CONTENTS Welcome back to the cabin We have had another amazing month and we can’t wait for you to read all the crazy talented people in the issue.
Page 3 – Twiz talks Alterna Comics and ‘The Chair’ with Peter Simeti. Page 5 – What has Jack been up to? Page 6 – Fox Trap film review Page 7 – We talk Indie with August Aguilar
We’re also online so you’ll find even more on our website be sure to check us out, you’ll find our review of the excellent film ‘Border Patrol’.
Page 11 – Can Stan survive SAW 4?
Thank you to all our writers who put the time and effort to bring you this magazine every month. Special thanks to everyone who contributes and to the people we interview thank you!
Page 16 – Who’s caught our eye?
We love meeting you all and featuring you and of course, thank you to you, who is reading this now. We do this for you and for the love of horror. We hope you enjoy the issue. Oh, yes and our first ever contents page! We are so 21st Century.
www.thecabinonthe.net info@thecabinonthe.net
Page 15 – Eyes of the Roshi review
Page 17 – FEATURE – Sam Raimi Page 20 - Christopher Zisi reviews ‘House by the cemetery’ Page 21 – Twiz talks the beauty of horror Page 23 – We talk to James Boradhurst about ‘Derelict’ Page 25 – Ash Williams VS Norman Bates Page 29 – WTF did I just watch?
Video Production Services reddogproductions.co.uk
Twiz talks Alterna Comics and ‘The Chair’ with Peter Simeti.
You started Alterna Comics in 2006...what type of comics did you want to bring out? I wanted to help support quality books that were slipping through the cracks. Alterna's always been kind of a "dead zone" sorta publishing company. We don't have mainstream books but we also don't have books that are generally associated with being "indie" material. Since super heroes have basically been done to death, did you want to stay on the darker side of comics? It wasn't a conscious choice but that seems to be what we've done. You have done every part of the comic industry; writer, illustrator, editor, inker, colorist, letterer..of those, which is your favorite?
When it comes to making comics, I love writing and lettering. I love drawing as well but I love seeing another artist bring an idea to life, that's always an exciting time.
script so there wasn't that much difference in terms of approach.
In 2008, you wrote "The Chair," which was later made into an indie movie. What was the transition like from writing a comic, or graphic novel to writing a screenplay?
During filming, I had very little input. The production just kind of ran with things some things changed quite a bit from what was in the script.
I actually started writing The Chair in 2006 and it was originally a print on demand series with some small runs. In 2008, the graphic novel came out that compiled the entire story. As far as the writing process goes, a comic script is very similar to a film
"The Chair" was Roddy Piper's last film. What was your experience working with him?
Did you have any input during the filming? Such as adjusting characters or changing scenes around?
Roddy was a wonderful guy. His joy was infectious and his dedication went above and beyond. He was a childhood hero of mine because he was so larger than
life and as an adult, he's a hero of mine because of the humble and gracious attitude he exuded even though he was a living legend. He's definitely missed. I know it was a quick shoot--only two weeks-how did you manage Alterna and being on set? Or did Alterna take a backseat for those two weeks? I actually wasn't on set at the time. There was a massive snowstorm in New England and I was snowbound during most of the filming. Would you ever adapt another of your graphic novel for an indie film? Mr. Hester has said he'd love to work with you again, if you ever decided to do that.
Generally, the two aren't really related. I think the mindset and the heart of it all is essentially the same, but that's about it. The two mediums are as different as they are similar. How important are indie comics to the comic book universe?
You make a lot of appearances all over the country...do you have any plans to introduce them across the pond? Well, after this interview, the London folks will know who you are. We've currently got The Chair submitted to about 5 film festivals in the UK. Fingers crossed!
Indie comic creators are the risk-takers; the ones that go out on the edge and take the leap without a safety net. There wouldn't be a mainstream without indie creators taking that initial dive and Roddy was a wonderful guy. His joy was infectious and his dedication went above and beyond.
Kyle was great but I'm honestly not too keen to do another film. I'd much rather stick with comics! How closely would you say indie comics and indie film are related? Does one nurture the other? testing the waters.
Hello cabin dwellers!
Hope all of you lovely readers had a spooky Halloween and enjoyed our fabulous last issue. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to contribute to last issue as myself and a dedicated cast and crew headed through to bonnie Edinburgh for our performance of my play "Much Ado About Murder" at the Edinburgh Horror festival. We had a great deal of fun, and a quick thanks to everyone involved who helped us pull off a gory show. I will have a proper article in next month’s issue, but for now please enjoy my illustration of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell on the cover I whipped up for you, and I'll be in next month’s issue to ramble on about something spooky! For the love of horror! Jack
Fox Trap You won’t need enemies with friends like these! I am incredible honoured and downright excited to be sharing this review with you all and as Hollywood buzzes around the idea of another remake, “I know what you did last summer” nonetheless. Why look to the past? When the future holds Fox Trap, the thinking person’s slasher film. Due out February (UK) and March (USA) on DVD and VOD. This is an indie film I am truly excited to get my hands on. Why am I so exited you ask? Well, you know all those elements of slasher films that you love? Sexy girls? Blood? Lots of running? A crazy in a mask? Yes! They are all brought to you by director Jamie Weston and writer Scott Jeffrey and then twisted and turned by the fantastic cast. If that was me and I had been a part of this accident there is no way I am meeting up with these people again. It’s evident from the off that you won’t need enemies with friends like these! The conversations in the manor are strained at best and the dinner time table talk turns sour very
After a terrible accident leaves a young girl disabled, five years later, the group responsible are invited to a remote manor house in the countryside for a class
quickly. You can feel the anger and resentment bubbling under everyone’s skin. Well, except the men. They just went along with the missus for support. Bless them. As you would expect from a slasher, the creeping gets going quickly and by now we have already witnessed some gruesome deaths. Are we talking a straight up slasher? Girls running up the stairs and not out the door? Well, kind of. You are transported into the film. You are one of the terrified girls and boys. You are the one hiding in a shed. Yet also this film hints at some much darker stuff. Yet the darkness that it hints at, the friendships that come to out the terrifying truth of the matter is all beautifully written and directed yet it’s those doing the acting, speaking those lines that gives you a sense of being one of them, being there and feeling the darkness close in on you as the mask killer picks people off, seriously this film is dark, twisted and scary as hell. Perhaps not scary in the sense of jump scares (it got me twice mind!)
