THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT 2 (RLJE Films) - Blu-ray Review

USA/2017
Directed By: Bobby Roe
Written By: Zack Andrews, Bobby Roe
Starring: Brandy Schaffer, Zack Andrews, Mikey Roe
Color/101 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: January 2, 2018

The Film
Have you ever been surprised by how much you like a movie? I'm sure you have, we all have. I was incredibly surprised by how much I enjoyed Bobby Roe's 2014 found footage horror film The Houses October Built. This found footage horror film followed a group of friends going cross country in their RV documenting the most extreme haunted houses they can find until they come face to face with a secret haunt that takes them to their absolute extreme and blur the line of entertainment and reality. So when I heard a sequel was made I was caught off guard but totally game to check out THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT 2.

And then I watched it.

THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT 2 is lazy. It retreads the same ground laid in the first with the same plot. The same friends get together to go to some haunts and capitalize on their internet fame after the events of the first film. Except they're all incredibly shitty people this time around more worried about making a couple bucks instead of their own friends mental health. Brandy suffered the worst fate of the first movie and her shitty friends do everything they can to bribe her to join their trip because she's the pretty girl all of the haunts want to promote their attraction and without her the group is worthless. So her friends throw her in to increasingly extreme haunts despite her protests to do the extreme haunts. Of course she gives in when a few more dollars are thrown at her so we get to hate her too. This is where the film fails but definitely isn't the only place. If we're forced to spend 100 minutes confined mostly to an RV with this group of people they better be likable folks and in the first film they were but this time they've devolved into typical pieces of shit more concerned on a quick buck and exploiting their friend than a love of haunted houses and Halloween.

The film is also victim to just about every pitfall a found footage style horror movie can fall for. The added music, slick editing and basic set up of movie doesn't make a lick of sense for something being shot on the road and supposedly "found" and uploaded to Youtube. The first film did this as well but was fun enough that I could mostly overlook it but when the movie is a bad time, and I mean that it is a bad time. It's like being at a shitty party with people you barely know who are annoying the absolute piss out of you and you have no way to get home or leave, when it's that bad of a time the things you can nitpick begin to add up and then the laziness of the film shines through and it's like being blasted in the face with a nasty fart.

I loved the first. I loathe the sequel.

The Audio & Video
THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT 2 has been brought to Blu-ray by RLJE Films and looks fantastic with a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The color palette is vibrant while shining and popping just enough. The black levels, of which there's plenty in the haunt interiors, are deep and inky. Detail levels are high and skin tones natural with no signs of edge enhancement or DNR. The audio is presented in a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix that sounds just as good as the picture looks. The audio is warm and full bodied with a strong mix throughout. There's no damage or hiccups to speak of.

The Extras
-Deleted Scenes
-Uncut Projection Scene
-Portrait Of A Scare Actor 2 featurette
-"Halloween Spooks" music video

The Bottom Line
It's a colder, less genuine, lazy and boring rehash of the first. Skip it.

THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT 2 is available HERE

THE DARK TAPES (2017) (DVD Review - Epic Pictures)

USA/2016
Directed By: Michael McQuown, Vincent J. Guastini
Written By: Michael McQuown
Starring: Cortney Palm, Brittany Underwood, Aral Gibble
Color/98 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: Available Now

The Film
THE DARK TAPES is a found footage anthology film based around the idea of proving the existence of creatures that we can only see during our REM sleep cycle, when we're at our deepest sleep. This segment is called "To Catch A Demon" and serves as the main wraparound for the film and something we come back to intermittently between segments. The story itself isn't incredibly long and really didn't need to be broken up but I can see and understand why they used it as a tool as such. I think the best parts of this segment are at the end when they finally show the goods we've been waiting for. Up until the appearance of these creatures it's feels quite pedestrian and familiar.

