Late Night at the Horror Hotel presents: The Corpse Vanishes
Episode synopsis - Bela Lugosi stars in this 1942 story about Horror and Dementia...blah, blah....blah...he is a crazy Doctor who brings Virgins back to his Wife, who hasn't? On tonight's show, poor John just cannot catch a break. Watch as Pigamortis convinces Dimension that he can perform the greatest magic trick ever. The Horror Hotel, after this one, will now have a Laundry Room of Resurrection.
On October 28th, 1978, my world was a little brighter...being an avid 8 yr old Kiss fan, I had to stay up to watch the greatest film of my early lifetime...or so I thought. Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park premiered on NBC as the Saturday Night at the Movies feature and would be revered as a Cult Classic 32 years later.
I know...a cult classic...come on Dimension, what are you thinking? Let me explain, I saw Kiss in concert in Massachusetts in the Summer of 1978 and they were pimping this movie hard. The "Dynasty" tour was my first concert experience, I have completely blocked the Helen Reddy experience my Mother dragged me too, and what an eye opener KISS was. Enough about my childhood trauma...let's talk about this Classic. Did I mention I am a card carrying KISS Army member?
For years, this was only available as a Bootleg, no wonder, as the members of KISS absolutely hated this film. Also titled, KISS in the Attack of the Phantoms, this film was plagued with problems. The script went through several re-writes, the band were NOT actors and it really showed, the portrayal of the group was just horrendous but, looking back, I actually find charm in the film and actually enjoy it.
Some many not know that the film was produced by Hanna-Barbera, yep the same guys who made everyone's childhood filled with Scooby-Doo, the Flintstones, The Banana Splits, the Jetsons and tons more. Gene Simmons was "The Demon", Paul Stanley the "Star Child", Ace Frehley the "Space Man" and drummer, Peter Criss was "the Cat Man". Laughably, all having super-natural powers and pushing the fans imaginations with just much we would believe. I believe that these guys can rock..not need some talisman gimmick....but I was 8 yrs old and bought it hook, line and sinker.
Synopsis (credit Wiki)- The tale of rock band KISS and their efforts to thwart a diabolical plan by mad scientist Abner Devereaux. Devereaux has found a way to clone humans into robots in his laboratory at an amusement park. It just so happens that he plans to uses the KISS concert as a platform to unleash his plan on the world. KISS must use their special powers to stop him.
This film does have some Horror moments...you see Frankenstein and Dracula, plus these werewolf type henchmen...pretty villainous huh? Even Killer Robot versions of KISS themselves. The mad scientist, played by Anthony Zerbe (who has been in countless film and television projects) does a fantastic job...no kidding.
For me this was more of a trip down memory lane than a review - sorry, couldn't resist...I LOVE Kiss still today and still have my bootleg copy of this on VHS and plan on spending my night re-watching and enjoying the modern movie classic. If you can find a copy, do your self a favor...watch it, if anything just for the ridiculousness of it all.
National Horror Examiner gives Late Night another 5 out of 5 star rating!!
Scott Ruth, the columnist for the National Horror Examiner was gracious enough to check out our TV show - Late Night at the Horror Hotel.We could not have been happier with the result...giving us a whopping 5 out of 5 stars!!
Some of what Scott said:
....The guys at "Late Night At The Horror Hotel" are most certainly among the gifted.
....This show demonstrates how horror hosting is supposed to be done.
Big time thank you....To read this entire review...visit Horror Examiner
Writer/Director Thomas J. Churchill brings a new brand of horror to Salty Horror Film Festival with his three time award winning film EMERGING PAST
LOS ANGELES: Writer/director Thomas J. Churchill has garnered much attention lately in the horror film world. Mr. Hush Weekend of Fear premiered two of his films this past weekend. The triple award winning film EMERGING PAST which he wrote, directed and produced had its Pennsylvania premiere and MR. HUSH - in which he has a supporting role as Sheriff Churchill as well as producer - had its world premiere. Churchill attended Mr. Hush Weekend of Fear to support the premieres of his films and participate in Q&A’s with the screenings. He also signed autographs and took pictures with fans throughout the three-day convention along with EMERGING PAST stars: Stephen Geoffries, Steve Dash, Edward X. Young and Mike Marino.
Churchill will be bringing his brand of horror to Utah for the film’s premiere at the Salty Horror Film Festival in Salt Lake City on Saturday, November 6th as part of a LOST BOYS reunion. Brooke McCarter and G Tom Mac will participate in a Q&A following the film. The screening of EMERGING PAST will be followed by the original 1987 THE LOST BOYS film w/McCarter, G Tom Mac and an acoustic performance by McCarter and G in the Tower Theatre, Salt Lake City.
