Philophobia: or the Fear of Falling in Love is a 2018 American comedy horror feature film directed by Tyler Cole from a screenplay by Aaron Burt. The latter stars, alongside Emily Pearse, David Lengel and Carly Reeves.

Mildly successful podcaster, Damien Booster, is digging his bachelor lifestyle until a frequent hookup confesses her love for him while delivering an ultimatum. If he shows up for brunch to meet her mother, she’ll know he is serious. If not, things are over between them. Now terrified and confused, Damien has to fight the urge to run from the thing that scares him most…

Cast and characters:

• Aaron Burt … Damien Booster
• Emily Pearse … Danielle Scott
• David Lengel … Alan
• Carly Reeves … Nancy
• Marissa Pistone … Carol
• Darren Keefe Reiher … Travis
• Katie Keene … Shena
• Casey Nelson … Greg
• Christina Robinson … Becca
• Dan J. Evans … The Bartender
• Kristin Carey … Mrs. Scott
• Gabrielle Walsh … Kelly
• Makena Taylor … Jessica
• Todd Stroik … Spanky the Clown
• Drew Moore … Bob

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Stree (“Woman”) is a 2018 Indian Hindi comedy horror feature film directed by Amar Kaushik from a screenplay by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K. It is based on the Indian urban legend Nale Ba, about a spirit who knocks on people’s doors at night.

The movie stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurrana and Abhishek Banerjee. It was produced by Dinesh Vijan and Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.under the banner of Maddock Films in association with D2RFilms. A sequel, Stree 2, has already been announced.

Plot:

The residents of a town named Chanderi believe in the myth of the spirit of an angry woman, referred to as “Stree”, who stalks men during the four days of a Puja festival each year. The men suddenly disappear with only their clothes left behind.

In order to protect the residents, a sentence “O Stree Kal Aana” which means “Hey Lady, Come Tomorrow” is written beside all the entrances of the houses . The men are advised to not roam after 10pm at night alone during festive season…

Reviews:

“Kaushik takes their smart script and runs with it. He seamlessly blends horror tropes – the point of view shot, jump scares, the end twist – with droll humor. The dialogue by Sumit Arora is consistently first-rate […] With laughs and scares, Stree delivers an important message.” Anupama Chopra, Film Companion

“I wish the first half of Stree made me laugh more often, and I wish the second half — which is outrageously quirky — was plotted more cleverly. The film hurtles toward a messy climax that feels like a cop-out, because of cheesy predictability…” Raja Sen, Hindustan Times

“This is an experimental comedy, that creates an eerie atmosphere and it manages to be funny and scary at the same time. Writers Raj and DK (who have directed films like Go Goa Gone, 99 and Shor in the City) bring in their trademark humour. The film has its absurdities, it also has its moments but the final act let’s it down.” Rachit Gupta, Times of India

More Indian horror

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In Fabric is a 2018 British supernatural horror film with comedic undertones written and directed by Peter Strickland (The Field Guide to Evil segment ‘The Cobblers’ Lot’; Berberian Sound Studio). It was produced by Andrew Starke (The ABCs of Death; The Greasy Strangler; Kill List). The movie stars Gwendoline Christie, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Caroline Catz and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

There is something odd about the vintage department store in which single mother Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) finds herself looking for a fancy new dress. The store’s employees are seemingly robotic in their stone-faced dedication to sales, the mannequins seem to be whispering to one another, women nearly trample each other to enter as its doors, and its television commercials are hypnotically sinister.

Nevertheless, Sheila buys a lavish red dress. Little does she know, her life will soon be overcome by a series of random misfortunes, supernatural phenomena, and living nightmares. And, it seems, the dress is to blame…

Reviews:

“Strickland frequently captures the dress billowing in the wind, shot against a pitch black background, a shot that is revisited throughout key moments in the film. As a pure image, it is astonishingly, hypnotically beautifully, but it is also perfectly fetishistic, at once a spectral object of desire and horror – a perfect encapsulation of the terrible fascination that the film In Fabric inspires.” Christopher Machell, Cinevue

“It’s easy to admire Strickland’s formal chops while still finding the film–or rather his throwback “flourishes”–a little conceited. Similarly, one is impressed by his brazen weirdness, while still finding that In Fabric can never totally succumb to total dream logic a la Dario Argento or Jess Franco. Ethan Vestby, The Film Stage

“Strickland’s film is visually arresting in the way it works as genre pastiche,  but it’s in the sound department that In Fabric excels; impromptu wails or screams punctuate the archive montages used to establish the era, and there are increasing whispers and audible chatter that pepper the shop floor scenes. It just adds to the unsettling eeriness of it all.” Matt Rodgers, Flickering Myth

” …a freaky mash-up of Are You Being Served? and Tales of the Unexpected, as directed by Mike Leigh after fourteen straight days without sleep […] Challenging, surprisingly funny and never for a second predictable, this is where you come to see what cinema can really be.” Neil Alcock, The Incredible Suit

“Yes, there are some marvelously cheesy, ‘70s European horror images on display here that should totally be this Argento lover’s thing, even shots of the red dress eerily moving toward people like a slasher, but In Fabric is an example of a talented director with a ton of ideas but no idea how to shape them.” Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

Cast and characters:

• Gwendoline Christie … Gwen
• Sidse Babett Knudsen … Jill
• Caroline Catz … Pam
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste … Sheila
• Julian Barratt … Stash
• Hayley Squires … Babs
• Leo Bill … Reg Speaks
• Richard Bremmer … Mr. Lundy
• Steve Oram … Clive
• Jaygann Ayeh … Vince
• Susanna Cappellaro … Miss Lullworth
• Fatma Mohamed … Miss Luckmoore
• Karl Farrer … Ribs
• Gavin Brocker … Clipper
• Simon Manyonda … Neal the Deal
• Eugenia Caruso … Charity Shop Shopper
• Pano Masti … Vlassis the Waiter
• Antonio Mancino … Sandro the Waiter
• Sara Dee … Cinnamon Bra Customer
• Terry Bird … Bananas Brian

Running time:

118 minutes

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‘Campy. Bloody. Sweatery.’