"The Hunters And The Hunted" is the first solo story to play out entirely in one shot and it was something that left me wanting more. The story starts out with a newly married couple facing strange things in their new home. Doors slamming, furniture shifting, physical encounters with these seemingly paranormal inhabitants. Call in the paranormal investigators and we're all set up for the painfully cliche Paranormal Activity style jump scare snooze fest. And then the story spins a most welcomed 180 and drastically turns the whole thing on its head. Without spoiling it I can say it not only saved the segment but left me wanting more of it. I think this was something that could be used as a set up for a feature length film using this story. It's flawed but I really liked where it ended up.

"Cam Girls" is next and sets up a pair of attractive roommates who run a sexy webcam show for money. They decide to give Gerry, a frequent viewer and all around nice, but very shy guy, a free show. This ends up feeling longer than it is and ends up being quite predictable and aside from one interesting moment in the background I think was a bit of a waste, despite some solid acting. This leads us to the final segment "Amanda's Revenge" which I think is the best production from start to finish as a totally enclosed product. The acting and characters drive this one as we are finally given characters to care about and they're well rounded and very likable. Amanda is forced to deal with strange unseen forces that torment her at night after a very traumatic event at a party. This helps Amanda unlock the deeper and greater powers of her mind but could also prove the existence of some beings that she'd rather not see. The effects in this one get a bit bonkers at the end and I really enjoyed it. This is another entry that could have benefited from a longer runtime and budget to give those effects a stronger presence and look less processed.

Found footage films remain a staple in the horror genre because they require less in the way of crew and equipment in most cases. They can be made cheaper than traditional films and even using lower quality equipment can easily be worked in to the story itself and remain believable. The sub genre has seen its ups and downs since its inception but the entries into the sub genre of late tend to be stale retreads that are far from exciting and new. THE DARK TAPES may not shy away from many of the found footage tropes but it does try to play with some of them in ways that we don't often see and even if it was an uneven film with ideas that were better than their execution it was nice to see something different out of a found footage film.

The Audio & Video
Epic Pictures releases THE DARK TAPES with a nice looking and sounding DVD. The anamorphic widescreen transfer has deep black levels of which there are many, a strong color palette and a solid overall sharpness and clarity. The 5.1 surround audio mix comes through loud and clear with no background noise or damage. Levels are steady throughout.

The Extras
Special features include being able to individually select a tape to watch and the original trailer.

The Bottom Line
THE DARK TAPES is a noble attempt at making a better found footage horror film that I don't think lives up to its potential. I recommend the film to found footage addicts as I think there's a lot they'll like either way.

THE DARK TAPES is available HERE

CHUPACABRA TERRITORY - Maltauro Entertainment Blu-ray Review

US/2016
Directed By: Matthew McWilliams
Written By: Matthew McWilliams
Starring: Sarah Nicklin, Michael Reed, Alex Hayek
Color/94 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: April 11, 2017

The Film
Urban legends and mythological creatures such as Bigfoot, The Abominable Snowman, Mothman, and Chupacabra are something I've always had fun thinking about, especially Chupacabra. From the first time I heard about the beast in the mid to late 90s on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries I was hooked. I was young, loved horror and this weird beast that had a spiny back, glowing red eyes and drained the blood of livestock through two tiny puncture wounds totally piqued my curiosity. The Goat Sucker quickly became my favorite mythological beast and for several years there was no shortage of stories and sightings around Puerto Rico and the American south kept the beast in the forefront of my imagination.

Heading in to the 21st century it is no surprise that movies involving the creature began to get produced but sadly these films generally lacked any sort of quality and were the worst type of straight to video junk filled with bad acting, weak production values and crappy effects. Worst of all they didn't remind of anything I knew about the creature I had grown to love. Every so often another Chupacabra movie gets made and turns out to be much of the same so I was approached CHUPACABRA TERRITORY with a healthy amount of hesitation knowing that Chupacabra films have generally been shit and it is a found footage film which is incredibly easy to fall in to all sorts of cliches and genre trappings.