EMERGING PAST recently took the Best Actor Award for Brooke McCarter’s performance as the boozing, womanizing reporter Dylan at the Spooky Empire Freakshow Horror Film Festival in Orlando, FL on October 10th. EMERGING PAST had already created a buzz at the New York City Independent Film Festival this August when festival organizers had to book a second screening because the first one sold out ahead of show time. Interest in the film was proven justified when EMERGING PAST took home the award for Best Horror Feature and Best Song for “Mud” (by Katie DiCiccio) during the closing night awards ceremony. The Best Actor win in Florida makes three wins in as many screenings, setting an enviable record for any feature film.
EMERGING PAST is a horror twisted psycho-thriller rollercoaster ride of terror that follows a tormented woman on her journey to discover where her past is leading her. The film stars Brooke McCarter (THE LOST BOYS) as you’ve never seen him before. Krista Grotte (THE UH-OH SHOW, BRAINJACKED), Steve Dash (FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2), Stephen Geoffries (FRIGHT NIGHT, 976-EVIL), Tony Moran (HALLOWEEN 1 & 2), Edward X. Young (THE GREEN MONSTER, MR. HUSH) and Mike Marino (MR. HUSH, COLD PLASTIC, THE STRANGE1) round out this impressive cast of genre stars with music written by G Tom Mac (THE LOST BOYS’ “Cry Little Sister”). G Tom Mac’s internet hit “Soul I Bare” and the only song Cory Haim recorded with him, “Mend Me,” are featured in the film. EMERGING PAST was produced by Church Hill Productions and Chocolate Bunny Productions.
Writer/director Churchill says that his vision for the film came from a road trip to Washington DC, the setting for one of his favorite films, THE EXORCIST and says “Somewhere between THE EXORCIST and THE OMEN EMERGING PAST shall sit.”
If you’d like more information about EMERGING PAST, MR. HUSH or to schedule an interview with writer/director Thomas Churchill or cast members, please contact Marla Stoker at 314.973.5525 or marlastoker@churchhillproductions.com .
Ello piglets. I'm sure you all know by now, your zombie pig pal is none to fond of the vampire genre and actually goes out of his way to avoid vampire films. (Blacula aside) Our story opens on a struggling band "The Winners" who just can't quite get the big break they are lookin for. After a gig in a dive bar and the the cute female bassist, Jennifer (Jessica Pare) leaves with fella who looks like a cross between a demonic Carrot Top and Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter, finds that her one night stand turns into more than she bargained for. I must say that the party scene was rather cool, as short as it was. Jennifer shows up for sound check the next day paled out creepy eyes and all. We can all figure out what happened, no? At the gig that night, Jennifer rocks out on the bass and the crowd absolutely is enthralled by her new look. It appears her new vampiness gives her that lil something the band has been lacking all these years. It seems their time has arrived. You know, come to think of it... I think this is how No DOUBT got their start.
Enter Eddie Van Helsing (Malcolm McDowell)seeking revenge on the head vamp, "Queenie". As you can guess, chaos and blood sucking wackiness ensues.
This is a solid film and LOTS of fun. Seriously, i enjoyed it from beginning to end and Writer, Director, and Star Rob Stefanuk has something to be proud of. This is a definite thumbs up. Solid acting and great supporting roles by McDowell and Alice Cooper as well as hysterical cameos by Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Moby and Dave "Kids in the Hall" Foley. Suck not only delivers in the comedy arena but there is plenty of blood. While its not a gorefest by any means, it has enough of the sauce and some cool special FX to keep fans happy. The transitions were reminiscent of a GUITAR HERO goes to Hell, which I completely liked. It had updated elements of the classic Dracula story right down to its French/Canadian version of Renfield.
Well done Mr. Stefanuk.
I can honestly say i don't have a bad thing to say about this movie, DESPITE it being a Vampire movie. Its soundtrack was well done (it may not be my particular flavor of music but it did well) and it was shot extremely well. I can make a thousand analogies and comparisons to a thousand other vampire movies... but they don't deserve the comparisons. Suck delivers. It does what movies should, it entertains!
Just remember, "Never trust a god damn vampire!"
Late Night at the Horror Hotel is looking of submissions!!
Once again, Late Night at the Horror Hotel is looking for film submissions to review on our site. We have a great staff of reviewers and writers and we want to see what you have.
This is your chance for your film to reach more people. More than ever, the Horror genre market is exploding with new films, with video stores closing, your job to get noticed is harder.
Let us see what you have...send an email to Rob Dimension and let's get you film reviewed!
Wanna see some of the films we have helped!!
The Good Sisters - Forbidden Pictures
Dead Hooker in a Trunk - Twisted Twins Productions
Long Pigs - Clowns After Midnight
The Wrong House - Wisdumb Productions
These are just a few..please ask them if they think we helped....
