‘Making movies can be murder’
Effects is a 1978 American horror film written and directed by Dusty Nelson (Necromancer), based on a novel by William H. Mooney. It stars horror FX maestro Tom Savini (From Dusk Till Dawn; Night of the Living Dead [1990]; Dawn of the Dead), Joe Pilato (Day of the Dead), and John Harrison (Tales from the Darkside: The Movie).
A filmmaker (John Harrison) is making low budget horror movie in rural Pennsylvania. During the course of production, the cinematographer (Joseph Pilato) and a female gaffer (Susan Chapek) begin to enter into a romantic relationship. Unbeknownst to them, the film’s director is secretly making a snuff documentary with an unwilling cast and crew…
Effects is released on Blu-ray on August 22, 2017, via American Genre Film Archive (AGFA). It was transferred in 4K from the only 35mm print in existence. Charles Forsman designed the reversible artwork above. Special features:
- Audio commentary with John Harrison, Dusty Nelson, and Pasquale Buba
- After Effects making-of documentary with optional commentary track
- Ubu and Beastie short films
- Liner notes by Joseph A. Ziemba of AGFA
Reviews:
” …the film plays like a good example of the (then-waning) grindhouse era, mixing violence and sexy bits to hang them up on a rather thin storyline […] And while the film isn’t perfectly structured by any means, it does feature a highly original and rather exciting finale, plus in a macabre way it does anticipate today’s fascination with reality TV.” Mike Haberfelner, Search My Trash
“The multi-layered script must have been good for everyone to jump on-board with good intentions, but what results on-screen is only half-successful. Approaching subject matter like a snuff film, which is surefire exploitation material, writer/director Dusty Nelson seems instead interested in creating a “what is real, what is fantasy?” mindf*ck for the audience.” Casey Scott, DVD Drive-In
” …though the Pittsburgh-based production is of interest, utilizing several George Romero regulars on the technical side […] the film itself lacks any sense of the dramatic.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror
Production:
Shot in 1978, the film received its world premiere at the King’s Court theater in Pittsburgh on November 9, 1979. The film was signed up by International Harmony and received limited distribution.
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In October 2005, it received an official DVD release by Synapse Films.
Trivia:
Also known as The Manipulator.
Wikipedia | IMDb