ClownTown Dark Delicacies Signing Event

ACTORS & FILMMAKERS OF “CLOWNTOWN” TO 

PARTICIPATE AT IN-STORE DVD SIGNING 

 Signing at Dark Delicacies, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. in Burbank

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 11, 2016) –  Join the actors and filmmakers for the horror film CLOWNTOWN from ITN Distribution on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016 at 2:00pm at Dark Delicacies in Burbank ( 3512 W Magnolia Blvd.) for an in-store signing on behalf of the film’s DVD release. Writer Jeff Miller (Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan) and director Tom Nagel (“The Retrieval”) will be on hand along with the film’s stars: Brian Nagel (Katy Perry’s “Roar”), Lauren Elise (Justin Lin’s “Help”), Andrew Staton (“Relentless”), Katie Keene (Union Furnace), Jeff Denton (The Beast of Bray Road) and Ryan Pilz. CLOWNTOWN is now available on Video on Demand and on DVD for an SRP of $15.00.

 

In CLOWNTOWN, a group of friends get stranded in a seemingly abandoned town and find themselves stalked by a gang of violent psychopaths dressed as clowns. The film is loosely inspired by the clowns who terrorized Bakersfield, Calif. in 2014.

 

For additional details: 

http://www.darkdel.com/store/p559/Sat%2C_Oct_15th_2_pm%3A_Clowntown_DVD.html

And be sure to check out our review of CLOWNTOWN HERE! 

DOOMED: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ROGER CORMAN'S THE FANTASTIC FOUR

USA/2015
Directed By: Marty Langford
Written By: Marty Langford
Starring: Roger Corman, Carl Ciarfalio, Joseph Culp
Release Date: October 11, 2016

Comic book fans today have it good. Marvel and DC both have cinematic and television universes upon which to build new and exciting stories. However, it was not so long ago that we lived in very dark times. I myself have been guilty of dismissing some modern superhero films because they "didn't get a character right" or it "strays too far from the source material", but when I was a young comic book fan I took what was given to me and I accepted it whether it was good or bad. Being a Marvel fan was especially frustrating. DC fans had solid Batman and Superman films, but I vividly remember the frustration of not being able to find a copy of the 70's made-for-tv Dr. Strange film, the disappointment of seeing Daredevil in one of the Incredible Hulk movies, and watching my favorite hero, Spider-Man, disgraced on national television in the form of a 70's television series. But I took those lemons and I made lemonade. Terrible, terrible lemonade.

I was never very big into The Fantastic Four, but like other fans I heard stories of the infamous Roger Corman produced Fantastic Four movie, made for an insanely low budget and almost immediately shelved, never to see the light of day. It was said that the film was never meant to be released. That it was only made so that the studio could retain the rights to the property. But was that really the case? As anyone who has seen one of the many bootleg copies of the film that are floating around the internet and convention circuit can tell you, there was no lack of effort put into the film. Most of the problems with the film are budgetary, as it's obvious that a lot of people involved in the making of the film had great love for the source material. Why put that much effort into a film that will never be released?

That's the question posed by Doomed: The Untold Story Of Roger Corman's Fantastic Four. Doomed chronicles the troubled production of Roger Corman's Fantastic Four from start to finish and beyond through interviews with the cast and crew of the film. It's a fascinating look into the politics of making a film that unfortunately emerges with just as many questions as it came in with. While there may be few clear answers, Doomed is a fantastic documentary that would serve as a great companion piece to the film that is simultaneously both the worst and best Fantastic Four movie ever made.

Review by Shawn Wolfe

October Horror Challenge 2016 - Days 3, 4, 5

Days 3, 4 and 5 were a surprisingly solid stretch without any real stinkers. It's nice to enjoy to many movies in a row.

First up was THE MIND'S EYE which I reviewed in full so if you didn't read that be sure to check it out HERE

AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS was next and was a decent Gothic chiller that suffers from a convoluted plot that really holds everything back. The film picks up the energy and excitement a bit when Peter Cushing shows up just after the halfway point and we get to see some really memorable scenes including a man smashing open a tomb, ripping the skeleton from it and wrestling around with it. Glorious.

