"A ghost is me." Dr. Casares (Federico Luppi) finally comes to terms with what he has become. As we all must do when facing The Devil's Backbone. Following the infamous production problems of Mimic, writer/director Guillermo Del Toro left Hollywood for a moment to collect himself. The film spawned from this - The Devil's Backbone - is a fascinating look at isolation, loss and destitution as a group of orphans try to fight for their lives. All while a mysterious spectre lurks in the basement. Thomas and his co-hosts are here to taste test that weird fetus juice as they dive into Del Toro in honor of his upcoming film The Shape of Water.
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 31 – The Devil's Backbone (2001)
While considered an older sibling to Guillermo Del Toro's big Oscar nomination heavy splash Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone often feels left alone in the dust. Much like young Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is at the orphanage of Dr. Casares and his wife Carmen (Marisa Paredes). Carlos often gets picked on by the other orphans, particularly as Jaimie (Inigo Garces) picks on him. He eventually starts seeing some mysterious shapes and shadows, only to find out that this orphanage is haunted by the ghost of a young boy named Santi (Junio Valverde). Is this ghost out to kill or to protect the children?
Well, Thomas and his guests Caitlin Turner, Adam Thomas and Christopher G. Moore are here to answer such a crucial question. The Devil's Backbone is discussed at length by these four. All of them wonder why it isn't as well appreciated as other Del Toro films. Christopher G. Moore dishes out some intriguing trivia. Caitlin appreciates the more female gaze perspective. Adam is still frozen with tension at that door scene. Thomas just wants to know why the hell that one lady trying putting out a gas fire with a blanket. All this and more is revealed as they dive directly into The Devil's Backbone.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.
The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Indie horror icon Todd Sheets gets behind the camera once again to bring us an old school werewolf flick, Bonehill Road (2017). Proudly touting a CGI free film, Todd pays homage to the classic werewolf films of our youth and brings scream queen Linnea Quigley along to raise the decibel level. And a bloody pack of werewolves to satisfy every werewolf fan. Blood flows, teeth tear and hair sprouts in all its low budget indie spectacle. Join Dave as he harkens back to the good old days of straight-to-VHS horror gruesome greatness.
Straight from the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival held November 23 through November 26, 2017, in Toronto comes the holiday gorrific gem Once Upon a Time at Christmas (2017). Doc shares his reactions with Jeff Mohr praising the structure, the jolly villains, and the super splendid splatter. Simon Phillips and Sayla de Goede (credited as Sayla Vee) makes an entertaining pair of murderous misfits dressed as Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. The film gives holiday favorites Silent Night Deadly Night and Christmas Evil a run for the money. A favorite from the festival, Once Upon a Time a Christmas from director Paul Tanter arrives just in time for some gruesome holiday cheer.
“Maybe you two kids are on a trip or something. I don't know and I don't care.” Sheriff Jones (Richard Webb) has little patience for Bobby Hartford (Robert Walker Jr) and Lisa Clark (Gwynne Gilford) as they describe being attacked by a monstrous man-eating blob in Beware! The Blob (1972). Jeff Mohr, Chad Hunt, and Bill Mulligan are ready to pounce on Doc Rotten for suggesting this disastrous "treat" of a goofy horror film from director Larry Hagman - yeah, J.R. Ewing from the Dallas TV show (and Major Anthony Nelson from I Dream of Jeanie decades earlier). Oh, boy, this is going to get ripe.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 63 – Beware! the Blob (1972)
On a minuscule $150,000 budget shot almost entirely using friends and neighbors, Larry Hagman and Anthony Harris would craft a horror comedy sequel to Jack Harris' 50's monster movie classic The Blob (1958). Sadly, Beware! The Blob comes nowhere near as iconic or thrilling (or professional) as the film that inspired it. The supporting cast would include a who's who of TV actors of the Sixties and Seventies: Godfrey Cambridge, Richard Stahl, Carol Lynley, Marlene Clark, Gerrit Graham, Dick Van Patten, Del Close, Cindy Williams, Tiger Joe Marsh, and Burgess Meredith. While most everything about the film is subpar, on a curiosity level, the film is mildly entertaining. Beware this movie!
"It's loose again eating everyone!" - the poster tagline promises far more than the film delivers.
Being good spirits, the Grue-crew desperately try to find good things about the film. Mostly, they get distracted by all the cameos. The dialog, rumored to be mostly improvised, has the crew plugging their ears instead of covering their eyes. Still, there are some silly moments that give the film some gas but the effects are shotty and the direction is...worse. It is not difficult to see that this is Larry Hagman's sole cinematic directorial effort. Bill Mulligan wins the trivia award of the week for pointing out that Del Close, who has a cameo in this picture, is featured prominently in the 1988 remake from Chuck Russell. Go, team!