CHUPACABRA TERRITORY pleasantly surprised me. Yeah it is a found footage horror film and it definitely feels like it. It has many of the found footage tropes and many horror cliches throughout. There's the typical scene of a girl laying on the ground getting dragged away from the camera (multiple times), there's the scene of something nasty or violent happening in the background of a shot that none of the characters notice, the turn around and BANG! jump scare type moments. They're all present and accounted for. But there's also some really solid performances lead by Sarah Nicklin as Amber, who could be considered the leader of this group hiking in to an off limits area of forest on a hunt for the mythological creature. She's immensely likable and has an infectious energy about her that makes it easy to believe her friends would follow her in to just about any weird situation she'd get them in to. She's the lover and believer of the myth and is willing to go to any length to summon it including getting down and dirty fucking in a tent to get her energy up and performing supernatural rituals.

The film does bring in details in to the mythos of the creature that I have never heard of that I assume were simply to spice up the story and I'm okay with that as I don't think it hurt the story but a more straight forward approach to the creature would have been my preferred avenue. Still, Matthew McWilliams penned a solid script about a creature that has had an absolutely terrible history in the movies and directed a pretty decent Chupacabra horror movie. My biggest gripe is that CHUPACABRA TERRITORY is more supernatural found footage horror film that could have replaced the Chupacabra with almost anything else and been the same movie. That doesn't mean I don't think it's a decent movie and worth checking out for any found footage or Chupacabra fan.

The Audio & Video
Maltauro Entertainment delivers CHUPACABRA TERRITORY on Blu-ray with an attractive anamorphic widescreen transfer. The picture quality is quite good with natural colors and flesh tones and deep, inky black levels that don't show any signs of blocking. The image is clean and crisp throughout. The 2.0 stereo audio track is mixed well and sounds good. It's not a very dynamic mix but for a found footage film it works perfectly. There's no damage or distortions that shouldn't be there. Closed Caption options are available.

The Extras
Bonus features on the disc include an interview segment with cast members that is just over ten minutes long and a separate interview segment with the director, editor and producer that clocks in at just over 6 minutes. A trailer and photo gallery round out the extras.

The Bottom Line
Though the competition isn't stiff it doesn't change the fact that CHUPACABRA TERRITORY is the best Chupacabra movie to date and is a solid found footage horror film.

CHUPACABRA TERRITORY is available HERE

VIDEO KILLER (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

UK/2016
Directed By: Richard Mansfield
Written By: Richard Mansfield
Starring: Michael Lieber, Darren Munn, Henry Regan
Color/80 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: September 13, 2016

The Film
After a series of strange knocks at her front door at the same time each day Amy receives a strange video tape featuring strange violent animations and a figure that is stalking her. Soon she realizes that she isn't the only person dealing with this and sets out to find the other victims in an effort to find out who is stalking and killing them.

Haunted video tapes have been a plot device in horror films for years, from The Ring series that was probably the peak of the subgenre to the more recent films that sometimes combine the idea with the found footage style to set up a plot that is rather inexpensive to produce. VIDEO KILLER falls into that category despite not being a full on found footage movie it does use the style along with traditional film making styles. The idea is to keep production costs down while creating a viable horror film setup. In that way VIDEO KILLER is most definitely successful because most of the scares involve doors opening on their own, flashes of creepy figures and other terrors that we only see the victims running away from.

The best moment of VIDEO KILLER is a nightmare moment when one of the victims hallucinates that he is being attacked by the ribbon from a VHS in the woods. I don't think I've seen something so unintentionally funny as a pile of film slithering along the ground while a man writhes in terror until it wraps around him, consuming him in fear until he awakens. I'd almost go as far to say VIDEO KILLER is worth watching for this sequence alone. Alas, it is not. VIDEO KILLER isn't a terrible production, the few cast members are actually fairly decent and there's moments where the direction is solid but there's just nothing to keep your attention. The same fleeting moments of suspense and horror are repeated and there's too many moments that come off as comedic. I liked the animation sequences featured on the haunted VHS tapes more than almost anything else and that should say something.

