New Years Evil (1980)

This weeks review will wrap up our first annual Gory Little Christmas. Its been fun but now its time for a New Year, new movies, new challenges, and new posts on GLP. Since New Years is just around the corner we decided that a review of the cult classic New Years Evil would be appropriate. So sit back, relax and take a sip of something bubbly cause were bringing in the New Year with blood!

New Years Evil is another one of those video treasures I found as a kid. One of the countless holiday themed slasher films, does New Years Evil stand up to its competition? Not quite, but its a fun ride into early 80's slasher cinema. NYE offers up some tip top cheese and very little red stuff, but manages to have some interesting rhetoric. After watching NYE again...I'm curious as to what I found so interesting about it when I was younger.

NYE stars Roz Kelly of Happy Days fame, Kip Niven, and Grant Cramer who would later go on to star in the classic films Hardbodies, and Killer Clowns from Outer Space. The film full of cheese acting, sometimes it was almost comedic, however Roz, Kip, and Grant manage to do decent jobs with the script it had. Basically Roz's character Diane aka Blaze is throwing an on TV New Years bash when she gets a call from a Killer threatening to kill someone she knows at 12 midnight for every time zone. That's basically it. Its doesn't go a whole lot deeper than that until the end when you find out who the killer is.

The killer, you see his face the entire film, so you know who is committing the murders. What the writers thought was clever was revealing who REALLY is at the end...which was kind of a let down but it worked ok i guess. As I said earlier, this film did not live up to the height at which I had held it as a younger kid. It fell straight on its face. I lost much interest in the film about midway through, however I was pulled back in for the ending.  The most interesting part of the film was the soundtrack, which is a glorious 80's piece of work.

NYE really lacks all of the great qualities of a memorable slasher film...Blood, Nudity, Creative Killer, and kills that actually mean something. No jumps, no scares, no suspense. It was all so bland. I spend much of the film laughing than anything else. NYE is a mediocre slasher with bland kills, and bland everything else. However due to it being a holiday themed slasher it will be held close to my heart, even if it is very boring. NYE gets 2 out of 5 stabs for laughably bad acting and plot, as well as being extremely boring. Even with its bad pacing and silly story its still a fun watch in a group. NYE is finally available on DVD. View the trailer below.

 

GLP Rating:

Black Christmas (1974)

When I think of Christmas horror films, two prominent films stick out in my mind. These films seem to be on every horror fans Christmas watch list and rightfully so. I'm talking about Silent Night, Deadly Night, and Bob Clark's 1974 cult classic Black Christmas. These films optimize what Christmas horror flicks are all about, yule tide fright and holiday cheer. Most hardcore genera nut will tell you...It's not Christmas time, unless you've watched these films.

Bob Clark's Black Christmas is a staple of the Holiday horror genre. It's also the film that started the slasher craze being sighted by some as inspiration for John Carpenters Halloween and Sean Cunningham's Friday the 13th.  Black Christmas is reminiscent to the Urban Legend "The Babysitter and The Man Upstairs" taking bits and pieces from the lore and molding them to the story. Black Christmas is about a sorority house that starts receiving obscene phone calls from a vulger man the girls dub the moaner. Soon the girls sorority sisters start going missing and they soon find out there is a deranged serial killer after them all.

Bob Clark directed this film beautifully, using odd camera angles and excellent lighting to develop an eerie mood and atmosphere. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Clark's work... you may be surprised...He would go on to make Porkys and the other Christmas classic A Christmas Story. His work in this film helped create a massive sub-genre that has captivated many audiences world wide and birthed some of the most twisted villain's of all time.

The acting in this picture is pretty good, John Saxon, Olivia Hussey, and Margot Kidder do a fantastic job. Olivia does a great job as Jess. Jess is a strong willed female lead keeping her composure during the traumatic events near the end. Margot plays Barb, the sister that is slightly slutty and likes to drink. Margot does a great job with the role, playing the part to a T. While the characters are only about skin deep, the actresses manage to give them more life than they probably should have had. Saxon plays Lt. Fuller a cop who is trying to help the girls find their friends and nab the obscene caller.

The killer, Billy, is a great character. The serial killer with what seems like multiple  personality's. The obscene calls are full of tension and at some points makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The decision to not ever fully show the killer was a great one, leaving an air of mystery to Billy and leaving the audience wanting more. You never really understand his motives either, which makes the film so successful. There is not much to say about gore, cause there is none. People die, but mostly off screen, and if they do bite it on screen there is only a little bit of red stuff.

When it all boils down. Black Christmas is one helluva good movie. Age has played only a minor factor in its dating, but still manages hold as true as it did in 1974. This movie is a must see. GLP gives Black Christmas 5 out of 5 stabs for great story, atmosphere, direction, and acting. If your interested in picking up this classic you can do so on special edition Blu-Ray & DVD. View the trailer below.

GLP Rating:

 

To All A Goodnight (1980)

To all a goodnight is one of those slasher flicks that had always alluded me. Whether I would just skip over it, or put it back on the shelf for another whose box art was cooler, This film never made it to my VCR. Finally in the age of technology, I was able to watch this film for the very first time, and just in time for Gory Little X-Mas. As I was watching, the film reminded me of another film that is near and dear to my heart and prompted me to do some investigative "online" research.

