‘John Dunning sees the dead. Now they see him.’

Revelator is a 2016 American supernatural horror film written, edited, produced, directed by and starring J. Van Auken, making his feature debut. Auken also wrote the film’s soundtrack score.

John Dunning (J. Van Auken), a disgraced psychic who sees the dead, is thrust in the midst of the embattled Bellvue family empire, and must investigate the suspicious death of the last heir, while cynical journalist Valerie Kreuger (Mindy Rae) documents his every move; but when the death is ruled a murder and John the sole suspect, he must venture into the depths of madness to uncover the truth about the family and their power, before he loses his mind – or worse…

The film also features Josh Robert Thompson, Ben Kientz, Charley Rossman, Lillian Solange Beaudoin, Galen Howard, Josh Harp, Yazemeenah Rossi, Barrow Davis-Tolot, Alex Klein, Patrick Peduto (The Id), Phil Miler, Greg Lucey, Ramiro Quezada, Shelly DeChristofaro, Nicholas Thurkettle.

IMDb

‘Log in. Dial a friend. Chat. Die.’

Skypemare is a 2013 American horror short film written and directed by John Fitzpatrick. It stars ‘scream queen’ Cerina Vincent (Tales of Halloween; Freaks of Nature; Cabin Fever) and Annika Marks (Brentwood Strangler; Anguish).

Alison (Cerina Vincent) is left home alone on Halloween night, but while chatting with her best friend Jenna (Annika Marks) over Skype, something terrifying happens to Jenna, leaving Alison helpless on the other side of the computer screen, watching in horror…

Having premiered at the 2013 Telluride Horror Show, Skypemare was posted online Halloween 2014 and became a viral YouTube short hit, receiving over 1.5 million views.

The same production team made a follow-up film, Brentwood Strangler, in 2016.

Reviews:

” …well directed, with decent performances from the two leads. I like the way it’s shot and lit, with warm tones in Alison’s apartment, and cold blues the other end of the video connection. It borrows from classic slasher movies like the original Halloween and April Fool’s Day, but with a sprinkling of modern technology added to the mix.” Gore Blimey

“When it comes to the other key components – the acting and the special effects – there is enough greatness here to satisfy horror fans. Although Skypemare is far from torture porn, the blood and guts were used wisely and didn’t look the slightest bit fake.” Horror Society

“It’s nice and compact, so there’s not a second of padding. The performances and camera work are great, as are the lighting and direction… they simply hit every facet out of the park. It’s as near to perfect as one can get.” Creative Jamie

“Previous features such as the disappointing Smiley have struggled to generate the same fearful trepidation that Fitzpatrick has crammed into a fraught 8 minutes, successfully balancing the need for gory scares with bleak humour.” John Townsend, The Horror Asylum

Cast and characters:

• Cerina Vincent as Allison
• Annika Marks as Jenna
• Ryan Dillon as Steve
• Adam J. Yeend as Gary Gray

Wikipedia | IMDb | Official site | Facebook

‘Seconds is not for weak sisters. It may not even be for strong stomachs!’

Seconds is a 1966 American science fiction drama film directed by John Frankenheimer (Prophecy; The Manchurian Candidate) and starring Rock Hudson (Embryo). The screenplay by Lewis John Carlino (Haunted Summer) was based on ‘Seconds, a novel’ by David Ely.

The black and white cinematography by James Wong Howe (Bell, Book and Candle; Mark of the Vampire) was nominated for an Academy Award. The distinctive helvetica opening titles were designed by Saul Bass (director of Phase IV; title design for Hitchcock’s Psycho). The score was by Jerry Goldsmith (Matinee; Link).

Although poorly received at the time and a box office failure, Seconds has gone on to become a cult classic. In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

• Gorgeous restoration from a 4K transfer, in 1080p HD on the Blu-ray
• Two feature-length audio commentaries: one by director John Frankenheimer, and one by film scholar Adrian Martin
• New video interview with novelist and critic Kim Newman
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing-impaired
• Original theatrical trailer
• Booklet featuring new essays by critics David Cairns and Mike Sutton

Plot [contains spoilers]:

Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) is a middle-aged man whose life has lost purpose. He’s achieved success, but finds it unfulfilling. His love for his wife has dwindled and he seldom sees his only child. Through a friend, a man he thought was dead, Hamilton is approached by a secret organization, known simply as the “Company” which offers him a new life.

Upon arriving for a meeting , Hamilton arrives at a meat packing plant. He is given workman overalls and hat, then exits the facility out a different door where he is next seated inside the back of a truck which proceeds to another building. He disappears into a large complex filled with dark, empty hallways where he awaits his transformation. The Company gives Hamilton the body of a young man (Rock Hudson) through plastic surgery and a new identity. He later discovers this identity has been taken from someone who recently passed on.

He is resettled into a community filled with people like him who are “reborns”. Eventually, Hamilton decides the new life isn’t what he wants. He contacts the Company, letting them know he wants a different identity and they seem to agree. It turns out to be a lie and Hamilton learns as he is wheeled to the operating room, before being sedated, that he is to be killed…

Reviews:

” …the film’s uptight view of the hang-loose West Coast feels like a slightly forced argument, until Frankenheimer regroups and the jaws of the narrative shut tight on one of the most chilling endings in all American cinema.” Trevor Johnston, Time Out London

“To watch Seconds is to enter a special kind of Hell that leaves no one unscathed. It indicts the money-grubbing culture of businessmen and the  burgeoning hippie aesthetic as equally hollow with a simple, sinister premise.” Eric Melin, Scene Stealers

“Within a few years, the capitalist and consumerist critique that Seconds put to such thrilling use would be more commonplace in a film industry desperate for counter-cultural cachet. But unlike many of those rebel statements against the mainstream, Frankenheimer’s film understood that there were no easy answers to Arthur’s kind of despair.” Chris Barsanti, Pop Matters

