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

For all the latest celebrity deaths, visit our 2011 Celebrity Death List.

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.

I can’t help to think how interesting director David A. Cross’s concept for Respire is and how the story plays out because of what we all like to believe is life – breathing. As I read the plot description, I wondered to myself how this could expand into a full fledged story of positive promise. Cross pushes his horror imagination to the limit by crossing and mixing genres resulting in a fairly entertaining direct to DVD release. There contains a mixture of Italian giallo, apocalyptic doomsday, mad science, experimental asylum and possession of being. Usually you’ll just experience one or two of these horror subgenres, but in Respire you’ll experience your more than fair share and be convinced that Cross can indeed make an effect horror film though he isn’t a household name. His previous filmography work includes Ghostwatcher, Ghostwatcher 2 and Murder Game which have all claimed moderate success but still received poor criticism. With Respire, he has grown as a director and, in the near future, can be a scooped up to be a mainstream filmmaker. A path of gold is not set in stone and made of concrete as of yet as Cross still has work in trying to claw and dig his way out of that b-grade dirt hole where he feels planted and familiar.

My vision of straight to DVD films will always be skewed, but that doesn’t mean I can never be surprised. The modest budget does not show itself in Respire; it feels large scale from start to finish. One example would be the fate of the infamous box; starting in Maryland 1936, a montage of historical time periods, such as intensely realistic World War 2 scenes, the 70′s drug inhibiting hippy generation and the Obama-era modern day, tells the story of how the box travels from hand-to-hand and comes full circle back to the point of origin in Maryland. Cross doesn’t shove one frame to the next; his pace is slow and precise that creates a world you can comprehend instead of trying to comprehend.

Leading lady Tracy Teague does not have a long resume, but her character is strong, direct and no-nonsense. Actress of this caliber are hard to find and many aspiring actress could not have tackled this role which as much precision as Teague had accomplished. She can be a convincingly crazy and she can strong-willed. Much can’t be said about Teague’s cast mates as I feel they have been poorly developed due to the story. The Raif Collins character does intrigue me a bit with his mysterious background but his background explanations come at a well timed surprise that will take you aback.

MTI Home Video’s release of Respire will take your breath. See how this low-budget holds relatively high in today’s standards as the DVD will land on store shelves and online catalogues this Tuesday, February 15th.

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).

That’s great that its a homage sustaining combo of horror and porn, but what the SEX?!?! Is it great? Is it nasty? Is it hot? In all honesty, it would be stretching it when I say that the point of pleasure scenes are no more than just mediocre. When the man and woman get their “chicka-bow-wow” going, the scene usually lasts a good 20-30 minutes and The Wicked scenes are about half that time length which for me is great because I’m a fanatic for storyline anyhow.

Unfortunately, this and for my love of horror is why I gave the film a mediocre rating instead of a piss poor one. Don’t get me wrong, the girls are smoking hot while fucking in the desert. Kaylani Lei usually doesn’t do it for me, but her tiny little Philippine body was extra tiny little for The Wicked making her a desired treat. Stormy Daniels kept composure but her romp scene with “Otis” didn’t keep composer as it was very flaccid. Penthouse’s Miss December 2008 Tori Black, a kind of newbie by the time The Wicked was in production, displayed complete amateurism as she was fumbling and bumbling more than seriously humping. The only scene I can call watch worthy is the perceptive desert scene with Kaylani Lei, Sophia Santi, Mikayla Mendez and Evan Stone; it is memorizing with it’s sleek, Matrix-esque feel mixed with primitive outdoor setting. With this scene, we get a big of girl on girl with Santi and Mendez and a double team on Lei by Stone and some bald guy whose name I can never remember (why should I know these guys’ names anyway?).

The Wicked is labeled a horror-comedy by long time industry director Michael Raven, but the only comedy presented is in the parody; however, Raven is an accomplished director and I can see his style in more b-feature films. He reminds of a John Gulager type. Raven creates believable, blood-thirsty vampires and the makeup is quite good considering porn-tykes skim on the special effects and makeup unless it is BJ’s wholesale size of lip gloss and eye glitter. Blood seems like a commodity not worth sharing unfortunately as its hardly used except in brief shots and even some of those shots were cut from the original edit. My theory on this is that sex and blood don’t mix well with audiences. For instance, it’s a major health issue if blood gets in the vagina and some folks will be turned off by “that time of the month-like” scenario. This is why you never see gore-porn in the mainstream!

See Michael Raven’s The Wicked by Wicked Pictures because it isn’t you’re typical porn with super lengthy scenes and dull acting. Instead, you get receive striking ladies, a trek across the desert, shotguns, blood, a extruding thumping heart, well-known music artists in the soundtrack like OPM, vampires and, of course, fucking and sucking! What is not to love?

Director: Peter Newbrook
Cast: Robert Stephens, Robert Powell, Jane Lapotaire, Ralph Arliss, Alex Scott
Odeon Entertainment / Not Rated / Region 0 PAL / 2.35:1 HD Transferred Widescreen / Dolby Digital / Color / 83 Minutes

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.

Victorian elitist and noted scientist Sir Hugo Cunningham and his assistant Giles study images of a seemingly strange phenomena in form of a concise, black cloud leaving the body of a soon-to-be deceased person. When Hugo’s youngest child, Clive, tragically dies, Hugo reverts back to his filming of the purposed happy moment that suddenly ended his son’s life. He notices the black cloud not moving from Clive but toward him. Hugo and Giles set up experiments that set forth to experience and capture a person’s asphyx: a individual spirit that comes for you at the moment of death.

Terence Fisher, Freddie Francis, Peter Walker or even Roy Ward Baker should have been the chosen U.K. directions whom to tackle the idea of The Asphyx. I have nothing against Peter Newbrook, but lets face it, he didn’t quite hit the mark. The characters are bland as chalk. As there was little dynamic and hardly any introductory build-up of characters, the Asphyx spirit was the front runner as being the most intriguing “character.” In much the same size, appearance and ambient screeching of a chimpanzee, the Asphyx contained more personality than lead man Robert Stephens – a under the radar BBC actor.