Without giving anything away, To All A Goodnight is about an all girls school called the Calvin Finishing School for Girls. Right off the bat the viewers are thrown into the story, with a girl running from a group of other girls laughing chanting and giggling. One of the girls is wearing a Santa hat and holding and axe. We soon see the group of girls has cornered the young girl and frightened she accidentally falls to her death of some balcony. The story then jumps 2 years later and we see a person in a Santa Claus costume start to pick off the occupants of the Calvin Finishing School that have stayed for Christmas Vacation.

While the movie isn't terrible, it's not the best slasher film out there. The print is extremely dark (almost as dark as "Humongous"). One of my biggest pet peeves with most obscure slasher titles are the transfers. This VHS backup is so dark, at times its so hard to see whats going on you miss something awesome. This is all to common though with these older horror flicks, especially the ones that have yet to get official releases, much like this one. The transfer is watchable, but I would make sure you pay attention, cause it's very easy to miss whats going on.

For me the pacing of the film was a little wacky. The start of the film starts off at a decent pace. The viewer gets the first kill about 7 or 8 minutes in. Not a bad start at all, however about 2/3rds of the way trough the movie it hits a lull. You see the film is separated into 3 chunks, 4 if you count the beginning set up. The formula is 1 night, 1 day, 1 night. The killer picks off about 6 or so people the first night. Then the action stops. Its day time so you get a lot of setup. Where are our friends, blah, blah. Then once night falls again, the action is back on. This break up between days really threw off the pacing for me and at times I had trouble paying attention.

Interestingly enough, David Hess directed this little gem. While he is a legend in front of the camera for films like "Last House On the Left",  "House on The Edge of The Park", and "Swamp Thing". His talent behind the camera is less than stellar. I usually don't pay attention to the beginning or ending credits for that matter, but his name really popped out from that screen. Nothing special to see as far as direction...it just sort of falls flat.

The special effects are pretty good considering the time. You get a decapitation, throat slits, head smashing, stabbings, propeller-ing. However since the film is dark its hard to see a lot of the effects which could play in its favor, but I feel like it hurt some of it too because it look like some promising makeup work was achieved only to get hidden by darkness.

To All A Goodnight is strangely similar to another film that came out the same year. That film is the original "Friday The 13th". Its odd but the final minuets are laid out quite alike. The killer reveals their motives and tries to take out the final person. Now these are typical slasher rules and clichés, However at this point in time the slasher genera was just starting to be born, Halloween had only came out a year before and not many films really capitalized on the slasher craze yet.Being intrigued by this I did some research. To All A Goodnight officially hit theaters on Jan 30th, 1988. Made on an estimated $70,000 budget according to IMDB.com. Friday The 13th hit theaters a little over 3 months after To All A Goodnight on May 9th, 1980. Made on an estimated $550,000 and grossing $5,816,321 it opening weekend. I could not find the box office for To All a Goodnight but I'm sure it didn't do anywhere near as good as Friday.

To All A Goodnight is a modest attempt at an early slasher. While the pacing is off and print is very bad it still has some very nice moments and still manages to get some viewing time by hardcore horror nerds during the holidays. For a decent promise and effects To All A Goodnight gets 2 out of 5 stabs. While it's not the worst holiday themed horror I've come across and it predates Silent Night, Deadly Night by almost 4 years...it just falls flat in a lot of areas. It's defiantly worth the watch but keep a backup plan, it could get boring. If your interested in watching this film it may be hard to track down a VHS, and you may be able to find it online, however GLP would suggest heading to our friends at VHSPS to get their 100% VHS transfer. They offer direct from the source VHS transfers, so no cut cable versions, or crappy bootlegs. No trailer to be found...sorry guys.

GLP Rating:

Silent Night (2012)

Ah, December...One of my favorite months of the year. Not just for the amazing gifts, but the family get togethers, Xmas lights, and the plethora of delicious foods and sweets. My favorite part about the x-mas season though, are the movies. No not the over played stuff like "Christmas Story" and that black and white one about the bell and angels wings. I'm talking the most depraved, and twisted fun X-mas movies out...HORROR XMAS! I'm talking Killer Santa's, twisted elves, and Xmas monsters alike. This December join GLP for "Gory Little Christmas" 4 weeks of X-mas horror.

Up first is Silent Night. This newly released slasher pic is a re-imagining of the classic controversial slasher known as Silent Night, Deadly Night. I have been anticipating this release for some time now, reading about it on many blogs and horror sites since its inception. I can say that its defiantly not better than the original, most if not all remakes never stand up, but its has a lot of very good qualities.

Basically, The story goes like this. I old mill town is gearing up for the holiday parade on Christmas Eve, when a sadistic killer suddenly starts picking off its inhabitants after they receive a lump of coal in the mail. The story is completely by the books, formulaic, and stale. Nothing new has been brought to the table in Silent Night, however, it didn't take away from the experience of watching it. The film boasts come nice kills, only one being memorable though. I will not spoil the good kill but I will say that it involves a half naked chick and a wood chipper.