Ugly Sweater Party is a 2018 American supernatural comedy horror slasher feature film written and directed by Aaron Mento (Standards of Living).

The Ocular Migraine Production stars Charles Chudabala (Death House), Sean Whalen (The People Under the Stairs), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Brad Potts (Puppet Master X; Zombies vs. Strippers), Lara Jean Mummert (Anomaly) and Tiffani Fest (Circus of the Dead).

Plot:

On Christmas Eve, at a campsite deep in the woods, an ugly sweater party is in full swing. Best friends Cliff and Jody arrive expecting some mistletoe action from the foxy twins who invited them, but soon realise that they are at a Bible camp. To make matters worse, Cliff is wearing a sweater possessed by the ghost of notorious serial killer Declan Rains.

While the evil sweater slowly possesses Cliff, Jody also realises that the party guests aren’t as innocent as they first seem. In fact, every camper holds a dark secret that infuses the party with dangerous tension. Just when the pressure between campers reaches a fever pitch, Cliff falls victim to the bloodthirsty rage of the diabolical sweater and a new nightmare begins…

Ugly Sweater Party will be available exclusively on Amazon Instant Video from November 23, 2018.

Ho, Ho, Horror! Christmas Festive Fright Films – article

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‘A life and death intervention.’

The Hoard is a 2018 Canadian comedy horror feature film directed by Jesse Thomas Cook (Septic Man) and Matt Wiele (Exit Humanity) from a screenplay co-written with Tony Burgess (Pontypool) who also stars. The movie also headlines Lisa Solberg, Barry More, Ry Barrett and Elma Begovic.

A “reality tv crew” have created a show named Extremely Haunted Hoarders and plan to explore a series of condemned houses. The crew hopes to get one particularly notorious hoarder back on his feet. However, this might be impossible with the amount of trash and dead bodies, housed inside his buildings. ..

The Hoard will have its world premiere in Toronto on November 25th, at the Blood in the Snow Film Festival.

Cast and characters:

• Lisa Solberg … Sheila Smyth
• Tony Burgess … Dr. Lance Ebe
• Barry More … Himself
• Ry Barrett … Caleb Black
• Elma Begovic … Chloe Black
• Marcus Ludlow … Derek ‘Duke’ Jago
• Justin Darmanin … The Falcon
• Charles Ivey … Himself
• Jesse Thomas Cook … Officer Shane Chapman
• Kirk Haviland … Thrift Shop Employee

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‘Confess your sins’

Bloody Nun is a 2018 American comedy horror feature film written, photographed, edited and directed by Will Collazo Jr. (Theater of Horror; short: DeadYard). The David Sterling production stars Mark C. Fullhardt, Jen Elyse Feldy and Angie Hansen. Shawn C. Phillips has a cameo role in a prologue.

Six paranormal ghost hunters are competing to stay in the most haunted house in New York , with the winner hoping to get one million dollars from the mysterious Mr. Shiva. Using a Ouija Board they conduct a seance. Little do they know they are being set up to be tortured and killed by a ghoulish soul – a bloody nun.

Review:

“Once I realized this was a comedy and not spectacularly bad I grinned quite a bit. Humor is a very subjective thing and this is a bit sillier than I like. However if films like House Shark or Camp Death III in 2D are your thing you should be happy with Bloody Nun.” Jim Morazzini, Voices from the Balcony

Cast and characters:

• Mark C. Fullhardt … Mr. Shiva – The New York Butcher
• Jen Elyse Feldy … Jenna G
• Angie Hansen … Becky E
• Matt Bruzzio … Logan
• Jessica Collazo-Thomson … The Nun
• Cayrem Landt … Rico Vega
• Carl J Grasso … Hunk
• Joe Schonbrun … Toby
• Tim Thomson … Paranormal Tim
• Shawn C. Phillips … Coolduder

Trivia:

The original title was The Occultist 2: Demons so this was intended as a sequel to The Occultist (2009).

For more violent images from Bloody Nun click here

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Gila! is a 2012 science fiction horror feature film directed by Jim Wynorski (Chopping Mall; Sorceress; Transylvania Twist;  Piranhaconda; et al) from a screenplay by William Dever, Steve Mitchell, Jim Nielsen and Paul Sinor. It is a remake of The Giant Gila Monster (1959) and a pastiche of ’50s monster movies in general.

The movie stars Bruce Munson, Adrienne Atkins, Brian Patrick McCulley and Brian Gross. Terence Knox and Kelli Maroney have cameo roles.

Plot:

A young couple are parked in a bleak, rural locale when a giant gila monster attacks the car, sending them running for their lives. Chase Winstead (Gross) , a young mechanic and hot rod racer and his girl Lisa (Voges), meet up with Chase’s former nemesis, Waco Bob (Janzen) and his sidekick Carla (De Rosa).

