‘Dude, its one scary trip!’

Evil Bong is a 2006 comedy horror film produced and directed by Charles Band (Crash!; Ooga Booga) from a screenplay by Domonic Muir [as August White], based on Band’s own story.

The ending features an extended cameo by Tommy Chong, of Cheech & Chong fame. Bill Moseley of The Devil’s Rejects also make appearances in the film. It has been followed by three sequels, Evil Bong 2: King Bong, Evil Bong 3D: The Wrath of Bong and Evil Bong 420, plus the crossover franchise film Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong.

Plot teaser:

Nerdy college student Alistair McDowell (David Weidoff) moves in with law school drop-out Larnell (John Patrick Jordan), typical “surfer-stoner” Bachman (Mitch Eakins) and former baseball player Brett (Brian Lloyd). During Alistair’s stay, Larnell sees an ad for a large bong, in which the previous owner claims it was “possessed”.

Later that night, Bachman wakes up in a strip club where he meets Ooga Booga and Ivan Burroughs. He’s introduced by one of the strippers (Kristen Cladwell) who has skull heads on the cups of her bra.

When he comes near the bra, the skull heads start biting him in the neck and he bleeds to death. The next morning, the other roommates find Bachman dead on the couch. Alistair tells to them that it’s probably from the weed that came with the bong…

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Reviews:

” …if stupid-on-purpose moron comedies like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes or anything starring Pauly Shore trip your humor trigger, Evil Bong should be right up your alley. “Serious” horror-film fans can safely skip this one as the “horror” content is limited to a few gory bits when the boys run afoul of those flesh-eating stripper bras, and in some quick cameos by creatures/characters from other Full Moon features in the “Bong World” sequences.” Fat Freddy’s Cat

” …the film does have some funny moments, whether it be declarations about the journalistic integrity of High Times magazine or the hateful insults from a wheelchair bound old man directed at his slacker grandson. A lot of the humor has a sitcom feel to it. That could also be because the majority of the film is set in the living room of this one apartment (much like a sitcom)…” John Condit, Dread Central

“Of course the “special” effects are just the opposite, as practically inanimate puppets and props plague us for 90 minutes with little-to-no movement whatsoever. The entire thing happened inside the movie’s single set and I got real bored of this loser lair real quick. I may hate natural light and there being a world beyond my apartment, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like to be reminded of what it looks like from time-to-time.” The Tomb of Anubis

“Then there’s the bras. What’s scarier (and sexier) than cheap ass latex-looking skulls, sharks, and lips covering the nasty bits on the strippers that live in a club conveniently located right inside of a bong? Nothing, that’s what.” Kimmy Karnage, Horror Homework

Cast:

• David Weidoff as Alistair McDowell
• John Patrick Jordan as Larnell
• Mitch Eakins as Bachman
• Brian Lloyd as Brett
• Robin Sydney as Luann
• Kristyn Green as Janet
• Tommy Chong as Jimbo Leary
• Michelle Mais as Eebee (voice)
• Jacob Witkin as Cyril Cornwallis
• Phil Fondacaro as Ivan Burroughs
• Tim Thomerson as Jack Deth
• Bill Moseley as Bong World Patron
• Brandi Cunningham as Carla Brewster
• Dana Danes as Bong World Dancer
• Gina-Raye Carter as Bong World Dancer
• Sonny Carl Davis as Delivery Man
• Sylvester “Bear” Terkay as Bouncer
• Dale Dymkoski as Male Dancer
• Mae LaBorde as Rosemary Cornwallis
• John Carl Buechler as Gingerdead Man (puppeteer/voice)

Wikipedia | IMDb

Man with the Screaming Brain is a 2005 science fiction comedy horror film co-written, co-produced, directed by and starring Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead and sequels; Moontrap; Maniac Cop 2). It was Campbell’s feature film directorial debut. Dark Horse Comics published a comic book series based on the film.

Cast: 

Bruce Campbell, Stacy Keach (The Mountain of the Cannibal God; Roadgames; Ooga Booga), Tamara Gorski (Friday’s Curse; To Die For; Poltergeist: The Legacy), Tamara Gorski (Intruder; Candyman; Skinner), Antoinette Byron and Vladimir Kolev (Python 2; Copperhead; Shark in Venice).

Plot teaser:

Bruce Campbell plays William Cole, the wealthy CEO of a US drug company who travels to Bulgaria with his wife, Jackie (Antoinette Byron) in the hopes of diversifying his company’s financial interests. Cole is a stereotypical ugly American who constantly complains about the lack of Americanization of the former communist country. They’re driven to a hotel by a taxi driver, and former KGB agent, named Yegor Stragov (Vladimir Kolev)…

Reviews:

” … a comedy that doesn’t build, lacks structural integrity, and often falls flat. But it’s also winningly loopy, with bizarre incidental ideas and performance riffing making for a series of parts that almost make up for the faults of the whole. Larkish spirit of the enterprise is contagious.” Dennis Harvey, Variety

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Tamara Gorski

” … unintentional actual badness that could not be redeemed by the ham-handed stringing together of B-movie clichés: scary gypsies, former KGB agents, cheap foreign locations, girly catfights, transplanted brains, and Ted Raimi in full-on dork mode. It’s so cluelessly dumb that it manages to make the genuinely Eastern European actors in the cast sound like they’re putting on fakey accents. This movie — how you say? — it suck.” Maryann Johanson, Flick Filosopher

“The story is pretty ridiculous from start to finish, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing since the film doesn’t take itself seriously at all.” Johnny Butane, Dread Central

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

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Cast:

• Bruce Campbell as William Cole
• Tamara Gorski as Tatoya
• Ted Raimi as Pavel
• Antoinette Byron as Jackie Cole
• Stacy Keach as Dr. Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov
• Vladimir Kolev as Yegor Stragov
• Valentine Glasbeily as Uri
• Velizar Binev as Mayor
• Raicho Vasilev as Bartender
• Jonas Talkington as Larry
• Mihail Elanov as Punk 1
• Neda Sokolovska as Waitress
• Remington Franklin as Bar Punk

Wikipedia | IMDb

Terrordactyl is a 2015 comedy action horror film directed by Don Bitters III and Geoff Reisner from a screenplay by Don Bitters III.