Our good friends over at the BloodSprayer.com checked in and interview, co-host, Rob Dimension. Rob was flattered that they took the time to talk about what Late Night at the Horror Hotel is trying to do. Special Thanks to Zach Shildwachter and Kristy Jett....these are the guys that truly care about Independent Horror and are making a difference.
FACES of SCHLOCK: Boobs and Blood Edition
Independent Entertainment
In Association with Gonzoriffic Productions
"Blood Witch"
Written and Directed by Andrew Shearer
"Mike Wuz Here" Directed by Justin Channell
"One Foot in the Grave" Directed by Chris LaMartina
"Slay Ride"
Directed by Henrique Couto
Howdy, Piglets.
Well, this is by far a movie that is EVERYTHING you expect it to be from the title.
We have a lovingly crafted homage to 80's style gore with a whole mess of boobs and chicks making out to keep you interested thru those pesky NON-killin scenes.
Created by four directors who should all probably be on some sort of government watch list of some kind, Faces gives us four tales hosted by your fanged creepy whore-er host "Slutpira".
Our first tale "Blood Witch" is about a skanky goth broad named Lucia who manages, through the use of her generic black book of spells to bring back "the Blood Witch". A demonic assassin who kills all she is commanded to. Soon noone is safe from Lucia's ridiculous wrath. Not her bible-thumping roommate, not telemarketers, not the bug man (who made me LOL more than once), not even Lucia herself.
The next tale "MIKE WUZ HERE" features Josh Lively, TJ Rogers, Zane Crosby and Heather Lucas. These were the folks behind "Raising the Stakes" and "Die and Let Live" which if you HAVE NOT seen, you really should, its funny stuff!
This tale is about a fella named Derek applying for the job as a theatre manager since the previous manager had since died. One small hitch to this job, one of the employees is Mike, a ghost who has also committed suicide after being fired from his job but still remains on the payroll, despite being unliked by most of the staff. I don't know, I didn't write this! I WILL give Kudos for the shout out to "Booberry" in this film! (Suck it, Dimension) The film tackles some touchy subjects on anti ghost sentiment and ghost bigotry (make that BOOGOTRY), but its handled in a sensitive, respectful manner that makes you think. When Mike gets fed up with Derek's new management and possesses him, all Hell breaks loose and the carnage follows. (Spoiler: No nekkid broads in this story.)
The next story, "One Foot in the Grave", Directed by Chris LaMartina (Grave Mistakes, Book of Lore, Faces of Schlock 2) tells of a beautiful dancer,Katie(Sara Cole) who loses her foot due to incompetent malpractice by a freaky foot doc (George Stover). Normally, that would sideline a dancer and probably send her off the deep end to suicide or at least to countless hours of couch time in therapy. But not our girl... this is just a minor set back as she goes to black magic for her solution. Why does everyone go RIGHT to the black magic? Sheesh. Dr.Scholl (YES that is the foot doc's name... C'mon the movie is called "FACES OF SCHLOCK") better watch out!
Katie's foot comes back from the grave(?) and seeks vengence. Never knew a foot could hand out such an ass kickin! Hahahah See what i did there? Ok, I'm sorry. All the puns and crappy jokes in this movie just got me in that mindset.
Our final terrible tale comes from the mind of Andrew Shearer and directed by Henrique Couto (Satans House of Yoga, SlumberParty Murder Mania, Headcheese). And WHAT A MIND IT IS! Mr. Couto seems to embrace the idea of schlock and he excels at it. Our foul mouthed character Biancaaka "TRASH" (Ruby LaRocca) is left at home for Christmas as punishment by her parents for getting expelled from school. Her parents cut off the power and the phone while they are away (how utterly convenient) So like any teen left home for the holidays, she gets drunk and shows off her newly pierced nipples. I think this was the original script for "HOME ALONE". Couto makes a Hitchcockian cameo in his film and plays the perfect drooling, horny mongoloid psycho, perv, Toby. When her ridiculously nerdy classmate Deb stops by to help Bianca with her science, things go from bad to worse. Mr. Couto doesnt pretend to be reinventing the wheel with this film. To be honest i don't even think he pretends to know what a wheel IS in this film. Its simply boobs and blood and he does something alot of folks have forgotten how to do, entertain. Not a bad combo. So Kudos to Couto.
If you're not some film snob who needs some plot driven story or some crazy twist worthy of a shamalanyan ending, then this movie is for you. Just check your brains at the door and enjoy what the Schlock Gods have offered you.
Released in 1993, this entry into the Return of the Living Dead series changed the tone, adding more romance and less comedy. Melinda Clarke plays Julie, our leading...well, zombie with a heart.
Synopsis - Colonel Reynolds and his group of government scientists continue their work on re-animating the dead for military use. His son Curt and his girlfriend Julie use Dad's security pass to sneak in and watch the proceedings. Later when father and son have a disagreement, Curt and Julie take off on a motorcycle and Julie is killed in an accident. Grief-stricken, Curt takes her body to the lab and brings her back to life. Curt must help Julie deal with her new existence as military agents and local gang members try to find them.
