Frankenstein: Day of the Beast (2011)

When I think of the old universal monsters, I just smile. They take me back to a time where things were simple. As a kid the universal monsters were my first introduction to horror. Without even seeing a movie as a child I automatically knew who Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman, and The Creature were, I attribute the toy line “Monsters in my pocket” for this.

Regardless of how I feel about the classic universal monsters, times have most certainly changed in the case of horror. Torture Porn, Found Footage, and Remake films seem to be polluting the horror landscape these days. As a fan of local films, the early horror movie monsters and creature films this film interested me.

Frankenstein: Day of the Beast was actually very fun. I am by no means saying it was perfect, because it wasn't, but I enjoyed watching the film. While watching this I kept thinking how much the style, and score reminded me of classic Hammer films and drive-in monster movies. The acting by supporting characters was at time hokey, and most of the digital effects were very obvious, but I felt it really added to the fun of the feature.

Michelle Shields and Adam Stephenson carry this efforts characters like the weight of the world. Miss. Shields plays Elizabeth the soon to be wife of Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Adam Stephenson). While she seems in the dark about why her soon to be husband has taken her to a desolate island to be wed she reluctantly complies. Soon they realize that they are being hunted by a gigantic creature that is picking off the group one by one.

Adam and Michelle were the best part of this feature. I felt they both did an amazing job with the characters emotions and development as the story progressed. My problem is more with the supporting actors performances. I felt most scenes were forced and unnatural. The story was ok, I felt there were some unnecessary scenes used, but that is usually the case with smaller feature length efforts. Generally those scenes are used to extend the running time, however at 1 hour and 30 minuets I feel some of the scenes could have been shortened to add fluidity to the movie.

The film really nailed the setting, while some of the rooms in the church were custom built it really felt like you were in the church from the ceremony. The island is a great setting for the film as well. The heavily wooded areas around the grounds were a great touch. The gore special effects were very well done as well. Some great shots of ripped off skin and entrails really set the pace for kills.

I really enjoyed the film. I think the supporting actors could have done better, but I think it added to that drive-in movie feel. GLP gives this independent effort 3 out of 5 stabs for retro feel, movie monster throwback, and strong lead performances. If you would like to know more about this film check out the official website and Facebook page. View the trailer below.

GLP Rating

Paranormal Incident (2011)

      Where do I start, Paranormal Incident is for all intensive purposes…not good. This film is just another casualty of the most recent found footage craze that Paranormal Activity revamped and capitalized on. I really tried to like this movie, I went into it with an open mind and all I got in return was boredom and regret for even watching it.

      Long convoluted story short, Paranormal Incident is about 5 college student that travel to an “abandoned” sanitarium to investigate and prove the existence of the paranormal for their parapsychology final. The film starts with a young man in a hospital bed,  he is then interrogated for the death of his friends. While interrogated he is then shown the footage from the investigation. The film periodically jumps back and forth from the found footage to the man being interrogated.

      The acting is very forced and stiff, I didn’t believe that these kids were scared & I didn’t even believe they were college students. With that being such a distracting aspect, the character development suffered greatly. In my opinion in order to enjoy a film in any genre, you have to connect with at least one character in the film or have some emotion toward them…this film did not do any of that. All I could think about while watching this movie was “When are these people going to die!” I felt like I was watching a daytime soap opera rather than a horror movie.

      Beyond the characters the “scares”, if you even want to call them that, are not scary or creative. The makers of this film pretty much telegraphed every scare so you could see them a mile away. The best part about found footage films are the scares, and the fact that most of them come literally out of nowhere and this film did none of that.

     Collectively this film is garbage. I would not even wish this film on my worst enemy. The whole film just stinks of raw sewage and overacting. The “abandonded”  sanitarium wasn’t even abandoned. It was supposed to be vacant for 30 some years and some areas looked brand new! I cant even write about this film anymore as I feel like I’m wasting more of my life away. The only good thing about this film was the cuts of the dude cheating on his girlfriend with some random chick with amazing breasts. For that alone GLP gives this film 1 out of 5 stabs. Terrible acting, Slow moving plot, weak scares, and bad shooting locations were the death of this film from the start.

      If for some reason you still want to see this atrocity you can do so on Netflix here. Also if you somehow like this movie you can purchase it here. View the trailer below.

GLP Rating

Dark Worlds: Slasher (2012)

            I am a total sucker for the Slasher genre. Out of all the different incarnations of horror, slashers have somehow pierced their way into my soul and because of that I can’t get enough. My favorite period for slasher films is the 80’s, the golden era, but as a fan of the genre I have to watch just about everything that comes out. Generally with new slasher films I am left wanting more, or I am generally let down. 

            I found out about Dark Worlds: Slasher in a rather unusual way...my fiancée. This is unusual because she is not a fan of horror. I will drag her to conventions, make her sit though the latest remake, and then she will listen to me bitch about how bad is sucked and blah blah…usually with a smile or the glow of her cell phone. In this case she saw someone she knew at Days of The Dead in Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago, and that got the ball rolling. She spoke with the girl the next day, then the girl contacted me, and put me in contact with her cousin Zach Daggy. Zach is an internet dj, podcast host, and writer based out of my home state of Indiana. We talked on Facebook and Zach was kind enough to send me a digital copy of Dark Worlds: Slasher.

