Thursday 30 August 2012

Review: Art of Survival (2012)


First I´d like to thank Joey Evans for reaching out to, asking me if I´d be interested and then providing a DVD-screener.
James (Shane Land) and Wild Bill (Justin Armstrong), two self proclaimed survival experts and stars of their own reality TV show, explore and demonstrate survival techniques in the Black Fork Wilderness area in a remote corner of Oklahoma. Two young women from Tulsa, huge fans of the show, arrive and watch as the two survivalists shoot a segment. Later that day the camera crew leaves and a night of wild debauchery ensues. The next morning they find they are being hunted by the ultimate predator...a lunatic redneck (Terry Spector) from Arkansas. A real life survival scenario unfolds as they fight to stay alive. Art of Survival is written and directed by Joey Evans. The acting is pretty good, I like the fact that many of the survival tricks and so on seem genuine. The camerawork and editing is pretty good. The setting is used to full effect. The soundtrack is good. There are some nice and atmospheric scenes. Terry Spector is a major contributing factor to help to create a some nice atmospheric moments, his character is intimidating, quite frightening and not someone you´d like to run into while hiking in the forest. It´s violent but there is only very brief gore in this, it´s practical make-up fx and it looks decent. Most of the potentially gory stuff occur off screen which is a bit of a downer in my opinion. There is plenty of T & A in this and there is prolonged sex scene that streches the boundries for soft core sex.
This review is based upon a DVD-screener provided by the director.
Rating: 6 out of 7. I enjoyed this, I love backwoods survival flicks and Art of Survival is a nice addition to the genre. I just wish it would have been more graphic.

/JL

Review: Deadly Renovations (2010)



First I´d like to thank Brain Damage Films for providing me with a screener
When a small house flipping group discovers that their Hotel project may contain millions of cash hidden somewhere within, the project turns deadly. Deadly Renovations is written by Charles Pisaeno and directed by Robert H. Gwinn. The acting ranges from okay to mediocre to bad, I was suprised to find Terence Knox who once played Sgt. Clayton 'Zeke' Anderson in the tv-series Tour of Duty in this and even if he only has a small part he is the best actor in Deadly Renovations. The camerawork and editing is okay, the soundtrack is decent. The setting is pretty decent, I love derelict houses, but the rooms, hallways and so on doesn´t look sufficiently dirty or dusty and this affect the atmosphere. There is never any real tension in it but I do like that it isn´t totally predictable and there is more than one twist. There is brief gore but the "highlights" consists of some bad computer gendered gore that isn´t especially effective. Deadly Renovations is pretty lame in the gore department.There is some brief T & A in this.
Deadly Renovations was originally known as Renovation.
For more information visit the official website http://www.deadlyrenovations.com/ .
This review is based upon a passwordprotected screener provided by Brain Damage Films.
Rating: 2 out of 7. It´s okay despite some flaws. Despite a running time of just 80 minutes it had some difficulties of keeping me interested, I felt it took to long for the killings to get going and killings lacks any punch due to the small amount of gore. A slasher needs gore! There is no tension and the only scene that´s remotely unsettling is a attempted rape. There´s some brief T & A but WTF, we have a group of actors and attractive actresses playing strip poker for a long time and there is no nudity in that scene, not even a glimpse.

/JL


Wednesday 29 August 2012

Review: Bedfellows (2008)


First I´d like to thank Drew Daywalt for providing me with a screener.
Sometimes at night the person you are laying next to, isn't the same person you went to bed with! Bedfellows is written and directed by Drew Daywalt. The acting is good, there isn´t much to say about it as Bedfellows is about atmosphere and it literally oozes atmosphere. Professionally shot and edited with a top notch soundtrack this is creepy, really creepy. The make-up fx design is excellent! There is no gore and T & A in this.
This review is based upon a online screener provided by Drew Daywalt.

Rating: 7 out of 7. Bedfellows is a fantastic and terrifying 2 minute and 30 seconds long short film that packs a bigger punch and atmosphere than many multi-million Hollywood features. This gave me goosebumps. As I said before, good things comes in small packages and Bedfellows is proof of that. Highly recommended!!

/JL

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Review: The Old Chair (2012)


First I´d like to thank Drew Daywalt for making The Old Chair available to me.
A young girl (Kaylee Score) gets more than just an old chair when she turns to the online classifieds for free furniture for her first apartment. The Old Chair is written and directed by Drew Daywalt. The acting is good, especially from Kaylee Score who is the main character. The Old Chair is professionally shot and edited and I want to point out that there are some really nice visuals in this. The soundtrack is excellent and helps to create a truly creepy and unsettling atmosphere. The make-up fx design is excellent, it´s very effective and creepy! No gore or T & A in this.
This review is based upon a online screener provided by Drew Daywalt.
Rating: 7 out of 7. The Old Chair is very nice, there is some very nice and creepy moments in this. Highly recommended!! I look forward to see more from Drew Daywalt who has made quite an impression on me.