The Acting is ok. Jamie King and Donal Logue are the only actors to positively right home about. Jamie does a good job with the role of Aubry, the towns deputy. She's good at what she does, and after sitting trough countless episodes of CW's Hart Of Dixie its refreshing to not see Jamie as the spoiled Lemon Brealand. Her performance too, is formulaic, as strong leading lady, however she is seem hardened from the beginning rather than making that transition over time. That was a nice change of pace for me. Donal Logue's small part was great, A cynical traveling Santa, with witty comebacks and a quick tongue. Malcolm McDowell is also in the film as the towns sheriff. I was in utter confusion with his role. It felt like the director literally told him to say whatever came to his mind..."Dont put Avocado on the burger!".......WHAT! I didn't know if they were trying to make him funny or make the sheriff out to be incompetent. It was hard to watch his scenes.

As I mentioned earlier the killers were nice, and the special effects we good too. Lots of blood and limbs being removed. Burnings, Stabbings, Electrocutions, Shootings, Impaling, and Meat Grinding run a muck in this slasher flick. They all look good, and should defiantly bring out the gore hound in all of us. The kills make the ride worth riding. The killer looks good, a typical Santa suit with a very creepy Santa mask...That mask looks so ominous. Silent Night's killer gets points for the mask.

I felt the setting was not indicative of a Midwestern town, The Midwest usually gets snow on or around Christmas Eve. At some points during the day shoots, it felt like the movie wasn't even in the winter time. A snow-laden setting would have honed in on the holiday feel. Night time shots helped equal out the off handed day shoots since you couldn't see much. The post production blueish filter tried to help give it the cold feeling but as I said earlier. It would have been nice seeing some fluffy white snow all over the place.

I had some issues with the ending, but that seems to be happening a lot recently. It is not a bad ending, but I thought it was kind of mediocre. Other than that I enjoyed the movie. Slasher fans like myself will more than likely love it, and most casual horror fans will think its ok. To the average, the movie is ultimately forgettable, thought hardcore fans of the genre should remember it at this point only time will tell. GLP gives Silent Night 3 out of 5 stabs for good kills and gore, and a strong female lead. If you want to know more about the film you can stalk the movies Facebook page. If you want to watch the film you can do so on demand thru Vudu or Amazon On-Demand or on Blu-Ray and DVD. View the trailer below.

 

GLP Rating:

The Bay (2012)

After a nice holiday break, GLP is back with a new review for your reading displeasure.

Upon deciding to watch this film, I really had no knowledge of the movie. I thought is was about some sort of alien, maybe some sort of monster. I did , however, go into watching this film with VERY LOW expectations. After I finished watching it I was not terribly disappointed, nor was I completely satisfied. It was not until I did my homework that I became really disappointed.

The Bay is about the small seaside town called Claridge, Maryland that has an "outbreak" on the 4th of July leaving the small town in a panic. The "outbreak is not that of zombies, but a parasitic one caused by major pollution to the town bay. The movie is told through the oh so OVER USED found footage theme, using different people's footage to piece together the events that happened before and during the outbreak.

Standing alone, the film had great potential, and is not a bad watch. That is about as deep as it gets. On the surface its got some good acting, decent CGI, and decent practical effects. The radio/ podcast interview with the town's mayor really stood out to me. I felt that was actually one of the best scenes in the movie, the authenticity of the interview was a very nice touch. 

My disappointment with this film came from behind the cameras. This film was directed by Barry Levinson. For those of you, like me, that don't particularly follow directors or behind the scenes guys in films, Berry & his previous films have been nominated for multiple Oscars, and He himself won "Best Director" for 1988's Rain Man. Berry has directed such films as  Diner (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Rain Man (1988), Bugsy (1991), Toys (1992), Disclosure (1994) Sleepers (1996) Sphere (1998), Liberty Heights (1999), and Bandits (2001) just to name a few. You would think that a guy with connections like that, and a resume like that could make a movie better than it was. Unfortunately he didn't, and because I now know Berry directed this, I feel less excited about it. 

So lets talk about the premise without giving too much away, Basically this town is polluting the bay with something bad, and as a result it is causing a nasty parasite to mutate into an even nastier version. I really enjoyed the overall arch of the story seeing as it was creative, not entirely original, but still good enough. I felt out of all the aspects of this film, The story keep me at attention and as an end result made me like the film.

Found footage films need to be buried in the past. They were cool for a hot minuet but now it's getting to the point were EVERYTHING is being shot in the style. I feel this film could have benefited from solid camera work. Cinematography...not shitty handheld bullshit. This film could have been eerie, and frightening without the found footage effect, however, as a result it become hokey at times and sometimes laughable.

The film is not bad, it mainly suffers from bad decisions behind the camera. I really wish this film would have not used the found footage aspect, I probably would have like it a lot more. The story is good, the acting is decent, and the practical effects are good as well. The movie is just OK with good parts here and there, GLP gives The Bay a 3 out of 5 stabs. If your interested in checking this film out you can do so ONLY on-demand. Check out the trailer below.

GLP RATING

Gory Little Vacation!

GLP is taking a vacation! We will return after Thanksgiving!

thanks for reading, expect some good shit upon return!

Excision (2012)

When you think of coming of age films, horror does not usually stand out as the leading genre for such a subject. We usually think of films like The Breakfast Club, Almost Famous, The Virgin Suicides, and others where the main protagonist is faced with some sort of life altering dilemma that forces them to essentially grow up. These films are all great, but we hardly enter the mind of the characters, most notably one in which the main character is a psychopath. Excision is a great example of that, the mind of teenage nut job.