Ah, where do I start with this one?? I am a big fan of this version of a Zombie Romero and Juliet so to speak, doesn't get a lot of props. Melinda Clark is attractive and make a seriously sexy zombie, especially towards the end. Fending off her hunger she "self mutilates"herself..you know, similar to the EMO kids at the malls on Friday nights. Constantly on the run and looking for a breather, this film still holds up well and packs some fun Zombie punch.
"Does this belong with the Return of the Living Dead series?" Yes and No. Yes, because if it didn't have the name credibility that we ALL loved with parts 1 & 2, I don't think it would have garnered the success that it did. No, because on the same token, I thought that Thom Mathews and James Karen literally stole the show in Dan O'Bannon original. I still constantly watch that one....so good easily a top 5 Zombie film for anyone. This 3rd film really needed it's own identity but probably would have been lost in the shuffle. I still highly recommend this one, especially when spending time with that special someone, always tell them you would use Trioxin to stay together forever!!!
Directed by Brian Yuzna, who also directed Bride of Re-Animator and Beyond Re-Animator (also have a huge Cult Following) and wrote Honey I shrunk the Kids does a decent job at getting us exactly what we want...Brains!!! The Gore is fun, nothing too intense or over the top. I actually enjoy the "Half-eaten head" Zombie that attacks the Police. The standard special effects will always be my top choice over CGI, sure it would look better but isn't that part of the charm? Plus, how about that zombie from the Government lab? Almost naked and scary!!
If you are a fan of The Return of the Living Dead series, make sure you grab the "Complete History" book (shown to the left) - this is informative and a MUST have if your a Zombie Fan!!!
Synopsis - Two zombie loving geeks and their reluctant girlfriends stop at Evans City Cemetery where the original Night of the Living Dead was filmed. While there they encounter a horde of ravenous zombies only this time it isn't a movie.
This fun Zombie short was shot during this past summer and will be a very fun time! Writer and Director Ron DiPrimio was kind enough to send us the poster drawn by Brian Maze, the award winning comic book artist and the man behind the popular MonkeyGoatBoy site.
Co-Host, Rob Dimension has a fun cameo as a Zombie in this one, star Teddy Wycheck had this to say "anytime I can kill Dimension, it's always a great day." I'm sure that everyone will enjoy this one. Once the official trailer and screening information is available, we will post it. For more Zombie Vision mini-episodes, check out:
Co-Host of Late Night at the Horror Hotel, Rob Dimension interviews actor Brian O'Halloran tonight at 9pm eastern time on Horror Society LIVE. Playing Dante Hicks in the Kevin Smith Cult hit "Clerks", Brian is expected the talk everything tonight.
Want to know more about him? This might be a great opportunity to hear what Mr. O'Halloran has to say about breaking into acting and how to stay sharp. This is a must listen interview for fans that love The View Askew Universe.
After hearing a lot about JT Petty’s newest film, S&Man, I decided to get my hands on a copy and see it for myself. The film starts out in a narrative documentary style, exploring the culture of underground horror films. Petty travels to a horror convention where he meets up with a new young filmmaker who goes by Eric, and is the filmmaker behind the S&Man series of films.
Things start to get weird, as Eric grows more and more partial to Petty and his crew, but the more Petty pushes to get into Eric’s mind, the more defensive Eric gets. It becomes clear that something is wrong with Eric, and the film takes a turn away from fact and into fiction, while still providing a lot of insight into voyeurism and extreme filmmaking.
Petty interviews a few different doctors who specialize in voyeurism and sexual deviants. He also gets a lot of insight from cult filmmaker Fred Vogel and Toe Tag Pictures. Vogel is responsible for some of the most graphic films to date that are the closest you can legally get to snuff. He provides JT with a firsthand account of a snuff film he watched and the effect it had on his life. These real accounts are interlaced with insight from scream queens and filmmaker Bill Zebub along with fictionalized stories from Eric about his S&Man films.
My favorite part about this film is the way it makes you think. Petty does a great job at making you feel weird about watching extreme horror films. He drives deeply into your psyche and then rips it apart when things turn out for the worst. Are we all just voyeurs? Do we all have that little voice in the back of our heads urging us to look into the fire just to catch a glimpse of a burning corpse? Petty does a great job of convincing us that as humans each of us has a yearning to view violence, but he also reminds us that when you see so much violence and chaos on screen you become numb and eventually, for some people, the only way to feel the rush of horror films, is to act out in violence. Do we all secretly lust for blood?