/JL

Review: The Many Doors of Albert Whale (2011)


First I´d like to thank Drew Daywalt, for providing me with a screener, and Char Hardin for helping me getting in contact with him. Here is a link to her excellent blog: http://charhardin.blogspot.se/ .
Albert Whale (Kit Williamson), a troubled, sickly young man, has a secret: he's holding a demon (Tara Cardinal) hostage in his kitchen. The Many Doors of Albert Whale is written by Drew Daywalt and directed by Marichelle Daywalt. Good acting from both Kit Williamson who actually has the only speaking part and Tara Cardinal who "speak" through her eyes and body language. It features nice camerawork and editing. There is a very nice atmosphere, sights and sounds helps create a tense and creepy little short film. The make-up fx design for the demon is very nice. There is no gore or T & A in this.
This review is based upon a online screener provided by Drew Daywalt.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I enjoyed The Many Doors of Albert Whale a lot. Well made and creepy. I will be checking out more short films from Drew Daywalt and Marichelle Daywalt in the near future.

/JL

New giveaway: Last Caress / Black Aria Double Feature DVD (Pal All Region / Audio CD)


It´s time for another giveaway when the blog when it passes the 40 000 visitors mark. This time the prize is a copy of Last Caress / Black Aria Double Feature DVD (Pal All Region / Audio CD)

Last Caress: Five youths go to an estate in the countryside for a weekend of decadence, but when a family curse comes to life becomes the party becomes a living hell
Black Aria: Angela is constantly distracted by the loud noise and orgies at her neighbors apartment, but when the neighbor is found dead, Angela receives her crystal ball that reveals a horrifying future for her


PAL All Region
DVD and Audio CD - 2 Disc Set
French Audio with English Subtitles

First come first served but remember that the giveaway starts when the blog passes the 40 000 mark.


/JL 



Monday 27 August 2012

Review: Wrong Number (2012)


First I´d like to thank Patrick Rea for contacting me and supplying a early screener of his latest short film.
This is one of those spoiler-sensitive flicks so I´ll keep the plot details secret. Wrong Number is written by Amber Rapp and directed by Patrick Rea. it clocks in just under the seven minutes mark. It stars Cinnamon Schultz as Maggie and Joicie Appell as Regina, both actresses give very good and credible performances. The cinematography is top notch, it´s professionally shot and edited as can be expected when Patrick Rea and SenoReality Pictures are involved. No gore and no T & A in this.
This review is based upon a passwordprotected screener provided by Patrick Rea.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I enjoyed this a lot, good things comes in small packages (I seem to keep repeating that phrase) and Wrong Number is another proof of this. Good plot, acting and production values makes this another winner for Patrick Rea and SenoReality Pictures.

/JL

DVD review: Beyond the Limits (2003)


Vivian (Kimberly Liebe), a young newspaper journalist interviews Frederick (Christopher Kriesa), the eerie undertaker of a small Californian town. During the interview, he reveals a dark secret surrounding his cemetery and tells her the story of two people who were buried there. Frederick's first story is about a powerful L.A. mobster who invites his friends to a dinner that - with the arrival of a mysterious suitcase - spins totally out of control. His second story takes place in medieval Europe, where a sadistic inquisitor searches for an ancient evil relic that will grant him eternal life and ultimate power. Both stories lead to Frederick and his very strange obsession. That's when Vivian realises that the evil of the past is still alive... Beyond the Limits is written by Thomas Reitmair and Olaf Ittenbach who also is the director. The acting ranges from okay to pretty mediocre. The cinematography and production values are good, it´s professionally shot and edited and the second story in this anthology-style movie (which takes place during medieval Europe) might just be one of Olaf Ittenbach´s most ambitious project so far. Beyond the Limits is very violent and very gory. The carnage and the ample amounts of sadism is obviously the highpoint of this movie and it´s glorious. The make-up fx and creature design by Olaf Ittenbach and his team are for the most part very good and as far as I know it´s all practical fx. In the T & A department there is some very brief glimpses of topless nudity, a soft sex-scene and a pretty soft rape-scene.
This review is based upon the region 2 DVD release from Njuta Films.
Rating: 6 out of 7. I enjoyed this, Beyond the Limits is much better than Legion of the Dead that I reviewed a short time ago. My favorite is the second story even though I have serious doubts regarding the hero prowess in martial arts, come on it takes place during medieval times. Recommended to gorehounds and fans of Olaf Ittenbach, you´ll get what you´re expecting.