“Director John Frankenheimer and Veteran Photographer James Wong Howe manage to give the most improbable doings a look of credible horror. Once Rock appears, though, the spell is shattered, and through no fault of his own … Seconds has moments, and that’s too bad, in a way. But for its soft and flabby midsection, it might have been one of the trimmest shockers of the year.” Time, October 14, 1966

“This has some intriguing aspects on the yearning for youth and a chance to live life over again by many men. But this Faustian theme is barely touched on and the hero’s tie with the past is also somewhat arbitrary. Film [from the novel by David Ely] does not quite come off as a thriller, sci-fi adjunct or philosophical fable.” Variety, December 31, 1965

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• New 4K digital film restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• Audio commentary featuring director John Frankenheimer
• Actor Alec Baldwin on Frankenheimer and Seconds
• New program on the making of Seconds
• Interview with Frankenheimer from 1971
• New visual essay by film scholars R. Barton Palmer and Murray Pomerance
• An essay by critic David Sterritt

Cast and characters:

• Rock Hudson – Antiochus “Tony” Wilson
• Salome Jens – Nora Marcus
• John Randolph – Arthur Hamilton
• Will Geer – Old Man
• Jeff Corey – Mr. Ruby
• Richard Anderson – Dr. Innes
• Murray Hamilton – Charlie Evans (also in Jaws; Jaws 2 and The Boston Strangler)
• Karl Swenson – Dr. Morris
• Khigh Dhiegh – Davalo
• Frances Reid – Emily Hamilton
• Wesley Addy – John
• John Lawrence – Texan
• Elisabeth Fraser – Plump Blonde
• Dodie Heath – Sue Bushman (as Dody Heath)
• Robert Brubaker – Mayberry
• Barbara Werle – Secretary
• Tina Scala – Young Girl stomping on the grapes in the party scene

Wikipedia | IMDb

What the Waters Left Behind – original title: Los Olvidados (“The Forgotten”) – is a 2017 Argentine horror film written and directed by Luciano Onetti, Nicolás Onetti (Francesca; Sonno Profondo). It apparently recalls The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes.

A group of young people take a trip to film a documentary about Epecuén, a seemingly abandoned tourist village that became submerged under ten meters of salt water in 1985 when an embankment broke. Thirty years later, the waters receded and Epecuén emerged, exposing a bleak and deserted landscape.

Ignoring the warnings, and after a brief tour, they get stranded in the real life ruins. Contrary to what they thought, they begin to realize that they are really not alone…

The film stars Agustín Pardella, Victoria Maurette, Mirta Busnelli, Gustavo Garzón, Chucho Fernández, Germán Baudino, Damián Dreizik, Evan Leed, Victorio D´Alessandro, Paula Brasca, Paula Sartor. Tamara Garzón.

It is a Guante Negro Films production.

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‘Raise some hell’

Pet Sematary II is a 1992 supernatural horror film directed by Mary Lambert (Mega Python vs. Gatoroid; The Attic) from a screenplay by Richard Outten. It is the sequel to the 1989 film Pet Sematary, also directed by Lambert and is stylized as Pet Sematary Two.

The film stars Edward Furlong (The Zombie King; Arachnoquake; Brainscan), Anthony Edwards (Zodiac; The Forgotten) and Clancy Brown (Little Evil; John Dies at the End; Cowboys & Aliens).

Opening plot:

Following the accidental death of his mother Renee during production of her latest film, thirteen-year-old Jeff Matthews and his veterinarian-father Chase move to the Maine town of Ludlow. Jeff learns about the Creed family, and about the cursed Indian burial ground.

His friend Drew’s dog, Zowie, is fatally shot by Gus Gilbert – Drew’s stepfather, who also happens to be the town sheriff – for chasing Gus’s pet rabbits. It doesn’t help that Gus was in love with Renee 20 years ago; ever since she turned him down to marry Chase, Gus has been venting his ire on everything and everybody around him.

Jeff and Drew bury Zowie at the Indian cemetery, in order to bring the dog back to life. It works, with some side effects: Zowie is uncharacteristically fierce; the dog’s eyes have an unnatural glow to them, even in daylight…

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“Ms. Lambert made her reputation directing Madonna’s music videos, and the new film has the garish theatrical look and pumpingly precise rhythms of an extravagantly produced heavy-metal video. Most of many shock scenes are above average in impact and suspense, with the scenes of the resurrected, red-eyed Zowie going for people’s throats especially gruesome.” Stephen Holden, The New York Times

“Filled with sadistic story turns, mean spirited humor, and almost gratuitous animal cruelty, Pet Sematary Two is an ugly, unappealing, and unnecessary follow-up to the ’89 melodrama that fails to pinpoint the appeal of the sematary yet again.” Felix Vasquez, Cinema Crazed

“Director Mary Lambert (reprising her duties from the 1989 release) again errs by setting much of the action around the cemetery in daylight, although the pacing is significantly better than the first pic. Makeup and special effects are topnotch.” Variety

“What made the first film work is not so much its theme but the way that Stephen King approached it, particularly during the latter half where he gave it a driving sense of cosmic fear, of a great and unutterable desecration about to be committed and of the supernatural stepping in to aid in stopping it. Pet Semetary II lacks any similar sense of drive and seems too pedestrian and obvious in its setting up of characters and situations.” Richard Scheib, Moria

” …it’s better stupid entertainment than the first Pet Sematary. The difference is that in the three years since she directed the original, Mary Lambert has sharpened her skills, and although Stephen King’s name is nowhere on this sequel, his characteristic braiding of Freudian and Christian themes is present…” Jay Carr, The Boston Globe

“The two films are so different in tone it’s actually difficult to believe they were both directed by the same person: however, with Stephen King having nothing to do with the sequel it just goes to show the person with the pen is often more important than the person behind the camera.” That was a Bit Mental

