Paul Cardullo takes a look at an unusual Groovy Gory Gruesome Gold film this week — writer/director Dusty Nelson's Effects (1980). Though it was shot in 1978 and ostensibly released in 1980, it did not receive a proper release until the DVD came out in 2006. Paul takes a look at the new 4K Blu Ray restoration just released by American Genre Film Archive. The cast and crew is comprised of a number of once-and-future alumni of George A. Romero films, including Joseph Pilato (Rhodes from Day of the Dead (1985)), make-up genius Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead (1978) et al.), and John Harrison (composer and 2nd-unit director on Creepshow (1982) and Day of the Dead (1985)). Paul discusses the meta-contextual nature of the film and why sometimes things are not always as we expect them to be. Listen below to check out his review and find out just why you should seek out this lesser-known gem.
Effects (1980) 4 out of 5 stars
Synopsis:
While a crew is filming an ultra-low-budget horror film, most of them are also unaware that their director is simultaneously shooting a snuff film — with some of them as the unwitting subject.s
Director: Dusty Nelson
Writers: William H. Mooney (novel), Dusty Nelson (screenplay)
Cast: Joseph Pilato, Susan Chapek, John Harrison, and Tom Savini
Run time: 84 min
From American Film Genre Archive:
Effects
A new 4K transfer of this snuff-fueled frighmare starring Tom Savini and Joe Pilato
Cobbled together with loose change by George Romero's friends, Effects is a mesmerizing D.I.Y. frightmare that no one talks about, but everyone should. A group of coked-up filmmakers — including Tom "Dawn of the Dead" Savini, Joe "Day fo the Dead" Pilato, and John "Tales from the Darkside: The Movie" Harrison — gather in Pittsburgh to make a slasher. As filming begins and "accidents" happen, it's clear that something isn't right. And no one can be trusted. Landing somewhere between Snuff and a student film by John Carpenter, Effects is a meta-enhanced takedown on the philosophy of horror that doubles as a sleazy and terrifying movie on its own.
BONUS MATERIALS
The Black Saint chimes in with his review of the sci-fi horror thriller Alien: Reign of Man (2017). The film is by writer/director Justin Price. The cast includes Khu, Torrei Hart, and Deanna Grace Congo. And you can count on The Black Saint to not let anything slip by him - hold onto your hats, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Listen below to see if this release can cut the mustard.
Alien: Reign of Man (2017) 1 out of 5 Starts
Uncork’d Entertainment’s Alien: Reign of Man invades VOD this August.
Come face to face with a deadly new race of alien in writer-director Justin Price’s frightening new sci-fi horror.
Stranded on a distant planet, a team must fight aliens and activate a machine meant to restore Earth to a time before its downfall. Deanna Grace Congo, Torrei Hart, Khu, and Cameron White star.
From the director of Dark Moon Rising and The Cloth, Alien: Reign of Man on VOD August 1 and DVD November 14.
Joseph Perry shares his thoughts on a film he caught at the Buchon Internation Film Festival called Better Watch Out (2017). The film will also screen at the Popcorn Fright Film Festival. It also took the "gold prize" for "Best North American, South American, or European Feature Film" at the 2017 Fantasia International Film Festival. Better Watch Out is from director Chris Peckover and features Levi Miller, Olivia DeJonge, Virginia Madsen, Ed Oxenbould, and Patrick Warburton. Listen to Joseph's review below and let us know what you think.
Better Watch Out (2017) 4 out of 5 starts
Better Watch Out opens in select theaters and Video on Demand October 6, 2017, from WellGo USA.
Synopsis:
On a quiet suburban street, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from intruders, only to discover it's far from a normal home invasion.
Director: Chris Peckover
Writers: Zach Kahn and Chris Peckover
Cast: Dacre Montgomery, Levi Miller, Olivia DeJonge, Virginia Madsen, Ed Oxenbould, and Patrick Warburton
Run time: 1h 25min
Previously known as Safe Neighborhood
Paul Cardullo welcomes back Doc Rotten to discuss another feature from the recent Fantasia Internation Film Festival. This time it is the Argentina film Dead Man Tells His Own Tale (2017, "El Muerto Cuenta su Historia"). The film is from director Fabian Forte from a script he co-wrote with Nicolas Britos. The cast includes Diego Gentile, Mariana Anghileri, Emila Attias, and Damian Dreizik. The story follows Angel who is murdered by a group of blood-sucking Celtic faeries who turn his corpse into a zombie-slave. Doc shares his thoughts below.