what I’m trying to articulate here is while it’s a stunning and wonderful independent slasher film on top, under the surface it gets you thinking about the human condition and what we can do. That’s just downright scary. Sure, the film has a few little things that I have issue with but I won’t be sharing because the film isn’t out yet. What I will say is that I do wish instead of runners, the girls were fighters! Some give, some don’t but hey it’s a slasher, right?! Now the film has been good, it’s kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s shot like the pros they are, the sound is clear. The lighting is great and everyone has good strong lines, so what is the best thing about this film? IMO? That f**king ending! I kid you not! It’s the best ending since scream. It was intense, shocking and downright outstanding! I loved this film and I can’t recommend it enough. Sure, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but it sure hell is mine! Show some indie love and buy the film.
Interview Talking Indie and ‘The Stranger Down the Road’ with August Aguilar People may have the consensus that an independent film just isn’t that good. The acting is poor; the filming is shoddy oh and the sound! Perhaps what people are getting confused with is bootleg DVD’s. Currently, filming equipment is more accessible than ever allowing more people to pick up a camera and give their offering to the world. Is it just a case of pick up a camera and go? We asked August Aguilar who wrote, directed and edited the short film “There’s something down the road” Is this the case? Did you just pick up and go? We feel there is more to it than some people might imagine. Can you talk us through your process? Absolutely. We live in a day and age now that you can film an entire movie on very affordable equipment, even using your iPhone if you wanted to. For myself, I knew I wanted to produce the quality of a cinema-like image, so I sought out a DSLR, which is a very common camera that most independent filmmakers begin with. But you're right that there is much more than just picking up a camera and shooting. There are a lot of elements going into a film from story, characters, the way you want it to look on screen, and how you will edit it. When I approached TSDTR, I knew I wanted to have an eerie, not so direct, and full story establishing this figure known as The Stranger. So, I really took the time to prepare the different kinds of shots I wanted and how to pace the film. Of course, though, the most important part about film making is having fun; so don't let the bigger picture slow you down from pressing the record button.
Following on from this, independent doesn’t mean, “making do” until Hollywood or some such calls. No, it can very much be a choice. A choice to show the world your vision, in your own way. We are not bashing Hollywood at all, they’ve done some cracking films we only aim to highlight that not every indie want’s to ‘make it big’ if you will. For you August what does being an indie director, writer, film maker and all the horrific jazz mean to you? What excites you most about independent films, books, Tv shows? And is it horror where your heart truly lies? Being an independent filmmaker is something meaningful to me. You're not out to beat box office records or impress a certain kind of audience. You’re not obligated to have it shown a certain way because you have someone above you adjusting your vision. When you're independent and just starting out, it is completely up to you how you want your story to be told. Is it experimental? Is it horror? Is it a combination of anything and everything? That's completely up to
there and make it happen (Well aside from the Cabin, but we assume that is a different kettle of fish) You’ve walked us through your process but one thing that we’ve always found fascinating is how do you find people willing to work on your film? Do you bate them with food?
you, and I love that. What excites me the most is that I can literally do anything I want with the power of imagination and creativity, and of course resources and time if available. As far as the horror genre goes, it's really funny I'm diving into these kinds of stories because I used to be terrified of scary movies. But when I saw the Knoxville Horror Film Festival, I thought it would be really cool to try my hand at horror; and now I can't get enough of it. I'm constantly thinking of some more dark and twisted stories I'd like to bring to life. Now we’ve never picked up a camera and our screenwriting skills are umm not bad? We have no idea the hard work and dedication it takes to get out
Finding people for a film will be one of your biggest challenges. I was fairly new to Knoxville so I didn't know anyone to be a part of the film. I put out a bunch of ads and casting calls and luckily I got a great number of responses from all sorts of age groups. One of my best friends growing up with, Cory Harkleroad, wanted a role in the film because he is an actor and actually performed in another film I did, so I cast him as Adam. With everyone else, I was really lucky to have people who just wanted to be a part of something and not necessarily looking for pay or anything. But me and my father Frank, who helped produce and direct the film, we both offered refreshments, gas money, t-shirts, and some drinks afterwards! But yes, bate your cast and crew with food and they will be pleased. The film was selected at the Knoxville Horror Film Fest, and nominated for best regional short. That has got to be amazing? Can you tell us how this came about? We are lacking on our knowledge of film fests and what it means for the film? And yourself? I have to say; I am so grateful to be a part of a film festival. Like I said, when I saw the KHFF I thought it would be
really cool to make a horror film. So, I made that my one goal for the year. When I submitted it, I was really unsure about my chances of getting in. Thankfully, someone thought the film was good enough to be shown along with the other regional films, and having that moment of accomplishment meant the world to me; especially since it was my very first time submitting to one. Film Festivals range from all sorts of sizes and categories around the world. While some focus on one specific genre or theme, others will showcase just about anything. The KHFF wasn't a huge festival, but it was large enough to have people from all over the world submitting their films to. So, having this film in the festival really meant that it had a chance to be viewed by a much wider audience than I probably could have shown it to myself. It was received with very loud and positive feedback once it screened, so that was really awesome. Can you tell us more about your film and what the future holds for you? We are practically keen to know how the idea came to you. It’s a slick idea and what you get over in the short film is incredible, showing that sometimes a little is enough. In our case, it perked our interest for more. Thank you for asking this question. TSDTR is intended to start the tale of The Stranger. The figure in the film is very mysterious, terrifying, and powerful, and the whole goal of the film was to introduce him in a subtle but bold way that left you wondering what the hell happened and hopefully wanting more. The idea of this film changed drastically from the first initial
draft, I mean we had a father and son as the two victims instead of the two friends. But the car ride in the middle of the story is a very important piece of the film because we wanted to express realism and then a sudden dark turn; so, when Travis starts talking about seeing a dead guy in the woods and it really seems like he's thinking of some dark things, it's because he really is. Maybe this guy knows The Stranger from that moment in the woods? Those two drove off together at the end of the film, so where are they going now? I wanted people to really see this film in depth like I do and pick up on the subtle cues within it, because there's actually a past, present, and future in mind for these characters. Right now, we are working on part two to give some more light on The Stranger and then hopefully we'll see what happens from there; but ultimately we would love to get funded enough to do a feature film. Trust me, there's more to The Stranger than his sinister grin at the end of the film. We can’t thank August enough for talking to us. It’s always such a privilege to talk to people who have a passion and want to share this with the world. If this has perked your interest, please check out the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s laJG2pFwM&t=1s Remember people, sharing is caring. The more people seeing and talking the better chance we will see more great things from August and all the other guys and gals that live and breathe horror.
