Sugar Skull Girls is a 2016 American comedy fantasy horror film written and directed by Christian Grillo (Apocalypse Kiss; Deer Crossing; Roxsy Tyler’s House of Horrors). It stars Leslie Easterbrook, Michael Berryman (Self Storage; The Devil’s Rejects; The Hills Have Eyes), Addy Miller and John Amplas (Creepshow; Midnight; Martin).

Three demonic sisters who resemble neo-goth voodoo dolls are accidentally conjured from the other side during a failed attempt to raise a little girl from the dead. The Sugar Skull Girls will stop at nothing to escape the clutches of The Pale Witch, the ruler of The Shadow World…

The film is released on Blu-ray and DVD by SGL Entertainment on February 14, 2017.

Buy: Amazon.com

Main cast:

Leslie Easterbrook, Michael Berryman, Addy Miller, John Amplas, Carmela Hayslett, Christian Grillo, Rebecca Stern, Bryan DeSanto, Randy Memoli, Isabella Sobejano, David B. Stewart III, James F. Murray Jr., Scott Strasbaugh, Anika Buchanan, Cece Hagen.

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‘Today’s lesson, survive!’

Getting Schooled is a 2016 American comedy horror film directed by Chuck Norfolk (Haunted Trailer) from a screenplay co-written with Steven Scott Norfolk and Tim Norfolk. It stars Mayra Leal, Tom Long, Roland Ruiz, Jake Byrd and, in a cameo role, Ron Jeremy.

In 1983, a group of high school students stuck in a day of detention, have to run for their lives when a teacher in a wheelchair turns out to be an ex-black ops soldier having a murderous flashback.

The wily pack of misfits must fight to the death as they are trapped inside the school with the torture-obsessed psycho…

The film was released by Midnight Releasing/Brain Damage Films on the 7th February 2017 via Amazon and most other VOD platforms.

Reviews:

“Actually, the premise of the movie is almost a carbon copy of The Breakfast Club, and fans will no doubt spot allusions to many other John Hughes movies in this one, and also Vietnam and army movies of the era get their fair nod. And it’s all made possible by the right eye for yester year’s style and (bad synthie pop) music, and also a reliance on yesterday’s morals, mirrored in some intentionally stilted mono- and dialogues.” [re]Search My Trash

“All in all I thought it was a very clever film. Lots of jokes and jabs at 80s films and even a few references to Apocalypse Now.” Jonathan A Moody, HorrorNews.net

Gruesome Hertzogg podcast

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Sharknado 5… Earth 0 is a 2017 American comedy horror film directed by Anthony C. Ferrante (the previous Sharknado movies; Headless Horseman; Boo) from a screenplay by Scotty Mullen (Zoombies; The Coed and the Zombie Stoner).

The film stars Tara Reid (Sharknado films; Charlie’s Farm; Vipers), Ian Ziering (Sharknado films; Tyrannosaurus Azteca; Godzilla: The Series) and Anthony Rogers (Darkness is Coming; Scream: The TV series).

With much of North America lying in ruins, the rest of the world braces for the inevitable: a global sharknado. From London to Asia, South Africa to Mexico, Fin and his family must put a stop to the sharknados once and for all…

The Asylum film is currently in pre-production.

IMDb

Mansion of Blood is 2015 American comedy horror film written and directed by Mike Donahue. It stars Gary Busey (Sharknado: The 4th Awakens; Gingerdead Man and sequels; Silver Bullet), Robert Picardo (Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus; 976-EVIL; Munchies), Ray Quiroga and Tom Tangen.

Millionaire Mason Murphy renovates the haunted Mayhew mansion. He moves his family to the estate with his creepy servant Zacharia (Gary Busey). He plans a tremendous lunar eclipse viewing party to celebrate his return to his hometown of River Ridge Iowa.

At the party, a witch casts a spell to summon the spirit of her dead boyfriend. The magic runs out of control under the eclipse and a series of deadly accidents lead to revenge killings and then all the monsters come out as the party guests are murdered one by one…

Main cast:

Gary Busey, Robert Picardo, Ray Quiroga, Tom Tangen, Tyrone Power Jr., Eddy Salazar, Lorraine Ziff, Mindy Robinson, Jennifer Tapiero, Jaira Valenti, Sarah Alami, Chris Allaire, Carla Laemmle, Sam Stone, Alexandra Cramer.

Reviews:

“Mansion of Blood is enormously entertaining, and yet it’s pretty terrible in every regard. Its main problem is that it’s so incredibly busy, and writer-director Mike Donahue has no idea how to pin everything together. We get a cavalcade of characters, a whole host of little situations created at the party during the film’s first half (affairs, double-crosses etc), and – as events progress – murders galore as every horror trope in the book is pulled out of the bag.” Stuart Willis, Sex Gore Mutants

“As we stared wide-eyed at the screen, it crossed my mind that this was all some sort of colossal joke. But no, it was meant to be an effective horror/comedy/murder mystery. It wasn’t scary, there were perhaps two genuine guffaws and the early scenes of characters trying to find clues to specific treasures – were like the rest of the film – a frantic mess of randomness.” Michael Klug, Horrorfreak News

“Mansion of Blood is a really bad film. To say it is poorly made is an affront to other poorly made films. At 98 minutes it is excruciatingly long. It needed to be trimmed by at least 20 minutes. This would not have been hard to do as there was so little cohesion between the various storylines.” Andrew Swope, Rock! Shock! Pop!

“ …covers almost every facet of horror movies, almost every era, almost every sub-genre, almost anything & everything imaginable with one hell of a cast to boot. All of this could’ve made for a horror movie of epic proportions, BUT (and isn’t there always a but?), none of this is done in any way that’s logical, cohesive, well written or even well produced. In fact, Mansion of Blood achieves epic status, but it’s an epic train wreck.” Brandon C. Sites

IMDb | Image credits: Body Count Rising

‘School spirit has never been this dead’

Return to Horror High is a 1986 [released 9 January 1987] American comedy/horror film directed by Bill Froehlich (Freddy’s Nightmares) from a screenplay co-written with Mark Lisson (Bones), Dana Escalante and Greg H. Sims. It is not a sequel to the 1974 movie Horror High.