Dead Man Tells His Own Tale (2017) 3 out of 5
Original title: "El Muerto Cuenta su Historia"
Director: Fabian Forte
Writers: Fabian Forte and Nicolas Britos
Cast: Diego Gentile, Mariana Anghileri, Emila Attias, and Damian Dreizik
Run time: 90 min
Joseph Perry shares his thoughts about the coming of age thriller Super Dark Times (2017) which played at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival. The film is directed by Kevin Phillips and written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski. The cast includes Owen Campbell, Charlie Tahan, and Elizabeth Cappuccino. Joseph champions the direction, the acting, and the thrilling, tight script. Listen below to check out his review.
Super Dark Times (2017) 4.5 out of 5
Synopsis:
Teenagers Zach and Josh have been best friends their whole lives, but when a gruesome accident leads to a cover-up, the secret drives a wedge between them and propels them down a rabbit hole of escalating paranoia and violence.
Director: Kevin Phillips
Writers: Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski
Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Tahan, and Elizabeth Cappuccino
Runtime: 100 min
Paul Cardullo tackles another retro classic with this week's Groovy Gory Gruesome Gold entry. Arrow Video is releasing a limited edition of the iconic Re-Animator (1985) with a special edited cut of the film and tons of extras. Paul is here to give his thoughts on the film, enjoying the opportunity to revisit a classic that holds up today just as awesome as it did when released 32 years ago. Check out his review below.
Re-Animator (1985) [usr 4.75]
From Arrow Video:
US TITLE: Re-Animator (Blu-ray) Limited Edition
Stuart Gordon’s enduring splatter-comedy classic Re-Animator returns to Blu-ray in a stunning restoration packed with special features!
Pre-order now: http://bit.ly/2oRCh91
Release Dates: 25 July
HERBERT WEST HAS A GOOD HEAD ON HIS SHOULDERS… AND ANOTHER ONE ON HIS DESK.
One of the most wildly popular horror movies of all-time, Stuart Gordon’s enduring splatter-comedy classic Re-Animator returns to Blu-ray in a stunning restoration packed with special features!
When medical student Dean Cain advertises for a roommate, he soon finds one in the form of Dr. Herbert West. Initially a little eccentric, it some becomes clear that West entertains some seriously outlandish theories – specifically, the possibility of re-animating the dead. It’s not long before Dean finds himself under West’s influence, and embroiled in a serious of ghoulish experiments which threaten to go wildly out of control…
Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s classic terror tale ‘Herbert West – Reanimator’ and featuring a standout performance from Jeffrey Combs as the deliciously deranged West, Re-Animator remains the ground-zero of ’80s splatter mayhem and one of the genre’s finest hours.
Joseph Perry reviews the short film Pronoia from Marevan Pictures and writer/director Nick Efteriades. The short features Stelio Savante as Jeff, Hannah Jane McMurray as Camille, and Lou Mastantuono (AKA Lou Mast) as a policeman, in an enigmatic neo-noir mystery thriller with science fiction elements. Jeff and Camille meet on a stormy night in a posh hotel, but a news report about a missing government official (Marston Allen as Lt. Griswold) alters the course of events. Check out the review and let us know what you think!
Pronoia 4 out of 5
Pronoia premiered at the Academy-accredited Sunscreen film festival in competition and also won a Gold Remi award at World-Fest Houston. The short is available to watch online now at https://vimeo.com/213551675.
Doc Rotten joins Dave Dreher to review Annabelle: Creation (2017) the fourth in a series of films establishing The Conjuring Universe. The film is directed by David F. Sandberg and features Stephanie Sigman, Miranda Otto, Anthony LaPaglia, Lulu Wilson, Talitha Bateman, Kerry O'Malley, Philippa Coulthard, Grace Fulton, and Samara Lee. Much like Ouija: Origin of Evil, Annabelle: Creation is a prequel to a far lesser film, escalating the horror, screams, and fun. These two films also share the young star, Lulu Wilson. The film follows a doll maker and his wife who take in a group of orphans 12 years after their daughter dies tragically at an early age. One young girl, Janice (Talitha Bateman), discovers the hidden secrets of the house unleashing a once-vanquished evil ... and, of course, the Annabelle doll. But, the film is far more than that. Listen to hear what Doc has to say about Annabelle: Creation.