“Pet Sematary Two tells a very different story from the first film while still incorporating the elements that made the original great. It’s part bonkers, part creepy but always interesting. It’s also a bold movie, one that attempts to fully realize itself and its ideas around every turn. It doesn’t hide behind the first but embraces it and creates something new and genuinely disturbing.” Alexandra West, ComingSoon.net

“While it contains more dark humor than the first, there’s also more gore than the original and I think these two things go hand in hand. There are more squeamish, visceral, hard to look at moments–which the ’89 film already had its share of. These elements of the movie–particularly the death scenes–seem absurd, and they are, but I think that absurdity is a bonus for the narrative, not a hindrance.” Nat Brehmer, Wicked Horror

” …rather than being classically morbid, this horror tale is grossly sickening and nihilistic in its statement about man’s inhumanity to animals – not to mention man himself.” John Stanley, Creature Features

Cast and characters:

• Edward Furlong as Jeff Matthews
• Anthony Edwards as Chase Matthews
• Clancy Brown as Gus Gilbert
• Jared Rushton as Clyde Parker
• Jason McGuire as Drew Gilbert
• Darlanne Fluegel as Renee Hallow/Matthews
• Lisa Waltz as Amanda Gilbert
• Sarah Trigger as Marjorie Hargrove

Wikipedia | IMDb

Talbot County is a 2017 American horror film directed by Bev Land, making his feature debut, from a screenplay co-written with Michael Mordler.

Official synopsis:

When six college kids in a sleepy Southern town are assigned a group project to rediscover a moment in history, one of them sets in motion a horrific fate when he proposes they head into the Georgia backwoods to tackle the legend of Emily Burt, the Talbot County werewolf.

Talbot County is a Hitchcockian tale of horror set in 1986 that delves into a hundred year old fable where our students are met with very real consequences that go beyond any classroom lessons…

Main cast:

Vanessa Angel, Gail O’Grady, Dania Ramirez, Parker Croft, Rebekah Graf, Alina Puscau, Kalia Prescott, Jake Lockett, Craig Tate, Presley Melson.

Filming locations:

Columbus and Upatoi, Georgia, USA

IMDb

‘The motion picture that pits steel weapons against steel nerves!!!’

Berserk is a 1967 British horror thriller film starring Joan Crawford (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?; Strait-Jacket) and Judy Geeson (Inseminoid; Goodbye Gemini) in a macabre mother-daughter tale about a circus plagued with murders.

The screenplay was written by Herman Cohen and Aben Kandel, and the film directed by Jim O’Connolly (Tower of Evil; The Valley of Gwangi; The Night Caller – script). The film marks Crawford’s second-to-last big-screen appearance before Trog (1970). Columbia Pictures promoted the film as Berserk! on a double-bill with Torture Garden and it also later released as Circus of Blood.

In North America, the film grossed more than $1,100,000 and ranked #85 on Variety’s list of top money makers of 1968. Box office receipts overseas nearly doubled that amount, coming in at $2,095,000. This made Berserk the most successful film Herman Cohen ever produced.

Plot (contains spoilers):

Monica Rivers (Joan Crawford) and Dorando (Michael Gough) own a travelling English circus. Monica acts as the ringmistress, and Dorando is the business manager.

When tightrope walker Gaspar the Great falls to his death, it appears that his tightrope might have been purposely weakened. Monica’s unemotional reaction to the tragedy alarms Dorando. When she suggests it will be good for business, he asks her to buy him out, which she refuses to do.

Monica hires a new high-wire walker, Frank Hawkins (Ty Hardin). Not only is he handsome, he is daring, doing his act over a carpet of sharp bayonets. Monica is impressed, especially by his physical appearance. Shortly after an argument, Dorando is found gruesomely murdered.

Suspicion of Monica’s guilt grows. Frank in particular suspects her, having seen her leaving Dorando’s trailer before the body was discovered. He confronts Monica, demanding a share in the circus for his silence.

Monica’s daughter, Angela (Judy Geeson), having been expelled from school, shows up at the circus. Not knowing what to do with her unruly daughter, Monica pairs her with Gustavo the knife thrower (Peter Burton). Another member of the circus company, Matilda (Diana Dors), attempts to seduce Frank, which Monica discovers.

During Matilda’s act, a magician’s trick involving the illusion of being sawn in half, there is a malfunction in the equipment and she is killed. And during his next high-wire performance, Frank falls onto the bayonets and is killed.

It was not an accident. Angela was seen throwing a knife into him before he fell. She confesses having hated her mother for years as a result of being ignored, now “removing” those who take up her mother’s time. She then unsuccessfully tries to kill her mother. As Angela attempts to escape, she is electrocuted by an exposed wire during a rainstorm. Monica sobs inconsolably over her daughter’s body.

Reviews:

“Berserk! isn’t a ‘must see’ classic from horror history, but there’s enough here to please fans of Joan Crawford horror (Strait-Jacket, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?), Michael Gough (Konga, Batman Returns), and sixties Brit horror. It’s interesting to see a ‘creative serial kill’ horror with so little blood in it, considering what would happen a few years later…” Black Hole Reviews

“Berserk achieves its meager reputation by being a brightly-colored Joan Crawford film, a Hammer horror knockoff with too little substance to balance the moments of high camp. The camp, when it happens, is well worth the watch, and a reasonably high body count make the film worthwhile, especially for those who enjoy 1960s cheesy British horror.” She Blogged By Night

“The biggest issue with Berserk seems to be that it doesn’t know what kind of film it is. Yes, it’s certainly a thriller but the moodiness and grim deaths interspersed by dancing elephants, prancing poodles and an awkward, bizarre song make it tonally inconsistent.” Andi B. Goode, The Sofa Cinephile

“Much of the film in between is padded with real-life circus footage. Unless one wants to see circus performances back from the era when animal acts were not protested by the animal rights people, these prove fairly uninteresting to watch. Certainly, the film does have the benefit of its lurid appeal – there is Joan Crawford dominating the show, along with 1950s British sexpot Diana Dors doing her stuff and turning every line into a bitchy taunt (even engaged in a catfight at one point).” Richard Scheib, Moria