/JL




Friday 24 August 2012

DVD review: Legion of the Dead (2001)


William and his sidekick Luke have just started a relaxing trip through the beautiful California desert when they stumble onto a small town where, unbeknownst to them, a mysterious tall blond man and his sadistic henchmen are killing people to create a Legion of the Dead! Legion of the Dead is written and directed by Olaf Ittenbach. Terrible acting, the camerawork and editing is pretty good but beware that there are different edits of this movie, the US release differs from other releases. Legion of the Dead is supposed to be funny, but it is not. I found this to be very boring, it´s very talky and a bit confusing. There is gore but compared with Ittenbach´s other movies it´s restrained. The practical make-up fx are okay. The CGI used in some transformation scenes looks awful. The make-up fx design for demons are okay. In the T & A department there is some brief backside/ass in this..
This review is based upon the swedish region 2 DVD release from Scanbox Entertainment.
Rating: 1 out of 7. I´ve seen several movies directed by Olaf Ittenbach but this is very bad..   Legion of the Dead  is painfully bad, very boring and a huge disappointment for me as a self confessed Ittenbach fan. Some decent gore can´t save this poor rip-off of From Dusk Till Dawn .




/JL

Tuesday 21 August 2012

DVD review: Blood Brothers (Video 2012)


Michael (Mike Goltz) and Lindsay (Hannah Hitzman) have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, and the perfect life together. Little do they know everything is about to change. After coming home from celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary, the couple receive surprise visitors that will change both of their lives forever. Family ties run deep but, in Michael's case, they run blood deep. Blood will be shed and secrets will be revealed that will keep you guessing until the final shocking moment. Blood Brothers is a short film written by Kevin Sommerfield and directed by Steve Goltz. The acting is actually pretty good, the camerawork and editing is good and the soundtrack is nice. Due to the running time things happen quickly, it has a nice atmosphere and tension. There is gore, practical make-up fx.. I won´t go into any details as that would mean spoilers but the gore is pretty decent but it isn´t a gorefeast. There is no T & A in this.
This review is based upon the DVD-R release from http://www.slasherstudios.com/ .
Rating: 5 out f 7. I enjoyed this. Slasher Studios delivers another good short film, Blood Brothers can be bought from their website (see link above) so go there, order a copy and support independent film.

/JL

Monday 20 August 2012

DVD review: Flesh of the Living (Video 2012)


The end of the world is here as the dead are returning to life with a craving for human skin. All hell breaks loose as the living try to survive with their flesh intact. Flesh of the Living is written and directed by Robert Elkin.The acting is pretty bad, it´s amateurish and I think the cast consits of firends and happy amateurs. The camerawork and editing isn´t very good and many scenes seems almost been shot guerilla style late at evenings in the filmmakers hometown Petersburg, Virginia, USA. The audio is pretty bad now and then which makes it hard or even impossible to hear what people are saying.  There is a lot of intentional and unintentional comedy in this. There is gore, practical make-up fx which looks pretty cheap for the most part. The highlight is when a man has had his face eaten off. The design of the zombies varies greatly, some look decent but most of them look pretty bad compared to zombies from independent flicks.  No T & A in this.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from American Eyesore Films.
Rating: 0½ out of 7. Yeah it´s pretty bad but there are a few good scenes and some funny moments. It´s made on a micro-budget by fans for fans and I´m pretty sure they had fun making it. If you´re a fan of micro-budget and have a lot of leniency you might wanna check it out...

/JL

DVD review: Bloodlock (2008)


A secret basement room, a solid titanium door, an intricate locking mechanism never meant to be unlocked. An innocent, emotionally wounded wife, her husband in sexual deceit with her sister, an honest, helpful locksmith, an old couple greedy for immortality, an evil entity trapped behind the door. Bloodlock is written by Tom McLaughlin and directed by William Victor Schotten. The acting is bad and even laughably bad in some scenes, one positive thing is that the flick isn´t totally predictable and there is a twist. There is several scenes of both intentional and unintentional comedy due to the acting and the limited budget. The camerawork, editing and soundtrack is decent.  There is only one really gory scene in Bloodlock and besides that scene it´s pretty lame, it´s practical make-up fx and it´s looks okay. Several of the potentially gory stuff occur off screen and I don´t like the make-up fx design for the vampires.. The leader is supposed to be a really old vampire but he looks like a overaged teen with a goatee, modern sunglasses and so on. No T & A in this.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Midnight Releasing.
Rating: 1 out of 7. Bloodlock is pretty bad but there is a few good things in it and I do like the premise.