The Audio & Video
Wild Eye Releasing's DVD of VIDEO KILLER features an anamorphic widescreen transfer that is very attractive. Colors are warm and the picture has good clarity. Black levels are deep with no blocking issues while the English 2.0 audio mix is clear and has stable levels that don't fluctuate. There's no damage imperfections in how the audio is portrayed.

The Extras
- Deleted Scenes
- Making Of VIDEO KILLER
- Killer Cartoons
- Short Films
-Trailers

The Bottom Line
VIDEO KILLER is another in a line of films centered around haunted video tapes. The sooner this trend in the genre fades away the better.

VIDEO KILLER is available HERE

WOLF HOUSE (Wild Eye Releasing) DVD Review

USA/2016
Directed By: Matt D. Lord
Written By: Ken Cosentino, Elizabeth Houlihan
Starring: Jessica Bell, Ken Cosentino, Marcus Ganci-Rotella
Color/70 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: January 17, 2017

The Film
A group of friends cabin getaway is shaken up when one of them shoots a wild animal they believe is Sasquatch. The group decides to bring the animal home in hopes to discover what it really is and potentially become rich from their finding. Unfortunately an old Native American warning to respect the forest comes true and the wolflike beast wakes up and begins stalking the house while dangerous native spirits haunt the house.

WOLF HOUSE is a found footage film made on a shoestring budget. IMDB reports an estimated budget of $5,000 and that is incredibly low even for the found footage genre. There will be obvious drawbacks with such a tight budget but I think director Matt Lord did create a passable film from that. The film only has two locations, the cabin and its surrounding forest and the house. These locations allow the movie to get by with minimal set design so the movie isn't the most visually striking piece of horror you've seen lately but it gets by.  The cast helps with this as they are competent and while not being Oscar caliber they don't drop the ball and become something you'd see in a Tommy Wiseau film.

The thing that may really turn viewers off is the wolf creature which is obviously a man in rather cheap suit walking around on all fours. In scenes where it is more exposed it's obviously cheap but they do keep it largely covered for the majority of the movie which helps. The monster could have been done with cheap and gaudy CGI but the filmmakers decided to go the practical route and I respect that. I'm a lover of rubber suit monster flicks and I find this to be in that vein. It doesn't really help it look any better but they went for it and made it work.


WOLF HOUSE isn't a game changer, or even a film I'd call "good" but it was more entertaining than The Bye Bye Man which was a major release horror film and frankly it's probably better made as well.

The Audio & Video

The anamorphic widescreen transfer from Wild Eye Releasing looks as good as you'd expect from such a low budget production these days. HD cameras certainly help and the picture quality here is pretty solid. Colors are natural while black levels are fairly deep and don't suffer much from blocking or compression. The image is clean and pleasing to the eye. The English audio is crisp and clear with a decent mixing job. There's no damage or background noise to speak of.

The Extras
-Audio Commentary with the Director
-Behind The Scenes documentary
-"Making The Monster" featurette
-Trailers

The Bottom Line
I admire what WOLF HOUSE did on a shoe string budget. I have a soft spot for rubber suit monsters and making it work no matter what. The movie leaves a lot to be desired but I did find it to be mildly entertaining.

WOLF HOUSE is available HERE

THE BEFORE TIME (DVD Review) - Brain Damage Films

USA/2014

Directed By: Miguel Muller

Written By: Scott Bunt

Starring: Ted Jonas, Jules Hartley, Aidan Marus

Color/80 Minutes/Not Rated

Region FREE

Release Date: March 8, 2016

The Film

The headless bodies of eight Hispanic men have been found in the Arizona desert spiking TV ratings. An independent producer proposes a reality TV show idea to capitalize on the story and the ratings based around two rival groups investigating the story and the legend of an ancient treasure of gold buried in the area but they quickly find out the truth lurking in the desert is far more dangerous than they could have imagined. 

