Published by Steven Tee February 14th, 2011
in NEWS.
Nudie Cuties and sexploitation producer David F. Friedman died of heart failure on Monday. Friedman was a very important man for the now Something Weird video catalogue. If he wasn’t around, a few of those obscure, sometimes silly, fright flicks would not have been around today – especially some of the Herschell Gordon Lewis films.
Friedman produced films that are too obscure and too outrageous for most naive audiences and these films are still considered too risky and continue to be banned from certain countries today.
To name a few, he produced the following:
Two Thousand Maniacs!
Ilsa: She-Wolf of the SS
Blood Feast
That’s Sexploitation
The Erotic Adventures of Zorro
Nude Django
2001 Maniacs
Continue reading ‘R.I.P. David F. Friedman (1923 – 2011)’
The Ancient Romans believed that they could harness one’s sou by capturing a dying person’s last breath. Fast forward centuries later to the twentieth century, this witchcraft idealism is more than just a myth – its a reality. Used collectibles and chotchkies store owner Susan Jordan has only months the live as a disease rips apart her insides and she strives to find a cure by any means possible. Raif Collins enters her store and desperately wants an antique box that she has in her possession; to Collins the box is worth thousands. After doing research on the box, Susan discovers that the weathered item was once possessed by a doctor of unusual practices in prolonging life and ridding incurable ailments. Susan immediate opens the box that gives her her life back, but she also releases the evils of what could be Pandora’s box in a single breath.
Published by Steven Tee October 7th, 2010
in NEWS.
What do Evil Head, Porno Holocaust and Porn of the Dead have in common? I’ll give you one guess. That’s right, they’re all horror films with the filthy, dirty side of sex! One of the Wicked Pictures latest endeavors The Wicked is no different as we follow five friends who think whats waiting for them is drugs, sex and rock-n-roll but what they stumble into is a vampire stricken desert. The Wicked, however, isn’t just your run of the mill horror porn parody; it offers up a big of homage to a couple of horror stables in mainstream land. The Wicked plays out a lot of like The Forsaken (2001), a modernized western vampire blood bath. Also, the two vampire slayers (played by super busty blond Stormy Daniels and porn actor whose name escapes me) are named “Baby” and “Otis” – straight out of Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects (2005).
Putting trust in the seasoned hands of experienced film directors and screenplay writers to successfully, and sometimes miraculously, produce a film that will shock, awe and make a shit ton of money is as easy as throwing a coin into a fountain, but putting trust into unknown directors and even unknown writers on one, solitary project is risky business and usually by the end’s ordeal, you’ll willing want to struggle to throw those amateur auteurs into the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Glendale Production Company did what I just had laid out as they brought in long time camera operator and cinematographer (Teenage Tramp and Hell House Girls) Peter Newbrook to direct and the Beers – no, not the kind you get shitfaced to – but screenwriters Christina and Laurence Beers to tackle an intriguing, yet outdated, science fiction horror film of the early 70′s – The Asphyx! What could have been a tremendous successful film with a tale of originality turned to a more darker path of being second-rate substance with a cheesiness that no snubbed nose rat could refuse. Not all is lost as The Asphyx holds tight to that originality and can suck you right in with patented storyline.
Anthology horror never runs a jolt of excitement through me as I have hardly any in my collection to begin with. The ever growing count of zombie and slasher films in my stash could surpass any major rental chain yet I lack seriously in short story horror. However, I’m not all ignorant of anthologies as I do have Romero’s and King’s collaborative Creepshow DVDs (1 and 2, of course) and a few other notable ones. For me, I’m a continuous story kind of guy; the idea of many characters and plot lines in one setting has me at a bore. When the U.K. distributor Odeon Entertainment sent me one of their new releases, a horror anthology, I immediately thought to myself, “I can’t wait to review this” in a facetious tone…
Today’s current term for the word “zombie” is defined as a deceased individual who is brought back to life by supernatural forces. You could also toss in some Romero key words in there like cannibalism and apocalyptic. Most of my generation only knows this type of zombie and doesn’t realize that George A. Romero only re-innovated the undead. There were two vastly different groups of zombies pre-1968: the voodoo zombie and the automaton. The voodoo zombie, similar to that of the Romero zombie, still resurrects from death but only for objective purposes; in other words, the zombie will do the dirty work for the resurrecting practitioner. You’re shit out of luck on this review because we will be discussing the automaton zombie like that from the Zombies from the Stratosphere.