STORY: “Trick for The Scarecrow” (Batman), by Billy Tucci. “Robin the Vampire Slayer” (Batman & Robin), by Joe Harris. “Time or Your Life” (Flash), by Alex Segura. “A Night to Remember” (Wonder Woman & Deadman), by Vinton Heuck. “Medusa Non Grata” (Miss Martian & Blue Beetle), by Bryan Q. Miller. “Fears of Steel” (Superman & The Demon), by Brian Keene.
ART: Billy Tucci, Lee Garbett, Kenneth Loh, Dean Zachary, Trevor McCarthy, Stephen Thompson.
PUBLISHER: DC
AVAILABLE: Now, at your local comic shop!
REVIEW: Mark Mackner
Greetings once again, ghouls and ghosts! Tis I, resident Spider-Man scholar, MARK MACKNER with a review of the brand-new DC UNIVERSE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2010!!!!
Last year, we were given a whopping 13 Halloween tales. This time, it’s just 6. But quality rules over quantity, right? So, do slightly longer stories make for an overall better book? The answer is (In this case, anyway), no, not really. 2010’s Special isn’t any better than 2009’s. But it’s just as good! Anthologies such as this are always a mixed bag, with some stories shining, others tanking, and some just not really making any sort of an impression at all. Some of them pass by so quickly that you don’t even have time to formulate an opinion on them, one way or the other. But, if you’re like me, and you eat these things up, then there’s plenty to enjoy here, though. And, if you’re also like me in that you have kids that you love sharing the joy of comics with, I’ll let you know which are kid-appropriate, and which are questionable. To wit, a rundown of what you’ll find in this year’s collection…
BATMAN in “TRICK FOR THE SCARECROW”, by Billy Tucci. Scarecrow breaks into a home on Devil’s Night (aka Mischief Night, for those of us who don’t live in THE CROW’s universe), accidentally sprays himself with his fear agent, and is terrorized by two little kids in Batman costumes with a grudge. You see, Scarecrow stole their candy in the 2009 Special, and now it’s payback time. I liked the bit with the Mom, and seeing Dick’s more lighthearted Batman get a chuckle out of the whole ordeal. Breezy Halloween fun, suitable for all ages. Grade: B.
BATMAN & ROBIN, with I… “VAMPIRE in “ROBIN THE VAMPIRE SLAYER”, by Joe Harris and Lee Garbett. Andrew Bennett (I… Vampire) leads Batman and Robin into a nest of some especially nasty vampires known as “The Cult of the Blood Red Moon”. But can Bennett be trusted? What’s his gripe with these vamps? Or is he setting a trap for the Dynamic Duo? A decent enough supernatural action yarn, spun in just 7 pages! Some action, but not bloody, so you could share with the kids. Which is good, because my kids will definitely be down for some Dynamic Duo vs. vampire action. Grade: B.
THE FLASH in “TIME OR YOUR LIFE”, by Alex Segura and Kenneth Loh. Monsters stalk the streets while a Halloween festival is going on in the city. Frankenstein’s Monster shows up, and people fear him because he’s stitched together from parts of multiple corpses and also he’s freaking HUGE. But is he the true threat? Or is he there hunting something far WORSE? The other monster in this looks like something out of a Sam Raimi film. WAY “Army of Darkness” or “Drag Me To Hell”. A text message brings Barry Allen, THE FLASH, to the rescue! There’s a decent scrap between The Flash and Frankenstein’s Monster, which I guess is cool in and of itself, but there’s not much else to hang your hat on here. The boobs on the other monster and some blood might make you wanna skip this one if reading with your little ones. Grade: C.
WONDER WOMAN and DEADMAN in “A NIGHT TO REMEMBER”, by Vinton Heuck and Dean Zachary. Deadman tails a lowlife to a cult ceremony led by FELIX FAUST, who’s had CHEETAH steal something from the museum in order to complete the ritual. Wonder Woman shows up and cleans house, and Deadman gets the brief pleasure of a woman’s touch, when Wonder Woman rewards him with a kiss on the cheek for his heroics. This was a nice story. I liked Deadman’s voiceover, and Wonder Woman vs. Cheetah is always fun. Grade: B.
MISS MARTIAN and THE BLUE BEETLE in “MEDUSA NON GRATA”, by Bryan Q. Miller and Trevor McCarthy. KLARION THE WITCHBOY (And his cat TEEKL) go out trick or treating, and wind up being laughed at by a couple who answer their door, expecting to see kids there. Klarion doesn’t appreciate the reaction he gets, so he turns the couple to stone. He then starts turning EVERYONE to stone! Meanwhile, Blue Beetle is teaching Miss Martian about Halloween, and accompanying her on a walk through the neighborhood, stopping for treats of their own. Klarion’s antics grab their attention, and a quick conflict ensues. I rather enjoyed this one. The flirtation between the heroes is endearing and cute, and Teekl the Cat totally steals the show as Klarion’s familiar. “I can haz ur soul?” is the best line in the whole book. No gore, a talking cat, and art that looks to be pulled directly from a TV cartoon show means the kids will probably dig it, and I think most comic readers can relate to both the Blue Beetle AND Klarion in this story. “I detect an inflated sense of self worth. From the cat.” Nicely played. Grade: B.