“The murders are, inevitably, the most fun aspect of the film, though Crawford’s fan base gets its money’s worth by way of a game performance confirming her late entry into genre roles…” Steven West, The Shrieking Sixties: British Horror Films 1960 – 1969

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” …despite its Grand Guignol trappings, it’s a glorified whodunnit, ably directed by Jim O’Connolly…” John Stanley, Creature Features

“But the capable Mr. O’Connolly is no Hitchcock. And what drains the picture of merit and real persuasiveness is the round-up of bloodless characterizations, a petty and conniving gang of meanies. Even a last-minute, mother-love injection doesn’t thaw Miss Crawford’s portrayal of a ruthless iceberg who, one feels, gets what she deserves.” Howard Thompson, The New York Times, January 11, 1968

Interviews:

Herman Cohen talks to Tom Weaver

Herman Cohen (centre) with stars of Berserk

Cast and characters:

• Joan Crawford as Monica Rivers
• Ty Hardin as Frank Hawkins
• Diana Dors as Matilda (Craze; Theatre of Blood; Nothing But the Night)
• Michael Gough as Albert Dorando (Satan’s Slave; Horror Hospital; Konga)
• Judy Geeson as Angela Rivers
• Robert Hardy as Detective Supt. Brooks (Dark Places; Psychomania; Demons of the Mind)
• Geoffrey Keen as Commissioner Dalby (Taste the Blood of Dracula)
• Sydney Tafler as Harrison Liston
• George Claydon as Bruno Fontana
• Philip Madoc as Lazlo (Spine Chillers; Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde; Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.)
• Ambrosine Phillpotts as Miss Burrows
• Thomas Cimarro as Gaspar
• Peter Burton as Gustavo
• Golda Casimir as Bearded Lady
• Ted Lune as Skeleton Man
• Milton Reid as Strong Man
• Marianne Stone as Wanda
• Miki Iveria as Gypsy Fortune-Teller
• Howard Goorney as Emil
• Reginald Marsh as Sergeant Hutchins
• Bryan Pringle as Constable Bradford

Wikipedia | IMDb | Image thanks: Black Hole Reviews | She Blogged By Night

‘The lucky ones freeze to death.’

Cold Ground is a 2016 French found footage horror film written and directed by Fabien Delage (Fury of the Demon).

1976: Two young journalists leave for the French-Swiss border to investigate a strange case of cattle mutilations and record testimonies for a TV channel.

However, once they arrive, it becomes clear that the scientific team they were supposed to meet has gone missing. Escorted by a first-aider, a British biologist and an American forensic investigator, Melissa and David go looking for the missing team deep into the mountains but their rescue mission soon turns into a fight for survival as they get caught in an avalanche.

Lost in the wild and petrified by the cold, the team experiences the ruthlessness of the mountains. They realise that blizzard conditions, frostbite and cliffs are not that bad once they find out that they are not alone in this snowy forest…

The film stars Gala Besson (Horsehead), Doug Rane, Phillip Schurer, Geoffrey Blandin, Maura Tillay and Fabrice Pierre.

Filming locations:

French Alps, France

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Dead of Night is a 1977 American made-for-television anthology fantasy horror film directed by Dan Curtis (Burnt Offerings; Dark Shadows; The Norliss Tapes; Trilogy of Terror). It originally premiered on NBC on March 29, 1977.

The film consists three stories written by Richard Matheson (although the first segment, “Second Chance”, was adapted from a story by Jack Finney). The third story, “Bobby” was recycled by Curtis and Matheson for Trilogy of Terror II (1996).

Dead of Night was released on DVD by Dark Sky Films in 2009. The extras include a 1969 TV pilot episode, “Darkness At Blaisedon”, for a Dead of Night television program.

Main cast:

Ed Begley Jr. (Ghostbusters; Transylvania 6-5000), Anjanette Comer (Netherworld; The Baby; The Night of a Thousand Cats), Patrick Macnee (Masque of the Red Death; The Howling; Incense for the Damned), Horst Buchholz (The Savage Bees), Elisha Cook Jr. (Messiah of Evil; Black Zoo) and Joan Hackett (The Possessed; How Awful About Allan).

Plot:

Second Chance: A young man named Frank (Ed Begley Jr.) restores a 1926 Jordan Playboy roadster and finds himself transported back in time…

Ed Begley Jr. as Frank
E.J. André as Mr. McCauley
Ann Doran as Mrs. McCauley
Christina Hart as Helen

No Such Thing as a Vampire: Alexis (Anjanette Comer) is a noblewoman who seems to be actively terrorised by a bloodsucking vampire. Her husband, Dr. Gheria (Patrick Macnee), attempts to deal with her terror by engaging the services of a friend, Michael (Horst Buchholz)…

Patrick Macnee as Dr. Gheria
Anjanette Comer as Alexis
Elisha Cook Jr. as Karel
Horst Buchholz as Michael

Bobby: A grieving mother (Joan Hackett) uses black magic to resurrect her drowned son, Bobby (Lee H. Montgomery) and the lengths she will go to see him again.