THE BEFORE TIME uses the found footage, handheld camera style to show the story of this reality show cast as they venture in to the desert and try to set up shots and scenes for their production. The group is filled with semi-famous local talent and a lot of shitty young attitudes with big dreams about making it big. Sometimes they're serious about getting their work done and others they're disrespecting locals and acting like stereotypical assholes. They fall victim to creepy natives, drug laced foods and ghostly occurrences as each day brings them deeper and deeper into the unforgiving desert.

It all feels familiar, like ground we've tread before. It's predictable and despite being decently made and having an exciting scene or two, it's not very interesting. The cast is decent but their writing is lazy. The movie leaves too much to the imagination and doesn't give us the visual goods often enough. It's an attempt at making the film more psychologically driven than it needs or even should be. 

THE BEFORE TIME isn't a bad film overall but it doesn't capitalize on its best aspects and suffers from many of the downfalls of the found footage style.

The Audio & Video

Brain Damage Films gives THE BEFORE TIME a nice home on DVD with a 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer that has a sharp look and good colors for a standard def transfer. Black levels are deep and there's no problems with compression or blocking. The mostly English audio which features sporadic Spanish with English subtitles is handled with a 5.1 surround mix which sounds very nice. There's no damage or background noise and the overall quality is crisp and powerful when needed.

The Extras

-Behind the scenes featurette

-Trailer

The Bottom Line

If you're a lover of the found footage genre you'll find plenty to enjoy with THE BEFORE TIME. 

THE BEFORE TIME is available HERE

THE PIGMAN MURDERS (DVD Review) - Wild Eye Releasing

Ireland/2013
Directed By: Stephen Patrick Kenny
Written By: Stephen Patrick Kenny
Starring: Gerard Fallon, Eugene Horan, Mark Hutchinson
Color/70 Minutes/Not Rated
Region FREE
Release Date: April 21, 2015

The Film
Seven friends head in to the woods for a camping trip in remembrance of their friend's death one year ago. They have hired a professional cameraman to document their trip to turn in to a gift to their friend's family as a tribute to him. The trip is plagued with personal drama from the start and bad turns to worse when the group finds a badly beaten man covered in blood who warns them of a killer in the woods.

I assumed THE PIGMAN MURDERS was going to be a slasher film in the traditional sense but it isn't It is a found footage film packed with a whole lot of nothing throughout most of the duration. I think the idea of making a documentary of you and your friends camping and partying as a gift to your fallen friend's family is a bit odd to begin with but you'd think the cameraman you hired would have a camera that didn't distort, break up and flicker every minute or two. There's nothing going on in this movie that should make the camera fuck up as often and as badly as it does.

Really, it makes no sense and pulled me out of the movie each and every time it happened. Walking through the woods or the wind blowing doesn't make a camera, especially that which should be a half decent camera from a "professional", distort. The movie is packed with the typical bickering between characters as it seems nobody can ever get along in a found footage film even before anything goes wrong. The only chance this movie had was making the villains interesting, something they didn't do as they're barely on screen even when they're dispatching of people left and right.

Maybe THE PIGMAN MURDERS would have been good had it went the slasher route I was expecting, maybe not. I'd be willing to wager that it would have at least been more interesting and I'd have been able to allow myself to at least TRY and get into the movie, something the constant bullshit with the camera didn't allow me to in this one. The saving grace, if you can call it that is that the movie only runs 70 minutes despite the DVD case stating a 90 minute runtime. Another 20 minutes would have been unbearable.