The film stars Lori Lethin, Brendan Hughes, Alex Rocco (Lady in White; The Entity) and Scott Jacoby (To Die For and sequel; Bad Ronald). Also appearing, in an early role, is George Clooney (From Dusk Till Dawn; Grizzly II: The Predator; Return of the Killer Tomatoes).

Buy: Amazon.com

Plot:

In 1982, the southern California town of Crippen was rocked by a series of murders at the local high school. The killer was never apprehended.

Several years later, Cosmic Pictures, headed by sleazy producer Harry Sleerik (Alex Rocco), has come to Crippen to make a movie about the murders, setting up shop in the high school.

However, it seems the killer is still there, and as crew and cast members disappear left and right, it’s up to ex-student/cop/leading man Steven Blake (Brendan Hughes) and leading lady Callie Cassidy (Lori Lethin) to investigate…

Reviews:

“Despite an incoherent spine, the film rarely bores and it’s fairly well acted in a campy way. There’s one really gruesome murder that involves a guy being nailed to a desk and dissected (Vince Edwards no less) and you have to appreciate the irony of a Biology teacher getting cut open that way. The loon has a great mask/cape disguise and there’s a decent score here too.” Luisito Joaquín González, A Slash Above

“It’s a 60 minute movie stretched to 94 minutes. There are some fun Hollywood clichés that are satirized, but how many times do we have see the trouble writer getting his work taken away from him, the pretentious arty-farty director and the greedy, titty obsessed shyster producer? We get it.” Quint, Ain’t It Cool News

“It’s poorly done, ineptly plotted and never interesting. Lethin, McCormick and Jacoby should have been better served.” The Terror Trap

“The innumerable twists and turns of the plot, combined with several shifts in time and perspective, wind up more confusing than intriguing, and most of the humor is purely (pardon the pun) sophomoric. Some of the “in” jokes about the industry in general and horror films in particular are good for a few laughs.” TV Guide

“The story is infinitely confusing, and I really don’t think it’s meant to be understandable. And not in a David Lynchian way either, in a low budget, we gotta ship a movie kind of way. The kills aren’t anything too great, and for the most part we get quick edits, sounds, shadows and our imagination to horrify us…” Matt Fuerst, Jackass Critics

“Alex Rocco has a few funny moments as a sleazy producer but this is a series of juvenile, unscary gore gags with mediocre characters.” John Stanley, Creature Features

Choice dialogue:

Josh Forbes: “Harry, there will be no exploding tit shot!”

Josh Forbes: “We are making a movie. All other life ceases to exist. There is only… the next scene!”

Cast and characters:

• Lori Lethin as Callie Cassidy/Sarah Walker/Susan
• Brendan Hughes as Steven Blake
• Alex Rocco as Harry Sleerik
• Scott Jacoby as Josh Forbes
• Richard Brestoff as Arthur Lyman Kastleman
• Andy Romano as Principal Kastleman
• Al Fann as Amos
• Pepper Martin as Chief Deyner
• Maureen McCormick as Officer Tyler
• Vince Edwards as Richard Birnbaum
• Michael Eric Kramer as Donny Porter
• George Clooney as Oliver
• Cliff Emmich as Dillon
• Panchito Gómez as Choo Choo
• Marvin J. McIntyre as Robbie Rice
• Philip McKeon as Richard Farley
• Remy O’Neill as Esther Molvania
• John Besmehn as Templeton Smithee
• Darcy DeMoss as Sheri Haines
• Will Etra as Mangles Face / Hatchet Face

Release:

UK: On 29 May 2017, the film is released on Blu-ray and DVD by 88 Films.

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

USA: The film was given a limited release theatrically by New World Pictures on 9 January 1987. It grossed $1,189,709 at the box office. The film was initially released on DVD by Anchor Bay Entertainment in 2002. Image Entertainment issued the film on DVD on September 6, 2011 and then again on February 7, 2012 as a double-bill with Return of the Killer Tomatoes, which also features George Clooney.

Wikipedia | IMDb | Image credits: Wrong Side of the Art!

‘The doctor is in… but out of his mind!’

Disturbed is a 1990 American black comedy horror film directed by Charles Winkler from a screenplay co-written with Emerson Bixby (Last Dance; On a Dark and Stormy Night). It was produced by Patricia Foulkrod and Brad Hibbs Wyman (Snuff-Movie; Modern Vampires; Skinner; et al).

The film stars Malcolm McDowell (31; Mischief Night; Halloween and sequel), Geoffrey Lewis (The Devil’s Rejects; Night of the Comet; Human Experiments)and Priscilla Pointer (C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud; A Nightmare on Elm Street 3; Carrie).

Dr. Derrick Russell (Malcolm McDowell) sexually assaults one of the patients in his care. When she throws herself from the institution roof shortly afterward, he describes her suicide as a consequence of her depression.

Ten years later, he plans to molest another patient, Sandy Ramirez (Pamela Gidley). What Russell does not know is that Sandy is the daughter of his previous victim, and that she is bent on revenge…

Reviews:

“What was initially walking a fine line between absurd comedy and unintended hilarity, eventually revealed itself as an honest to goodness, intentional black comedy/horror film. I loved the way it progressed from seemingly straightforward to absolutely goofy, and not just in regards to the over-the-top performances…” Hollie Horror, Letterboxd.com

“Disturbed is an overlooked but vivid and entertaining enough psycho- thriller feature from the early 90’s. The plot and setting are overly familiar, but the film nevertheless manages to keep you glued to the screen for an hour and a half. This is mostly thanks to a handful of truly atmospheric sequences and the more than adequate acting performances from the ensemble cast.” Coventry, IMDb.com

“It’s goofball because McDowell plays it as if he were in a screwball comedy while everyone else maintains straight faces […] achieves a dark macabre overtone.” John Stanley, Creature Features

Cast and characters:

• Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Derrick Russell
• Geoffrey Lewis as Michael Kahn
• Priscilla Pointer as Nurse Francine
• Pamela Gidley as Sandy Ramirez
• Irwin Keyes as Pat Tuel
• Clint Howard as Brian
• Kim McGuire as Selina

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘First they greet you, then they eat you.’