Prompted by calls from Mayor Wheeler (Pauwels), the local Sheriff (Knox) enlists the help of Chase, locates the crashed car in the ravine and finds evidence of the giant lizard. They attempt to destroy the creature, but that only makes it more vicious…

Reviews:

“Looking more cheaply made than your average Syfy channel movie, Gila! is undemanding and fairly entertaining with an amusing CGI creature (designed by Killer Klowns from Outer Space’s Charles Chiodo) and a cast imitating the cheesy earnestness of small town characters in fifties and sixties monster movies (with nods to old-school sexism, the Communist threat, and polio).” Eric Cotenas, DVD Beaver

“First off, it’s set in the 50s and is a remake of the 1959 The Giant Gila Monster. So that’s cool, a throw-back to the old style, but they only got it half right. Sometimes the extras are dressed in modern clothes and it always seems like a high school set that someone who didn’t even live during the 50s designed. It’s part homage, part spoof, a mix of silly and serious that could have been much more solidified.” Olie Coen, DVD Talk

“The monster attack scenes are fun, especially when they involve two drunk Irishmen driving away from the giant lizard in reverse. But they’re spread thin. There are endless scenes involving the characters figuring out what the monster is, making you say, ‘get on with it, already!’ There’s also entirely too much driving around and inane dialogue.” Horror News

” …Wynorski pulled off a very rare feat in making a pic of this ilk entertaining. And to his credit, he’s got a clear, albeit basic vision that he brings to life relatively well. He certainly siphons some memorable performances from a series of relative unknowns, and he keeps a certain degree of synergy coursing through the cast. That’s respectable. Matt Molgaard, Horrorfreak News

“The effects work here is sub Syfy quality which is likely why the creature is glimpsed for mere moments. When the film is titled Gila! that’s gonna be an issue now don’t you think? Set in the 1950 the low-budget of this one didn’t exactly make it easy to capture the vintage aesthetic – they give it a good try but the styles sorta come and go from scene to scene.” Ken Kastenhuber, McBastard’s Mausoleum

“There are some historical anachronisms that pop up occasionally, but Gila! is a low-budget monster movie playing 1950s dress-up, and it doesn’t aspire to be much more than that. If that doesn’t sound like fun to you, then it probably won’t be.” Christian Bates-Hardy, Rock! Shock! Pop!

“The soundtrack is all rock n’ roll music, lots of muscle cars are used that are fun to look at, and again those two female leads make for an entertaining yarn that just about doesn’t outstay it’s welcome […] Gila! does nothing at all original and has really bad special effects but it is feel good and a great B-Movie, the acting is decent also which is a big plus in my book!” Daniel Simmonds, The Rotting Zombie

Cast and characters:

• Bruce Munson … Johnny Langostina
• Adrienne Atkins … Betty
• Brian Patrick McCulley … Don
• Brian Gross … Chase Winstead – 2001 Maniacs, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Chase Adams … Pike
• Madeline Voges … Lisa
• Bone Ramsay … Dave
• Vinnie Van Dolsen … Rick
• Jesse Janzen … Waco Bob
• Christina De Rosa … Carla
• Dave Haney … Joe (as David Haney
• Tom Sparx … Bill
• Callie-Nycole Burk … Elsa
• Robert Hay Smith … Lars
• Micheal Price … Clete
• Terence Knox … Sheriff Parker
• Kelli Maroney … Wilma – Hell’s Kitty;Transylvania Twist; Not of This Earth (1988); Chopping Mall; Night of the Comet
• Jenna Ruiz … Missy Winstead
  Ellen Kingston … Dorothy Winstead
• Julie McCullough … Vera
• Gerard Pauwels … Mayor Wheeler
• James Wolford Hardin … Karl Swenson
• Judy Joseph Crippin … Maybelle Swenson
•  Steve Anderson … Injured Driver
• Jeff Bodart … Ambulance Driver

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‘It’s waiting…’

Lake Fear 3 – aka Lake Fear: Origin of Evil – is a 2018 American supernatural comedic horror feature film directed by Michael Crum (Fall of Grace; Anna; Allegiance of Powers; Lake Fear) from a screenplay by Gerald Crum. The MGI Films production stars KateLynn E. Newberry, Shanon Snedden, Joshua Winch and Devi Khajishvili.

Revel (Shanon Snedden) is looking for her missing sister Jordan with her best friend Chloe (KateLynn E. Newberry). A misdirected weekend adventure that Jordan took a few years ago has led to her disappearance after she encountered an evil entity in a cabin in the woods. Revel and Chloe enlist the help of Vincent (Devi Khajishvili), a failed paranormal TV series host, with the hopes of his ‘talents’ leading to their success.

Instead, they realise the evil unleashed a few years ago has become stronger and escaped the bounds of its original cabin. They also encounter Remington (Joshua Winch) the original finder and fighter of the evil who gives them some very unwanted and dire news. Will this group of mismatched personalities win the fight or suffer the unknown fate as many others before?

Reviews:

“Lake Fear 3: Origin of Evil has a sinister atmosphere, truly unexpected turns, and buckets of blood that are all guaranteed to keep you entertained. I should also mention that it’s equal parts action-drama as it is horror […] A tremendous showing of talent, skill and understanding of ones story and product. Let this one get under your skin…” Horror Society

“While Lake Fear 3 isn’t the best indie horror film we have seen, it does show much improvement over the original that it is a sequel to. It was nice to see Joshua Winch reprise his role as Remington, and he was great in this. The writing and some of the shots were questionable from time-to-time, but Lake Fear 3 is a fun, gory, and imaginative effort…” Midnight Horror Show

“Lake Fear 3 is gimcrack, kitschy and cheeky. Its humorous and entertaining if you are willing to sacrifice certain standards that you have come to expect from bigger names and budgets…”  Nevermore Horror

Cast and characters:

• KateLynn E. Newberry … Chloe – Legend of Gore Orphanage; Death Metal; Mother Krampus 2: Slay Ride; The Curse of Lilith Ratchet; et al
• Shanon Snedden … Revel – The Ouija Experiment 2: Theatre of Death; Fall of Grace; Lake Fear
• Joshua Winch … Remington – Fall of Grace; Lake Fear; Demonic Pizza short
• Devi Khajishvili … Vincent
• James D. Pruitt … Bartender / Fish Monster
• John Zetty … Old Man
• Richard S. Blake … Douche / Derek
• Jake Nicholodeon … Mirror Monster
• Vandi Clark … Grandmother
• Kevin A. Green … Theatre Worker
• Anna Baumgartner … Girl in theatre
• Helen Heer … Woman at Theatre
• Samantha Heer … Girl at Theatre
• Fred Keel … Man at Theatre
• Liam Newton … Boy in theatre

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‘Writing is a dying art’

Blood Paradise is a 2018 Swedish comedy horror feature film directed by Patrick von Barkenburg from a screenplay co-written with Andréa Winter (aka musical artist Baby Yaga), both of whom also star, alongside Christer Cavallius.