The Audio & Video
The film's intentional cold and overcast look is on display here with a downbeat color palette full of grey shades. Colors are muted a bit as is sharpness and detail levels. It's all in how the film was photographed. Wild Eye Releasing does a nice job keeping the film's intended look with their anamorphic widescreen transfer. The English audio is passable but far from great, again it's all in how the film was made and not a problem with the production of the DVD. It sounds as if the audio was recorded through a built in microphone on the camera rather than a legit boom mic as it is ruffled and muddy at times. Coupled with thick Irish accents dialogue can be difficult to understand at times.

The Extras
-"Curse Of The Banshee" short film
-Original trailer

The Bottom Line
The worst part about THE PIGMAN MURDERS isn't that I'm disappointed in what the movie isn't, it's that I'm totally let down by what it is.

THE PIGMAN MURDERS is available HERE

The Houses October Built (Blu-ray Review) - Image/RLJ

USA/2014
Directed By: Bobby Roe
Written By: Zack Andrews, Bobby Roe, Jason Zada
Starring: Brandy Schaeffer, Zack Andrews, Bobby Roe
Color/91 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: January 6, 2014

The Film
A group of friends set out in a cross country RV trip to discover the best and most extreme haunted house attractions in the country and document their trip. They interview employees and guests at each haunt as they search for the underground haunt known as The Blue Skeleton which is supposed to be as extreme as it gets. Their trip becomes increasingly disturbing and potentially dangerous as they get closer to Blue Skeleton until they finally get their chance to experience the haunt for themselves.

I've previously sung the praises of THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT in a full review of the film itself back during the October Horror Challenge and more recently on my Top Ten Films Of 2014 list so I'll let those posts do the talking for this film. I will say that I was pleased to find out that my first return viewing of the film still yielded seriously entertaining results and that it holds up well. 

The Audio & Video
Image/RLJ deliver a gorgeous looking and sounding disc for THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer has a very sharp picture with vibrant and vivid colors. Detail level in textures, surfaces and skin is high. Black levels are handled very nicely with no compression issues or blocking, which is very important for a film that largely takes place in dark settings. There are no signs of edge enhancement, or excessive DNR. The picture is crisp and not at all waxy. The 5.1 DTSHD-Master Audio track sounds crystal clear with a steady mix job. Levels don't fluctuate when they shouldn't and there's no distractions such as background noise or damage such as crackling or popping. English subtitles are available. 

The Extras
-The Houses October Built- a 94 minute documentary from 2011 that inspired the feature film. (Best Buy Exclusive)
-"Behind The Screams" Featurette - An inside look at the haunts
-Deleted Scenes (24 minutes)
-"Portrait of a Scare Artist" photo gallery
-Cast carvings by The Pumpkin Geek

The Bottom Line
When one of your favorite films of the year gets a beautiful Blu-ray release with a healthy dose of special features how could you not recommend it? Highly recommended! 

THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT is available HERE

Hunting The Legend (DVD Review) - Image

USA/2014
Directed By: Justin Steeley
Written By: Justin Steeley
Starring: Hannah Wallace, Jeff Causey, Justin Steeley
Color/95 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: July 8, 2014

The Film
Five years ago on a hunting trip Chris' dad was killed by an unknown beast. The police investigation turned up nothing. Chris knows the beast that killed his father was Bigfoot and he has organized a group to hunt the beast down and a film crew to document it. The group consists of his girlfriend, his best friend, and a cameraman and sound man. The investigation begins with interviews of various locals who have stories of Bigfoot, including a guitar shop owner who has a plaster casting of a footprint. He tells the group of a local hermit who lives in the woods and has more knowledge of the beast than anyone else. After buying a couple guns and acquiring a hunting/security dog the group finds the hermit's cabin to interview him. He shows them pictures he's captured of the beast and informs them that there's an entire population of sasquatches. The hermit goes missing after his cabin is seemingly attacked and the group runs for cover in their cars to start their investigation in the woods. Days go by with limited evidence until the last night when the group is starting to fall apart and the group is attacked by the beasts.