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Playing at the Screamfest Film Festival this past October and the Atlanta Horror Film Festival, Ruin Me (2017) took home the "Best Feature Film" award at the latter event. Doc Rotten takes a seat to take a look at what all the buzz is about and confirms that Atlanta got this one right. Ruin Me from director Prestin DeFrancis and written by Trysta A. Bissett & Preston DeFrancis is an undeniable treat for all horror fans. It features an extreme sleep over campaign called Slasher Sleepout, an unreliable narrator, and a possible escaped convict picking off our cast one-by-one - serious, what is not to love! The film also has a great cast with Marcienne Dwyer in the lead supported by Matt Dellapina, Chris Hill, Eva Hamilton, John Odom, Cameron Gordon, and Sam Ashdown. Doc is excited to give this his seal of approval, check out the review to find out why.
Justice League lands with a 93 Million dollar thud. But the Grue-Crew find plenty to enjoy with the League while questioning some of the forced humor, vanishing mustaches, and the (yet again) terrible villain. What is happening with the superhero films? Dave Dreher is here to provide some news about George Romero's rare cut of NOTLD, Steven Soderbergh's new horror film, and The Rock's adventures in the Rampage game-to-movie adaptation. Also, Doc and Thomas share their misadventures with a Patreon Livestream Q&A.
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 242 – Justice League
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“Have a potato.” So said Horace Femm (Ernest Thesiger), one of our hosts as we all sat down to dinner. Join this episode’s Grue Crew as we seek shelter from the storm in The Old Dark House (1932). It seemed like a swell idea at the time. Erin Miskell was not able to join us on this one, so Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr had to do all the heavy lifting themselves. (They all shouted in their best impersonation of Joey Starrett in Shane,“Come back, Erin!”)
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 22 – The Old Dark House (1932)
The story of The Old Dark House begins with five weary travelers caught between avalanches on a stormy night and searching for a place to spend the night. The first to arrive are the Wavertons - Philip (Raymond Massey) and Margaret (Gloria Stuart) - and their travel companion, a light-hearted chap named Penderel (Melvyn Douglas). They are joined a short time later by Sir William Porterhouse (Charles Laughton) and his travel companion Gladys (Lilian Bond). Both groups of travelers are greeted at the door by Morgan (Boris Karloff), the owners’ mute and intimidating butler. They are soon joined by Horace Femm (Ernest Thesiger) and his sister Emma (Eva Moore). Eventually, the Femms’ guests learn of the third Femm sibling, the insane and dangerous Saul (Brember Wills), and meet his 102-year-old, bedridden father, Sir Roderick Femm (Elspeth Dudgeon). Many high jinx ensue in tandem with seriously dreadful and life threatening encounters.
The second of director James Whale’s four entries in the Universal horror pantheon, The Old Dark House is rife with the director’s signature shadow play, comedic overtones, and attention to detail. The entire film takes place during the clichéd dark and stormy night lit only by flickering candlelight, oil lamplight, and fireplace flame, but cinematographer Arthur Edeson still delivers clear but menacing depictions of the the goings-on in The Old Dark House. Boris Karloff receives star billing in contrast to his “hidden” credit in Frankenstein (1931), but still is not given a single line of dialogue to utter.
Chad and Jeff (he does go on) enthusiastically recommend repeated viewings of The Old Dark House. Joseph also recommends the film and promises repeated viewings in the future.
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is The Ship of Monsters (1960) aka La Nave de los Monstruos, selected and hosted by Joseph Perry.
Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, Stitcher, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
To each of you from each of us, “Thank you for listening!”
"Who the hell is going to believe a ritual sacrificial murder in 1982?!" Sgt Powell (Richard Roundtree) asking the question on everyone's mind. Yet - in a film with a flying lizard creature, cop drama and an interpersonal struggle of an ex-junkie - a ritual sacrifice is the bottom barrel in the list of weird crap in Q The Winged Serpent. Our Patreon picked episode! Do we owe our friends a skyscraper roof sunbathing session? Or are we hoping they get covered in Q poop? Listen to find out!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 124 – Q The Winged Serpent (1982)
Q The Winged Serpent is a hodgepodge of so many film tropes. There's the giant flying monster eating people, which is one we're all more than familiar with. Leading to a buddy cop drama where Sgt. Powell and his partner Detective Sheppard (David Carradine) investigate the string of ritual sacrificial murders in the wake of this creature. Meanwhile, an ex-junkie turned thief (Michael Moriarty) becomes seduced by the power of the titular bird and holds leverage over the city while arguing with his girlfriend (Candy Clark). Needless to say, it's all over the place.
