CultDB Reviews
List of reviews from CultDB... A site dedicated to the wild wild world of bizarre, cult, weird, horrific and exploitative movie gems, cultdb.blogspot.com was founded to cover everything from mainstream hits to films as far out and as underground as its legally possible to venture.
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- DirectorAndrzej ZulawskiStarsIsabelle AdjaniSam NeillMargit CarstensenA woman starts exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior after asking her husband for a divorce. Suspicions of infidelity soon give way to something much more sinister.This my fellow film viewing maniacs is the reason why you can never stop loving films, I've left it late to stumble onto this and the other works of Andrzej Zulawski but so glad I finally have.
Ambiguous tale following Anna (Isabelle Adjani) and Mark (Sam Neill) as a married couple with a young son going through the despair of a breaking up. Hard working Mark wants to know why Anna is becoming increasingly distant, he becomes sure she's got another lover. He leaves his job to spend time fixing their disintegrating marriage but eventually Anna breaks and tells him she's been seeing someone called Heinrich for a year. Mark leaves her but the thought of losing his family drives him out of his mind so he returns. Only Anna walks out leaving Mark alone with his anguish and son. Up until here it's been a common yet harsh break up of a family.
Beyond this point the line between fantasy and reality start to blur for the couple, Mark starts to imagine one of his sons school teachers is a purer version of his wife (the teacher is played by Adjani with contact lenses and paler hair). Purely out of a need of having someone to take care of his son and home, Mark embarks on a sexless affair. Anna is in a far deeper unsettled state, no doubt with the guilt at destroying her marriage for Heinrich (whom she's now left) as moved into a run-down apartment block. Either through a mental break down and imagination or via supernatural possession Anna as begun to manifest a living tentacled demon who grows stronger with every sin she does.
I only watched this for the first time a few days ago and my jaws still on the floor while my body is in a catatonic state. It really is psychological horror at its best and true *beep* cinema. I don't get every aspect of it but like I said to start with Zulawski as made the film in such an ambiguous way it doesn't matter. The performances from the gorgeous Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill & Heinz Bennent are excellent. That late 70s early 80s period in cult cinema can't be beat, if you've never seen it treat yourself its essential viewing.
(9½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/possession-1981.html - DirectorAndrzej ZulawskiStarsLeszek TeleszynskiWojciech PszoniakMalgorzata BraunekDuring the Prussian army's invasion of Poland in 1793, a young Polish nobleman, Jakub, is saved from the imprisonment by a stranger who wants in return to obtain a list of his fellow conspirators. Following his mysterious savior across the country, Jakub sees the overall chaos and moral corruption, including his father's death and the betrayal of his friend who stole his fiancee. Being apparently demented by what he has seen, he commits a number of seemingly motiveless and gory killings.During the Prussian army's invasion to Poland in 1793, a young Polish nobleman Jakub is saved from the imprisonment by a stranger who wants in return to obtain a list of Jakub's fellow conspirators. Following his mysterious saviour across the country, Jakub sees the overall chaos and moral corruption including his father's death and his girlfriend's betrayal. Being apparently demented by what he has seen, he commits a number of seemingly motiveless and gory killings.
[Image]As with Zulawski's Possession I found Diabel a visual treat but I've got to agree I kind of lost my way through it one or twice. Who knows maybe that's the point. When you let devil lead you, your sure to lose your way.
Its set in 18th Century Poland at a time when the Prussian army are in the process of conquering the country During the chaos of battle a strange messenger (whom maybe the devil) arrives at a convent with orders to escort a pair of political prisoner. One of the prisoners died but the other a young man named Jakub is still custody, we learn he was accused of trying to kill the King. The messenger frees Jakub along with a nun on the promise that they head for Jakubs home. When he arrives back at his family home he finds his father dead and his pregnant fiancée about to marry the king. He also learns that his mother whom he's not seen since birth is a whore. Wherever Jakub wanders he keeps bumping into the messenger who persuades him that if he see's someone sinning its his duty to kill them. Towards the end as Jakub becomes increasingly insane he kills his remaining family and burns his fathers house to the ground, he then goes after the king whom he wins in a dual but gets shot himself. While he's dying the messenger/devil turns up and asks Jakub to sign a declaration containing the names he'd have handed over during his capture when tortured. On signing the messenger violently shoots Jakub in the head. Then hands the note to a mysterious man for an handful of gold. The mysterious man (maybe the real devil or even god) says 'you made it hard work like you was after his soul, everyone knows man doesn't have a soul'. At which point the messenger goes nuts and tries raping the nun, but she cuts his penis off, he then turns into a dog... cut to credits.
hehe I'm not even making it up either, if my synopsis sounds crazy you wanna see the film its such an odd odd story. I've seen 100s of bizarre movies over my years but this one was harsh going on my head. Most viewers I'd imagine will find it tiring. I'd suspect its one for acid casualties or arthouse fans only.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/devil-1972.html - DirectorJean-Pierre BastidStarsDaniel GélinAnouk FerjacMichel SuborIn a mysterious French castle dark meetings and apparitions happen, seasoned by nauseating erotic menages. The involvement frantically increases up to the amazing epilogue.Sadly the only version I could lay my hands on was in French only without any subtitles so I will have missed a great deal of what was actually going on. From what I could make out its not a true flowing story, its done more in the fashion of little montages. We get whole scenes of our lead just sat cleaning his gun or wandering around a chateau looking for sex (which is accompanied with funky Jazz playing), other scenes we go on hunting parties where they hunt a women.
(4 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/hallucinations-sadiques-1969.html - DirectorKurt SteinwendnerStarsLeopold RudolfMargit JerginsA black and white short depicting the events written by Edgar Allan Poe in his famous poem "The Raven".Visually pleasing b&w avante guarde version of Edgar Allan Poe's classic The Raven, that only lasts 13 and an half minutes. I still rank the Simpsons Treehouse Of Horror version as my all time favorite version of The Raven, but this is a stylish short.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/der-rabe-1951.html - DirectorLéon Paul De BruynStarsCecilia BergqvistBob DoughertyLeo FranquetOne brutal and gory night, a family of four is hacked to pieces leaving one lone survivor, the beautiful housekeeper, Ella. When she is taken as a hostage, her captive is unaware of her growing thirst for blood.The film was bought by Troma and comes in two versions you can watch the original Belgian film (as they bought it) or you can watch a Tromatized version where Lloyd Kaufman and his fellow Troma goons add scenes and gags (these are mostly centred on cutting back to a Troma news desk during various points of action within the main movie). Plots about an on the run bank robber taking an helpless female hostage, only turns out she's not so helpless as she's just killed an whole household of people. The robber takes the hostage back to her place, but the victims bodies rise from the dead and attack.
Very lame attempt by Troma to liven up a very dull though pretty gory movie. You get a few bewbs lots of gore and painfully unfunny gags, who knows if your stoned or drunk and want something that doesn't need much thought it may be ideal viewing. I sadly was sober and found it painful, I was praying for the ending within the first 20 minutes.
(4 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/parts-of-family-2003.html - DirectorJoseph MerhiStarsNatasha PavlovichDelores NascarJimmy WilliamsA family must keep moving from town to town because the mother is a psychotic axe murderer who keeps flipping out and murdering people.Tale about the Fulton family who have to keep moving homes because alcoholic mother Martha kills most the men she meets. The daughter Amy as had enough of these moves and wants to settle down, expecially now she's met a new boyfriend Wayne. Her father does his best to sort the family out by hiring a psychiatrists to pose as Marthas friend in the hope she can help. Only things don't go to plan as Martha ends up killing both her husband and the psychiatrists then continues with her killing ways.
Released by troma but for change it isn't exactly played for crude laughs (well theres some but its not the usual lame gags about *beep* or bewbs). It contains one of the wildest onscreen deaths I've seen since Vincent Price played Dr Phibes. Martha puts a rat in a bucket and ties it to the psychiatrists stomach, then heats the bucket until the rat eats its way through the woman exiting her back. One of the more memorable Troma releases this purely because Joseph Merhi tries to stick to his own penned script. Recommended to fans of classic gory dramas like the kind HG Lewis used to make.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/mommys-epitaph-1987.html - DirectorDavid KeatingStarsAidan GillenEva BirthistleTimothy SpallThe parents of a girl who was killed by a savage dog are granted the opportunity to spend three days with their deceased daughter.Interesting new horror from the legendary Hammer stable (under new management, but same name and hopefully same agenda to chill horror fans). A veterinarian and his wife lose their daughter Alice when she gets tragically malled by a dog. In order to keep sanity the couple move to a new village for a fresh start in life. Only the new area Wakewood as a few dark secrets, its residents are pagans. After a short period of settling in the head of the village (The fantasic Timothy Spall) gives the couple a promise that he can resurrect Alice for three days (so they can say goodbye to her properly), the only catch is they can't leave the village with her.
A great plot very Stephen King's Pet Sematary feeling but with lots of human emotion, it makes a nice little addition to the creepy clannish British village horrors alongside films like The Wicker Man and An American Werewolf In London. The film sports a solid cast and effects work, my only complaint was it looks more like a British television movie instead of a glossy film aimed at the cinema, also felt slightly pedestrian at times. Well worth hunting down and as a fan I can't wait until New Hammer start giving us more gems maybe even a few classic anthologies or even new Dracula/Frankenstein variants.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/wake-wood-2011.html - DirectorLukas MoodyssonStarsThorsten FlinckBjörn AlmrothSanna BrådingIn a decript apartment, a young man watches as his father and a friend shoot an amateur porn film. Issues of morality, reality TV and friendship are explored.Basically plotless film centring on an homemade porn production, we follow the director his handicapped son, the porn actress and a friend of the director who's doing the male sex scenes.
This film is sickening depraved boring and headache inducing at times, this isn't mainstream and you certainly arn't in Kansas any more. Even after all my revulsion and wanting to turn it off, there's something about Lukas Moodysson forth feature A Hole in My Heart I liked. Take for instance I loved the ending, when the porn actress is playing at being the lost mother of the son she says close your eyes, if you do like she says (as I did) and open them... you end up with the credits rolling in silence, Moodysson here proves himself very very clever. Like I said A Hole in My Heart is no easy journey, but there's more to this film than you will at first notice, you'll first see the sex & filth but deep down there's so much honesty within the film. From the characters talking about times they're lonely to losing loved ones, to the sons outburst that his dad was raped as a child by his grandfather. So many viewers won't appreciate the style and it takes cast iron determination to reach its end. But when those credits do roll, something inside will make you feel like you've been with them in that trashy flat while they've shot a porno and bared their souls, and from a movie what more can you ask.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/hole-in-my-heart-2004.html - DirectorThom EberhardtStarsAnita SkinnerCaren L. LarkeyPeggy McClureA lone survivor of a plane crash is haunted by a feeling unworthy of survival. Dead people start coming after her to collect her.Denise Watson is the sole survivor of flight CON86, only it seems she's cheated death and something still wants her dead. At first she puts these strange occurences down to post crash stress, and her new boyfriend Dr Brain Richardson blames it on sole survivor syndrome. But she keeps seeing supposedly dead people, after a few startling incidents Dr Richardson starts to be believe Denise but can he save her or as fate got other plans in store for her.
For most part this person cheats death tale feels very made for televison feeling, but for a few brief moments of very mild sleaze like a strip poker scene and a crude taxi driver and his smutty talk radio station. It's very slow to start with focasing more on our leads relationship with the doctor. Thankfully though theres some really good creepy moments to keep it worthwhile watching, I loved the drowned dead girl scene and the follow up later when the doctor said someone stole her body for a few hours. Not so much a classic then in the same way as the similar Carnival Of Lost Souls was, but its still a well rounded slow burning suspense yarn.
(5 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/sole-survivor-1983.html - DirectorMatt EskandariMichael A. PierceStarsStephen WeigandBob BancroftBrendan KellyA young man finds himself held captive by a mysterious doctor and his brutish henchman.Ridicules mess of a movie following a rich doctor whose daughter gets brutally murdered while being filmed on a snuff tape. Out of revenge the doctor manages to track down the man responsible but instead of just killing the man, he decides on something far more extreme. The doctor kidnaps the man and over a period of 4 months turns the man physically and mentally into a replica of his daughter.
Victim is an absolute pile of trash with the dumbest premise for a movie I've had the displeasure of seeing in many a year. Its got zero logic or humor, dire characters (One victim, one eccentric doctor, one henchman and one snoopy police detective) and to top it all off, it ends with a poor unsatisfying quick wrap up. And after all the trouble the doctor goes through the guy still looks like a guy, but with make-up and a wig. Destined for the bargain bin where if you're wise you'll leave it.
(3½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/victim-2010.html - DirectorGuillem MoralesStarsBelén RuedaLluís HomarPablo DerquiThe story of a woman who is slowly losing her sight whilst trying to investigate the mysterious death of her twin sister.Second feature from director Guillem 'The Uncertain Guest' Morales, sadly this stylish Spanish horror thriller fails to reach its true potential due to using far too many well established genre clichés. The story follows Julia as she tries to uncover the real reason why her sister Sara as suicide. Turns out both the sisters suffer a medical complaint that could them to become totally blind. At first her loyal husband and soul mate Isaac helps her get over the loss of her sister, but as Julia starts to delve deeper she learns Isaac could be involved in Sara's death.
Julia's Eyes is extremely glossy and well filmed yet the twists are too obvious. As a viewer instead of being surprised I felt more at times like I was being manipulated. One example being the moments you never see a characters face, and not just for flashes but whole scenes for minutes at a time, another being all the fake glimpses of things Julia could of seen or maybe imagined. Not sure how involved Guillermo del Toro was with the production (possible he was just a name added to help sell/hype the movie) but it never reaches the glory of his other work. I don't want to be too negative as its still a great little horror film, some of the set pieces are fantastic, one of the more memorable grisly moments was when we see a needle going right into an eyeball. Not fantastic there's dozens of better Spanish horrors kicking around, films from directors like Jaume Balagueró & Nacho Cerdà spring to mind, but Julia's Eye's is still above average and well worth the view.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/julias-eyes-2010.html - DirectorDaniel SimpsonStarsAmy NobleEmma Griffiths MalinGeorge MaguireThey say squatting is dead - a term that takes on a sinister double meaning when four homeless art students decide to take up residence in an abandoned London House where a hidden terror lurks.Underwhelming and unoriginal British horror about four art students, who out of rebellion towards their parents decide to live like squatters. They find an abandoned building that seems perfect, only when they wake up after their first nights sleep they find they've been locked inside with no way out.
Its typical maniac captures teens, then they start to get bumped off one after another. Its all well acted and starts with a few neat flourishes of suspense, but towards the middle it starts to sway towards blood and gore and becomes yet another torture movie (must mention the gores mild compared to Hostel or Saw). The twist isn't that much of a surprise either, by no means the worst but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it.