Excision is a film written and directed by Richard Bates, Jr. in his very first feature length film. I have to say he did a wonderful job. I had been hearing about this film for some time, reading the blog about how its edgy and weird, but at the same time slightly heart wrenching. I have to agree with what people are saying, this film is all of the above and in most cases more.

The story follows Pauline played by AnnaLynne McCord, and 18 year old outcast that dreams (lucidly) of becoming a surgeon. Pauline has a younger sister with cystic fibrosis that requires her to take some sort of breathing treatment wearing a vibrating vest. We follow Pauline in her dealings with her overbearing mother (Traci Lords), a verbally absent father, and ridicule from her peers at school. Pauline however has a dark secret, she dreams of often extremely bloody surgical experiments that leave her rather aroused.

This film is absolutely fantastic. AnnaLynne's performance as Pauline was seriously some of her best work. Her facial expressions, body language, and attitude personified her character. Being a very attractive female the crew had to utilize make up and prosthetic to achieve Pauline frumpy, and quite honestly ugly character, giving her pimples, cold sores, a sickly pale completion, and greasy hair. For that I applaud the make up crew for doing such an amazing job.

Annalynne's performance was not the only one to shine. Traci Lords did a fantastic job as the overbearing mother. Much like Carries mother in Carrie, Traci's words we biting and unemotional. Traci did a great job of playing cold and unsympathetic bitch. Over the period of the film you see a transition in her character. By that point, however, the damage had already been done. You also get some interesting cameo appearances from Malcolm McDowell, and John Waters that are a nice touch.

Pauline's dream sequences are dark and beautiful portrayals of madness. In these sequences, Annalynn looks seductive and hot as hell. Shedding the ugly girl makeup and showing more of the Annalynn most people are accustomed to. These scenes usually entailed tons of blood, and uncomfortable situations involving body parts. These scenes really pay off, if your paying attention to the movie...you gradually see them getting progressively more intense and as a the film runs out. Exceptional...

I really don't have a single complaint with this movie. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I will say I was expecting more of a horror film when I saw the cover, but I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Everyone did a fantastic job in this film, this could be one of the best films of 2012. GLP give Excision 4 out of 5 stabs for an excellent story, top notch acting, and dream sequences that will literally make you squirm. To find out more information about Excision check out their Facebook and Official Webpage. This film is currently available on demand through Vudu. You can also purchase the films on Blu-Ray and DVD. Check out the trailer below.

GLP Rating

The Evil Dead Official Trailer

Just released last week, The OFFICIAL trailer for the upcoming remake of Evil Dead is making waves in the horror community. While horror fans are torn as to whether or not it will be good, One thing is for sure...the trailer is bad ass. I ,for one, am very excited to see this...it looks dark, twisted, and shocking. I think this will be one of the best, if not, THE best remakes of recent years. Dont just take my word for it...View the trailer below and chime in on what you think!

Sinister (2012)

What would you do if you moved into a new home in a strange town, found an old dusty box filled with various family videos, but each video showed the death of the family in the end. Personally I would GTF out of the house and never look back but… Im not in a movie and what you chose could kill you.

Sinister staring Ethan Hawke, & Juliet Rylance with a cameo by Vincent D’Onofrio is, for all intents and purposes, a really good movie. Basically the movie is about Ellison (Hawke) a struggling true crime writer trying to recapture the glory of his famed NY time’s best selling book “Kentucky Blood”.  After moving uprooting his family yet again to research his next book, Ellison finds a mysterious box of super 8 family films depicting violent deaths and begins to research the families. As he digs deeper into the films past, strange things begin to happen around his home.

Sinister will have you on the edge of your seat. The film makers really did a great job of creating a really thick atmosphere. You get a great feeling of impending dread while watching the film. The lighting in the house was amazing! The choice to have the film lighting very sparse during the night shots help add tension to the films already heavy feeling.

The films villain is very effective. Dark, Creepy, and Menacing are all words you can use to describe him. The image of him is so effective, the sight of him made the audience in the theater squirm. The make up effects were great to boot. While most incidents didn’t need a lot, it was used effectively when it was.

The acting was done well, Ethan carries the film for me, his performance is outstanding. Acting, emotion, and believability is on point in this effort. D’Onofrio’s cameo was surprisingly well done, playing a nerdy occult college professor his quirky lines and slightly awkward demeanor is well received. The entire cast gave great performances but as I stated earlier Hawke carries the film.

While there is not a lot of red stuff the deaths in the film are done superbly. The viewers get hangings, knifings, lawn mowers, drowning’s, burnings and a few more that are truly unnerving. I also thing the story was well written and acted, while there are some slower aspects to the film they are warranted and help move along the actual story and character development.

My only problem with the film was the ending, while it was good, I would have like to see it go a different direction. I personally feel like it was rushed, and or a studio change. I have a feeling when this film hit home video that we will see an alternate ending or 2 pop up. Other than that I was 100% satisfied with the money spent to see the film. Sinister will be in my collection once it hits DVD and Blu-Ray.

Sinister is a very well done physiological horror film, with more emphasis on atmosphere and mood rather than blood and guts. While there are some cheap jump scares, the writers manage to work them in appropriate areas of the film. For those reasons GLP give this successful effort 4 out of 5 stabs. Sinister is currently on its 3rd week in theaters and has made over 13x the amount in the box office as it was made for. I can personally see a sequel coming and coming rather soon. Be sure to check it out in theaters while you still can, as it is defiantly worth the price of addition. For more on Sinister visit their website and facebook page. View the trailer below.