Cast:

Bianca Haase, Victoria Summer (The Zombie Diaries; Dracula: Reborn; Transformers: Age of Extinction), Candice Nunes (Poseidon Rex), Jason Tobias (The Unraveling), David Landry (In the Woods; Teeth & Blood), Jack E. Curenton, Kevin Keator, Aubrey Wakeling, Christopher John Jennings, Adam Key.

Official plot teaser:

When a meteor shower rains down outside Los Angeles, Lars and Jonas, two friends stuck in tired, boring lives, head out to find one and strike it rich. After recovering one, they start being stalked by terrordactyls, ancient flying reptiles, that launch a full-on assault on the city. They go on the run, trying to survive, where the unlikely heroes, along with Candice, a tough-and-sexy bartender, Valerie, her sultry roommate, and Sampson, a constantly drunk and sassy ex-marine, soon discover that there’s more to the meteor than meets the eye. They must learn to put their differences aside, and fight back to make the terrordactyls extinct once again…

IMDb | Facebook | Image credits: Dread Central | Related: Prehistoric horror | The Land That Time Forgot

It Came from Hollywood is a 1982 comedy film compiling clips from a plethora of B movies. Written by Dana Olsen (Wacko; The ‘Burbs); Tales from the Cryptkeeper: ‘Hide and Go Shriek’) and directed by Malcolm Leo and Andrew Solt, the film features wraparound segments and narration by several popular American comedians, including Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Gilda Radner, and Cheech and Chong.

Despite being just a compilation of old movie clips, with comedy linking sequences of dubious merit, the film took a surprising $2,573,342 at the US box office.

Sections of It Came from Hollywood focus on themes such as gorilla pictures, anti-marijuana films, brain movies and the works of Ed Wood. Michael and Harry Medved are listed as consultants and this compilation seems to have been inspired by their sneering at B movies humour – featured in books such as The Golden Turkey Awards – and later co-opted by The Mystery Science Theatre 3000 team.

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Reviews:

“The hosts are all right in their introductory segments; Radner has a great moment barricading her door against gorillas, and Aykroyd turns up in Glen (or Glenda’s) white angora sweater. But the movie makes the annoying decision to let the hosts speak during the scenes from the bad movies, one-upping the original footage with wiseguy comments that should be left for the paying audience to make.” RogerEbert.com

“Sure, there’s kind of a sneering hipness to the comedy, a smug, let’s-laff-at-the-squares mindset that you’ll find in any revival-house screening of Reefer Madness. But ICFH manages to overcome its superiority complex, chiefly through a long Ed Wood career retrospective that proves you can admire the troubled filmmaker’s moxie while simultaneously laughing at the finished product. Also, Dan Aykroyd proves he can walk the walk in an angora sweater and Maidenform bra.” Dave Merrill, Compone Flicks

“Anyway, it’s a clip show, pretty well edited and possibly the slickest of the 80s bunch of them! (Only Terror in the Aisles gives it a run there!) The inclusion of good movies is off-putting whatever the motive, and whatever the psycho-emotional dangers of not doing so! And, the natural charms of their enactors notwithstanding, those sketches are a heavy debit!” Ha Ha, It’s Burl!

Films featured:

Sunny Side Up (1929)
Maniac aka Sex Maniac (1934)
Wonder Bar (1934)
The Lost City (1935)
Reefer Madness (1936)
Marihuana (1936)
Perils of Nyoka (1942)
Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943)
Musical Movieland (1944)
The Monster and the Ape (1945)
The White Gorilla (1945)
Blonde Savage (1947)
Street Corner (1948)
Daughter of the Jungle (1949)
The Flying Saucer (1950)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952)
Glen or Glenda (1953)

Robot Monster (1953)

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
The War of the Worlds (1953)

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Bride of the Monster (1955)
The Violent Years (1956)
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)

Fire Maidens from Outer Space (1956)
Runaway Daughters (1956)
Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956)
Don’t Knock the Rock (1956)
Rock Baby: Rock It (1957)

The Brain from Planet Arous (1957)

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
Dragstrip Girl (1957)

The Deadly Mantis (1957)

The Giant Claw (1957)

Beginning of the End (1957)

The Cyclops (1957)

From Hell It Came (1957)
The Amazing Colossal Man (1957)

I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957)
Teenage Monster (1958)
The Bride and the Beast (1958)
The Cool and the Crazy (1958)
Attack of the Puppet People (1958)
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)
High School Confidential! (1958)
High School Hellcats (1958)
The Space Children (1958)

Fiend Without a Face (1958)

The Fly (1958)

Curse of the Faceless Man (1958)
The Party Crashers (1958)
The Blob (1958)

I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)

Frankenstein’s Daughter (1958)
Monster from Green Hell (1958)
The Trollenberg Terror (1958)

Missile to the Moon (1958)
The Hideous Sun Demon (1959)
Battle in Outer Space (1959)
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Prince of Space (1959)

Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)
The Killer Shrews (1959)
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
The Tingler (1959)
First Man Into Space (1959)
The Loves of Hercules (1960)

The Hypnotic Eye (1960)
Invasion of the Neptune Men (1961)

Reptilicus (1961)
Rocket Attack, U.S.A. (1961)
Married Too Young (1962)

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962)
Matango (1963)

The Slime People (1963)
Evil Brain from Outer Space (1964)
The Creeping Terror (1964)
Atomic Rulers (1964)

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1964)

The Horror of Party Beach (1964)

Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster (1965)
Bat Men of Africa (1966)
Mars Needs Women (1967)
The Weird World of LSD (1967)
The X from Outer Space (1967)

Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967)
Son of Godzilla (1967)

Octaman (1971)
The Thing with Two Heads (1972)
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1973)
Black Belt Jones (1974)

A*P*E (1976)

The Incredible Melting Man (1977)
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978)

Wikipedia | IMDb

The Zombie King – aka King of the Dead – is a 2012 British horror comedy film directed by Aidan Belizaire from a screenplay by actor George McCluskey (Jacob’s Hammer; Knight of the Dead), based on a story by Jennifer Chippindale and Rebecca-Clare Evans.

