Channel Zero Series

The CHANNEL ZERO offerings are very solid and are filled with fantastic visual eye candy and creepy tales. The stories are based on "CREEPYPASTAS" which are basically online creepy tales created by online users. The lore is always something strange and creepy that is supposed to be based on true events.

Is that enough to support watching the episodes?

YUP!

There are currently two series from the CHANNEL ZERO - Candle Cove and No-End House.



CHANNEL ZERO - Candle Cove
Now I thought this was the more solid offering between the two. A child psychologist heads back home to see if his twin brother's disappearance has something to do with this creepy show that used to reveal itself to children on seemingly blank TV screens. The parents never new what happened all those years ago when children started disappearing and acting ever so strange. What will this investigation unearth?

The story and characters here are grand. The complexity of the story and backstory and what the past does to those living now was really rather interesting. The creepy figures that make appearances in the show are really the stuff of nightmares. And, since both series are only six episodes long, CANDLE COVE doesn't overstay it's welcome.

CHANNEL ZERO - No-End House
In this one, the story revolves around a mysterious house that appears in various locations at random times for a few nights, then disappears. People are notified of it's location through strange videos that play randomly on phones and TVs. If you find the magic horror attraction, you'll be lucky enough to walk through six rooms that will change your life. But...what is the house and what are it's plans for you?

I had different feelings about this section. While the concept was great, I felt that it was a little too long and that it would have been a super solid, four episode series instead of the six episodes it took to tell the tale. The otherworldly feel of it also removed it from feeling like it could happen to you in your world, so some of the post viewing creep factor was removed. However, it did bring a lot to the table and was a far more emotional experience than Candle Cove for me, even though I found it lighter on the creep factor.

Both are currently running on SHUDDER here in the US at the time of this posting.

Well worth a viddy...AFTER you watch Netflix's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, that is!

Two new offerings are around on SYFY - CHANNEL ZERO:  Butcher's Block and The Dream Door. Butchers Block looks like it will be interesting, but I fear that it might substitute strange visuals for story. DREAM DOOR looks very creepypasta and seems to have more of the CHANNEL ZERO feel I dug from Candle Cove. We shall see.

Marilyn Manson - Tattooed In Reverse (Music Video)

More Marilyn Manson goodness here with Tattooed In Reverse. A nice find passed along from Agent Krista B.


Some cool, freaky visuals that we here at the HORROR SHOW just love. This time, Mr. MM picked Courtney Love to be his guest star and she tears it up as a wicked nurse in the video. Nice to see that they decided to kiss...or kill...and make up. :) It would have been nice to see her a bit more, like Mr Depp in pervious videos. But, beggars can't be choosers. heh

NSFW!  Well, depending on where you work.

Who is this beauty? None of the articles seem to say - overshadowed by C. Love, sadly

"Twins of Evil - The Second Coming" tour dates:

Jul. 11 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Center 
Jul. 14 - St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater 
Jul. 15 - Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater 
Jul. 17 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
Jul. 18 - Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Center 
Jul. 20 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Veteran’s United 
Jul. 21 - Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live 
Jul. 24 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Pavilion 
Jul. 25 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Keybank Pavilion 
Jul. 26 - Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage 
Jul. 29 - Bangor, ME @ Waterfront Darling's Pavilion 
Aug. 07 - Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach 
Aug. 08 - Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center 
Aug. 09 - Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion 
Aug. 11 - Hartford, CT @ The Xfinity Theatre 
Aug. 12 - Darien lake, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater 
Aug. 14 - Atlanta, GA @ Cellairis Amp at Lakewood 
Aug. 16 - Dallas, TX @ Starplex Pavilion
Aug. 17 - Austin, TX @ Austin 360 
Aug. 18 - Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 
Aug. 20 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center 
Aug. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheater 
Aug. 24 - Chula Vista, CA @ Mattress Firm Amphitheater
Aug. 25 - Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena 
Aug. 26 - Phoenix, AZ @ AK Chin Pavilion 
Aug. 28 - Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion
Aug. 29 - Irvine, CA @ Fivepoint Amphitheater 

Blade of the Ripper

Blade of the Ripper aka The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh is a 1971 giallo film directed by Sergio Martino and staring the fabulous....Edwige Fenech. :::sigh:::

Ok, now that that's out of the way. :::grin:::

When the film started, I had a bit of an eye roller moment. A woman is killed horribly with a razor and I wasn't sure I wanted to see another TORSO-like hack and slash film. This film was directed by Sergio Marino of TORSO fame, so I wasn't sure if it was in the same arena. Then, poor Edwidge gets slapped around and her dress ripped off and I did another eye roll. However, once that business is out of the way, things started getting rather interesting.