Plot:

Reeling after her latest novel flops, best-selling crime writer Robin Richards (Andréa Winter) is sent by her publisher to the Swedish countryside to regain inspiration. There alone, she comes across an assortment of peculiar characters, including her driver and most obsessive fan, his explosively jealous wife, and the progressively more unhinged man who owns the farm that’s hosting her.

Totally out of place in her new surroundings – for one, Robin is always dressed for glamorous, big-city life – she discovers just how dangerous these oddballs may be…

The North American distribution rights to Blood Paradise have been picked up by Artsploitation; they plan a limited theatrical release in the latter part of 2019.

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‘In the cartoon dimension… anything is possible.’

Terror Toons III: Herschell’s Gory Story – aka Terror Toons 3 – is a 2015 American comedy horror feature film directed by Joe Castro (Terror Toons and sequel) from a screenplay co-written with Steven J. Escobar. The movie stars director Herschell Gordon Lewis, Beverly Lynne, Lizzy Borden and Lizet Garcia.

Plot:

Cindy and her little sister Candy are still fighting the good fight against evil Dr. Carnage and his abominable sidekick, Max Assassin, with the help of their friends. Enter the darken, kaleidoscope coloured world of the cartoon dimension where anything is possible. Where everyone is subject to a blood splattered crazy cartoon death…

Reviews:

“We get some cool bloody death scenes and while several are a little too out there and over the top (the one with the breast enlargement comes to mind immediately) they are still fun in their own zany way for the most part. Even though the biggest majority of them are weird and wacky they are still pretty brutal and bloody at the same time…” Todd Martin, Horror News

“There’s so much computer generated trash on screen at any given moment that it literally becomes incomprehensible visual gibberish, and not in the questionably arty-farty style of Alejandro Jodorowsky.  This thing is a veritable dog’s breakfast on your television screen.  At times it felt like it was procedurally generated by some sort of twisted artificial intelligence hell-bent on extracting its vengeance on mankind.” Nightmarish Conjurings

“There is not much plot, and it is more about the various insane segments of splattery mayhem, anything-goes fantasy, and random violence, and, obviously, actors act over-the-top while the scenery chews them. Once again, terrible and entertaining at the same time.” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre

Cast and characters:

• Herschell Gordon Lewis … Himself
• Beverly Lynne … Cindy
• Lizzy Borden … Candy
• Lizet Garcia … Sheriff Hate
• Jonah Nemetz … Red
• Brashaad Mayweather … Bad Wolf
• Robert Rhine … Doctor / TV Host
• Mike Mendez … Police Chief
• Brinke Stevens … Pandora

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‘One size kills all’

Silk Scream is a 2016 American comedy horror feature film co-produced and directed by Jason Matherne (Grimewave; Goregasm; Stabbed in the Face; Goreface Killer) from a screenplay by co-producer Bill Heintz (short: Creepy Dean), who also provided the synth soundtrack. The Terror Optics Studios movie stars Ari Lehman, Renell Gibbs, Lauren Alexandra and Lisa Mackel Smith.

Plot:

In New Orleans, two unlikely heroes team up to solve an ongoing killing spree targeting clients and co-workers of a t-shirt printing business…

Release:

Silk Scream will be issued on DVD in the USA on March 12, 2019, by Wild Eye Releasing.

Cast and characters:

• Ari Lehman … Hanes – Clown Motel: Spirits Arise; Terror Tales; Rock Paper Dead; Camp Killer; The Barn; Easter Sunday; Friday the 13th (1980); et al
• Renell Gibbs … Tank
• Lauren Alexandra … Heather
• Lisa Mackel Smith … Lace
• Jason Matherne … Reggie
• Hunter McGregor … Art
• Bill Heintz … Mark
• Steve Waltz … Tee
• Lorraine Chetta … Bella
• Jenn Attaway … Polly

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‘What the worst thing that can happen?’

Cursed is a 2018 Australian comedy horror web series written and directed by Connor Fairclough and produced by Tristan Barr. The Continuance Pictures production stars Kyle McCallion, Cleo Massey, Omar Al-Sobky, Elliot Loney, Neel Kolhatkar, Mitch Wanless and Josh Wade.

Official synopsis:

“Ever been interrupted by an inter-dimensional force of evil whilst on the toilet? Or had to take responsibility of a possessed doll when you haven’t even mastered personal responsibility? Had to distance yourself from a clingy demon spirit in the form of a clown? Isaac and Ned have, and they’re not overly thrilled about it

Cursed is a horror-comedy series that parodies the clichés and techniques typically found in the horror genre, similar in style to Shaun of the Dead. Shot with the intention of an online release, Cursed draws influence and satirises such horror films as The Conjuring, IT, The Nun, and Annabelle.

The story follows Isaac (Kyle McCallion), who releases a curse on himself after fiddling with a Ouija Board one drunken night. Through each episode, he and his useless housemate Ned (Omar Al-Sobky) must deal with countless paranormal hauntings whilst managing their daily mundane lives.