SUPERMAN and THE DEMON in “FEARS OF STEEL”, by Brian Keene and Stephen Thompson. Some kids out for Halloween fun in Metropolis stumble upon a very distressed Superman. They’re not sure what to make of it, but we the readers can see that he’s got an invisible parasitic demon on his back, attempting to take over the Man of Steel’s mind. The fiend has him seeing all the things that rattle him most: Lois dying, his Earth and Kryptonian fathers seeing him as a disappointment, etc. THE DEMON shows up and talks Supes out of it, makes him see that people care about him and that he has nothing to fear. If all this sounds kinda hokey, that’s because it IS. Blah. Grade: C-.
Overall, I’ll give the book a B-. SOLOMON GRUNDY’s presence is sorely missed here, as he’s featured prominently on the cover, and he’s a natural fit for a Halloween story, yet he’s nowhere to be found inside the book. I would’ve liked to have seen more season-appropriate villains, like TOYMAN maybe, in some creepy kinda stories, but the only villains included are Klarion, Felix Faust, Scarecrow, and Cheetah. Still, if you’re just in the mood for some spooky fun, and don’t feel like being bogged down
with crazy continuity issues, you’ll find many iconic heroes here, in stories that are instantly accessible to all. But if you only have money for ONE Halloween special from the Big Two, Marvel’s TOMB OF TERROR is a bit better. Though, that one’s certainly NOT for children!
When not hanging out at The Horror Hotel, Mark Mackner can be found creating such local indie horror gems as DAISY DERKINS: DOGSITTER OF THE DAMNED!, EVIL BREW, THE HALF-LIFE HORROR FROM HELL or: IRRADIATED SATAN ROCKS THE WORLD!, and EMBALMO! He’s also the resident Spider-Man scholar over at geek site POPTARDS where he writes SPIDEY’S WEEKLY WEB-UP. In 2011, he’ll be directing his latest original script PROM NIGHT ABORTION!
This review is completely spoiler free, with so few having seen this film, I didn't want to spoil anything for anyone. Hey, that's the kind of guy I am.....
This past weekend, I was offered a great opportunity by Mr. David Lee Madison, the writer and director of Mr Hush, to be part of his Mr Hush Weekend of Fear. Let me touch on this Convention for a minute....David and his group of volunteers put on the most fan friendly con (Period)! Every fan that attended was able to speak with all the celebrities in attendance. From an invited guest stand point, they all showed class...treating everyone like top notch stars (yup...even me..believe it?), going above and beyond to make sure our weekend was fantastic....Note to David : Next time put me NEXT to Tiffany Shepis....on with the review..
Cast - The cast of characters should make most Horror fans eager to give this one a glance - Brad Loree (Michael Myers), Steve Dash (Jason part 2), Stephen Geoffreys (Fright Night) plus some amazing back up help from Thomas Churchill, Colleen Cohan, Jessica Cameron and Connie Giordano...but the film has a break out star....Edward X Young, write down his name...Mr Hush was the perfect role for him.
Brad Loree plays Holland Price, a devoted Father and Loving Husband. Unfortunately, someone has been stalking him, waiting for the right time to ruin his happiness. Mr Hush is the story of Good vs. Evil....in the end, you are really behind Holland and hope to see him overcome the obstacles for happiness. Steve Dash has a supporting role that was really tailored for him, a sharp tongued Italian type (ya...the kind that would "wack" ya), he is tremendous in this part. Thomas Churchill played another great character, the tough exterior cop, that totally fails in a comedic way...fun to watch.
All of the Ladies do great, each having a very instrumental role in our Hero's life. They help add more flavor to the character, for me, watching this film, and I cared about them. They all came across likable on screen and you naturally adore them all. From the young to the leading ladies...great job to all. Beautiful and having acting skills is a nice change on screen.
Stephen Geoffreys is paired with our Mr Hush (X Young) character and, in my humble opinion, revives his career here. Being out of the spotlight hasn't hurt his acting and ability to play a role he is perfect for. Every time he is on screen, you can sense magic happening.
Our lead Villain, Mr Hush, portrayed by Edward X Young was interesting. Going into this, I had no experience with his acting style. He really is over the top, both on film and in person. Extremely likable and his demeanor seeps through the camera lens and into your brain...like an infection and you find yourself memorized and smiling when he is on screen. His acting in this was top notch, I truly feel that he will make a much larger impact soon, just too good not to do so.