Edwige plays Julia Wardh - the wife of a diplomat. They get along, but are not fab together. Not as well as she gets along with George Hamilton - her lover George Corro. She plays the game of being the good wife and even better lover, going from one man to the other in a kind of dance. When her old lover resurfaces, she's scared of just what he's capable of. As more murders happen around her, she starts to think that one of these men may be madman with the blade. But, which one?

I don't want to say much more about the plot here. It would be rather easy to spoil.  Suffice it to say that this is a great offering and well worth a watch. It's shot well, there are some fun set pieces, and there is a lot going on.

This film really turned around for me. I was half paying attention through much of the first act, but as things start to shift, I got a happy little smile on my face. "Ahhhh...I see what you're up to, movie. I see." I loved the shifts through the film and it's definitely a new gialli fave.

Suspiria 4K Restored Version at The New Parkway Theater

I got to check out the 4K restored version of Suspiria showing at The New Parkway Theater in Oakland CA  last night with my wife and it was...fantastic. Crisp, bright, and lush - like watching a completely new film.  For those of you who have not been to the New Parkway, it's quite an experience. It's the "local theater" that I remember going to as a child growing up in Novato California - small, sweet, and friendly. Not big box branded. Not filled with glitz and Coke ads. Just two theaters showing current and past films. And, there's more. Much more. 

One theater has cool theater style seats with a selection of other seats and bean bag chairs on two levels. The other theater has an even more eclectic collection of seats, booths, sofas, and chairs in a large theater space. It's super comfortable. Like watching in your living room. But...that's NOT all! 

They also have beer, wine, various other beverages, fresh popcorn, and full meals. In short, the ideal date place. A one stop shop for the film lover who wants things to be more plush than polished...generic. And the staff is super friendly.  Ya need to go if you're in the area. But, enough about them! hehehe

Suspiria on the big screen was a first for me. My wife and I went and I wasn't sure how she was going to take it. She's not a horror fan, but she does like films, so I was curious to see what her take away was going to be. Turns out she enjoyed the film and thought many aspects were interesting. She also knew that I loved it, so I think she was even more forgiving. Seeing as the film started at 10:30pm (when we're usually in bed), I was extra pleased that she made it through. 

I saw things in this restored version that I had never noticed before. Up until now, many aspects of the film were either too dark or too grainy to make out. The level of detail and the crispness of the images were fantastic. The audio quality was fantastic as well and I was able to really sink into the experience on all fronts. Literally like watching a new film. 

The one thing that I wasn't 100% on was the red level at the theater. I wasn't sure if it was the theater's projection or if I just happened to be seeing the film the way it was SUPPOSED to be rather than how I've been seeing it up until now. I remembered the red being far more punchy, but maybe the restored version is a bit more tame. That didn't stop me from enjoying the HELL out of the viewing, however. 

If you get a chance to see the restored version in the theater - GO!

Now, I pre-ordered the SYNAPSE FILMS version of the 4K steelbook, so I'm not feeling bad about using their images below! :)   I can not wait to get this baby. I'm not sure what it is about this film, but I just love it to death. I can't wait to see a non-projected version of the film in my home...in the deep dark. Of course, I may need to get a better TV.....hmmmm...   :)

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House

I made time to watch I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House and I'm glad I did. Let me start off by saying a BUNCH of people are going to HATE this film. It's been my experience that when a film is a slow, slow burn people detest it. When it takes it's time and drifts around a bit with no jump scares or super loud music ques to pop them away from time to time, they moan and grumble about it being boring like a petulant three year old in line at the grocery store.

However I love these films. I sink in and snuggle in to them like I'm huddled in a warm blanket. Films like The Innkeepers and other Ti West fair and lovely, novel-like dreams like The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh make me incredibly happy in their quiet, calm pace. It really is a little like reading a good book to me. I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House is just that in spades.