Annabelle: Creation 4 out of 5
ANNABELLE: CREATION (2017)
The next chapter in The Conjuring universe
Synopsis:
Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the dollmaker's possessed creation, Annabelle.
Director: David F. Sandberg
Writer: Gary Dauberman
Cast: Stephanie Sigman, Miranda Otto, Lulu Wilson, Anthony LaPaglia, Talitha Bateman, Alicia Vela-Bailey, Kerry O'Malley, Philippa Coulthard, Joseph Bishara, Adam Bartley, Samara Lee, and Brian Howe
Producer: James Wan
Release Date: August 11, 2017
Rated R, 1h 49min
Paul Cardullo talks to Doc Rotten about the French horror-comedy from the Fantasia International Film Festival called The Mansion (Le Manior, 2017). The film is directed by Tony T. Datis and features Marc Jarousseau, Nathalie Odzierejko, and Ludovik Day. Paul discusses the pacing and humor of the film explaining how the film grows on you as the humor - which is often lost in translation - improves during its bloody third act. Check out the review below and let us know what you think!
The Mansion (Le Manior, 2017) [usr 3.5]
Synopsis:
A band of students comes to celebrate the New Year in an old manor house isolated from everything. But soon after their arrival, strange events disrupt the atmosphere, before the party turns squarely to the nightmare.
Director: Tony T. Datis
Writers: Bernardo Barilli, Bernardo Barilli, Dominique Gauriaud, Marc Jarousseau,Jurij Prette
Cast: Marc Jarousseau, Nathalie Odzierejko, Ludovik Day, Jérôme Niel,Yvick Letexier, Vincent Tirel, Vanessa Guide, Delphine Baril, Baptiste Lorber, Lila Lacombe, Willy Denzey, José Garcia
Joseph Perry joins Doc Rotten to discuss The Endless from directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Joseph caught the film at the Bucheaon Internation Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in Bucheon, South Korea recently. The film also played at the Fantasia International Film Festival (July 12 - August 2, 2017) in Montreal, Canada and again at the upcoming Popcorn Frights Film Festival (August 11-17, 2017) in Miami, Florida. Listen below to hear Josephs thoughts on the film and the talented directors.
THE ENDLESS is the story of two brothers who return to the deal cult from which they fled a decade ago, to find that there might be some truth to the group’s otherworldly beliefs.
Directors: Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead
Screenwriter: Justin Benson
Cast: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Tate Ellington, James Jordan, Shane Brady and Kira Powell
Producers: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Thomas R. Burke, David Lawson Jr. and Leal Naim
TRT: 111 MIN
The Endless also won the top prize at BIFAN, the Best Of Bucheon prize.
JJ Fitt reviews the gruesome gorefest Cut Shoot Kill from director Michael Walker. The film features Alexandra Socha, Alex Hurt, Phil Burke, Henry Zebrowski, and Rebecca Faulkenberry. Look for the film to be released digital on-demand on August 8, 2017. Listen to JJ's review and let us know what you think!
Cut Shoot Kill [usr 3] on the Thug Meter
On Digital On-Demand Nationwide August 8th!
Serena Brooks, an ambitious young actress, signs on as the star of a horror film with a crew of backwoods filmmakers that have worked together for years. When the cast starts disappearing, Serena has to become her character if she wants to survive!
Christopher G. Moore reviews the film The Transfiguration from Strand Releasing and director Michael O'Shea. The film features Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine, and Jelly Bean in a story explores fantasy and reality and vampire lore. Check out the review below and let us know what you think!
The Transfiguration 5 out of 5
Strand Releasing is very proud to release the critically acclaimed horror-drama THE TRANSFIGURATION on VOD nationwide August 8th!
An official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, writer/director Michael O’Shea’s debut feature THE TRANSFIGURATION follows troubled teen Milo who hides behind his fascination with vampire lore. When he meets the equally alienated Sophie, the two form a bond that begins to challenge Milo’s dark obsession, blurring his fantasy into reality. A chilling portrait of violence, THE TRANSFIGURATION is a stunning atmospheric thriller set against the grit of New York City.
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