The film stars Edward Furlong (Brainscan; Arachnoquake) and Corey Feldman (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter; Bordello of Blood), George McCluskey, David McClelland, Michael Gamarano (Backslasher). The film’s initial title was apparently Ed Wallace and the Z Team.

Having received several international releases, the film is being released on DVD in the UK on October 26, 2015 by High Fliers Films.

Buy DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Plot teaser:

Samuel Peters (Edward Furlong), once an ordinary man, dabbles in the laws of voodoo to bring his wife back from the grave. He soon encounters the god of malevolence, Kalfu (Corey Feldman), and makes a pact with him to destroy the underworld and bring chaos to earth. In return, he will become the Zombie King and walk the earth for eternity with his late wife.

But as the growing horde of zombies begins to wipe out a countryside town, the government creates a perimeter around the town and employs a shoot-on-sight policy. Trapped within the town, the locals, an unlikely bunch of misfits, must fight for their lives and unite in order to survive…

Trailer:

IMDb | Facebook

Warner Bros. has announced that Scooby-Doo! and rest of the investigative gang are being rebooted as an animated feature set to hit movie screens in 2018. As part of the Warner Animation Group banner, the Scooby movie will lead a roster of animated big screen adventures featuring characters from the late 60s/early 70s stable of Hanna-Barbera.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, animation veteran Tony Cervone, who has already directed several of the Scooby straight-to-DVD movies, is helming the new movie from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman.

Producers Charles Roven and Richard Suckle – responsible for Warner’s live-action Scooby-Doo (2002) and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) – are joined by Cervone’s producer wife Allison Abbate whose credits include The Iron Giant, The Fantastic Mr. Fox and the Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie.

Scooby-Doo! on Horrorpedia:

Scooby Doo: The Early Years – article

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo – animated TV series

Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!

Chill Out, Scooby-Doo!

Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo

Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King

Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster

Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost

Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare

Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster

Scooby-Doo! Glow in the Dark Puzzles – toys and games

Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated – animated TV series

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island

What’s New, Scooby-Doo?

‘First love never dies’

Clinger is a 2015 comedy horror film directed by Michael Steves from a screenplay co-written with Gabi Chennisi Duncombe and Bubba Fish.

Cast:

Vincent Martella, Jennifer Laporte, Julia Aks, Alica Monet Caldwell, Shonna Major, Rebecca Gail, Debbie Rochon and Lisa Wilcox.

The Kickstarter-funded film is being released to theaters and VOD on October 23, 2015 by Paragon Releasing.

Plot teaser:

When her overly-attentive high school boyfriend, Robert (Vincent Martella), dies in a gruesome accident, Fern’s (Jennifer Laporte) life is thrown into turmoil.

Senior year gets more complicated when Robert returns from the dead as a love-sick ghost and tries to rekindle their romance. But being dead only exacerbates Robert’s possessiveness, and things take a deadly turn when Fern tries to break up with him. Robert realizes that the only way to save his relationship is to kill his high school sweetheart so they can be together for eternity….

Reviews:

“There is plenty of charm, wit and good heartedness to counter any ill-feeling towards Clinger. The limitations of budget really hamper this from capturing its full potential – jokes land flat due to actors not good enough to hit them out of the park … Now that all involved have managed to create a fun, bizarre Dante-esque flick, there should be plenty of notice for their next project.” Ashley Norris, Scream Magazine

“Clinger is a light, entertaining, and extremely bloody take on the idea of teen love, a topic that in and of itself is a complete horror show for the most part. The script is well written, and although it gets a bit too goofy at times, much of the dialogue is smart and funny. The film also acts as a cautionary tale, warning those who jump head first into a new relationship just may end up losing it.” Adam Patterson, Film Pulse

“Considering their modest prior experience, perhaps the lead actors were directed to dumb down their performances to align them with the film’s lowbrow comedic aspirations. Laporte sometimes appears to be wincing her way through the role of the haunted girlfriend, never less convincing than when she’s meant to be showing affection for her awkward lover, whether he’s alive or otherwise. Martella’s air of smarmy bemusement rarely manages to connect…” Justin Lowe, The Hollywood Reporter

IMDb | Official site | Facebook

Hell & Back is a 2015 adult-only animated comedy horror film directed by Tom Gianas and Ross Shuman from a screenplay by Hugh Sterbakov and Zeb Wells.

The film is being distributed theatrically on October 9, 2015 by Freestyle Releasing.

Cast:

Mila Kunis, Susan Sarandon, Jay Johnston, Brian Posehn, Kumail Nanjiani, David Koechner, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Peña, Danny McBride, Paul Scheer, Nick Swardson, J.B. Smoove, Greg Proops, Lance Bass, Rob Riggle, Kerri Kenney, Maria Bamford, Dana Snyder, Seth Morris, Kyle Kinane, Bob Odenkirk, John Farley.

Official press release:

In the outrageous R-rated animated comedy from the Animation studio that brought you “Robot Chicken,” “Triptank” and “Bojack Horseman,” three friends embark on a wayward journey into the deepest, darkest depths of hell to rescue one of their own. While navigating their escape, they provoke a slew of misfit demons, a super sexy angel, infamous Greek legends, and the Devil himself; Hell has never been hotter!