GLP Rating:

The Wait is Killing Me!

Being a horror movie nerd is full of ups and downs, You get super excited about stuff and then sometimes you get let down. Thus presents the vicious cycle of being a horror fan. I spend my down time researching new movies, reading my favorite horror blogs, going to conventions, and checking out my 3 horror news sites. Every time I do one of these things I find myself getting pumped about something or other. New "Uncut" blu-ray releases of my favorite slasher films, casting for the next great horror films ect. ect. The following is a list of films that I am dying to see and have been pretty stoked on for sometime now.

Sinister

Release Date: October 12, 2012

While at the time of me writing this would mark Sinister already being in theaters in the US for a week, I unfortunately was not able to see it opening weekend due to being on vacation. This movie has so much promise. I typically don't mind spoilers and usually look up reviews to find out whether or not I should waste my money on watching in theaters or not. This film has been an exception, I have not looked at reviews for it, nore do I want to know anymore that I already do. Basically the film follows Ellison (Ethan Hawk) a writer, and his family as they move to a new home to start fresh, when Ellison finds a box of home movies in his attic he unleashes a evil that will put himself and his family in grave danger. This is all I actually know about the film. After reading various blogs and hearing testimonials from true genera fans stating the film was legit...I was immediately more stoked about it. I plan of seeing it in a few days and if I'm as impressed as I expect I will be, expect a review on it in the coming weeks.View the trailer below.

Smiley

Release Date: October 12, 2012

This is another film that is readily available to my but I have yet to see. There was alot of hype behind this film before it release. Enough to grab my attention that is. Seeing as this movie is a slasher I again got really excited and then let down a week ago while reading viewers comments on the film. Since its release, Smiley has been verbally shit on. Some calling it "dull", and "unoriginal". These are all very unfortunate seeing as the inital trailers made the film look SO GOOD, not to mention the killer looks extremely original and creepy. That being said I still want to see this film, although my expectations are now extremely low. On a plus side, going into a film with extremely low expectations usually results in me finding more joy in it so fingers crossed that happens. In a nutshell Smiley is about a serial killer with the same name that can be conjured using the internet. And is hunting down students. View the trailer below.

The Collection

Release Date: November 30, 2012

Last but not least is The Collection. I think out of the three films listed here, I am most exited to see this. I remember going to see its predecessor in theaters (The Collector) and being 1 of only 3 people in the theater. That came as a shock to me. Even worse,  lot of people still don't know of or have not seen the first one. When I found out about the sequel I was instantly excited. I even have a reminder set on my phone for the 30th so I don't forget.  The sequel is set to pick up shortly after the 1st on left off with Arkin is then pitted against the Collector and faces his booby traps once again only this time Arkin is in The Collectors house of tricks. Generally speaking sequels don't usually hold up to the originals, unless your one of those diehard franchise fans like me with Friday the 13th and so on. I have very high expectations for this film to deliver. The original set such a high standard that it could be great or it could pale in comparison. We shall see if it holds a candle to the first one. As of right now I don't think it should have a problem with that. Only time will tell. View the trailer below.

Bloody Bloody Bible Camp (2011)

It seems like comedy and horror seem to be melding together a lot in recent years. Typically I am not much of a fan of the 2 genres together, but recently a slew of comedy slashers have been peeking their ugly little faces out of the proverbial horror vagina. Not to mention they have been good if not great combinations of the 2 genres. Bloody Bloody Bible Camp (BBBC) is no exception. This fallen angel of a flick will have you rolling with laughter and cringing with disgust simultaneously...and its totally fucking worth it

BBBC is new low budget horror flick by Vito Trabucco and Shelby McIntyre. Basically without spoiling anything, BBBC is about a Bible Camp in 1977 that is decimated after a crazed killer in a nun costume picks off the campers one by one. 7 years later (1984) another church decides to chance the tainted camp and take some new campers out for a weekend of worship and love. But someone is lurking in the woods waiting for the right moment to unleash terror on the camps bible thumping occupants.

I really loved this movie, I laughed literally 75% of the movie. The comedy lines were well written by Vito and Shelby and the actors did a tremendous job of haming it up for the camera. If I had to describe the movie using other films it would be a combination of Friday the 13th and every 80's sex comedy. The movie works, it does its thing and is highly entertaining, it does have its flaws but they are mostly minor and I'll get to a few in a bit. I love that the movie is set in the 70's and 80's, you get a blast of lingo, style, and references that are sure to make any 70's and 80's horror/ film buff smile.

The film stars Reggie Banister of Phantasm fame, Ivet Corvea, Matthew Aidan, Jessica Sonneborn, Deborah Venegas, Christopher Raff and a few more. I think everyone did a great job in this film. Mattthew and Christopher were the stand outs for me, their little montage had me laughing hysterically. There is a surprise cameo from Mr. Long Dick himself, Ron Jeremy, that will leave you saying...what the fuck!?! 

The special effects are great, there is a slew of awesome death scenes the will have may a gorehounds drooling at the mouth. You get some decaps, an axe to the vag, some nice stabbings, and a serious head crushing scene that you have to see to believe. The viewers also get a hefty does of skin and a sex scene in the beginning that will make you cry from laughing so hard.