Day 3 came to a close with THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS, a creature feature from the late 50s centering around a coastal town that is under attack by a large fishman type monster that has a penchant for ripping the head's off his victims. It's standard creature feature fare but that isn't a bad thing.

I started day 4 off with GRIMEWAVE - a 2013 production released on DVD by Wild Eye Releasing and let me tell you how funny, offensive and raunchy this one is. It's a perfect movie to get wasted with! The legendary Cock Face Killer crosses paths with some of New Orleans toughest gangs, ninjas and drug dealers and puts and end to anyone having sex! GRIMEWAVE is super low budget, would fit alongside Troma's recent output and isn't for everybody but if it sounds up your alley definitely check it out.

Next up was PHANTASM RAVAGER which was one of my most anticipated movies. I knew to keep my expectations in check as the film didn't have huge budget and it is the 5th entry into the series and by this point things tend to start going downhill but the PHANTASM series is one of the most consistent in terms of quality so I was still wildly excited and I can't say I was let down. The film is very much a proper PHANTASM film, expanding a bit on the ever growing mythos as it takes place across various planes of time and space. Angus Scrimm is still excellent as The Tall Man but I wish we got a bit more of him. The film brings back the heartfelt companionship and brotherhood of the first film. The film is flawed, with some shaky acting and CGI but overall I think any PHANTASM fans will enjoy this entry.

IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE was next and was another highly entertaining 50's creature freature that I can't believe I hadn't seen before. I sort of fell in love with this movie as a group of astronauts stranded on Mars are being stalked on board their ship by a hulking alien creature that resembles the Gillman. It's a bit claustrophobic and has good tension and would make a great double feature with The Monster Of Piedras Blancas.

And then was my first re-watch of the challenge - CHOPPING MALL - I had to check out the new Blu-ray and it looks awesome for the most part. If you don't know about this one then you've been living under a rock in the horror world. An 80s slasher set inside a mall but the killer isn't a masked psychopath, it's a squad of security robots run amok frying everyone with their laser beams! Kelli Maroney, Barbara Cramption and lot's of gore sum up this Jim Wynorski classic.

My favorite first time viewing so far is MALATESTA'S CARNIVAL OF BLOOD. I want to watch this bizarre fever dream of a movie over and over. It lacks almost any narrative instead going for this surrealistic approach of a carnival filled with cannibals and oddball killers who take out the families who move in to work at the carnival. I love how low budget and raw it is because it only adds to the realism and familiarity to the setting.

Next up was BLUE SUNSHINE - another re-watch thanks to a new Blu-ray and this movie might get better with each viewing. Jeff Lieberman made some excellent films in the 70s and 80s and this one about a strand of acid creating crazed killers a decade later is something more fans should be aware of. It's well acted and has a good story.

THE RIFT is next up and I'll be giving it a full review very soon so I'll keep this brief and say if you're a fan of JP Simon's other films like Slugs or Pieces you'll enjoy The Rift.

And finally to wrap up this post was William Friedkin's THE GUARDIAN from 1990. This was an interesting fairy tale type horror film that felt very much like a Saturday afternoon made-for-TV movie. It does have some great gory scenes and nudity which keep things interesting. I enjoyed it but I'm not in love with it.

Today's Rundown
The Mind's Eye - 7/10
And Now The Screaming Starts - 6/10
The Monster Of Piedras Blancas - 6/10
Grimewave - 6/10
Phantasm Ravager - 6.5/10
It The Terror From Beyond Space - 7/10
Chopping Mall - 8.5/10
Malatesta's Carnival Of Blood - 8.5/10
Blue Sunshine - 8/10
The Rift - 7/10
The Guardian - 6/10

THE MIND'S EYE (Blu-rey Review) - RLJ Entertainment

USA/2015
Directed By: Joe Begos
Written By: Joe Begos
Starring: Graham Skipper, Lauren Ashley Carter, John Speredakos
Color/87 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: October 4, 2016

The Film
Zack and Rachel are patients in a research facility testing psychokinetic abilities but eventually find themselves as prisoners to Dr. Slovak who is harvesting their abilitiles to become more powerful than anyone. Zack and Rachel break out of the facility but Slovak will stop at nothing to hunt them down and drain them of their powers which leads to a brutal showdown.

It's immediately obvious that writer/director Joe Begos is a fan of David Cronenberg as THE MIND'S EYE features some heavy influence from some of the Canadian master of body horror's films including most notably Scanners. I'm fine with this because I love David Cronenberg and if a young up and coming director is influenced by him then all I can say is he could pick far worse people to influence him. The film starts rather abruptly as we're thrown into the story without much build but it's simple enough to settle in easily and not need any questions answered. It does leave us with minimal time to really get to know our characters which ends up being my biggest disappointment with THE MIND'S EYE - I wanted to know more about Zack and Rachel's relationship and history together and more about Dr. Slovak and his deeper intentions.

The film is still a success despite me wanting more background. John Speredakos proves to be perfectly capable of portraying a maniacal, power hungry mad doctor and is quite unlikable. His performance gets better as the movie goes on. Graham Skipper is a fantastic protagonist and we're given just enough of a glimpse into his past later on in the film to really latch on to him and pull for him in his fight against Slovak. Skipper does a really good job hardening up against his enemy but remaining likable. And rounding out the three leads is Lauren Ashley Carter who is quickly becoming one of my favorite young actresses. I first saw her in The Woman but it was Jug Face that I found her to be truly great for the first time. Her performance in THE MIND'S EYE is just another positive mark on her resume as she has strong chemistry with Graham Skipper. Carter is strong but damaged and in between a rock and hard place and nails it. Sadly we didn't get to see more of her.

Joe Begos takes advantage of the great performance she got from his cast and created a film that has great art design and photography. THE MIND'S EYE is simply a good looking movie. It's also filled with excellent special effects that rival any of Cronenberg's nastiest and grossest moments including what might be a bit of an homage to the infamous head exploding scene from Scanners. The cherry on top of the performances and direction was the score from Steve Moore who is one of the kings of modern synthrock. When I saw Moore's name in the credits I knew we were in for some excellent synth based music and I wasn't let down. Whether it was setting the mood or ramping up the tension and horror Moore's score is an excellent addition to the film.

THE MIND'S EYE isn't perfect and a bigger budget probably would have allowed for a picture that was bigger in scope and perhaps gave more time for the background of Zack and Rachel but as it is Joe Begos has taken a big step forward from his 2013 feature Almost Human which was decent but THE MIND'S EYE fully has my attention set on Begos' future to see what else he can create as he grows.

The Audio & Video
RLJ Entertainment deliver THE MIND'S EYE to audiences on a stunning Blu-ray release. The picture quality really delivers the film's incredibly colorful lighting design with vibrant hues of red and blue flooding the sets at times. Skin tones look natural without any signs of waxiness and black levels are deep. The picture is clean and sharp and just looks fantastic while the audio is crisp and clear with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. Steve Moore's score comes through beautifully while the film's sound design that gets interesting at times sounds powerful with steady levels.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with writer/director Joe Begos
-Producer's commentary with Joe Begos, Josh Ethier, Graham Skipper and Zak Zeman
-A Look Into The Eye Of Madness featurette

The Bottom Line
THE MIND'S EYE falls short of being a modern day classic but it still has a lot to offer. I was caught off guard with how good it is from the solid acting, to incredible effects and a brilliant score from Steve Moore. Seek this one out!

THE MIND'S EYE is available HERE

October Horror Challenge 2016 - Days 1 and 2

Another year and another October Horror Challenge is here! Last year was the first year that I failed to reach 100 films during the month since I've started this challenge back in 2009. This year the fire is back and I plan to plow through 100 but that's still weeks away so let's take a look at what the first 48 hours of the challenge had in store for me.

This 1972 made-for-TV flick features some interesting creature design and suits but is ultimately restrained by it's TV roots. It is cheesy and entertaining but doesn't offer much in the way of scares, excitement or extravagance. It's a breezy viewing at only 72 minutes but any longer it would have started to drag given the restraints a TV movie has on it.