Red Band Trailer

IMDb

‘Always bring protection’

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse – formerly Scouts vs. Zombies – is an 2015 American horror comedy film directed by Christopher B. Landon (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones) from a screenplay co-written with Carrie Evans, Emi Mochizuki and Lona Williams. The make-up effects are being handled by Tony Gardner and his company, Alterian, Inc.

The film is scheduled to be released on October 30, 2015 by Paramount Pictures.

Cast:

Tye Sheridan (X-Men Apocalypse), David Koechner, Cloris Leachman, Halston Sage (Goosebumps), Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, and Sarah Dumont.

Plot Teaser:

Three scouts and lifelong friends join forces with one badass cocktail waitress to become the world’s most unlikely team of heroes. When their peaceful town is ravaged by a zombie invasion, they’ll fight for the badge of a lifetime and put their scouting skills to the test to save mankind from the undead…

Cast and Characters:

• Tye Sheridan as Ben
• Logan Miller as Carter
• Joey Morgan as Augie
• Sarah Dumont
• David Koechner as Scout Leader Rogers
• Halston Sage as Kendall
• Patrick Schwarzenegger as Jeff
• Cloris Leachman as Ms. Fielder

Red Band Trailer:

Wikipedia | IMDb | Official site

Bag Boy Lover Boy is a 2014 American comedy horror film co-produced and directed by Andres Torres from a screenplay co-written with Toni Comas. It stars Theodore Bouloukos, Jon Wachter and Kathy Biehl.

Plot Teaser:

New York: Albert (Jon Wachter) works the night shift as a hot-dog vendor on the Lower East Side, where he meets photographer Ivan (Theodore Bouloukos). Ivan is fascinated by the slow-witted Albert and decides to give him a job working with him at his studio, where he takes fetish photos.

Albert is reluctant to participate in Ivan’s photos but shows interest in the photography job. When Ivan decides to go to a fashion shoot in Milan, he accidentally leaves the studio’s keys with Albert – who uses this as an opportunity to lure unsuspecting women to their deaths by enticing them with promises of a modelling shoot…

Reviews:

“Bag Boy Lover Boy is a film teeming with youthful energy. It is almost exploding off the screen with neon lights and colourful gels, embodying a refreshingly vibrant metropolitan world. The film has an incredible energy of chaos, a feeling of helplessness, and a desire to be heard. Stifled and exploited, the protagonist finds his voice through violence only because he has no other means of expression.” Justine Smith, Sound on Sight

“While sporting a determinedly independent spirit and veneer, Bag Boy Lover Boy is well-crafted for its low budget. Torres and his team may be exploring the rotted portions that still exist within the Big Apple, but they demonstrate a keen sense of how to capture the city’s seedy side without their own product appearing degraded. The you-are-there cinematography (by Ana Franquesa Solano) and the naturalistic performances, with Kathy Biehl also making a strong impression… Michael Gingold, Fangoria

“Torres and co-screenwriter Toni Comas throw out hints of class issues that might also fuel this violence, but don’t follow up on them, too interested in the particular loneliness of this creep to make him a symbol of a fed-up New York underclass. In the end, the film is more nostalgic for a seedy era’s aesthetics than authentically transgressive itself; but as Ivan knows, finding something that truly disturbs a viewer isn’t easy to do these days.” John DeFore, The Hollywood Reporter

“Torres shows promise, though, and seems to be happily shrugging off expectations about what cinema, particularly underground cinema – an anachronism, surely – is supposed to be … A dream scene in which a blood-soaked Albert gyrates through his own particular madness provides a glimpse of what our boy is really like, and where he’s going. Which is a place that’s not wholly uncomfortable, but close.” John Anderson, Indiewire

Cast and Characters:

• Theodore Bouloukos as Ivan Worthington
• Jon Wachter as Albert
• Kathy Biehl as Jackie
• Karah Serine as Nancy (as Kara Peterson)
• Adrienne Gori as Lexy
• Tina Tanzer as Sarah
• Marseille Morillo as Pig Model
• Teena Byrd as Prostitute
• Sarah O’Sullivan as Drunk Girl
• Saoko Okano as Miyuki
• James Elwood as Officer Rhodes
• Norman Outlaw as Officer Timmons
• Peter Trojgaard as Camera Shop Employee
• Ryan Preimesberger as Drunk Customer
• Amanda Charles as Drunk Customer’s Girlfriend

Wikipedia | IMDb | Official site

‘Everything that makes life worth leaving!’

The Vault of Horror is a 1973 British anthology horror film made by Amicus Productions. Like the 1972 Amicus film Tales from the Crypt, it is based on stories from the American EC Comics series written by Al Feldstein. The film was directed by Roy Ward Baker (The Vampire Lovers; Scars of Dracula; Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde) from a screenplay by Milton Subotsky.

None of the stories are actually from Vault of Horror comics. All but one appeared in Tales from the Crypt, the exception being from Shock SuspenStories.

The film is also known as Vault of Horror, Further Tales from the Crypt and Tales from the Crypt II.

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Cast:

Terry-Thomas (The Abominable Dr. Phibes; Dr. Phibes Rises Again), Dawn Addams (The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll), Denholm Elliott (To the Devil a Daughter; Hammer House of Horror), Curd Jürgens (The Sleep of Death), Tom Baker (The Mutations; Doctor Who), Michael Craig (Inn of the Damned; Turkey Shoot), Daniel Massey (Shadows of Fear; The Cat and the Canary) and Anna Massey (Frenzy; Haunted).