“The show was born out of my amusement when watching various horror movies and placing myself in scenes, begging the question, what would I do if faced with different entities of evil?” creator and writer Connor Fairclough says.

Connor reunites his Head Above Water cast that can be seen on Channel 9 and Stan, including Elliot Loney who plays ‘Perry’ an unassuming but aspirational entity and Neel Kolhatkar who plays “Charles D” a pompous real estate agents assistant.”

Will you be watching Cursed? Let us know in the comments below. Don’t hold back…

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‘The Christmas spirit never dies’

Christmas with the Dead is a 2012 American  comedy horror feature film directed by T.L. Lankford [as Terrill Lee Lankford] from a screenplay by Keith Lansdale, based on a story by Joe R. Lansdale. The movie stars Damian Maffei, Brad Maule and Chet Williamson.

Plot:

In his quest to fulfil a promise made to his wife, Calvin sets out to right his wrongs and make it the best Christmas ever for his family. If only it weren’t June and the majority of the population, including his wife and daughter, hadn’t been turned into flesh-eating snappers by a mysterious atmospheric phenomenon, he’d be in pretty good shape.

Driven by guilt in a race against the apocalyptic clock, Calving teams up with G.M., a wily ex-garbage man turned undead slayer, as together they attempt to deck the halls during the most magical time of the year. It’s Christmas in June. And snappers be damned… The lights and decorations are going up.

Reviews:

“…clever, and quite funny, tongue-in-cheek humor abounds herein, from the snappy, knee-slapping dialog…the caustic, albeit laughable interaction of the characters…even to the zombies themselves, who shamble, jerk, spark and ‘pop’ about, as if they were uncontrollably plagued by perpetual body Tourette’s Syndrome…” Kevin Moye, Cinema Head Cheese

“Hilarious, scrappy, and even creepy!” Chris Alexander, Fangoria

” …comes to life with some snappy dialogue and a crafty sense of humor. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise as legendary scribe Joe R. Lansdale wrote the short story of the same name. Adapted for the (small) screen by his own spawn Keith Landsale, we finally have a shot-on-video, amateur acted, low-renter that is actually well-written, through no fault of its own.” Thomas T. Sueyres, Video Junkie

Cast and characters:

• Damian Maffei … Calvin – Haunt; The Strangers: Prey at Night; The House That Cried Blood short; Night of the Pumpkin short; Nikos the Impaler
• Brad Maule … G.M.
• Chet Williamson … Reverend Mac
• Clyde Williams … Driver
• Madeline Brassell … Tina
• Marsail Carlo … Snapper
• Katie Chambers … Snapper bride
• Adam Coats … Ray
• Jennifer Daniel … Snapper
• David Evett … Snapper
• Kristen Hall … Gate snapper
• Sheri Hambrick … Nana zombie
• James Harris … Santa snapper
• Jaime Hedrick … Snapper
• Christopher Shea Howard … Man with shotgun

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‘In this house… if you’ve seen one ghost… you haven’t seen them all.’

Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror feature film directed by Tim Burton (Frankenweenie; Dark Shadows; Sweeney Todd; Sleepy Hollow; Mars Attacks!) from a screenplay by Michael McDowell (Cold Moon; Thinner; Tales from the Darkside) and Warren Skaaren. The Geffen Film Company production stars Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton. It was distributed by Warner Bros.

The film’s soundtrack score was composed by Danny Elfman (Goosebumps; Dark Shadows; The Wolfman; Nightbreed; et al).

Plot:

After Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck haunting their country residence, unable to leave the house.

When the unbearable Deetzes (Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones) and teen daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) buy the home, the Maitlands attempt to scare them away without success. Their efforts attract Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), a rambunctious spirit whose “help” quickly becomes dangerous…

Reviews:

“While the character is pretty iconic, his hazy characterization leaves us confused as to where Burton wants to take this movie. It’s also a shame that the most developed character here is the title character whose own back story begs for more emphasis over the stale heroes played by Alec Baldwin and Gena Davis. Some scenes and gags make absolutely no sense..” Felix Vasquez, Cinema Crazed

“The uniformly great cast is by turns mournful and affecting, callous and obnoxious, and in the case of Michael Keaton, unforgettably and wonderfully repulsive. In his portrayal of Beetlejuice, Keaton created a screen icon for freaks and weirdos.” The Daily Grindhouse

“Beetlejuice is one of the most original characters of the last 25 years, and one has to wonder why a sequel (which could have explored his past) was never made […] Beetlejuice is in a league of its own. Few films combine ghosts, shrimp-monsters, and conga dancing in the way that this one does, and that’s why it remains a classic it this day.” Mike Long, DVD Sleuth

” …Beetlejuice combines gleefully gory special effects with high camp, sharp wit and irreverent humour. There’s gentle comedy structured around the Maitlands’ social awkwardness in the afterlife, turning into something much darker as they realise what they have unleashed. Yet what stands out most about this film is its sense of fun…” Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film

“The story almost comes off the rails, but Beetlejuice’s charm lies more in the execution. The movie is crammed with visual invention and snappy comedy. The afterlife is richly imagined as a macabre bureaucracy. The living world is no less outlandish, especially with those eye-popping interiors and costumes.” Steve Rose, The Guardian

” …a delight; it’s an experience, rather than another helping of the same old thing. There isn’t much to it, storywise (Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson conceived the idea), but it brilliantly creates a sense of wonder missing from so many current Hollywood films […] colorful, delightfully deranged and endlessly inventive — a grand-scale funhouse that can be enjoyed by children of all ages.” The Hollywood Reporter