The film isn’t as a total worthless hunk of junk as I make it out to be because you have to look at it like this, The Asphyx caters an original thought that plays on the messages of the possibility of a grim reaper type, fear of death and it’s mortal consequences and an unhealthy, family destroying obsession. This is the typical mad scientist genre film with a twist and without the creation of a monster but, instead, the discovery of one. We are treated to scenes of various ways to die as Hugo and Giles try and obtain an Asphyx. Electrocution, lynching, beheading, gassing and drowning are just a few to note and though that sounds like a great aspect to view, the scenes are grossly comical at pivotal times. Also, when trying to capture an Asphyx, reasonable explanations are omitted and the mystical world of lucky strokes are the key to the incarceration of the spirit.

Odeon Entertainment’s release of The Asphyx has an extraordinary transfer and a clearer view of the screeching asphyx that may have you laugh at it’s ridiculous special effects – just a little. The amazing cover art is what really attracts and it nearly explains the movie in detail. Check out Odeon Entertainment’s 2-disc release of the Asphyx available for purchase at their website and don’t forgot that it is a PAL DVD so fire up those all-region players and promise yourself a sitting with the Asphyx!

Director: Freddie Francis
Cast: Peter Cushing, Chrsitopher Lee, Donald Sutherland, Jennifer Jayne, Roy Castle, Bernard Lee, Max Adrian, Michael Gough
Odeon Entertainment / Certificate PG / PAL Region 0 / 2.35:1 Widescreen (Anamorphic) / Dolby Digital Mono / 93 Minutes

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. There wasn’t much motivation for popping in this DVD into my player, but I forced myself because I knew it had to be done. My eyes lounged lazily in their respective sockets during the viewing and when it was all said and done, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors instantly became one of my favorite horror anthologies ever.

Five men board and sit in a train car awaiting the departure. Another man joins them; a dark and mysterious fellow who holds a furtive gait about him. Come to find out that the cryptic fellow, Dr. Shrek or informally Dr. Terror, as he calls himself, is a tarot card reader. He invites the men into hearing their fates when after their train ride has come to an end, but as the gentlemen realize that the end of the line for the train is the end of their life as well, they seek more answers for the stranger whom is more than just a wandering traveler.

For once, the roles nicely reverse for Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing – the main stars. Christopher Lee plays an uptight art critic with practical reasoning much unlike his usual characters such as the legendary “Dracula”, “Fu Manchu” and some kind of other evil practitioner. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Cushing plays the enigmatic “Dr. Terror”; his scruffy, white facial hair and bizarre, gypsy-like attire make Peter Cushing almost unrecognizable. Most films have Cushing as the hero such as multiple “Stan Helsings” portrayals and we are very rarely treated to a “Grand Tarkin” type role.

Five men equal five different and unique ill-fated fortune stories each with an unexpected twist at the end. The finales stick with you as in an unpleasant way without using any kind of gore tactics to try and bring you in cheaply. A reason I love watching Amicus and Hammer films is a well known fact that they hardly use or don’t use at all any blood. The sole purpose of these studio horror films relies mainly on their stories; a chilling tale that can make anyone fear the dark or unknown more whereas blood, guts and puke does nothing else but make you feel sick to your stomach. Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors won’t stun a horror crowd with any kind of revelation, but there can be some “ooo’s” and “aaahhs!” Peter Cushing’s remarkable and unfamiliar role is surprisingly spooky even though very predictable, but then again, you have to think about the time period – somewhat fresh and original in the 1960′s to a much broader television watching audience. Odeon Entertainment’s release of the Amicus production is presented quite nicely except for a couple of saturated grainy scenes. Check out this DVD release of one of the classical horror anthologies ever to be made in the U.K.!

Director: Fred C. Brannon
Cast: Judd Holdren, Aline Towne, Wilson Wood, Lane Bradford, Stanley Waxman, Leonard Nimoy
Music Video Distribution & Cheezy Flicks / NTSC Region 1 / Not Rated / Black & White / 1.37:1 Full Screen / English / 167 Minutes

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.

Larry Martin works for a United States top secret authority agency and when a mysterious rocket lands on Earth, he takes flight in his rocket suit to investigate. Evil emotionless martians led by Marex plan to set off a nuclear device that will spin the Earth out of control into the darkest voids of space. Their reason for this world ending plan is to save their own planet, Mars, from total atmospheric decay. Larry, along with sidekick Bob, must stop the martians and his lackeys from constructing the device at any cost – even if it means his life. Power boat pursuits, sky high rocket fights and an intense battle against a robot packs this serial full of action, adventure and science fiction.

Does any of this sound familiar? Misery’s Annie Wilkes spoke so passionately about the Rocketman serial, “…my favorite was Rocketman, and once it was a no breaks chapter. The bad guy stuck him in a car on a mountain road and knocked him out and welded the door shut and tore out the brakes and started him to his death, and he woke up and tried to steer and tried to get out but the car went off a cliff before he could escape! And it crashed and burned and I was so upset and excited, and the next week, you better believe I was first in line. And they always start with the end of the last week. And there was Rocketman, trying to get out, and here comes the cliff, and just before the car went off the cliff, he jumped free! And all the kids cheered! But I didn’t cheer. I stood right up and started shouting. This isn’t what happened last week! Have you all got amnesia? They just cheated us! This isn’t fair! HE DID’NT GET OUT OF THE COCK – A – DOODIE CAR!” Well, Annie was right. Somehow, someway Larry managed to wake up just in time to get out of the car, the boat, the plane, etc. to escape his demise. The purpose of serials is to keep you on the edge of your seat until next week’s episode, intentionally leaving out scenes of the heroes courageous escape. I’d like to see a serial where the hero actually does die and would want to see happens next week. That would be better than knowing he would wake up from his short term unconsciousness, jump out of a car going 80 plus mph and living to fight again another day!