The film tells the tale of Lily (Ruth Wilson), a nurse taking care of an elderly writer named Iris Blum (the wondrous Paula Prentiss). The house was built ages ago and has a secret. Standard stuff here, of course, but the cast of six makes it interesting. It's a gothic haunted house tale, but the delivery is what makes it something I found to be all at once creepy and beautiful. Prose opens the story and should act like a weeding out process. If the glacier-like pace of the intro bothers you, just wrap it up and stop watching because the whole of the film is the same way really.

Lily putters around the house and takes care of Iris, but slowly comes to realize that there's something other than the two of them present in the home. A small mystery for Lily to look into while she tries to keep herself busy, things rapidly escalate and twist into something surprisingly effective.

And....thank you Oz Perkins for your grand story and simple direction. We're allowed to roam through the old house with Lily - sweeping along bright hallways and empty rooms, but are never smacked around with bombastic scores, audio assaults to underline horror elements, or hyper-kinetic camera moves to emphasize distress. We're just shown what we are meant to see. And that in and of itself is very creepy, brooding, and gloomy in a wondrous, gothic way. Netflix knocks out another fantastic original offering!

I was locked onto the screen the whole time - my phone face down and away so I would not miss a frame. It looks like five out of the eight reviews on METACRITIC (at the time of me writing this) agree that the film is well worth a watch with the other three seeming to be in the camp of the three year old I discussed in the opening paragraph. :::grin::: 

If you want a great story in the vein of classic haunted house stories of the past - along the lines of the fantastic works of M. R. James, please give I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House a watch and let me know what you think.  Currently available on NETFLIX.

The Stendhal Syndrome

The Stendhal Syndrome is not one of Argento's stronger movies, but it's a movie that is packed with interesting parts. I believe that may be the best way to approach this film - viewing it as a film of parts and halves.

According to the WIKI:
Stendhal syndrome, Stendhal's syndrome, hyperkulturemia, or Florence syndrome is a psychosomatic disorder that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion and even hallucinations when an individual is exposed to an experience of great personal significance, particularly viewing art.

The spoiler free review is simple.

Dario's daughter, Asia Argento, plays Det. Anna Manni. When we meet her, she's rather frantically exploring a museum and we're not sure what she's doing there. She strolls through, viewing the paintings and artworks with a sort of crazy desperation. She collapses after seeing artwork come to overwhelming life before her. As she starts to come to her senses, we find out that she's a detective on the trail of a serial rapist/murderer. Unfortunately, it seems she's the object of his obsessions - a pet project. She catches up with him, but he gets the upper hand and has his way with her violently. And so begins their odd, destructive, violent, and horrifying relationship.

I won't say much more to avoid spoilers.

Hitchcock had to be the influence for this film - there is a Hitchcock vibe throughout the film in the introduction of characters, pace, lighting and framing, and plot development. It's very interesting to compare this to something like Vertigo which is another film of halves. There are Brian De Palma aspects to the film as well, especially in the lighting and the use of shadows. Of course, Dario Argento is no stranger to fantastic lighting - I would never say that he was just copying other directors. Not at all.



The Stendhal effects in the film are rather wild. Artwork slowly slips into life with sounds and vibrancy, then eventually Det. Manni actually interacts with the artwork and is able to move inside the art itself. There are some stunning scenes in this film.

Asia is adorable as always and manages to stretch a bit as an actress here. She really gives her all and runs a full range of emotion from whimpering, helpless damsel to aggressive wildcat.  I thought she did a grand job working with the acting tools at her disposal.

Thomas Kretschmann plays a wondrous horror as the rapist. He went on to play Dracula in Argento's Dracula 3D...which I actually kinda liked, though everyone HATED it! hehehe  My expectations were subterranean. He's a monster in Stendhal as well - an evil creature. Marco Leonardi is also in this, though his acting and the role is a major step down from CINEMA PARADISO, I have to say.

Now, I watched this as part of my GIALLO OCTOBER fest - now to be referred to as...wait for it....

GIALLOCTOBER FEST 2016!   :)

However, this really doesn't fit into my definition of classic giallo or even horror to be honest. More like "giallo light"or classic thriller. However there are still giallo-like elements at play here. And, the film is very heavy on some major dramatic elements as well.