(5 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/spiderhole-2010.html - DirectorJorge Michel GrauStarsFrancisco BarreiroPaulina GaitanAlan ChávezWhen the patriarch of the family passes away, the teenage children must take responsibility for the family chores: the preparation of the rituals, the hunting and putting the all-important meat on the table. These newfound responsibilities are even more daunting, however, when you live in the city and happen to be a family of cannibals.When an husband & father of three fails to arrive home from one of his many visits with hookers. They are forced to go on without him which isn't easy in such a deprived area of Mexico. Only they're not you're average family because they've a ritual they do every few days, they eat human flesh and for some reason they've been led to believe if they fail to do this they'll die. The three teen children set about finding victims for their feast which the mother will prepare.
As much a social commentary about Mexico's poverty as it is an horror, in the same way I guess London had Sweeney Todd, if the people can't afford to feed their selves they'll feed on each other. As well as the family's cannibalism angle there's a feeling incest is going on between the two youngest teens. It never really sheds a light on if its since the father as died or if its been going on longer. The eldest son who comes across like the only member of the family with any real intelligence, appears to be a repressed homosexual. Its all done in a very bleak manner, except that is for the pursuing police who for some reason are like corrupt versions of Inspector Clouseau, infact it isn't until a gang of revenge seeking prostitutes get involved, do the family have any real reason to worry about being caught. We Are What We Are seem's to be a film that's split movie goers you'll either really like it or think it's pretty average. I really liked it but the person I watched it with didn't and couldn't give a reason why. All I can advise is its well worth hunting down and viewing, if only to make you're own mind up.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/we-are-what-we-are-2010.html - DirectorSpike JonzeStarsAndrew GarfieldLyle KanouseNancy MunozA young man faces the abrupt loss of his friend.Charming technically impressive short by director Spike Jonze, plot follows a lonely robot Sheldon as he works his dull job, then goes back to his dull one bed apartment. One day while waiting for the bus home, a fembot Francesca drives by and smiles, the next day they get chatting. Eventually they build a relationship together but Francescas self destructive nature asks too much of Sheldon.
Extremely warm hearted little movie that basically deals with how destructive relationships will eventually tear you apart. Visually it oozes quality and the robots act and feel as human as well humans act and feel. The soundtracks amazing as well, not sure who the characters are based on but to me Francesca came across like Bjork, someone whom Jonze as made fantastic videos for before. Highly recommended.
(8 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/im-here-2010.html - DirectorAnders JacobssonTomas SandquistStarsLars BethkeAlida MorbergJohanna LeamoA lonely hotel by a lonely road. Sarah is lost, looking for somewhere to sleep. She's come to the wrong place. A lonely hotel by a lonely road. Sarah is lost, Jenny is looking for her. She's come to the right place. The Bridgeburn Hotel.There's no excuse for films as lazy as this, I mean most lower budget films have nothing going for them. But Insane as a few real pluses 1) its got a fantastic location with the very odd Twin Peaks looking hotel 2) a pretty good fx crew, the opening death is done really well as is a metal bar in the head kill later on. 3) though not oscar worthy the actors are good enough. 4) the killer actually looks great with his gas mask and tight leather coat.
Yet what does Insane do ? it totally *beep* blows it by offering the most dull plot ever put on film, then to add insult to the viewer it's delivered with zero enthusiasm by the director who can't create a tone or atmosphere.
It's basically lone female checks into an isolated hotel then gets killed, then another lone female checks into same hotel blah de blah de blah. Here goes sure its a spoiler but *beep* it we learn its the bellboy (which isn't a shock as he's been the only *beep* person on screen most the whole god damned film) the reason is given briefly at the end that his mother used to rent rooms out as well as him as a child, to travelling salesmen. So he's decided he's got something against women and kills them, roll credits....
Honestly its an insult to low budget film makers around the world who at least try, who don't get half the breaks this film got. Simple fact is if you can't write a script or create atmosphere at least add some humor. I'd sooner watch a 5 hour loop of paint drying for a week than sit through this sh*t, how I even managed to sit through this turkey once is beyond me I need a meddle.
(2½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/insane-2010-director-anders-jacobsson.html - DirectorBrad AndersonStarsHayden ChristensenThandiwe NewtonJohn LeguizamoThe population of Detroit has almost completely disappeared, but a few remain. As daylight disappears they realize that the Dark is coming for them.Who turned out the lights ? for some reason one night in Detroit anyone who's not around an artificial light source or have some emergency generated power source vanishes when the whole city blacks out. A few of the survivors manage to meet up at a bar (which thankfully as its own generator). How can they survive with dwindling resources when the nights are lasting longer with each new day.
Firstly gotta start by saying I'm a massive fan of Brad Anderson, he's made some great movies and directed more episodes of Fringe (the only airing drama show I currently watch) than any other director. Sadly it seemed to be a real miss with the masses this horror film, which is a shame as there's some wonderful moments. I think the films gained such a lack of support because a few aspects of the film have been left so ambiguous. Leaving the viewer to make up their own mind, the main one being why did the event happen. I personally don't mind things being left a little bit open to interpretation and love the little hints like when Leguizamo was reading the book on dark matter, or the word Croatan appearing on the bridge. Reminded me a lot like Dean R. Koontz Phantoms and when the group gets together a little like Stephen Kings The Mist. Anyway I enjoyed it so would recommend it but keep in mind many more didn't.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/vanishing-on-7th-street-2010.html - DirectorCarlos MayoloStarsAdriana HerránDavid GuerreroSantiago GarcíaWhen grandmother dies, a girl returns to Colombia from the US and is reunited with her half-brother. They are instantly attracted to each other and have delirious visions of ancestors who also starred in stories of incest and violence.aka Flesh of Your Flesh
It's probably the first movie I've ever seen from Columbia but boy is it one I'm not going to forget in an hurry. It starts somewhat like a classic family sage (think Godfather but instead of following the mafia its a few generations of rich Columbian farmers and landowners). When the Grandma and head of the family dies, her family gather from all corners of the world at her estate, to hear her will be read. Only it spells trouble for two of her grandchildren as both the brother and sister learn of their families dark secret, that there's been numerous cases of incest among the family. As they visit old familiar childhood haunts they start to become insatiably attracted to each other and start to have sex, its at this point they're visited by ghostly apparitions of their dead elders. These ghosts start to chant echo's and remarks about tasting blood. The next morning as the brother and sister wake they're somehow changed. After killing a man checking the security of the estate they taste blood for the 1st time and change a little more into blood craved vampires, they then go hunting the local area for newborn babies to feed on.
Apparently the story is comprised of grisly Columbian myths and folk tales, I'm sure some of the aspects of the film I didn't really grasp but on the whole I understood what was going on. The incest within the film is done without showing any nudity but it's still pretty perverse, not really gory either but there's the odd bit of blood ohh and a turkey gets its head blown off in one of the opening scenes. I guess any of these events could offend viewers which is a shame as its a very haunting little movie and the two vampires are as unique to me as when I first watched a Asian hopping vampire film. Well worth hunting down I've probably over scored the rating purely due to never seeing a film like it before, who knows Columbia maybe as an whole sub-genre of incestous blood drinking baby eating vampire movies to unearth
(8½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/flesh-of-your-flesh-1983.html - DirectorQuentin DupieuxStarsStephen SpinellaRoxane MesquidaWings HauserA homicidal car tire, discovering it has destructive psionic power, sets its sights on a desert town once a mysterious woman becomes its obsession.Rubber is that rare beast... a film that's unique. Plot is surplus to the directors intentions of doing just what he wants. Deep down it's basically a lone killing spree movie, instead of it being a human/monster or animal its a rubber tire doing the succession of killings.
That doesn't really do the film credit though, as its more an examination on the 'what/why the *beep* principle of films'. The film starts with a monologue from a desert sheriff giving a rant direct into the camera about the 'WHY THE *beep*' flaws in movies claiming every film has them, things like why do we never see characters wash or go to the toilet or eat sometimes. Rubber builds on this concept as it rolls along (pun intended) throwing loads of random nonsense in the mix, things like the tire taking a shower or the sheriff from earlier telling the rest of the cast to go home they're only actors. I don't think it's a film for everyone, but if you're in the mood for something very different and you're open to totally bizarre moments you should enjoy this as much as I did.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/rubber-2010.html - DirectorDavid Burton MorrisStarsArch JoboulianDianne DavisPeter SpitzerPsycopathic killer stalks teens at a run down, abandoned movie theatre.Obscure late 70's horror about a father Mitford Webster who buys an old abandoned cinema in the hope he and his family can start a new life together running it. Only turns out a burnt Jean Harlow loving maniac (who had been rumored to have died years back in a cinema fire) is still hanging around in the theatre and killing off the customers.
Below average 70's horror flick was director Derek Savages lone movie. Its not without a certain goofy charm largely thanks to the various odd characters, take the father Mitford he never stops eating on screen and really fluffs the way he says thhee-aATer, theres a sleazeball cop named Lieutenant Wombat. Then you get the 1st two victims geeky wannabee projectionist Raymond who looks like Superbads McLovin's older brother, next is a Napoleon Dynamite lookalike who tries sneak his mates in the back entrance. The trouble though is its not got a great deal of action and most the films time is taken up showing the Webster family run the cinema that seems to just show a loop of the same wild life movie.
(4 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/meateater-1979.html - DirectorPeter A. DowlingStarsKip PardueVinessa ShawBreckin MeyerFour men out on a STAG NIGHT in New York prematurely exit an underground train after the soon-to-be-best-man begins to hassle two women. Trapped at a deserted station these six adults become the target of a gruesome manhunt when a secret gang of cannibal dwellers, living in the tunnels discovers them. Tensions will rise as they fight to make it through the night with all their limbs attached.While journeying back on a subway train from a bachelors night out, the best man starts to sexually harass two female passengers, the women pull the emergency stop cable and get off. Not wanting to leave these poor girls stranded the groom asks the best man and two other friends to get off the train as well, to make sure the girls are OK, only the train sets back off and leaves the six people stranded in a remote unused part of the subway network. It's not long before they stumble on a gang of underground cannibal maniacs while they kill a security guard, the group are left to flee and hope they can reach a station and get back to the surface.
Had a few harsh critics this but I personally thought it wasn't an half bad first feature from director Peter A. Dowling. The acting's OK, the blood'n'gore when it starts to flow is done with quality FX, the cannibals themselves are done well they look like the missing link between apes and humans, the plot though nothing ground breaking is interesting enough. The downside to the package is the pace and the repeating locations (if you remember Scooby Doo mid case when he's running from a monster and the backgrounds all the same you'll know what I mean). Yeah its no modern masterpiece and is a little too much like Creep for it's own good, but it's worth the view.
(6 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/stag-night-2008.html - DirectorDennis YuStarsEddie ChanSing ChenKent ChengA father seeks revenge from a gang of thugs who raped his daughter and murdered his son.aka The Beasts
Director Dennis Yu as made a handful of weird little horror films The Imp and Evil Cat jump to mind, here in the lesser seen The Beasts he tackles the rape revenge sub-genre, basically ripping off I Spit On Your Grave scene for scene bar the fact female rape victim's brother gets killed and she ends up in a mental ward, its left to her father to extort the revenge.
The rape itself is a little tamer than the western rape revenge yarns like the already mentioned Spit or MS45 (that could be down to a cut in the version I caught). The gang of thugs involved in the rape/murder range from really sleazy to downright 3 stooges dumb. The father comes across like a one man on a mission killer along the lines of Charles Bronson in the Death Wish series, he's got a vast set of tricks and traps for the gang ranging from snakes, rope traps and best of all a giant wooden box with nails through it. The reason it most likely has never had a proper international release is due to its use of western music ranging from The Police and Genesis, I bet you'd never have guessed you'd ever hear Phil Collins belt out a song during an Hong Kong exploitation film. Personally I was expecting a little more from the film with all the underground hype its gained, I was the same with Boxer's Omen waited years to see it and it never lived up to my expectations, that said its well worth the hunt and is never boring.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/beasts-1980.html - DirectorDennis DevineStarsMalerie GradyMarlene Mc'CohenKelly KulaIt's Alice's birthday and her sorority girlfriends throw her a themed party. Everyone comes as their favorite, sexy character from Wonderland. The Jabberwocky wasn't invited and brings murder and mayhem to the girls' night out.Boy was this little film a total waste of time, the premise when a girl turns 18 her friends decide for some moronic reason to hold an Alice In Wonderland themed party for her in the house her mother was brutally killed years earlier. From then on in while they're arranging the party people start to get killed, and in the most boring as little blood spilt off screen manner possible.
I'll forgive low budget films a few things like we don't expect oscar worthy acting, which we certainly don't get here, but having such a dumb premise without making it funny is plain dumb. The film exist purely because for some reason they had Alice In Wonderland costumes, more than likely borrowed from a local theatre due to do an Alice play. Avoid at all costs and don't be fooled either by the cosplay styled Alice on the DVD sleeve, the girls don't look that great in the film itself more like boyfriendless students or pay their way through college hookers.
(2 out of 5)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/03/alice-in-murderland-2010.html - DirectorBrett SimmonsStarsDevon GrayeWes ChathamC.J. ThomasonA group of friends stranded near a desolate cornfield find shelter in an old farmhouse, though they soon discover the dwelling is the center of a supernatural ritual.Light horror yarn about a group of youths whose car breaks down while driving on what seems like a never ending road, all they see is corn fields for miles except for one farm house in the distance. Thinking they've found somewhere to call for help they head towards the house, only is there something more to those creepy looking scarecrows other than to just scare crows.
Now I could have the wrong idea about Husk, as I caught it on Syfy and its possible it was toned down from the version shown at in the theatre at 2011's Afterdark Horrorfest or the DVD version. But the TV was dull as hell almost zero action, suspense or blood which for an horror about killer scarecrows isn't good. The plots sedate as well which didn't help plus side the acting isn't so bad and the film itself looks atmospheric enough. Maybe when more of the discs come out I'll buy Husk and give it a second chance, but from the TV edit I watched its a below average sleepfest.
(4 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/husk-2010.html - DirectorPatrik SyversenStarsRuta GedmintasJosh BowmanPerdita WeeksIn Famfield, the teenager Amber feels displaced and dreams on moving to Chicago. When she learns that she is the foster daughter of her mother, she decides to move to the big city. Amber has a short schedule to pay the rent of an apartment in Chicago and she convinces her friends to travel with her to the windy city. However the van breaks down and they hitchhike on the road. The truck driver Bernard offers a ride to the group but they need to travel inside the back of a semi. Bernard does not stop the truck and they realize that they have been kidnapped. When he finally stops and opens the semi, they find that they are inside a dirty warehouse. Sooner they are hunted by fast blood-thirsty creatures and their leader Veronica discloses a secret to Amber.Lead character Amber as had enough of her small town and wants to venture to the nearest capital Chicago. Only she needs the help of her friends to get there, thankfully they lend her an hand and agree to drive her. Along the way they break down and thankfully are picked up a a truck driver who's luckily heading their way. Trouble then starts when they realise that he's not as helpful as they first thought, as he drives them to an abandoned meat processing plant to be sold as game for a pack of blood thirsty mutant humans.