To decipher all the plots, Christopher G. Moore, Thomas Mariani and Doc Rotten sit down to discuss Q The Winged Serpent in detail. Christopher is baffled by Michael Moriarty's crazed performance. Thomas praises the barrage of influences that crafted a pretty unique package. Doc really wants to know what happened to all the Q poop. Regardless, they're all very happy that the folks at Patreon gave them an interesting film to discuss. After all, how many monster flicks have improvised jazz piano? Exactly!
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Special thanks to Neon Devils for their awesome song Bone Chillin!
The Shining (1980)
Paul Cardullo sits down with Doc Rotten to review one of the unsung classics found in the George A. Romero collection from Arrow Video, Between Night and Dawn. The film is Season of the Witch (1972) originally called Jack's Wife and released under the title Hungry Wives. Paul shares the strange and unusual history of Romero's "witchcraft" offering. He praises actress Jan White who plays the lead and encourages horror fans - especially Romero fans - to hold out until the third act which pays off this early Romero film. Check out the review for more.
Talented actor Nicholas Vince, who played The Chatterer Cenobite in Clive Barker's Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Kinski in Barker's Nightbreed, makes his horror short writing and directorial debut with The Night Whispered. This short will remind viewers of classic supernatural tales, perhaps ones that they read or viewed in their younger years or even today. Check out Joseph's full audio review below, and then rent or buy The Night Whispered at http://www.nicholasvince.com/the-night-whispered!
Doc Rotten dives into another film from the fantastic Cinepocalypse Film Festival held in Chicago from November 2nd through the 9th. Downrange (2017) proves to be a gripping thriller from director Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Godzilla: Final Wars, The Midnight Meat Train) featuring Kelly Connaire, Stephanie Pearson, and Rod Hernandez. The plot is extremely minimalistic with a group of friends stranded on an isolated stretch of rural country road with no cell reception. Soon, they discover that a sniper is in the trees nearby taking them out one by one, toying with them as the day creeps into night. The premise is wrought with tension but the current real-life environment makes this a difficult film to watch with a sense of entertainment which is unfortunate for the filmmakers. But, it is also too hard to ignore. The film is either a few years too late or a few years too early to make the most of the story. The movie itself has its own troubles as the conclusion robs much of the film of its tension. However, the acting from leads Kelly Connaire and Stephanie Pearson is the film's strongest asset.
Tackling another Sci-fi/Horror film, Jeff Mohr discovers Skybound (2017) is more an action-thriller with an interesting plot, a good mystery, and solid cinematography but with weak acting and cringe-worthy dialogue. Writer-director Alex Tavakoli guides his cast Scarlett Byrne, Gavin Stenhouse, and Rick Cosnett through his disaster-filled in-flight feature. Jeff shares his thoughts, his score, and his favorite scene with another much-anticipated Gruesome Magazine review.
Vanessa invites Doc Rotten to reveal his thoughts on the latest film in the DC cinematic universe, Justice League (2017). The film is directed by Zack Snyder (with some reshoot help from Joss Whedon) with a script by Chris Terrio and Whedon. The story has Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) forming a team to defeat Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds, voice), providing Jack Kirby a "New Gods" credit. Sadly, the world is in a tailspin after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill) in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice leaving it vulnerable with only Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and The Flash (Ezra Miller) to lend a much-needed hand. The cast is up to the challenge providing the film with many character building sets of dialogue and exchanges. The "new kids" size up alongside Batman and Wonder Woman quite nicely. The film drags a bit when it returns to the foe with Steppenwolf proving that superhero films continue to have issues developing good villains. Still, he is still better than the villains in the past DC films. Full of entertainment and laughs, Justice League succeeds yet it still stops short of delivering much needed "wow!" moments
If you're listening to Horror News Radio to get through the workday, we hope for the best. Being in a cubicle farm, Wishing to just tear down those meager walls and throw a paperweight at someone's face. Just wanna cause some Mayhem, right? Well, the latest Joe Lynch flick might just be for you! Listen as The Grue Crew are joined by award-winning director AND cosplayer Christopher G. Moore to discuss the office madness. Thomas also weighs in with the latest arthouse horror of The Killing of A Sacred Deer. Dave Dreher is sitting out, but Doc Rotten is here to provide some news about sending the Dark Universe to its crypt, the first set photos from M. Night Shyamalan's Glass and a new trilogy of Star Wars films on the horizon. You know somebody will need to change their undergarments soon!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 241 – Mayhem – Killing of a Sacred Deer
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"I am not a human being. I am an animal!" Oswald 'The Penguin' Cobblepot (Danny DeVito) declares his identity pretty overtly. Batman Returns is not a subtle movie. Many would question why a superhero movie is being covered on a horror podcast. What is this, Horror News Radio? Well, 1) Batman Returns has been suggested by fans, 2) We've got a Justice League movie coming out and 3) there's some pretty horrific stuff featured in there. How much? Listen to find out!