            Dark Worlds: Slasher is a short film based a story in Zach Daggy’s novel Dark Worlds: Project 31. Basically the film follows William Rosum (Beau Yotti) aka The Careview Slasher as he makes his latest kill and stalks his next victim Allison Smith (Michelle Shields) aka Snow White.

            This film runs only about 20 minuets, which while short, it really delivers. With an interesting take on the slasher genre this short film will have you captivated. The film takes place mostly in the killer’s head, hearing his thoughts on his killing style, victims, and society in general. The film has a lot of nice nods to the slasher genre mentioning Crystal Lake (Friday The 13th), and Elm Street ( A Nightmare on Elm Street) as well as offering a welcomed similarity to Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.

            The film is really shot well, the angles the director chose are very complimentary to the setting and feel of the short. I think the stand out of this film, for me, was the impressive dialog. With such a short time to connect with your characters, the dialog really helped establish the characters rather quickly and gave some back story to our very own Careview Slasher.

            I will not give away what happens in this film but I will say that the final 7 minuets will have you saying “No Fucking Way”. I really enjoyed this short and am looking forward to more stories to come from the Dark Worlds project. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer! GLP gives this local effort an impressive 4 out of 5 stabs for great dialog, cinematography, and premise. If you would like to check out this film, it is now available on DVD. Please take some time to check out more of Zach Daggy’s work at his website here.View the trailer below.

GLP Rating

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

            Sleepaway Camp is a movie that I will absolutely never forget, and for those of you that have seen this cult classic you understand why. Sleepaway Camp really embodies that of the Slasher genre. With slick kills and an ending that will have reeling for days after you first see it, GLP has nothing but praise for Robert Hiltzik’s little gem of a slasher flick.

            This title has a familiar story line to most slashers of the early 80’. Camp setting, unknown killer on the loose, ect. What it does have , however, is a fresh look & twist on what was then a fairly new formula. All the usual suspects are also present. You have the bully, the hot head, the quiet one, the old wise man, the nerdy kid, and a slew of random that are introduced but not really expanded upon. Even with that, the film manages to find a way to keep its audience captivated.

            The basic plot is 2 live in cousins Ricky and Angela go to Camp Arawak for that summer. Being the new kid at summer camp Angela is picked on by most of the camp regulars. But something sinister is picking the tormentors off one by one, until the final revile that will leave you stunned.

            At the time the formula had not been done too much, Camps however seemed to be the go to setting for horror movies in the early 80’s. Can your really blame them though. I always thought there was something extremely creepy about being surrounded by all that nature, the feeling of seclusion, the endless woods, and most of the time a bleak lake. Regardless of the popular setting, Hiltzik made it work. Not so much by focusing on the setting but developing the story around it.

            The two main characters Ricky and Angela played by Jonathan Tiersten and Felissa Rose really make this film great. The evolution of Felissa’s character throughout the film is mesmerizing. She doesn’t even say a word until almost the 30 minute mark, causing an air of mystery to the character of Angela.  Ricky on the other hand is almost an exact opposite to her. Ricky is a foul mouthed hot head teenager who is constantly sticking up for his cousin, and having been to the camp before, seems to have a good grasp on the individuals at Camp Arawak.

            The film boasts rather impressive special effects. All of the scenes are very well done. Even with a rather low amount of the red stuff, the kills are effective. I think m favorite part of the movie besides the ending is the fact that there are a large amount of deaths that don’t use traditional weapons. Hiltzik did a really good job of incorporating the setting for cause of deaths. What I mean by that is, using items that are not necessarily man made like guns and knifes, but things that nature itself created.

            All and all this film really optimizes the early 80’s slasher genre. With great special effects, a great leading cast, and a fresh take on a relatively common formula. Sleepaway Camp will deliver to just about every horror fan out there. Don’t let the lack of red stuff fool you. This film will deliver all the goods and maybe a little more than you expect! GLP gives this move 5 stabs, for its, even then, fresh take on the slasher formula, excellent leading characters and the most shocking slasher ending of all time! If you are interested in buying the film you can get the stand alone DVD here, or if your luck you can get your hands on a good copy of the special edition "Survival Kit" boxset which is now out of print here. You can view the original trailer below!

GLP Rating

Days of The Dead Weekend (Indianapolis July 6th - 8th)

The summertime always seems to be a great time for horror fans, with all sorts of conventions and events happening all over the Midwest and surrounding areas. This past weekend Days of The Dead returned to Indy for what I believe was the second time. This convention boasted celebrity guests such as Roddy Piper, Tom Savini, John Waters, Ace Frehley, Gunner Hansen, Bill Moseley, John Kassir, Felissa Rose and much more.