Can Stan survive Saw 4… By Stan Williams
Hope everyone had a good Halloween and that you used my tips to have a fun night and/or hunt some monsters. I had a pretty good Halloween, hired a smoke machine so that was pretty cool. Watched some horror movies on actual Halloween. Good times. Anyway, enough about me and more about me… surviving in movies. Specifically, the 4th part to the Saw series. So, Saw 4 what to say about Saw 4? This one mainly involves Rigg a guy who keeps rushing through doors because he wants to save everyone. He should know that the rules are more important than trying to save people. Maybe there’s a lesson to learn throughout the film? Who knows. I do, because I’ve seen the film several times. Any way I said Saw 3 was my least favourite, I’d say Saw 4 is my second least favourite. 3 and 4 fell a bit flat for me for some reason. 5-7 pick back up for me. Maybe after I have finished 7 I’ll do a list of the order of the films. Any way will I survive? Let’s see.
The Knife Chair The Game: Your sat in a chair with loads of knives in front of your face. Your arms and legs are restrained with some painful restraints. What you need to do is press your face through the knives and that will release the restraints. It’s that simple! Plan of action? I have quite a large beard, if you’ve seen my picture then you know this. I think this might protect me from the knives to an extent. Not a lot of damage will be protected and I will lose the beard so not the most positive. I think the best plan would be to just shove your face forward as fast as possible and chelsea grin and bear it. (You’re right, that was a perfect joke). Chance of survival? Ultimately this isn’t deadly unless you bleed out which takes a while. I give myself a 65%. The Mausoleum The Game: You wake up in a room. Either your mouth or eyes are sewn shut depending on which lucky contestant you happen to be. Around your neck is a collar attached to a chain which is in turn attached to a collar attached to
another person in the room. If your eyes are sewn shut his mouth is and vice versa. In the middle of the room is a motor like apparatus that the chain goes through, this starts and slowly begins pulling you inwards, if you don’t get the key on the others neck then you’ll be suffocated or your neck will be broken or something. Plan of action? Ok so there are a few sharp objects strewn across the room, a hook for example. If my mouth was sewn shut I would use one of these objects to try and cut the stitches. If not then as a last resort I can open my mouth and cause severe pain. The main goal of this is to be able to speak so rather than kill each other we can get out of this alive. On the other side, as I can speak but not see I am going to stay calm and talk to the other person. Once we have figured out a method of communication we can exchange keys and live. Simples. Chance of survival? Solid 80%. The Scalping Seat The Game: From this point forward I’m going to be taking the part of the people that Rigg finds in traps and not Rigg himself. The scalping seat is a chair you’re attached in by your hair with cogs pulling it back until it is ripped from your head. This kills you somehow, I assume? Now I have a mohawk that isn’t particularly long so getting my hair in this trap is pretty difficult
unless you attach it to the aforementioned beard. The cogs have numbers on for Rigg to find and get me out. Plan of action? In this trap, there is a knife hidden under the tv. I’m supposed to use this if Rigg frees me then I am supposed to use this to kill him as otherwise he’ll send me to jail. First thing I am doing is telling him where the knife is. I don’t want to go to jail but I also don’t want my hair pulled to the extent it pulls my scalp off. As soon as Rigg comes in and seems like he wants to help I am going to help him help me. Chance of survival? 75% because I have to rely on someone else. 100% jail time though. The Bedroom Trap The Game: Rigg puts you in to this trap. You’re strapped to a bed and your head is in a vice. In your hands are two buttons. These two buttons are attached to two large spikes. When you press these buttons the spikes lower and impale your eyes. Each button does one eye. You have 60 seconds. Plan of action? This is another one that won’t kill you. It would suck but a lot of people are blind and live perfectly fine lives. There’s that guy who can click with his mouth and do a sort of echolocation. I think the best way to go about this is to press both buttons straight away. The guy in
the film presses one and then can’t do the next. Awful plan. Go both then you’re done.
Plan of action? Sit or stand there until the outcome.
Chance of survival? 95%
Chance of survival? Somewhere between 0%-100% there really is no way to know.
The Spike Trap The Game: You’re chained to a pole, someone else is chained to the other side of the pole. Both of you are stuck together by poles going through non-fatal points for you and fatal, arterial points for your buddy. To stop yourself bleeding out and dying you need to remove the 6 or so poles from you, killing the other person. (In the film, the person who has fatal poles is a bully and wife abuser). Plan of action? There’s not much you can really do with this. Either stay where you are and bleed out or yank out the poles. My plan of action for survival would be to remove the poles. It would hurt a lot but really is no other option. Chance of survival? Like 60% Ice Block Trap The Game: You are either stood atop a block of ice with a noose around your neck or sat in a chair that is an electrified. An electric chair if you will. You wait and hope that Rigg doesn’t come through the door before the time is up.
So that was Saw 4. Like I said I’m not the biggest fan of this one. Rigg is quite an interesting character but a lot of these traps aren’t that good. There is the whole through game of Rigg and Jigsaw trying to show him how he views the world. I get that people dislike the whole gore horrors now and torture porn but let’s be honest that’s what the Saw movies are about and this is doesn’t quite reach that. I’m getting better at surviving the Saw traps. That could be because I am writing it and have gotten overconfident. So next month I will do either Saw 5 OR I might see if I can find a Christmas film that works in the formula. You’ll have to wait and see.