/JL

Saturday 18 August 2012

DVD review: Angel of Death 2 - zur Unzucht gezwungen (?)


The ruthless gang leader Fat Freddy and his gang kidnapps young women and use them in his kinky sex films. The women are subjected to degrading treatmen and brutal gang rapes after that they are killed and disposed of in garbage bags. Policeman Landlock (Paul Spencer) has nothing against the gang but when Angel (Diana Slave), the last victim, survives miraculously, he sees his chance. By all means He is trying to protect Angela's life and to put a stop to Fat Freddy. Now welcome to the land of confusion, while it´s easy to believe that this is the sequel to Andreas Bethmanns Der Todesengel (1998) which is also known as Angel of Death: Fuck or Die but that´s not the case. Angel of Death 2 - zur Unzucht gezwungen is written and directed by god knows who as theu aren´t mentioned in the credits. That´s not a good sign.  The acting, OMG the acting is horrible, absolutely horrible. It´s badly shot and edited. The soundtrack is pretty bad... The fightscenes are terrible, really terrible. There is some very badly made gore in the beginning and at the end of the flick. In the T & A department, let´s just say that this is hardcore movie with lots and lots of explicit nudity and of explicit sex, which are prolonged, repetitive and in my opinion overlong and boring. Some of the scenes are pretty rough, they also throw in some wet games towards the end but there is nothing too extreme. There is one or two scenes that are pretty sleazy especilly when a doctor takes advantage of a seemingly unconsious Angel.
Angel of Death 2 - zur Unzucht gezwungen is also known as Angel of Death Returns.
This review is based upon the region 2 DVD release from Morbido films, it´s german language only.
Rating: 0 out of 7. OMG this was bad, really f*cking bad!!! I was kinda hoping for Bethmann stuff (did I just say that? :S ) but this was just awfully bad, ugly and really boring. I can´t find a single positive thing to say about it.

/JL

DVD review: Urban Fighter (2012)


The "Bloods" are the most intimidating and violent gang in the city. A lawless city... where gangs rule the streets... The vicious and blood thirsty murderer Slater is their leader. The city is his domain... he rules! There are those who are not members of gangs such as Mikey and his friends. Mikey lives on the edge, he is daring and always in trouble and fights. His brother Mathis and his friends try to avoid trouble at any cost. Revenge becomes the motive to Mikey when his brother Mathis goes missing and is killed. To avenge the death of his brother Mikey must fight those responsible for his brother's untimely death. With ultimate focus, Mikey trains his body and mind. He takes on all corners in street fights and a fighting tournament... his name becomes feared on the street. The "Bloods" and Slater become, in his mind, the final nemesis. A nemesis he will only win against with the support of his friends... Urban Fighter is written and directed by Mike Möller. The acting is pretty bad but I wasn´t expecting any awardwinning performances and neither should you. The camerawork and editing is pretty good, the soundtrack is excellent and adds to the atmosphere. It´s quite evident that they´ve had a lot of ambition but the limited budget has been an obstacle. The main reason to check out this flick is the fighting/the martial arts and in that department it delievers and actually excels. There is plenty of fighting, the choreography varies from decent to very good. The fighters gets to show off some really impressive stuff and it´s well shot and edited. No gore in this besides some computer gendered squibs as people get shot. In the T & A department there is some brief topless female nudity.
This review is based upon the region 2 DVD release from 8-films, it´s limited release of 500 copies and my copy is numbered 51. You can choose between german or english audio.
Rating: 3½ out of 7. Never mind the acting or the plot (it´s basically just an excuse to show of a lot of martial arts), the one and only reason you should check out Urban fighter is the fight scenes and there are a lot of them.