Framing Story

Five strangers board a descending lift, one by one, in a modern office block in London. They reach the sub-basement, though none of them have pressed for that destination. There they find an elaborately furnished room which appears to be a gentlemen’s club. The lift door has closed and there are no buttons to bring it back, nor any other exit. Resigned to waiting for help, each tells of a recurring nightmare…

Midnight Mess (Tales from the Crypt #35)

Harold Rodgers (Daniel Massey) tracks his sister Donna (Anna Massey) to a strange village and kills her to claim her inheritance. After settling down for a post-murder meal at the local restaurant, he discovers the town is home to a nest of vampires…

The Neat Job (Shock SuspenStories #1)

Obsessively neat Arthur Critchit (Terry-Thomas) marries Eleanor (Glynis Johns), a young trophy wife who is not quite the domestic goddess he hoped for. His constant nagging about the mess she makes eventually drives her mad. Upon his shouting at her, “Can’t you do anything neatly?”, she kills him with a hammer and cuts up the corpse, putting all the different organs into neatly labelled jars.

This Trick’ll Kill You (Tales from the Crypt #33)

Sebastian (Curd Jürgens) is a magician on a working holiday in India, where he and his wife are searching for new tricks. Nothing impresses until he sees a girl (Jasmina Hilton) charming a rope out of a basket with a flute. Unable to work out how the trick is done, he persuades her to come to his hotel room, where he and his wife Inez (Dawn Addams) murder her and steal the enchanted rope. Sebastian plays the flute, and the rope rises; Inez climbs it, only to disappear with a scream…

Bargain in Death (Tales from the Crypt #28)

Maitland (Michael Craig) is buried alive as part of an insurance scam concocted with his friend Alex (Edward Judd). Alex double-crosses Maitland, leaving him to suffocate. Two trainee doctors Tom (Robin Nedwell) and Jerry (Geoffrey Davies) bribe a gravedigger (Arthur Mullard) to dig up a corpse to help with their studies. When Maitland’s coffin is opened, he jumps up gasping for air…

Drawn and Quartered (Tales from the Crypt #26)

Moore (Tom Baker) is an impoverished painter living on Haiti. When he learns that his work has been sold for high prices by dealers and critics who told him that it was worthless, he goes to a voodoo priest and his painting hand is given voodoo power; whatever he paints or draws can be harmed by damaging its image. Returning to London, Moore paints portraits of the three men who cheated him, and mutilates them to exact his revenge…

When the story of the final dream is told, the five ponder the meaning of their nightmares…

Reviews:

“All in all, The Vault of Horror contains enough to warrant repeat viewings. Whilst it is sometimes a product of its time and the film’s twist can be seen from space, it has that strangely comfortable feeling you only get from the output of companies like Amicus and Hammer Horror. It’s like settling down into a cracked leather chair next to a roaring fire with a glass of brandy. It just seems to work.” John Noonan, HorrorNews.net

“Vault of Horror is a great anthology – more camp than Asylum or Tales from the Crypt, but infinitely more enjoyable than the turgid Torture Garden. A surfeit of 70s locations, some great character actors, and a healthy dose of humour don’t hurt, either.” British Horror Films

“Whereas Francis often managed to inject some atmosphere into his Amicus omnibus movies, Baker’s flat direction can’t overcome the lengthy and plodding expository scene, making this the least interesting of the series in spite of the excellent photography and Tony Curtis’s pleasing sets.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

“Art direction, music and photography are all uniformly impressive, and Roy Ward Baker pulls the directional strings with consummate professionalism. Added to this is a smart line in grim humour (and an amusing in-joke that sees Michael Craig flicking through the paperback tie-in to Tales from the Crypt), which at times succeeds in achieving a little of the EC Comics style…” Allan Bryce, Amicus: The Studio That Dripped Blood

“The first story is the most memorable and Glynis Johns does a wonderful comic turn in the second. The rest of the film has little to offer in the way of thrills.” Gary A. Smith, Uneasy Dreams: The Golden Age of British Horror Films, 1956-1976

” … director Roy Ward Baker goes through the paces in a somewhat workmanlike manner, relying mostly on the writing, editing and performances to carry the stories, with minimal instances of clever staging or stylised atmosphere. This is all the more unfortunate when Baker actually does flex his directorial muscles, as these snippets of visual inspiration call deeper attention to how flat the rest of the film often is. Having said that, it’s still worlds more stylish than Freddie Francis’ uncharacteristically flat direction in most of Crypt.” Mitch Davis, Ten Years of Terror: British Horror Films of the 1970s

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Cast and Characters:

• Daniel Massey as Harold Rogers
• Terry-Thomas as Arthur Critchit
• Curd Jürgens as Sebastian
• Michael Craig as Maitland
• Tom Baker as Moore
• Anna Massey as Donna Rogers
• Glynis Johns as Eleanor Critchit
• Dawn Addams as Inez
• Edward Judd as Alex
• Denholm Elliott as Diltant
• Robin Nedwell as Tom
• Geoffrey Davies as Jerry
• Terence Alexander as Fenton Breedley
• John Witty as Arthur Gaskill
• Jasmina Hilton as Indian Girl
• Ishaq Bux as Fakir
• John Forbes-Robertson as Wilson
• Maurice Kaufmann as Bob Dickson
• Arthur Mullard as Gravedigger
• Mike Pratt as Clive
• Marianne Stone as Jane
• Erik Chitty as Old Waiter
• Tommy Godfrey as Landlord
• Jerold Wells as Waiter

Choice dialogue:

Maitland (Michael Craig): “There’s no money in horror.”

Filming locations:

Millbank Tower, London, England

Sheen Lane, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, England
(Where Tom Baker’s character, Moore, hails a taxi)

Twickenham Studios, London, England

Beyond the Vault of Horror:

There is a shot, apparently from the original closing sequence, in which the characters walk to the graveyard with dead, skeletal faces. It may be that this shot has been lost, or was deemed too crude, edited out and used for publicity purposes only. Does anyone know?