We want you along on this journey. Come, join us. - Jon Mark Nail - Director
Director From Light Age Films comes, Eyes of the Roshi. Directed by Jon Mark Nail, written by Jon Mark Nail and Joe Baum and produced by Ethan Marten. Saigon / 1973. Young Adam’s, heart is breaking as he discovers his childhood love, the girl he grew up with, raped and murdered. As a mourning Adam kneels over her dead body he makes a fateful resolve to avenge her loss, thereby igniting a forty-year odyssey of revenge and death, which ends a continent away in a final climactic confrontation. The film stars Master Adam Nguyen as Adam, Ethan Marten as Carey, Amanda Victoria Dunn as Blanche and Eric Roberts as Booker. Of course, this film stars a lot more people than this but you know, here’s a section. So what is pretty cool about this before we get into the bloody details is Master Adam Nguyen is an actual grandmaster of Karate-Do and Yoga and we get to watch in awe and amazement during the film as he shows us what he’s made of. There is such beauty which contrasts the dark and bloody film. Darkness starts off for me with Ho. The bastard that raped and murdered Adam’s girlfriend in Vietnam. Luckily Ho gets shot in the face, it doesn’t kill him but it makes him angry, thrown in jail with nothing but hate and time. Once released Ho arranges for the nutter Carey to be released from jail if he will track down Adam and kill him. Let’s think this logic through a moment, shall we? You rape
eyes of the Roshi and murder a woman and get caught so you get sent down for it. You did this but you want revenge on the guy that caught you? That’s pretty messed up. Ho is that guy! I found the acting in the film to be a solid performance from everyone, mix those performances with blood, Martial arts and an undercurrent of ill will, revenge and trying to do the right thing and you have got one hell of a gem of a film. The action is fast passed and the film has its moments of funny. I would say it sets the pace nicely at the start of the film, burning slowly like a fire before gaining speed and that little flame turns into one hell of a fire. My favourite character is Carey. Without a doubt, Adam is all that is good, controlled and everything I hope that more people could be like but the darkness calls and he is mesmerising to watch. His eyes are so piercing, the dishevelled look and his manic way really make him such a focal point. While we know, this is not a horror film, of course we had to mention it. You can’t have a revenge story with that much blood without it being a bit horrific. I for one am so pleased so have seen the film and I do highly recommend you check it out and support indie. I feel this one has the feel of a classic written all over it. Check out the films site here: www.eyesoftheroshi.com
We’ve got
our eye on
Alterna Comics Founded in 2006 by current president and publisher Peter Simeti, Alterna Comics titles are distributed worldwide in print and digital formats and in several languages. Alterna is home to the New York Times Best-Selling Graphic Books zombie war series "FUBAR" as well as the psychological horror thriller "THE CHAIR" which has been adapted to film for release in late 2016.
The Mannequin Brought to you by JAZAM Films. One rainy night, a sultry hard working woman and a man who brings back the past and what is with that odd Mannequin? Check out this beautifully shot film.
Nicole, her ex & the killer Nicole struggles to find her way in a world that has always made her feel lonely and isolated. Craving a fresh start and a connection with another human after leaving an abusive husband, she begins to make herself vulnerable again. But this vulnerability comes at a cost...
out and his style. If nothing else Bruce looks so young!
Raimi became fascinated with making films when his father brought a movie camera home one day and he began to make Super 8 movies with childhood friend Bruce Campbell. In college, he teamed up with his brother's roommate Robert Tapert and Campbell to shoot Within the Woods (1978), a 32-minute horror film which raised $375,000, as well as his debut feature film It's Murder! You can find Within The Woods on YouTube and while it is hard viewing due to age one assumes it really is the blue print of what was to come with Evil Dead. The camera running through the undergrowth and through the trees and with that howling noise that we hear in Evil Dead is all there and Bruce unleashes the terror by doing the one thing he said not to do! For a smart guy, that was a dumb move! Watch it if you can, even if some parts run like an over watched VHS, you get a real good feel for how Sam started
Then through family, friends, and a network of investors, Raimi was able to finance production of the highly successful horror film The Evil Dead (1981) which became a cult hit and effectively launched Raimi's career. Whist described by Stephen King as “Ferociously Original”, Evil Dead borrows bits and bobs from other films. The book in the film and the voices on the tape are beautifully ‘Lovecraft’. The film it’s self takes place over the course of one night much like ‘Night of the living dead’ and ‘The Texas chainsaw massacre’. Then of course there is the archetype from the school of Wes Craven, where Ash starts off as a coward and then transforms into a hero. Without a doubt though he makes it all very much his own just like ‘The cabin in the woods’ which takes what we love of horror films and puts it all in a blender and hits the on button.
If you haven’t seen the film (WHAT!) Five students head up to the hills for a little vacation and well yeah shit hits the fan right from the off, if they had known they were in horror film they may have seen the signs! Almost smashing into another motorist, the bridge they cross collapses and then Cheryl’s hand draws something she has never seen but do not fear Ash soon finds it. The Book. Oh for pitty sakes! “You must not read from the book!” The film then takes us on a roller-coaster ride of strange voices, screaming, very inappropriate trees (Layman I’m looking at you here too) and a real chill in the air. The grossness of the possessed, with the green of face, white eyes and the general interest in tormenting Ash. The film has some amazing shots, the whirl of the wind, the splatter of blood. While it might be considered a little over the top and cheesy in places, not by us mind although we can see where people might be coming from. It really hits the mark of creepy. The end scene where Ash walks outside and the camera rushes to meet him and he turns to scream into the camera is truly haunting and come on you cannot say possessed trees is cheesy it’s sick. I love this film, it gives me all those horror buzzes but lets me have a few laughs to break the tension a bit like in Robocop after the ED -209 blasts a poor guy (Mr Kinney) to a bloody mess and someone drops the line “I’m sure it’s only a glitch” fucker tell that to Kinney!