” …tries anything and everything for effect, and only occasionally manages something marginally funny” Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Off-the-wall humour and some sensational sight gags make the movie, maddenly disjointed though it sometimes is, a truly astonishing piece of work.” Steve Grant, Time Out (London)

“There’s a whole lot of creativity on display here, especially during scenes in the afterlife and all it’s various victims, and the predominantly stop motion effects still look good to this day. The production design is also great balancing Leave It to Beaver with dank underworlds and they’ve thrown in a lot of little touches (like when they’re sucked into the model the grass is turf-like in appearance), which pleased me to no end.” The Video Graveyard

“Beetlejuice is a blast the whole way through.  The entire cast is flawless […] The plot gets increasingly sloppy as the film goes on but Burton cranks up the energy so much that you don’t notice it too much.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

Choice dialogue:

Beetlejuice: “I’ll eat anything you want me to eat. I’ll swallow anything you want me to swallow. But, come on down and I’ll… chew on a dog! Arroooo!”

Cast and characters:

• Michael Keaton … Betelgeuse (pronounced “Beetlejuice”)
• Alec Baldwin … Adam Maitland
• Geena Davis … Barbara Maitland
• Winona Ryder … Lydia Deetz
• Catherine O’Hara … Delia Deetz
• Jeffrey Jones … Charles Deetz
• Annie McEnroe … Jane Butterfield
• Glenn Shadix … Otho
• Sylvia Sidney … Juno
• Robert Goulet … Maxie Dean
• Maree Cheatham … Sarah Dean
• Dick Cavett … Bernard
• Susan Kellermann … Grace
• Adelle Lutz … Beryl
• Simmy Bow … Janitor
• Carmen Filpi … Messenger
• Patrice Martinez … Receptionist
• Tony Cox … Preacher
• Jack Angel … the voice of the Preacher
• Cindy Daly … the Three-Fingered Typist
• Rachel Mittelman … Little Jane
• Douglas Turner … Char Man

Filming locations:

East Corinth, Vermont (General Store and Masonic Hall)
Culver Studios, Culver City, California

Technical credits:

92 minutes | Technicolor | 1.85: 1

Release:

March 30, 1988

Box office:

Beetlejuice took $73,707,461 domestically, against a reported budget of $15 million. Worldwide takings are unavailable.

Other media:

Due to the film’s financial success, ABC created a Beetlejuice animated television series which show ran for four seasons lasting from September 9, 1989 to December 6, 1991. Three tie-in video games were also produced.

Trivia:

Warner Bros. disliked the title Beetlejuice and wanted to call the film House Ghosts. As a joke, Burton allegedly suggested the name Scared Sheetless and was horrified when the studio actually considered using it.

Juliette Lewis auditioned for the role of Lydia. Lori Loughlin, Diane Lane, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brooke Shields, Justine Bateman, Molly Ringwald, and Jennifer Connelly all turned down the same role.

More comedy horror

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‘Zombies for the holidays’

A Cadaver Christmas – aka Zombies at Christmas – is a 2011 American comedy horror feature film directed by Joe Zerull from a screenplay co-written with Daniel Rairdin-Hale and Hanlon Smith-Dorsey who also star.

Plot:

United by terrifying and bizarre circumstances, the janitor, the drunk, the bartender, the cop, his perp, and the student security guard must fight to undo the professor’s work.

A dark force is at work in the cadaver lab this Christmas and this unconventional band of heroes are the only hope the world has against an army of living corpses that are quickly recruiting new members….

Reviews:

“The film focus mostly on the slapstick comedy element and doesn’t have a lot of gory scenes. The comedy is hit or miss and I didn’t think it was very funny. It should be said that I rarely do find that horror / comedy films work very well though, so I’m not surprised that I didn’t care much for this one.” Torstein Karlsen, Cinema Terror

“Mixing elements of Braindead and Feast, with a few other splatterific titles referenced along the way, A Cadaver Christmas tries hard for most of its runtime, but it becomes clear after the first few scenes that this is a slight film built around a few set-pieces that aren’t as memorable as they were in the minds of the men writing the script…” Kevin Matthews, For It Is Man’s Number

“Co-scenarist Hale does the angry-nerd-turned-superhero to perfection, but Smith-Dorsey is particularly funny as the dimmest bulb onscreen. Feature directorial debutant Joe Zerull keeps the silly tale just pacey, deadpan and loopy enough to buoy it several degrees above Troma-style low camp.” Dennis Harvey, Variety

“There are some great scenes that get punctuated by some genuinely funny lines (“He stabbed Eddie in the neck with a desk!”) and some visual gags that actually made me laugh. Credit should also be given to Hale (who also produced as Daniel Rairdin-Hale) for his committed performance as the janitor.” William S. Wilson, Video Junkie

Main cast and credits:

• Daniel Rairdin-Hale … The Janitor (as Dan Hale)
• Hanlon Smith-Dorsey … Tom Tunninbum
• Yosh Hayashi … Sam Sheriff
• Ben Hopkins … Eddie
• Jessica Denney … Kristen Stable
• Andrew Ryan Harvey … The Perp (as Andrew Harvey)
• Michael Kennedy … Professor Hildencress
• Mark Weitzel … Zed Cadaver
• Matt Cox … Plunger Face Cadaver
• Megan Cox … Broken Foot Cadaver

Filming locations:

Blue Grass and Davenport, Iowa, USA

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‘Elvira makes her big scream debut in her hot new comedy’

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a 1988 American comedy horror feature film directed by James Signorelli from a screenplay co-written by Sam Egan, John Paragon and Cassandra Peterson. The latter stars as Elvira alongside W. Morgan Shepard, Daniel Greene, Jeff Conaway, Susan Kellerman and Edie McClurg.

