Phobia (2013)

Mack suffers from Agoraphobia, a panic disorder where a person fears situations and/or places that they feel like they can't escape, ever since the night his wife was killed in a car crash. He now lives the life of a shut-in, earning money by transcribing courtroom proceedings. The only visitors in Mack's life are his friend Taylor, his Psychiatrist and Bree, the girl who delivers his groceries. Mack's relationship with Bree begins to make Mack feel a bit more human but a home invader brings Mack crashing down and he begins to see visions of his dead wife, hear voices tell him disturbing things, and believes an evil shadowy woman haunts his home. Mack's delusions and fears come to a head when he finds himself covered in blood and trapped outside of his home.

PHOBIA is a close quartered horror film, appropriately enough, that needs capable acting and likeable characters to succeed. Thankfully the cast is competent and very likeable, especially Mack and Bree who hold the audience in their hand as we hope for a happy resolution for the pair. The film's horror elements come from a psychological standpoint along with more visually graphic methods such as naked corpses, blood and weird spider transformations.

While the film succeeds with its characters, it does fall victim to try to do too much visually instead of leaving it to the viewer's imagination and letting the horrors set in a bit more subtly and subconsciously, relying a bit too much on weak effects and sight gags. PHOBIA doesn't overdo it to the point where it takes the viewer out of the film so the harm done is kept to a minimum and ends up being a film worthy of indie horror fans' time.

PHOBIA is available HERE

The Doctor And The Devils (Blu-ray Review) - Scream Factory

UK/1985
Directed By: Freddie Francis
Written By: Dylan Thomas, Ronald Harwood
Starring: Timothy Dalton, Jonathan Pryce, Twiggy
Color/93 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: November 4, 2014

The Film
Thomas Rock is a bright young anatomy professor and doctor in 1820s England who hires a pair of grave robbers to secure more bodies for his studies as the medical board's supply isn't enough. The team of grave robbers figure out that the fresher the bodies they deliver the more money they'll earn and their game of grave robbing quickly turns to murder and the victims begin getting too close and personal for Dr. Rock.

THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS is a take on the Burke And Hare story which has been done plenty of times but rarely as good as it was done by director Freddie Francis here. Francis was a big player in the 60s and 70s for Hammer and his skill behind the camera is only made greater by a cast including Timothy Dalton, Julian Sands, Twiggy and Jonathan Pryce. The cast truly is stellar from top to bottom. The set pieces are big and elegant and the foggy exteriors are moody and a bit creepy.

THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS oozes atmosphere and has more than its fair share of violence along with an awesome opening credit song and sequence. THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS is something you should seek out.

The Audio & Video
Scream Factory's 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is simply gorgeous. The detail level in both surfaces and textures are excellent. Skin tones are natural and healthy without looking at all waxy. The color palette in this film is a bit subdued with the foggy London setting but still they are recreated very nicely and naturally. There's no edge enhancement and black levels are deep and handled very well. The 2.0 DTS-HD master audio track is in excellent condition with a perfect mix of soundtrack and dialogue tracks. The track is crystal clear with no background noise or audible hiccups.

The Extras
Special features include an audio commentary track by film historian Steve Haberman along with interviews from Executive Producer Mel Brooks and producers Jonathan Sanger and Randy Auerbach. The theatrical trailer is also included.

The Bottom Line
THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS is a film that deserves a much bigger audience and reputation and hopefully this disc from Scream Factory is the open door for new fans to find it through as the quality of the disc lives up to the quality of the film itself.

THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS is available HERE

Audrey Rose (Blu-ray Review) - Twilight Time

USA/1977
Directed By: Robert Wise
Written By:Frank De Felitta
Starring: Marsha Mason, Anthony Hopkins, John Beck
Color/113 Minutes/PG
Region A
Release Date: October 14, 2014

The Film
A well off family is shaken when their daughter Ivy changes from a happy girl into a girl terrorized by nightmares, visions of a nasty death and seemingly doesn't respond to her own name. Ivy's parents are contacted by a man claiming that his deceased daughter has been reincarnated in Ivy and is willing to go to extreme lengths to prove it while Ivy's illness and episodes are getting more dangerous as each day passes.

AUDREY ROSE has a lot of talent on board from director Robert Wise who won an Oscar for directing West Side Story, and also directed horror classics such as The Haunting, The Body Snatcher and Curse Of The Cat People. There's also star power in front of the camera with Anthony Hopkins and Marsha Mason. It is sort of baffling how the movie simply does not succeed at being a good film. AUDREY ROSE is essentially two hours of a girl screaming in her sleep, whining for her dad or crying and Anthony Hopkins yelling "Audrey Rose!" over and over. Simply put, this film is fucking boring. There's a powerful, effective and well done opening scene and then it quickly turns in to soap opera type shit. I don't doubt that there are fans of this film that got more out of it than I did but it nearly put me to sleep.

The Audio & Video
Twilight Time gives AUDREY ROSE it's debut Blu-ray release with mixed results. The 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer has a nice natural film look and a healthy grain structure. Colors look good but lack a certain punch. Detail level could be higher and the overall sharpness to the picture could be improved upon but it is a better looking transfer than what DVD could offer. The English 2.0 DTS-HD audio track sounds very good. It is a crystal clear track with no background noise, popping or crackling. The mix is well done between both channels and dialogue and score compliment each other nicely.

The Extras
This limited edition (3,000 copies) features an isolated score track, a trailer and a booklet.

The Bottom Line
If you're a fan of the film the Blu-ray is worth your while but if you're not acquainted with the film yet I suggest seeing it before you spend the money on this release.

AUDREY ROSE is available HERE

The Believers (Blu-ray Review) - Twilight Time

USA/1987
Directed By: John Schlesinger
Written By: Mark Frost
Starring: Martin Sheen, Helen Shaver
Color/114 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: October 14, 2014

The Film
Martin Sheen plays Cal, a recently widowed police psychologist who is dealing with a series of child murders that seem to be part of a ritual being performed by a group who practices Santeria. Eventually it becomes evident that the reach of this group's evil extends to the top of corporate power and dangerously close to Cal and his family.

I really wanted to like THE BELIEVERS. I like the plot and the film has a great cast who are more than up to the challenge here. Unfortunately this film just doesn't pack the powerful punch in the writing and give us anything exciting to really grasp on to. There's no payoff for taking the journey with the film. Even the climax itself is just bland. It's a shame that the script is without that signature moment that could have really turned this film from something decent into a near classic. THE BELIEVERS isn't a bad movie but its simply average and it had all the pieces to be something bigger.

The Audio & Video
The Blu-ray from Twilight Time has a nice A/V presentation including a 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer that features a sharp picture with great detail level in textures and surfaces along with natural skin tones. There's no signs of DNR or edge enhancement or other digital tampering. The print is clean and we likely won't see a better looking print outside of 35mm. The 2.0 DTS-HD audio track is crystal clear with no background noise or audible hiccups. The levels are mixed perfectly. 

The Extras
This limited edition (3,000 copies) Blu-ray includes a booklet, an isolated score track and a trailer

The Bottom Line
THE BELIEVERS has a good plot and good acting but strings it along for too long and doesn't reward the viewer for the time they invested into the film enough to warrant a high recommendation. 

THE BELIEVERS is available HERE

October Horror Challenge 2014 - Final Days & Wrap Up

It's hard to believe that October is already gone and it's November. Winter will soon be here and I'll be miserable from the cold. The nice 50 degree weather of October is what I love. So, another October gone and the challenge is over. I'll give a rundown on the last four movies viewed then some final thoughts of the challenge and some fun stats at the end.

MORTUARY is a movie I've wanted to see for a long time. The artwork is something that I've always thought was cool and finally seeing it I have to say I wasn't disappointed. An 80s slasher co-starring Bill Paxton where the killer has a cool look with his face paint and using an embalming tool as his weapon of choice. It's a bit slow in areas but has a cool story and is solid throughout.

A long overdue viewing of WITCHBOARD was next, a movie I really enjoy but don't visit too often for whatever reason. The creepy and sometimes a bit cheesy movie from Kevin S. Tenney who also did the original Night of the Demons is effective and holds up to the years between viewings.

The last two films of the month were traditional viewings that I watch every year, TRICK 'R TREAT and HALLOWEEN. There's not much left to be said about either of them at this point but TRICK' TREAT has now risen to a perfect score from me. I love everything about the film and it perfectly sets up the Halloween season and is simply an amazing movie. It's the type of movie that demands repeated viewings as there's always something new to pick out or catch.

And as for HALLOWEEN, it is my second favorite film of all time so there's not much else to say.

Today's Rundown
Mortuary - 7/10
Witchboard - 8/10
Trick 'R Treat - 10/10
Halloween - 10/10

THE WRAP UP
After last year I said I wouldn't be trying to for 100 movies in a month again as I just wasn't having fun last year. Well, the bug bit me again and I went for it and crossed the century mark, just barely. This month's total was the second lowest total I've had in my 6 years of doing the challenge, with only the first year having a lower total (100).

There were times during this month where the piss poor quality of films really sucked the enjoyment out of the challenge for me yet again. I can tolerate bad movies but this year had so many epically awful films that really made this challenge a challenge. There also was a shortage of first time viewings that I loved. Sure there are plenty I liked but I don't think there was a real stand out first time viewing which is a bit of a bummer.

I can't say if I plan trying for 100 movies again next year or not. It will be a decision left to be made closer to then but I will definitely be doing 31 days of horror. I want to take a moment to say thank you to all of you who kept up with me during the month (and through the rest of the year too!). You're all the best and I hope to keep putting up posts and reviews for you for a long time.