The parody sequel Dead by Dawn. This is such a delight this film, we get a recap on the first film. Ash takes his girlfriend away to a remote and oh so romantic cabin and well you see there is this tape and then the possession and Ash is in for it this time. Often possessed and a little out of his mind. What we love about this film is how funny it is but still how well it’s shot and how the details are just on point. Ash looking for the chainsaw that is marked by chalk to suggest it hung there, only for the door to fly open and entre a headless Barbie doll. You must admit it looks like a doll, right? The demonic body dances about with said chain saw lodged in its neck while it’s head shouts from the side lines. It shouldn’t work! But it does. The howling of the wind from the first film is back. Win! Creating that creepy atmosphere again, Oh and this film has a lot of blood! Green blood, black and the usual choice red but this blood doesn’t just ooze it flies everywhere! On mirrors, lightbulb and doors no surface is safe. Ash is even more sure of himself in this film, the shirt is ripped, the cuts on his body and face designer and the one liners come thick and fast. Sam really goes back to that world but gives us I think the fun we all wanted but then do we go a bit mad…? Yes, we do and it’s fun to go along. I would be brave enough to say it’s weaker than the first two films. I still think there is some highly imaginative moment of this film and the one liners are on warp 10 and its all ago.
Very inappropriate trees.
One of my favourite films and quite a departure from the Evil Dead films is ‘The Gift’ Directed by Sam, Written by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson the film is based on the alleged psychic experience of Thornton’s mother. This film is dark and brooding in a way that only films about humans and the evil men do can be. The film follows Cate Blanchett who plays Annie Wilson. Annie is a mother and a woman just trying to get by but she also has the sight and sometimes she sees things she wishes that she doesn’t. The film is not only delicate in touching on the basic human emotion, it is also brutal in showing spousal abuses and child abuse and the effects this might have on people all the while the
psychic is playing a game of cat and mouse with god knows what. The film seems to be seeped in greys and dark blue colours hoovering at the edge of the shots. It really brings alive the idea of ghosts, be they real or our past. I’ve chosen these films to highlight what I love about Mr Raimi because they are so different from each other but he is the unique thread that joins them. One sick, gross and a scream, another funnier but still dark, again funny with perhaps a hint of darkness and then a whole new kind of darkness and depravity. To me he shows us horror in the form that as a horror lover I love and know. The possession, the woods, the blood and then on the other hand he shows us the true horror of humans. Humans. They scare the fucking shit out of me!
THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY, BY LUCIO FULCI Whether by the cemetery or by the mall, if Lucio Fulci is making a movie about a house...don't go in. Though largely shot in Massachusetts, this horror yarn is Italian in its cast and mood. This 1981 film came out three years after Fulci's classic "Zombie." (To see that review click on this link ZOMBIE). However, as far as drive-in theaters went, this Fulci film was usually matched up with either "The Last House on the Left" or "The House that Vanished." (For that review, click on this link VANISHED). Either way, we have a Fulci film...filled with ominous gore. After Dr. Peterson's murder suicide, Dr. Norman Boyle (Paolo Malco) is tapped to take over his research. To do this, he takes his wife Lucy (Catriona MacColl) and son Bob (Giovanni Frezzo) to a house by the cemetery near Boston where he can have some seclusion while he researches. A couple of uh-ohs here: First, Bob has visions of a ghostly girl telling him not to come, Second, this is the same house that Peterson murdered his mistress (Daniela Doria) before his suicide. Oh, yes, how can I forget, the tomb of Dr. Freudstein (Giovanni De Nava) is planted in the front hallway of this mansion. As the ghostly girl (Silvia Collatina) adopts Bob as a playmate, the beautiful Lucy hires the sultry Ann (Ania Pieroni) as his babysitter. Wouldn't you know it, Bob had a vision of Ann's decapitated body earlier in the film. It might be a beautiful head, but yes, Ann will be separated from it soon. Oh! The cellar is locked and when Norman unlocks it he is feasted on by a vampire bat in an elongated and bloody scene. He survives, but wouldn't you know it, the dimwit won't leave the house. As something in the basement starts killing people and dragging their bodies in the cellar, Norman begins to find out the history of the house and Dr. Freudstein. Now he is convinced they need to leave, but is it too late? Lurid and heavy, "The House by the Cemetery" is a neat horror film. The themes may be classic but the over-the-top gore makes this a genuine Fulci film. Two years previous, the underwhelming "The Amityville Horror" was released to disappointed audiences who yawned instead of winced. However, this film would have given those same audiences some neat nightmares. Available on YouTube, enjoy "The House by the Cemetery."
Review by Christopher Zisi
The Beauty of Horror
Allow me to properly introduce myself:
looked like a damn good movie. It was,
I’m Twiz, living in the cage in a
and still is.
shadowed corner of the Cabin. Once a month I’m allowed out, to present you with something interesting, beautiful, and perhaps a bit chilling.
Written by James Wan and Leigh Whannell, this was Wan’s feature debut. This movie was shot in only 18 days, with no outside sets. The cast is as
Let’s start this journey together….
follows:
Beauty comes in many forms for many
Leigh Whannell: Adam Faulkner-
people. For horror-hounds, beauty
Stanhope; Cary Elwes: Dr. Lawrence
abounds in their beloved movies. This
Gordon; Danny Glover: Detective
month, I’m going to talk about one of
David Trapp; Ken Leung: Detective
the many movies that I find beautiful in
Steven Sing; Dina Meyer: Kerry;
many ways.