Another of After Dark horrorfest's original produced movies, that slightly misses the mark. It does everything OK the cast look and act well together, the actions done well with quality looking wall climbing mutants (the mutants them self look very much like the vampires in 30 Days of Night.) the gores more implied than shown but you get a bit of blood. The pace is a little wayward at times and the plot offer's nothing new, ohhh and the camera man should go see a doctor for those shakes. But all in all not such a bad effort for a first feature, of the 3 After Dark Originals I've seen so far Prowls easily the best.
(5½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/prowl-2010.html - DirectorDarryn WelchStarsSam PageNatassia MaltheDavid GantFiancés Georgie and David head to Spain to get a wedding blessing from David's father, who has lived a criminal life. On a debauched night out, the couple are separated for only a few seconds, but in that time the course of their lives is changed forever, and the truth behind David's family comes to light.Glossy kidnap drama about a young couple David & Georgie, because Georgie wants to have a little idea what her sons going to turn out like they travel to a fancy Spanish villa to meet David's estranged father Robert. Things don't go to plan as before they get to meet Robert, they're separated while in a local nightclub and Georgie goes missing. After a bit of a struggle David eventually finds out his wife to be along with various other beautiful women are being held on a rich Arabs boat, for his sexual gratification.
Stylish enough movie clearly helped by the fact its filmed in such a gorgeous looking Spanish resort. Sadly though due to pacing problems the film begins to drag midway in, and the twists are ultimately too predictable. The acting for the most part was OK, I especially enjoyed the actor playing the white Arab, also plus points for giving Howard Marks a cameo (during the 80's he was Britain's biggest drug runner, and recently had his own biopic 'Mr Nice') likewise both the direction and cinematography are good. To sum it up Slave's well worth a casual view, if the plot had been tweaked a little in places could of been something really special.
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/slave-2009.html - DirectorJoshua A. SiegelStarsNate CarterKate Forsyth CoreyDarren CourtneyA documentary film crew is stalked by a pack of cannibals.While trying to find a Yeti, A group of hack urban myth creature filmmakers get attacked by a bunch of cannibals. Low grade horror crapfest with a tired plot, zero gore and criminally unfunny gags. Avoid at all cost, even Troma would be ashamed to release junk like this.
(2 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/bloodwood-cannibals-2010.html - DirectorRyan NicholsonStarsDan EllisSindy FaragunaNathan Durec"Star Vehicle" follows the downward spiral of movie driver Donald Cardini, a self-professed movie buff with a penchant for explosive violence. When a young and self-absorbed director challenges Don's authority, murder and mayhem ensues.Plots about a low budget horror production that goes wrong, when the movies driver Don Cardini starts to pursue the films lead actress scream queen Riversa Red. Starts innocent enough with him being overly helpful but eventually Don goes too far and starts killing the crew and co-stars.
A few of the little horror genre gags are fun to start with, but the idea becomes boring way too soon. With minor hits like Live Feed, Gutterballs and Hanger behind him It's FX artist turned director Ryan Nicholson's weakest feature to date, and no doubt the reason why it struggled to get a distribution deal for so long.
(3 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/star-vehicle-2010.html - DirectorBill MousoulisStarsAlex SpearsVanessa de LargiePatrick BoyleX and Z are a vampire couple, living in an old warehouse in inner-city Melbourne. Over the course of one night, they go about their regular business, teaming up with the poet-cannibal Seers and another vampire Vee. After a strange encounter with the mysterious Rola, the fabric of X and Z's world begins to change. A philosophical vampire film.Philosophical low budget vampire tale from Australia, that comes off more like Mike Leigh's Naked than any vampire movie I've seen before. A Nocturne seems to sidestep any idea of a plot, instead we see the vampires meditate on their almost junky like situation of facing their own hopeless existence just to feed. I'd recommend both Abel Ferrara's The Addiction and George A. Romero's Martin over this, both better thinking mans vampire tales, but if you're in the mood for a zero budget shoegaze vampire movie then maybe A Nocturne will suit your tastes.
(5½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/nocturne-2007.html - DirectorBarbara BrancaccioJoshua ZemanStarsJoshua ZemanBarbara BrancaccioBill EllisRealizing that the urban legend of their youth has actually come true, two filmmakers delve into the mystery surrounding five missing children and the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.Uneasy view documentary about a series of missing children (only one ever found dead) during the early 80's in the Staten Island district of NY. The locals turned this true life crime into an urban myth giving the bogeyman responsible for the disappearances the nickname of Cropsey. The police finally charged someone with one of the murders, a local vagrant named Andre Rand, whose own history involved working in a local mental institution Willowbrook (this is when Cropsey as its most impact as it shows footage from an expose of Willobrook by Geraldo River). Well made low-fi docu containing found news footage and interviews with family, police officials and various people from the community (the makers send and receive letters to Andre Rand but he never grants them access to interview him in person). Does have slightly dodgy moments, like when it slips into almost faux Blair Witch type drama when the crew go inside the old long since closed Willowbrook building with flash lights. Worth a view even if it never uncovers any fresh evidence on the disappearances.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/cropsey-2009.html - DirectorWilliam CastleStarsNigel GreenMary BadhamPat CardiA 12-year-old orphan who has just inherited a fortune is trapped on an island with his uncle, a former British Intelligence commander who intends to kill him. A young girl is the boy's only ally against the sarcastic uncle, who uses hypnotism, a pool of sharks, fire, and poisonous mushrooms as weapons.William Castle the director who usually has more gimmicks than your local joke shop turns his unique talent to this light almost Disney like 60's thriller. An orphan Barnaby who's just inherited his fathers fortune is sent to live with his eccentric famous sergeant major uncle on a remote island, only turns out his uncle is planning on doing away with the kid to gain the wealth for himself.
As much as I enjoy William Castles movies (especially his gems with Vincent Price) its a shame that most are too hokey to elevate them to anything more than entertaining time fillers, Let's Kill Uncle's problem is it seems to be aimed at kids apart from a few odd touches like the creepy crippled grounds keeper or the shark filled garden pond, even worse for the film overall is the kid playing Barnaby is truly obnoxious (and I mean everything from the kids arrogant manners to his nerdy clothes) you'll actually want his uncle to succeed in killing him. One of the poorest William Castle movies I've seen (no doubt why it's rarely mentioned by anyone).
(5 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/lets-kill-uncle-1966.html - DirectorLance ComfortStarsAnne CrawfordSiobhan McKennaMaxwell ReedEmily, a pretty young Irish girl, gets a job on an English farm owned by the Tallent family. The local men take to her but the women don't, objecting to her flirtatious nature with their men and one woman, Bess Stanforth, is especially disturbed by her. When Dan, a man from Emily's past, shows up and accuses her of having tried to kill, him Beth's suspicions are further aroused, and they're confirmed after Dan is found murdered in a local barn. Beth sets out to find out exactly who Emily is and to prove that she murdered Dan.A young Irish servant Bess whose gained a local reputation as being a temptress, is forced to flee to England, leaving her Church maid job for one as a farm servant. Not understanding her own feminine charms she holds an unhealthy allure for most males she meets, the men unfortunately come off worse. Eventually things get worse for Bess as she kills those who try to win her affection.
I was left a little split over this film, on first impressions its a fantastic looking suspense melodrama. Yet something about the plot doesn't sit well, I think the key problem is how ambiguous Bess is. At first she comes across childlike then seems to know full well what she's doing, as a viewer you never know if shes evil or just tortured. Well worth a view as theres some wonderful moments especially the carnival and countryside locations.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/daughter-of-darkness-1948.html - DirectorDeagol BrothersAndrew DuensingStarsBrett MillerShellie Marie ShartzerDavid FuquaA genre-bending tale of a boy trying to fulfill his unrequited love for a girl who has risen from the grave.Two weird brothers Carol & Patrick along with their younger brother Beetle and two other close friends Addy & Brian go into shock when their friend Wendy disappears one day believed dead. After a memorial service (not a fully fledged funeral due to having no body) the friends reflect on their time with Wendy and how empty each of their young lives feel without her. All until one day when Beetle finds Wendy's clearly dead yet still animated body on local wasteland. Both Patrick and Carol try to keep Wendy as if nothing had happened to her.
After a promising start (wonderfully narrated by young Beetle sharing what it was like growing up with his Dad and brothers and how Carol who became infatuated with Wendy) this dark drama come horror movie starts to tire, its story telling turned to teen angst and when Wendy is finally found the core story morphs into a second rate copy of the far superior Deadly Friend or Deadgirl. Shame could of been something greater than its sum, at times it oddly reminded me of the wonderful HBO series Six Feet Under.
(5½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/make-out-with-violence-2008.html - DirectorJosh ReedStarsZoë GameauKrew BoylanLindsay FarrisA group of friends travel into the Australian wilds to view ancient cave paintings but soon find a horrible sickness gripping one of their own, which leaves them with nothing in their mind but a primal blood lust.The film starts in 12,000 years ago, as an Aborigine is cave painting in the Australian outback, before he finishes his work, he's slain by what appears to be some humanoid creature. Cut to present day (courtesy of an MTV styled speedup) and we join a group of students driving through the outback in search of ancient cave paintings, luckily one of the students has an old map she got from her granddad, locating the unseen for years paintings. Isn't very long before the students start to encounter the harsh environment, when insects start to eat through their resources and truck tires. During a nocturnal skinny dip one of the girls is attacked by leeches and starts to turn into some kind of razor toothed flesh craving mutant. Not long before shes munching her way through her friends.
Good solid Oz horror which is a touch reminiscent of The Ruins with shades of Descent thrown in for added tension. I highly enjoyed this for what it was, good acting and a fair amount of gore. Interesting to find out that first time feature director Josh Reed is the son of Colin Eggleston who made a few quality genre movies of his own back in the 70's/80's including Long Weekend & Cassandra. I wouldn't go as far as to call Primal an essential view, but take it for what it is, and it's very a entertaining ride.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/primal-2009.html - DirectorDerek FordStarsHeather DeeleyJeffrey MorganTimothy BlackstoneWhilst on a train journey a beautiful woman (Heather Deeley) fantasises about a series of bizarre sexual encounters.Truly amazing British adult exploitationer, that's every bit a match for any of the classic 70's USA grindhouse roughies that have since gained infamous status. Diversions story follows a female criminal boarding a train while handcuffed to a female police officer. While on the train journey we follow Imogene (Heather Deeley) through various perverse day dreams, highlights of these include a sex scene between a lesbian SS officer and her prisoner, a brutal rape revenge drama that involves a penis castration culminating with a vampire. Diversions as a few filler feeling dream sequences then ends with a weird yet funny Victorian camera sex scene involving a photographer his model and a maid. Everything is helped by the fantastic lead performance of Heather Deeley who proves she can act as well look great during her sex scenes. Recommended to fans of adult cinema, without a question of a doubt one of the best to come out of British isles.
(8 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/diversions-1976.html - DirectorAntti J. JokinenStarsHilary SwankJeffrey Dean MorganLee PaceWhen a young doctor suspects she may not be alone in her new Brooklyn loft, she learns that her landlord has formed a frightening obsession with her.Another new Hammer Production featuring a sterling cast including Jeffrey (the Comedian in Watchmen) Dean Morgan as Max, Hilary (Million Dollar Baby) Swank as Juliet and hammer old timer Christopher Lee. Sadly as glossy as The Resident is, its too simplistic a thriller to really work. Plots basically Juliet as recently split with her long time partner and needs to find a new place to live, step forward Max who's got a perfect apartment for lease. Only turns out Max wants more from Juliet than his monthly rent. It's not long before Juliet starts to suspect shes being drugged at night, so sets about proving herself right.
Worth at least a view just don't expect to be blown away. The Resident would make an OK Sunday nights view cuddled up on the sofa with the other half. Genre fans should also note Christopher Lee is looking mighty old in this and his role is more like a cameo than full part.
(6 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/resident-2011.html - DirectorLee CooperStarsDaymon GerardAlice HammerRaymond NorthA machete killer attacks a picnic party but can the mother stop his rampage?Adult movie masquerading as an horror, with a wooly masked killer wandering local woods for people to rape and then slaughter. 70's seemed to be the period anyone could be in a prono and some of the chicks in this stinker are no exception, sporting huge asses, stretch marks and the ubiquitous hairy bush. I didn't get much out of viewing it but the disc also contained heaps of clips from other films a British one named Diversions really stood out and been put in my most wanted list.
(4 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/flesh-rippers-1976.html - DirectorChad FeehanStarsJosh StewartJamie-Lynn SiglerChris BrowningDriving to a wedding in Los Angeles through the Mojave Desert, Paul and his girlfriend Adrienne pull off the highway and into a Motel-Cafe. This roadside artifact proves to be a strange and surreal place with an unsettling mix of travelers, who force our couple to discover the secret hidden between.aka Beneath The Dark
Interesting suspense yarn which starts with the all to familiar setup of a couple Paul (Josh 'The Collector' Stewart) and Adrienne (Jamie-Lynn 'Tony Sopranos daughter' Sigler) driving at night needing to pull over for rest at a roadside Motel & Cafe. Only theres more to the humble Motel than first meets the eye. Paul is slowly sent on a journey that delves into his murky past and leaves him to question if hes really right for Adrienne.
Great small movie that plays a little like the John Cusack's Identity. Josh Stewart is well cast in the central role as Paul coming off like a young Sean Penn. Scripts a touch predictable but all in all a worthwhile view.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/beneath-dark-2010.html - DirectorMike NicholsStarsKristina KlebeDan ShakedMarianne HaganA group of Porn Filmmakers are systematically attacked by 2 children on the set of a remote shoot.Unoriginal horror yarn following a porn film crew as they try to shoot a movie in a secluded cottage in the woods. Only its not as remote as the crew would of wanted, as they become stalked by a pair of creepy kids. The acting is OK and production values are glossy enough, but the film offers absolutely nothing new to the genre, which is a shame as it starts with damned impressive titles. Don't be fooled either because its got porn filmmakers in, they reveal next to nothing infact its hard to imagine such a plot being done so dull, also the gore is filmed in almost complete darkness making it hard to see anything so fails miserably on both the naked and blood count. I can't call it the worst horror movie ever made because theres many worse, but it is one of the dullest I've seen in a while.
(4 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/breadcrumbs-2009.html - DirectorJalmari HelanderStarsJorma TommilaOnni TommilaPeeter JakobiIn the depths of the Korvatunturi mountains, 486 meters deep, lies the closest ever guarded secret of Christmas. The time has come to dig it up. This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus.Odd fantasy about a small Finish community whose lives are wrecked when a corporation digs up a massive mountain to get at some unknown mythical creature. In order to gain some financial return for their hardship the local towns folk acquire who they believe to be Santa Clause in the hope they can sell him back to the corporation. Extremely well filmed and pitch black humored, almost to the point of becoming an anti-Christmas film (certainly too odd in parts for children). Towards the end of the story we learn that actually they've only been carrying one of Santas elf helpers and that theres 100's more going around capturing children to sacrifice to the real Clause, who's really a massive horned creature that's still enclaved in ice. So in order to save the children and still make money they capture the elf's destroy the real Santa, then set up a company selling the elves as authentic Santa Clauses. A much welcomed change of pace to your standard Christmas movie.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/rare-exports-christmas-tale-2010.html - DirectorFred VogelStarsCamille KeatonDamien A. MaruscakHarvey DanielsA paralyzed soldier returns from war to his family in worse shape than anyone at home could imagine.New toe-tag means more gore overload right ? well yes to some degree but Fred Vogel is attempting to move more into mainstream plot based horror with every new movie he brings out. And for most part he succeeds, plots pretty much a carbon copy of Bob Clarks classic zombie Vietnam movie 'Deathdream' (its due an official remake soon titled Zero Dark Thirty). About a returning from service soldier who's got a secret.