Next was a sequel I wasn't really aware of until somewhat recently but when I found out about it I quickly snatched up the DVD in preparation for viewing it this month. The first FOOD OF THE GODS movie is a highly entertaining nature run amok b-movie and I had hopes that its sequel would be more of the same. It delivered. Giant rats terrorizing a campus, gory body horror and a story that is actually believable all adds up to a really solid flick.

I took a chance on this one because I really disliked the first DEAD SNOW film but I've heard good things about part 2 and when I saw it on Netflix I figured I had nothing to lose. Well now I have a few dollars to lose because I plan on buying this one when I stumble across it cheap enough. This splatter fest is filled with all sorts of laughs and ridiculous gore such as the Nazi zombies using a man's intestines to siphon gas from a tour bus to fuel their WWII tank. Everything that didn't work for me with the first DEAD SNOW clicks here. It's a riot.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this is one of the most inept pieces of shit I've ever seen. The world would be a better place if BLOODY MURDER didn't exist and all copies of it were burned in a fire.

Naturally I had to watch the sequel... What's funny is that one of my earliest thoughts about the first BLOODY MURDER was that it had a similar feeling to bad softcore porn in terms of production value and acting - the whole vibe I got was late night skinemax. It sort of translates over to BLOODY MURDER 2 as it is the softcore version of a slasher film but at least this one tried. There are on screen kills and some nudity - staples of the slasher genre. It's still crap but at it was fucking art compared to the first film.

Day 2 can be summed up with one word - "Four."

First was the late 70s Italian Satanic horror film SATAN'S WIFE which was steeped in eroticism... at least during the opening credit sequence and the last act. The rest was a bit of melodrama around a girl that was the daughter of Satan. It was never as interesting as it should have been but a nice score from Stelvio Cipriani and the great opening sequence and a decent third act saved this from being a total loss. If you're digging for some more obscure Euro weirdness it's worth taking a look.

I'd been curious about 31 for as long as I can remember since hearing about it. I'm no Rob Zombie lover but his films are always interesting to talk about after viewing them. My thoughts? Well it was watchable and had one interesting character in Doom Head. Otherwise it had a lot of missed opportunities in being something much better. There are villains that are left without much of a story or personality that would have made them infinitely more interesting while far less interesting characters got more screen time. It's obvious that the budget lacked the ability to take full advantage of the warehouse type setting that was used and the writing still plagues Rob Zombie's films. I think he could be a good director if he'd pair up with a better writer.

The final film was a Jess Franco experience... DEVIL HUNTER. This film is a mess of cannibal horror, witchcraft, crime and sexploitation which is not at all surprising. It was disappointingly boring however as the film really plods along with barely any point. There is plenty of eye candy with more than enough beautiful women baring it all for the camera over and over and lots of gory scenes as well. And we can't forget the bug-eyed, devil god man who runs around naked stalking one of the girls and killing anyone that gets in his way.

Today's Rundown
Gargoyles - 5/10
Gnaw:  Food of the Gods 2 - 7/10
Dead Snow 2 - 7/10
Bloody Murder - 1/10
Bloody Murder 2 - 3/10
Satan's Wife - 4/10
31 - 4/10
Devil Hunter - 4/10

SIN (Blu-ray Review) - Cult Epics

USA/2005-2008
Directed By: Nico B
Written By: Nico B
Starring: Caroline Pierce, Angelita Franco, Dahlia Dark
Black & White/30 Minutes/Not Rated
Region A
Release Date: September 13, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD

There may be no film distribution label with a more fitting person behind the scenes than the head of Cult Epics, Nico B. Nico has been running Cult Epics since the early 90s and in that time he has distributed some of the most horrific, artistic and downright awesome horror, exploitation and arthouse films around. The thing you can count on with Cult Epics, aside from a great attention to detail in their product is that all of the titles they distribute have an artistry to them that pushes them to another level. It makes sense that Nico is the man with the plan at Cult Epics because he is no stranger to creating some challenging and beautiful art himself. The newest of which is his short anthology film SIN which is a three part film, shot in and heavily influenced by the style of early silent films.

Each short tells a different story of sin, my favorite of which was Le Modele which featured a dual for role for Caroline Pierece as both a nun and a model. Both roles take drastic turns in the short runtime and make for a truly unforgettable short film. The entire film is shot on Super 8mm film giving it an organic aged look, heavy on grain. Nico's photography is striking and the films is steeped in surrealism and vintage erotica that any follower of Cult Epics knows Nico is quite fond of.