HUNTING THE LEGEND is your typical found footage style horror film. One of the pre-requisites of found footage films is incessant bitching among the group and there is plenty of that here. It begins quickly and doesn't stop for the duration. When it comes down to it there is very little going on in HUNTING THE LEGEND.  We get but a single shadowy glimpse of the Bigfoot, the dog and a crew member go missing for a night and the hermit pulls a gun on the group. That's about it before the climax which is entirely predictable and doesn't try to set itself apart from anything we've seen in found footage films before.

The Audio & Video
Image Entertainment did a nice job on the DVD of HUNTING THE LEGEND. All of the cameras used look good and the dark scenes are handled quite well both in night vision and standard lighting. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation probably couldn't get any better on DVD. The 5.1 Dolby track sounds great too, where we're able to pick up on subtle noises in the woods along with having a nice mix and clear dialogue.

The Extras
None.

The Bottom Line
I wish I could recommend HUNTING THE LEGEND to those interested in the Bigfoot legend or fans of Bigfoot films but there's really no sasquatch on display here. If you're a lover of the found footage style then it's worth a look but otherwise I'd skip it.n

HUNTING THE LEGEND is available HERE

Black Water Vampire (DVD Review) - Image Entertainment

USA/2013
Directed By: Evan Tramel
Written By: Evan Tramel
Starring: Bill Oberst Jr., Danielle Lozeau, Andrea Monier
Color/82 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1

The Film
Raymond Banks is a convicted killer responsible for murdering four women, a decade apart, to the day,  from each other over 40 years. The problem is Banks’ conviction was based on circumstantial evidence and he may not be responsible. A group of young filmmakers who grew up in fear of the Black Water Killer set out to discover the truth behind the murders and potentially free and innocent man.

The film makers set out to the area surrounding Black Water Woods to interview all sorts of eccentric locals, politicians and those associated with the case surrounding the murders. Eventually the crew heads into the woods to hike for days to find the area the bodies were found. When Rob, the annoying hipster douche soundman goes missing, the rest of the group begins to panic until they come face to face with the true monster in the woods responsible for the killings.

BLACK WATER VAMPIRE is yet another entry in the incredibly popular cycle of found footage horror films. The films are cheap and fast to make and require little in the way of set design or shooting locations. All of the clichés are here, from the arguing group getting lost in the woods, to the map disappearing and random symbols and spooky things happening at night. BLACK WATER VAMPIRE manages to freshen things up a bit by actually showing us something. While this is obviously largely influenced (and I’d go as far to say rips off) The Blair Witch Project, we actually get a good look at a monster here, which is a rarity in this genre. Unfortunately that takes a terribly fucking corny turn really fast. Sometimes less really is more.

This film also fails to do what needs to be done to make this a realistic film. The found footage genre is one that requires the viewer to suspend all disbelief. What we are watching is supposed to be real. This is the job of the filmmakers. When the sound recording quality is exactly the same all the way through the film, despite the sound man either not being introduced yet, or after he went missing, it is hard to believe that this was all recorded live. Hell, after Rob the soundman goes missing, the director of the group even begins to bitch about how shitty the camera’s on board microphone is and how it will sound like shit. Well good fucking job following through on that. Is that a minor nitpick? Possibly. It is just one that stood out to me the entire time I was watching the film. Also did they really need to create a serial killer rhyme that is a blatant ripoff of  “One, two, Freddys coming for you”? No, they didn’t and all it managed to do was make me groan in disapproval. BLACK WATER VAMPIRE is a typical example of the found footage genre, in that while it does manage to craft a story, it does so an a lazy uninspired way that is full of plot holes, annoying characters, clichés and “borrowing” enough from so many other films that I’m not sure I can count it on both hands. It is a shame because BLACK WATER VAMPIRE could have stood apart from the pack with a bit more inspiration. Taking a dozen popular modern horror films and throwing them into a pot together really isn’t the way to go about making a movie. I do have to mention that Bill Oberst Jr. is quite effective, giving an unsettling performance as the convicted killer.