Being of little monetary means,We were only able to attend on Saturday. Fortunately for us, everyone seemed in high spirits and seemed to be genuinely having a great time. Usually our goal when we first arrive at a convention is to get a lay of the land. Being veterans of Indy’s Horror Hound Weekend, we had a general idea of how these things are ran. So we started off in the main room, walking around checking out all the celebrities in passing and all the vendor booths we could. Inisially we thought the convention was rather small, but to our surprise there was another room dedicated mostly to vendors, (which is my favorite part of conventions) this room was filled to the brim with posters, memorabilia, artwork, and bootleg DVD's!

After we got a general lay of the land we decided to attend the original Leatherface panel featuring the first 3 actors whom played the notorious Leatherface in the original 3 Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. The panel was head up by Spider One (aka Michael Cummings) of Powerman 5000 fame and Rob Zombie’s younger brother. Spider was the MC of sorts fielding questions from the audience as well as asking a few of his own. All questions we directed toward the 3 original Leatherfaces’ (Gunner Hansen, Bill Johnson, and R.A. Mihailoff) as well as the new comer Sam McKinzie whom plays Young Leatherface in the upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D. The panel was great and shed some insight into some issues with filming these movies as well as small stories from the sets.

(Left - Right) R.A. Mihailoff, Bill Johnson, Gunner Hansen, Sam Mckinzie & SpiderOne

 After we left the TCM panel we made are way through the convention once more having fun taking pictures with fans in costumes, talking briefly to some of the celebrity guest and even taking some time for photo ops with a few of them as well. See pictures below. We got a chance to talk with a lot of people. John Kessir was very friendly initiating the conversation with the voice of the Crypt Keeper from the TV series Tales From The Crypt. Also Felissa Rose of Sleepaway Camp, and Return to Sleepaway Camp was/ is probably the sweetest woman we have ever met. She was very personable with everyone that walked up to her table, and was an all around sweetheart she even said we were cute!

This convention was really fun, but it did have some down falls. The most notable disappointments were the last minuet losses of Danny Trejo, and Derek Mears. These things are to be expected in the world of conventions, but it was still a bummer. Danny had last minute call to the set of Sons Of Anarchy, and Derek unfortunately lost his mother. Derek and his family are in our thoughts and prayers as he deals with the difficult loss. The other thing we kept noticing what that some of the events and panels seemed to be kind of thrown together and or unorganized. That was unfortunate since some of the event could have improved tremendously if they would have run a bit smoother.

Regardless, We still had a great time and can not wait for Days of The Dead to return next year. Come back on Friday for another movie review! Also this Friday we will be going to Terror in the Aisles 11 in Chicago for a Clive Barker Triple Feature with Hellraiser, Candyman, and the NEW extended cut of Nightbreed (Cabal Cut), so keep your eyes peeled for coverage and photos of that. For more information on that and Days of the Dead Weekend please visit Days Of The Dead and Terror in The Aisles.

The Thing (2011)

The Thing is one of those films that immediately stands out in my head when I think of great Sci-Fi/Horror pictures. So when I started hearing the grumblings of a remake of this classic John Carpenter I was worried. As more and more information started crawling out from the depths of different horror sites and blogs, it was reviled that the film would be a prequel. My worries lessened and I became more and more excited about the effort. When it was all said and done I left the theater extremely happy but had a few gripes.

The Thing starts off with terrific shots of the white snowy abyss of Antarctica. Without giving away too much, A crew of Norwegian researchers “stumble” upon a mysterious space craft and a being frozen in the ice. The team extracts the “being” and soon after all hell breaks loose.

The wonderful thing about this prequel is the atmosphere! The director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. really did a good job of capturing the overall feel of its predecessor. Writer Eric Heisserer did an excellent job of crafting the story of what happened to the ill fated crew that we were left wondering about in the original 1982 effort by John Carpenter. The overall look of the Norwegin camp was consistent and offered up a great setting for this new addition to The Things storyline.

The acting in this effort was actually very refreshing, with so many luke-warm portrayals of characters in recent horror efforts, my hopes were set low and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Joel Edgerton were the standouts of this film, offering both emotional and physical drama to the viewer. Edgerton's portrayal of Sam Carter really hit the nail on the head. The characters development throughout the story makes the character very likeable. Mary does an equally impressive job and as the films protagonist does a great job with the role.

I myself am a big fan of practical makeup effects in movies. With that being said this film did a great job of incorporating both practical and CGI effect. I felt that Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr. of Amalgamated Dynamics did a fantastic job with the practical effects making the scenes more realistic and intense when used. Also Image Engine did an equally great job with the CGI scenes.

While I loved the storyline of the effort my only problem with this film is the tail end of the climax. As I am not a fan of spoilers I will not go into details but I will say that toward the end of the movie the remaining survivors venture away from the Norweign base for the “FINAL” showdown. As the scenes are well executed, I feel as though it took way from the overall feeling of seclusion that the base created, completely changing the atmosphere set by previous encounters.

In summary I was very happy with the way the film played out, so much so that the day it was released I ran out to snag my copy so I could watch it again. While it's not as good as the original it was a welcomed addition to the mythos of the original. The end of the movie will make you want to immediately pop in the original to pick up where the film left off. In short this film gets the GLP stamp of approval with 4 out of 5 stabs. If you would like to purchase the film it is available now on DVD and Blu-Ray. You can view the trailer below.

 

GLP Rating: