Evil Bong 777 is a 2018 American comedy horror film produced and directed by Charles Band from a screenplay by Kent Roudebush (Evil Bong movies; Ooga Booga; Zombies vs. Strippers), based on a storyline by Charles Band and Brockton McKinney (Rodney Cecil: Psycho Hero; Sick and the Dead).

Scowling weed-spewing Eebee is out of “Sexy Hell” and heading to Sin City – Las Vegas – with danger on her tail! She’s joined by her whack pack of fabulous freaks: Faux Batty, Rabbit, Misty, and The Gingerweed Man…

Evil Bong 777 is released digitally on April 20, 2018, via Full Moon Features, with DVD and Blu-ray releases to follow later in the year.

Cast and characters:

• Sonny Carl Davis … Rabbit
• Robin Sydney … Faux Batty
• Jessica Morris … Misty
• Mindy Robinson … Phoebe
• The Don … Beelzebud
• Caleb Hurst … Hesher One
• Adam Noble Roberts … Hesher Two
• Circus-Szalewski … Joe Cracker
• Kevin Harrison Sweeney … Redder Neck [as K.H. Sweeney]
• Tania Kae … Versnatchy
• Elina Madison … Rhonda VU
• Jillian Janson … Friscilla
• Tanya Tate … Spylft Driver
• Leya Falcon … Escort

IMDb

‘If you have the guts – he wants them!!’

Nightbeast – aka Night Beast – is a 1982 American science fiction horror film written and directed by Baltimore-based Don Dohler (Blood Massacre; The Galaxy Invader; Fiend). It is a remake of sorts to Dohler’s first film The Alien Factor. The movie stars Donald Leifert, Tom Griffiths and George Stover.

Most of the cast of The Alien Factor reprise their roles in Nightbeast. It features opening credit effects by Ernest D. Farino (who later created the title effects for The Terminator, The Abyss and Terminator 2: Judgment Day) and the creature was created by John Dods who later provided special effects for Ghostbusters II, Alien Resurrection, and The X Files. Additional makeup effects were by Amodio Giordano. Parts of the synth score were written by future Star Trek and Star Wars director J.J. Abrams. The movie had a budget of $42,000, a relatively large amount for a Don Dohler production.

A British VIPCO video release, the film was included on the lamentable Section 3 “liable for forfeiture” list as covered on Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide Part Two, Draconian Days

 Buy with Blood, Boobs and Beast: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“The film suffers from the usual shortcomings of this kind of regional, semi-amateur film-making: cliches, poor special effects, wooden acting, and the kind of script where “Holy shit!” is considered witty, Oscar Wilde-esque dialogue […] Still, Nightbeast does have its entertaining aspects.” Liz Kingsley, And You Call Yourself a Scientist!

” …a hoot from start to finish. The script was ultra-basic, the dialogue and acting uniformly atrocious, the photography amateur, and the direction pedestrian. However, it does feature a cool alien, lots of daft moments and unintentional (and intentional) humour.” Justin Richards, Blueprint: Review

“While the film is no Night of the Creeps (hell, it’s not even The Deadly Spawn), Nightbeast has its charms. As to what those charms are exactly, I have no idea. Actually, the title of the documentary about the career of Don Dohler sums up these charms quite well: Blood, Boobs and Beast. Check out if you get the chance, it’s a pretty good doc.” House of Self-Indulgence

“If you’re looking for a serious sci-fi movie, you’d be looking in the wrong place with Nightbeast. If you’re looking for cheesy, schlocky, consistently low budget special effects and a montage of gunfire, then you can’t go wrong here.” Internal Bleeding

“It entertained me and it didn’t outstay its welcome, to expect anything else of the movie would have been foolish. It’s far from a classic, it isn’t even very coherent, but with a just few thousand dollars Dohler made a movie that was much more entertaining and enjoyable than a lot of $100 million sci-fi movies I’ve seen.” To Obscurity and Beyond

“Naturally, this is the sort of affair that is a laff riot to those viewers in a certain frame of mind, with all its grottiness and cheapness and ideas above its station, even though those ideas were to make a more violent version of a fifties sci-fi invasion effort which were not exactly ambitious, but Dohler insisted on throwing in bits of business he felt proper movies should have, no matter how out of place they were.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“Well Nightbeast is probably not going to change your life, but if you are in a serious need of some real 80s entertainment of the weird kind, you can’t go wrong with Nightbeast, cause they don’t make em’ like this anymore.” Hog-Wild Howls

“Although the special effects (including some startling uses of gore makeup) are noteworthy, the actors aren’t given much to do other than stand around and talk. The final result is disappointing.” TV Guide

“Although the movie focuses on the gory kill scenes with glee, it’s not gory enough to be a splatter movie, it’s not campy enough to be funny and it’s not strange enough to be entertaining.” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre

Cast and characters:

• Tom Griffith … Sheriff Jack Cinder
• Jamie Zemarel … Jamie Lambert
• Karin Kardian … Lisa Kent
• George Stover … Steven Price – Night of the Living Dead: Genesis; Camp Blood 666; Frames of Fear; Call-Girl of Cthulhu; Vampire Sisters; The Galaxy Invader; et al
• Don Leifert … Drago
• Anne Frith … Ruth Sherman
• Eleanor Herman … Mary Jane
• Richard Dyszel … Mayor Bert Wicker
• Greg Dohler … Greg
• Kim Pfeiffer … Kim [as Kim Dohler]
• Monica Neff … Suzie
• Glenn Barnes … Glenn
• Rose Wolfe … Glenn’s Girl
• Jerry Schuerholz … Hunter
• Hank Stuhmer … Hunter

Wikipedia | IMDb | Image credits: House of Self-Indulgence

Clown Motel Massacre is a 2018 American comedy horror film directed by Tom Newth (cinematographer on Dracula’s Sorority Sisters; Things 4; Dracula in a Women’s Prison; et al) from a screenplay by Keith Parker (Witchcraft 14: Angel of Death; Predator World; Bloody Mary 3D). The David S. Sterling co-production stars Angela Nordeng, Ryan Izay and Tasha Tacosa.

A group of ghost hunters, The Paranormal Searchers Squad, travel to the Clown Motel to see for themselves if the legend of William McReady, a murderous motel owner with a clown fetish, is true.

While they’re investigating the motel and nearby cemetery for paranormal activity the team start to lose track of one another. One by one, the group becomes smaller and more fearful for their lives…

Cast and characters:

• Angela Nordeng … Sara Bledsoe
• Ryan Izay … Kyle Carter – Dracula’s Sorority Sisters; Beach Massacre at Kill Devil Hills 
• Tasha Tacosa … Mya Friend
• Jessie Lee Pauli … Nicole Carpenter
• Morgan Tyler … Taylor Henderson
• Kelly Erin Decker … Laura Winchester
• Phillip Trickey … Martin Darrow
• John Ward … William McReady
• Andy Davis … Randy Owens
• Darcie … Cynthia Darrow
• Jeremy Adesso … Jason Turner
• Barbara of Tonopah … Crazy Drunk Tweaker

Filming locations:

Goldfield and Tonopah, Nevada, USA
San Pedro, California, USA

IMDb

‘Merry Krampus’

Slay Belles is a 2017 American comedy horror directed by Dan Walker [as SpookyDan Walker] from a screenplay co-written with Jessica Luhrssen and produced by Darren Lynn Bousman (St. Agatha; 11-11-11, Tales of Halloween, Saw II). It stars Kristina Klebe, Susan Slaughter and Barry Bostwick.

Three cosplaying young women accidentally unleash Krampus and have to team up with Santa Claus to save the world…

Slay Belles is currently being marketed at the Cannes Film Festival.

Cast and characters:

• Barry Bostwick … Santa – The Rocky Horror Picture Show
• Kristina Klebe … Alexi – Extremity; Don’t Kill It; Chillerama; Zone of the Dead; Halloween (2007)
• Susan Slaughter … Dahlia – Ouija House
• Hannah Wagner … Sadie
• Stephen Ford [as Stephen Lunsford]… Sean
• Diane Salinger … Cherry
• Joel Ezra Hebner … Officer Anderson
• Richard Moll … Officer Green – Ghost Shark; Headless Horseman; Spiders 2; Evilspeak; Cataclysm
• Rich Manley … Brian
• Blake Reigle … Bar Drunk

IMDb | Official site

‘There’s a bad moon blazing’

Weed Wolf – aka Weed Wolf – is a 2011 American comedy horror film directed by Calvin Hall from a screenplay co-written with Tommy Slama (director of American Freakshow). The Rat Bastards Films production stars E. Lee Smith, A.J. Germaine and Phillip Tolle.

The residents of small-town Normal, Texas find themselves threatened by a mysterious werewolf who likes to eat stoners.

All that stands in the way of total mayhem is Grass County Sheriff Hardwood, his son, Bumper, and his deputy, Rodriguez. They’ll find some help from Mary Jane, hippies, survivalists, and even a Sasquatch…

Weedwolf is released on DVD on September 25, 2018, via Wild Eye Raw and Extreme.

Cast and characters:

• E. Lee Smith … Sheriff Hardwood
• A.J. Germaine … Junebug
• Phillip Tolle … Jimby Bumgardner
• Tommy Slama… Bumper Hardwood
• Guy Rodriguez … Deputy Rodriguez
• Kaitlyn Colunga … Mary Jane
• Joanna Smith … Gloria / Jeannie Bundick
• Steven Galvan … Steve
• Justin Guthrie … Justin
• Larry McAdams … Butch / Punk Wolf
• Michael Moore … Willie
• Haley Slama … Ida Claire Buttfield
• Jeannie Stroumpos … Chastity Saint Cloud
• M.C. Money … M.C. Money
• Dylan Lynch … Stretch

Filming locations:

Ennis, Texas, USA

IMDb

Horrorible Kids are parody trading cards featuring icon horror characters designed by artist and animator Mark Pingitore (Wacky Packages; Garbage Pail Kids trading cards) for his Magic Marker Art company.

There are ninety trading cards in the series: forty-five characters, each with an “a” and “b” alias. They are available in single packs, 5-packs and 24-pack boxes, plus there is a retro-style collector album.

Pre-order Horrorible Kids from Magic Marker Art for an expected shipping date in July 2018.

Thanks to Bloody Disgusting

‘Worst pool party ever!’

Pool Party Massacre is a 2017 American comedy slasher horror feature film written, co-produced and directed by Drew Marvick, making his feature debut. The Floating Eye Films production stars Kristin Noel McKusick, Margaux Neme and Destiny Faith Nelson.

The film’s synth score was provided by Mike Conway.

Blair Winthorpe, a high-maintenance young socialite, is having a pool party while her parents are out of town.

However, what should have been a relaxing summer day spent tanning for the girls quickly becomes a blood soaked nightmare when an unknown guest crashes the party.