Plot:

Having just quit her job as a Los Angeles TV horror hostess, Elvira receives the unexpected news that she s set to inherit part of her great-aunt Morgana s estate. Arriving in the small town of Fallwell, Massachusetts, to claim her inheritance, Elvira receives a less than enthusiastic reception from the conservative locals – amongst them, her sinister uncle Vinny, who unbeknownst to Elvira, is an evil warlock who secretly schemes to lay his hands on the old family spell book for his own nefarious ends…

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk

• Brand new restoration from a 4K scan of the original interpositive
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original Uncompressed Stereo 2.0 audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Introduction to the film by director James Signorelli
• 2017 audio commentary with director James Signorelli, hosted by Fangoria Editor Emeritus Tony Timpone
• 2017 audio commentary with Elvira Webmaster and judge of US TV show The Search for the Next Elvira Patterson Lundquist
• Archival audio commentary with actors Cassandra Peterson, Edie McClurg and writer John Paragon
• Too Macabre – The Making of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark – newly-revised 2018 version of this feature-length documentary on the making of the film including interviews with various cast and crew and rare never-before-seen archival material
• Recipe for Terror: The Creation of the Pot Monster – newly-revised 2018 version of this featurette on the concept and design of the pot monster, as well as the other SFX of the movie
• Original Storyboards
• Original US Theatrical and Teaser Trailers
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Patterson Lundquist and a short note on the 2012 audio commentary by Sam Irvin

Reviews:

“Mistress of the Dark is by no means a masterpiece, but compared to the likes of similar fare like Repossessed, it’s just infinitely more watchable and entertaining. Elvira sticks closely to the horror genre, providing a fish out of water comedy that was quite popular in films like Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and the eventual Addams Family big screen debut.” Cinema Crazed

” …shouldn’t be viewed as a horror movie. Sure, it has supernatural themes, slime covered beasties, heavy gothic overtones, and a token fog enshrouded graveyard or two, but the comedy is what makes this one so entertaining. Well, that and Elvira’s cleavage of course.” Digital Retribution

“Some of it misses, a lot of it sticks but all throughout Cassandra Peterson has her character nailed, hitting the big screen fully formed and armed with an arsenal of quips and put-downs that she delivers with all the relish of somebody who probably isn’t quite sure if they will get this opportunity again so is making the most of it.” FrightFest

“Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is no shining example of cutting-edge writing or overly competent filmmaking but it’s quite funny and self-aware.  Co-written by Peterson, the movie is tailor-made to fit into the Elvira brand and while not a critical or box office hit, it gained enough notoriety through video rentals to keep Elvira alive and kickin’.” The MN Movie Man

“The film has no real pretence to be anything other than a series of obvious bad jokes, innuendoes and sight gags, something at which it at least proves entertaining. It makes a light-hearted dig at fundamentalism – the town for example is called Fallwell, Massachusetts – although it never takes its own standpoint very seriously…” Moria

” …makes for goofy amusement with a finale that trots out a bunch of horror elements (a live severed hand, demons and all sorts of mischife), a main character who’s likeable and Edie McClurg amusing as the towns “goodie goodie”. Co-writer/star Cassandra Peterson does more than we’d of expected with the character and this is a fun timewaster for sure.” The Video Graveyard

” …just as Pee-wee Herman’s films are vehicles for his shtick, Elvira is mostly Elvira wisecracking and busting out of her dress. She’s fun, a Transylvania Valley Girl grown up into the Queen of the Bs, but after 96 minutes you may start thinking more fondly about those ’50s and ’60s camp classics she’s usually interspersed with.” Richard Harrington, The Washington Post

Main cast and characters:

• Phil Rubenstein … Director
• Larry Flash Jenkins … Technical Director
• Cassandra Peterson … Elvira
• Damita Jo Freeman … Associate Producer
• Tress MacNeille … Anchorwoman
• Edwina Moore … Hairdresser
• Mario Celario … Rudy
• Lee McLaughlin … Earl Hooter
• Bill Swearingen … Cameraman
• Charles Woolf … Manny
• Bill Dance … Messenger (as William Dance)
• William Cort … Lawyer / Game Show Host
• Sharon Hays … Game Show Girl
• Bill Cable … Cop
• John Paragon … Gas Station Attendant
• Joseph Arias … Hitchhiker
• Edie McClurg … Chastity Pariah
• Kris Kamm … Randy
• Scott Morris … Sean
• Ira Heiden … Bo
• Bill Morey … Mr. Rivers
• Pat Crawford Brown … Mrs. Meeker
• William Duell … Lesley Meeker
• Ellen Dunning … Robin Meeker
• Jeff Conaway … Travis
• Frank Collison … Billy
• Dick Miller [uncredited in footage from It Conquered the World]

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The Grot in the Grotto is a 2016 British comedy horror short film directed by James William Roberts from a script by James Hamilton.

Plot:

Where do department store Santas really come from? Meet the sinister organisation responsible for making sure there’s one in every grotto this Christmas…

Cast and characters:

• David Arrondelle … Christmas Elf
• Luke Booys … Christmas Elf
• Greg Cranness … Homeless Man
• James Hamilton … Walter Crust
• Alex Whyman … Christmas Elf

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‘This Halloween… Jay and Jackson are going astral.’

Mandao of the Dead is a 2018 American science fiction comedy horror feature film written , directed and starring Scott Dunn. The movie also stars Alexandre Chen, Sean Liang and Gina Gomez.

A sequel, Mandao of the Damned, is apparently already in development.

Plot:

Unambitious Jay Mandao (Scott Dunn) lives frugally off his late father’s cereal royalties. He wants nothing more than to live in solitude, but is duped into taking in his adult nephew-in-law, Jackson (Sean McBride).