In addition to the main feature is a collection of earlier shorts from Nico B, including several on location travel shorts. The highlight of these shorts for me is an early student film from 1990 entitled SLIME that clocks in at just over 5 minutes and is years beyond what student films tend to be. It's steeped in surrealism but also in the depths of reality with the cycle of life we have created. I'm thankful Nico decided to include it here because it deserves to be seen.

SIN is available HERE

BEWARE! THE BLOB (Blu-ray Review) - Kino Lorber

USA/1972
Directed By: Larry Hagman
Written By: Jack Woods, Anthony Harris
Starring: Robert Walker, Gwynne Gilford, Richard Stahl
Color/91 Minutes/PG
Region A
Release Date: September 20, 2016

The Film
A geologist brings home a canister of an unknown substance that he uncovered from the Permafrost of the North Pole but doesn't realize that what he's brought home is a deadly alien substance that will devour any living thing in its path if it isn't kept frozen. The terror of the blob returns and quickly takes over a small town leading to the ultimate showdown inside a bowling alley and ice skating rink.

The original Blob film from 1958 is a classic example of cheesy B-movie goodness starring a young Steve McQueen who had not yet become the megastar and heartthrob he was destined to become in the following decades. The film was remade thirty years later and is one of the better late 80s horror movies and a genuinely good ramped up remake. It remains a fan favorite to this day. But in between those two films there was the second Blob movie, BEWARE! THE BLOB, shot in 1972 and directed by Larry Hagman in the only feature film he would direct. It speaks volumes that it was re-released in the 80s with the tagline "The Film J.R. shot!" in reference to Hagman's character on the TV show Dallas. BEWARE! THE BLOB was no hit and barely registered on horror fan's radar. When the film is mentioned it is common to hear people say they weren't even aware this movie existed, thinking the 1958 and 1988 films were the only Blob films.

There's something here though, at least on a minor scale, that deserves to be seen. It feels very much like a small time regional production which gives the film a raw, almost cinema verite like feel. I felt like I was watching some sort of news broadcast of what was happening on screen. It was, at the very least, different and interesting. There's a good bit of hippie culture on display which ends up adding a comedic element as the Blob monster doesn't slow down for their laid back attitudes. The rest of the cast who aren't playing hippie characters are all passable but I wouldn't go as far as to call them good. The acting is rough around the edges, but holds together enough so that it doesn't let the film down. The fact that we are dealing with an obvious slice of B-movie cheese certainly gives the actors a fair bit of leeway. In an interesting bit of crew member trivia, Dean Cundey, who would go on to be the cinematographer on films such as Halloween and The Thing, served as a special effects artist and camera operator on the second unit shots which include numerous close up effects shots of the blob itself.

The film's biggest issue is pacing as there were stretches that were just plain dry which makes getting to the good stuff a bit difficult. The Blob moments are just as fun and silly as you'd expect them to be and an early on shot of our Geologist being devoured by the Blob is a great sight gag with just a bit of creepiness to it. Overall the film is uneven, lacks polish and is definitely the lowest rung on the Blob franchise ladder but it certainly deserves to be seen and enjoyed because, hey, it's a Blob movies and fits in nicely as a sequel to the original film.

The Audio & Video
Kino Lorber does this B-movie justice with a nice filmic looking transfer. The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that keeps a natural looking grain structure and has solid detail level. Colors are vivid, particularly the red of the blob monster which pops just enough. The DTS-HD audio mix isn't overly dynamic but is a crisp and clear way to faithfully reproduce the film's audio mix. The audio is free of any distortions or background noise.

The Extras
-Audio commentary with film historian Richard Harland Smith
-Alternate title sequence
-Trailers

The Bottom Line
BEWARE THE BLOB isn't the Steve McQueen classic or the seriously good 80s remake that would come later but it is an enjoyable slice of cheese that is a nice fit in The Blob universe that is finally saved from obscurity by Kino. An easy recommendation.

BEWARE THE BLOB is available HERE