Michael Emerson: Zepp Hindle; Shawnee Smith: Amanda; Tobin
Saw, 2004: To many this was just a
Bell: John Kramer/Jigsaw.
movie about tests. You watch it once, because the trailer looks good. You
Why is this film beautiful? Besides being
watch twice to catch what you missed.
one of the most profitable horror films
You watch it three times, you’re hooked.
of all time, it quickly became a cult
This is among one of my top favorite. I
classic. If you re-watch it, you’ll see the
look for story, effects, backgrounds, the
beauty on a budget. The scenes shot in
acting, the directing, and the writing.
the bathroom, I think were the most
Yes, I watch the first time for the same
beautiful scenes of the movie. It’s
reasons many of you do because it just
almost a bottle movie. The bathroom, can tell you so much…Adam losing his
key down the drain, hiding the pictures he took. Tobin Bell lying in the middle of the room. The writing is great, and yes, Cary Elwes does over act just a tad bit, but even that fits with the movie. You can feel Amanda’s terror, her horror as she tries to find her key. The tense test scenes are so well choreographed that you feel everything the characters do. Tapp’s revenge for his partner’s
The writing is another beautiful thing. It
death haunts and drives him. Zepp, is
told a great story, with wonderful actors
driven by something, but we don’t find
bringing the words to life. A unique,
out tilt the end what. Seems he had his
interesting story, Saw was ground
own test to go through.
breaking. You have to look through the traps, through the tests, to the lesson.
While the bathroom scenes seem to dominate the film, Jigsaw’s workshop is another piece of beauty. All his “toys” and detailed plans laid out, complete with another test subject. We get just a
Technically, Jigsaw never killed anyone…he gives them a choice. What they decide is on them. Do they see the beauty in their lives? Do they value their lives?
tease of how brilliant this man is and how dedicated to his mission. Billy the
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To
puppet was made from scratch by the
me, this film is beautiful.
creators, and Billy the doll was made by James Wan himself. Another piece of beauty. The more you watch, the more you notice.
What is your beauty in horror? Let us know and maybe I’ll explore your film next.
Written by: Twiz
As horror lovers, we can get scared by all sorts of things. The monsters, the unseen ghosts and even the man in the mask. When it comes to horror there is such a large pool of ‘killers’ and that’s just how we like it! Most people we have spoken to though say the same thing. It’s the humans that truly terrify us and rightly so, humans can be bastards. Sometimes it is a place that can scare us and on watching the trailer for the debut film from The Broadhurst Brothers we have the feeling that the man in the mask is not the only thing that will keep us awake but the labyrinth of corridors that our main characters find themselves trapped in. Always running, turning and no way out. If you’ve seen the film Tunnel, you may have an idea of how terrifying this can be but we have a feeling that’s got nothing on this film…..
From the trailer, we look set to be in for one hell of a ride. Shot on location in Perth by brothers Cris and James. This is their debut film and we got to speak to James about the process. James, we love what we are seeing from the trailer. The whole production looks very put together and haunting. How did the film come about?
Cris (writer, co-director) and myself have been fans of the horror genre since we were kids. I think we probably watched every single movie in the horror section at our local video store. We’d discuss and analyse every film, as if every one of them was a great classic, which of course most of them weren’t. Anyway we’d really pick them apart: what worked? what didn’t work? how could it have been better? that sort of thing. Sometimes that was the best part, talking about the film afterwards. It was more interesting than doing homework at least. So when it came around to making our first feature I guess it was natural that it would be a horror.
Cris originally wrote Derelict as a found footage-style film, something that we could realistically finance and make ourselves. We eventually ditched the found footage element as we felt it was too limiting creatively and we wanted the film to have a ‘big’ look despite its low budget. Our aim was to make a film that took the genre seriously, that was a bit gritty and that moved away from the ‘woman being chased by a guy with knife’ scenario. It states on your website that you filmed on location in Perth, so what we see as the abandoned power station you were there? What was that like? Did you have many hurdles? And were the ghosts of the past with you on set? Our main location, the abandoned power station, was very atmospheric certainly helped create the mood. Sadly people have died there and there are stories about it being haunted. We never experienced anything otherworldly but after sundown it becomes a pretty spooky site. We spent enough time there to get to know it like the back of our hand but we never got blasé because it can be a dangerous place, especially at night. If you aren’t careful there are plenty of ways you can hurt yourself in there. It’s funny because in the film the station looks deserted but it was pretty rare that we’d have the place to ourselves. There was always someone going through the joint - taggers, photographers, explorer types, teens hanging out – even when we were shooting late into the night, which we did a lot. We had some interesting encounters! It was all cool and we never had any
trouble but I must admit by the end of the shoot the novelty had worn off and I was pretty happy to see the back of the place! Tell us a bit about the cast you have in the film? From the trailer, everyone seems very natural and switched on. I do believe you are also in the film? We shot guerrilla-style, with a tightknit team. It was pretty rough and ready so it was important that our actors were cool with that and could work under those conditions. I had worked with most of the cast before on other projects so we knew what we were getting. Everyone really embraced the project and we had a great camaraderie on set. Our two leads, Tristan Balz (Michael) and Christopher Sansoni (Andre), were really committed to the film and gave great performances. Justin Burford (Liam) was only guy we didn’t know beforehand and he was great addition to the cast. He’s well known locally for his music and film work and came to the project late but he threw himself in with as much enthusiasm as the others. It was fun playing against those guys and I had a great time with my character (Rowan), who’s one of those love–to-hate sort of guys. Truly the film looks right up our street. When is, the film expected to be released? Thanks! We are still negotiating distribution and fingers crossed we’ll see a release next year. Check out the trailer for the film here: http://www.derelictfilm.com /teaser.html
ash Vs Norman evil dead / psycho By Stan Williams and Cassandra Regan
We did female lead vs female lead, it went well we had two quite evenly matched people. This month we are doing male lead vs male lead and the two people are vastly different than each other. One (my one) is the protagonist of not only 3 movies but also 2 series of a TV show. He is also a huge badass. The other (Cassandra’s one) is the antagonist and a creep. That’s right before you even know what’s going on I strike! Guys, this might get messy. Ok before I actually introduce my character, go to youtube and type in sweet guitar riffs. Choose any of them but the 100 Greatest guitar riffs at the top is pretty good. Now make sure you listen to this all whilst reading the piece because this person deserves it. The person I have chosen for my male lead is none other than Ash Williams. Fighter of the Deadites and all round badass. I mean all I need to do is just say his name and it’s done but I will go in to why Ash Williams is a fantastic male lead. This man has survived far longer than anyone should be capable of. He has been in 3 movies, two series of a tv show, a couple of video game appearances and comics so far. He’s been to the medieval times and fought a version of himself. He’s also encountered Jason and Freddy. What makes Ash Williams such a good male lead then? Well in the first movie, not a lot. If I’m being honest with you he is a bit of a coward. He isn’t prepared to take on the evil that is unleashed from the necronomicon. He grows throughout the film and does take out his friends who have been possessed and burn the book of the dead but by the end he is still quite cowardly. So where is this badass, sweet riff inducing character I keep banging on about? Ash becomes a badass in Evil Dead 2. At the beginning he is still a bit cowardly but as we progress through the movie boy do we get a badass. The first step to Ash becoming a truly awesome lead is him cutting his own hand off and battles it. This sets off a chain reaction which eventually leads to Ash getting some of the most iconic weaponry to grave our silver screens. That’s right he gets a modified chainsaw that attaches to his arm nub. He also gets the ‘boomstick’ which is essentially just a shotgun. In the Evil Dead 2 the tone of the films takes a turn. From a horror to a horror/comedy.
