MAGGIE MAY - Etheria Film Festival on Shudder

Reviewing the amazing MAGGIE MAY from Director Mia Kate Russell starring Katrina Mathers and Lulu McClatchy!

The short film is part of the Etheria Film Festival and is currently up on SHUDDER.

Bliss (2019)

QUICKIE REVIEW: BLISS

Writer director Joe Begos (Almost Human, VFW) brings us more goodies with BLISS - a modern tale of work, blood, drugs, and bad friends.

Artist Dezzy is under pressure to complete a painting. A lot of pressure. She's out of cash and out of time with her landlord wanting cash and the gallery wanting their goods. She needs a break from it all, so she goes to see her dealer. And that's when all hell breaks loose! A dark and bloody hell.

I kinda see this film as being THE HUNGER meets MANDY. It just came to mind. And I loved it. This sexy and visually stunning little trip goes all out with sex and violence at the forefront, but never overshadowing it's wild and twisting storyline of a persons decent.

Dora Madison turns in an amazing performance, just tearing things up like a little tornado. We even get fun little scenes with George Wendt and Abraham Benrubi as she starts to fall further and further into her new world and further down the path to some really dark areas.

Begos' story is fantastic and super solid. It's a very interesting take on a theme that can often be dull and dripping with tropes no one really wants to see anymore. He really took things to interesting areas and at a rocketing 80 minute runtime, it feels like a fantastic horror rollercoaster ride.


Check it!   AVAILABLE ON SHUDDER at the time of this posting! 

Channel Zero Series

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

Is that enough to support watching the episodes?

YUP!

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Black Cat

 

THE BLACK CAT is a fun film that's slightly silly at times, but that delivers the Fulci deaths we've grown to love. The basic premise is that this evil cat is killing people all over a small town. An investigator and reporter try to solve the murders and figure out that the cat is at the bottom of it, but why is a cat killing people?

Yes, silly at times for sure - like when the cat scratches a man's hand and causes him to fall to his death. However, the film is played totally straight and the POE-ness carries it through for sure. We're treated to some true Fulci nastiness and some of the wonderful shots and staging he's known for.



 

Poor Daniela Doria taken out again. "It's an airtight room. They use it for storing sails or something." (What could possibly go wrong?) Poor Mimsy Farmer is put through hell yet again which is always fun ::grin:: , the wonderful Patrick Magee (A Clockwork Orange) chews the scenery expertly, and David Warbeck James Bonds his way around being smart and dashing in a fun way. As the plot ramps up, things get more and more strange and magical.  Things heat up between Farmer and Warbeck as well....which....honestly....looks more awkward than anything else in the movie. But, in a fun way.

The musical score is grand. I heard it and thought THE HOWLING at once, then found out Pino Donaggio was the composer on this as well as the Howling. It's a sweeping and lovely series of compositions. 

I just love how Farmer's character is dragged in to photograph corpses - just because she's a photographer. "We need someone to photograph crime scenes. You're a photographer, right?"  And we get CAT-O-VISION POV shots galore, which adds to the fun.  It's a bit hard to believe that people can't fight off a small, black cat, but...you know...horror trope.  And, there are some really awful parts, but they are awful in a fantastic way. Lines like, "The cat did it, but it couldn't have acted alone...." hehehe   Like the cat was involved in plotting a series of murders. hehehehe  I love it.

And....bats.   :)

This is a fun little gothic horror tale and a cool little retelling of Poe's Black Cat tale. It's well worth a watch. Invite some friends!

 

Black Belly of the Tarantula

While this isn't the strongest giallo I've seen, BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA's main concept is super nasty.






A killer is using a paralyzing agent to "freeze" his victims before cruelly stabbing them. Yes, they are paralyzed and awake as he carves into them. Giancarlo Giannini plays the detective on the case - Inspector Tellini.

Nasty business.



There are many stylish elements in the film and the Argento and Bava influences are very evident.  I believed the story was rather strong for the most part, but in looking over other reviews, it seems to garnish some hate for some reason. I'm not sure why. People were growling about wanting their time back and how the twists were silly. However, I'm of the opinion that these just are not giallo lovers and they don't get the gag.

This isn't a "straight slasher". It's a giallo and a good one at that. A fun crime drama mystery with some great set pieces, cool style,  and a solid story!

I watched SHORT NIGHT OF THE GLASS DOLLS afterwards and heard a very similar soundtrack along with the lovely Barbara Bach's lovely face. Ennio Morricone used a similar "breathy breathing woman" for the soundtrack to each film.  Maybe he crafted both scores at the same time to expedite the situation....and payments. :)

SHUDDER - I'm in love with you

I can't get rid of my SHUDDER account. They keep adding new content and I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!  :) Seriously, I sign in and POP! more new content. Stuff that I've been wanting to see, but that I have not wanted to actually own. Now I can stream it and enjoy.

Some of the recent titles I've managed to viddy below!


 


Ghosthouse
This was a fun, silly little Italian romp. A creepy little girl and a doll haunt an old home. It had some nasty moments and some REALLY funny moments to giggle about. (Too bad it's not a comedy :::grin)  Well worth a viddy. 

 

Witchery
A horrible movie. Really horrible. But, entertainingly horrible. All the worst from 1988. David Hasselhoff....Linda Blair..."acting" through a bad script about a witch trying to bring Satan into the world? I think that was it. heh Just a mess. Again, well worth a viddy.


 





 


Mother's Day
Backwoods horror from the 80s - what could be bad about that. Fun characters doing awful things to people. Another good one for the revenge horror sub-genre. A mother and her two sons terrorize three ladies who are trying to enjoy some hang out time in the woods. Lady violence, sadly, but that's soon turned around and payed forward!

 
New York Ripper
This one was on my TO WATCH list for a long while, but afterwards I kinda wish I didn't watch it. The female violence aspect was a bit much for me. I just don't dig that sort of thing. However, as a horror, it delivered. Some really nasty stuff from horror master Lucio Fulci. The lovely Alexandra Delli Colli also stars, which is a plus for sure. Hubba hubba! :) The story? A giallo romp with a mysterious killer doing away with people...and a man missing some fingers on his hand noir style.





The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein
Wild Jess Franco stuff!

A blind bird woman with green feathers stuck to her hear and there
Silver spray paint Monster sprinting
Mad monster party with ghouls, goblins....skull face people...
Smart severed head gag - holding up the actresses head, but never showing the neck.
SCIENCE! hehehehe
Lots of staring.
Lots of nude women.
"AMAZING" dialogue.




Zombie Holocaust aka Dr Butcher MD (recut)
More Alexandra Delli Colli goodness here. She and Ian McCulloch fall through the bizarre plot. Colli works in a hospital where someone is eating bits of people. A plot is discovered leading her and a small band of travelers to an island where these cannibals are from. But wait....what's that? ZOMBIES! Yes...zombies start appearing and the plot thickens and manages to hold up nicely! 
Honestly, title aside, this is a really engaging film with a lot going on to keep the viewer happy. And, some of the WORST ADR screams ever inserted into a film! hehehe  Check it!