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 30 – Batman Returns (1992)
Batman Returns had a lot to live up to. Being the sequel to 1989's Batman - a game changer in terms of blockbuster filmmaking - there's a lot of mounting pressure. Director Tim Burton returned along with The Caped Crusader, but promised something a bit different. He kept the gothic noir setting and his Batman/Bruce Wayne actor Michael Keaton, but put in a lot more stuff distinctive of him. Outcast villains like The Penguin or Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer). A brand new shadowy corporate tycoon Max Shreck (Christopher Walken). Black and white stripes. Yup, lots and lots of that. In other words, he turned Batman Returns into more of a Tim Burton film. Something that got him the boot from the franchise due to the macabre nature of the film.
Yet, does that seem to bad in hindsight, given some of the post-Batman Returns films featuring The Dark Knight? That's up for Thomas Mariani to decide, alongside his panel. Thomas, Chad Hunt, Jordan Worth Cobb and Adam Thomas all discuss what makes Batman Returns such a curious oddity. The campy qualities that recall the 1960s show. Some disturbing imagery that made McDonald's cancel a Happy Meal tie in. Much like Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne's relationship, there's a whole lot of duality going on. But to quote Christopher Walken, "YAWN." Why read about it when you can listen in as you slide into your own Batcave.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.
The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.
If you're donating at least $1 to the Gruesome Magazine Patreon, you can vote for the last Decades of Horror 1990s and Beyond. Just go to the poll here if you're a patron and vote. Voting ends November 29th.
The Devil's Backbone (2001)
“What is all this about the dead coming back to life again and... having to be killed a second time? I mean, what the hell's going on here?” Peter West (Ian McCulloch) tries to make sense of the dead rising from their graves to eat the living in Zombie (1979). Doc Rotten returns and he brings Lucio Fulci to the 1970s podcast for the very first time. Jeff Mohr, Chad Hunt, and Bill Mulligan are on hand to discuss the highlights, the effects, the living dead, Italian horror, and Fulci's dreamlike plot structure. Oh, yeah, and a zombie versus a shark! What else do you need?
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 62 – Zombie (1979)
When George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978) was released overseas, it was often known as Zombi. In Italy, Fulci's zombie epic was titled Zombi 2 without his knowledge or consent. His film is not a direct sequel to Dawn or any other living dead film. In fact, given the story, it would be more a prequel to the 1978 classic. When the film did cross the seas to play in the States, it kept the general idea of its moniker and became Zombie (1979). The film begins and ends in New York City but takes place mostly on a remote island with its lead characters looking for lost relatives, encountering the living dead and fighting for the lives.
"We are going to eat you!" - the poster tagline grabs its audience from the very get-go.
The Grue-crew explore the film, tackling Fulci's filming techniques, the acting, the dubbing, the gore, and so much more. The film is iconic with its scenes of zombie horror. If not the underwater zombie-vs-shark scene, then the Spanish Conquistadors rising from the grave to attack our heroes, including the famous zombie with the worms swarming out if its eye socket. Fulci also seems to have a fetish for eyes as the scene with the splinter is intense even today. The gore is plentiful and the final battle in the church turned hospital is non-stop white-knuckle intense. Bill Mulligan even starts off the podcast by suggesting that Fulci's Zombie is a favorite even over Romero's Dawn of the Dead.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
In the annals of killer car movies, one film stands out - The Car (1977) from director Elliot Silverstein and screenwriters Dennis Shryack, Michael Butler, and Lane Slate. Sure, Killdozer is older (though, technically, that is about a killer bulldozer, not a car) and John Carpenter's version of Stephen King's Christine (1983) may be more well-known, but The Car outshines those other films in at least two ways - it is a lot more fun and it has James Brolin. Catching this gem with Westworld (1973) as part of a James Brolin double-feature from the Retro Films Series at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, North Carolina, Paul Cardullo joins Doc Rotten to discuss this funky and fun automotive killing machine. While maybe it is not the most well-constructed movie, find out why Paul describes The Car as one of the best Jaws (1975) rip-offs to come out in the wake of that film and why you should try and catch it on the big screen if possible
Interview - director Joe Lynch - Mayhem (2017)
Chicago's Music Box Theatre was home to the Cinepocalypse film festival from November 2 through November 9, 2017. One of the 60 films screening at this incredible film festival was Snowflake (Schneeflöckchen, 2017) from directors Adolfo J. Kolmerer and William James, and writers Arend Remmers. The film's ensemble cast is terrific and features an outstanding performance from Xenia Assenza as a young woman out for revenge on the two men who killed her parents in a restaurant massacre. The film features a meta angle about characters who confront the screenwriter, absurdist and surreal situations, dark comedy, and plenty of violence and bloody mayhem. Check out Joseph’s full audio review below.