Joan Hackett as Mother
Lee H. Montgomery as Bobby

Reviews:

“Bobby” is a fright-filled gem, and even though Matheson’s story somewhat relies on the familiar Monkey’s Paw theme, it’s a gratifying segment — with a truly terrific final shock — that’s in a class with “Amelia” from Trilogy of Terror. As a whole, Dead of Night runs a brisk, enjoyable 73 minutes, and it’s admittedly the last segment that makes it all worthwhile.” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

“A pitch-perfect miniature, “Bobby” is a perfect example of how to tighten the screws through skilful performances and taught, imaginative writing … Everyone’s at the top of their game here, and the story manages to wrap up with the single most terrifying moment ever broadcast on network TV.” Nathaniel Thompson, DVD Delirium 4

” …this made-for-TV anthology features three tales; two of which are only fair and the last good enough to make the rest of it worth sitting through.” Justin McKinney,  The Bloody Pit of Horror

“Good performances highlight this solid trilogy of telehorror from director Curtis … Hackett is especially superb in the memorably creepy Bobby episode…the last image a haunting capper.” The Terror Trap

“My favorite bit involves a mocking, paranoia inspiring phone call from the never seen Dad. It’s a classic moment of all-consuming dread that really gets under your skin. As mediocre as Dead of Night begins, this last tale more than makes up for it. “Bobby” is not only classic Dan Curtis, it’s some serious classic Kindertrauma as well.” Kindertrauma

“Dead of Night is an enjoyable anthology, it never emerges from the limitations of this form of storytelling, but it has at least one stand out segment, and in all honesty, that’s a pretty good result for an anthology horror film.” Shaun Anderson, The Celluloid Highway

Wikipedia | IMDb | Image thanks: Parlor of Horror

‘It claws… it drains blood!’

The Vampire is a 1957 American horror film directed by Paul Landres (The Flame Barrier; The Return of Dracula) from a screenplay by Pat Fielder (The Monster That Challenged the World).

Like The Werewolf (1956), The Vampire offered a science fiction take on a traditionally supernatural creature, although the films were produced by different production companies.

The Arthur Gardner and Jules V. Levy production was released theatrically on a double-bill with The Monster That Challenged the World. It was shown on American TV as Mark of the Vampire. In the UK, the film was cut by the BBFC to obtain an ‘X’ certificate.

On April 11, 2017, the film is released on Blu-ray by Scream Factory.

Buy: Amazon.com

Main cast:

John Beal (Amityville 3-D; The Bride), Coleen Gray (Tales from the Darkside ‘The Shrine’; The Phantom Planet; The Leech Woman), Kenneth Tobey (The Thing from Another World; It Came from Beneath the Sea; The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms), Lydia Reed, Dabbs Greer (House IV; It! The Terror from Beyond Space; House of Wax).

Plot:

The late Dr. Campbell was experimenting with vampire bat blood just before his death. Fellow doctor Beecher (John Beal) finds a bottle of pills among Dr. Campbell’s effects and takes them home.

Unfortunately, Dr. Beecher’s daughter accidentally substitutes the vampire blood pills for her father’s migraine tablets. As a result, the kindly Dr. Beecher starts having blackouts from the pills, making him change into a bloodthirsty monster by night…

Reviews:

“As routine and juvenile as this synopsis may sound, John Beal actually turns in a strong and highly sympathetic performance as the tormented doctor and elevates the picture.” Joe Karlosi, DVD Drive-In

“What it lacks in music and atmosphere it makes up in composition and variety of shots. It has good makeup, two time-lapse transformations, and several effective shock moments.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers

“Predictable and rather dull, the film undercuts its own rationalist-scientific approach – with small town replacing gothic castle – by having Beal transform into a wrinkled, shaggy monster-man.” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

“Part Jekyll And Hyde story and part traditional vampire movie, the highlight of the film is the last twenty minutes or so, with the time lapse transformation from man into monster standing out as the coolest thirty seconds in the entire movie. Sure, the effects aren’t good by modern standards and you can plainly see that he’s just got a bunch of fuzz and latex glued to his face and hands, but there’s definitely a whole lot of wacky charm to this movie.” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!

Buy: Amazon.com

” …The Vampire is hindered by uneven pacing, especially in the crucial final act, and by special effects that are nothing short of miserable. Worse yet, the filmmakers seem to have had no idea how pathetic their monster makeup was.” 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting

“The film, while not having the best makeup effects as it looks like they simply pasted some hair and silly putty on the guy to make him a vampire, looks beautiful.  The cinematography by Jack MacKenzie coupled with the direction by Paul Landres is crisply shot in black and white and they make good use of the surroundings with heavy shadows to give the movie the needed tension and dread.” The Telltale Mind

“Infantile stuff, despite the censor’s “X”. But on the whole, a reasonably chilling chiller, with some nice small-town touches.” Picturegoer, 1957

Full pressbook at Zontar of Venus

Cast and characters:

• John Beal as Dr. Paul Beecher
• Coleen Gray as Carol Butler
• Kenneth Tobey as Sheriff Buck Donnelly
• Lydia Reed as Betsy Beecher
• Dabbs Greer as Dr. Will Beaumont
• Herb Vigran as George Ryan
• Paul Brinegar as Willy Warner

Wikipedia | IMDb

The Hollow Child – previously known as The Hollow Ones – is 2016 Canadian horror film co-produced and directed by Jeremy Lutter from a screenplay by Ben Rollo.

Samantha has lived her whole life in different foster homes. Now living in a small town, she never feels like she quite fits in, even with her own current foster family who might adopt her, or the boy who follows her around doing her classwork.

So, it’s perhaps natural that she doesn’t know what to do with a curious tagalong little sister named Olivia. One day, Sam callously ditches Olivia, who wanders off into the woods on her own and disappears.

For three days police and panic set in on Sam’s home. And then, Olivia returns unscathed as if nothing happened. It seems like a miracle until Sam starts to notice strange new things about her younger sister. Things nobody else seems to notice. Too scared to speak out of place, she doesn’t know what to do until she starts to learn that this has happened before…

Jessica McLeod (R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour; Scary Movie 4), Hannah Cheramy (Van Helsing TV series), John Emmet Tracy (R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour; Grace: The Possession; Flowers in the Attic), Jana Mitsoula (Scary Movie 4), Genevieve Buechner, Connor Stanhope and Johannah Newmarch.

The film will make its world premiere at the Victoria Film Festival in February 2017.