The Story - without giving away any spoilers, I will say that the story is fun and I enjoyed this one. Madison is not re-inventing the wheel, he is simply giving Horror fans a modernized rendition of Classic Horror....for me, I enjoy that. I am a big fan of an 80's style horror film that doesn't need to try to shock anyone. The story and acting carry the film, as it should. With a huge support system of believers, I am rooting for this one to go on to bigger and better! If you are looking for cheap boobs shots (well, watch our show), you won't find it here. No excessive gore, it really isn't needed. The special effects were simple enough and effective when shown.
I have been to a few premiers and it's encouraging to see when a director speaks so passionately about his film. David Lee Madison really loves this...he has poured his heart and soul into this project. Everyone here at Late Night at the Horror Hotel truly hopes that Horror fans give this film a chance.
In closing, the theater was filled with people who believe in this....I was honored to have been there, I am now a believer in Mr Hush!
A Special Interview with the Creators and Star from Long Pigs!
by: Heather Henshaw
A while back I came across a film by the name of Long Pigs not to be mixed up with a different film called Long Pig. I had befriended Chris and later Anthony we talked for some time before I actually got a copy of the film. Finally I got a copy and put it in. I fell in love with the film I mean I just dropped dead over how well it was done. So I got to chatting with the guys Director Chris Power and Anthony Alviano (both very great guys) here are some stuff we have chatted about. Sit back have a bowl of stew and read what these guys have to say:
LNHH: The name of your film is called Long Pigs can you tell us a little about that term and how you ended up naming you’re film that?
Chris Power: “Long Pig” is the culinary term for the human corpse, which depending on where you do your research has a couple different origins – but if you were cooking with human you wouldn’t say, “people stew” but rather “long pig stew”. Basically we’re all long pigs!
LNHH: How did you choose your cast? Anthony does an amazing job. He seems like he did not even have to really act; he just had to be himself. How did you ever get someone to play Lucy at that?
CP: Well Nathan and I knew we were writing the movie for Anthony, which was an artistic bonus – so we played to his characteristics. Finding the rest of the (non-union) cast was much more difficult. Elisa Moolecherry did our casting and spent literally months seeing thousands of actors – which is the boring secret to casting I think: You gotta keep seeing people until you find the right actor – don’t just hire your friends.
Anthony Alviano: Chris and Nathan told me they thought of me specifically in the role which was flattering, and I think I understood exactly what they where going for in terms of the character playing with the audience’s idea of reality. I always thought the most interesting thing about the idea was to make it as naturalistic as possible, so I thought I should just play the part like your next-door neighbor. I really did want people to question whether it was fictional movie or a real documentary.
CP: Finding someone to play Lucy (played by Barb Walsh) was a bit of a nightmare due to the demands of the character. Casting came down to two women each amazing in their own way – ultimately our first choice ended up dislocating her knee and Barb stepped in. After she was convinced we weren’t making a porno she was a real trooper.
LNHH: How did you guys meet each other and go from there on this film?
AA: I’ve known Chris (Power) since high school and was in one of his early shorts – later on they were going to do another short when the idea Long Pigs came up.
CP: Anthony was ahead of me in high school so we never really hung out that much, but he was clearly one of the “stars” of our high school drama department, which put on a major show each year. So when we met I was playing four one-minute parts while Anthony was in every scene getting huge laughs. When I ran my very first 16mm film through a bolex, I asked Anthony to appear and of course he did an awesome job.
LNHH: There was a scene in Long Pigs that was a fairly uncomfortable one for Anthony; how did you deal with the scene of Barbara Walsh (Lucy the Prostitute)? I know she had to hang upside down at least three times naked for it.
AA: I was far more concerned with Barb than anything else, A lot of my sweatyness and rapid breathing in that scene comes from me really wanting it to be over with as quickly as possible. It comes off like I’m excited.
CP: Yeah that was not a wonderful shooting experience, but Barb pulled us through and was the hero of that scene for sure. It’s tough asking someone to do something you’d never ever do yourself… like hand upside down bare-ass naked.
LNHH: Anthony being a role of a serial killer did you do any research and was there a specific killer you based McAlistar after?
AA: I did do research on numerous serial killers but the character wasn’t based on any one historical person.
CP: We had a giant binder of research but it certainly wasn’t our “bible” – all proper kudos for the creation of that character goes to Anthony.
LNHH: I know the budget was not all that big but how did you pull it off? The FX were simply amazing.
CP: I tell our sad but epic SFX tale a lot:
SFX part 1: We initially went with a SFX supervisor who was more inexperienced, but assured us he was up to the task of creating our “Lucy body”. After avoiding showing us the results until we were on set, we were horrified to be presented a wrinkled, totally unusable piece that looked more like a giant baked ham – total cost/waste $4000.
SFX part 2: After that fiasco we contacted a prominent female SFX supervisor in the city who took the script and agreed to a scheduled meeting. We showed up early for the meeting in the middle of the afternoon to find their SFX shop completely closed – nobody home - no answer from any phone number. We only found out by chance many months later that the owner of the shop had read the script for Long Pigs and deemed it “so horrible it should never be produced”.
