stated that the music for the film was written by Kevvy aka Kevin James Maher.
Release date: August 27, 2012 (initial release)
Directors: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska
Cast: Katharine Isabelle
(Wiki)

Struggling to make financial ends meet while studying to be a surgeon, talented medical student Mary Mason (Katharine Isabelle) finds herself reduced to applying for work at a local strip joint in order to pay off her mounting debts. During her interview, she is unexpectedly called upon to perform some illegal emergency surgery on one of the club’s clients and is instantly rewarded with a significant cash payment. American Mary @ IMDb.

Body Horror! Woot.

A Serbian Film: A Quasi-Review

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A Serbian Film. 2010.

A Serbian Film (Serbian: Српски филм / Srpski film) is a 2010 Serbian horror film and the first feature film directed by Srđan Spasojević. It tells the story of a down-on-his-luck porn star who agrees to participate in an “art film”, only to discover that he has been drafted into a snuff film.

Release date: June 11, 2010 (initial release)
Director: Srdjan Spasojevic
Running time: 110 minutes
DVD release date: October 25, 2011
Cast: Srđan Todorović, Sergej Trifunović, Slobodan Beštić, Jelena Gavrilovic
Screenplay: Aleksandar Radivojevic, Srdjan Spasojevic

I have had this film laying around for quite some time now – unwatched. I’ve read the reviews, the plot synopsis’ and the outlines enough to know this thing is a serious piece of hardcore. Which I’m familiar with, but unfortunately I bought into all the hype surrounding ASF; I think I got a little tense about this film, edgy if you will. Normally I could care less about other people’s opinions (especially critics) but for some unknown reason they all got to me on this one. The only other time I questioned watching a film based on anyone’s review was the August Underground series (which btw I have yet to watch). Is it that films of this extremely brutal nature chip away at our humanity? Is it the fear of overwhelming desensitization in the face of such horrendous possibilities? Or is it once something of this variety has been seen it cannot be unseen? All of the above I assume. A Serbian Film depicts the soul-less drudgery of sex trade workers in a gritty and brutal way. It portrays a reality where money has more value than human life.

For a film of this breed; ultra hardcore gore-horror (that is a new classification I just made up for A Serbian Film), the cinematography, sound, production values and acting were all above average. Usually you get that shaky-cam, all to clear looking, questionable acting and plot non-exsistant tripe. Well done for a film of such an extreme nature.

Srdjan Todorovic as Milos.

I was really impressed with the performance of Srdjan Todorovic as Milos; the down and out porn star alcoholic. I really felt that he desperately wanted out of the “life” but the ever present lure of the almighty dollar kept him firmly entrenched in the seedy world of pornography. Overall the cast did a decent job portraying various sleazy adult film characters with the award for biggest scumbag going to Milos brother Marko (Slobodan Bestic), a shallow corrupt cop with a penchant for hookers and an obsession with Milos’ wife (and to a lesser extent, a chronic masturbator). There was one memorable scene where he is receiving oral sex from a prostitute while watching a home video of his nephews birthday party. Whoa! Creepy wouldn’t you say. Sergej Trifunovic plays Vukmir, a rich and highly questionable ex child psychologist who now produces high concept pornography, a truly twisted and sick individual.

The sheer ultra-violence throughout A Serbian Film is brutal and extremely graphic. The numerous acts of sexual depravity are highlighted by savagery and soaked in blood. Graphic nudity, explicit sexuality, sexual fetishism, sexual violence and generally every other manner of debauchery is presented with glaring realism. Have you ever witnessed a prostitute getting repeatedly punched in the face while performing oral sex on a man, while a young girl watches with enthusiasm? No? How about watching a man get impaled through the eye socket and subsequently killed by another mans penis? These are just some of the sick and horrible ways that A Serbian Film rams it’s visceral gore drenched images down the viewers throat. Is the film every gore-hounds dream come true? No. The difficulty of some of the subject matter presented therein precludes (hopefully) any sane individual from taking enjoyment from A Serbian Film. One scene in particular was so astoundingly barbaric and horrible that even describing it here would feel like I was committing a crime. I’ve watched films with this level of gore many times and have come out unscathed, but it seems much more real and terrible when combined with human sexuality, as in A Serbian Film. I fear I haven’t escaped this film as…….intact.

When searching for meaning behind this dark vicious film one has to look hard and wade through miles blood to find it. The director and writer of A Serbian Film have both made numerous statements that the film is a commentary on the political climate of the film industry in Serbia, a look at the actions of Serbian soldiers during the Yugoslav wars and the voracious appetite of western consumerism. The meaning behind A Serbian Film (whatever that may be) gets lost in the sheer violence presented to the viewer. Director Srdjan Spasojevic had this to say.

Srpski Film is also a metaphor for our national cinema – boring , predictable and altogether unintentionally hilarious which throughout our film to some extent is commented on and subtly parodied.

A Serbian Film is a stark look at the symbiotic relationship between sex and money and desperation. Hopelessness. It is a shocking and disturbing ride not for the easily offended or the faint of heart. Ultra violent and gory. Difficult and relentless in it’s delivery of very questionable subject matter. From the frantic drug addled sex fueled blackout in the third act to a mind blowingly bleak and horrendous climax that will shatter all but the most jaded and inhuman viewer; A Serbian Film crosses every boundary without remorse. I do recommend this film, if only for curiosity’s sake. Be WARNED this film is for hardcore horror fans and cineophiles only. Don’t take your girlfriend to see this one folks. Watch this alone in a dark corner somewhere and have a scalding hot shower afterwards.

If you don’t want get pounded in the face by 110 minutes of blood spattered nastiness involving intercourse and murder then you can read it instead of viewing it. IMDb A Serbian Film synopsis.