The psycho killer finds a garage full of dangerous toys and gets to work stalking and dismembering them one by one…

Reviews:

The kills are mostly on-screen and the crimson gushes steadily, all while the film plays out on the smallest of budgets. Sure, there’s the odd continuity and technical related issue, as well as a sizeable chunk of dialogue that I didn’t care for. Certain jokes come off as plain awkward and not funny, but this is still a freaking stellar effort by Drew, his cast and crew.” Adam the Movie God

“The motive for this epic bloodbath isn’t revealed until the end, and even though you may think you have it figured out, they throw in a little twist! Overall, Pool Party Massacre is everything you want in a slasher film and more. It has plenty of the 3 B’s (beer, boobs, and blood) to keep you entertained throughout the film.” Horror Geek Life

“ …it embraces the very nature of being an ode to slasher films and runs the material to the max. It’s the charm and simplistic sincerity that carries it through its brisk eighty-minute running time. I can beat up on the lousy acting, the bloated dialogue, the lack of any sense of friendship among the characters and yet still kind of be okay with recommending the title.” Horror Talk

“From the opening 8-bit credits ringing those ’80s nostalgic bells set to some kick-ass metal tunes to the synthesizer score, and the twist at the end I didn’t even see coming, Pool Party Massacre pleasantly surprised me by surpassing all expectations for the movie. It’s an all around fun time horror flick, perfect for a Friday night movie party with friends…” Patti Pauli, iHorror

” …one of the most entertaining no-budget films ever made. The clear direction that Marvick has given each of the girls is to ramp the bitchiness up to eleven on the dial. The results are thoroughly hilarious – the Vinegar Stroke scene had me rolling in laughter in my seat.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“It pretty much follows the standard tropes of the slasher subgenre, except the third act is slightly different. It would be labeled as more horror-comedy than a straight horror movie, as it is built more for laughs than scares. The dialogue and situations are chock full of sexual content, pop culture references, and rich girl attitude that the viewers will either love or hate.” The Movie Sleuth

“Storywise, Pool Party Massacre is a fairly standard campy slasher film, but don’t take that to mean that it’s predictable. There are some nice twists and turns along the way, some of which I was able to figure out and some that caught me off guard. The motive for the killings is completely stupid and borders on nonsensical, which actually works pretty well with the tone of the movie.” Pop Horror

” …the film is also no exercise in mere imitation, and does not rely on cynically referencing the films it harks back to (although the opening shot does include a nice little nod to Wes Craven’s often overlooked Shocker). Singularly dedicated to delivering a slasher flick in the form of its base elements, Pool Party Massacre is admirable in its commitment to its own simplicity…” Kevan Farrow, Scream magazine

“This style of slasher subscribes to the logic, agreed upon many years ago, that the main focus should be horrible people dying horrible deaths. And, in this way, Pool Party Massacre more than delivers–the characters are so hideously self-absorbed they don’t even notice anyone is dead. Meanwhile, the payoff to the whole thing is original, clever and super-funny.” Joey Keog, Wicked Horror

“In the tradition of the best entries in this sub-genre, the kills are imaginative and high in number. Furthermore, the depictions, as well as the opening credits sequence, capture the tone of the piece brilliantly. The result is as much a consistently engaging midnight movie as it is a display of Marvick’s talent behind the lens.” Andrew Buckner, A Word of Dreams

Choice dialogue:

Mr. Winthorpe: “Threesomes are okay, as long as it’s not the Devil’s threeway. If you know what I mean.”

Blair Winthorpe: “Will you please stop talking about cumming? I’m trying to relax.”

Cast and characters:

• Alexis Adams … Tiffany
• Sally Burnswello … Mrs. Winthorpe – Do Not Disturb
• Nick Byer … Clay
• Paul Card … Ralph
• Dora Deceuninck … Dora
• Jimmy Grosse … Danny
• Mark Justice … Troy – Bus Party to Hell; Atomic Shark; Monster: The Prehistoric Project
• Trevor Layne … Chet
• Drew Marvick … Blaine Winthorpe – Paranormal Extremes: Text Messages from the Dead; Scared to Death; Astro Zombies: M4 – Invaders from Cyberspace
  
• Jenifer Marvick … Kelly
  
• Kristin Noel McKusick … Blair Winthorpe – Tales of Torment
  
• John Molinaro … Mr. Winthorpe
  
• Destiny Faith Nelson … Jasmine
  
• Margaux Némé … Nancy
• Crystal Stoney … Britney
  
• Cameron Lee Vamp … Pool Guy – Zombie 360; Diary of a Psychopath; Reaper Tales
• Darla … Herself

Writer/director Drew Marvick on set

Buy poster: Amazon.com

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Plot keywords:

bar | bikini | bitching | bondage | champagne | cocktails | condom | Dirty Sanchez | dog | drill | drinking | gore | intestines | maniac | masturbation | mobile phones | parents | party | pizza delivery guy | pool | pool guy | pool party | psychopath | power tools | serial killer | shower | shower cap | slasher | vinegar strokes

‘A different kind of ghost story’

Dead Sexy is a 2018 American supernatural horror comedy feature film directed and co-produced by Brian Newell from a screenplay co-written with co-producer Rex Riffel. The movie stars Alexandra Corin Johnston, Jacqi Vene, Greta Garland and Villarreal A.J.

Meet Amber, Brandy and Cassie. These young women are about to encounter a paranormal force that is going to make them question the need for the opposite sex…

Cast and characters:

• Alexandra Corin Johnston … Amber
• Jacqi Vene … Brandy
• Greta Garland … Cassie
• Villarreal A.J. … Bunny
• Travis Leonard … Dale
• Tyler Trace Rojas … Lawrence
• Shaun Michael McNamara … Ryan
• Suzanne Stokes … Dawn
• Channon Rose … Amber’s Mom

IMDb | Facebook

“It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent Fritters”

Motel Hell is a 1980 American comedy horror feature film directed by Kevin Connor (The House Where Evil Dwells; At the Earth’s Core, Frankenstein – [2004]; From Beyond the Grave), from a screenplay by producers Robert Jaffe and Steven-Charles Jaffe, and stars Rory Calhoun as farmer, butcher, and meat entrepreneur Vincent Smith. The movie is often seen as a satire of key genre films such as Psycho and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Farmer Vincent Smith and his younger sister Ida live on a farm with a motel attached. It’s called “Motel Hello,” but the neon ‘O’ flickers. Vincent smokes meats said to be the most delicious in the area. The secret is human flesh, and Vincent has the areas around his motel strewn with various booby traps to catch victims, including a couple of would-be swingers.

The victims are restrained, then placed in a ‘secret garden,’ buried up to their necks, and have their vocal chords cut to prevent them from screaming. They are kept in the ground and fed until they are ready for harvest. Ida helps Vincent, who feels he does no wrong and sees the victims as animals…

Reviews:

“With its crazy characters, sick psychedelic scenes, oddly ecological message, multiple murders and manic performances, Motel Hell is a definite cult movie in every sense. Throwing in sex fiends, slaughtered pigs, chainsaw fights and a garden of live heads, the film keeps you entertained all the way through.” Love Horror

“The greatest delight in a film full of unexpected treats is the cast, headed by Rory Calhoun. Sometimes an actor who has been reliable but unremarkable finds a part which he was born to play, and in the case of Calhoun that part turned out to be Farmer Vincent. Years of playing the lead in cowboy movies has given him an aura of solid reliability and he uses this to brilliant effect, making the fundamentally crazy Vincent seem strangely reasonable and even heroic.” The Digital Fix

Buy Shout! Factory Blu-ray + DVD combo: Amazon.com

• Audio Commentary with director Kevin Connor, moderated by filmmaker Dave Parker
• It Takes All Kinds: The Making of Motel Hell featuring interviews with director Kevin Connor, producers/writers Robert Jaffe and Steven Charles Jaffe and actor Marc Silver
• Shooting Old School with cinematographer Thomas Del Ruth
• Another Head on the Chopping Block: an interview with actor Paul Linke
• From Glamour to Gore: An interview with actress Rosanne Katon
• Ida, Be Thy Name:  A look back at Motel Hell’s frightful female protagonist Ida Smith
• Theatrical Trailer
• Photo Galleries

“Campy and self-referential, filled with puns and sarcasm, Motel Hell is well deserving of the audience it didn’t find upon release. The screenplay doesn’t hold back and the director takes advantage of his opportunities […] In addition to the satirical gore and some flashes of nudity, Motel Hell offers a host of strange and amusing images or situations […] The only flaws are some weak or obvious jokes (e.g. the preacher reading Hustler, or the overeager swingers).” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers, Lulu, 2012

Buy Claws & Saucers: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca

“Despite its gruesome aesthetics, you’re not subjected to the signature slasher images associated with the others — the camera will cut away, for example, before you see Ida’s blade even touch the skin of her human pets — but despite it being wasted on its original audience, Motel Hell is, rather inexplicably, nostalgically charming and heart-warming in the oddest possible way.” Michelle Butterworth, Bring the Noise

“Before it’s over, virtually every melodramatic cliche imaginable – including the heroine on the buzz saw – has been brought into play. The filmmakers make good use of stark lighting and gurgling sound effects to create their creepy atmosphere.” Videohound’s Complete Guide to Cult Flicks and Trash Pics

“Motel Hell could have been a great black comedy, but the uneasy direction of Kevin Connor, combined with the gore that comes with this territory, fails to get most of the picture off the ground.” James J. Mulay, The Horror Film, CineBooks, 1989

Buy Arrow Blu-ray + DVD combo: Amazon.co.uk

“It has some great moments, including a duel fought with chainsaws, a hero swinging to the rescue on a meathook, and Farmer Vincent’s dying confession of the shameful secret that he concealed for years. These moments illuminate the movie’s basic and not very profound insight, which is that most of the sleazoids would be a lot more fun if they didn’t take themselves with such gruesome solemnity.” Roger Ebert

“Played with a straight face, Motel Hell is not only seriously funny, but damn frightening […] The ending, which features a return of the dead-style siege of the would-be victims (still gurgling) and duelling chainsaws, is a bizarre high-watermark of low-budget 1980s horror films.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films of the 1980s, McFarland, 2007

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

” …the farm is the epitome of Reagan’s America, where the grossest exploitation lurks just beneath the placid plastic surface, where murder is less blasphemous than sexual liberation, where idiotic families or tourists eat the most unutterable junk and the sheriff is ‘the biggest cannibal around’. Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

Cast and characters:

• Rory Calhoun as Vincent Smith – Hell Comes to Frogtown; Night of the Lepus
• Paul Linke as Sheriff Bruce Smith
• Nancy Parsons as Ida Smith
• Nina Axelrod as Terry
• Wolfman Jack as Reverend Billy
• Elaine Joyce as Edith Olson
• Dick Curtis as Guy Robaire / First TV Preacher
• Monique St. Pierre as Debbie
• Rosanne Katon as Suzi
• E. Hampton Beagle as Bob Anderson
• Everett Creach as Bo Tulinski
• Michael Melvin as Ivan
• John Ratzenberger as Drummer
• Marc Silver as Guitarist
• Victoria Hartman as Female Terrible
• Gwil Richards as Mr Owen
• Toni Gillman as Mrs Richards

Buy on DVD with Wrong Turn and Needful Things: Amazon.com

Filming locations:

Exteriors filmed at Sable Ranch in Santa Clarita, California, USA.

Interiors of the motel, farm, and smokehouse were filmed at the Laird International Studios in Culver City, California.

Wikipedia | IMDb

The post Motel Hell – USA, 1980 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘Come score with the cheerleaders’

Satan’s Cheerleaders is a 1977 comedy horror feature film starring John Ireland, Yvonne De Carlo, and John Carradine. It was directed by Greydon Clark (Dance Macabre; Without Warning, Uninvited) from a script co-written with producer Alvin L. Fast.

The cinematography was provided by Dean Cundey who would famously go on to work on Halloween a year later and a number of John Carpenter’s films.

Benedict High School’s cheerleaders aren’t shy and sweet. The football team knows them well – and Billy, the school’s disturbed janitor, would like to.

In the locker room, the girls shower and dress, unaware of the evil eyes which secretly watch them. They don’t know that a curse has been placed on their clothes. And they don’t know that their trip to the first big game of the season might sideline them for eternity.

Will the cheerleaders succumb to the dark ritual of sexual sacrifice and death that’s been plotted for them?

Buy Blu-ray + DVD combo: Amazon.com

Reviews:

“The film quickly documents the underlying rowdiness of both the cheerleaders and (of course) the football players, but the whole satanic element is such a gonzo addition to this basic plot formulation that the film struggles to weave things together into something amounting to an organic whole.” Jeffrey Kauffman, Blu-ray.com

“The cheese runs high in the opening minutes of the girls reciting inane dialogue and playing “chicken” on the beach, but once the Satanists are introduced, the audience is subjected to horrendous acting by both the embarrassed veterans and the newcomers (soon to be gone from the screens for good). None of the scares are effective and the intentional humor is strained and pathetic. Yuck!” Casey Scott, DVD Drive-In

“As a horror film, Satan’s Cheerleaders is either wilfully incompetent or simply incapable of understanding how to make a devil worshipping sect made up of middle-aged white trash threatening in the slightest. Once they escape from the house, Chris, Sharon and Debbie all manage to run into members of the cult – it’s like an entire town filled with variations on Texas Chain Saw‘s Cook…” The Pink Smoke

“A charming detour into the Theatre of the Absurd that’s sweetened by a deliciously subversive edge. Rah! Rah! Rah!” DVD Talk

“Satan’s Cheerleaders had potential to be devilishly fun, but its lackluster pacing sucks the wind right out of it. Director Greydon Clark doesn’t bring anything original or outrageous to the table. The film’s first third is devoted to cheerleader frolics that are dull despite all the leaping, bending and showering. Marquee value stars De Carlo and Ireland look embarrassed while John Carradine just looks at cue cards but still delivers the best performance.” Bill Burke, Horror News

“Satan’s Cheerleaders takes a little while to hit its stride but the last half of the film, if not good in the traditional sense, is at least entertaining and bizarre enough to hold our attention. The film also benefits from a genuinely strange cast.” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!

Cast and characters:

• John Ireland as The Sheriff
• Yvonne De Carlo as Emmy / Sheriff’s Wife / High Priestess
• Jack Kruschen as Billy the Janitor
• John Carradine as The Bum
• Sydney Chaplin as Monk
• Jacqueline Cole [as Jacqulin Cole] as Ms. Johnson
• Kerry Sherman as Patti
• Hillary Horan as Chris
• Alisa Powell as Debbie
• Sherry Marks as Sharon
• Lane Caudell [as Lane Cordell] as Stevie
• Joseph Carlo as Coach
• Michael Donovan O’Donnell as Farmer
• Robin Greer as Baker Girl

Release:

Satan’s Cheerleaders was released theatrically in the United States by World Amusements in June 1977, on VHS in the 1980s by various companies including Interglobal Home Video, Liberty Home Video, and United Video and on DVD by VCI Entertainment in 2002. The DVD version is currently available on the VCI Home Video label from Music Video Distributors. A Blu-ray and DVD combo was released on November 7, 2017.

Wikipedia | IMDb | Satan’s Cheerleaders fan site | Amazon.com

Image credits: VHS Collector

The post Satan’s Cheerleaders – USA, 1977 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘Hearing voices can be murder’

The Voices is a 2014 American black comedy horror feature film directed by Marjane Satrapi from a screenplay by Michael R. Perry (Paranormal Activity 2). The movie stars Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick and Jacki Weaver.

Jerry (Ryan Reynolds), a mentally unhinged factory worker, must decide whether to listen to his talking cat and become a serial killer, or follow his dog’s advice to keep striving for normalcy…

Reviews:

“The exact mid-point between Dr. Dolittle and Dr. Lecter, it’s tonally wonky and not as funny as was perhaps intended. But the underrated Reynolds launches a full-force attack on his role (or roles; he also voices the cat and dog), and there are staggering stylised moments, including famous heads in a fridge and a climactic musical number.” Nick De Semlyen, Empire

“Think of this stylish, quirky and quite grisly feature from Marjane Satrapi as a meeting of Psycho, Dexter and Dr. Doolittle.” Brad Wheeler, The Globe and Mail

“The film’s combination of psychological drama — cue the childhood trauma — with blood-splattered limb-cutting, talking heads in the fridge and talking pets on the couch is a risky one that finally works because Perry and Satrapi find the right tonal mixture for the material, with Jerry’s reality recognizable yet strangely heightened from the start (all the overly joyous pinks in the factory should have been a give-away).” Boyd van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter

” …a subversive, darkly comedic, and unconventionally brilliant film […] Tonally ambiguous, the film glides back and forth between gory horror and grim comedy in such a strangely memorable manner that it’s sure to make many very uncomfortable.” Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire

“The problem, beyond a general hideous un-funniness, is that the film’s premise is deeply repulsive. For about half of the film, Jerry’s insanity is meant to be kind of cute. For the other half, he’s butchering the women who work with him, brutally, in scenes that are staged as horror set pieces, and are performed by the female actors with an according intensity.” Chuck Bown, Slant magazine

“In tapping Satrapi to interpret this project, the producers have done about as well as one could expect with such material. Still, a bit more consistency in style would have gone a long way: The pic’s tone is all over the place, from the bright red razor slash that underscores its opening titles to the “Amelie”-esque flights of fancy along the way…” Peter Debruge, Variety

Cast and characters:

• Ryan Reynolds as Jerry Hickfang and the voices of Bosco, Mr. Whiskers, The Deer and Bunny Monkey
• Anna Kendrick as Lisa
• Gemma Arterton as Fiona
• Jacki Weaver as Dr. Warren
• Sam Spruell as Dave
• Adi Shankar as John
• Ella Smith as Alison
• Paul Chahidi as Dennis Kowalski
• Stanley Townsend as Sheriff Weinbacher
• Valerie Koch as Jerry’s mother
• Paul Brightwell as Jerry’s stepfather
• Alessa Kordeck as Sheryl
• Stephanie Vogt as Tina TV
• Gulliver McGrath as young Jerry

Production:

Principal photography began in April 2013 in Berlin, Germany.

Release:

The Voices had its world premiere at 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2014.

The $11 million film was released theatrically in a very limited form – taking a mere $444,196 – and through video on demand on February 6, 2015, by Lionsgate. In July 2018, it becomes available on the streaming service Netflix.

Wikipedia

‘Pure evil. Bite-sized.’

Ghastlies is a 2016 Canadian science fiction comedy horror feature film directed by Brett Kelly (My Fair Zombie; Homicycle; Jurassic Shark) from a screenplay by Chris Bavota (shorts: Never Tear Us Apart; Attack of the Brainsucker; After Ate).

The movie stars Kim Valentine (Monster Pool: Chapter Two), Kendra Summerfield (Raiders of the Lost Shark), Jessica Huether and Julie Racine.

Three sorority sisters plan an initiation for their nerdy friend during a weekend getaway. Things don’t go exactly as planned when they accidentally stumble upon a craft containing a trio of extraterrestrial ghastly ghouls! Armed with only their boyfriends and brains, they resolve to send these pint-sized gatecrashers back to the edge of the universe—or die trying…

Reviews:

“Ghastlies is not just a low-budget film, but an ultra low-budget film that attempts to impress without the proper resources to actually look legit. For example, the alien creatures are so cheaply made that it feels as if someone ran to Toys R Us and then grabbed whatever exotic villains they had on sale that could get the job done. Then there are large bits of the ‘acting’ that really look like screen tests…” Svet Atanasov, Blu-ray.com

“The cartoonish hand puppets, the implausible effects, and the technical inconsistencies can all be overlooked as campy charm, passed aside to enjoy Ghastlies for what it’s worth, but what can’t subside is the wonky connection between the cast that doesn’t favor well that’s diluted at the end by the starkly questionable and abrupt editing…” Stephen T. Lewis, It’s Bloggin’ Evil 

“The effects are about as lo-fi as you get can, of course, with felt puppets serving as the title monsters (complete with actors flailing around trying to hold the inanimate critters to their heads) and lots of practical gore effects, some of them surprisingly squishy and others deliberately fake and ludicrous (such as a torn spinal cord).” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

“There is a sufficient body count, blood, and gore contained in this to satisfy horror fans, the major issue is its quality. Yes, it is all practical effects, but they are done rather poorly. And not in a fun campy sort of way, but in a that was disappointing way. The puppet monsters have to be the best part of the picture. They are fairly crude, yet fun.” Raul Vantassle, The Movie Sleuth

“If originality isn’t a strong point, the movie has a lot more going for it –pretty girls, goofy characters, a good sense of humor. The aliens are all puppets, which gives the film some retro charm (even when one of those puppets proves to be a little rapey!) and the movie is fairly gory as well. All of those effects are done practically, another feather in the picture’s cap.” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!

Ghastlies was released as a Blu-ray + DVD combo and HD digital on November 11, 2017 via Camp Motion Pictures. The disc special features are:

• Audio commentary by director Brett Kelly and actor Trevor Payer
• “Going Ghastlies” FX featurette
• “Tomb Talks Tubular Toonage” music featurette
• “They’re Ghastlies” music video
• Double-sided cover art

Main cast:

• Kim Valentine
• Kendra Summerfield
• Jessica Huether
• Julie Racine
• Eric Deniverville
• Joel Elliot
• Kyle Martellacci
• John Migliore –The Drownsman; Bite; Poltergeist Encounters; et al
• Janet Hetherington
• Peter Whittaker
• Jurgen Vollrath
• Kyle Martellacci

Facebook

Elves is a 2018 American supernatural horror feature film directed by Jamaal Buden and co-produced by Justin Price (director of The 13th Friday; The Elf; Forsaken) and Khu (producer of Den of Darkness; Dark Moon Rising; The Cloth). The movie stars Lisa May, Deanna Grace Congo, Stephanie Marie Baggett and Amy Jo Guthrie.

After a freak accident kills one of her friends, Clover discovers that a group of elves have been scattered throughout town, each representing the seven deadly sins. It’s a race against time to survive the elves’ wrath before Christmas ends…

Elves will be released by Uncork’d Entertainment in October 2018.

Cast and characters:

• Deanna Grace Congo … Clover – The Blood Tapes; Alien: Reign of Man; The 13th Friday; Forsaken; Dark Moon Rising
• Lisa May … Taff – The 13th Friday; The Elf; Dark Moon Rising
• Amy Jo Guthrie … Sky – The Elf
• Stephanie Marie Baggett … Leah – The Fungus Among Us
• Lily Martinez … Casi

Trivia:

This movie should not be confused with Elves (1989) which stars Dan Haggerty.

‘A weekend camping trip… with a site to die for!’

Head is a 2015 American comedy horror feature film written and directed by Jon Bristol, with writing contributions by J.R. Calvo and Brian Woodman. The cast are all puppets voiced by Bristol, Manda Vasas, Nick Foreman, Mike Finland, Sally Arlette Garcia and Ben Farley..

Five twenty-somethings go for a weekend camping trip in remote New England, only to discover that the land on which they’re staying was the site of a brutal mass murder years ago…

Terror Films is releasing Head in North America on digital VOD platforms on Friday the 13th, 2018. A DVD release will follow…

Reviews:

“With an interesting blend of gore, sex, and heartfelt confiding in one another before the real violence begins, one could think of Meet the Feebles way back in the day in comparison to the outwardly demented style of storytelling that’s on display here. I mean, if you like headless plush dolls oozing with fake blood, and the occasional puppet boobs bouncing freely, then I’d certainly recommend this film for you…” Matt Boiselle, Dread Central

” …the concept of using puppets as your main characters in a movie has been done numerous times before, particularly and surprisingly in the horror genre itself. But it’s a project with definite heart and there are clearly a passionate and talented team working behind the scenes.” Horror Asylum

” …the movie is as derivative as its dialogue is clichéd, its characters are flat and it’s buildup is predictable … and these are all the aspects that make this movie so good, so pretty much unique – because the film’s cast as a whole is made up from puppets, and rather simple and comical ones at that, giving the situations (including sexual situations), the dialogue, the gore a whole new (and rather hilarious) dimension.” Mike Haberfelner, Search My Trash

“The directing from Jon Bristol is terrific; his camera placement showed a great ability of making the realistic objects perfectly match up with the puppets […] While this may not appeal to everyone, I personally think it doesn’t get much better than watching puppets getting hunted and killed in the woods. It’s a highly entertaining puppet slasher romp…” Raul Vantassle, The Movie Sleuth

Filming locations:

Bethlehem, Plainsville and Plantville, Connecticut, USA

Official site | Facebook

Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection is a Blu-ray set being released in North America on August 28, 2018.