Now on to the numbers...

Total entires - 101
Films - 100
TV Episodes - 2
Viewings By Format - Blu-ray (42), DVD (48), Stream (5), Theater (1), TV (5), VHS (1)
First Time Viewings - 75 (75%)
Average Film Score - 5.85/10
Best New Viewings - Death Spa, Wild Zero, The Houses October Built, The Doctor And The Devils, Plague Of The Zombies
Worst New Viewings - V/H/S Viral, Wrong Turn 6, Leprechaun Origins, Gore-Met Zombie Chef From Hell, Beyond The Wall Of Sleep
Biggest Surprise - The Houses October Built
Biggest Letdown - Monkey Shines

And a few quick thoughts for good measure - It doesn't matter how deep I dig into Hammer I keep finding winners. There's never enough Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee and this month didn't even come close to having enough. The same goes for Dario Argento. Fuck WWE studios. So many movies with a score less than 3/10. I'll take a pass on future movies related to The Conjuring. What happened to theatrical horror in October? My brain hurts.

Dead Girls (DVD Review) - Brain Damage Films

USA/2014
Directed By: Neal Fischer, Del Lowry
Written By: Various
Starring: Jessica Galang, Joseph Luis Caballero, Rebecca Mullins
Color/91 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: November 4, 2014

The Film
The anthology film has made a comeback in a big way in recent years. It remains a good way for filmmakers to collaborate on projects or for independents with little money to shoot individual short films and combine them into a feature length film. DEAD GIRLS is but the latest in the current wave of horror anthologies that have been hit or miss.

Pages read from the diaries of dead girls connects a trio of stories of girls getting their revenge. First a girl gets a demonic tattoo after finding her boyfriend cheating on her. A confrontation leads to hear accidental death and its cover up. She returns from the dead to exact revenge on her cheating lover and the girl he's having an affair with. The second story, my favorite of the bunch, features an innocent and sheltered girl who is the butt of a popular sororities joke during a pledge and dies. She returns from the grave looking smoking hot and goes on a rampage on the girls in the sorority house. Finally there's the story of a girl who is sexually abused and raped by just about every man in her life from her legal guardian to her priest. Nobody believes her until she prays for answers and finds them within herself.

DEAD GIRLS isn't a bad little indie horror picture but it has obviously limitations in budget. The middle chapter could easily have been expanded into a feature length film on its own and been a fun and successful slasher film. There's no surprises in any of the films as they all play it straight forward and to the point so you have to enjoy getting to the finish line in as standard a way as possible. That isn't a bad thing but it doesn't make for the most exciting viewing. There's not a ton to say otherwise, everything about DEAD GIRLS is decent but nothing more. It is worth checking out during your Halloween marathons.

The Audio & Video
Brain Damage Films gives DEAD GIRLS a home on DVD and the results are mixed as far as A/V goes. This film was obviously shot on a low budget and look varies from segment to segment. Brighter scenes show a pretty decent looking picture with instances of good detail level but darker scenes can suffer from blocking and crush quite badly at times. The audio is stable and clear with its 2.0 Dolby track. There's no background noise or distortions.

The Extras
-"Let's Make A Horror Movie!": The Making of DEAD GIRLS
-Trailers

The Bottom Line
If you don't expect the next great anthology horror film out of DEAD GIRLS I think there's enough there to enjoy to warrant giving it a watch.

DEAD GIRLS is available HERE

October Horror Challenge 2014 - Day 29

STANLEY is the story of an American Indian who uses his pet snakes to exact revenge on any he feels has wronged him or mistreated his snake friends. This is pretty standard drive-in horror fare but it worked and was an enjoyable flick.

It seems like I can't go more than three or four movies this year without a total disaster of a movie and the latest was LEPRECHAUN ORIGINS. Another WWE production with their resident Irish little guy Hornswoggle as the titular monster. This isn't anything like the Warwick Davis films where the leprechaun has a personality and cracks jokes, no, this leprechaun is an ancient monster that is more beast than horror villain and basically just eats people and I guess cares about their gold too. This movie is fucking awful. It's on the same level as Syfy channel productions but without the so bad its good aspect that some of those movies have. This is just bad. And boring. It's boring and bad and is among the worst movies I've seen this month.

Finally a long overdue viewing of RAWHEAD REX was due. I haven't seen this movie in somewhere close to 8 years. Based on a story by Clive Barker this purely cheese of the finest variety. An ancient demonic monster is resurrected and running amok on an Irish village. Some local clergymen worship him and try to help him while the beast tears apart everyone that crosses his path, man, woman, or child. RAWHEAD REX is one I have to visit more often.

Today's Rundown
Stanley - 6/10
Leprechaun Origins - 2/10
Rawhead Rex - 8/10