Blood Diner is a 1987 American comedy horror film directed by Jackie Kong (The Being) from a screenplay by actor-composer Michael Sonye (Star Slammer; Frozen Scream). Rick Burks and Carl Crew starred in this homage to Blood Feast (1963)

The film was given a limited release theatrically in the United States by Lightning Pictures in July 1987. It was released on VHS the same year by Vestron Video.

Most recently, the film was released on Blu-ray on September 27, 2016, as part of Lionsgate’s new Vestron Video Collector’s Series (which also includes Chopping Mall). The high-definition restoration was supervised by director Jackie Kong and cinematographer Jürg V. Walther.

Buy: Amazon.com

• Audio commentary with director Jackie Kong
• The Cook, The Uncle, and The Detective featurette
• Open for Business featurette
• Scoring for Sheetar featurette
• You Are What They Eat featurette
• Archival interview with project consultant Eric Caidin
• Theatrical trailer
• TV spots
• Still gallery

Plot:

Two brothers, Michael Tutman (Rick Burks) and George Tutman (Carl Crew) are brainwashed by their serial killer uncle Anwar Namtut (Drew Godderis) into completing his task of resurrecting the ancient Lumerian goddess Sheetar (Tanya Papanicolas). Their mission is given to them once they resurrect him from his grave. Anwar Namtut is from then on a brain in a mason jar that commands the brothers.

In order to complete their mission, the brothers must collect different body parts from many immoral women, stitch them together, and then call forth the goddess at a “blood buffet” with a virgin to sacrifice ready for her to eat. The brothers choose women for their “blood buffet” from those that enter into their wildly popular vegetarian restaurant. Meanwhile, two mismatched detectives (LaNette LaFrance and Roger Dauer) work together to try to track them down before more carnage can ensue…

Reviews:

“While Blood Diner is a low-budget film, it’s artful and a far cry from the bottom of the barrel work of H.G. Lewis. It is decently shot, and while some effects, like Uncle Anwar (in brain form), are cheesy, the gore and makeup is quite good and actually seems to improve in quality (except when trying to be bad) as the films builds to its insane climax.” Duane Hicks, UK Horror Scene

“Blood Diner is played for laughs, and has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek the whole way through. It’s ridiculously dumb and hilarious, and I can’t help but love it.” Nick Durham, Death & Giggles

“The horror element has to have some punch, and even though Kong throws around copious amount of blood and vomit and numerous body parts (so much so that it had to be released unrated), it never comes off as grotesque, just icky. The comedy, then, has little to work against, so it ends up feeling hysterical and anxious, as if no one has any idea what is going on.” James Kendrick, QNetwork.com

“Blood Diner is a truly fun fun film. It’s heart is firmly in the right place, usually discarded just to the left of the severed rib cage of some half naked corpse. The black humor works, the silliness is enjoyable and the gore is plentiful and satisfying.” Luke, Horror.Land

“It is funny, full of some excellent death scenes, and is just a lot of fun to watch in general. If you are in the mood for something a little different that gives a ton of nods to Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Blood Feast in a number of wacky and over the top ways then you need to check this movie out as soon as you can.” Todd Martin, HorrorNews.net

“From the cruel hilarity to the eroticized misogyny to the Hitler tributes, Blood Diner is bitterly nihilistic, even for a black comedy. It’s enough to make one wonder what exactly was in Jackie Kong’s head when she made this, the swan song of her short and otherwise undistinguished career. It seems the work of an incompetent psychotic with a movie camera and an agenda against the world. The result is fascinating, for reasons the director never intended, and disturbing…” G. Smalley, 366 Weird Movies

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“It’s totally broad, bizarre and, to be frank, not necessarily “good” by any objective standard. But who cares? There’s an incredible sense of personal vision here, right down to the Soup Nazi caricature Police Sergeant, who is constantly hollering at his detectives that the “cannibal angle” they’re taking to try and solve the kidnappings is all wrong. In reality, Blood Diner is special because it isn’t for everyone.” Jacob Knight, Birth. Movies. Death

“Tasteless sleazeball low-budgeter redeemed by its satirical humor directed at the artificialities of horror films.” John Stanley, Creature Feature

Cast and characters:

• Rick Burks as Michael Tutman
• Carl Crew as George Tutman
• LaNette LaFrance as Sheba Jackson
• Roger Dauer as Mark Shepard
• Lisa Guggenheim as Connie Stanton
• Max Morris as Chief Miller
• Roxanne Cybelle as Little Michael
• Sir Rodenheaver as Little George
• Drew Godderis as Anwar Namtut
• Tanya Papanicolas as Sheetar/Bitsy
• Michael Barton as Vitamin
• John Barton Shields as Little Jimmy Hitler
• Effie Bilbrey as Peggy
• Karen Hazelwood as Babs
• Bob Loya as Stan Saldin
• Alisa Alvarez-Wood as Aerobic Girl
• Al Davis as Blonde Dancer
• Gene Wells as Doctor, Zombie, Wrestling Fan, EMT

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘It’s a headache from Hell!’

Brain Damage is a 1987 [released 1988] American comedy horror film written and directed by Frank Henenlotter (Bad Biology; Frankenhooker; Basket Case and sequels). It stars Rick Hearst (The Vampire Diaries; Warlock III), Gordon MacDonald and Jennifer Lowry. TV horror host John Zacherley provided the voice of creature “Elmer/Aylmer”.

Street Trash (1987) director Jim Muro handled the camera and the synth score was provided by Clutch Reiser and Gus Russo. Gabe Bartalos (Leprechaun; Skinned Deep; Spookies) provided the special makeup effects.