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Batwoman and Robin meet the Queen of the Vampires is a 1972 Filipino action horror film directed by Tony Cayado (Kamay na gumagapang; Dracula Goes to R.P.; Living Dead) from a screenplay by Greg Macabenta.

The film stars Robin Aristorenas (as Robin), Virginia (as Batwoman), Angelita Ortiz, Aldo Cruz, Venchito Galvez, Santiago Garcia, Francisco Cruz, Joe Roman, Ric Gaerlan, Ernie David, Joe Estrada.

There is currently no other information on this production available online but this posting will be updated if any becomes available.

IMDb | Image thanks: Video 48

Related: Batman Fights Dracula

‘Don’t accept his invite.’

Bedeviled is a 2016 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Abel Vang and Burlee Vang as The Vang Brothers.

Five friends are terrorized by a supernatural entity after downloading a mysterious app.

The film premiered on October 22, 2016 at Screamfest LA.

Main cast:

Saxon Sharbino, Bonnie Morgan, Brandon Soo Hoo, Alexis G. Zall, Matty Finochio, Robyn Cohen, Kate Orsini, Victory Van Tuyl, Aaron Hendry and Mitchell Edwards.

Opening plot:

Nikki, a young woman that recently downloaded Mr. Bedevil, a mysterious Siri-like A.I. app, is stalked by a paranormal presence and is later found dead from a shock-induced heart attack.

Following her funeral, Nikki’s boyfriend, Cody, and best friend, Alice, along with Alice’s boyfriend, Gavin, and friends, Haley and Dan, all receive invites to download Mr. Bedevil. They decide to download the app, which results in the group getting tormented by Mr. Bedevil and becoming haunted according to their personal fears.

They subsequently discover brands on their bodies in the shape of Mr. Bedevil’s app icon and eventually accept that the app is intent on killing them…

Reviews:

“What we have here is a charming, albeit occasionally predictable, character-driven horror movie with a splash of modern sensibilities. While some of the scenes involving the titular app’s capabilities may seem cheesy at first, especially with how gullible the teens seem to be, there are still some honest scares to be had with the film.” Luiz H.C., Bloody Disgusting

“Bedeviled is basically a poor man’s Nightmare on Elm Street. Describing it as by-the-book isn’t quite right as it never turns past the first page of being pat, predictable, and pedestrian in every sense as a supernatural slasher.  About the best that can be said of Bedeviled is that it is “eh, ok” for a SyFy Saturday matinee.” Culture Crypt

Cast and characters:

• Saxon Sharbino as Alice Gorman
• Brandon Soo Hoo as Dan
• Victory Van Tuyl as Haley Davis
• Mitchell Edwards as Cody
• Carson Boatman as Gavin
• Alexis G Zall as Nikki
• Jordan Essoe as Mr Bedevil
• Bonnie Morgan as Grandmother
• Robyn Cohen as Patricia Gorman
• Camden Toy as Tall Clown
• Brett Wagner as Fat Clown
• Angelina Armani as Maid Clown
• Michael Shen as Cop

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‘Crawling horror from the depths of Hell!’

The Devil – aka Devil’s Express and original title Xie Mo – is a 1981 Hong Kong-Taiwan supernatural horror film directed by Jen-Chieh Chang from a screenplay by Po Sheng Lu [as Pak Sang Luk]. It stars Shao Tung Chou, Bao Yu Wang, Di Ou.

Plot:

An old witch casts spells on her victims which turns their insides into snakes and worms…

Reviews:

“The Devil is a solid example of entertaining Hong Kong horror. Sure there are probably two too many characters that are mixed up with all the supernatural shenanigans (like the vengeful brother of the murdered woman), but there is plenty of slime spewing gross out scenes to keep you watching.” Mitch, The Video Vacuum

” …nasty little Taiwanese horror movie with some very gruesome scenes of people having these creatures crawling out from the mouth, belly and other parts of the body that might be unprotected at the moment. It’s more black and green slime than gore and blood, even if it’s quite graphic and not for the sensitive viewer.” Fred …. Ninja Dixon

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“A typically insane and fast-moving Hong Kong horror flick with horrible dubbing and cheesy acting but this one goes for extreme gross-outs in the form of a virus inflicted on people by a ghost that makes them break out in boils and abscesses, burst in green goo, and vomit, pus, blood, worms, centipedes and snakes.” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre

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‘Everyone will rest in pieces!’

Mortuary Massacre is a 2016 American horror anthology film directed by Christopher James Miller (The Forbidden Dimensions; Ironhorse; October Nightmare; Carrion) from a screenplay co-written with Erin Blaisdell.

The plot focuses around Detective Giger’s (Todd Brown) debriefing of several mysterious deaths, all of which took place on Halloween night. The local mortician (Carl Crew) tells Giger the backstories behind three particular victims via their stories:

‘The Apartment’; ‘False Face’; and ‘Snake-eyed Jack’.

In the US, the Razorwire Pictures film is released on DVD by Video Music, Inc. on March 28, 2017. Pre-order from Amazon.com

The teaser trailer below is NSFW:

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‘The world’s most evil vampire lives again!’

Dracula: Prince of Darkness is a 1965 British supernatural horror film directed by Terence Fisher from a screenplay by Jimmy Sangster. The film was photographed in Techniscope by Michael Reed, designed by Bernard Robinson and scored by James Bernard. It stars Christopher Lee, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, and Barbara Shelley.

Dracula does not speak in the film, save for a few hisses. According to Christopher Lee: “I didn’t speak in that picture. The reason was very simple. I read the script and saw the dialogue! I said to Hammer, if you think I’m going to say any of these lines, you’re very much mistaken.”

Screenwriter Jimmy Sangster disputed that account in his memoir Inside Hammer, writing that “Vampires don’t chat. So I didn’t write him any dialogue. Christopher Lee has claimed that he refused to speak the lines he was given … So you can take your pick as to why Christopher Lee didn’t have any dialogue in the picture. Or you can take my word for it. I didn’t write any.”