Everythings just passable with Sella Turcica (The title refers to a the bone in the skull, which is oddly never mentioned in the movie itself.) the actings OK infact next to most toe-tag films its oscar worthy, the scripts good enough. My only real problem is the film starts with lush scenery as the soldier Brad is driven home, yet once reaching the house, we never leave it and boy is it in need of a redecoration. Gore is something Vogel and his talented FX crew have always done well, and even though its only for the last 10 or so minutes is as bloody as you'll see. to sum it up, its definitely no classic, but is a nice step in the right direction for Toe-Tag and Vogel, if you consider its an indie horror its a pretty damned good movie.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/sella-turcica-2010.html - DirectorAleksandr PolynnikovStarsAndrei BoltnevSergey GazarovAndrey SmolyakovIn a small Russian town, a mafia boss is planning a big operation to illegally sell trucks. In order to distract police attention he orders a gang "Motalka" that works for him to commit mass acts of rapes in the city. One of the prospective victims is the newly elected beauty queen Christina.aka The Day of Love
True rarity this exploitation gem, one because its one of the few Russian examples of the genre to ever surface, second due to never being released outside of its native Russia (meaning other than finding like thankfully I did a fan subtitles version, you'll have to watch without picking up on any of the dialog or plot)
Plot follows a set of young thugs who on the say so of a local mafia boss (whose trying to divert police attention so he and his hoods can steal a huge amount of trucks from a nearby plant) plan a day of gang rapes, seven in all ('The Day of Love' of the title) culminating in the rape of a beauty pageant queen. The young rapists are aided in getting access to the beauty queen by a girl who believed she should of won the pageant herself. The revenge comes in the form of the Beauty Queens father and her new step-father who join forces to track down those responsible.
The movie's a little like a Russian 'Clockwork Orange' all be it a lot more campy, with the gang of rapists dressing up in disguises not unlike the droogs before going on a spree of 'the old in & out'. Another neat feature is the stencil graffiti they use to mark their territory. Though the rapes do show nudity, any sign of penetration is merely hinted at. They aren't as excessive as many of the Western rape revenge movie's like say Last House on the Left or MS45. If you can find this rare gem its highly recommended and if you don't mind fan subtitles you'll know doubt enjoy it as much as I did, well worth the hunt.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/02/day-of-love-1991.html - DirectorDrew BolducDan NelsonStarsDrew BolducColleen WalshCody CrenshawThe water is tainted. The Taint poisons the minds of men. It turns them into raging misogynists: monsters who want nothing more than to crush women's heads with rocks (or other objects). When society is transformed into a land of sadistic violence and horrible brutality, it is up to Phil O'Ginny and his hot friend, Misandra, to combat the horrible evil that is The Taint. Can they survive a world brimming with castration and endless head crushing?!Imagine Troma had decided to make David Cronenberg's Shivers in the style of Peter Jackson's Bad Taste and you'd be kinda heading towards the right direction. Story is about an outbreak that's spread via the local water source, the effect of the outbreak is it causes men to go on misogynistic killing sprees. Its packed with over the top gross out gore, gratuitous sexual gags, dumb eccentric characters, crazy side plots and its claim to fame is it contains more cock explosions than any other film.
Bright, lively, and no scene ever outstays its welcome. Its really the fact director/writer team Drew Bolduc & Dan Nelson have bothered to make something different, instead of the tired formula teen slashers & zombie films and the fact nobody appearing infront of the camera takes it too seriously that the film works. Highly recommended its perfect for stoned out viewers or lovers of bad cinema.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/taint-2010.html - DirectorAleksey BalabanovStarsAgniya KuznetsovaAleksey PoluyanLeonid GromovA young woman is taken hostage by a police officer gone mad.Bleak supposodly true tale set in a Soviet Union town during 1984, its main theme is about the total abuse of power those in charge had over their people. The film introduces us to several of the towns characters from down on their luck bootleggers to a young soldier/parratrooper, a professor of atheism, and various low to high ranking police officers/officials and their family's.
The core plot concerns abusive Captain Zhurov who uses his lower ranking officers to enforce his own rule, he kidnaps a young woman and keeps her chained to a bed as his slave. Sometimes treating her kind in the hope he'd win her affection, other times sexually/mentally abusing her in some form or other. All the other characters intermingle around the main plot somehow, conversing on wide subjets like their lack of money, faith and ultimatly hope.
Even though it is a very grim and harsh movie at times, other times its easy to lose yourself in the belief that your watching real people just going about their daily lives. Leaving aside the films Russian setting the film it reminded me most of was Hector Babenco's Pixote, Cargo 200's (name by the way comes from the transportation of soldiers bodies from warzones) director Balabanov likewise has a strange ability for turning a shocking moment into either a semi-comic one or just making it seem so natural you don't stop to question it. I was transfixed for most the duration but would only recommend this for more patient viewers.
(8½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/cargo-200-2007.html - DirectorAnthony FankhauserStarsSally ElbertMichael GaglioJames Arthur LewisA group of investigators enter the former property of depraved serial killer John Wayne Gacy, hoping to find evidence of paranormal activity. Upon entering the place they set-up cameras throughout the abandoned house while going room to room with hand-held cameras, performing séances and asking for John Wayne Gacy to come forward. As the evening progresses it seems the investigators are not prepared for the horror still within the house.Another steaming pile of crap in the never ending line of Paranormal Activity rip-offs, this time a gang of moronic paranormal investigators supposedly film in the house John Wayne Gacy Jnr killed 30+ boys. (Only truth is the original Gacy house was knocked down in the 80's and a new house was built). The movie as periods it strays a little too close to serial killer worship, with no regard that the family's of Gacy's victims are still around.
Low points include demonic voices saying 'Kiss My Ass', one scene as the ghost hunters praying to a moon goddess named Diana in the hope the paranormal hunt will go without any harm to those involved. Its shocking how the cast can deliver the direlog (I know it should be dialog but if you'd of seen this mess you'd agree with my spelling) without breaking into hysterics, I found myself at times wondering if it wasn't meant as an all out comedy, take the last ten minutes when a fat ghostly figure wearing vest & underpants rips the cameraman off the ground and into the basement, later on they show six supposedly records of death/autopsy reports and his reads trauma to inner rectal wall and surrounding areas hehe I *beep* you not its that much of a joke. Even though I hated it and its clearly junk I guess its possible Gacy House could achieve the glory of becoming a so bad its funny cult hit.
(3 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/gacy-house-2010.html - DirectorSvetozar RistovskiStarsWilliam ForsytheJesse MossEmma LahanaA chronicle of the interaction between college student Jason Moss and the object of his obsession, serial killer John Wayne Gacy.Based on a real life story about a students correspondence with serial killer John Wayne Gacy. Bored at school Jason finally finds a subject he's interested in, basically what makes the criminal mind tick, and in particular that of a killer. In order to understand he manages to start a kind of friendship with death row serial killer Gacy. Only it spirals out of control when Gacy phones him in person and eventually grants the student permission to meet him in prison.
What we have here is a serial killer drama that's not really about the killer himself but about people's perception of these extreme criminals, and those few who's morbid interest drifts into fan worship. The film starts with the naive student being star struck that this infamous man is speaking to him, eventually with his own meeting and through the account of one of few living survivors, he learns that Gacy alongside countless other criminals like him aren't anything to be worshiped. During the end credits we see the original student on a talk show with pictures of himself and Gacy. Definitely a drama over the usual thriller/horror serial killer movies we see more often, Dear Mr Gacy is well worth seeking out on DVD, I'd imagine in the future it'll find appreciative home on TV.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/dear-mr.html - DirectorEric EspejoStarsPhillip RoebuckDevon Marie SaundersJoe HansardA ghost hunter's final case before retiring leads him down a dark and potentially deadly path.Ultra light (almost daytime TV movie feeling) supernatural yarn. Plot follows a television paranormal host's last ever show, which just happens to involve a case involving a possible sighting of his recently departed wife, shes been seen wandering an house that supposedly was involved in a mass suicide incident many years back. Along for the ride is the hosts co-presenter and new woman, his cameraman and a ghost septic.
It tries to build suspense in the first quarter but doesn't overly succeed, and if the viewer hasn't already fallen asleep or switched off before the shock turn in events towards the end they're in for an absolute joke final, because it turns out they're not seeing ghosts but they've started to hallucinate due to the house having a carbon monoxide leak (I *beep* you not folks that's the sum final of this turkey). It does continue slightly after this bombshell as the host still believes he's somehow been in touch with his dead wife (only again this is most likely due to his own guilt at not being around when she died). The only shock it gave me is how the actors managed to deliver their performances without breaking into laughter, honestly even if your desperate for a ghost movie avoid this like the plague.
(3 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/ghosts-dont-exist-2010-director-eric.html - DirectorStacy DavidsonStarsAshley KayMelanie DonihooPeyton WetzelA group of friends break into an abandoned factory in order to throw a impromptu party; unaware that it is not as empty as they originally believed.If you excuse the first 30 minutes or so of this movie you'll be in for a bit of a gorefest. Basic premise is a group of youths setup an illegal party in an abandoned warehouse, only while preparing the soiree they slowly get bumped off by a welding masked killer. So you guessed it originality is right out the window and like I mentioned its a slow starting film, but when the kills start there's *beep* loads of 'em. Characters are fun enough playing pretty much to typical party goers in movie stereotypes only with a slight punky edge, imagine Linnea Quigley era horror. The kills are pretty imaginative including a really well done beheading by garden shears, most the deaths are by the killers huge anvil hammer usually erupting in the red stuff. Slight gripe is the films too dark most the time, but its more than enough to make me eager to check out what Stacy Davidson and his FX buddies bring to the table next.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/sweatshop-2009.html - DirectorMarcus GravesStarsKatheryn WinnickKevin PollakNicholas TucciA journalism student tracks a killer with the help of her detective father and a therapist.Somewhat of a missed opportunity this serial killer thriller. As a pretty good premise with the movies killer granting his victims the choice in their fate (like giving a teen the opportunity to pick either her mother or father to die, another time the killer gives a musician the choice of his hearing or hands). Sadly though its badly paced and you never really feel any emotion for the lead or any of the victims (shame as shes a great looking actress). Highlight of the film was seeing veteran actor Bruce Dern turn up as a prison psychologist who used the same choice method as a test for his inmates. Shame then that ultimately it fails as a thriller due to its lack of tension, and its not really gory or creepy enough to succeed as an horror. If they'd of worked harder on the script and got better performances out of the cast this could of been a real treat.
(5½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/choose-2010-director-marcus-graves.html - DirectorRobert PrattenStarsPeter BramhillCarole DerrienChristopher FairbankMindFlesh is a psycho-sexual horror/thriller about obsession. Chris Jackson is a taxi driver with a childhood trauma. The trauma has made him a portal for obsessions to pass from the mind to the physical world and hence disrupt the world's multiple planes of reality. Extraterrestrials that police the universe threaten to kill Chris' friends unless he conquers his pastDire beyond belief low budget/grade British horror mess, plots about a recently split from his ex taxi driver who becomes obsessed with a ghostly female apparition he sometimes bumps into late at night, he then starts to track her/it while on duty.
I hate being so negative towards new directors (I've friends who've tried their hands at directing low budget films and been told how hard it is) but this really shouldn't of been given a retail release, the only shock about Mindflesh is how Robert Pratten got to release another film after his god awful London Voodoo. The plots trite and so dull, and will test even the most bored die hard genre fans to sit through it till the end. The actors throw their boring lines out with absolutely no emotion whatsoever (even the worst horror movies usually have one or two actors in them who want to be behind that camera and in a film of any kind). And the final and worst thing about this piece of crap is the over use of sub youtube video FX (honestly you'll not see anything as basic as this since the 80's VHS era). Without a question avoid this turkey at all costs.
(2 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/mindflesh-2008-director-robert-pratten.html - DirectorSteven R. MonroeStarsSarah ButlerJeff BransonAndrew HowardA writer who is brutalized during her cabin retreat seeks revenge on her attackers, who left her for dead.Was an odd year really 2010 for horror, nothing new that really stood out but some of the remakes I really enjoyed. With the exception of the lame Elm St remake Let Me In, The Crazies and hell even Piranha all came out better than expected, likewise I Spit on Your Grave is pretty damn good as well. I was never that big on the original if truth be told, was always a film that rode its luck on the back of its own notoriety rather than actually being good. The VHS ban it got in the United Kingdom helped no end in generating enough word of mouth to make it an essential view.
So then with the remake, firstly I'm not going to go into that much detail on the plot because its basically a woman (Jennifer) seeks solitude to finish her second book, locals seek a cute female probably out of boredom from their time with only farm animals. They end up gang raping Jennifer leaving her for dead, only she somehow survives and starts to pick off the five offenders in gruesome ways. They had no chance of replicating the originals shock value with movies like Martyrs and A Serbian Movie still in viewers recent memories, a simple rape revenge movie wouldn't shock people like it did back in the late 70's.
Sarah Butler who plays Jennifer is extremely attractive (reminded me of a young Ali MacGraw), and even though she clearly never enjoys the incident, they do once or twice do close ups of her petite behind, but I think on the whole they handle the multiple rape scene with pretty much a minimum of titillation (that said I'm sure rape victims wouldn't agree. but how could you ever film an easy to view rape scene). The films real change from its predecessor is instead of simple revenge kills they've gone for full on torture till dead kills. This its gotta be said is slightly when it goes far fetched as the deaths feel at times staged and labored instead of her just going insane and going on a men kill spree, she spends time extracting her revenge. All in all a very worthy sequel, knowing our luck they'll remake it again in 30 years time.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-spit-on-your-grave-2010-director.html - DirectorWes CravenStarsMax ThieriotJohn MagaroDenzel WhitakerA serial killer returns to his hometown to stalk seven children who share the same birthday as the date he was allegedly put to rest.Wes... Wes... Wes... where did it all go wrong, some directors especially ones like Wes Craven who've for most part spent their careers in horror genre movies, deserve respect. Yet he's become a victim of his own success and his film have for many years and many a fan felt watered down and too mainstream. For someone who gave us the original Last House on the Left, Hills Have Eyes and Elm St its sad he's turned to PG worthy teen junk like the Scream franchise, Cursed and now My Soul To Take. We fans want to love him but boy is he making it hard for us.