SFX part 3: Finally we found Chris Bridges! (Cue the angel’s chorus!!!) Not only is he the most talented man we’ve ever met in the industry but also he’s also the nicest! Chris and Tony Labatt delivered in spades for this film under the worst physical and financial circumstances. We could speak forever about this genius - who literally saved our film.
LNHH: I do want to talk about the FX on your film for a moment. You had Chris Bridges who has done many big films such as 300, Silent Hill, saw 3 and many other great films, how did you guys get him to agree to Long Pigs?
CP: We begged and cried! Here’s the story from the man himself:
Chris Bridges (special effects): One day Tony came in and mentioned that one of his friends was on a small film and that they were having problems with some effects they had hired out and could we maybe talk with the Directors. We did meet with Chris and Nathan - they even brought us the body the other effects guy made in hopes that maybe it could be salvaged. They made it clear they did not have much money left over from the original build, and I think I felt a little sorry for them, I mean the body they brought in looked like a baked ham. And so Tony and I agreed to help and remake the body - as cheaply as we could. The thing I liked about these guys is they didn’t try to hustle me with promises of getting paid on their next five films or anything. They were desperate and honest.
LNHH: With such a small crew how well did the filming go? Was there any horror story’s per say or did things go smooth during the making?
CP: Oh yeah, it was totally smooth sailing – no bumps at all – every day was like a trip to the beach… and if you believe that I just got an email from a Nigerian Prince who needs your help to clear his trust fund.
AA: – actually I can’t really think of anything that bad…
CP: How about the rotten meat?
AA: Oh right…
CP: lol
AA: Well, all the meat that we used for the effects was actually stored in the same freezer you see in the scene... but somewhere along the line it stopped working, and we’d forgotten to take the meat out. Before long you could really smell the stench of death down there.
LNHH: The fact that this is a horror movie do you guys like to watch horror movies or just prefer to make them and act in them?
CP: I’ve always been a fan – I think we love horror movies the same way little kids scream with delight as they go down the slide - even though they might be scared the first time. Three movies that messed with my head as a kid in particular: “The Thing” (1982), “Poltergeist”, and the original “Nightmare on Elm Street”. My old sketchbooks from that age are filled with gory scenes from those movies – my poor mom must’ve been worried...
AA: I’m not specifically a horror fan but I’ve always enjoyed the genre. From an actor’s point of view it definitely “fun” to work in horror, and it’s not like I’m up for any Johnny Depp roles or anything. Horror embraces actors who don’t have “leading man” looks.
LNHH: You guys have had an amazing amount of success on this film how was the first showing for you guys?
CP: Well the success is still yet to come I hope – financially anyhow. How was our world premiere you ask? Well, we got off the plane for our “World Premiere” to find us incorrectly listed in the main festival program for 10:00 AM instead of PM! We rallied our spirits and the four of us hustled our asses off handing out postcards with the correct time for over a week, and when the night of the premiere finally came around we were delighted to see a huge line up at the theater! Our efforts paid off!!!
(Insert slo-mo high fives over “Rocky” music)
Unfortunately that theater was also premiering 300 on the same night. We played to about 53 people including our parents – I distinctly remember a fellow filmmaker from New York who fell asleep and snored like a chainsaw with his head back and mouth wide open – good times…
Another festival had a packed house full of people laughing and loving the movie – with 10 minutes to go the film suddenly stops and begins to rewind… The projectionist gets the film back to the same place – it stops again. Basically the guy who had transferred the festival’s program tape had fallen asleep and not seen that the tape ran out before Long Pigs finished, With no other playable format the lights just came up and the crowd was apologetically asked to leave.
LNHH: What is in store for Long Pigs and both you and Anthony?
CP: Hopefully Long Pigs 2! And of course, scores of wild groupies for Anthony!
AA: Yeah!
LNHH: Any last words for our readers?
AA: Thanks and keep sending in those recipes!
CP: I never thought in a million years we’d see Long Pigs being accepted by the horror community like it has been – so thank goodness for horror fans and thanks for the interest! Huge thanks to Late Night at the Horror Hotel for all their support!! Check these guys out!
To Read the Review of Long Pigs done by, both John cannon and Rob Dimension - Click Here!!!
About Heather Henshaw - I absolutely love, live and breathe horror. I talk what I love and back what I say. I also write for a site called Cinema Head Cheese http://cinemaheadcheese.blogspot.com/ if you want to check it out as well. I just want to say many thanks to everyone for backing horror and the people who bring us the films. If it was not for you guys we would not write or enjoy the genre. We have become a family that I am proud to be a part of. Keep on being spooky y'all…Contact me atteufelskind@ymail.com