There must be some credit given to the early Columbia Pictures’ production. The special effects were ahead of its time. I never thought I would be so impressed by an obviously man-in-suit robot. I was in a paralyzed state of awe. Oh, did I mention the rockets? These phallus looking fireworks, I mean rocket ships, sped through the air with such explsoive fierceness. The over sized helmet for Larry Martin’s rocket suit was a definite aphrodisiac, oh yes! As you may have noticed, all this is satirically sarcastic, but Zombies of the Stratosphere is a fun little serial that gives us a throwback look on how martians were perceived before there was Mars Attacks or Independence Day. Before there was Rocketman, there was Larry Martin. This 1952 serial paved the way for many science fiction films to date. You can also thank this serial for giving Leonard Nimoy one of his first acting roles as an automaton alien; without it, there may have never been more unenthusiastic Spock for the Star Trek series and films!

The aliens were labeled zombies for their lack of emotions toward Earth and it’s inhabitants. Their destructive plan was a bit far-fetched. When they finished the device, I don’t even think it could have blown a hole bigger than a in ground swimming pool, but you have to keep in mind the time frame of which this serial was released. In 1952, atomic energy was new and was a big issue and the Cold War was still fresh in the minds of U.S. government officials. And is it any coincidence that the martians whom come from Mars, a red planet, may be referenced to that of Russia whom unofficially labels their army as the red army?

This is a campy little serial that is filled with obsolete everything: acting, special effects, plot, etc. However, one could pull out some entertainment value from this serial as it does have non-stop action and plenty of gunfights. In fact, every episode had a gunfight which then led to the chase which then led to the near death of the hero – very consistent yet very patterned. You’ll enjoy it for the cheesiness as the Zombies from the Stratosphere come to take over the earth…in a non-cannibalistic kind of way!!!!!!

The Butcher of Bega, a media label for Graeme Stephen Reeves, a deregistered Australian OB-GYN (obstetrician and gynecologist) physician and surgeon who illegally practiced obstetrics post year 1997 and, also, has over hundreds of allegations against him for sexual abuse, incident assaults, and the genitalia mutilation over the course of three years, from 2001 to 2003, at three different hospitals: Bega, Pambula, and Richmond.

One of the allegations came from a former patient of Reeves, Carolyn Dewaegeneire, who broke her horrifying story to the national news media. Dewaegeneire was admitted to Pambula hospital in 2002 to have minor lesions removed from her labia. Before losing total consciousness from anesthesia, she claims Reeves whispered to her, “I’m going to take your clitoris, too.” After the operation, she discovered the outer portions, “all the fun bits” as Reeves called them, of her labia had been removed and was told she wouldn’t need them since her husband had been deceased.

This introduction of Graeme Stephen Reeves is to relate to you the sinister antagonistic character from the film Penance to which Reeves is inspired by. Branded a motive and given a slight name change, the Geeves character captures and maintains the same sadistic and demented qualities inspired by the real life, infamous person counterpart – if you can even put someone like him in the same category as people.

In a tale of survival terror, this story begins with modest life Amelia, a desperate single mother who takes on the uncharacteristic work of stripping as a way of obtaining fast money to hoist her out of debt and to receive medical treatment for her only child Asher who has been diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis. With the help of her pro-stripper friend Suzie, the shy Amelia lets loose to earn fast and easy cash. However, it is when she takes the reigns of out of commissioned Suzie’s high priced and secretive gig that places Amelia in a world where cleansing the mind, body and soul of sin comes at a higher price. Captured, tortured, abused and mutilated by a sadistic surgeon named Geeves, there seems to be no hope for Amelia and the others that have been confined in his incarceration. Their forced PENANCE is for these strippers own heavenly purification good.

Meet the strippers: “Sassy” and “Gypsy”

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;” a label that has been long known for it’s stably published negativity. However from what I viewed, I can’t follow my fellow critics and label Penance as this for it would be a mistake. 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, or forgotten through all the buckets of gore and entrails, 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.

Rooker as the Mann

Rambo’s Graham McTavish’s portrayal of Geeves does the character justice. The insanity of his purification methods and his monotone, automaton posture really heightens the character’s nature making him one of the more frightening villains to ever jump right out from the screen and plaguing your mind. I can still recall, in detail, everything said and done by this character and days have passed since I viewed the film. McTavish isn’t the only stand out actor. The cast is a slew of high profile names, but Jake Kennedy did this right and had those names stand in cameo roled boots. I’m a firm believer that big names can overshadow smaller projects which in turn seem to focus on the actors themselves rather than the concept of the movie; however, in Penance’s case, there is nothing small about this film. Michael Rooker had me shaking when he delivered the quote you read at the beginning of this review. Rooker plays Mann; a merciless hit man who has ties with Geeves. Basically, Mann’s role forms into the executioner whenever one of the girl’s doesn’t pass their purification tests. Rooker has the rugged looks, the mannerisms, the voice and the overall creepy factor that is well in tuned with the tone of Penance. You ready for another big name? Candyman himself, Tony Todd, has a short lived role as the chauffeur and only holds less than 4 minutes of screen time. Yet, he is a foreshadowing icon of the more grim reality to what lies before Amelia.

Now, I’ve never heard of Marieh Delfino, but I’ve seen Jeepers Creepers 2, and if I can’t remember her from the Victor Salva film, than there are two possible reasons for that: her role was minimal or her performance was forgettable. Being her first lead role this reviewer has seen, I’m positioned right on the fence with her. Delfino does deliver a remarkable frightened performance as she attempts defiance and a believable stomach up in your throat scream that sends goosebumps up your back. As far as her other scenes go, she went over the top in some; one scene in particular that stood out as over the top was the “Are you ready for your final test?” scene. As she sat at her desk, literally a desk for this purification “institution,” she was ask the said question by Eve, Geeves’s right hand woman. Her expression and her actions were almost comical; she went for the chopfallen, haggard hopeless yet vengeful spirit look, but the expression didn’t align itself with the rest of the film’s grave intent.