My Soul To Take is your basic formula 'local town had a Killer many years back now x amount of years later the killings start again'. Is it the bully kid or the weird one or could it be the clown one in the bird suit, honestly I didn't care from the minute the film started to the second the credits rolled. Its all glossy enough and dare I guess the 12-15 year old market will enjoy it enough, but for a film with the title My Soul To Take it has very little Soul to start with. The only reason to view is to tick it off in your Wes Craven tick list, or watch if your babysitting younger teens and Glee's not on the box. I hope after he's done Scream 4 (like we need or want it) he either quits or delivers something for his older fans.
(4 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-soul-to-take-2010.html - DirectorKim Jee-woonStarsLee Byung-hunChoi Min-sikJeon Gook-hwanA secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.I'll start by saying some films can be great without needing to be profound off the top of my head I'll say The Wild Bunch. Because movie wise I Saw The Devil shouldn't really work, the script is so over the top and dare I say far fetched it forces the viewer to just sit back and enjoy the action packed thrill ride rather than examine its plot.
The story follows an hunt by a police officer for the rapist and killer of his deceased wife and mother of his child to have been. After killing a few suspects already, the cop eventually finds the one responsible for his fiancee's death, only instead of just killing him out right he tags the offender vowing to track him down every time he does a crime and punish him all over. The rapist/killer though is compelled partly by his sick urges partly to see if the cop will track him to repeat his actions. This leads to a cat and mouse chase that ends up with us learning the killer is part of a larger rape/torture/murder club.
Both the cop played by Lee Byung-hun (from J.S.A.) and the killer Choi Min-sik (from Oldboy) lead performances are both superb and help hide the fact that the plot is a little on the silly side from time to time. I mentioned the Wild Bunch earlier, like that film I Saw the Devil is long, running in at over two and a half hours, but the action is relentless making it feel much shorter. Also the films as brutal as you'll see this year and at present my current fave of 2010. Essential viewing and one sadly I'd bet Hollywood studios will be scrambling for the rights to remake, I'd recommend you watch this original Korean version.
(9 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-saw-devil-2010.html - DirectorMichael Paul StephensonStarsGeorge HardyPita RayMicki KnoxA look at the making of the film Troll 2 (1990) and its journey from being crowned the "worst film of all time" to a cherished cult classic.Honest documentary based on the horrendously bad movie Troll 2, and the cult fans its picked up in the 18 years since it was released. Its directed by Michael Stephenson who played the kid and features George Hardy who stared as the dad. Also has Brief interviews with the films Director & Writer as they join a road trip of screenings across the US.
Not since Tim Burton released his movie Ed Wood, have b-movies had a more fitting tribute. Best moment is when they track down the reclusive agoraphobic actress Margo Prey who played the mother, and they re-enact the scene they sang Row Row Row Your Boat as Margo's distressed aged mother complains about them being in the house. None of Troll 2's cast or crew have done anything of substance since making the film and in someways it feels like capturing peoples failed lives after having made a legendary failed movie, only really George Hardy seems to live a stable life as a dentist. He comes across fantastically passionate for most part, but clearly gets a little bored of the road trip towards the end after seeing the film 20+ times and having to sit for hours at film events. Sadly with the exception of the odd TV show like The Incredibly Strange Film Show not enough people document these unsung heroes of trash cinema, so its highly recommended viewing for cult movie fans.(8 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/11/best-worst-movie-2009.html - DirectorGaspar NoéStarsNathaniel BrownPaz de la HuertaCyril RoyAn American drug dealer living in Tokyo is betrayed by his best friend and killed in a drug deal. His soul, observing the repercussions of his death, seeks resurrection.Hallucinogenic *beep* (& *beep* from Gaspar Noe the fantastic subversive director of I Stand Alone & Irreversible. Plot follows drug using/dealing Oscar as he dies and floats off into spirit form, he witneses what happens after his death as he rises from his drug addled body in a gutter like toilet, to his sister Linda's grief at being left alone. We also learn of his past, from birth and love he felt for his mother to car accident when he was about 8 where he lost both parents leaving him and his sister alone. We also learn that Oscar and Linda have developed a strange close bond together since their loss at such a young age. Thankfully if this sounds confusing we aren't alone in this journey we are slowly guided into it by Oscars friend Alex and his descriptions about the Tibetan Book of the Dead's theory, that we all leave our body and get to see our lives before we move to the next circle. It all ends in either a wickedly cruel way or an extremely clever twist, depending on the viewers point of view or even as I've read, version/cut you've been watching.
Its a visual/audio treat from its hyper flashing titles sequence to the very last scene, set among the neon lights of Tokyo and its seedier back street clubs,crack houses and strip joints. And filmed in 3rd person as if we are actually moving and following Oscar (this feels a little like the other world sequences of Jean Cocteau's 'Orphee' crossed with the puke induced head spinning sexual depravity of Jonas Akerlund promo video for Prodigys Smack My Bitch Up. The music is a subtle dreamlike mix of electronica and creepy Carnival of Souls like organ music. Enter the Void isn't as successful as Irreversible and say Some I dare think may say is style over substance, personally I'd class it style and some substance abuse, but whatever the viewers final verdict is, its an essential viewing experience.
(8 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/11/enter-void-2009.html - DirectorTakao NakanoStarsSora AoiRisa KasumiMari SakuraiLena Jodo works at an unsuccessful strip club called Paradise Ikagawa along with his five female co-workers. But everything changes when they summon an army of zombies by accident. Now they are the only ones who can save the world.AKA Big Tits Zombie, Kyonyû Doragon, Big Tits Zombie 3D
Plot (hehe like it even tries) follows Lena a dancer in a caberete theatre, along with her fellow dancers she finds a trap door in the dressing room. It leads to an hidden room in the basement thats full of old items, among the junk they find a book of dead and foolishly one of the dancers reads it. This causes a chain of spooky events and makes the dead rise.
Its all very cheap and cheerfull with references to other zombie films like NOTLD and Evil Dead even nods to Spaggetti westerns. The girls are great looking as are the bright costumes and sets. Even though the girls arm themself with chainsaws & samuarai swords the gore fx are more cartoonish than gory. The zombies very Asian and more like something out of some Osaku/Cosplay party than your usual rotting undead, everything from zombies playing ping pong with an eye to a midget zombie, theres even a fire breathing zombie vagina (now thats something I've not seen before). Like mentioned the plots very thin purely a means to string one bit of action to the next, but with the runtime being just over the hour mark it never out stays its welcome, can't wait for the sure to be made BTZ II now (note theres a old style red/blue 3D version which I've been told is pretty poor only covering one action scene).
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/11/big-tits-zombie-2010.html - DirectorJohn V. SotoStarsTravis FimmelBen MendelsohnMurray BartlettA killer uses an 18th century machine with supernatural powers to terrorize students at a college.Supernatural horror about a strange box that creates a voodoo doll from any photo you place inside it. An attractive cast and smooth pace can't hide the fact its all been done before, its basically an Australian Final Destination clone. Sadly its also pretty mild with no nudity or real gore to hold peoples attentions away from the dull script. By no means the worst horror/thriller of year, but so average you won't remember it for very long.
(5 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/11/needle-2010.html - DirectorBrett AnsteyStarsRenee WillnerBridget NevalDawn KlingbergDuring a violent thunderstorm, a family is awoken by piercing shrieks which summon the dead to rise again. Their lives explode in a blood soaked fury as they battle malevolent spirits, whilst fighting to save their souls from eternal torment with... the Banshee.Light lowbudget supernatural horror from down under, when Claire and Paul go to visit relatives, Claires grandmother hands her an urn which in turn sets about a series of creepy encounters including incidents with banshees, demons and undead living skeletons. The trouble is the plots scrappy and Damned by Dawn's heavy use of substandard cgi effects does little to help it. Acting isn't so bad and maybe with more time under his belt writer/director Brett Anstey may come up with something more watchable, sadly for me this is one to miss.
(4 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/11/damned-by-dawn-2009.html - DirectorTommy BrunswickStarsDaniel BaldwinJames RussoBrad DourifAfter his wife is murdered and his children abducted, Danny Kessler learns that an ancient race of blood-thirsty creatures lurks just below the surface of Prophet Hills and it's up to him to stop them.Danny Kessler (one of the lesser known Baldwin brothers) loses his kids to a set of underground dwelling demons. So with the aid of a writer who knows about these demons, sets about finding answers and the possibility his children are still alive.
Dire cable TV feeling horror from one of the few female horror directors Tommy Brunswick (have heard good word of mouth with her newest film Exit 33), costumes are of Halloween standard, acting is poor including the usually good Brad Dourif (who's role amounts to little more than a cameo), story's dull imagine an episode of Supernatural but without the Sam and Dean chemistry, ohh and boy could the whole production have done with more lights. So many better lower budget titles to waste your time on.
(3½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/11/born-of-earth-2008.html - DirectorSean EllisStarsSean BiggerstaffEmilia FoxMichelle RyanAfter a painful breakup, Ben develops insomnia. To kill time, he starts working the late night shift at the local supermarket, where his artistic imagination runs wild.This Halloween period has been one of the worst ever for horror genre releases, you usually get at least a few entertaining STV releases. Anyway to cheer myself up I've been watching lots of comedy movies that had slipped me by. This Sean Ellis debut feature Cashback being probably the first romantic comedy I've ever fully enjoyed and certainly first I've ever felt the need to do some kind of review for. The fun fact is its not a typical boy meets girl falls in love rom-com. Cashbacks lead is an arts student Ben who decides due to the sleepless nights he's having (brought on from a recent split from his girlfriend) decides to take a night job in a local super market. The surprise twist being he gains at least what he believes the power to stop time, which at first he uses to strip customers who he then draws, he then switches his new found ability towards a cashier hes taken a fancy for. Most of the laughs come from the misfits Ben works with, which are typically the kind of people you'd expect working such an unsociable shift. The films a real treat for those seeking something a little more odd from their comedy.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/11/cashback-2006.html - DirectorBrillante MendozaStarsCoco MartinMaria Isabel LopezJulio DiazA young man tries to make some money so he can marry his girlfriend. He takes a job for $2,000 and then realizes that this job involves killing a woman.aka Kinatay
Shocking social crime drama from Philippine director Brillante Mendoza (Dante Mendoza). While training to join the police force, young twenty year old Peping joins a syndicate of corrupt police officers to earn extra money for his new wife and baby son. Only things start to get out of his comfort zone, when he agrees to do a bigger money job involving torturing (the title Kinatay means Slaughter in Tagalog) then ultimately killing a drug addicted prostitute Madonna/Gina who owes local Manila hoods big money.
The sad truth is real life is often more shocking than the over the top stylized life cinema portrays, and life sadly in some areas is cheap. Here Brillante Mendoza presents a earthy unglamorous trip into the all too realistic world of missing people caught up in crime. The lead character Peping from the very first punch someone gives Madonna until the final dumping of her body parts, is clearly uncomfortable at what he's become involved in. I suspect the director & writers aim was to put the viewer in the same uncomfortable situation and make them wonder how people can actually live with themselves after doing and witnessing such atrocities. Well worth seeking out for those with a strong stomach and who don't mind slower paced cinéma vérité/dogma styled movies, warning though as of doing this mini review the only western DVD release I could find was French language only, I was lucky enough to stumble on a English fan subtitled edition.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/kinatay-2009.html - DirectorHal HabermanJeremy PassmoreStarsMichael RapaportPaul BlackthorneJosh PeckA lonely comic book fan, Les Franken, has a reaction to medication and becomes convinced he's a superhero.Michael Rapaport is fantastic in this dark comedy yarn playing socially awkward loner Les, who signs up to trial a new super drug. The drugs meant to cure anxiety and stop the taker from worrying too much about their actions. Only Les as an adverse reaction and starts to feel hes developing super powers like the ones found in the comic books he never grew out of reading. The films beauty is how underplayed and human Rapaport plays Les, for a long period everyone around him just think he's goofing around until he starts to hurt himself and those around him. Recommended to anyone who enjoys offbeat comedy, fits nicely with the current wave of slacker anti hero films like Defendor,Kick-ass and soon to be released Super.
(8 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/special-2006.html - DirectorHugo CarvanaStarsClaudio MarzoLúcia VeríssimoDaniel DantasA man locked out of his apartment in the nude is pursued by the police and by the media.I viewed this as double bill with another Michael Rapaport comedy called Special. Here he plays a slightly broken man Edward Blis Jr upset with himself for failing to follow his fathers trade and become a pharmacist. Instead he followed his dream at becoming a wrestler by night and chiropractor by day. Wanting to support his girl and his unborn child and win back his fathers affection he gives up wrestling and buys a chiropractor practice facing his dads pharmaceutical store. No sooner is Edward back in the small town than his mother,father and girlfriend are killed by a drugs kingpin hoping to muscle in on his dads store. This breaks Edward who resorts to his wrestler old ways and goes on a killing spree I'd guess with the hope of killing those responsible.
The film was directed by film aficionado J. Todd Anderson who among other things does the story boards for the Coen Brothers movies, Ethan Coen no doubt helping a friend co-wrote this. It isn't totally successful and does drag a little towards the end, but it is such a unique feeling oddity, at a push I'd describe it as a variant of Crimewave crossed with Pleasantville but that only gives a small idea of what to expect. All in all I'd recommend it just hear some of the throw away lines "crushed nuts ?.... no spinabifida" and what about this gem "until we catch this perp the only person safe on these streets is Gumby". Rapaport has to be seen to be believed in his anatomical manikin outfit, not sure how many times I've used the word bizarre on this blog but I doubt its ever been more fitting.
(8 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/naked-man-1998.html - DirectorJoe DanteStarsChris MassogliaHaley BennettNathan GambleA pair of brothers stumble upon a mysterious hole in their basement that leads to the darkest corridors of their fears and nightmares.Sure its aimed at the 10-13 age market but still entertaining enough for the rest of us to enjoy. Two brothers (eldest one Chris Massoglia was also good as the The Vampire's Assistant) find a trap door in their new basement that somehow becomes a portal for their greatest fears. Great to see Joe Dante back, hes best known for classics like The Howling and Gremlins. The Hole oddly feels like an extended episode of his Eerie, Indiana series. Maybe its a touch too creepy for younger kids my 10 year old didn't like the clown puppet scenes but managed to sit through them. I could also see how the ghostly girl would freak out a few people as well, I remember as a kid the child ghosts in The Amazing Mr. Blunden used to scare me. For most part though its safe scares and would be a good one to watch on Halloween.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/hole-2009.html - DirectorMark L. LesterStarsTaryn ManningHal OzsanEric RobertsWhen a mysterious groupie joins legendary cursed band, "The Dark Knights", a series of unexplained murders derails their comeback tour.Light weight thriller following a British rock band The Dark Knights second attempt to break the US. Their first attempt ended in tragedy due to the death of a 16 year old fan when a venue set on fire after a stage stunt went wrong. It isn't long before the comeback goes bad, when people around the band start dying. But is it due to the Knights being cursed or is it the new groupie who has attached herself to the lead singer. Poorly made direct to cable feeling film, the acting and bands music are both piss poor. While the scripts so obvious a god damned Scooby Doo episode has more plot twists, infact the films only saving grace is how quickly its all over thanks to it being only 80 minutes long.