“Showcases all of the original films featuring the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera and Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Starring some of the most legendary actors including Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains and Elsa Lanchester in the roles that they made famous, these films set the standard for a new horror genre with revolutionary makeup, mood-altering cinematography and groundbreaking special effects.

Order in advance for $149.98 from Amazon.com

The 24-disc box set includes the following movies, a 48-page collectible book and Behind the Scenes Documentaries, the 1931 Spanish Version of Dracula, Featurettes on Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr. and Jack Pierce, 13 Expert Feature Commentaries, Archival Footage, Production Photographs, Theatrical Trailers…

• Dracula (1931)
• Dracula [Spanish version] (1931)
• Frankenstein (1931)
• The Mummy (1932)
• The Invisible Man (1933)
• Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
• Werewolf of London (1935)
• Dracula’s Daughter (1936)
• Son of Frankenstein (1939)
• The Invisible Man Returns (1940)
• The Invisible Woman (1940)
• The Mummy’s Hand (1940)
• The Wolf Man (1941)

• The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
• The Mummy’s Ghost (1942)
• The Mummy’s Tomb (1942)
• Invisible Agent (1942)
• Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)
• Phantom of the Opera (1943)
• Son of Dracula (1943)
• The Mummy’s Ghost (1943)
• House of Frankenstein (1944)
• The Mummy’s Curse (1944)
• The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944)
• House of Dracula (1945)
• She-Wolf of London (1946)
• Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
• Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
• Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
• Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)
• Revenge of the Creature (1955)
• The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)

Related:

Frankenstein and Vasaria – The Fictional Locations of the Classic Universal Horror Films

Universal Monsters – merchandise

The Shuffling Saga of The Mummy on Screen – article

Scooby-Doo! and the Gourmet Ghost is a 2018 American animated comedy horror feature film directed by Doug Murphy from a screenplay by Tim Sheridan. The movie features the voices of Frank Welke, Grey Griffin, Matthew Lillard, Kate Micucci, Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis and Marcus Samuelsson.

Warner Bros. will release the latest feature-length Scooby-Doo! mystery on DVD on September 11, 2018.

“Pull up a chair, tuck in that napkin, and get ready for a 5-star meal of mystery with Scooby-Doo and the gang, as we hit the road to visit the Rocky Harbor Culinary Resort to meet Fred’s uncle, world-famous chef Bobby Flay. Mystery Inc. quickly learns that this state-of-the-art cooking resort isn’t all steak and potatoes after they find out about the legend of the Red Ghost, and the unsolved disappearance of Bobby Flay’s great ancestor chef.

When the mysterious Red Ghost returns in disastrous fashion to haunt the inn, the gang teams up with Bobby and his culinary pal Giada De Laurentiis, to dig in for clues and serve up justice.

Will history repeat itself and find another world-famous chef missing? Get ready to take a bite out of this gourmet mystery filled with loads of good eating, tasty laughs and even better twists and turns!”

New and future releases

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Scooby-Doo: Origins and the gang’s extended families – article

Wellington Paranormal is a 2018 New Zealand comedy horror mockumentary television series starring Mike Minogue, Karen O’Leary, Jemaine Clement, Maaka Pohatu and Taika Waititi.

New Zealand’s capital is a hotbed of supernatural activity… so Officers Minogue and O’Leary, who featured in the vampire documentary What We Do in he Shadows, take to the streets to investigate all manner of paranormal phenomena…

The series will premiere on New Zealand’s TVNZ channel on July 11, 2018.

What We Do in the Shadows – New Zealand, 2014

‘Family vacation. It will suck the life out of you.’

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is a 2018 American 3D computer-animated comedy horror film directed by Genndy Tartakovsky from a screenplay co-written with Michael McCullers.

The voice cast features Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, Molly Shannon, Fran Drescher, and Mel Brooks reprising their roles as well as new additions such as Kathryn Hahn and Jim Gaffigan.

Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury monster cruise ship so he can take a vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. The rest of Drac’s Pack cannot resist going along, and once they leave port, romance zings Drac when he meets the mysterious ship captain, Ericka.

Now it’s Mavis’ turn to play the overprotective parent, keeping her dad and Ericka apart. Little do they know that his ‘too good to be true’ love interest is actually a descendant of Van Helsing, arch nemesis to Dracula and all monsters!”

Cast and characters:

• Adam Sandler as Count Dracula: The 540-year-old lord of the vampires and founder of Hotel Transylvania. Dracula is the son of Vlad, husband of the late Martha, father of Mavis, father-in-law of Johnny, maternal grandfather of Dennis, and Ericka’s love interest.
• Andy Samberg as Jonathan “Johnny” Loughran: A 29-year-old human, who is Mavis’s husband and Dennis’ father.
• Selena Gomez as Mavis: The 126-year-old daughter of Dracula and the late Martha, and the granddaughter of Vlad. She is the wife of Johnny, and the couple have a child named Dennis.
• Kevin James as Frankenstein: The monster famously created from reanimated dead tissue, by Dr. Frankenstein. His friends call him “Frank”.
• David Spade as Griffin, the Invisible Man
• Steve Buscemi as Wayne: A werewolf who’s overwhelmed by his large number of children.
• Keegan-Michael Key as Murray: An ancient mummy.
• Molly Shannon as Wanda: Wayne’s werewolf wife.
• Fran Drescher as Eunice: Frankenstein’s wife.
• Kathryn Hahn as Ericka Van Helsing: The ship’s captain and cruise director. She is secretly continuing her great-grandfather’s wishes, in eliminating monsters and is Dracula’s love interest.
• Jim Gaffigan as Abraham Van Helsing: Ericka’s great-grandfather who is a legendary monster hunter and Dracula’s archenemy.
• Mel Brooks as Vlad: An ancient, more experienced and traditional vampire, who is Dracula’s father, the grandfather of Mavis, the grandfather-in-law of Johnny, and the great-grandfather of Dennis.
• Asher Blinkoff as Dennis Loughran: Mavis and Johnny’s 5-year-old son who is a human/vampire hybrid, inheriting a combination of traits from his parents. He has a crush on his best friend, Winnie.
• Sadie Sandler as Winnie: The werewolf daughter of Wayne and Wanda. Winnie is Dennis’s best friend, and she has a crush on him.
• Genndy Tartakovsky as Blobby: A green blob monster. He was previously voiced by Jonny Solomon in Hotel Transylvania 2.
• Chrissy Teigen as Crystal: An invisible woman who is Griffin’s new girlfriend.
• Joe Jonas as Kraken: A giant sea monster.
• Alison Hammond as Frankenginger
• Chris Parnell as Stan: A Fish-man, Parnell previously voiced the Fly in the first two films.
• Joe Whyte as Tinkles: Dennis’ giant pet puppy.
• Sarah Vowell as Lynne: Frank’s Sister In Law and Enuice’s Sister.

Release:

The film, produced by Sony Pictures Animation and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 13, 2018 and is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 13, 2018.

A video game adaptation, titled Hotel Transylvania 3: Monsters Overboard, will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows on July 13, 2018.

Trivia:

The movie’s budget was reportedly $65 million.

Wikipedia | Official website

Related:

Hotel Transylvania

Hotel Transylvania 2

FunkO’s is a new brand of multigrain breakfast cereal. Launched on July 2, 2018, the company has announced that iconic horror characters Beetlejuice, Elvira, Pennywise, Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees will have their own cereals that each include mini POP! vinyl toys.

Here’s their press release:

“Funko, purveyors of pop culture and all things awesome, is committed to helping you start the day off right by putting the fun back in breakfast with FunkO’s. And as we all know from Saturday morning commercials; every breakfast starts with a bowl of brightly coloured cereal that comes out of a box with a really cool mascot on the front and a prize inside!

Funko is kicking off this summer with six new FunkO’s cereals, each guaranteed to turn your milk a different amazing color. Funko has no shortage of beloved mascots that already feature largely in the Funkoverse as Pop! vinyl figures and other collectibles. Now these pop culture icons will join you for breakfast!

In July, Mega Man FunkO’s will be available at GameStop, Cuphead & Mugman FunkO’s will be available at Hot Topic, Freddy FunkO’s will be available through Funko, Nightmare On Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger FunkO’s and Friday the 13th’s Jason FunkO’s will be available at FYE, and The Lord of the Rings FunkO’s featuring Gollum will be available at BoxLunch. Additional cereals will continue to be added throughout the year for your snacking pleasure.

And of course, to put the fun back in breakfast, each box contains a collectible prize, making the boxes as much fun to collect as they are to eat! You’ll find a collectible figure inside every box of FunkO’s, so you’re going to want two boxes – one to taste, and one to display on your shelf with your Pop! collection.”

Related:

Monster Cereals

One Cut of the Dead – aka Kamera o tomeru na! – is a 2017 Japanese comedy horror feature film written and directed by Shuichiro Ueda [Shin’ichirô Ueda]. The movie stars Yuzuki Akiyama, Takuya Fujimura, Ayana Gôda, Takayuki Hamatsu, Manabu Hosoi, Hiroshi Ichihara, Satoshi Iwagô, Sakina Iwaji and Mao.

A low-budget film crew about to shoot a zombie movie at a desolate warehouse is suddenly attacked by real zombies. The uncompromising director forces them to confront the living dead head-on for the sake of capturing it all in one single take, with no consideration for their lives…

One Cut of the Dead will be shown at Florida’s Popcorn Frights Film Festival on August 16, 2018.

Reviews:

The acting follows the same preposterous rules of the production, with the actors having to play double roles (their parts in the film and their actual selves), in caricature fashion. “Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Film Vault

“Frankly, this is an exceptionally enjoyable effort that finally offers a unique take on the zombie genre, which comes from plenty of strong characters and witty situations. This is definitely worthwhile for those that are trying for something new in the genre or can appreciate bizarre zombie comedies…” Asian Movie Pulse

“The little details pivoting on Higurashi’s on-the-fly directing, the ensuing mayhem, delighted execs that only see the final product, reality bleeding into the art and the clever callbacks that change our perception of what came before combine for a delightful comedy about the joys as well as the frustrations that go with genre filmmaking.” Elizabeth Kerr, The Hollywood Reporter

“Thirty-seven minutes in, just as the joke is wearing thin, the story resets, with a fresh perspective that infuses the proceedings with a new energy and meaning. The film becomes even funnier, while making us appreciate the dedication, ingenuity and passion of its on-screen movie folk — and the unknowns who play them.” Mark Schilling, The Japan Times

“One Cut captures all the craziness and exhilaration of movie-making on a minuscule budget. High-energy performances from a cast of little-knowns are perfectly tuned to the material. The outstanding technical package is a great example of how to create a Poverty Row look for what’s actually a very sophisticated filmmaking exercise.” Richard Kuipers, Variety

“Hilarious, self aware, and filled with homages to classic horror, One Cut of the Dead is an oddly warmhearted comedy in which the zombies are the least of anyone’s worries.” Windows on Worlds

Running time:

96 minutes

More Japanese horror

New and future releases

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