The film was made back-to-back with Rasputin – the Mad Monk, using many of the same sets and cast, including Lee, Shelley, Matthews and Farmer.

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Opening plot:

A prologue replays the final scenes from Dracula, in which Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) destroys Dracula (Christopher Lee) by driving him into the sunlight.

The main story begins as Father Sandor (Andrew Kier) prevents local authorities from disposing of a woman’s corpse as if it were a vampire. Sandor chastises the presiding priest for perpetuating the fear of vampirism, and reminds him that Dracula was destroyed 10 years previously. The Father visits an inn and warns four English tourists – the Kents – not to visit Karlsbad; they ignore his advice.

As night approaches, the Kents find themselves abandoned by their fear-stricken coach driver, in view of a castle. A driverless carriage takes them to the castle, where they find a dining table set for four people. A servant named Klove explains that his master, the late Count Dracula, ordered that the castle should always be ready to welcome strangers. After dinner the Kents settle in their rooms.

Later that night, Alan investigates a noise and follows Klove to the crypt, where Klove ritualistically kills him and mixes his blood with Dracula’s ashes, reviving the Count…

Buy: Amazon.com

Reviews:

“The gruesome sequence where the infamous bloodsucker is resurrected in a perverse religious ritual still retains its shock value, with scream queen Barbara Shelley’s demise just as memorable. Andrew Keir is no real substitute for Peter Cushing … but in every other respect this is a textbook example of top-grade ghoulish horror from Hammer’s golden era.” Alan Jones, Radio Times

“Lee, sans dialogue plays the part with demonic fury but it is Barbara Shelley who steals the show. As Helen, she is the very picture of prim, Victorian repression, but after she is bitten by Dracula, she turns into one of filmdom’s most rapacious female vampires. Her death scene is a highpoint of Hammer horror.” Gary A. Smith, Uneasy Dreams: The Golden Age of British Horror Films

“The film’s only weak point is the dispatch of Dracula himself which seems a bit unimaginative when compared to Meinster’s inventive dispatch in Brides of Dracula. However this is a mere blip in an otherwise brilliant film in the Dracula series and is without doubt the strongest and most dramatic entry. Absolute quintessential Hammer.” Adam Scovell, The Spooky Isles

“The build up is tense and kinetic, let down a bit by obviously limited budgetary restraints. Dracula, Prince of Darkness is the last Dracula Hammer with genuine style via Fisher’s red-blooded type of poetic horror. The sequels became increasingly clumsy, repetitive and pale in comparison…” Alfred Eaker’s The Blue Mahler

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

” …Dracula is deprived not only of dialogue but also of any worthwhile motivation, not even the paltry revenge motif which was to crop up in subsequent sequels.” Jonathan Rigby, English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema

” …Fisher opted for an unsettling combination of graphically gruesome violence and lusciously poetic atmosphere, which gives the movie a sense of stylish formalism and invites an appreciation of the way the story is told, rather than taking the more direct, ‘innocent’ approach of Dracula.” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

“The best moments are the reconstitution and the imaginative ending. A grandly melodramatic score dates the film and the pace is slow by current standards, but it still stands up well to another viewing. The small cast is excellent. The women are classy and about as sexy as the 1965 screen would allow.” Mike Mayo, The Horror Show Guide

” …the main snag is that the thrills do not arise sufficiently smooth out of atmosphere. After a slowish start some climate of eeriness is evoked but more shadows, suspense and suggestion would have helped. Christopher Lee, an old hand at the horror business, makes a latish appearance but dominates the film enough without dialog.” Variety, December 31, 1965

Cast and characters:

• Christopher Lee as Count Dracula
• Barbara Shelley as Helen Kent
• Andrew Keir as Father Sandor
• Francis Matthews as Charles Kent
• Suzan Farmer as Diana Kent
• Charles Tingwell as Alan Kent
• Thorley Walters as Ludwig
• Philip Latham as Klove
• Walter Brown as Brother Mark
• Jack Lambert as Brother Peter
• George Woodbridge as Landlord
• Philip Ray as Priest
• Joyce Hemson as Mother
• John Maxim as Coach Driver
• Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing [archive footage only]

The film was written into a novel by John Burke as part of his 1967 book The Second Hammer Horror Film Omnibus.

Filming locations:

Black Park, Buckinghamshire, England
Bray Studios, Bray, Berkshire, England

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

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

‘He’s a specialist in his field!’

Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls is a 1973 American supernatural horror film produced and directed by Eddie Saeta (assistant director on 20 Million Miles to Earth) from a screenplay by associate producer Sal Ponti. It was promoted by US distributors Cinerama Releasing as Doctor Death.

Dr. Death (John Considine) is a thousand-year-old magician who has mastered the art of transferring souls from one body to another and thereby manages to perpetuate himself …

Main cast:

John Considine (Endangered Species; The Thirsty Dead), Barry Coe (Jaws 2), Cheryl Miller, Stewart Moss, Leon Askin, Jo Morrow, Florence Marly (The Astrologer; Games; Queen of Blood), Sivi Aberg, Jim Boles, Athena Lorde, and Moe Howard (one of the Three Stooges).

Reviews:

“Thoroughly enjoyable obscure horror rarity featuring an infinitely memorable grand guignol style lead villain. Saeta may have never directed another movie, but he makes this sole entry deliciously memorable and fun. Without John Considine as Dr. Death, it’s unlikely the film would be as good as it is. A hidden gem of 70’s horror.” Cool Ass Cinema

“Although Saeta had never directed a horror film before, he shows some flair for the genre, never taking the campy material too seriously yet allowing things to be played straight pretty much throughout. There are some haunting sequences within, including Fred following his dead wife’s ghost into her open tomb, and the film should satisfy most gorehounds…” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

“The soul transference plot was pretty interesting, and there’s something kind of wonderfully perverse about a movie where the villain seems to care more about the hero’s loved one than the hero himself. Again, the story was kind of novel – it was the lack of urgency that brought it down … There are some surprisingly graphic murders (there’s a great ax kill), but it’s never scary or even that suspenseful – it’s just “kind of cool”. Brian W. Collins, Horror Movie a Day

“It’s not anything great, but it is entertaining. This is basically due to the story and to Considines’ wonderfully hammy performance. The filmmaking isn’t anything special, despite the use of some amusing scene transitions. Considine really is the main reason to watch…” Scott LeBrun, IMDb

In 2009, Scorpion Releasing issued a limited edition (1,000 copies) Blu-ray.