Trailer:

Wikipedia | IMDb

Bloodsucking Pharaohs in Pittsburgh is a 1991 American comedy horror film directed by Dean Tschetter (art director on The Wraith) from a screenplay co-written with Tom Tully. On some promo material, Tschetter name is replaced by “Alan Smithee” to indicate his dissatisfaction with the final product. The film’s original title was Picking Up the Pieces.

Cast:

Jake Dengel (Something Wicked This Way Comes), Joe Sharkey, Susann Fletcher, Beverly Penberthy, porn star Veronica Hart (Deranged [1987]; Bad Blood; One-Eyed Monster), Shawn Elliott (The Dead Pool), Pat Logan (Day of the Dead; Night of the Living Dead [1990]), Don Brockett (Lady Beware; The Silence of the Lambs), Robert Stoeckle (Demonic Toys), Debra Gordon (Day of the Dead; Sorority Row; Bloodlock).

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“Despite the odd Bloodsucking Pharaohs re-title, this Paramount Pictures-distributed mess bombed and quickly vanished. It’s not as bad as its sour reputation, especially for those who enjoy the late ’80s primes of Fred Olen Ray and David DeCoteau. Given the brand of comedy, it’s a love-or-hate proposition, and even then it’s something you have to be in the mood for. Savini’s effects are unfairly busted on with all the MPAA cuts…” Basement of Ghoulish Decadence

“It’s clear the filmmakers intended this to be either a wild, Airplane!-style take on splatter movies or a frenetic, comic gorefest a la Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive, but the story and direction lack wit or creativity enough for either one. Nevertheless, there are some outstanding moments of grim humor (particularly a subplot involving a quit-smoking clinic) and audacious makeup effects from local boy Tom Savini.” Cavett Binion, Rovi

“Borrowing elements from Blood Feast, the film sadly misfires on the comedy aspect side of things and on the whole is rather dull. The special effects, believe it or not, where by Tom Savini, though with one exception, aren’t particularly gory. But as this was being released by a major studio they probably cut a lot out of it. All in all, the film proves to be mildly entertaining, but pails in comparison to other horror comedies of this ilk.” Realm of Horror

IMDb | Image thanks: Basement of Ghoulish Decadence

Trick ‘r Treat is a 2007 American-Canadian anthology comedy horror film written and directed by Michael Dougherty (Krampus) and produced by Bryan Singer (X-Men and sequels; The Taking of Deborah Logan).

The film focuses on four Halloween-related horror stories. One common element that ties the stories together is the presence of Sam, a mysterious child trick-‘r-treater wearing shabby orange pyjamas with a burlap sack over his head.

Despite its release being delayed and a very limited theatrical outing, the film received largely favourable reviews and has since garnered a strong cult following.

Main Cast:

Dylan Baker (Fido; Hide and Seek), Rochelle Aytes, Brian Cox (Manhunter; Kiss the Girls; Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword) Anna Paquin (Darkness; Scream 4), Quinn Lord (The Possession), Lauren Lee Smith (Pathology).

Plot:

Interwoven Halloween-themed stories occur on the same block, on the same night:

Opening: A couple finds what happens when they blow a jack o’ lantern out before midnight.

The Principal: A high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer.

Surprise Party: A college virgin might have met the right guy for her.

The School Bus Massacre Revisited: Five mean teens play a prank that they take too far, and a hermit is visited by a special trick ‘r treater.

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“Trick ‘r Treat neatly apportions scary and campy elements while cleverly interlacing four storylines on Halloween night in an Ohio hamlet. It’s only fitting that, since the ’70s pics that inspired him were themselves inspired by ’50s EC Comics, Dougherty uses comic book graphics for intros and transitions. Wisely, however, he doesn’t overplay the gimmick.” Joe Leydon, Variety

“Things aren’t always what they seem in Trick ‘r Treat; often they’re much, much worse. But the scares feel organic to the stories, and the film manages to stay away from the realm of camp, though it certainly flirts with the concept at times. The abundance of stories to tell provides a momentum that remains steady without ever faltering. Every Halloween memory and tradition is touched upon here and twisted just a bit, from carving pumpkins to dressing up in costumes to the stories you used to hear about strangers with candy.” Cindy White, IGN

“There’s no surprise this film has waited two years for release. The only shock is how Brian Cox and Anna Paquin ended up in something so atrocious. In trying to span so many genres, the film fails to hit the mark with any of them. The real problem, though, is it just isn’t scary.” Nick Clark, The Independent

“Trick ‘r Treat is backed by beautiful art direction by Tony Wohlgemuth and photography from Glen MacPherson. The FX are also a true delight – I can’t single out any examples for fear of ruining some of the key revelations. This is an absolute killer of a directorial debut on Dougherty’s behalf. He’s made horror fun again without completely succumbing to campy kitsch. It can be mean and scary (Amen!) yet it doesn’t embrace the doom ‘n gloom mantra sung by many genre entries today.” Ryan Turek, Shock Till You Drop

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“Tone wise, it had clever yet grounded dialogue, a quirky sense of humor that rubbed me the right way, sported a bag-full of mucho suspenseful set pieces and even managed to be a tad sexy within one of its tales. The lump of ice cream on the pumpkin pie was the film’s knack at addressing our many Halloween customs and turning them on their severed heads for our viewing pleasure. Sweet!” The Arrow, Joblo.com

“It’s fun to watch, there’s incredible innovation, a magnificent cast, awesome effects, a nice soundtrack and a killer beginning and end.” Tara Romero, Blood Red Reviews

Cast and Characters:

• Dylan Baker as Steven Wilkins
• Rochelle Aytes as Maria
• Anna Paquin as Laurie
• Brian Cox as Mr. Kreeg
• Quinn Lord as Sam / Peeping Tommy
• Lauren Lee Smith as Danielle
• Tahmoh Penikett as Henry
• Moneca Delain as Janet
• Brett Kelly as Charlie
• Britt McKillip as Macy
• Isabelle Deluce as Sara
• Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Schrader
• Leslie Bibb as Emma
• Patrick Gilmore as Bud the Cameraman
• C. Ernst Harth as Giant Baby
• Christine Willes as Mrs. Henderson
• Samm Todd as Rhonda

Filming locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Comic books:

Wildstorm Comics had planned to release a four-issue adaptation of Trick ‘r Treat written by Marc Andreyko and illustrated by Fiona Staples but the series was instead released as a graphic novel adaptation in October 2009. Legendary Comics has set Trick ‘r Treat: Days of the Dead for an October 2015 release date. Read more about horror film-to-comic adapatations

Buy: Amazon.com

Complex magazine interview with Michael Dougherty

Trailer:

Wikipedia | IMDb

Genius at Work is a 1945 American comedy crime thriller film directed by Leslie Goodwins (Murder in the Blue Room; The Mummy’s Curse) from a screenplay by Monte Brice and Robert E. Kent (Zombies on Broadway; Diary of a Madman; Twice-Told Tales). The film was filmed in August 1945 and belatedly released by RKO Pictures on October 20, 1946.

Main cast:

Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Anne Jeffreys, Lionel Atwill and Bela Lugosi.

Plot:

Jerry (Wally Brown) and Mike (Alan Carney) present an”unsolved mysteries” series on the radio. The show’s head writer Ellen (Anne Jeffreys), receives script advice from criminologist Lionel Marsh (Lionel Atwill).

However, Marsh is actually The Cobra, a wily murderer who kills his victims merely for the thrill. When the radio sleuths and Ellen call upon Marsh at home, the villain and his servant Stone (Bela Lugosi) attempt to dispose of them via deadly old-dark-house gadgets…

Reviews:

“This was smoothie villain Atwill’s final film before his sudden death and marked the end of the Brown-Carney duo. Lugosi fulfilled his three-picture deal with RKO by taking the mindless role of Stone, the Cobra’s right-hand man. Modestly funny at times, but mostly not.” TV Guide

“The movie is a remake of The Nitwits (1935), one of Wheeler & Woolsey’s better comedies, which in turn influenced Abbott & Costello’s similar Who Done It? (1942), one of their best films, which in turn influenced this, which isn’t one-third as good as either of those.” Stuart Galbraith IV, DVD Talk

“After this dismal effort, a comedown even after Zombies on Broadway (1945), RKO gave uptrying to promote Brown and Carney as a rival comedy team to Abbott and Costello … Atwill, in his last film, is his usual competent self, but Lugosi languishes dismally on the sidelines as his butler.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

“Brown & Carney’s last film as Abbott & Costello-like team is pretty weak; Lugosi is wasted.” Leonard Maltin

Cast and Characters:

• Wally Brown as Jerry Miles
• Alan Carney as Mike Strager
• Anne Jeffreys as Ellen Brent
• Lionel Atwill as Latimer Marsh / The Cobra
• Bela Lugosi as Stone
• Marc Cramer as Lt. Rick Campbell
• Ralph Dunn as Lt. Gilley
• Jimmy Jordan as Pageboy
• Phil Warren as Jennings
• Peter Potter as Announcer
• Wallace Jackson as Detective

Trivia:

On shelves in the background of The Cobra’s workroom, a stop-motion model Triceratops built for King Kong (1933) and a cave bear armature used in The Son of Kong can be seen.

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘Welcome to summer camp’

Lumberjack Man is a 2015 comedy slasher horror film directed and edited by Josh Bear from a screenplay by Matt Entin and Ed Kuehnel.

The film is released October 16, 2015 at After Dark Films ‘8 Films to Die For’ festival with 20th Fox Home Entertainment handling all ancillary forms of media, including Digital HD, DVD and VOD.

Cast:

Michael Madsen (Piranhaconda), Hector Becerra, Jasmin Carina, Wray Crawford, Alex Dobrenko (Bloody Homecoming), Ciara Flynn, Zach Guerrero, Chase Joliet (Zombex), Jarrett King.

Plot:

As the staff of Good Friends Church Camp prepares for a spring break filled with “Fun Under the Son”, a demon logger rises from his sap boiler to wreak his vengeance and feast on flapjacks soaked in the blood of his victims…

Reviews:

“The ending has a great payoff and the entire ride was fun. The actors all did a great job and really committed themselves to their roles. Lumberjack Man is a fun, horror-comedy hybrid that shouldn’t be missed.” Scott Shoyer, Anything Horror

Filming locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Trailer:

IMDb | Official site

Cheers to Jeff Gilbert at Drinkin ‘n Drive-In for bring this one to our attention

Horrorpedia on Social Media: Facebook (Follow) | Facebook (Social Group) | Pinterest | Tumblr | Twitter

‘Get out undead or alive’

Freaks of Nature is a 2015 American sci-fi supernatural comedy horror film directed by Robbie Pickering, from a screenplay by Oren Uziel (Mortal Kombat: Rebirth; Men in Black 4), and produced by Matt Tolmach. The film was formerly titled Kitchen Sink and The Kitchen Sink.

Cast:

Vanessa Hudgens (Sucker Punch;Machete Kills), Ed Westwick, Denis Leary and Bob Odenkirk.

Originally slated to open on January 9, 2015, the Columbia Pictures production will now be released on October 30, 2015 by the company in conjunction with Sony Pictures Releasing.

