Evil Dead TV Spot: “Everything’s Fine”… Unless You’re A Character In This Film…

Posted on March 8, 2013 by geelw

“The joint is jumpin’… it’s really jumpin’…”

That’s because the damn house is HAUNTED, Fats. Nasty ol’ evil Book of the Dead ring any bells for you? No? Hmmm… let me explain it a bit better in English: Get the h-e-l-l off that damn piano and make a run for the door, big man.

OK, I’m not one for ridiculous over-hype, but this flick just may be worth the bother to drag my tired butt down to the local cinema to catch. I keep flipping the usual mental coin about more and more movies and usually (since I use a two-headed coin) I end up waiting for the cable premiere. As my LAST coin toss saw my trick quarter fly out a window never to be seen again, I have to judge things more like everyone else. So far, it’s been going well, so we’ll see how this turns out. I have no huge expectations going into this, but I just may pack a pair of extra underwear and pants just in case…

Random Film of the Week: Dead of Night (1945)

Posted on March 4, 2013 by geelw

(thanks, scaringeachother!)

Even though it’s almost 60 years old, for my money, Dead of Night is still an effectively scary horror anthology as well as one of those classic movies worth tracking down. It’s also a decent comedy when it needs to be and even a bit of drama and mystery gets tossed into the mix. Four different directors (Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer) worked on the five stories that make up the film (Dearden directed the framing sections that make up the beginning and ending as well as one of the stories), but it’s a seamless production where no style overtakes another. Of course, being an Ealing Studios release means there’s a huge amount of that British film quality that studio managed to make standard issue and a sort of Good Housekeeping Seal for film buffs who want no junk tossed at them from the balcony. Of course, most film buffs sit IN that balcony, but Ealing’s films were always fit for both stuffy critics above the common folk and those cheap-seaters below tossing popcorn and balled up paper napkins upward…

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Random Film of the Week(end), Too*: Juan of the Dead

Posted on March 2, 2013 by geelw

*Hey! You get an extra RFotW column because I usually do two or so a week and I’ve been a bit too busy to watch as many movies as I’d like. Lucky you!

As we’re near completely brainwashed here in America that anything related to Cuba is bad or will turn you into a flag-waving, manifesto carrying Commie if you so much breathe in its general direction (save for stuff that can really kill us if over-consumed like Cuban cigars, Cuban sandwiches, or a fatal clot in the ass or legs from that 48-hour I Love Lucy marathon because you wanted to catch that ONE episode you missed), seeing a great indie zombie flick pop up out of that country is a nicely reaffirming sign that people are indeed alike all over. Juan of the Dead, despite the knockoff title and low budget, is a really fine addition to the crowded zombie flick genre thanks to plenty of gore and decent FX work, a load of humor targeted at current and past political policies and a solid cast that’s just fantastic throughout.

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Random Film of the Week(end): Antichrist

Posted on March 2, 2013 by geelw

“A grieving couple retreat to ’Eden’, their isolated cabin in the woods, where they hope to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage. But nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse…”

Oh, that’s Antichrist in a nutshell for you, but that’s not Antichrist at all if you’re expecting some weepy blockbuster weekend grossing drama straight out of the Hollywood genre playbook (silver linings version). Then again, if you know Lars von Trier’s work, you know you’re not getting anything you “expect” and in fact, going in blind is the best way to enjoy any of his films. That said (and speaking of blind), after watching this one, you’ll probably want to remove your eyes and boil them for a few minutes. That said, if you happen to see this one with people who tend to over-think too much about movies or relationships you can expect have a hell of a conversation afterwards about all sorts of things…

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Random Film of the Week(end): Rubber

Posted on February 24, 2013 by geelw

I absolutely love that some horror fans HATE Quentin Dupiex’ Rubber (or as it’s called in France, Rubber) for a few reasons. I’m betting he knew that’s just what would happen when the jaded but none too bright gore fanatics out there rolled into theaters or caught this on cable thinking they’d be getting a relentlessly violent and gory flick that just so happened to be non-stop hilarious. Well, it IS indeed gory and often quite funny… but it’s also a one or two gag film that works it hard by going in many directions (often at once) as well as one of the more absurdly meta movies you’ll ever see. You know you’re in for a weird time when a movie starts off with two characters on a desert road talking about how things happen for “no reason” before an audience in the distance waiting around is handed binoculars in order to watch what happens next. That’s probably the most normal thing you’ll see for the next 80+ minutes, by the way…

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Random Film of the Week(end): Bath Salt Zombies