Vanessa returns to review the holiday cheer fear flick, The Elf (2017) from writer-director Justin Price. You'd think this would be a slamming good time ala Leprechaun or Krampus or similarly crafted horror films. But, sadly, Vanessa shares this is not so. The effects are all over the place. The story is confusing and has Vanessa stumped, "You don't know what you're going to get." Check out Vanessa's entertaining review belo
Award-winning filmmaker Christopher G. Moore steps into the reviewers' circle to tackle the latest epic from director Joe Lynch, the violent action-comedy gorefest Mayhem (2017) featuring Steven Yuen and Samara Weaving in the lead roles. Christopher sings high praises for the film, championing the direction, the acting, the script, and the...mayhem. It's the best Joe Lynch film yet, displaying his maturing into becoming a top-tier action genre filmmaker. Steven Yuen proves he can carry a film as the lead and Samara Weaving impresses in the role of Melanie Cross - if you saw her in The Babysitter, this is no surprise. Lots of gore for hardcore horror fans make Mayhem the perfect combination of blood and violence for Gruesome Magazine listeners and readers. Christopher says "Check it out!" 5 out of 5 stars!
Fans of HNR know that Dave Dreher loves him some alien films, even more than that he loves Bigfoot films. He also enjoys a good vampire film. So he is thrilled to review the sci-fi mystery thriller Sightings (2017) from writer-director Dallas Morgan. Dave also loves a good bad movie and this film fits that bill. Dante Basco, Kevin Sizemore, Boo Arnold star in the picture where Bigfoot's kryptonite is Aloe Vera. Woot! Check out Dave's review below, you don't want to miss it!
What?! Horror News Radio covering another superhero movie?! I know some of you may be pretty Thor about that, but there's still plenty of fun to be had as The Grue Crew chums around Sakaar for Thor Ragnarok. Taika Waititi - the Kiwi director behind What We Do In the Shadows - puts his distinctive humorous stamp on the Marvel formula with charm and gusto anyone can appreciate. Hell, even Dave Dreher had fun with it! There's still a bit of horror thrown into the mix, though. Peachfuzz returns as Creep 2 is discussed, with one Grue Crew member finding it to be a big surprise for the year. Mr. Dreher also provides Horror News of the Week revolving around Ash vs Evil Dead, a redux of The Twilight Zone and a new take on Pet Sematary!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 240 – Thor Ragnarok - Creep 2
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Jeff Mohr jumped at the opportunity to review Radius (2017) when he saw it on the Gruesome Magazine review board. The film was right in his wheelhouse: a Sci-Fi thriller with a WTF premise and a couple WTF plot twists. Either or both of the two stars - Diego Klattenhoff (The Blacklist, Homeland, Pacific Rim) and Charlotte Sullivan (Chicago Fire, Rookie Blue, The Colony) - are on screen for nearly the entire film and do excellent jobs taking their characters through a series of developments and revelations. The poster tagline, "Don't get too close," is a downright sneaky indicator of what's to come without giving too much away. In Radius, writers/directors Caroline Labrèche and Steeve Léonard have crafted a layered, slow-burn, Sci-Fi thriller that is well written, directed, shot, and acted. Seek it out!
Chicago was home to Cinepocalypse from November 2 through November 9, 2017. One of the 60 films screening at this incredible film festival was The Terror of Hallow's Eve (2017) from director Todd Tucker along with co-writers Ronald L. Halvas and Zack Ward. The film features Eric Roberts as neighbor Ed and Doug Jones under the make-up of two top-notch creations, The Trickster and a creepy Scarecrow. The film stars Caleb Thomas, Sarah Lancaster, Annie Read, JT Neal, Mcabe Greg, and Niko Papastefanou. The film shines when it plays to its strengths: the special effects and its 80s vibe. The story loses interest the more it focuses on its lead and his unconvincing and typical 80s motivations, leading to the usual revenge-themed mayhem. The ending also does the film little favor as it veers into a second storyline that feels more like padding than a needed twist or turn.
Click here for more about Cinepocalypse.