A purifying punishment

Now, I hope I didn’t scare any of you readers away with the mentioning of “torture porn.” Its a gross comparison, but I find this film to excel beyond anything that that subgenre has invented and stands to create in the future of film making. Penance’s girth lies strong with it’s grisly brutality. We, as in average people, attempt to cover our most sensitive areas when there is a harmful threat to our external body. The act of shielding mainly involves the face, the eyes and the genitalia, and when a film like Penance is viewed for an audience, there will be at least 6 or 7 out of 10 people who will have to either shut their eyes, turn their head or leave the viewing to vomit out their tub of popcorn consumption at the thought of graphically realistic genital mutilation; those other 3 viewers, which I would consider myself included, will watch in astonishment and shock, feeling the amazement of sadism and sadomasochism novelty rather feeling the disgust of that bad taste of spew which now steams from off the floor. A couple of scenes will definitely cross some legs and hold some crotches. Yet, the actions of mutilation are not done perversely, making yet another example why this film separates itself from the hated “torture porn” that hides in the darkest corner like a self-loathing emo kid.

Kennedy’s envision and approach of hand held video embarks on the right path. The hand held style has always been a fan favorite style with this reviewer. I dug Cloverfield, Diary of the Dead, and though I didn’t think the Blair Witch Project was all that great, I thought the home video style shooting was. This style gives the film a more authentic feel and look; video film puts you, the viewer, in the movie – you turn, you fall, hell, you are dizzily thrown in any direction that is feasibly possible with the camera. Kennedy’s implement use of the hand held adds more of that gloom and doom effect and creates a suspenseful anxiety. First time cinematographer Lawles Bourque certainly has a challenge of topping his own work. The serious lack of color speaks to the persona of Geeves and his followers; in fact, those characters in particular are omitted of any bright, soothing colors with the exception of Mann. He pertains to send people to their final destination and, thus, the lighter colors make him more of a savior; though merciless, you could see he is quite merciful in comparison to the captors.

As always, I succumb to the bothersome facts when I near the review’s end. Whether those facts are technical, story, crew or thespian related, I must expel them like a Catholic confession. There are quite a few plot holes which some are explained in the extra features. My first concern stands to the attention of the military outfits and of the demeanor of Geeves and Eve? When they are introduced, there was a mixed confusion of whether they were religion extremists or a rogue PSTD vet. These military motifs carried on without explanation, leaving me quite confounded. My second concern lies with how Suzie, Amelia’s stripper friend, comes into being contacted by Geeves and company for this secretive gig. Was there a lottery for this gig? Did one of Geeves’s minions scout strip clubs? My third and final concern had been solved but the answer is told only with in the special features. After being capture and her camera, which was at the hands of her fated boyfriend Will, was confiscated, she somehow obtains a camera during her incarceration. There was no explanation of this found object until you watch the deleted scenes. One last issue, another minor annoyance, came with the how-to-be a stripper montage. Amelia’s learning of the ways of the stripper from Suzie played more off a comedic silliness rather than a “my daughter’s dying and I need quick cash” scenario. I found it inappropriate for Amelia’s underlying cause. Though bewildering, these are minor discrepancies and issues that can easily be overlooked as the concept of Penance is more powerful and commanding of your attention, drawing you in into the story of Amelia’s struggles and Geeve’s ever going gruesome fight of purification.

Amelia doesn’t seem to need help with stripping, yes?

The Reel Reviewer says that Penance pleasingly and surprisingly “Shocks and Awes!” You may not be familiar with the Butcher of Bega, but the Butcher of Baker gives you an idea, or a model, of how seriously grotesque that pertains to the disregistered surgeon Graeme Reeves. Absolutely chilling tale of strength and survival that quickly ends into a short stint of roughshod ridden revenge and satisfaction.

DVD REVIEW

Independent Media Distribution’s and Musisc & Video Distribution’s single DVD release of Penance, yet again, doesn’t disappoint. The widescreen 16:9 ratio is right in your face with it’s brutality. The grain, and color filter, reduction plays to the tune of the whole tone leaving nothing but dreadful bleakness which speaks highly in sync with the rest of the film. Graced with a well-balanced 5.1 audio surround sound, you hear every jolting scream and every rip and snap of genital loin; both from which you can nearly recreate a feel from their ambient auditory.

What usually rides with small budget films are small time features; however, Penance strives to be so much more than small time – like I said earlier. With that being said, if you sit down to watch the special features, you better make yourself comfortable as possible because the extras are as extensive as the film’s duration.

Jake Kennedy did a superb job of cutting out certain scenes. Some of the deleted scenes and alternate endings seemed too cartoon plausible and/or too gimmicky, which might have reflected negatively on the film. I’d really suggest the director interview with Kennedy for the hardships and the amount of work in attempting to jump start this low-budget film and how fortunate his luck had become when he scored great actors and locations with a well-written script. And if you want a good laugh, there is an interview with the cast in character featurette – the lighter side of Penance. Along with those said extras, the DVD extras also include director and producer commentaries along with featurettes: Anatomy of a Scene, “How to Strip” and a behind the scenes.

The Reel Reviewer says the DVD release of Penance is “Unbelievably Stocked and Well Presented!” I’m surprise the DVD package doesn’t weigh a ton with all the features on this bad boy. A release that passes every test with out slight hesitation or a stuttering step. Even the cover art presents itself in grand gloom appeal. You can purchase Penance on DVD from Amazon.com, Music & Video Distribution, and Penancefilm.com which will include 5 various downloadable formats for purchase.

All images and logos are provided by Music & Video Distribution, Jake Kennedy, and Penancefilm.com.

The Reel Reviewer Head Count
5 heads = Fan-fucking-tastic! / 4 heads = Damn Straight! / 3 heads = Good But Where’s the Heat!
2 heads = All I Got Was Sizzle! / 1 head = No Meat What-So-Ever!

Movie
DVD
Gore
Nudity

]]> http://www.horroryearbook.com/547077/the-reel-reviewer-watches-jake-kennedys-penance/feed 0 http://www.horroryearbook.com/547050/contest-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-round-2 http://www.horroryearbook.com/547050/contest-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-round-2#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:10:45 +0000 Steven Tee http://www.horroryearbook.com/?p=7050 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!