/JL

DVD review: The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (2011)


Martin (Laurence R. Harvey) is a mentally disturbed loner who lives with his mother in a bleak housing project. He works the night shift as a security guard in an equally grim and foreboding underground parking complex. To escape his dreary existence, Martin loses himself in the fantasy world of the cult horror film The Human Centipede (First Sequence), fetishizing the meticulous surgical skills of the gifted Dr. Heiter, whose knowledge of the human gastrointestinal system inspires Martin to attempt the unthinkable. The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) is written and directed by Tom Six. The acting is mostly good and Laurence R. Harvey is top notch as the silent and very creepy Martin who never utters a word. the cinematography is fantastic (it´s a good looking flick), it´s in  black and white and the soundtrack is good. There are sprinkles of dark comedy in the beginning but make no misstake this is a dark, depraved and twisted flick. I love it!  Plenty of sadism and degradation on screen and this is absolutely not for the squeamish. It´s gory, it´s good looking practical make-up fx and most of the violence occurs on screen. I won´t spoil the fun, lets just say that it´s a very graphic flick. There is T & A in this, both male and female genitalia is shown on screen. There is a rapescene that´s pretty nasty, brutal and prolonged. While the first movie was kinda lame, it failed to live to up to my expectations, this one certainly delievers.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from MPI Home Video.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I enjoyed this a lot. I freakin loved it! The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) is uncompromising, graphic and very nasty. It´s sicker and more extreme than the first flick. The acting is good and Laurence R. Harvey is fantastic as the remorselessness Martin. Highly recommended but this movie is not for the politically correct or the squeamish as this is guranteed to offend and repulse!!

/JL









DVD review: The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)


Two pretty but ditsy American girls are on a road trip through Europe. In Germany, they end up alone at night with a broken car in the woods. They search for help and find an isolated villa. The next day, they awaken to find themselves trapped in a terrifying makeshift basement hospital along with a Japanese man. An older German man identifies himself as a retired surgeon specialized in separating Siamese twins. However, his three "patients" are not about to be separated but joined together in a horrific operation. He plans to be the first person to connect people via their gastric systems. By doing so, he plans to bring to life his sick lifetime fantasy, the human centipede. The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is written and directed by Tom Six. The acting is pretty decent for the most, my favorite actor in it is Dieter Laser who is marvelous as the deranged and mad surgeon Dr. Heiter. The movie is professionally shot and edited and it is a very nice looking movie. The soundtrack is good. There is a fair amount of sadism and humiliation but I´ll be honest I was kinda expecting more, far worse stuff so I was a kind of disappointed. There are some gore, practical make-up fx and it looks good. There is some brief T & A but you don´t see much.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from IFC Films.
Rating: 5½ out of 7. I enjoyed it but the it doesn´t live up to the hype surrounding it, sure there are some original and pretty twisted ideas that will provoke sensitive viewers but I was craving for more.

/JL

Friday 17 August 2012

DVD review: Hell's Half Acre (Video 2006)


A serial killer is brought to justice by his victims and burned alive on what is now known as Hell's Half Acre. Years later, a faceless killer begins slaughtering the townspeople. Losing her friends and family, Nicole Becker (Tesia Nicoli) decides to go after the killer with all she's got. Hell's Half Acre is a micro-budget feature written and directed by Sean Tiedeman  Scott Krycia. The acting is pretty bad, the camerawork and editing is pretty decent. The soundtrack is okay. The pacing is pretty good, it never gets boring but then this flick mostly consist of senes where a killer is slaying random people. There isn´t a lot of gore, some of it is practical make-up fx that´s standard indie fare but they also use computer gendered squibs as people get shot (the killer seems to like guns) which looks like shit. The design for the killer is pretty cool. Only brief T & A in this.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Film Baby.
Rating: 0½ out of 7. Hm, this was pretty bad... little gore, no nastiness, minimal T & A, no sleaze... It isn´t sure if it´s a action-flick or a horror-flick. It has a very high bodycount but it fails to engage and entertain, frankly I didn´t care whatever happened to the characters on screen. And in my opinion it´s a misstake to give your killer an arsenal of double machetes, shotguns, dual handguns, and even a chaingun (although it´s a VERY fake looking chaingun that looks like shit, probably made during lessons in handicraft in school)

/JL

Wednesday 15 August 2012

DVD review: Blackaria (2010)


Angela (Clara Vallet) is constantly distracted by the loud noises and orgies at her neighbors apartment, but when the neighbor is found dead, Angela comes across her crystal ball that reveals a horrifying future for her, can she escape her own death? Blackaria is written and directed by François Gaillard and Christophe Robin.The acting is decent, it´s professionally shot and edited and it gives us some stunning colourful visuals and set pieces. The soundtrack is great. It´s a giallo-homage and what a feast it is but just don´t look for logic. It´s very gory, the murder set pieces are stunning and a joy to watch if you´re a gorehound like me. The make-up fx are practical and are top notch.
Plenty of T & A, mostly consisting of topless nudity, and scenes of lesbianism. And I just want to mention that Clara Vallet is just jawdropping goregous in Blackaria.
This review is based upon PAL All Region DVD from Njuta Films, it´s a 2 Disc Set consisting of a DVD and Audio CD. French Audio with English Subtitles
Rating: 7 out of 7. I enjoyed this greatly. It´s a superb flick, with stunning murder set pieces and visuals that is pure eye candy. Highly recommended!