(3 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/groupie-2010.html - DirectorPaul W.S. AndersonStarsMilla JovovichAli LarterWentworth MillerWhile still out to destroy the evil Umbrella Corporation, Alice joins a group of survivors living in a prison surrounded by the infected who also want to relocate to the mysterious but supposedly unharmed safe haven known only as Arcadia.Good god watching this mess reminded me how long ago it feels since director/writer Paul W.S. Anderson blew us away with his exceptional sci-fi/horror gem Event Horizon. Not that I'm saying the new Resident Evil is any worse than the other sequels but it just feels more and more like a tired franchise now. The plot here is horrendous jumping from one place to another without much in the way of explanation, within the films 90 or so minutes we go from an underground facility in Tokyo, a disused military base in Canada, a US inner city high rise prison complex then ending up onboard an offshore medical experiment ship. Alice just seems to randomly show up, the only link between these places being the involvement of the Umbrella Corporation. I don't understand how they managed to succeeded so much with the anime that came out between this and Resident Evil 3: Extinction, that managed to develop its characters and sported a solid plot. Afterlife is just a mess of continuity, other than the prison segment it does away with the mutant zombies. This time Alice tries to stop Albert Wesker (clearly a fanboy of Mr Smith from the Matrix movies) to confuse matters even more he's now played by a different actor than he was in RE3. Also returning from RE3 is Claire Redfield now with memory loss, shes joined by a brother she doesn't even remember Chris Redfield. Even RE2's Jill Valentine turns up towards the end for nothing other than she's more than likely gonna be in the next installment.
What you can't fault the film for is its glossy action set pieces, Alice now as a neat clone device and no matter how many times we've seen it how can you not enjoy slow motion shotgun to head scenes. Typical of 3D features they throw in scenes to use the medium, here we get a pretty good Axeman segment that feels like a massive end of level video game boss. I really hope they manage to get their *beep* together for the next entry, but for that I think Anderson and his crew need to stop watching The Matrix and see the original Dawn of the Dead.
(5 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/resident-evil-afterlife-2010.html - DirectorAlexandre AjaStarsElisabeth ShueJerry O'ConnellRichard DreyfussAfter a sudden underwater tremor sets free scores of the prehistoric man-eating fish, an unlikely group of strangers must band together to stop themselves from becoming fish food for the area's new razor-toothed residents.Having proved his worth with Haute Tension and his Hills Have Eyes remake director Alexandre Aja does a good job keeping the films pace and action fast flowing, no doubt to stop viewers having time to question how cheesy the whole concept is. Due to the fact its clearly made as fun and solely to entertain, you can't fault that unashamedly all this remake amounts to is a bloodbath with bewbs. Story is about a tremor at Lake Victoria which opens up an under water crevice and frees a horde of prehistoric killer piranha. To make matters worse its the annual college Spring break which is the lakes busiest period.
Kicks off with a fantastic homage to jaws with Richard Dreyfuss drunkenly fishing while Show Me The Way To Go Home plays, ends with a massive gory attack on a wet T-shirt water party. Inbetween we get everything from an half eaten paraglider to a main course of 3D penis. Sure its extremely dumbed down and aimed squarely at the teen date market but its an entertaining remake I'd put down as a guilty pleasure.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/piranha-2010.html - DirectorRodrigo AragãoStarsRicardo AraújoMarcelo CastanheiraWalderrama Dos SantosA poor community in the remote state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, ekes an existence by fishing and picking crustaceans from the local tropical mangroves. Their meagre survival gradually becomes threatened by pollution of their waters and the eminent disappearance of the source of their livelihood. Suddenly, from the contaminated muddy dark swamp, zombie-like creatures emerge to attack the community. One by one people are ravaged and killed by the zombie creatures... A frightened timid survivor discovers a swift ability with the machete - but what poor and timid talent as a lover.Entertaining zombie romp set in a Brazilian swamp. Plot basically captures the local swamp residents daily lives as they try to earn a living capturing crabs in the swamps muddy banks. Only corpses start to rise from the water and attack the locals cabins. Filled with entertaining bargain bin gore effects and Evil Dead styled camera movements. With a unique setting and plenty of action there's easily enough to keep die hard zombie fans thrilled for its duration.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/mud-zombies-2008.html - DirectorTakanori TsujimotoStarsHirotsugu ImamuraMickey KogaMiki MizunoA fierce warrior (Miki Mizuno) becomes embroiled in a vicious cycle of vengeance.Ultra gory mindless revenge yarn about Milly who ends up near dead during a gang attack, she also loses her baby and husband. After her body as been rebuild she goes to seek revenge on the people responsible. Running in at just over 40 minutes the film throws plot and character development out the window, it feels like an FX showreel following Milly in a battle against the gangs 4 or so members. Fun for the undemanding viewer some of the FX are very cheesy but for most part they're highly bloody, recommended to people who like Braindead styled over the top cartoon gore.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/hard-revenge-milly-2008.html - DirectorTakanori TsujimotoStarsMiki MizunoRei FujitaMickey KogaIn a post-apocalyptic Japan, Tokyo has become a windswept desert. After witnessing the brutal murder of her husband and child, Milly is butchered and left for dead but she wakes up in a deserted hospital with a partly mechanised body. But that's only the start - the bloody vengeance spree is set to begin!Like for like sequel to the original Hard Revenge Milly, so much so the first film is almost shown in its entirety during the opening credits. Plot again is secondary to the films gory fight scenes this time Milly has to battle the family of the people she killed during the original. This time she's joined by another female Hasu who doesn't seem to know which side she should be fighting with or against. Milly still has her shotgun leg but now has metal fists and bullet nunchucks complete with laser sights, again recommended to fans of cheesy cinema & wild gore.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/hard-revenge-milly-bloody-battle-2009.html - DirectorDaniel GrouStarsClaude LegaultRémy GirardMartin DubreuilA doctor seeks revenge by kidnapping, torturing and killing the man who raped and murdered his young daughter.French-Canadian rape/murder revenge movie, a loving family man Dr. Bruno Hamel's life is shattered when his daughter is found dead having been raped on waste land around a local park while on her way to school. Police don't take long to find the man responsible a grinning man called Lemaire, the doctor wants more than a life in prison for the suspect. So he kidnaps the man and takes him to a remote cottage, with the plan to torture him for at least 7 days upon which he'll kill the man on what would of been his daughters up and coming ninth birthday. Sure we've had similar plots most recently with Gerard Butler in Law Abiding Citizen, but where as that film played for dramatic action 7 Days goes for grim reality. The film is very well directed and Claude Legault as Hamel is very believable never once looking like hes enjoying torturing the pedophile killer Anthony Lemaire (again a very good performance by Martin Dubreuil who at one point calls Hamel for not even enjoying it). The film poses many questions I'm sure deep down cut away what we think we should or shouldn't do in this situation most parents would want to extract the same revenge on anyone who touched their child. They add a second angle to the film by lead inspector having suffered the loss of his wife to a criminal act, he's trying to find Hamel before he goes too far more to save the doctor than the killer. Finally they add a 3rd angle by introducing a mother of one of Lemaire's previous victims who disagrees with the doctors actions. This part of the story I could of lived without but on the whole its a rewarding view, must be warned though its extremely bleak anyone who ever caught Sidney Lumet's The Offence will know what to expect.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/10/7-days-2010.html - DirectorGareth EdwardsStarsScoot McNairyWhitney AbleMario Zuniga BenavidesSix years after Earth has suffered an alien invasion, a cynical journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through an infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the U.S. border.Once you stop expecting a creature feature the film starts to draw you in and works as A road movie with a few subtle sci-fi elements. We follow a pair of stranded citizens and how they gradually fall in love as they make their way back to the US through a Quarantined/Infected zone in Mexico. Beautifully filmed soaking in a Mexico that is usually reserved for nature shows, I dare anyone could watch this without being blown away at the production quality the director, crew and cast have turned out for what is reported to be $15,000. Monsters wrongly will get its doubters those who expected it to be this years Cloverfield or District 9, the truth is 'it is what it is' and never tried to be.
(7½ out 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/monsters-2010.html - DirectorSamuel BayerStarsJackie Earle HaleyRooney MaraKyle GallnerThe spectre of a disfigured man haunts the children of the parents who murdered him, stalking and killing them in their dreams.80's horror icons have had a tough deal over the last few years, 1st we had Rob Zombie messing with Michael Myers, then they destroyed Jason Voorhees. Now its Freddy Kruegers time and sadly its 3 strikes and out. Its not so much that A Nightmare on Elm Street remake is bad, and Jackie Earle Haley as Krueger is fine. Its problem is it offers absolutely nothing new over Wes Cravens superior original making the whole remake feel pointless. So if you've seen the original I wouldn't bother if you haven't I'd probably go hunt that down first (failing that watch this version with CGI FX over the originals makeup FX). Sadly the studios never learn with the recent release of Piranha and Hellraiser in the works, we fans have more 80's horror ripoff's to be worried about (please god don't let them touch Cronenbergs films)
(5 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/nightmare-on-elm-street-2010.html - DirectorNimród AntalStarsAdrien BrodyLaurence FishburneTopher GraceA group of elite warriors parachute into an unfamiliar jungle and are hunted by members of a merciless alien race.Anyone like me who had expected this to do for Predator what Aliens did for the original Alien will be sadly let down, because what we get is a shameless Most Dangerous Game ripoff with Predators replacing the Count Zoroff role. 8 people are ripped from their lives and ported to a far away planet where they become the hunt for a group of Predators. For a film with so many good action moments they could of come up with a better plot. Also the characters are so one dimensional with next to no background what they did/was before falling out of the sky. You get a muscle bound Russian soldier, a yakuza/samurai type guy, African rebel soldier, a doctor (damn what is he gonna do heal people with twigs), a sexual deviant prisoner, a female army officer of some sort (she gives a brief comment on Arnie being only survivor cause he used mud to hide himself), Trejo seems to be just rehashing his Machete role for the few minutes hes onscreen then finally Brody as Royce the groups unofficial leader who Christ knows seems to be some brooding special ops soldier. Fishburne turns up halfway in as a scavenger who has managed to survive 8 maybe 10 seasons of these predator battles, he gives a little info on two types of Predator (big & smaller ones) that fight against each other almost as soon as he gets to say this he dies. Sure if your in the mood for a dumb action romp it'll be an adequate enough watch but I personally thought it was a total disaster. They successfully re-invented Batman & Startrek even the last Terminator was a step in the right direction after the piss poor 3rd sadly they've de-evolved the Predator franchise here, you get better plot and character development in video games than this.
(4½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/predators-2010.html - DirectorBen KetaiStarsKiele SanchezRhys CoiroDiora BairdAfter surviving the incidents in Barrow, Alaska, Stella Oleson relocates to Los Angeles, where she intentionally attracts the attention of the local vampire population in order to avenge the death of her husband, Eben.Very poor straight to video sequel to 30 Days Of Night, the action as moved from the previous films chilly Alaskan small town to the seedier side of sunny LA. The plot follows Stella the lone survivor from the first movie (sadly most likely due to funds they've replaced Melissa George with Kiele Sanchez), shes now in LA doing lectures on her incident. She gets involved with a group of Vampire killers who are seeking to a kill an Elizabeth Bathory styled vamp leader called Lilith. About the only thing this sequel retains from the original is the way the vampires look (pale usually bald with all razor teeth). Don't get me wrong I wasn't expecting a massive budget for a STV movie, but at least they could of done a less muddled and quicker flowing paced plot than this trite. At least with the Lost Boys STV movies you got the cheesy fun of having the two Corey's frog brothers show up. other than the few brief moments it shows scenes from the original its all piss poor. Its got the most amateurish credits I think I've ever seen, imagine your Aunt and Uncle forced you to watch their camcorder holiday footage from their trip to LA. I've always enjoyed a good vampire yarn even if they suck theres usually blood and the odd naked vampire chick to look forward too, sadly here the blood looks like fruit juice plus zero bewb count with only 2 seconds of Lilith's ass on show even TV vampires give us more than this crap. I said "Pound for pound it’s the best vampire yarn since Near Dark" about the original, for Dark Days I'd say pound for pound go rent anything else and I pray they don't make any more.
(3 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/30-days-of-night-dark-days-2010.html - DirectorReg HarkemaStarsPeter MacNeillGregory SmithRyan RobbinsPerry, a sheltered chemical engineer, falls in love with Leslie, a former homecoming princess, when he becomes a jury member at her hippie death cult murder trial.aka Manson, My Name Is Evil
Pseudo biographical drama about Charles Manson family member Leslie Van Houten. Whom in 1969 was involved in a second night of murders involving Mansons LSD crazed family. The film is more about Leslies side of the trail and how she captivated a boyish Christian juror called Perry. Well made in parts but shockingly cheap in others (namely the cheap tactic of cutting to stock footage, must count towards 20% of the film). The film centers almost entirely on the lives of Leslie & Perry with Manson and his fellow hippy freaks becoming almost a sideshow. Reginald Harkema does far too much over handed direction with the infamous events (subtle this is not), and for a man who started in editing you'd expect a better job with those already mentioned roughly interlaced stock footage moments. The story is supposedly more fantasy then reality but settles down once the trail section begins (well other than an unnecessary dream sequence involving Perry having a dream about killing his girl/future wife and then having bloodied sex with Leslie). Acting is probably the films best feature Ryan Robbins is fine in what moments Charlie is onscreen as are the female family members, Gregory Smith is good as the innocent Perry and the very attractive Kristen Hager is well cast as Leslie. Ironically the reason I watched this was because king of low grade shock cinema John Waters condemned this film as a cheap tactic and misleading, due in most part to his friendship with the still incarcerated Van Houten. I'll be honest I was spellbound with Hagers performance (damn how much better does a bad film feel with good eye candy) sadly though other than a few moments of nudity this feels like a made for TV real life crime drama (the kind Hallmark screen at the weekends usually after their illness of the week film)
(6 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/manson-my-name-is-evil-2009.html - DirectorGeorge VanBuskirkStarsDana DelanyAndrew McCarthyCaroline LondonEvil invades a children's spiritual retreat.aka Camp Hell
Cautionary tale about the dangers of forcing your adolescent son to read the bible & Dante before bedtime instead of a good comic or girly mag. Wrongly packaged as an horror the plots about a tight knit Christian community's teenage summer camp and the angst the kids feel inside. Anyone old enough to survive their teens remember they're painful enough without the pressure of being sent to a Crazy Christian camp every summer. I feel cheated at being sold this as horror when clearly it isn't, also at fact I was expecting Zombielands Jesse Eisenberg who is in it briefly in a sub story about a teen pushed so far he needed mental care after slicing both his and younger sisters wrists. File under one to avoid & be warned don't think your getting a summer camp teen kill horror flick with religious overtones like I did .