Rules

The rules are the same; however, we are sticking with the same polling system. We tried to switch up but the other polling system was just as worse. You now have 16 tiny killers in this tournament and we have 8 matches. You do not need to register on the forums to participate and enter. You heard right, no forum registration required. We only ask that you predict the 8 winners in our comment box below. That is it. Just scroll down to the comments section, predict the 8 winners of the first round, include a username (or name) and e-mail so we can follow your tracking and your all set. If you don’t leave an e-mail, you will not be entered and your predictions will be useless and scrapped.

If you need any help with the tournament, you can ask your question here. All entries must be in by Tuesday November 25th @ 12 AM. Polls will close by then and any entry in the comment box that is entered after that time will not count. Sorry, rules are rules!

Read on for more contest information, contest prizes and to vote!

Prizes

To win, each contestant must play each round and the most accumulated wins from each round. It is much like March Madness. If you know college basketball, then you know the rules. If you don’t, the rules are simple. Just Predict the 8 winners of the first round in our comment box below with your (user)name and e-mail and your all set. Then, come back for round 3!

First (1st) Place Winner receives an Exclusive blood bag from the movie Thirst.

Second (2nd) Place Winner receives Wrong Turn 1 & 2 on Blu-ray.

Third (3rd) Place Winner receives a mystery bag of goodies.

***All winning contestants must live in United States. All winning contestants must be 18 years or older. We are not responsible for lost or damaged merchandise by the USPS. All prizes are subject to change at moments notice. Please, follow the contest rules or there will be automatic disqualification.***

VOTE BELOW

]]> http://www.horroryearbook.com/547050/contest-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-round-2/feed 2 http://www.horroryearbook.com/547012/the-reel-reviewer-watches-the-canyon http://www.horroryearbook.com/547012/the-reel-reviewer-watches-the-canyon#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:16:50 +0000 Steven Tee http://www.horroryearbook.com/?p=7012 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!]]> “If you screw with mother nature, she will find a way to screw you back.” – Henry (Will Patton)

The mighty Arizona Grand Canyon is one of America’s finest tourist natural attractions that is a staple of American culture and is one of the largest results of any other water versus land erosion examples. Stretching 277 miles with a width from anywhere between 4 to 18 miles and a depth that is a sure fatal 6000 feet, the Grand Canyon, since 1870, has been involved in a reported roughly around 600 related deaths; they range from falling over the side by being too curious, to suicide, to drowning in the Colorado River, and to even homicide.

You won’t hear about any of those remarkable facts during your screening of Magnolia Pictures’ and Magnet Releasing’s latest release of Richard Harrah’s feature debut entitled The Canyon – a confusing title that clearly describes the said location yet reveals almost nothing about the 5.4 billion year old massive dent in the Earth.

Instead from the film, you’ll receive only a fraction of what the Grand Canyon has to offer as a death way out and that notion includes, but not limited to, dehydration, starvation, confusion, and hysteria. Sounds like it would make for a good thriller, right? It attains all the right qualities of a thriller. Hell, even the trailer and the DVD cover market it as an engaged suspenseful film that would suppose to enthrall you on the rim of isolated terror. Yet somewhere along the way, The Canyon missed it’s mark. A mistaken attitude or persona has replaced the fear that is suppose to be instilled in our protagonists to a more lighthearted and relaxed state leaving only the brief scenes of grim reality that are in some cases associated with lost hikers: graphic snake bites, amputated limbs, and the mental and physical anguish of the mind and body.

Lori and Nick are an eloped married couple straight from Las Vegas. Haunted by the recently deceased military brother and never living up to taking the journey of exploring the Grand Canyon by trail mules, Nick coerces Lori, if not guilt trips her, to take this trip with him. There is only one problem, they don’t have a backpacking permit that is required. Unable to obtain one from the proper ranger authorities, Nick sobs in his defeat until a down on his luck old trail guide by the name of Henry over hears his woes. With Henry providing the salvation, the permit, and the Grand Canyon know how to knowledge, Nick and Lori find themselves on the back of a mule, slowly trotting down the side of the canyon walls until they reach their destined site. Everything seems perfect with the scenic landscape being beyond breathtaking and, with most of all, their grizzly looking tour guide coming through as a real and authentic gentlemen of the outdoors. When they are given the option to stray off the beaten path, that is when things then and there begin to go array. Henry falls victim to not one but two venomous snake bites. The newly weds strength will be tested when they have to face an unfamiliar setting with unfamiliar dangers together.

Lori and Nick on their own…

When you look closely at this film, it is the basic and well over done concept of man versus nature. You put man in a setting where they are novel and you watch them squirm. When I say squirm, I don’t mean a gory blood fest that has intestines and bones being splattered amongst the feet of their corpses. It isn’t that kind of movie but there are one or two scenes that will make the corners of your mouth tweak upward in a fast-acting reaction. The squirm I’m referring to is a feeling of the disoriented, the feeling of being lost, and the sometimes over zealousness that can make one become to believe they have the understanding what to do in a hopeless tight spot when in actuality they have no clue. That scenario can overwhelm the rational human senses and thought process and The Canyon scratches at it more than delves deep into the thickness that should have engulfed it like a hurricane engulfs a small town.

Lori Vs Wolves!