The Audio & Video
Image Entertainment gives BLACK WATER VAMPIRE a rather gorgeous DVD treatment. I don’t think this anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) transfer could look any better without being on Blu-ray. Colors shine and details is strong. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track sounds terrific as well, even if it is detrimental to the film itself at times. You can’t fault that on the technical side of the disc though, and this is an excellent job.

 

The Extras
The lone feature on the disc is a very short behind-the-scenes featurette, where the cast members are interviewed and some outtakes are shown.

The Bottom Line
If you’re a big fan of the found footage genre you’ll probably enjoy BLACK WATER VAMPIRE. Give it a rental to test the waters. Pun absolutely intended.

BLACK WATER VAMPIRE is available HERE

Skew (2010)

Simon, Rich, and Eva head out on a road trip to attend a friend's wedding with Simon's brand new video camera in hand. The trio of friends start out having a great time on their midsummer escape with plenty of laughs and a cooler of beer to keep them busy. The trip slowly starts to descend into anger and paranoia as a series of tragic events seemingly centered around Simon's camera derail the fun and reality comes crashing down.



Just moments into SKEW and I couldn't help but think "another found footage movie?". It is quickly becoming a cliche within the horror genre and is quickly becoming something I don't particularly look forward too as it is rarely handled with skill. I then immediately remembered that this production on this film began in 2005, before this style of film making had flooded the market. Luckily for us director Seve Schelenz handles the Verite style mostly with grace. There are a few moments that could have been more effective had the style not been used so much in the editing of the film, I'm speaking of one scene in particular towards the end of the film where it was unnecessary. These moments are few and far between and the principal cast does a nice job with making it seem real.



The similarities between SKEW and The Blair Witch Project are painfully obvious from the trio of young adults, 2 male and 1 female to many of the shots being very reminiscent of the 1999 cult hit. While SKEW trades the woods of my native Maryland for a Canadian road trip, mainly confined to the inside of a Jeep or hotel room, they play out largely the same, exchanging a folk lore witch for a deadly video camera. Take from that comparison what you will, but SKEW does stand on it's own feet.

While I could go on and on about the comparisons to other films, this is a film that shows promise for a new director and a film that is largely successful at what it set out to do within the limitations of a $25,000 budget.

7/10

TrollHunter (2010)

TrollHunter has been on my radar for many months now. As I've found out more about my interest slowly grew and grew until I was able to see it tonight thanks to a friend shelling out the $6 for the On Demand presentation.

This is a "found footage" movie, you know the kind- Some tragic event that was captured on a handheld video camera is presented in the point of view from the crew that usually have gone missing. These movies have become pretty prevalent since 1999's The Blair Witch Project. With very mixed results. TrollHunter is the story of a small film crew from a local college in Norway searching out a local bear poacher as the bear population of the country is tightly controlled. They quickly run into Hans (Otto Jespersen) who they believe to be the poacher. It doesn't take long to discover that is actually an aging, and jaded government worker who is out to control the troll population that is kept secret by the Norwegian government.

Hans allows the group to follow him in his confidential work because he's become fed up with his thankless job. The group does what any crew looking for their big break would do and subjects themselves to the dangers that various types of trolls bring. After several violent encounters that leave the crew battered and bruised, and down a man, Hans goes to find the giant troll in the snowy mountains that is the cause of all of the problems for a wild finale.

TrollHunter is briskly paced, getting from point to point with little down time in action or troll hunting. The acting is engaging and believable and the story, while silly on paper, is a great grown up fairy tale. The visuals are fun and at times breathtaking, with really great effects on the monsters themselves. The filmmakers did a great job in creating a diverse group of breeds with each having it's own characteristics and design. From the Mountain King to the Ringlefinch and the gigantic Jotner, Norway is infested. And I couldn't be happier about it because that was a fucking blast. I wish all fairy tales were this cool.

8.5/10