The subject matter is rough, for sure. Very hard to watch. Brutal acts of violent rape are portrayed, albeit as tastefully as they could possibly be. I'm not even sure there is any nudity in the film. There are several non-sexual acts of violence as well, but unlike other Argento films like DEEP RED, they are not overplayed and could possibly be counted on one hand, really. Another interesting aspect of the film.

The film is long. Too long. It could have easily told the same story with a tight 90 to 100 minute running time. At roughly 2 hours in length, it's easily split into two stories. However, the time isn't completely wasted. Argento looked like he was trying to create something beyond what he had before artistically and it shows. It's visually interesting throughout and packed with visual and audio style choices that add to the overall "edge of sanity"feel of the film.

It was obvious to me that Dario Argento was trying to make a statement with the film. The last few scenes of the film really hit home for me and helped to erase any lingering feelings of the film's running time being too long or the story being thin in parts out of my mind - it's a powerful wrap up for a story that was surprisingly deep and effective.

Other Argento films should be watched before this, but The Stendhal Syndrome should definitely be part of any Argento fan's viewing list. Check it!

A great soundtrack as well! (below)

Heir - Fantastic body horror creep fest!

I finally got the chance to see the deliciously goopy HEIR from 2015 and loved it. Where to begin?!

We have a cast of three in this odd, visual tale about a very disturbing meet up between a man, his son, and a very disturbing Bill Oberst Jr.  Something isn't right - we know that much, but exactly how wrong things are becomes shockingly apparent rather quickly. I don't want to say much more than that.

Robert Nolan's performance as the Father in the piece is grand as well. The pairing of Nolan - with a seemingly good nature and kindness in his eyes - with the snake-like menace that Oberst brings into play makes for a fantastic amount of tension and dread on screen. The acting really set this as a solid film.


The lack of a clearly defined "here's exactly what's happening" storyline may upset some, but the fact that the tale is woven far enough to let the viewer actively try to sort out what's going on made me very happy and reminded me of 1983's Cronenberg classic VIDEODROME in many ways - especially is amazing body horror packed into this 14 minute chiller.  There is clearly a huge backstory here and the fact that it's not handed to you was something that I found to be very interesting. "What the hell is up here?" It was grand to see such a well executed return of body horror within HEIR. It's well done and had my upper lip curled back in a sneer as I watched muttering a low, "Ewww...." under my breath. Ha! Fun stuff.

Richard Powell's writing and Direction is fluid and nightmarish. The visuals play out as the kinetic camerawork captures the events in a stylish, yet simple way. The viewer is allowed to float along as a witness to the strange events playing out without being subjected to an obnoxious, jump scare inducing score or overly jumpy camera moves.

I loved HEIR and can not wait to take in Powell's other short FAMILIAR soon.
(( I ended up watching it RIGHT after I posted this - I couldn't wait! ))

We really need a feature film!

HEIR TEASER https://youtu.be/mGqipCK6uQg

The Big Bad

I just caught an odd little film called THE BIG BAD and I enjoyed the hell out of it.  This genre film really makes an effort to be different and to bring that difference to the table in spades. It's a styled and crafted fairy tale for the time and it's well written and executed. I wish I had watched it around 2am or 4am like I did with THE STRANGE COLOR OF YOUR BODY'S TEARS.  That would have been perfect - this film has the same dream / nightmare quality to it.

Bryan Enk's Direction is fun. It has a little NIGHT GALLERY, 70s horror vibe to the whole of it. The camera is kinetic and wild as it takes in all of these strange sights and sounds. 

Jessi Gotta wrote the story and stars in the film, which is interesting. I think she does a grand job in the role. The writing is very "fairy tale" and it hits a few fun moments throughout the storytelling. It's wild stuff. A little rough around the edges at times - sure, but well worth the view. It's highly entertaining.


Now, mind you, this is a lower budget feature and I'm sure people can poke holes in it left and right, tossing stones around in their glass houses. hehe  However, I liked the newness and the craft of the tale. I found myself smiling and thinking how nice it was to see something different roll through. I wasn't even second guessing where it was going. I was just happy to be along for the ride...wherever we were going.