(3 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/camp-hell-2010.html - DirectorEthan ManiquisRobert RodriguezStarsDanny TrejoMichelle RodriguezRobert De NiroAfter being set-up and betrayed by the man who hired him to assassinate a Texas Senator, an ex-Federale launches a brutal rampage of revenge against his former boss.*beep* yeah thanks for blades, bewbs & buckets'o'blood as Rodriguez shameless mexploitation throwback to early 80's action b-movies rides into town on a drop handle Harley. Famously it started life as the most popular mock trailer between his and Tarantinos Grindhouse double bill. Plots about lone Mexican drifter Machete (Trejo) and his attempt to bring down Texas's corrupt leadership and the redneck vigilante border patrol they've set up.The cast fit so well Trejo was born to play the central lead Machete, aiding him are Alba as undercover agent Sartana and Michelle Rodriguez as Luz a underground Mexican freedom fighter. Then theres the brutes Steven Seagal, Don Johnson & legendary FX artist Tom Savini working with Jeff Fahey to get crooked politician De Niro into power. Also added in the mix are Cheech Marin as Machetes stoner Priest brother and Lindsay Lohan (a role echoing her personal life & managing to fit a nod towards exploitation gem MS.45) as a wayward coke fueled socialite turned killer nun.
Thankfully the risk of turning that Grindhouse trailer into a main feature after the luke warm reception & box office they received paid off, as this is far more authentic and a much more rewarding view than both Death Proof & Planet Terror. It starts with its foot firmly down on the accelerator and never takes it off, ticking everything 80's trash cinema ever threw our way while speeding by then delivering us new delights. I swear during the scene Machete intestine bungee jumps from an hospital ward, I had a smile on my face like I was 8 years old again opening gifts on Christmas day. Essential viewing for anyone like myself who grew up seeing Robert Gintys flamethrower/meat grinder killing spree in the classic The Exterminator.
(9 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/machete-2010.html - DirectorYannick DahanBenjamin RocherStarsClaude PerronJean-Pierre MartinsEriq EbouaneyAn end of the world battle between gangsters, cops and zombies.After a colleague gets killed, a vigilante team of cops head out to kill the criminal gang responsible. The thugs headed by a pair of Nigerian brothers hideout in a derelict tower block on the outskirts of Paris. Things go wrong for the police and the gang kill a few members, only they don't stay corpses for long as it seems all Paris's dead are coming back to life. This leaves both parties along with the apartments remaining residents the only option of fighting the zombies together. With a budget rumored to be slightly breaking the one million pound mark the director, cast & crew have made a good modern zombie action romp. Its one flaw being it offers nothing unique, we have already had 28 Days Later's running zombies and apartment block set horrors most similar to Horde being Demons 2. This slight niggle aside its well worth hunting down for zombie fans my favorite bit was the retired soldiers use of a machine gun against the undead hordes, infact it probably uses more guns than any previous zombie film, offering action nuts John Woo levels of gun play & squib use.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/la-horde-2009.html - DirectorRobert TinnellStarsJamieson BoulangerRicky MabePolly ShannonTeenager Earl has a vivid imagination fueled by movies like Frankenstein and Night of the Living Dead (1968).Highly entertaining Canadian childrens fantasy about Earl & Larry Williams, two young boys who have just lost their father Les to an heart attack (he's played in flash backs by Burt Reynolds during his full on wig period). Eldest son Earl is affected most wraping himself even further into a fantasy dreamworld filled with famous monsters era horror icons. Luck lands in the 12 year olds lap one night, while leaving a local carnival he finds a crate they've lost containing a sideshow Frankenstein attraction. So he along with his brother and a handful of friends set about resurrecting it "Insane! was Einstein or err Boris Karloff insane..."
It lovingly captures a childs imaginary world and like the recent Son of Rambo film, it's equally recommended to children as it is to older film affectionados like myself. Earls bedroom is decorated with Universal horror action figures and Famous Monsters of Filmland magazines and posters, best of all his dreams and the tales he tells his younger brother are done as fantastic vintage horror film pastiches these include Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Brides Of Dracula, Night of the Living Dead and The Mummy. Director Robert Tinnell really proves he knows his genre, all though the makeup isn't technically as good as that of Monster Squad it makes it up with atmospheric detail. I loved this flick so much best moment was the NOTLD dream. Sadly other than landing lucky and unearthing a dusty old VHS or finding one of its brief cable TV screenings it hasn't seen the light of day for 15 years, this gem really deserves a modern format release.
(8½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/frankenstein-and-me-1996.html - DirectorLarry BlamireStarsH.M. WynantFrank DietzChristine RomeoJerranium 90, a "little rock" that made all the papers, is buried deep within the Amazon. And everybody wants it, including crooked importer Handscomb Draile, slimy Gondreau Slykes, cheap crook Carl Traeger and evil scientist Dr. Ellamy Royne.8 years after its predecessor comes this thrilling sequel this time coming on more like a throwback to jungle adventures. All the cast return to their roles with the two exceptions, due to being horribly mutilated in the first feature Ranger Brad is replaced by his brother Jungle Brad and the evil Dr Roger Fleming is replaced by his not so evil TV repair man brother Peter Fleming. Same basic plot as the previous Lost Skeleton film the haphazard characters all want to get their hands on a new rock called Jerranium 90, only this time its found in the amazon and guarded by a cantaloup worshiping tribe headed by their queen (If my maths correct its just a tribe of 5) also its under protection of a monster called Magraclop. This time round the skeleton is now a floating skull and thankfully the monsters are still as badly made and humorous as the originals. Sadly though the plot isn't as fresh as the original though the acting seems much better especially Brian Howe turning in another stellar performance and Larry Blamire himself coming across like a bitter Indiana Jones. unfortunately the new characters don't have the same charm as the originals with maybe the exception of the Cantaloupe Queen who comes across best of the new bunch. It was a neat touch when it switches to colour at the point they reach the valley of monsters. Recommended to b-movie lovers its still a wonderfully nostalgic journey which is as much fun fun fun as its bad bad bad.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/lost-skeleton-returns-again-2009.html - DirectorLarry BlamireStarsLarry BlamireFay MastersonBrian HoweA bad scientist and his wife, a mad scientist, a skeleton, and two aliens and their escaped pet are all searching for the elusive element "atmospherium".I must confess to being a little late in finding out about this cult phenomenon, 8 years late in fact when its sequel got released. Its plot revolves around the hunt for Atmospherium which comes from a comet. Hunting for it are a scientist Dr. Paul Armstrong played by its writer/director Larry Blamire, then theres evil scientist Dr. Roger Fleming wonderfully played by Brian Howe who's plan is to resurrect the lost skeleton of Cadavra, thirdly are a pair of aliens Kro-Bar & Lattis who crash landed on earth, they need the Atmospherium to fuel their ship. Also along for the yarn are Paul Armstrongs wife Betty, Animala an hybrid of four woodland animals rrrawww, the local Ranger Brad and a space mutant the aliens where carrying. Its cheap and funny if you're a fan of mystery science theater 3000 and 50's b-movies in general you'll adore the creative dumbed down flick, really does have that nostalgic value of sitting in front of the TV Saturday afternoon being thrilled by cheap and cheerful monsters then safely bringing you back to safety with a smiling cast waving you farewell.
(8 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/lost-skeleton-of-cadavra-2001.html - DirectorRyan NicholsonStarsDebbie RochonDan EllisNathan DashwoodA pregnant prostitute is forced to have a brutal abortion in a dark back alley, an act of sheer violence that will eventually lead to a bloody revenge.Holy mother *beep* hell what we have here folks is the first film since the turn of this millennium thats really sickened me (note this is excluding the odd Asian gore nasty and rare European horror namely Martyrs). In a watered down age like ours mostly thanks to western censorship films like Hanger are few and far between. Strangely though other than the actual killings theres nothing here you don't get on trashy day time TV like Springer. Don't get me wrong with the build up this isn't by any means a great film but it is an exceptionally sleazy one. The films about a truck stop whore who becomes pregnant to one of her regular clients. Only her pimp wont let her go and uses an hanger to drag out the unborn child killing the hooker and leaving the kid mutated. Cut forward to present and the kids grown and living/working in a trash yard, and his father is looking for revenge against the pimp. Younger genre fans will most likely be puzzled at how this kind of film could be made and why its not a Saw or Wrong Turn clone, older fans like myself will instantly get a feeling of a cross between Sonny Boy and Street Trash. Personally I didn't think very much of Hanger but I salute the cast/crew for making such a throwback to exploitation cinema (erm before I forget I've been told whatever you do don't get the rated version its meant to be cut to ribbons).
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/hanger-2009.html - DirectorRob StefaniukStarsRob StefaniukJessica ParéPaul AnthonyA comedy centered on a rock 'n' roll band that will do anything to become famous.Enjoyable vampire musical following a struggling rock bands rise to fame after one of their members gets turned into a vampire. The band along with their French roadie are an interesting enough mix of characters, with base guitarist and backing singer Jennifer well cast as the blood sucking eye candy. Throw into the mix a fun turn by McDowell as the vampire hunting Eddie Van Helsing (including back flashes from his past that includes footage from Lindsay Andersons gem O Lucky Man!). Then theres the rock cameos by Iggy Pop playing an ex pro turned music producer, Alice Cooper as a philosophical vampire barman, Henry Rollins as Rockin' Roger a rock radio jock and funniest of the lot Moby as a meat obsessed punk rocker. Another fun reason classic rock fans will keep interested are the well reenacted classic LP sleeves it pays tribute to these include Beatles Abbey Road, The Who's Kids are Alright, Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A., T. Rex's Electric Warrior. It does feel more in keeping with 80's vampire movies like Vamp or Lost Boys than modern ones but thats not such a problem, if it does have a flaw its that it plays a touch safe at times more for comedic value than scares, but overall a worthwhile watch.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/suck-2009.html - DirectorJuraj HerzStarsJirí MenzelDagmar HavlováJana BrezkováA doctor Marek is shocked when his beloved nurse Mima signs a contract with foreign car manufacturer Ferat, in order to work for them as a rally-driver. A fellow doctor makes him believe that human blood is being used as fuel for Mima's ever winning car, but does that really work?Dr. Marek loses his ambulance driver when she agrees to sign for a secretive new German rally team after their star driver dies in a mysterious crash. Not happy at losing his driver and the woman he fancies, Marek starts to investigate the race team and their car (a black/red Skoda Ferat) leading him to suspect the vehicle runs on blood. This was such a unique concept at the time having an inadament object as the root of evil, a few years after US horror films had become packed with the likes of Christine another car, Evilspeak a computer they even made Attack of the Killer Refrigerator. Also must be noted it predated Cronenbergs Videodrome a film it shares a few close parallels with especially if you put Dr. Mareks throbbing engine dream sequence next to Max Renns living organic TV set. With that said you'd think Ferat would of turned out a more rewarding view. Sadly the characters are boring as hell and so much of the film feels padded out especially during the over long race. Also for me the plot was too ambiguous, never making me sure if what I was watching was real or just the protagonists mental state. Well worth hunting down for fans of the curious, be warned though finding it may be hard because as far as I know other than being lucky enough to stumble over a fan subbed bootleg it has never been given a release outside of Eastern Bloc countrys.
(6 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/ferat-vampire-1981.html - DirectorVincenzo NataliStarsAdrien BrodySarah PolleyDelphine ChanéacGenetic engineers Clive Nicoli and Elsa Kast hope to achieve fame by successfully splicing together the DNA of different animals to create new hybrid animals for medical use.Plots about a pair of genetic scientists Elsa 'Polley' & Clive 'Brody' (they're also a couple and live together), who've spent years on a project involving splicing various animal genes, with the hope at creating a unique stable lifeform. Due to falling funds and failing to see concrete results on paper, the medical company they work for Nucleic Exchange Research & Development (acronym is NERD) wants to shut down their experiment and close their laboratory. Elsa decides to go against all medical ethics and take what they currently know about animal genes and splice in human genes. This leads to a new female lifeform DREN (the Labs name backwards) only its got an accelerated growth rate and quickly grows from a chicken like thing with legs, into a more human looking girl and then young woman (anyone who remembers Sinead O'Connor will be on the right track looks wise). Not wanting to be found out due to the fact Drens grown so much Elsa & Clive take her to a barn they own. Only things take a disturbing turn when Dren wants her freedom....
I wrongly put off watching Splice for at least 6-8 months, maybe due to Brody being in the cast, I'd prejudged it expecting some mild family friendly ethical science-fiction yarn. It's thankfully a touch deeper and far more twisted than that. Director Vincenzo Natali scored a huge hit back in the 90's with the fantastic and original Cube, since then he's made two lesser known but equally respected movies Cypher & Nothing. With Splice he goes for an hybrid of a more science-fiction toned Frankenstein/Dr. Moreau tale, crossed with the perverse psychological body horror of Cronenberg.
The acting is good throughout espeically by Delphine Chaneac who plays Dren (gives a new meaning to the word MILF....'Mutant I'd Like to *beep* Does sadly have a few downsides, starts to get very far fetched towards the end demanding the viewer to give too much disbelief. Also the ending isn't as much a shock as it should of been, due to the fact the story gives a massive hint at Drens outcome earlier on. Ultimately as much as I enjoyed it and recommend it to others its hard to know who the films really aimed at, as I'd guess its too sleazy for the mainstream, yet for at least two thirds of the movie its going to be too cute for horror fans.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/splice-2009.html - DirectorChad FerrinStarsNoah SeganAndrea BunkerEzra BuzzingtonReturning to the medical school where they were test subjects decades ago, a pair of outrageously twisted serial killers use shockingly brutal sex acts to start killing off a group of drugged-out med students.Just before Halloween a gang of medical students break into a hospital, find and use an experimental drug and unearth old medical records and recordings belonging to a pair of brother and sister serial killers. Only things go from bad to worse when the day after the students start to get killed off one by one. For all its flaws director Chad Ferrin along with his crew really try to do something more unusual than your standard lower budget horror flick. sure on the face of it its just a Nightmare on Elm St clone with added sex and drugs. But its Ferrins unique use of sound/music and trippy visuals that lifts this into another zone turning what would of been a run of the mill teen kill film into something much more alternative and independent feeling. Like I mentioned earlier it is a little flawed at times mostly with its pace and slightly derivative plot formula but how can the sight of a fat zombified police officer running down a corridor with a 15 by 4 inch penis not make this a worthwhile view.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/09/someones-knocking-at-door-2009.html - DirectorJack BravmanStarsFred TravalenaGregory CalpakisFlavia CarrozziThe Watergate Plumbers, a poorly-performing college basketball team, lose their best players one by one to death and dismemberment at the hands of a mysterious masked stalker.Comedy/horror that was made way back in 1990 failed to get a release so sat on the shelves until it surfaced on DVD in 2009. Feels like it was made more as a showcase for Fred Travalena's comic talents than as an actual movie, (even though his gags suck he has a wide range of voices) he plays four of the central characters detective, commentator, team manager & training coach. The story for want of a better word is about a college basketball team who are on a six year losing streak, if that was not bad enough someone wearing a basketball head mask starts killing anyone who becomes the teams captain. Doesn't shock me that it didn't see light of day for decades, I'd guess they was trying to make a teen kill movie with Sledgehammer style deadpan humor but it fails on all counts as its not gory (most action is offscreen while huge 60's Batman style Boom/Bangs fill the screen) enough to work as a slasher and not funny enough to work as a comedy. The acting is dire as well with most the dialog suffering huge pauses after its spoken. I doubt even hardcore fans of bad movies will find much worth their attention here maybe a slight laugh once in a while, like the very noticeable bewb tape during a shower scene.