Steve Allrich’s script is an adventurous wreck of a tale of a married couple trapped in the depths of, and here it is somewhat related of to the title, the canyon. The couples’ reaction to the resulting and unsuspecting turn for the worse gears more toward a misguided sense of borderline light flirtation and hopelessness. It is a weird combination and a odd tactic to use flirtation as a device for the characters to remain calm in a chaotic confinement. The way I look at it is, if I’m trapped below 6000 feet on a surface covered with nothing else but sand, where the wild life is made up of scorpions, snakes and wolves, and with no food or water supplies, I would literally be out of my mentally insane mind trying to think of every way possible to get out of that hell hole – or dent. I’m going to go off on a little side note here and say that the title should be changed to Lori Fights Wolves because that is all she does. Forget the witty dialogue that seems to spew from Nick’s mouth every ten seconds and focus on the matter at hand in a realistic sense. There were less than a handful of moments when true fear set in and the couples’ strength and love was really tested, but yet even with that scene, it was quickly resolved and absolved. Director Richard Harrah can not really be blamed here nor can you point any fingers at the cast. Lightly seasoned actor Eion Bailey performs as witty Nick in detail, creating that lighthearted relaxed mood that doesn’t really fit the rest of the movie. I could see wasted potential for Bailey is a solid actor who can do action, adventure and drama – see the World War II biopic HBO series called Band of Brothers or horror thriller Mindhunters. As for Aussie Yvonne Strahovski, she definitely has a serious case of the hots; she sure does make me sweat. She is the only one that seems to grow as far as character build up. She isn’t as bland as her counterpart Nick. Her hidden strengths make her the reversed alpha of the film, a diamond in the rough would be a good metaphor. Yvonne really drives her first unshared female lead and helms the reigns, riding that kangaroo all the way in to have Lori become a liked character with qualities that are noble, brave and courageous to the extent of overshadowing her husband Nick to where he isn’t even noticeable anymore. The last character I wanted to touch upon was Henry played by Will Patton who is probably one of the better character actors out in the business today. Patton captures Henry’s grit, but he doesn’t reveal too much about the character. We are unaware of what intentions Henry may have: is he a honest man who is rough around the edges or does he have something more sinister in mind?

Patton as the rugged outdoors man, Henry

In the style directing, Richard Harrah chose a more an iconic western approach. Continuous shots of the dry, dessert landscape is one of the more obvious conclusions to his particular style for The Canyon; however, there are other factors that can be considered. Henry, for example, is a seasoned outdoors man who has “rassled” bears and mountain lions with the scars to prove it, which can also be seen as a bit of foreshadowing, and has lived among the Native Americans and can speak their tongue. He resembles between the brutish look of the fictionalized character of Grizzly Adams, or it can be more simpler said he has the looks of the town drunk, but also has the manners of a true gent like the realistic on-screen persona of John Wayne. You also have the score; a fierce tone of way out west acoustic guitar solos accompanied with heavy tone strikes and slides – sorry, if I don’t know the musical technical jargon associated with that of the acoustic guitar.

Though the viewer may tread through much of the naivety and innocence of our couples’ hopeful outlook, we are greeted gratefully with a surprise ending that speaks in the same dimensions of a William Shakespeare or, a more recent notable figure, Frank Darabont tragedy. The finale becomes a wholeheartedly welcome because, at least to this reviewer, it is still fresh and shocking with only a handful of views. Harrah isn’t afraid to chance his immaturity and scores big, working a scene that could potentially drop your hearts into the pit of your stomachs.

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!

DVD REVIEW

The DVD single release by Magnolia Pictures and Magnet Releasing is one that can’t be complained about. The widescreen, 2.40:1, presentation is clear and near perfection for being on an upconversion player. The dry, tan colors of the west really burden the eyes on all its brownness. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is well-balanced through all the surrounding speakers – there was no hassle to trying to equalize the ambiance and the dialogue.

There is a special feature labeled “Discovering The Canyon” which allows the actors, Eion Baily, Yvonne Strahovski and Will Patton to express their feelings and emotions about the beauty of that which is the Grand Canyon. If you care to listen to opinions of other people about tourist traps, be my guest. I’ve experienced the Grand Canyon first hand and it is breathtaking but I don’t need to listen to other people talk about it for 10 minutes. The deleted scenes really speak more to Will Patton’s character Henry and his intentions. You’ll see more of the character Nick spewing out more of his famous flirtations and having love-dovey spats with his wife Lori. The next two features are, what I think, worthy of watching and those are the Behind the Scenes Montage and the Yvonne Strahovski Casting Session. You see more of the what goes behind the scenes of a movie like The Canyon and though nothing is really explained, you get a gist mediocre move magic!

The Reel Reviewer says this DVD ranks as “Better Than I thought.” I am always surprised to find mediocre films to have, not stunning, but decent features and presentation. I would have never guessed that an 102 minute film called The Canyon would have watchable and somewhat interesting extras. The front and back cover art is a bit c-grade-photoshop-amateur-style-ish but it doesn’t speak on the movie’s behalf for it is way better than it looks.

The Canyon will be released and hit shelves at local retailers November 17, 2009!

The Reel Reviewer Head Count
5 heads = Fan-fucking-tastic! / 4 heads = Damn Straight! / 3 heads = Needs Work!
2 heads = All I Got Was Sizzle! / 1 head = No Meat What-So-Ever!

Movie
DVD
Gore
Nudity	NONE!!!

]]> http://www.horroryearbook.com/547012/the-reel-reviewer-watches-the-canyon/feed 0 http://www.horroryearbook.com/546993/contest-round-1-of-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-ends-tuesday http://www.horroryearbook.com/546993/contest-round-1-of-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-ends-tuesday#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:03:26 +0000 Steven Tee http://www.horroryearbook.com/?p=6993 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!!!]]> 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!!!

I know, I know it is a little scary because you may not have seen all the films and stick to your index finger to the bottom of your drooling lower lip, wondering who the hell (or what the hell) is Zuni Doll or a Killer Turkey? Don’t worry, folks. If you need a little research before you vote, I did leave the name of each film each Tiny Little Itty Bitty Killer came from.

Here are the Rules once again:

The rules are basically the same. There will be a few changes. You have 32 tiny killers in this tournament and we start off with 16 matches. This time, you do not need to register on the forums to participate. You heard right, no forum registration required. We only ask that you predict the 16 winners in our comment box below. That is it. Just scroll down to the comments section at the first post for the tournament (just click here), predict the 16 winners of the first round, include a username (or name) and e-mail so we can follow your tracking and your all set. If you don’t leave an e-mail, you will not be entered and your predictions will be useless and scrapped. If you have any questions about the process or any general concern about the Tournament in general, you can ask those questions at our forum.

Read on for more contest information, contest prizes and to vote!