/JL




DVD review: Der Todesengel (Video 1998)


Maniala (Manila May, pretty sure that ain´t her real name) is a popular photo-model. One day she is raped on her way home from the pimps, "Angelo" (Timo Rose) and "Micro" (Marc Fehse) who are constantly looking for new prostitutes, Manila is changed by the event, she now feels attracted to women and feel the urge to kill, men with sexual gratification. At the same time little Tina (Katharina Herm) is abducted to be sold to the prostitution ring belonging to "Angelo" and "Micro". Some time later Maniala runs into her tormentors "Angel" and "Micro" again. Now begins a fight to the death. Der Todesengel is written, produced and directed by Andreas Bethmann. It might feel a bit confusing at times but it all comes together towards the end of the film. The acting is amatuerish and pretty bad and even if Manila May isn´t shy so to say she ain´t a very god actress, actually she´s pretty bad. The camerawork and editing is okay. There is some gore, it´s practical make-up fx and some of it looks good while some of the gore is pretty lame. There is plenty of T & A, several scenes of full frontal nudity (mostly featuring Manila May who provides most of the nudity in this flick) and several scenes of both softcore sex and sexual violence. By the way this is one of those films where the men don´t need to take their clothes of to perform a rape but the woman is of course is totally nude. It´s sleazy, and it has a explicit scene of necrophilia where Manila pleases herself with a decapitated head that is sure to provoke and shock some viewers.
Der Todesengel is also known as Angel of Death: Fuck or Die.
This review is based upon the region 2 DVD release from X-Rated, it´s a limited release of 666 copies, my copy is numbered 205 and has Cover B (see the picture above).
Rating: 2½ out of 7. Der Todesengel is a pretty nice addition to my collection of rape and revenge flicks, it´s certainly much sleazier than most them out there. Note that Andreas Bethmann has made several movies after this that are sleazier, nastier, more explicit and gorier.

/JL


Tuesday 14 August 2012

DVD review: Blutrausch - gefangen im Haus des Grauens (2006)


Jan and Fedele are passionate anglers. Fedele have accidentally discovered a secluded pond, where they have never been before and on lovely warm day, they decide to meet up and go fishing there. On a deserted road that´s almost impassable, they leave their cars and walk the remaining distance on foot. Once both are sure to make a good catch, but then they make a gruesome discovery in the water. A human head!  Back at the car they want to get help, but the engine has been manipulated, and the horror takes its course. Blutrausch - gefangen im Haus des Grauens is shot, edited, written and directed by Stefan Svahn. He also made the soundtrack and is responsible for the special fx. The acting is, as expected, pretty amateurish and barely decent. The camerawork and editing is okay. The soundtrack is pretty good. It never gets boring during the flicks 80 minute running time. It´s very gory, it´s practical make-up fx which looks good, and this flick is a delight for gorehounds. Stefan Svahn yet again impresses with his make-up fx work. Highlights consists of dismemberment by chainsaw and throatcutting...The look of the killer is effective and quite creepy although the design itself is simple. No T & A in this.
This review is based upon the region 2 DVD release from New Video Foundation, a limited release of 666 copies, my copy is numbered 301. it´s uncut and german language only.  
Rating: 3½ out of 7. I enjoyed this, gory and entertaining and Stefan Svahn delievers again,  for more reviews of his work check out my blog entries for The Lost Way of the Zombies (2005) and Voodoo Curse - Legbas Rache (2009).

/JL

DVD review: Suffer and Die (Video 2009)


Marc and Fred share a common passion: the killing of people! Marc is a professional killer and Fred skupelloser a sadistic murderer hobby. By chance they meet in a bar, drinking together and begin to tell stories of their murders and tortures. But then something happens that makes new friends into bitter enemies. Suffer and Die is written, shot, edited, produced and directed by Philip Polcar. This flick actually offered much more than I expected; there is actually a plot and there are actually real characters. It´s has much better production values than the trashy amateur films such as the Violent Shit series, it has an interesting story, atmospheric images and music and pretty good acting.   The main problem with Suffer and Die is that it´s not particularly entertaining. This is bound to be a disappointment for gorehounds, there is a few scenes of explicit violence and torture but it wasn´t as gory as I expected, especially considering the artwork on the DVD-cover. It´s practical make-up fx and looks pretty good. Some very brief nudity and there is a rape-scene that feels realistic.
This review is based upon the Austrian region 2 DVD release from Brain Damaged Films, it´s part of a limited release of just 99 copies, my copy is numbered 31.
Rating: 1½ out of 7. It is not what you expect, no matter from which point of view. For gorehounds there is too little gore, and I don´t think it will appeal to the mainstream audience or the fans of sophisticated, psychological thriller as there is perhaps too much of it.