Writer, director, producer Jake Kennedy has created a haunting and an intensively intrusive film that will stand still in time as forever frightening. With the help of a phenomenal, well-introduced cast, Penance’s subtle approach into this bleak disturbing world breaks the constant rut and regurgitation of what ill-tempered critics label this sort of film as “torture porn” in a form of written negativity. However from what I viewed, I can’t follow my fellow critics and label Penance as “torture porn“. Yes, Penance has its fill of half naked female strippers. Yes, it is chalked full of extremely graphic violence. Yes, it resembles in look and feel of that of Eli Roth’s Hostel films. Yet, I can’t call it torture porn. There in lies a meaningful point that Hostel films, and sometimes the SAW series, seem to lack with the sinister characters. Beyond the fulfillment of pleasure sought out of the humiliation, the whipping, the mutilation and, the eventual, murdering of these women, there holds a certain driven force that bounds the lead captor Geeves aka the Butcher of Baker.
Published by Steven Tee November 18th, 2009
in CONTEST.
Round 2 of the Tiny Killer Icon Tournament has begun and our little bundle of maniacs are ready for more flesh and blood. We are down to 16 contenders and, so far, this tournament is shaping up to be one hell of a contest!
The Reel Reviewer says this film ranks as “Premium Channel” worthy. The Cayon is good for some laughs and not many thrills; it is rated R for brief disturbing images aka one 4 second scene. Yeah, it is a very fine line between rated R and PG-13. There is a fine execution from first time feature director Richard Harrah with one or two strong characters but as far as storyline and unique characters or special effects there is really nothing new that can be taught to us or to entertain us. I’d suggest waiting until The Canyon makes its appearance from off the rental shelves and onto the premium channels like Cinemax or Showtime. This is a direct-to-DVD release, so it might not take long for it to hit the tube!
Published by Steven Tee November 13th, 2009
in CONTEST.
Here is your first and last reminder about our second held Tournament here at HorrorYearbook. The Tiny Killer Tournament has been underway since this past Tuesday and you have until this coming Tuesday November 17th @ 12 a.m. to vote and predict the 16 winners of the first round!!!
Truly frightening, Corbin Bernsen directs a social commentary film that does more than just speak of corrupt politics and government secrets; it speaks rationality in irrational terms. The budget horror thriller about “zombie-like” creatures that doesn’t rely on the gore or heavy effects but rather in still a fear of the unknown, isolation, seclusion, and a real world scenario. Its a different horror film that most fans will enjoy, especially with the high caliber, well established icons of the genre.
Published by Steven Tee November 10th, 2009
in CONTEST.
Welcome. Another tournament is about to be underway, but this one isn’t just about Horror’s biggest killer icons, oh no. This tournament will focus on those killers who barely reach your knees. This is the Tiny Killer Icon Tournament!
Published by Steven Tee November 9th, 2009
in CONTEST.
It has been a long, sweat driven month for the Killer Icon Tournament. Finally, it’s over. The machetes, the chainsaws, the fangs have all been put down; a winner has come out on top. HorrorYearbook community has spoken, the fans have spoken and it is Jason Voorhees who is the king of the killer icons. He reigns over Dracula in the last round by two votes. A close call, but in the end, he comes out on top.
We also have tournament winners! The first, second, and third place winners have been announced. Congratulations to the following registered HorrorYearbook memebers:
Published by Steven Tee November 5th, 2009
in NEWS.
Does anybody besides me remember the Irish zombie film Dead Meat from 2004? It was a fantastic zombie film, overshadowed, of course, by the mainstream zombie films of its year – the remake of Dawn of the Dead and Land of the Dead.
But, now, director Conor McMahon has a chance to live the glory with a new pic called The Disturbed he introduced at the AFM. Now, there is a trailer and poster for the film; However, I may not post the trailer because it practically tells the entire story – chalked full of spoilers. Sigh…
I’ve been a huge of the original Night of the Demons for quite some time and I’m usually not one for female horror icons, but Angela does it for me in a special way if you know what I mean. Angela has been resurrected once again for the remake of Night of the Demons and will be played by Shannon Elizabeth and will co-star along side Edward Furlong.