I want to include that for next round, we may be using a different polling system. It won’t affect the rest of the tournament but we still need to use our current polling system for the first round. Apparently, the current polls are not voting properly, but not in the sense of incorrect votes rather just not voting at all. We’ll continue to fight the good fight and fix the problem. Hang in there!

Prizes

To win, each contestant must play each round and the most accumulated wins from each round. It is much like March Madness. If you know college basketball, then you know the rules. If you don’t, the rules are simple. Just Predict the 16 winners of the first round in our comment box below with your (user)name and e-mail and your all set. Then, come back for round 2!

First (1st) Place Winner receives an Exclusive blood bag from the movie Thirst.

Second (2nd) Place Winner receives Wrong Turn 1 & 2 on Blu-ray.

Third (3rd) Place Winner receives a mystery bag of goodies.

***All winning contestants must live in United States. All winning contestants must be 18 years or older. We are not responsible for lost or damaged merchandise by the USPS. All prizes are subject to change at moments notice. Please, follow the contest rules or there will be automatic disqualification.***

]]> http://www.horroryearbook.com/546993/contest-round-1-of-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-ends-tuesday/feed 0 http://www.horroryearbook.com/546925/the-reel-reviewer-dead-air-2009-corbin-bernsen-dvd-critique http://www.horroryearbook.com/546925/the-reel-reviewer-dead-air-2009-corbin-bernsen-dvd-critique#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:55:59 +0000 Steven Tee http://www.horroryearbook.com/?p=6925 , 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.]]> Dead Air

DVD Release Company: Anthem Pictures (http://www.anthemdvd.com/)
Language: English
Length: 93 Minutes
Image: Color
Year: 2009
Rated: Unrated
Release Date: October 27, 2009

“Rectum! Damn near killed him!” – Gil (David Moscow)

MOVIE REVIEW

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 accomplishes in instilling a fear of the unknown, isolation, seclusion, and a real world disaster scenario. Its a different horror film that most fans will enjoy, especially enjoyable with the high caliber, well established iconic actors of the genre.

Logan (Bill Moseley) and sidekick Gil (David Moscow) are your late night shock radio disc jockeys who thought tonight would be like any other night in offending the million of the listeners that tune in to their radio show. Until one of their listeners calls in, panicking and frightened, about with what seems to be a riot of people killing people – men, women and children. As the night goes on, Logan, Gil, Lucy (Patricia Tallman) and Burt (Joshua Feinman) learn that its not just people killing people; the people are infected with a terrorist released toxin that turns them into rabid and zombie-like maniacs that can induce the same systems upon their victims with one scratch or one bite. Trapped, the radio station crew stays on the air, warning those in the downtown area of Los Angeles to get out or to lock themselves in but when Logan’s wife and daughter are in the path of the infected, he must find a way to rescue them.

I’m serious when I say that this film is plausible. Rabies is an actual disease and what if, this is only a what if, they could turn it into an airborne, fast-acting toxin? What would happen? I like the whole concept of Dead Air, especially the broadcast radio station crew being trapped and not willing to go to the emergency broadcast system but rather to stay on the air and to inform those listening. I wouldn’t want to hear numerous beeps and some voice recorded person telling me that everything is under control if all hell breaks loose on Earth.

Logan on air

Bill Moseley is perfect for the role of Logan. He has the fast-talkin’, wise crackin’ voice of a shock jock. He delivers his lines so well I can swear that he could pass as Man Cow Muller from the Man Cow morning show. Even the look of Logan is scarily similar to the look of Man Cow. Anyway, enough about Man Cow – I don’t want to focus on that. I want to focus on this cast. The cast is a tall drink order in a short glass which means that Bill Moseley and Patricia Tallman are big names for an indie project though are no strangers to indies themselves. This is their third film together; you might remember them as brother and sister in the remake of the Night of the Living Dead by Tom Savini or you might, but probably not, spot them in Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness. So, they have no problem playing an ex-married couple who are also employee and producer here – there is an underlying chemistry between them that works well and hopefully they’ll continue to be their own entourage. It is really hard for me to comprehend their characters for this film for I want to view them as Otis Driftwood and Barbara; their major breakthrough roles, but they do an effective job here and it pulls me out of that loop of character-typecasting and into their new shoes. Patricia Tallman as station producer Lucy does a fantastic job as being the scared yet calm female lead and, thus, makes her a strong character.

I told you how highly I think of the concept but doesn’t some of the aspects of the plot seem familiar. There is this 28 Days Later homage of some sorts. Running infected maniacs with blood coming out from their eyes seem to have been “borrowed” straight out of the Danny Boyle film. Though, these creatures are not as intense, they do bring their own life and characteristics to the film. No longer does the disease have to be spread by blood but rather just a mere scratch will do. That makes everything more terrifying because that limits the contact you’re suppose to have with those infected. It adds an extra beat to that already intensified heart beat that thumps in your chest. I found myself in rapid shouting thought wanting the survivors to not get with in arms distance. Imagine being trapped in an elevator with a very strong security guard who has been infected – you might as well make peace with yourself in that short time of liveliness.

The terror doesn’t stop

Fear doesn’t just come in the moment like that scenario explained about the elevator. Director Corbin Bernsen, who you might remember from Major League 1 and 2 and the hit television comedy series Psyche, wants to place in you a situation where you know what is going on outside without actually experiencing it. He wants you to hear the chaos being lived out by callers calling in to tell their horrifying story to Logan. Its that notion of the unknown; what we picture in our minds is nearly ten times more frightening than the actual event – usually. You hear callers being mauled to death, you hear callers changing into the infected, you hear callers speak of apocalyptic prophecy and so on. It gets to you in the worst way because if you don’t see it, it becomes surreal and surreal, to us the human race, is over exaggerated and disbelieving. We can’t understand what is happening so we tend to either rationalize and forget it or fear the absolute worst, leaving sweat on our brow and a parch dryness in our mouth.