/JL

Monday 13 August 2012

DVD Review: Cassandras Blutige Lust (2003)


The eccentric painter Cassanda lures unsuspecting men into her studio to fuck her there. This is followed by a bloody surprise. She kills and dismembers them. What nobody knows is that she paints her art with blood, human blood! Cassandras Blutige Lust is directed by Simone Schneider. Actually the plot is pretty cool but this is just a uninspired horror-porno, to be fair it´s actually hard to comment on the acting as I hesitate to call it acting and there is minimal dialogue between the characters.. Bad camerawork and editing. Zero atmosphere, zero tension. It has a repetitive boring electronic soundtrack that I started to hate after I watched ten minutes of the flick. The death scenes are pathetic as the kills takes place off screen, the limited gore make-up fx are ridiculously bad. Lots and lots of T & A, full frontal nudity, explicit masturbation and several sex scenes. In fact the HC-scenes are far too dominant and take up most part of the running time, they are overlong and boring and the flick quickly becomes a pain to sit through and the women are ugly. I hate to say it but it's true.
This review is based upon the region 2 DVD release from A. Simona Film, it´s a limited release of 666 copies and mine is numbered 474. It´s german language only.
Rating: 0 out of 7. Yet another turkey, overlong and boring flick from A. Simona. It didn´t take many minutes of viewing before I realized that this would be another endurance-test courtesy of A. Simona Films and thank god it´s only 85 minutes long. After watching this, Rape and Revenge Part 2 , Manniac and Mercilessly Betrayed (all from A. Simona Films) I don´t see any reason to pursue his other titles.

/JL

Review: The Perfect House (2010)


First I´d like to thank Mona Elyafi at ILDK Media for providing me with a screener.
Newlyweds, Mike (William A. Robertson) and Marisol (Andrea Vahl), are given the tour of their potential dream home by a perky real estate Agent (Monique Parent). They soon find out that their perfect house might just have a past. The ugly horrors of this house are revealed through three original tales of terror: "THE STORM" A Hitchcock inspired, dark shadow filled tale of an abusive family taking shelter in their basement from a violent, fast approaching storm. Soon we learn that the weather isn't the only thing threatening to tear this family apart.... "CHIC-KEN" Jason, Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger are all mythological perfect killing machines that still to this day terrorize our subconscious. But could the perfect serial killer truly exist? Maybe he's already been operating undetected for years. Maybe he's someone's next-door neighbor. Maybe even yours...... "DINNER GUEST" The Perfect House is written and directed by Kris Hulbert and Randy Kent. Mostly good performances from the whole cast and special praise to Felissa Rose who is great in this. It´s professionally shot and edited. The concept is very cool and all three tales are nice, they deliver the goods and we get some nice twists in "THE STORM" so I have difficulties picking a favorite of the three. Some really nice, tense and atmospheric scenes in this. There is plenty of gore, well made practical make-up fx, and it´s very violent and brutal but it isn´t gorefeast and some violence takes place off screen violence. I´ll be honest and admit I was a little bit surprised how brutal and sadistic it got in some scenes, especially in "DINNER GUEST" . No T & A in this.
This review is based upon a passwordprotected screener supplied by Mona Elyafi at ILDK Media.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I liked The Perfect House, it´s definitely recommend viewing for horror fans and I'll be purchasing the DVD.

/JL

Sunday 12 August 2012

Review: Hate Crime (2012)


First I´d like to thank James Cullen Bressack for providing a screener for his new flick, please note that is was provided prodiving I keep the review free from spoilers.. The plot is pretty basic as a family is held hostage by sadistic home intruders. Hate Crime is written by Jarret Cohen and James Cullen Bressack who also is the director. The acting is good and in some parts very strong, it´s shot point of view so it´s shaky cam. The atmosphere is distressing, there are several very tense scenes that packs a punch. It´s a very violent and brutal flick, it´s not for the squemish viewers. There is several unsettling scenes, violent rape, degradation and sadism. There is very little graphic violence, most of it occurs off screen or it´s shot that you don´t see it but the make-up fx that we do see are of good quality. No T & A in this except for scenes of female cast members in their underwear..
This review is based upon a passwordprotected screener provided by the director
Rating: 7 out of 7. Raw, brutal, unsettling and uncompromising. Hate Crime is powerful stuff that is sure to provoke some viewers, enrage the politically correct and shock the squemish. Highly recommended and definitely one of the best home invasion/terror flicks out there.