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

On 8 May 2017, Arrow Video release the film on Blu-ray + DVD with the following features:

• Digital transfer from original film elements
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
• Original Mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Brand new audio commentary by writer-director Frank Henenlotter
• Brand new interviews with cast and crew
• Q&A with Henenlotter recorded at the 2016 Offscreen Film Festival
• Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
• Limited edition O-card with exclusive artwork
• Collector’s Booklet with new writing on the film
• Plus more to be announced!!!

Opening plot:

A young man, Brian, begins an unwilling symbiotic relationship with a malevolent leech-like brain-eating parasite named “Elmer/Aylmer” that secretes a highly addictive, hallucinogenic blue fluid into Brian’s brain.

In return for a steady supply of the fluid, Brian must seek out human victims for Elmer/Aylmer, so that he can devour their brains.

All the while, though, as Brian adopts a heavily secluded life in his indulgence of Elmer/Aylmer’s fluids, it begins to draw a rift in his relationship with his girlfriend Barbara and his brother…

Reviews:

” …Brain Damage is a disgusting, yet wonderfully deranged affair that will have you laughing and gagging at the same time. Blessed with a haunting synthesizer score by Clutch Reiser and Gus Russo, […] and fantastic special effects (I loved the throbbing meatballs that looked like brains), the film beautifully mixes moments of playful absurdity with ones of absolute revulsion.” House of Self Indulgence

“Now, don’t get the wrong idea – this isn’t some classy horror film. It’s still very much like his others: unknown actors, grimy New York locales, disgusting and phallic FX, kitchen-sink storytelling, etc. But it actually tells a real story (one that’s paced nicely to boot), instead of feeling like a loosely connected series of gags. Hell, there’s even a strong metaphorical slant to it…” Brian W. Collins, Horror Movie a Day

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

“…Brain Damage knowingly winks at other genre titles like Altered States and even includes a very funny in-joke for Basket Case fans (look closely on the subway). While the basic narrative thread of the film will be familiar for anyone well-versed in other “horror as drug parable” titles like The Hunger, the real joy lies in Henenlotter’s curious little detours along the way.” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

“The parasite often looks and acts like a penis and even gets confusingly pulled into sexual activity. Brian appears to enjoy his drug like an orgasm, while his neck is being penetrated from behind (ahem). There’s more male nudity than female (usually Hennenlotter balances the two) and while there are no explicitly gay characters, there are several possibles, and even a fantasy threesome.” Black Hole

“Some of the set-pieces that Frank Henenlotter manages are sensational, none more so than the sequence (censored from US prints) where Vicki Darnell kneels down to perform fellatio on Rick Herbst in an alleyway, only to have Aylmer burst out of his fly and pierce her throat to devour her brains – and then disappearing back into Herbst’s fly leaving chunks of meat all over his zipper.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“The filmmakers juggle so many balls in the air that it’s a wonder any remain aloft. The story is about addiction, promiscuity, power and commerce. It’s a veritable crazy quilt of ideas that manages to engage our attention while our heads continue to dart away from the shocking images on screen.” Leonard Klady, Los Angeles Times, May 24, 1988

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

“Like Basket Case (1981), to which there is a neat reference, this gives its monster a distinct personality but doesn’t come up with enough connective tissue to go around gory set pieces.” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

Interview:

Frank Henenlotter talks to Tris Thompson for Fangoria

Cast and characters:

• Rick Hearst as Brian
• John Zacherle as voice of Aylmer
• Jennifer Lowry as Barbara
• Theo Barnes as Morris
• Lucille Saint Peter as Martha

Filming locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Wikipedia | IMDb | Image credits: Black Hole | House of Self Indulgence

Related: Shivers aka They Came from Within

‘From the farm to the fork’

Eat Local is a 2017 British comedy horror film directed by actor Jason Flemyng (Forbidden Empire; The Bunker; From Hell) from a screenplay by Danny King. It stars Charlie Cox, Freema Agyeman and Mackenzie Crook.

In a quiet countryside farmhouse, Britain’s vampires gather for their once-every-fifty-years meeting. Others will be joining them too; Sebastian Crockett, an unwitting Essex boy who thinks he’s on a promise with sexy cougar Vanessa; and a detachment of Special Forces vampire killers who have bitten off more than they can chew. This is certainly going to be a night to remember… and for some of them it will be their last.

Main cast:

Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Mackenzie Crook (Pirates of the Caribbean movies; The Gathering), Dexter Fletcher, Eve Myles, Ruth Jones, Vincent Regan, Annette Crosbie. Billy Cook.

Trivia:

The film was previously titled Reign of Blood.

IMDb | Twitter | Facebook

‘Don’t touch the director’s chair!’

Attacked on Set is a 2012 American comedy horror film co-produced, edited and directed by Tom Novell (Return of the Skin Eaters) from a screenplay co-written with Forrest Warren and Joel C. Warren. It stars Alicia Clark, Sean Scarlett and Joseph Victor.

A group of young, hot new actors and crew move production to a new studio in a remote area of a Midwest town. Little did they know, but a killer has a score to settle when everyone on set is stranded in the remote studio with a van that has run out of gas and no cell phone service.

No-one is immune, not even the tree hugger, land developer or news crew covering a nearby construction project infringing on the habitat of an endangered bird species. Finally, the heroics of the local cop changes the killer’s plans. Or is he acting alone?

Main cast:

Alicia Clark, Joshua David Evans, Dominic Ryan Gabriel, Jeff Hatrix, Heather Hintz, Randy Holloway, Lauren Iovan, Michael Justice, Adam Lorenz, Kristina Martin, Cassandra Sawden, Sean Scarlett, Joseph Victor, Nathan Wakefield, Martin Wolkens, Robert P. Young.

IMDb

‘Don’t worry, the Army’s got your back!’

Freak Out – original title: Mesuvag Harig – is a 2015 Israeli comedy horror film directed by Boaz Armoni from a screenplay by Lior Lederman. It stars Itay Zvolon, Kye Korabelnikov, Assaf Ben-Shimon, Eran Peretz and Ofer Ruthenberg.

Matan, a soldier in the IDF, sets off for a week of patrolling in a remote base in the north of the country with his unit. Overwhelmed with homesickness, he becomes an easy target for the other soldiers who try their best to make his life miserable.

However, it is not long before strange and frightening things begin to happen to all the soldiers and they start question whether they will come out of this experience alive…

Freak Out will be available on iTunes, Amazon and other VOD platforms on April 11th, 2017.

Reviews:

“As horrible as it sounds, Matan’s awful treatment is what pulls the viewer into the story and makes us invest in him as a character as well as the others, for good or bad. The horror angle could have been developed or polished a little better to improve the movie however the build up is so well-paced and executed that it remains a gripping watch.” Bat, HorrorCultFilms.co.uk

IMDb

‘At last! A motion picture made by, for, and about people… just like you!’

Wacko is a 1981 (released 1982) American horror-parody film produced and directed by Greydon Clark (Uninvited; Without Warning; Satan’s Cheerleaders) from a screenplay by Jim Kouf (Grimm; The Hidden; The Boogens), Dana Olsen and Michael Spound.

The film stars Joe Don Baker (Cape Fear; The Pack; The Shadow of Chikara), Stella Stevens (Megaconda; The Granny; Little Devils: The Birth; et al) and George Kennedy (Demonwarp; Just Before Dawn; Death Ship).

It all began exactly thirteen years ago, when Mary Graves’ older sister was murdered on Halloween prom night by a power-mower maniac.

Since then she has experienced horror, sexual frustration, even psychoanalysis, but she still sees little lawnmowers everywhere.

However, tonight, at the new Halloween Prom, all the questions of the past thirteen years will be answered as the pumpkin-headed killer has returned. But hot on their trail is an obsessed cop (Joe Don Baker) who won’t allow history to repeat itself…

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“Although Wacko isn’t as clever as Student Bodies, as star-filled as Pandemonium, or as lovable as Zapped!, it does have its moments. Set at Alfred Hitchcock High School, the comedy’s a mixed bag (most of the best gags are in the last half hour of the film), with countless references to Halloween, Psycho, The Omen, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and lesser references to everything from Welcome Back Kotter to West Side Story.” Vinnie Rattolle, Cult Oddities

“…Wacko is one of the most criminally underrated and overlooked movies in this book. It’s hysterically funny (something that many modern parodies are lacking) and one of the best parodies out there. It does tend to lose momentum towards the end of the film, but still manages to be funny, even with repeat viewings.” Ronnie Angel, Slashed Dreams: The Ultimate Guide to Slasher Films

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

“For its hundreds of gags and zingers, there are actually very few laughs in a seemingly endless 84-minute running time. Whether it’s Joe Don Baker’s embarrassing monologues or Andrew Dice Clay’s cheesy rock number, Wacko never fails to fumble, fall, and eventually drown in its own comic ineptitude.” AllMovie.com

“It’s all played strictly for laughs but most of the gags fall flatter than pancakes […] References (visual and verbal) to horror/science fiction cinema might help buffs to enjoy this in a small way. Everyone else will wince…”John Stanley, Creature Features

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca

“With characters as ‘The Looney’ and ‘The Weirdo’, the film is anything but subtle.” J. A. Kerswell, Teenage Wasteland: The Slasher Movie Uncut

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca

“Wacko is one of those films that tries to be a non-stop barrage of jokes but whereas that worked with Airplane (to which the video sleeve tries to compare this crap), it doesn’t work here because none of the jokes are even slightly funny. There are tick-the-box gags spoofing The Exorcist and Alien, neither of which is worth even a smile. The whole thing is just terrible beyond belief. I love it.” MJ Simpson, Cult films and the people who make them

Choice dialogue:

Lawnmower killer: “Death to all teenagers who f*ck.”

[Reading a note from the killer] Mrs. Doctor Graves: “It says, It’s Halloween, it’s prom night, there’s a psycho loose, so don’t open the door, don’t answer the phone, don’t look in the attic, don’t go to the bathroom, don’t go into the ocean, and don’t go into space ’cause no one can hear you scream. Signed, A Friend.”

Mr. Doctor Graves: “One very serious point: lawnmowers do not kill people. People kill people.”

Cast and characters:

• Joe Don Baker as Dick Harbinger
• Stella Stevens as Mrs. Doctor Graves
• George Kennedy as Mr. Doctor Graves
• Julia Duffy as Mary Graves
• Scott McGinnis as Norman Bates
• Elizabeth Daily as Bambi
• Michele Tobin as Rosie
• Andrew Dice Clay as Tony Schlongini (credited as Andrew Clay)
• Anthony James as Zeke
• Sonny Carl Davis as The Weirdo (credited as Sonny Davis)
• David Drucker as The Looney
• Jeff Altman as Harry Palms
• Victor Brandt as Dr. Moreau
• Wil Albert as Dr. Denton
• Charles Napier as Chief O’Hara

Trivia:

The working title was The Last Horror Show

Wikipedia | IMDb |

Image credits: Australian VHS Covers | Cult Oddities | Port.hu

Once Bitten is a 1985 American horror comedy film directed by Howard Storm from a screenplay by Jonathan Roberts, David Hines, Jeffrey Hause and Terence Marsh. It stars Lauren Hutton, Jim Carrey, and Karen Kopins. The film was Carrey’s seventh film and his first main role.

Plot:

Being 400 years old, the Countess (Lauren Hutton) has collected a stable of young men and women who accompany her on her centuries-old journey through eternal night-and youth.

While she is immortal, she is required to drink the blood of a young male virgin three times by Halloween each year to keep her immortality and youthful appearance – a task she finds increasingly and extremely hard, since attractive young male virgins are almost impossible to find in the 1980s, particularly in hedonistic cities, in this case, Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, high school student Mark Kendall (Jim Carrey) wants to have sex, but is being put off by his girlfriend Robin Pierce (Karen Kopins).

One night, Mark and his best friends Jamie and Russ go into a singles bar in Hollywood. Mark meets the Countess and he goes back to her mansion, and after she seduces him, he passes out when she bites his thigh. When he wakes up, she pretends they have had sex and tells him that he is now hers…

Buy with Love at First Bite: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“ …Once Bitten is just spectacularly unfunny most of the time, trading on supposed double entendres to work up fitful humor. The film finally devolves into what is more or less a teenaged sex farce, and it’s notable that the film pretty much jettisons the vampire angle in its closing moments…” Jeffrey Kauffman, Blu-ray.com

“Released by The Samuel Goldwyn Company in the wake of other light horror comedies such as Teen Wolf and Transylvania 6-5000, Once Bitten is a mildly amusing affair which doesn’t have much style or horror elements for that matter, but it seems to embrace more 1980s teen comedy movie clichés than Hot Tub Time Machine.” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

” …affects a glossy, sophisticated look that does little to upgrade the film’s adolescent humor. As directed by Howard Storm, it has a lot more stylishness than wit. Miss Hutton looks great in black, but her predatory vampire grows tiresome very quickly, as do all the Bloody Mary jokes.” Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Lauren Hutton has a space between her fangs as the vapid vampiress of Once Bitten, a sappy, sophomoric sex farce in which the supernatural’s answer to Mrs. Robinson sucks the blood virgin boys.” Rita Kempley, The Washington Post

“Teenage sex comedy with supernatural overtones, not as dumb as some but still kind of dumb.” John Stanley, Creature Features

Choice dialogue:

Mark: “I don’t wanna be a vampire. I’m a day person!”

Robin: “He doesn’t want you cause you’re mean and evil. He wants me because I’m sweet and pure. So, f*ck off!”

Cast and characters:

• Lauren Hutton as the Countess
• Jim Carrey as Mark Kendall
• Karen Kopins as Robin Pierce
• Cleavon Little as Sebastian, the Countess’s assistant
• Thomas Ballatore as Jamie
• Skip Lackey as Russ
• Richard Schaal as Mr. Kendall, Mark’s father
• Peggy Pope as Mrs. Kendall, Mark’s mother
• Megan Mullally as Suzette
• Jeb Stuart Adams as World War I Ace Vampire
• Joseph Brutsman as Confederate Vampire
• Stuart Charno as Cabin Boy Vampire
• Robin Klein as 1960s Flower Child Vampire
• Carey More as Moll Flanders Vampire
• Glen Mauro as Twin Vampire #1
• Gary Mauro as Twin Vampire #2

Wikipedia | IMDb

Mayhem is a 2017 comedy horror action film directed by Joe Lynch (Knights of Badassdom; Wrong Turn 2: Dead Again); Chillerama “Zom-B-Movie” segment) from a screenplay by Matias Caruso.

The film stars Steven Yuen (The Walking Dead), Samara Weaving (The Babysitter; Monster Trucks; Ash vs Evil Dead) and Steven Brand (Demons; Teen Wolf; Echoes).

A mystery ‘red eye’ virus infects a corporate law office on the day attorney Derek Saunders (Yeun) is framed by a co-worker and wrongfully fired. The infection is capable of making people act out their wildest impulses, leading to acts of uncontrolled violence.

Trapped in the quarantined building, Saunders is forced to savagely fight tooth and nail for not only his job but his life…

Review:

“So fast on its feet that it’s almost out of control, Mayhem is a tight little package that hugs all its curves, and tucks in a surprise or two … or three. Don’t expect great emotional depth — that’s not what the movie is about; it’s about watching two people fight and claw their way to the top, with humor, smarts, and a nail gun.” Peter Martin, Screen Anarchy

“Mayhem may be a simple, straightforward genre mash-up in many respects, but it also offers more than a few well-earned chuckles and it rockets forward with such reckless enthusiasm that it’s hard to not get caught up in the ultra-violent insanity. If you take it too seriously, for even a few minutes, you’ll ruin the whole experience.” Scott Weinberg, Nerdist

Main cast:

Steven Yeun, Samara Weaving, Steven Brand, Caroline Chikezie, Kerry Fox, Dallas Roberts, Mark Frost, Claire Dellamar, André Eriksen, Nikola Kent, Lucy Chappell, Olja Hrustic, Bojan Peric, Annamaria Serda, Jovana Prosenik.

Filming locations:

Belgrade, Serbia

IMDb | Related: The Belko Experiment

Vampire Cleanup Department – aka Gao geung jing dou fu – is a 2017 Chinese Hong Kong comedy horror film directed by Sin-Hang Chiu and Pak-Wing Yan. It stars Siu-Ho Chin, Hok-chi Chiu and Babyjohn Choi.

Vampires have been haunting Hong Kong for centuries. Because of this, hidden in this city is an official special action unit coping with them — the Vampire Cleanup Department (VCD).

The street cleaners out at night are actually vampire hunters, their giant garbage bins containing the captured vampires. The ordinary garbage station is their secret headquarters…

The film was released in Hong Kong and Singapore on 16 March 2017.

Main cast:

Siu-Ho Chin (Rigor Mortis; Vampire Warriors; Mr. Vampire), Hok-chi Chiu, Babyjohn Choi, Min Chen Lin, Meng Lo (Human Lanterns; Hex After Hex; Hex vs. Witchcraft), Richard Ng (The Nocturnal Demon), Susan Yam-Yam Shaw (Hei se xi ju; Tales from the Dark 1; The Romance of the Vampires), Cheung-Yan Yuen (The House That Never Dies; Goliathon; The Oily Maniac).

IMDb | Thanks to Jeff Gilbert at Drinkin’ & Drive-In

‘Welcome to Vegas. The odds are you won’t leave alive!’

Leprechaun 3 – aka Leprechaun III and Leprechaun 3: In Las Vegas – is a 1995 American comedy horror film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith (Turkey Shoot; Night of the Demons 2; Leprechaun 4) from a screenplay by David DuBos (Bayou Tales).

The film stars Warwick Davis (Leprechaun franchise; Skinned Deep), John Gatins (Pumpkinhead II; Witchboard 2) and Caroline Williams (Tales of Poe; Hatchet III; Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2).

Plot:

An evil leprechaun finds himself in Las Vegas, where he proceeds to cause mischief by killing people, granting twisted wishes, and infecting a young man with his green blood…

Warwick Davis later said the movie was his favourite of the series. “I think it tapped into the potential of bringing a comedic element to it all. And Brian Trenchard-Smith, who directed that one, is an incredible director. He manages to get so much out of so little money, and that was what was great about working with him. He really got the humor.”

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“The gore is fair, rewarding viewers with effects that match the previous two films’, but leaves them more amused and content. Leprechaun 3 is funner and faster paced than one and Two. It’s also the first place to look for leprechaun dung (it’s green, by the way).” Josh G., Oh, the Horror!

” …not at all as bad as the franchise ended up becoming, but that’s really not saying very much at all; and Leprechaun 3 is so endlessly addled and pointless that it’s greatest sin isn’t that it’s bad, but that it is stultifying and boring.” Tim Brayton, Alternate Ending

“Leprechaun 3 delivers on the gore (the bloodiest scene is when he saws the magician in half), clever kills (he turns a guy into a human slot machine), and hilarious rhymes (“For that trick, I’ll chop off your dick!”). The flick also contains some intentional humor that’s actually quite funny.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

Cast and characters:

• Warwick Davis as Leprechaun
• John Gatins as Scott McCoy
• Lee Armstrong as Tammy Larsen
• Caroline Williams as Loretta
• John DeMita as Fazio
• Michael Callan as Mitch
• Tom Dugan as Art
• Marcelo Tubert as Gupta

Wikipedia | IMDb

Related: Dwarfs in Horror Cinema | Leprechaun | Leprechaun 2 | Leprechaun 4: In Space | Leprechaun: Origins

Beaster Day: Here Comes Peter Cottonhell is a 2014 American comedy horror film written and directed by Zack and Spencer Snygg.

The impending British Second Sight Films DVD release title is The Beaster Bunny!

Main cast:

Peter Sullivan, Marisol Custodio, John Fedele, Jon Arthur, Bill Joachim, Darian Caine, AJ Khan, Kerri Taylor, Jackie Stevens, Autumn Bodell, and Violetta Storms.

Part of the financing came from a successful Kickstarter funding campaign.

Plot:

Deep in the woods stalks a giant killer mutant Easter Bunny. Unsatisfied with nibbling on grass, he craves, chews lives on human flesh. Rock climbers, hitchhikers, and nudists alike all end up in his jaws as he devours everyone in his way. One by one, the townsfolk are consumed by the evil rabbit, but he still remains a mystery to most of the inhabitants.

Knowing that a flesh eating giant rabbit might affect tourism a bit and the upcoming Easter Day corporate sponsored parade, the corrupt mayor quietly covers up the deaths hoping to rake in as much cash as he can for the Easter Day celebrations.

The mayor tells the townsfolk that there is nothing to fear from the horrific decapitations and intestine removals. The deaths are all accidental demises due to hazardous farm tool equipment…

Reviews:

” …this is a fine choice if you like silly movies with inept special effects, pointless nudity, well crafted wackiness, and a marginal association with a major holiday. And if you don’t like any of those things, what the hell are you doing on this site? Watch it. It’s surprisingly watchable.” Drunk in a Graveyard

“Beaster Day: Here Comes Peter Cottonhell is a blast. It’s Troma-esque fun in all the right ways and certainly delivers the goods. It has a great sense of humor, incisive satire, lots of nudity, inventive kills and copious (albeit CGI) gore.” Really Awful Movies (authors of Death By Umbrella: The 100 Weirdest Horror Movie Weapons)

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

“Needless to say, the acting is bad. As in some of the worst I have ever witnessed in a movie bad. The characters are irrationally stupid and completely un-relatable as they walk around like chickens with their heads cut off. Obviously all the big breasted women lose their tops and run around before getting killed with some of the worst effects I have ever seen. Every effect looks so bad, especially the bunny.” Andy Comer, The Movie Waffler

” …this film is a riotous good time from start to finish, a blatant nod and fantastic addition to the genre of over-the-top camp and grue/splatter movies. The effects are plentiful, grisly and heavily CGI generated a fact that, though usually annoying and overdone, only added to my growing adoration of this feature.” Thy Demons Be Scribblin’

“This absurd and very witty gore fest is everything you want in comedic horror, and then some Jam-packed with terrible special effects, insanely absurd characters, slap-stick(ish) laugh out loud hilarity, and a rabbit puppet from your nightmares that only wants to eat your face off, this movie is absolutely something that needs to be seen to be believed.” Jolie Bergman, Horror Habit

“The film has little in the way of plot or acting. Much of the film simply consists of total idiots or women who inexplicably take their clothes off that are eaten by a 50 foot rat-like creature. While this sounds pretty dumb, it’s much worse. The ‘killer bunny’ is obviously a marionette and the filmmakers really don’t try very hard to make it look realistic.” Martin Hafer, Influx magazine

“Everything about Beaster Day is bad, but it’s supposed to be and that’s the fun of it. This film most definitely falls into the category of being so intentionally bad that it’s awesome. This film reminds me of something you would see on Syfy except that it’s actually good and could never play on that channel due to all the excessive gore and nudity.” Michael Juvinall, Horror Society

” …the dialogue was actually witty and a lot of fun, it just seemed to flow well between the entire cast who put on an excellent job of being over cheesy as it worked, they just seemed to mesh well together. Sadly, the film is filled with CGI [..] And did I mention boobs? Yes, this rabbit has taste for hot chicks with copious amounts of cleavage, there are boobs galore…” Chris Savage, Horror-Movies.ca

Filming locations:

Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA

Technical credits:

87 mins | colour | 16×9

IMDb

Related: Monty Python: Horrific Humour – article by David Flint | Night of the Lepus

‘Paint the town red’

Double Date is a 2017 British comedy horror film directed by Benjamin Barfoot from a screenplay by Danny Morgan, who also stars along with Georgia Groome (The Cottage), Michael Socha and Kelly Wenham.

Innocent Jim (Danny Morgan) is terrified of girls, yet still on a reluctant quest to prove his manhood the night before he turns thirty. He and his cocky friend Alex (Michael Socha) think they’ve hit the jackpot when they meet the beautiful siblings Kitty (Kelly Wenham) and Lulu (Georgia Groome), who seem up for anything on a wild party-fueled night.

However, little do they know that the femmes fatales want to make Jim lose much more than just his virginity and secretly have another darker agenda for Jim’s birthday – virgin sacrifice…

IMDb

Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell – aka Jigoku no chimidoro Muscle Builder and The Japanese Evil Dead – is a 2009 Japanese supernatural horror film written, directed by and starring Shinichi Fukazawa. It also stars Masaaki Kai and Asako Nosaka.

After a surprise phone call interrupts his daily workout, beefy body builder Shinji agrees to meet his photojournalist ex-girlfriend to help with her research on haunted houses.

Accompanied by a professional psychic, they visit an abandoned house once owned by Shinji’s father.

However, inside the house a dark secret lingers and they find themselves trapped and tormented by a relentless ghost with a thirty year grudge …

In the UK, the film is released on DVD on 24 April 2017 by Terracotta’s Asian horror label ‘Terror Cotta’.

Special Features include a step-by-step artwork gallery by Graham Humphreys (The Evil Dead, A Nightmare on Elm Street), original Japanese trailers, an extensive behind-the-scenes photo gallery and two ‘making of’ video clips.

Reviews:

“Gore is splattered across the screen throughout […] frequently delving into stop-motion animation for it’s more elaborate splatter sequences. Many horror comedies fail because they cannot find the correct balance between scares and laughs. Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell sticks to The Evil Dead blueprint by punctuating its comedic situations with buckets of blood.” Ken Wynne, Attack from Planet B

” …a showcase of talents, from Fukazawa’s budget-wary thrills and genre-awareness, to the quality and volume of the effects. Bloody Muscle Bodybuilder in Hell is an extended short film, or a feature film missing reels, either way it feels like the kind of thing that used to hide on the top-shelf of your local video store, which is no easy feat.” Scott Clark, The Forbidden Room

“This movie is very much a product of the late 90’s when it was filmed, the stop-motion effects are actually very good and there is bloody aplenty to go with the gore. The acting is fine too and you do get the feeling that the two leads still have feelings for each other.” David Creed, UK Horror Scene

Trivia:

The film was shot and edited in 8mm, then digital video, over a period of fourteen years!

IMDb

‘Get inside. Get away. Just don’t get…’

Stung is a 2015 American-German comedy horror film directed by Benni Diez (Galaxy of Horrors: “Kingz” segment). The cast includes Matt O´Leary (Santa Clarita Diet; Frailty; Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire), Jessica Cook, Peter Stormare and Lance Henriksen (Needlestick; Daylight’s End; Aliens; et al).

An XYZ Films production, Stung was developed by producer Benjamin Munz at Rat Pack Filmproduktion based on an idea by Adam Aresty, who won RatPack’s 2012 horror-writing contest. The film premiered on at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 17, 2015.

On 26 October 2015 Entertainment One released Stung on DVD in the UK.

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

Plot:

A fancy garden party goes terribly wrong after a local species of wasps mutate into giant predators. It’s up to Paul and Julia, two catering staffers at the high-society event, to stop the killer creatures – an effort that kickstarts a budding romance between the two…

Buy: Amazon.com

Reviews:

“It follows a very predictable path with familiar beats, even ending on a note that you’ll more than likely see coming. It’s an unfortunate misstep in an otherwise fantastic creature feature with awesome special effects and a lightning-quick story. Diez is an exciting new talent in the world of film and I can’t wait to see what he does next, especially with a wonderful debut like Stung leaving behind a particularly bloody mark.” Rhino’s Horror

” …aimed squarely at genre fans, who should enjoy its slick energy on a modest budget. The more original ideas and sensibility that might’ve made it something beyond a decent formulaic time-filler are lacking here — although with the narrative door left wide open for a sequel, such creative risks could be taken next time.” Dennis Harvey, Variety

“Stung suffers from some pretty poor CGI to begin with, but thankfully it doesn’t last too long. Once the wasp begin to bite people, leading to giant wasps ripping out of the bodies of the bitten, the practical effects swing into high gear and they all look really awesome. The scene with the first swarm attacking is really well done. Kudos to the makeup team led by Meike Gfrörer.” Chris Coffel, Bloody Disgusting

“Stung would have done itself a favor by leaning further in one direction over the other instead of tiptoeing on a tightrope between not tongue-in-cheek enough to be campy fun and not dramatic enough to be taken seriously.  Needing more animation in its action and more charisma in its cast, Stung is only slick enough to be a standard killer bug movie with too slight of a humorous edge.” Culture Crypt

“Some “animal attack” movies are worth seeing solely for the scary bits, but Stung tries pretty hard to provide us with some engaging characters and a few funny moments before it unleashes its swarm of giant, furious wasps. That effort alone is worthy of note, and doubly so when it results in a comedy/horror/romance that actually delivers in all three departments.” Scott Weinberg, Nerdist

Cast and characters:

• Matt O’Leary as Paul
• Jessica Cook as Julia
• Lance Henriksen as Caruthers
• Clifton Collins Jr. as Sydney
• Cecilia Pillado as Flora
• Eve Slatner as Mrs. Perch
• Daniele Rizzo as Larry
• Florentine Lahme as Gweneth
• Kathleen Renish as Mrs. Markham
• Tony de Maeyer as Doc Withney
• David Masterson as Mr. Markham
• Benedikt Bothe as Gardener 1
• Tommy Kreiselmaier as Gardener 2
• Benni Diez as Firefighter

Filming locations:

Bernau, Brandenburg, Germany

Wikipedia | IMDb