Now Army of Darkness is the movie where we get to true badassery (yes that’s a word). We’re stuck in the middle ages, around 1300. Ash is slightly more inept and buffoon like but he kills the hell out of deadites. He accidentally falls in to a pit filled with horrors. He survives and kills the horrors and becomes ‘The Chosen One’. He defeats a clone of himself, he ‘successfully’ removes the book of the dead but doesn’t quite get the incantation right (the buffoonery) unleashing the Army of Darkness. Does he lead all the people and save the day with his shotgun and chainsaw arm and the trusty Delta which is converted in to a deathcoaster? Damn right he does! Ash is a bit of an anti-hero after the first movie. He doesn’t generally do things for anything but selfish reasons, he’s cynical and embittered. He’s about saving his own neck first. This can be seen in the TV show especially. In the TV show it’s 30 years later and he is living an, at best, average life in a trailer as a stock boy. He’s not gotten any smarter. He sets the series in to motion by getting stoned and reading from the necronomicon. Even when it is clear evil is back he still isn’t totally on board for getting the chainsaw and boomstick back in to action. The reason I think Ash is such a good lead basically boils down to a few things. The first is that he is sort of a mirror to us (maybe just me). He doesn’t want to be the chosen one or take down all evil and if he can he will turn his back on it. Except he can’t and so he makes the most of it. He’s a reluctant hero. Another reason is that he is, as I have mentioned numerous times, he is badass. He is a man with a chainsaw that he attaches to the stump of his arm. He also has a mechanical gauntlet. He is pretty good at hand to hand combat as well. There’s a scene in the first series of Ash vs Evil Dead where he leaps at the chainsaw thrown at him and combines to it. That’s cool as. Bruce Campbell has himself stated that Ash is pretty much incompetent at everything but fighting the Evil Dead. Describing him as a bad slow thinker but a good fast thinker. His comedic properties when being a bad slow thinker just endears us to him. He is someone we can relate to. Someone who just wants to get on with life and have a beer. In conclusion Ash Williams is a fantastic male lead because he is so much like us yet still manages to take down evil. He is wish fulfilment, you can see yourself doing the things he does. This makes him a good lead from a storytelling perspective. From a character perspective, he is a badass. He’s funny, he is a little dim. Norman Bates is a creepy guy perving on you in the shower… So is Ash to be fair but you don’t mind it. He isn’t there to kill you unless you’re a Deadite. He just wants to join in. You wouldn’t sit down with Norman even if he wasn’t a killer but you would sit down with Ash and you’d end up stumbling home at 6am after having one hell of a crazy night. Ash Williams gets the win for me guys. Now let’s sweet guitar riff out of here. Danananeooowwwww (That was meant to be a guitar noise.)
“Groovy”
Norman Vs Ash psycho / evil dead Norman Bates? A quite man, a dedicated man. Who runs the family business while caring for his ageing mother, well kind of. So, what made me think that this unassuming man, quiet and polite could go up against the rock star that is Ash Williams? While Ash does not shy away from a challenge, ready to fight and looking oh so beautiful while doing so. He doesn't plan, too quick with the one liners and shoot first ask questions later. Now Norman on the other hand is a whole different kettle of fish. Slow to move, react and so normal to the naked eye. He's like a cat just watching and waiting. We don't know what goes on in his mind, the hate that bubbles under the surface. The relationship with his mother. The hate for women, much more a silent and deadly killer. Norman Bates is the brain child or rather man from the writer Robert Bloch, made famous by the director Alfred Hitchcock or rather made even more famous by the man that gave Bloch his inspiration to write Norman into existence. Ed Gein. So right here we have a character based from one of the most evil and sickest men in history, that's going to give Norman points. I don't want to write about that sicko, who is more famous than the poor people he murdered and the graves of the dead that he defiled. Instead let’s focus on the creation that Bloch brought to life using the situation of what happened rather than the brutality of it all. Do we really know our neighbours? It takes us a little while into the film to get to Norman so let's start there with Norman. Isn't he just the most charming and helpful man? Very polite and quite witty and very soft spoken. We have no idea what's bubbling under the surface but we have an idea or two. He won't say the word 'Bathroom' and we over hear an argument between Norman and his mother, how we over here that is quite something given how far away the motel is to the house but we'll let it be. By all accounts he's as thoughtful and caring as Ash but you just get that hint that something isn't right. Now we must go with the pretence that Norman doesn't kill Marion in the shower and that it's his mother. Perhaps he has no idea it was him and I think that's a solid bet given his reaction on finding the body. For a moment, his eyes are wide and he slightly shakes in shock but then he starts to tidy. The tightness of his jaw suggests he's not comfortable doing what he must do but alas he does it anyway. No doubt by this time Ash has come to be the weapon welding action hero the film needs him to be. While we are with Norman watching how a 'normal' person might deal with
death and trying to protect the one woman he truly loves. I could go deep on my thoughts on Psycho and Norman but let's leave that for another time, shall we? The sinking of Marion's car sees a slightly darker side of Norman, He stands on the edge and chews nervously as he watches the car sink, the moment it seems to stop he looks around, he's panicked then the smile when it goes fully under. It leaves us unsure what to think of Norman at this point. Of course, Norman is the bad guy here, whether intentional or not but he still is our lead man, how does he fair? Well Anthony Perkins who plays Norman is very easy on the eye. We're not talking Bruce Campbell dishy but certain one to take home to ma. He's strong. He can lift a dead body and push a car into a swamp. He's clever and can think on his feet. Yet he does what he thinks he needs to do. Just like Ash must kill the demons and survive. Imagine for a moment that Norman is not the killer, he is just guy caught up in family drama but he wants to help he would be what we have come to know as a 