/JL

DVD review: Shapeshifter (2005)


A demonic shapeshifting beast terrorizes a maximum security prison. As inmates and guards alike try to avoid falling victim to the flesh-eating baddie, they find themselves struggling to solve the mystery of the creature in a frantic attempt to survive. Shapeshifter is written by A. Everett Howe and Gregory Lemkin who also is the director. The acting is pretty bad, the camerawork and editing is decent. The filmmakers use the same set as in Dead Men Walking, both movies were shot at the same time and are prouced by The Asylum, but somehow they fail to exploit it successfully. And despite a running time of 80 minutes, despite having a lot of potential this gets boring after awhile and they reuse the same footage of the creature eating a dead guard (sounds more graphic than it is) several times. There's no atmosphere, no tension and no scares. There is some gore, practical make-up fx and it´s pretty decent. The creature design, old school man in a suit, is decent. In the T & A department I can report som topless nudity.
This review is based upon the german region 2 DVD release from Video Pool, english audio is available.
Rating: 1 out of 7. I like the premise but the flick is just dull and pretty bad, actually it´s a very lame movie, no profanity, it could have been much gorier and the group prisoners reaction to a attractive female guard being left alone with them is strange and unrealistic, I think she would have a VERY bad day. On a positive note I do like that they use the man in a suit design for the creature. Definitely not recommended.

/JL

Saturday 11 August 2012

DVD Review: Sinners and Saints (Video 2004)


Father Charmichael Drake (Jason Cavalier) is tormented by his clairvoyant dreams, which in turn drive him to fight crime and the forces of evil. The demon slaying priest and Sister Jordan Merrick (Elizabeth Faure) get more than they bargained for when summoned by the Queen Of Hell (Melantha Blackthorne ) to bring justice to the Hades dimension. Sinners and Saints is written by Jason Cavalier, Godfree Master, Kevin Woodhouse and Melantha Blackthorne who also is the director. The acting isn´t very good but it isn´t catastrophic either. The camerawork and editing is okay as is the soundtrack. There is plenty of action, shootouts, martial arts and swordplay. The fight-choreography is actually pretty good and the stylized fightscenes (utilizing wirework) and swordplay are definitely the highlights of Sinners and Saints. There is some gore, practical make-up fx but nothing spectacular and they use cgi for some fx and for some enviroments and it looks like crap. In the T & A department I can report topless nudity. There is a rapescene that´s pretty violent and downright nasty even if it´s not overtly graphic.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Robomonkey Productions.
Rating: 1 out of 7. It´s a eccentric oddity that feels disjointed and confusing but it isn´t a complete mess.

/JL



DVD Review: Cemetery Gates (2006)


A giant mutated Tasmanian Devil is stolen from a lab by two eco-activists and escapes near an old cemetery where a group of unsuspecting college students are making a zombie film. The hideous creature takes up residence in the old mining tunnels beneath the graveyard, feasting on both the living and the dead. Meanwhile, the two scientists responsible for the deformed creature are desperately searching the countryside witnessing the carnage of their poor little "Precious". Their search leads them down a path of mutilated corpses as they continually miss the creature. Experience the terror and fear, as one by one, the young filmmakers fall victim to the ravenous beast! Cemetery Gates is written by Pat Coburn, Brian Patrick O'Toole and J. Victor Renaud. It´s directed by Roy Knyrim. The acting is pretty decent and Reggie Bannister is enjoyable to watch, as always. It´s professionally shot and edited. The soundtrack is nice. There is plenty of intentional humor although there are almost a bit too much sex jokes in it but this is first and foremost a horror movie. It´s very gory, it´s all practical make-up fx, and I think gorehounds will love this as it´s a gorefeast. Highlights consists of limbs ripped out there sockets, intestines spewing out and decapitations. The creature fx design is very cool and I love that its old school man in a suit design. There is plenty of topless nudity all courtesy of cute and sexy Kristin Novak.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Kismet Entertainment.
Rating: 7 out of 7. This flick is great, I loved this. Cemetery Gates is a fast paced, fun and very gory creature feature. The choice to go with a man in a suit creature design is just awesome!! Highly recommended to fans of creature features and gorehounds.

/JL