As Halloween approaches, Jay begins having odd dreams, and comes to find that he has the ability of astral projection. Jay and Jackson are approached by a ghost who has a small window of opportunity to reverse his death at the hands of Jackson’s murderous ex-girlfriend…

Release:

Mandao of the Dead is available exclusively on Amazon Instant Video and will be released on  iTunes in February 2019.

Reviews:

“Dunn beats the odds and delivers an impressive horror comedy that hurls the classic duo dynamic into ’90s slacker culture” Film Threat

Cast and characters:

• Scott Dunn … Jay Mandao
• Alexandre Chen … Raymond Mandao
• Sean Liang … Cousin Andy
• Gina Gomez … Fer
• Erin Leigh Neumeyer … Mrs. Mandao
• Marisa Hood … Maeve
• Linda Loysen … Maeve’s Mother
• Samara Kohne … April
• David Gallegos … Darth
• Sean McBride … Jackson
• Tenoch Gomez … Dj Miguel (voice)
• Rosa Ledesma … Lucinda
• Max Moreno … Young Jay

Technical credits:

74 minutes | 2.35: 1

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‘Get in the Christmas spirit, or else…’

Humbug is a 2016 American comedy horror short film co-produced and directed by Matt Thieson and Justin Lee from a script by Milly Sanders. The SiniSisters Productions movie stars Jessee Foundray and the aforementioned Milly Sanders.

Plot:

When her neighbour refuses to get into the Christmas spirit, a jolly citizen takes matters into her own hands…

Reviews:

“Humbug is a fun short, one with an original idea that is played for cheesy laughs but doesn’t skimp on the gore & bad language. Scarlet & Betty are polar opposites but play off each other well, the Christmas references making Betty seem way more unhinged then she actually is.” Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life

“Minimal special effects, but pretty well done. Score and sound are on point. If you truly hate Christmas, you may not like how this ends. If you like Christmas, then maybe you won’t like how it ends, either.” Horror News

“A wonderfully dark and macabre Christmas-themed comedy, based on a humour that’s just silly enough to not drift off into the moronic and a story that really sets its surprises when one least expects them, and carried by a directorial effort high on Christmas camp…” Search My Trash

Cast and characters:

• Jessee Foundray … Scarlet
• Milly Sanders … Betty

Running time:

7 minutes

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‘Practice doesn’t always make perfect.’

Piercing is a 2018 American dark comedy horror feature film written and directed by Nicolas Pesce (The Eyes of My Mother) based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Ryū Murakami (Audition). The movie stars Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowska and Laia Costa.

Piercing will be released in the United States by Universal Pictures in limited theaters and on Digital HD and VOD platforms on February 1, 2019. A British DVD from Vertigo Releasing is due out on 1 April 2019.

Plot:

Reed (Christopher Abbott) is going on a business trip. He kisses his wife and infant son goodbye, but in lieu of a suitcase filled with clothes, he’s packed a toothbrush and a murder kit. Everything is meticulously planned: check into a hotel and kill an unsuspecting victim. Only then will he rid himself of his devious impulses and continue to be a good husband and father.

However, Reed gets more than he bargained for with Jackie (Mia Wasikowska), an alluring call girl who arrives at his room. First, they relax and get in the mood, but when there’s an unexpected disruption, the balance of control begins to sway back and forth between the two. Is he seeing things? Who’s playing whom? Before the night is over, a feverish nightmare will unfold, and Reed and Jackie will seal their bond in blood…

Reviews:

“Piercing can’t seem to figure out how to advance or complicate its sick-joke premise […] Pesce, unfortunately, sees only a kinky power struggle: Audition as a one-note black comedy, albeit one made with the visual flair he exhibited in his truly disturbing debut…” A.V. Club

“Piercing is a propulsive, intricately crafted thriller that plays like the twisted lovechild of American Psycho and Phantom Thread. Slick and sick, sometimes sexy, and surprisingly sweet, the film is carefully crafted to never let up on the tension while always pulling the viewer deeper into the intimacy unfolding between these two violently kinky loners.” Collider

“The stakes of the game are out in the open, it seems, but the question of consent lingers stickily in the air. Is someone about to get killed, and if so, is that person actually OK with it? We don’t know for sure even at the end, but that final moment before the credits offers a surprise so strange and pitch-perfect, it makes the whole affair look almost, well, sweet.” The Hollywood Reporter

“Piercing plays out like a swift tribute to Takashi Miike’s Audition filtered through Quentin-Tarantinoesque exuberance: Split screens, ubiquitous pop songs, and elegant camerawork make it clear that this wacky two-hander treasures idiosyncratic flourishes over narrative sophistication; clocking in at a brisk 81 minutes, it’s at once enjoyable in the moment and utterly disposable.” IndieWire

“The film is expertly crafted with jewel-toned cinematography, terrifically sleazy saxophone music, and performances by Abbott and Wasikowska that take turns seizing command. Still, like Reed’s solo rehearsals, Piercing has the feel of a blueprint, a talented man exercising his technical skills while waiting for a whack at the real deal.” Variety

Cast and credits:

• Christopher Abbott … Reed
• Mia Wasikowska … Jackie
• Laia Costa … Mona
• Olivia Bond … Bunny Girl
• Maria Dizzia … Reed’s mother
• Marin Ireland … Chevonne
• Dakota Lustick … TBC
• Wendell Pierce … Doctor

Running time:

81 minutes

Production companies:

• Paradise City
• YL Pictures Co
• Borderline Films
• Memento Films

Release:

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018.

Trivia:

Features music from Italian giallo thrillers The Red Queen Kills 7 Times (1972) and Tenebrae (1982).

Related:

The Eyes of My Mother

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