'perfect lead man' if there is such a thing as perfection. Yet just because he is a little unstable, he can't be considered? I can't swallow that. Yes, Janet Leigh is a fantastic actress but I don't think without Anthony's portrait of Norman the film would have been half as good or have me championing for him. Of course, it does come to light that Norman killed his mother and her lover and feeling guilty, he keeps her and cares for her. He loves her in a way that boys shouldn't love their mothers but there you have it. His character is deeper and has many more layers than Ash's. If you want to get down to it as men do. In a fist fight Ash would win. I won't deny that but while Ash is getting his beauty sleep ready for the next day when he can punch Norman into a pulp, Norman has already slipped into his room and slit his through and as we know Ash (especially in Army of Darkness) is a cocky so and so and so sure of himself that he would in fact sleep before a fight 'because you know, I got's this' totally unaware that 'Mother' wont' allow such a thing. Norman of course gets caught at the end of the film but up until that point he is in control and in charge of his castle, I will grant you it doesn't take too much for Norman to unravel. Clearly no one has ever asked him too many questions before. I appreciate as the reader of this, it may be hard for you to decided who is the best lead man, I truly think it depends on the film and of course we love a challenge and couldn't have picked to more different films if we tried. That said I stand by my man and his ability to be a lead man. Besides Ash is still off fighting Evil, he's not able to shake the demons that haunted him in that Cabin all those years ago, and dear Norman, well he's pure evil, isn't he?
Daybreakers Welcome to the future, the future where Vampires are in charge and us humans are farmed for blood. We are plugged in and drained, rows upon rows of us, lifeless but still our life force flows from our veins and into the mouths of Vampires. You would think for the vampires it would be paradise on earth but alas no, the number of vampires greatly outweighs the living and our blood is running out, fast. The vampires hope comes in the form of Lead Vampire haematologist Edward Dalton played by Ethan Hawke. Who is a Vampire with a conscious. He won’t drink human blood, even when his brother who is serving in the army surprises him with a bottle of the pure stuff. It’s good to be in the army, whose job it is to find more humans, yet Edward is having none of it. Edward is charged with finding a blood substitute that can sustain the vampire population, however early trials don’t appear to be going well at all. This is shown in a fantastic and gut wrenching fashion when a solider is used to test this new blood synthetic. The new world wouldn’t be right without a leader and while many top
vampire have their own supply of humans they are given to Bromley Marks, the largest supplier of human blood in America for the good of the face or to earn money, I’m sure it’s the money and heading up this company is Charles Bromley played by Sam Neill. He does play a good bad guy doesn’t he? The film sets us up with the suicide of a very young vampire girl. As she sits on the grass outside her home, the camera is back in her bedroom, panning over her suicide note. As the sun rises, she is obliterated and her screams pierce the air. It’s a dark way to set up a film that’s for sure but how long has this little girl been a little girl? This film is darker than I expected it to be. Back to Mr Edward Dalton, he one fateful night almost crashes into a bunch of humans. The police fast on their tail, he doesn’t hesitate and hides them in his car, which is a fantastic and genius way of vampires driving about in the day with covered windows and cameras on top feeding to the computer inside so that the vampire can see. This idea was born from Lionel ‘Elvis’ Cormac who was one of the first garages to start customising
cars for the vampire world. Elvis is played by the wonderful Willem Dafoe. Who use to be one of them, a vampire and now? He’s back to human again. Of course, Elvis and Edward’s world collide after the humans that Edward saved return to his house to seek his help. Now as the film moves forward and before this part, you notice something isn’t right. Well a lot isn’t right but you see large bat type people, living underground. No one seems to pay them much attention but as things reach fever peach people are forced to deal with them. One of these creatures’ breaks into Edwards home while he and his brother, his brother is played by Michael Dorman are having an argument over the special blood he brought home. A fight ensues and the bat creature is killed. What’s apparent is the thirst of the bat creature and then a little while later it transpires that Edward knew him, he was a local gardener and he was fine 2 weeks ago. He is told so matter of fact by a police officer at the scene that is happening to a lot of vampires who can’t get blood and are feasting on themselves, welcome to your immediate future. While the vampire world is crumpling, we follow Edward as he meets Elvis and the human survivors, who have found that vampires can be made human again, Edward sets out to become human once more. Slick back hair and serious Edward is replaced with floppy hair and less strained face Edward. It’s quite amusing to watch.
Then a whole lot of shit goes down…
Now I found the film fun, fast moving and joyful to watch but it was also so very dark. From the people who try to tear apart a coffee vendor (Ok so they just want the blood) that mob mentality when the coffee is only being served with 5% human blood. Everyone is hungry and everyone is on end and yet the film goes darker still. The vampires decided to round up the Bat creatures and they tie them with a chain to the back of an army vehicle and pull them out into the daylight. They pull, the try to run, the scream out. There is nothing they can do, two by two they are shoved to their deaths except Edwards brother, he realises how sick they whole thing is. They are them. It was truly a sinking feeling witnessing this. Human kind has been so cold as history can show and this hit home for many reasons. I wasn’t expecting such a dark message in the film I put on for a lark. I don’t know if that was the intention but that’s how I viewed it and I liked this film even more for going there. If you’ve not seen the film. Check it out, it’s on Netflicks right now. Not a bad way to spend an hour or so.
Fun fact! This movie was released in the USA on January 8th 2010, birthday of Elvis Presley. The character played by Willem Dafoe is named Elvis because of his love for the Presley song 'Burning Love'.