Buy: Amazon.com

Choice dialogue:

Doctor Death: ““Enter that body! Enter that body!”

Fred Saunders (referring to Doctor Death): “Why, he’s mad!”

Moe Howard (Three Stooges) admires Sivi Aberg

Filming locations:

Aldrich Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA

IMDb | Image thanks: Cool Ass Cinema | The Last Drive-In

Apocalypse Kiss is a 2014 American science fiction serial killer noir film written and directed by Christian Grillo (Roxsy Tyler’s House of Horrors; Sugar Skull Girls).

In 2050, government security agent Jerry Hipple has been unsuccessfully tracking the city’s most infamous criminal The Red Harvest Killer. When two nomadic lovers, Katia and Gladys enter the city the death count rises and are being credited as Red Harvest killings.

Obsessive compulsive Adrian, the actual Red Harvest Killer becomes furious that the sexy serial killing duo are grabbing media attention under his alias. Not only does Adrian attempt to reclaim his rightful reputation but he also decides to cleverly aid his detective counterpart through the case.

All the while, killers and victims alike are unaware the world is about to reach an abrupt catastrophic ending…

Main cast:

D.C. Douglas, Carmela Hayslett, Tammy Jean, Tom Detrik, Bonnie Loev, Brian Anthony Wilson, Tom Atkins (Night of the Creeps; Halloween III; The Fog), Steve Blum, Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Berryman, Karen Scioli, Carl Stevens, Genoveva Rossi, Chris McMullin, Lisa Panzer.

Reviews:

“Every moment on screen is gold, diabolical, and darkly humorous. Though obviously low budget, it is a Midnight Releasing film after all, it is a future we’ve see before and can identify with, and I wouldn’t be the first to declare an undying love to Asylum style camp and ridiculousness.” Creepy Jeffy, HorrorNews.net

“Running over a hundred minutes, Apocalypse Kiss outstays is welcome well before the final credits roll; and not even copious amounts of sex, violence, nudity and big-name cameos can save this film. Although I will give Christian Jude Grillo some credit, this film really looks and sounds the part with it’s dark, dimly-lit noirish appearance and the accompanying Chandler-esque soundtrack. It’s a shame that the rest of the film can’t measure up to the cinematography and score.” Phil Wheat, Nerdly

“Apocalypse Kiss’s disunity isn’t the result of a hipsterish desire to be cool for coolness’s sake. Rather, it’s a danger inherent in trying to realize as high-concept an idea as Grillo has attempted here. I won’t call Apocalypse Kiss a failure—even a noble one—because there’s too much that’s good here for me to dismiss it so easily.” Hunter C. Eden, Ravenous Monster

“There’s quite a bit to enjoy here with the twists and turns of this fun little mix of Blade Runner, Dexter, and The Big Sleep. Featuring spot on performances and an intriguing story that are certainly of a higher caliber than you’d normally find in a similarly budgeted film, director Christian Jude Grillo is mostly successful here. I could certainly see this film scoring well with audiences on the lookout for the next great underground cult classic.” Jason Howard, Influx Magazine

“Really, every single cast member – even the bit parts – pulled off an above average performance and I give them all a round of applause. You can have a great concept, a great director, and everything else in line, but if your cast isn’t capable then the production will crumble. The cast is seriously what makes or breaks this movie and I’m happy to say their realistic deliveries boosted the value of this movie.” Horror Society

“The comparisons to Blade Runner are inevitable, but Apocalypse Kiss offers a new cynicism about the future that is at times humorous (e.g., the commercials) and often brutal (e.g., the murders, the politics).” Thomas Berdinski, IMDb

Filming locations:

Hulmeville and Pennsylvania, USA

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‘Six People. One House. Lots of monsters.

Wolf House is a 2016 American found footage supernatural horror film directed by Matt D. Lord, making his feature debut, from a screenplay by co-producer Ken Cosentino and Elizabeth Houlihans. It stars Cosentino along with Jessica Bell (Sting; The Fate of Sophie Miller; The Other Side) and Marcus Ganci-Rotella.

Six friends on a camping trip think they have discovered, and killed, a Sasquatch. But what they have actually unleashed is something more evil, more ancient and more deadly than they could ever imagine – an army of supernatural terrors that will hunt them until none of them remain…

The film is released on DVD on January 17, 2017, by Wild Eye Releasing. The DVD includes a feature-length commentary with director Matt D. Lord, a behind the scenes documentary, a featurette on “Making the Monster” and trailers. Pre-order from Amazon.com

Main cast:

Ken Cosentino, Jessica Bell, Marcus Ganci-Rotella, Elizabeth Houlihan, Bill Kennedy, Marc Sturdivant, Rick Williams.

IMDb

‘This year everyone will be eggsecuted!’

Easter Sunday is a 2014 American horror film written and directed by Jeremy Todd Morehead and produced by Jason Delgado. It stars Robert Z’Dar (Maniac Cop; Syngenor; Evil Altar) and Ari Lehman (Rock Paper Dead; The Barn; Friday the 13th).

It’s been twenty-four years since the serial killer Douglas Fisher was executed on Easter night. This year, a group partying teenagers not only raise some hell, but literally raise the dead…

The film is released on DVD by Music Video, Inc on March 14, 2017. Pre-order from Amazon.com

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