(3 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/07/night-of-dribbler-1990.html - DirectorPaul WeitzStarsChris MassogliaJohn C. ReillySalma HayekTeenager Darren Shan meets a mysterious man at a freak show who turns out to be a vampire. After a series of events, Darren must leave his normal life and go on the road with the Cirque du Freak, becoming a creature of the night.Entertaining kids vampire yarn. Darren and his best friend Steve decide to visit a local feakshow after their school bans its pupils from going. Only one attraction is a vaudeville vampire who ends up turning Darren into his half blood vampire assistant. The two friends end up becoming a key part in a 500 year old battle between vampires and the vampaneze (whom are a slightly more animalistic evil natured breed of vampires). Loads of interesting characters including a snake boy, wolfman, Salma Hayek still hot as the bearded lady and a Vincent Price'esc vampire played by Willem Dafoe. Sure its aimed at kids but what it lacks in blood and fangs it makes up for in comic action.
(6½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/02/cirque-du-freak-vampires-assistant-2009.html - DirectorOren PeliStarsKatie FeatherstonMicah SloatMark FredrichsAfter moving into a suburban home, a couple becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence.I will confess to being extremely late in reviewing this due to having my fill of reality camcorder horror with the likes of Blair Witch,[Rec], Cloverfield and hell in England we even got a Big Brother zombie spin off Dead Set. So years after the release/re-release and so much hype came a rainy day & too much time on my hands I decided I'd give it a whirl, well that and the fact I'd figured I should watch it before the sequel comes out. Plots simple a young woman Katie who's had the feeling she has been followed most her life by some malevolent spirit along with her boyfriend Micah decide to film her in the hope of capturing evidence and maybe even some resolve to her situation. Slow building and well made and you've always got to throw some respect to anything that was made with such a small budget yet still manages to capture such a massive market. Sure it had the odd creepy moment & the couples likeable enough, but its trouble is like all reality entertainment & dare I say our own lives most the time its kinda dull (I mean damn seeing a couple lounge on a sofa knitting or using a laptop is not fun). For me the few brief scares did not warrant this as a worthy view and I fear I'll feel the same about its sequel, better than I'd expected but just was not for me I guess.
(6 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2010/02/paranormal-activity-2007.html - DirectorLars von TrierStarsWillem DafoeCharlotte GainsbourgStorm Acheche SahlstrømA grieving couple retreat to their cabin in the woods, hoping to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage, but nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse.Lars Von Trier's head on collision about handling grief and depression and facing your inner demons. Its visionary arresting psychological arthouse horror at its startling best. The premise is about a couple he/she who lose their son. Being a psychologist himself and not trusting others to do the job he tries to help his wife come to terms with her grief and guilt over her loss, to do this he suppresses his own feelings and anxieties. As the healing process moves along they take a break at their remote countryside retreat Eden, things start to break down as he discovers dark truths about she's mental state prior to the death of their son.
Lars Von Trier hasn't tackled horror since his seminal television mini series Riglet, during early production of Antichrist he supposedly had a massive mental breakdown. Rewriting the script as he recovered, this more than likely added to the intense story. Its covered in symbolism and has a slightly pagan feel but at its core its an horror about personal darkness, something sadly we all face from time to time. Features sublime performances from both Willem Dafoe & Charlotte Gainsbourg, and jaw dropping cinematography. With the recent influx of genre gems like Martyrs & Let The Right One In its the single best period in horror since the late 70's early 80's when the likes of Cronenberg, Carpenter & Romero produced their best works. Haters will call Antichrist overly ambiguous and self-indulgent even misogynistic, which to some degree it is but I really enjoyed it so needless to say Antichrist comes highly recommended.
(8½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/09/antichrist.html - DirectorJohn HarrisonStarsJonas ArmstrongSophie WardClive RussellA paranormal expert discovers a house that is at the intersection of so-called "highways" transporting souls in the afterlife.Downbeat and subdued horror yarn based on Clive Barkers short tale Book Of Blood. The story starts with Simon (played by Jonas Armstrong of BBC's Robin Hood fame, though it should be noted here he gives a much more mature performance) hes a badly scarred loner on the run from his past. He is found by a psychopathic man who's been hired to retrieve the poor souls skin, only the mans curious why and demands the youth to tell. Simon tells him that he was helping a college professor Mary Florescu (Sophie Ward) and her assistant Reg on a paranormal study. They ended in a house that was believed to be an intersection among the souls of the dead and those of the living. Only instead of finding conclusive truth about the afterlife, the poor young man was used as a human flesh book for the spirits to type their thoughts into.
First must be noted that this film I doubt will go down very well with your typical slasher/zombie horror fan. Even though as the screen-grabs show it does have gore and a few violent set pieces its much slower and more of a psychological *beep* of a movie than is usually dished up. I personally liked it even though it did drag in places and feel very much like a made for British TV drama in other places reminded me of the type of kinky suggestive films Ken Russell used to make. Sure it's no Hellraiser but it did feel like a return to the less flashy more story driven Barker era of old. Best suited for the more patient and adventurous viewers.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/05/book-of-blood-2008.html - DirectorMatthew BrightStarsGary OldmanPeter DinklageKate BeckinsaleThe story of a peculiar love triangle involving two brothers.Not funny enough to be a comedy and too stupid a premise to be taken seriously no wonder this height challenged drama had problems trying to find a market. Carol played by Beckinsale thinks shes found her dream man in firefighter Steve, only shortly before getting married and just after learning shes pregnant she finds out Steve's family are all dwarfs. Sounds dumb and it is, Gary Oldman on his knees and with the help of computer tricks plays Steve's twin dwarf brother Rolfe, who helps Carol come to terms with her worries about possibly carrying a dwarf baby. Matthew Bright who directed the awesome freeway manages to make midgets unfunny something that's hard to achieve, he's not helped by the dubious plot. Not even the comedic idea of Oldman doing an entire movie as a dwarf makes it worthwhile, so unless you're in the need of a turkey leave this mini curiosity alone.
(3 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/05/tiptoes-2003.html - DirectorMichael CortStarsJames Robertson JusticeCharles HawtreyRobin HawdonA race of sexy women from Angvia, a planet in another dimension, comes to Earth to kidnap women to repopulate their planet.Light weight James Bond styled sex farce with a science-fiction plotline. Secret agent James Word of department five is given a mission to try and foil an all female alien race who are kidnapping females to help expand their society. It isn't by any stretch of the word a great movie, for starters the actings substandard, but the funky swinging 60's sets and visuals help move the clunky story along. The films bond played by Robin Hawdon comes across more like Mark Wahlbergs Dirk Digler than Connery's Bond.
(5½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/04/zeta-one-1969.html - DirectorRobert HallStarsBobbi Sue LutherKevin GageLena HeadeyA young girl wakes up in a casket with a head injury and no memory of her identity. She quickly realizes she was abducted by a serial killer and she must fight to survive.A woman who's unable to remember her name or how she got there awakens to find herself locked in a coffin in a creepy morgue. Not long after managing to escape the coffin she finds out she's being stalked by a chrome masked killer who enjoys filming his murders on a shoulder mounted camera. Hyper violent 80's feeling stalk and slasher that's got loads of problems #1 it sports a badly muddled cliché riddled plot (that doesn't have a single bit of story on its killer) #2 It's got very problematic character development and #3 it's poorly acted (has to be said mostly from its lead actress Bobbi Sue Luther). All that said even with its obvious flaws it does have enough to keep the casual horror nut happy, as its packed with wickedly over the top gore and is full of jaw dropping wonderfully handled set pieces that are bound to please the gore hounds (shame in someways the FX wasn't used on a tighter scripted movie).
(6 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/04/laid-to-rest-2009.html - DirectorAdam FieldsStarsAmber BensonJason GrahamCharles NapierA hostile alien wreaks havoc on the cast and crew of an adult movie.Not as successful as the other detached penis on a killing spree movie from 2008 Frank Henenlotter's Bad Biology, One Eyed Monster is none the less an enjoyable cheese ball romp. Plots about a porn shoot in a remote mountain area. Only instead of big bangs on set its lead actor none other than Ron Jeremy (here playing himself) whom gets the biggest bang in the form of a being hit by a comet. Later on while shooting the films first sex scene his penis detaches and tries to kill a female pornstar. Jeremy dies but his penis flees and ends up going on a drilling'n'killing spree. You know with such a silly premise you're in for a leave your brains at the door and have a giggle viewing session. Highlights Russ Meyer mainstay Charles Napier turning up as an alcoholic nam vet, mocking a Vietnam horror story very much in the vein of Christopher Walken as Captain Koons with that classic dead soldiers watch up the ass scene in Pulp Fiction. The spin here though is Napier goes on about his troop being attacked by a monstrous cock. Not great by any stretch but cheesy movie fans should find enough meat here to make it worth a view.
(6 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/04/one-eyed-monster-2008.html - DirectorRomano VanderbesStarsNorman RoseSekaBo DerekA mondo film showcasing various aspects of the American underbelly including porn stars, war vets, gun lovers, horny animals, sororities, rednecks, muggers, drugs, gangs, prostitutes, bank robberies, sex in public, morgues, and neo-Nazis.aka This Is America Part 3
Last outing of the This Is America films, this time feels slightly more fake and acted though still bizarre and entertaining. Highlights this time round include a warped church where they claim Santa clause is really Satan and a white supremacy clan summer camp for kids.
(6 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/04/this-is-america-part-3-1990.html - DirectorRomano VanderbesStarsNorman RoseAlan AdrianKandi BarbourThe atrocities on display here include animal motels, Captain Sticky- a super-hero, restaurants that offer genital-shaped foods, homeless bums living in the sewers of New York.Romano Vanderbes back on the film making side and Norman Rose back on narrating duty for the second of the This Is America trilogy. Things kick off slightly louder this time with a performance by The Dictators doing a version of America the Beautiful while the titles role, then right into piece about punk star Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedy's running for mayor of San Francisco. Then back into a more This Is America feeling segment about a crazy fat bloke called Captain Sticky. Among some of the other more interesting segments we get a look at underground vagrants, a piranha attack, martial arts nuns, a family of worm eaters, a drug abusing church and ends with a death row electrocution. For me this is the best entry of the series due to a more varied balance of odd subjects.
(7½ out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/04/this-is-america-part-2-1977.html - DirectorRomano VanderbesStarsBree AnthonyFanne FoxeC.J. LaingDocumentary about bizarre and unusual practices in the USA.aka Jabberwalk, This Is America
Though Less shocking than Italian mondo films this American based documentary is more fun to watch, it also spawned 2 sequels. Norman Rose narrates in a playful style very much like a Disney nature show. Among the many segments in this first entry are a Miss All Bare America contest, a fly in bordello, an orgiastic porn awards ceremony including pornstar Ron Jeremy, genital tattoos, devil worshipers and sex toys. Well worth hunting down and at just over the hour and half mark it makes for a fun party tape.
(7 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/04/this-is-america-1977.html - DirectorTommy WirkolaStarsJeppe Beck LaursenCharlotte FrognerJenny SkavlanA ski vacation turns horrific for a group of medical students, as they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies.Rightly hyped since its inclusion in sundance and various other festivals this horror/comedy packs enough gore and humour to make its 90 minutes fly by so quickly. Has to be said plots thin and been done to death its the oft told tale of vacationing youths holding up in a remote cabin meeting a sticky end, thankfully this time its set in a snow filled area and got Nazi zombies (these are explained by a strange backpacker who tells them the cabin was on the location where a Nazi general Herzog hid treasure he'd stolen during WWII). Doesn'T take long before said backpacker and the youths are getting set upon by hordes of undead. Tommy Wirkola Dead Snows director thankfully knows and loves his horrors and makes the whole thing work, Evil Dead 1+2 and Friday the 13th get mentioned and one of the first victims wears a Braindead t-shirt as he has his head ripped apart. The film really gathers pace towards its final 3rd when its an all out blood fight for survival with everything from be-headings by snow-bike to one truly amusing penis chomping scene. Lasse Valdal the actor playing snow biker Vegard comes across as super cool hope to see him in other movies, also looking forward to seeing what Wirkola serves up next hope like his heroes Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson he keeps getting better and delivering the goods.
(8 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/03/dead-snow-2009.html - DirectorPascal LaugierStarsMorjana AlaouiMylène JampanoïCatherine BéginA young woman's quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend, who is also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity.France over the last few years has been one of the few countries that's refused to shy away from controversial film subjects. Thanks to the likes of Catherine Breillat,Philippe Grandrieux and Gaspar Noé its been one of the few places the Bush era Christian cinema clean up brigade hasn't managed to infect. Thankfully we can add Pascal Laugier to that list of incendiary directors. With Martyrs (his 3rd feature after Brotherhood of the Wolf and St. Ange) he not only chruns out another classy euro horror but almost single handedly gives the genre its balls back something in all fairness its lacked since the halcyon days of the 70s with films like the Exorcist. Martyrs subject is so bleak and hard going that few people I'd doubt will make it to its conclusion, but those who do will be in for one hell of a dark ride.
Plots relatively simple its about a underground society that tortures and breaks peoples spirits to the point of them dying inside yet their bodies still living, this takes months of systematic dehumanising with the hope the martyr can reveal what happens during death. The film starts with a back-flash of Lucie an escapee that's partially been converted to the point she's hallucinating but still here in spirit. She's sent to an home where she's befriended by a girl who's similar age Anna. Cut to present and Lucie thinks she's found her tormentors and sets about getting closure to the horrors she was put through years before, this leads Anna to get involved also.
Pants wettingly scary film I'm sat here days after viewing thinking holy *beep* what have I just put myself through. Rare a film has the impact to stick in your mind after the credits finish rolling let alone days after viewing. Everything about this film oozes class and sophistication the sets are glossy and expensive looking the acting especially from its two female leads Morjana 'Anna' Alaoui and Mylène 'Lucie' Jampanoï is jaw droppingly good, likewise is the nilistic graphic nature of the FX and make-up. I doubt I'll recommend a film as much this year but be warned its immensely bleak and disturbing. Pascal Laugier is being lined up to do Clive Barkers Cenebites justice with the Hellraiser remake I for one couldn't think of someone as fitting for the job. On the sader side Martyrs as been picked up by 20th Century Fox for the dreaded US remake.
(9 out of 10)
http://cultdb.blogspot.com/2009/03/martyrs-2008.html