As I said before this film is not without its faults. There are some editing mishaps, and the most tragic of the issues is the final 10 or so minutes. At a certain point the film goes from a happy meld of comedy-slash to completely over the top silliness that I could have done without. While it tries to redeem itself by finally laying out the killers story, (which had the view had been seeing glimpses of throughout the film) the overboard silliness really distracted from what could have been a great ending. However that still doesn't completely take away from the overall success of the film.

BBBC is a hilariously bloody romp through cliches of the church and one hell of a fun ride. The film legitimately succeeds in the first 3 acts but falls a bit short on the 4th. Regardless the film is a much watch in the horror community. GLP gives this slasherriffic horror-comedy a 4 out of 5 stabs for overall story, look, and gore. For more information on BBBC, you can visit the films website or Facebook page. The film is currently available on demand by many companies including Vudu, iTunes, and Amazon. You can also buy the film on DVD here. View the trailer below. Be sure check out the RedBand NSFW trailer on youtube here,

GLP Rating

Cross Bearer (2012)

Usually I'm hot and cold with indie horror. I feel a lot of indie film makers use horror as a...means to an end, they are some of the easiest films to make, you don't need an extremely large budget, and almost everyone wants to "die" on camera. Needless to say when I had the pleasure of meeting Adam Ahlbrandt at Horror Hound Weekend in Indianapolis back in September, I was a bit skeptical. Don't get me wrong, Adam was a very nice guy and we had a very nice conversation about our favorite franchise (Friday the 13th) but ultimately I realize he was there to sell and promote his film. With that said I thought he was just trying to make a sale and hype up the film, I was wrong.  Adam is a totally awesome dude and after talking at the con, I hit him up on Facebook and asked to review the film. So now we are here.

Cross Bearer is a good movie, I was entertained through out its entirety. My warning to readers is that it is a genre film. My guess is that most casual horror fans will not enjoy this film...partly because of the content and the fact that they wont understand it. It's an easy story to follow, but the excess nudity and sleaze will more than likely turn away the casuals, While bringing out all of the true genre fans foaming at the mouth.

The film is about a dancer (Natalie Jean) who is trying to turn her life around, after devising a plan with her girlfriend (Kacie Marie) figure out a way to turn their life around. Only there plan takes a drastic turn when they face the judgment of god. I think the story is great. I always find some form of fascination from religious yahoos, I mean people really do kill for their religious beliefs every day, that much is evident over seas. So when I see films and stories of people killing in the name of Christianity and shit like that, it puts chills down my spine. That shit could actually happen!

I think my favorite aspects of the film are the special effects and cinematography. I am not sure what the budget of the film was but regardless the makeup effects were very good. Gore Hounds should be satisfied with the amount of red stuff and over the top head bashing's. At one point the killer gets crazy with a head & hammer and turns a skull into brain soup. The cinematography was set up well in the beginning of the film offering some unusual camera angles, then once the action starts becomes a by the book slasher thrill ride that will leave you utterly satisfied. You may also notice some tracks from the band CKY which make an appearance in the film. Which is fitting due to former member Deron Miller is an avid horror film and CKY stands for Camp Kill Yourself.

The film has its share of faults. Some editing mishaps here and there and a bit of overacting, however it do not take away from the overall aspect of the film. There is a scene of banter between the cast that takes place in the car. while it is written well, and is a believable conversation, I felt the actress's delivery was forced. Almost as if she was reading straight off the script.

This film also has its fair share of sleaze. Numerous boob shots and sex scenes, strip club montage, and some hilarious horror porn clips that will leave you laughing. Unfortunately for the ladies, there are not much in the way of guys, better luck next time. For sheer nudity alone...A++

Collectively I enjoyed Cross Bearer. Writer and Director Adam Ahlbrandt did a really good job with making this project a reality. GLP gives this indie blood bath a 3 out of 5 stabs for great practical effects, cinematography, and creative story. GLP is very excited to see Adversary Films and Backseat Conceptions next pick The Cemetery. If you are interested in seeing Cross Bearer (which you should be!), it is available on Adversary Films webstore. For more information on the film you can check out its facebook and webpage. View the trailer below!

GLP Rating:

 

Michael Learns to Drive (1978)

The folks behind "Hatchet 1 & 2" 'Frozen" "Chillerama" & the under-rated "Spiral" have dug up a long forgotten Deleted Scene from John Carpenter's Halloween. In this deleted scene, an age old question is explained. "How the F**K did Michael Myers learn to drive?" Thanks to Adam Green & ArieScope Pictures we now know! Check it out below!

The Loved Ones (2009)

This movie is exactly why I enjoy being a horror fan. This film really grabs a hold of its indie nature and kicks you straight in the groin. Intense, Uncomfortable, and in some cases down right nasty are the best ways to describe The Loved Ones. The harsh reality of this movie is that it will probably not be seen by most casual horror fans. To most, they will pass this off as some straight to video, low rate horror flick and will not give it the time of day. That statement could not be further from the truth.

The Loved Ones was shot in Australia in 2009. While the film made the usual festival rounds shortly after it had trouble being distributed here in the States. Eventually the film was picked up by Paramount Insurge, given a very limited theatrical run in June of 2012 and released on home video on September 2012, 3 years after is creation. Why it took so long to be picked up is beyond me. Unfortunatly that is just an example of how good horror is overlooked so that overly generic PG-13 "Teeny Horror" can get massive studio backing and promotion.