The plot is rather straight forward. A woman is "searching for the monster that destroyed her family" so she can get her revenge. She meets a wild cast of characters along the way and goes deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole as she gets closer and closer to the monster she's searching for. But, what a strange journey our Alice - Frankie Ducane (Jessi Gotta) - takes along the way.

It's currently streaming on NETFLIX as of the time of this posting - check it out when you're in the mood for something that leans towards the strange and dreamlike.

Jessi Gotta's 2013 film - THEY WILL OUTLIVE US ALL - needs to be watched now! I need to check it out. It looks like she produced a short in 2014, but has not done anything since. I hope she hasn't stopped writing. I dig her voice.

Mario Bava Movie Mash

I recently checked out for more Mario Bava films. I'm a huge fan of THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH and BLACK SABBATH. A BAY of BLOOD is always a hoot as well, that strange film. I wanted to add some more titles to my list to get a good feel for Bava's works. The lighting and camera style is always pleasing and I wanted to see if it carried through to his other movies. It seems like it does!

I didn't love these films like I loved the work above, but they were good to see. They held my interest and some where so strange and crazed that they seemed like the stuff of nightmares. Pulled from someone's bad dream and placed on film. Rather cool if you dig that style.

And, as with this years new change, I'm going to keep these reviews short, sweet and to the point.




LISA and the DEVIL (1973)
This was a strange one for sure. Elke Sommer plays Lisa who stumbles her way through the streets of Italy and bumps into Telly "Who Loves Ya, Baby" Savalas who is buying a mannequin in some shop. And, oddly, that's not the strange part. SOMEHOW, Lisa gets lost again and....oh man....
Lisa ends up in a spooky mansion with a strange, Bava cast of characters including Telly again. The dummy he purchased is real....then it's not. There's a blind woman...but she's not blind. Her son...who seems.....not sane.  More dummy action. More crazy Telly WITH signature lollipop (KOJAK was in full swing in 1973).
This film had me wondering WHAT was going on out loud several times and I had to push through in some areas, but then the cool factor came into play. The film is bonkers, but it seems like a dream or nightmare. It has dream logic throughout and that makes it interesting and worth a viddy.

 

5 DOLLS for an AUGUST MOON (1970)
This was the weakest in this group for sure. I wasn't invested at all. There's a plot that had me yawning and at one point - I'll be honest, I wasn't watching at all. A group of people at a beach house and a plot to get a load of money. People die. :::shrug:::  The end. Not for me.

"He didn't like us, Dear. Stop writhing around and get me another drink."   :)

KILL BABY, KILL (1966)
Back on the dream logic train! WHOOO WHOOOOOOOOOOO!   :)
This is a very HAMMER feeling piece. Three years after SABBATH, this film has a similar feel -  a turn-of-the-century Carpathian village. Spooky ally shots, fog and the signature Bava lighting and shadows had me smiling. This small town has a ghost going round exacting vengeance. People in town are dispatched in various, bloody ways as a small ghost child peers through windows 32 years before the ghost of Sadako crawls out of the well in THE RING. :)

The dashing doctor and the ravishing blonde have to find out what's going on in Villa Graps before they are dispatched as well.
Fun story and some great visuals here for sure.

 
HATCHET for the HONEYMOON (1970)
Again, 30 years before Patrick Bateman in AMERICAN PSYCHO, there was John Harrington in HATCHET. More mommy issues and crazy, dashing dudes in this thriller. But, they do the same American Psycho deal here - not the classic giallo black glove killer treatment. We know dude is crazy right from the start. HE tells us he is. He's bonkers and hates his wife. However, things take a few interesting turns as the cops try to catch the killer cat and mouse style. Fun stuff.

AMERICAN PSYCHO

HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON

"I'm a winner."

So, I think the winner here was KILL BABY, KILL because it was the most consistent and steady with a solid story and some really creepy shots. The nightmare feel was strong and the lighting rang the BAVA BELL - light and dark, shadows and colors that I just eat up with a spoon! :) LISA and the DEVIL was fun as well, but in a more wacky vein. It's a strange one.



Bava is still up there in my top Horror Director list. 

All of these are available on NETFLIX STREAMING as of the time of this posting.