Plot:

In the town of Dillford, it used to be that vampires, humans and zombies got along, but then something unexpected arrived and now it’s humans vs. vampires vs. zombies in all-out mortal combat. Three teenagers must try to get things back to “normal”…

Cast and characters:

• Nicholas Braun as Dag Parker
• Mackenzie Davis as Petra Lane
• Josh Fadem as Ned Mosely
• Joan Cusack
• Bob Odenkirk
• Keegan-Michael Key
• Ed Westwick as Milan
• Patton Oswalt
• Vanessa Hudgens as Lorelei
• Denis Leary as Rick Wilson
• Ian Roberts
• Utkarsh Ambudkar;
• Cerina Vincent as Daisy;
• Chris Zylka

Trailer:

Wikipedia | IMDb

Horrorpedia on Social Media: Facebook (Follow) | Facebook (Social Group) | Pinterest | Tumblr | Twitter

Kung Fury is a 2015 Swedish martial arts sci-fi monster comedy gore short film written, directed by, and starring David Sandberg.

The film was crowdfunded through Kickstarter with pledges exceeding the original target goal of $200,000, but falling short of the feature film goal of $1 million.

Receiving huge plaudits at the Cannes festival, and with over 21 million YouTube views and world sales via VOD, Sandberg is now working on a full-length feature film version.

Plot:

Sometime in the early 1980s, Miami-Dade Police Department detective Kung Fury and his partner Dragon apprehend a red ninja in a back alley, but Dragon is sliced in half by the ninja while Kung Fury is suddenly struck by lightning and bitten by a cobra, giving him extraordinary kung fu powers that enable him to defeat his foe.

Years later in 1985, after defeating a rogue arcade machine robot, Kung Fury quits the force when he is assigned to partner with Triceracop, fearing that he would lose another partner in the line of duty.

Meanwhile, Adolf Hitler, a.k.a. “Kung Führer”, enters the timeline and remotely guns down the police chief and attacks the precinct through a mobile phone. Intent to avenge the chief, Kung Fury has computer whiz Hackerman send him back in time to kill Hitler in Nazi Germany.

A glitch in the system, however, sends him back into the Viking Age. After Kung Fury meets the Viking valkyries Barbarianna and Katana, the Norse god Thor sends him to Nazi Germany for him to finish his job.

Upon his arrival, Kung Fury singlehandedly mows down hundreds of Nazi soldiers with his kung fu skills, but is gunned down by Hitler using a Gatling gun from inside his podium. Suddenly, Thor, Hackerman, Triceracop, the Viking Babes, and a tyrannosaurus hack into the timeline and kill the rest of the Nazi army while the tyrannosaurus squares off against Hitler’s robot Reichsadler…

Reviews:

“What do you get when you combine kung fu, dinosaurs, ninjas, hackers, vikings, Nazis, time travel, cops, super powers, explosions, and David Hasselhoff? The best movie ever, of course.” Melissa Locker, Vanity Fair

“Loaded with in-jokes and insane special effects, Kung Fury represents Swedish superfan’s hilarious homage to the best (and worst) of ’80s action movies.” Peter Debruge, Variety

” … good god, it’s bloody well brilliant. After years of online ‘sensations’ that have tended to over promise and under deliver, Kung Fury shows up and blows the fucking doors off.” Todd Brown, Twitch

Film online:

Wikipedia | IMDb | Official website | Twitter

Horrorpedia on Social Media: Facebook (Follow) | Facebook (Social Group) | Pinterest | Tumblr | Twitter

‘Murder is all part of the show’

The Funhouse Massacre is a 2015 American comedy horror film directed by Andy Palmer (Alien Strain; Welcome to Kain) from a screenplay by Ben Begley. Robert Kurtzman (It Follows, Fear Clinic, Texas Chainsaw) is the effects makeup supervisor.

The film releases in select AMC theaters on Friday, November 13, 2015.

Plot:

Six of the world’s scariest psychopaths escape from a local asylum and proceed to unleash terror on the unsuspecting crowd of a Halloween funhouse whose themed mazes are inspired by their various reigns of terror…

Main cast:

Robert Englund, Clint Howard, Courtney Gains (Children of the Corn), Robert Peters, E.E. Bell, Chasty Ballesteros, Harry McCane, Erick Chavarria, Sebastian Siegel, Melissa Laffey Flores, Kevin W. Shiveley II, Rick Fike Jr., Chris Hahn, Bridgette Hudyk, Jordan Garrett.

Trailer:

IMDb | Facebook

Godzilla vs. Jason Voorhees is a 2015 American animated comedy horror short created by Robot Chicken for the Adult Swim [adult swim] cable network (makers of Rick and Morty).

YouTube:

Official site

‘He who has the weed, has the power.’

Halloweed is a 2016 American comedy horror film produced and directed by LazRael Lison (Rift) from a screenplay by Michael Bussan and Dale Zawada.

Main cast:

Shannon Brown, Simon Rex (Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th; Scary Movie 3, 4 and 5), Michelle Mueller, Jayson Bernard, Jim O’Heir (Mimic 2; Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves), Jason Mewes (Feast; Vampire Apocalypse; Devil’s Tower), Robert Craighead (The Return of the Living Dead; Demon Lake; Crabs!), Tom Sizemore (Paranormal Movie; Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn; Black Wake), Danny Trejo (Volcano Zombies; Dead in Tombstone; 3 Headed Shark Attack), Lester Speight, Deja Dee, Ray Wise, Vince Corazza, Jacqui Holland, Eric Sweeney.

Plot:

Trying to escape the infamy of a serial killer father, Trent Modine (Shannon Brown) and his goof-ball stepbrother Joey (Simon Rex), both seeking a new start, find refuge in a small town of Mooseheart.

However, it doesn’t take long before the family name catches up. Joey, a free spirited stoner and Trent, love sick pessimist, must figure out how to sort through a string of cliche murders that happen start as soon as they arrive…

IMDb

NB. Interestingly, there is another – apparently unconnected – comedy horror film project named Halloweed also due in 2016. Expect a title change for one of these movies…