What really hurts this effective indie horror thriller is the big names. Personally, I think Bill Moseley and Patricia Tallman, though no strangers to the indie film world, are now two household names for even the casual horror fan. This really feels like an amateur film and, frankly, it is. It is Corbin Bernsen’s third feature film and though I love what he did here with Dead Air, I honestly want him to stick with acting. He is a great actor and should do what he does best. If he could work on his technique while doing shorts, I wouldn’t have a problem with that but his direction methods and results hinder the film more than advance it. Some of his camera angles are dull. Though the dialogue is witty, mostly with Bill Moseley, it is bland and corny at times. These are issues that need to be addressed during pre-production and I think director Bernsen rather rushed through production in order to meet deadlines instead capturing and holding on to the spirit of the screenplay. At the end of the day, the indie picture business is what it’s labeled – a business – and time constraints come with the business and are set in place.

The climax is my biggest complaint. Rush isn’t the right word for it, but it will do for lack of a better term. How can I explain the climax without ruining the film? I can’t. Lets just say that something happens to our protagonist and then we are forced to go through a dreamlike and reminiscing state that leads all the way to his recovery or his toppling of the problem and it happened in a matter of seconds. It seemed almost unfair for the viewer to be subjected to that detour while the film put us on that crumbling edge the entire time. I felt let down and betrayed because there is room for so much more suspense but again there is that issue that was spoken of earlier, the rushing of trying to complete deadlines and in this case, wrapping the film too neatly for its own good.

The overall review ranking of Dead Air is moderately high. Constantly putting you in a heart pounding situation, there isn’t much hope instilled or being given to the audience leaving dread in its place which is always a plus in my book; happy endings always leave me unsatisfied. Yet with a rushed climax, that heart pounding stops in its tracks, stills, and then slumbers into an unfulfilled pocket of “what the hell?” Bill Moseley, Patricia Tallman and the concept barely gives this film a passing grade as the climax and direction really hurts it from advancing to a higher rank.

DVD REVIEW

Image quality matters – remember that kids if you ever want to make movies. Here the image quality is plagued with fuzzy imperfections and blocks of movement that creates distractions while trying to enjoy the film. Though, it was nice to see it in 1.78:1 widescreen format, but that doesn’t make up for the fact. The audio was a problem. There is a slight imbalance between ambiance and dialogue creating a more attentive awareness for my already strained ear canals. Again kids, Dolby Digital 2.0 should never, ever be used. Doesn’t matter how long it takes to conjure up more money, do it for better audio quality.

Behind the scenes look

As far as extras go, there are a few options to view. The behind the scenes featurette gives you interviews with cast, crew and director. Its good insight if you want to see how much director Corbin Bernsen rushes production. You also have the very short “Fly on the Wall” and “Behind the Shot” video captures where you get listen to Moseley and Tallman talk about previous projects and see the longest shot in the movie. I’m still trying to figure out why these were given special feature treatment because if I wanted pointlessness, I would have logged in to imdb.com or rewatched the longest scene.

The overall ranking for the Dead Air DVD is low. The sole thing keeping it from hitting rock bottom is the cover art. At first sight, there is a hint of a cheesy c-grade movie that the cover of Hood of the Living Dead similarly gives off. Yet the meshing of the color red and with Bill Moseley on the forefront has a strong attractive appeal. However, the poor image and audio quality just really hurt the release and the extras are practically pointless.

All images and logos are provided by Anthem Pictures and various other mediums.

]]> http://www.horroryearbook.com/546925/the-reel-reviewer-dead-air-2009-corbin-bernsen-dvd-critique/feed 6 http://www.horroryearbook.com/546917/contest-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-round-1-starts-today http://www.horroryearbook.com/546917/contest-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-round-1-starts-today#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:39:24 +0000 Steven Tee http://www.horroryearbook.com/?p=6917 Tiny Killer Icon Tournament!]]> 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!

Rules

The rules are basically the same. There will be a few changes. You have 32 tiny killers in this tournament and we start off with 16 matches. This time, you do not need to register on the forums to participate. You heard right, no forum registration required. We only ask that you predict the 16 winners in our comment box below. That is it. Just scroll down to the comments section, predict the 16 winners of the first round, include a username (or name) and e-mail so we can follow your tracking and your all set. If you don’t leave an e-mail, you will not be entered and your predictions will be useless and scrapped.

If you need any help with the tournament, you can ask your question here. All entries must be in by Tuesday November 17th @ 12 AM. Polls will close by then and any entry in the comment box that is entered after that time will not count. Sorry, rules are rules!

Read on for more contest information, contest prizes and to vote!

Prizes

To win, each contestant must play each round and the most accumulated wins from each round. It is much like March Madness. If you know college basketball, then you know the rules. If you don’t, the rules are simple. Just Predict the 16 winners of the first round in our comment box below with your (user)name and e-mail and your all set. Then, come back for round 2!

First (1st) Place Winner receives an Exclusive blood bag from the movie Thirst.

Second (2nd) Place Winner receives Wrong Turn 1 & 2 on Blu-ray.

Third (3rd) Place Winner receives a mystery bag of goodies.

***All winning contestants must live in United States. All winning contestants must be 18 years or older. We are not responsible for lost or damaged merchandise by the USPS. All prizes are subject to change at moments notice. Please, follow the contest rules or there will be automatic disqualification.***

VOTE BELOW

]]> http://www.horroryearbook.com/546917/contest-tiny-killer-icon-tournament-round-1-starts-today/feed 11 http://www.horroryearbook.com/546910/contest-tournament-over-and-winners-announced http://www.horroryearbook.com/546910/contest-tournament-over-and-winners-announced#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:35:04 +0000 Steven Tee http://www.horroryearbook.com/?p=6910 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 forum memebers:

El_Brando_37
Coffinrock
TeddyX

You can view your prizes and who to PM to give your contact info so we can send out your prizes Here at the Contest Winners post. Congratulations once again.

For those who missed out on the tournament, we are planning another one to be held very, very soon. Stick around, keep updated, and maybe you can win some cool prizes as well.

]]> http://www.horroryearbook.com/546910/contest-tournament-over-and-winners-announced/feed 0