At any rate The Loved Ones takes you on a twisted journey in the home and life of a high school psychopath. Without giving anything away, its prom time in Australia, and Lola is going to get what she wants. This movie is not entirely original, but it has great concepts and in some ways grabs influence from the infamous serial killer Jeffery Dahmer. however most don't realize it. I am probably twisted for noticing the similarity right off the bat. at any rate, The Loved Ones will, for the most part, keep you on your toes and at some points say "No Fucking Way" and make you wanna look away from the screen. In my book...they did well.

The story is good, but does have some plot holes, fortunately they are minor and easily forgotten about once the action picks up. I felt all the actors did great jobs and major kudos to Robin McLeavy & Xavier Samuel for their portrayals of Brent and Lola. I felt the dynamic and tension of the 2 together really helped their characters and made the film very entertaining. Written & Directed by Sean Byrne, this film stands as his full length directorial debut as well as first time writing a full length script.

As I stated before there are some small plot holes but I eventually didn't care due the the graphic nature of the film. The special effects where very good. you get a cleaver to the face (F13-4 style), some nice chest carving, knives trough the feet, hit and runs, and the best of the film drill to the skull. All of which look great. As for the nudity you get 2 sex scenes, one shows some female action and a dude shirtless, the other is a brief back of car scene where you don't see much of anything.

Overall I was very happy with The Loved One, its cleaver story and humor really make it worthwhile, while the atmosphere and acting make you really want to wash your hands. GLP give The Loved Ones 4 out of 5 stabs for great special effects, acting and atmosphere. If you wanna check out this movie is available on DVD. To find out more about the title you can visit the films Facebook. View the trailer below.

 

GLP Rating 

Father's Day (2011)

Lock up your fathers! This film is udderly ridiculous...In an absolutely awesome way! Take all of the cheesiest 80's slasher, comedy and dramas you can think of. Combine those with some porn, and then add buckets of fake blood, dildos, and guns. That is the unique recipe for Astron-6 and Troma Releasing's Father's Day.

"You don't call a man a tree." Fathers day screams 80's. The stellar soundtrack, the vintage film color, and the added film grain was a nice touch as well. This movie should be everything a fan of the 80's would want...if you like your movies EXTREMELY over the top. Father's Day defiantly hit the mark, and could be the best thing to come out of Troma Releasing since Blood Junkie.

Father's Day is about a serial killer named Fuckman, that has an affinity for raping, killing, then eating fathers, and a vigilante named Ahab whose own father was subject to fuckmans brutality.. Ahab, a priest, and a gay street hooker set out to stop the Fuckman once and for all and save fathers everywhere. While the plot summary sounds ridiculous, Astron-6 manages to make the film hilariously entertaining, even through some very uncomfortable scenes.

There are so many aspects of this film that are entertaining, its hard to write them all out. But there are some stand outs that are evident throughout the flick. First was the cinematography, a lot of the angles, and shooting techniques of the film really help give the film the dated 80s vibe while still showing the ability of modern camera work. The whole opening sequence was shot beautifully, and the film continues the trend throughout. The special effects are done marvelously as well, buckets of gore and entrails engulf this effort and really add to the shock factor and overall grittiness of the film.

The acting is extremely comical in this film. Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy and Conor Sweeney really that the classic 80's cheese and overacting to another level. As a result you have a perfect combination that makes this film stand out. Viewer be warned, there is alot of pretty graphic scenes in this film involving rape, mutilation, and nudity. But as most horror fans know, that only adds to the delight of watching twisted movies. The boys and girls get bunch of ass and tit shots, as well as some gritty sex scenes. Everyone wins!

Ultimately, Father's day is a ridiculous homage to 80's slasher and exploitation flicks the will leave you wanting to take a hot shower by the time your finished with it. With equal parts comedy and horror, gore hounds and relish in this delightfully twisted film from Astron-6 and Troma Releasing. GLP gives this film 5 out of 5 stabs for being the most fucked up movie we have seen in recent years. If you would like to check out this film you can buy the 3 disc blu-ray, dvd and cd combo pack here. For more information on Astron-6 and Troma Releasing click the links to visit their webpages. View the trailer below.

GLP Rating:

V/H/S (2012)

The hype behind this movie in the horror community was awesome! V/H/S was and still is being hailed as "Best of the year" by Fangoria, "The scariest, rawest horror movie of the year" by Rolling Stone, and Dread Central called it "A Phenomenal piece of work." Needless to say I was very excited to check it out. I had been following news on the film since hearing about it on Bloody Disgusting around the time it hit Sundance, so to finally get to watch it was quite a treat.

V/H/S/ is about a group of jackasses that are hired to steal a vhs tape from some old dudes house in the middle of nowhere. However when they arrive and find hundreds of vhs tapes depicting horrifying tales they realize they may have bitten off more than they can handle. V/H/S is a "found footage" and "anthology" which at first sounds like its gonna be a fucking mess, but the film develops a nice pace and before you know it your sucked into the TV.