Posted on February 17, 2013 by geelw

As far as low-budget horror flicks go in this day and age, MVD Entertainment Group’s latest DVD release, Bath Salt Zombies is a gory wonder of economy that’s an intentionally cheesy, but wickedly fun time. Packing in plenty of blood, twisted humor, skin-ripping gore, a couple of sexy ladies, more gore, a few crazily creative fight scenes, cheap backdrops (did I mention gore?), and a leading man with quite the knack for freaky rubber-faced expressions. It’s Type AB-solutely NOT for the kiddies, so go roll them into the closet with a box of eBay Ho-Ho’s (or substitute those nastier Little Debbie rip-offs that taste like sugar dipped chocolate rolled sponges – they won’t know the diff), kick back and definitely catch this flick if you’re into the hot and heavy cult horror thing it’s got going on… Continue reading →

Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army: February 28 Is Now D-Day For The Undead…

Posted on February 15, 2013 by geelw

Three words used together that will either make you laugh like a lunatic, run screaming for the hills (or dive under the couch) or let out an “Oh Yeah!” are Nazi Zombie Army and it seems that developer Rebellion has not only figured this out, they’ve cooked up a new standalone co-op themed Sniper Elite V2 expansion for PC that’s coming out at the end of the month. I like the story idea the guys thought up, as tossing together four soldiers from a few sides of the conflict who’d probably be trying to kill each other and having them work together after things get a wee bit too supernatural thanks to a certain infamous would be great dictator and his final push to win the war in Europe.

Check out the rather gory trailer if you dare here, boogie on over to Steam to pre-order it for $14.99 and if you’re a PS3, 360 or Wii U owner, hope this comes out on consoles at some point at a similar budget price point. Yeah, it’s not for everyone, but i can’t think of too many folks who actually like Nazis or Zombies, especially in armies coming at you with intent to chomp on your brains. Don’t blame those bath salts, either…

Toy Fair 2013: Peavey Electronics Reminds Me The Walking Dead Is On Tonight…

Posted on February 10, 2013 by geelw

With all the TF2013 madness plus that stupid Nemo hitting the city hard, I actually ALMOST forgot the rest of the season kicks off later today (oops!) and I don’t have a DVR at home. Thanks to Peavey Electronics rolling out a cool line of new licensed guitars and such at the show including this really spiffy The Walking Dead Predator electric with Charlie Adlard’s artwork on it, I can safely scoot off the show floor in time for a nice subway ride home, grab some food and catch the show without having to stay up late to catch the second showing (which would be a bad idea, as I have a bunch of TF appointments on Monday). Hmmm… I haven’t picked up a guitar in YEARS (and I’m no Twang Bar King at all), but I’ll have to check this one out in a few hours. Yeah, yeah, I’m SUPPOSED to be sleeping, but I can never rest before these big trade shows, so I’m up double checking my email and yup, adding a post or two…

Random Film of the Week: Killer Klowns From Outer Space

Posted on February 8, 2013 by geelw

If you hate clowns for any abnormal reason, this film will probably freak every bone in your head out of your skull while making you laugh so much that you might fall off the couch and break something else. Granted, despite a bit of blood and gore it’s not really “scary” at all, but it does bring the laughs faster and furiously than some horror flicks that take themselves too seriously. The Chiodo Brothers (from up here in the Bronx, yeah!) cooked up this 1988 flick and while it didn’t become an “instant” genre classic or box office hit, for those lucky enough to catch it in theaters and later on home video, it was one of the more offbeat blends of horror, sci-fi and humor of the decade. I can recall laughing at the title before I saw this, thinking it was pretty dumb (but hey, it actually fits perfectly) and yep, I would have expected the film to be pretty dumb as well had I not been a fan of The Chido’s special effects work in another 80’s “B” film Critters, itself a bit of an underrated gem. Anyway, those Killer Klowns in the title are yes indeed, from Outer Space (their ship looks like a circus tent) and they’ve landed in tiny Crescent Cove for a midnight snack that just so happens to include the population of the sleepy little town… Continue reading →

Random Film of the Week(end): The Baby

Posted on January 19, 2013 by geelw

(Thank you, NoMoreHeroes!)

As far as commercial horror flicks of the 1970’s go they don’t get more disturbing than The Baby, a completely bizarre 1973 gem you have to see to believe. And even after you’ve seen it, you’ll probably want to watch it again just to make sure you weren’t having a really wild nightmare. Granted, the film has a few major flaws, some of which come from the writing and pacing. But chances are you’ll be so thrown off by some of the surreal acting and completely insane scenes that you’ll forgive this one for its faults.

It’ll definitely stick in your head for a while afterward, especially if you don’t see the surprise ending winding up to knock you right off the couch. Anajette Comer plays Ann, a social worker who is given the case of Baby, a 21-year old man kept in diapers and an oversize crib by his overbearing mother played by the gorgeous Ruth Roman (channeling Joan Crawford, Joan Collins and Liz Taylor) and two very pretty, very sexy yet verrrrrry peculiar sisters (Marianna Hill and Susanne Zenor). For sheer squirm in your seat value, the film scores big by tossing assorted mental and physical abuses into your lap and letting you figure out where the hell it’s going before taking a big U-turn into WTF territory… Continue reading →