All together there are 6 shorts in this film (including the main story). While I liked them all, I found some to be more effective than the others. The first and last stories Amateur Night and 10/31/98 were my favorites! I really feel with the time that each story had the respective directors and writers did a fantastic job. My only beef was with the short "Tuesday the 17th" I felt a little empty as far as the story. It left me with questions and I felt it could have been explained better. Regardless, it still found enjoyment in that short, so I am not extremely disappointed. The other 3 stories were good and I really have no criticisms.

The writers and directors Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, and Radio Silence did a great job overall with their respective shorts. I was really impressed with the special effects of Radio Silence's "10/31/98" and David Bruckner's "Amateur Night". While Ti West's "Second Honeymoon" was a bit slow the ending was awesome. It left me with a chill and eerie feeling throughout.

For the gore hounds out there, there is plenty of the red stuff. Throat Stabbings, disembowelment, decapitations, surgical cutting, and plenty other body parts are removed, chewed, and violently torn off. As for the stories themselves I really liked the diversity, I felt there was something for everyone. Slashers, Monsters, Aliens, Demons, Ghosts and more prove that this film is not just a one trick pony. The found footage aspect was a nice tough, I felt like i was 10 years old again watching my favorite splatter pic on vhs again. I will say though that if you have trouble with dizziness, or nausea with handheld films like Blair Witch, Paranormal Activity and those alike that you may want to take an antihistamine or some sort of anti-nausea medication.

Lastly this film is heavy on the nudity! I for one love a nice T&A shot in a movie, but this film is FULL of them. The guys get about 4 or 5 different beautiful pairs, a full frontal, and some nice thong action. But wait thats not all, Ladies you're in for a treat too. The girls get some dudes with their shirts off, a full frontal male, and a couple of butt shots. Everyone wins!

In short V/H/S lived up to the hype for GLP. while a couple of shorts has some flaws, the film as a whole was extremely entertaining. Magnet Releasing did a wonderful job bringing the fans a worthy film, that will surely be a must have for a lot of collectors. GLP gives this effort 5 out of 5 stabs for originality, special effects, and overall badassery! For more information on the film visit the Official Site, and Facebook. Catch this film as soon as you can on-demand because it is scheduled for its theatrical release on October 5th and will probably be removed at that time. View the NSFW Redband trailer below!

GLP Rating

The Art of Scare

Since I am a moron my original post is being pushed till next week. I grabbed the wrong usb cable and can not upload pictures from my camera. But regardless I have and equally good post for you today.

I am a graphic designer by trade. I went to school for it and landed a rather kush job using my degree. I have always been fascinated with the illustrations of 80’s horror films. During the early 80’s most of the films used artists to design their posters and cover art. As a result, a lot of really cool and original artwork came out of it. Here are some of my favorite posters I would see as a kid rooming through left over posters at my moms old video store.

First on the list is Curtains (1983). I love this poster. The old lady mask in the background is a really nice touch, seeing as how the killer in the film wheres a mask similar to this. The creepy blank stare porcelain doll give the poster an air of unease. I really enjoy the mouth of the old hag tuning into curtains as well.

To sum up Curtains basically an actress commits herself into a mental institution to study for a role. While there the director of the film in which she is studying has her officially committed and offers the role to 6 younger actresses that are all invited to the directors home for a weekend audition where one woman will be crowned. Eventually the girls start being picked off 1 by 1 by someone in an old hag mask!

While this film is a classic in the slasher genre is has not gotten an official DVD release, it has been featured in a horror 4 pack but offers up a horrible transfer and has left most of the genre junkies quite pissed about it! Find this movie and watch it!

Alone in the Dark (1982) is a film that I had to hunt down when I first saw it. I vaguely remember seeing this poster in the old poster bin at the video store my mother worked at. I have always thought this poster was one of the better of the genre films of is time. There is no chance of misinterpretation with this guy. The waist down depiction of the man with the axe really sets the focal point for this poster. The blood stained axe lets you know your in for some slashing, and the lone home in the background really captures the desolate feeling of films final showdown.

Basically the film is about 4 escaped mental patiants that go on a killing rampage. All the while after their doctor from the asylum. I would also suggest people see this film. I consider this to be one of the better slasher movies of the 80's. The story is very well put together and the acting is pretty good as well. Also the late Jack Palance is featured as a lead in this gem.This film is available on DVD through Amazon and most other online DVD retailers. Check this classic out!

Last on today's list is the ORIGINAL Prom Night (1980) featuring Jamie Lee Curtis in here 3rd film role and the late Lesile Nielsen. This film for me is a staple in the slasher genre. I always remember this seeing this film in the video stores, and actually seeing 2 different posters, the other being Miss JLC as prom queen with a bloody axe in a bouquet of roses. I always found this poster to be very effective. Seeing the silhouette of the killer and only his eyes and hand holding a glass shard really adds to the mystic of the films killer. Being that you don't know who the killer is until the final seconds of the movie this poster nails it. I like the simplistic approach to the poster as well, the artist didn't convolute the artwork with things that were unnecessary.

The basic rundown of the film is much like any other slasher film out. A group of high school senior are being stalked by an unknown killer in a ski mask wearing all black. For me, they story of why the killer is stalking the high schoolers is what makes me like this film so much. Prom Night is available on DVD but has had multiple released by different companies, and most of the transfers are not that great. But hey its the slasher genre so the transfers only add to the sleaze.

Thats all for today, I hope you like my artwork post today, let me know what you thought!