“Don’t Go to the Reunion” Hits Up Killer IndieGoGo Campaign

Posted on May 19, 2013 at 8:55 am by slasherstudios

indiegogo post

We did it everyone! With the help of awesome slasher fans like yourself, we were able to make Don’t Go to the Reunion into the slasher feature of your nightmares. But the journey is far from over. Right now we are in post-production on the film and we plan to have it released on DVD worldwide by this fall. We need help to get this film into film festivals across the nation. Film fests are expensive for a feature (up to $50 plus shipping costs EACH) and the more money we raise on here, the more film fests we can be a part of. Support indie horror today and become a Don’t Go to the Reunion backer!!

Plot synopsis:

Scott Rantzen (Brady Simenson) is a horror movie loving misfit who is teased by the popular students in school. When a date with the very popular and very beautiful Erica Carpenter (Stephanie Leigh Rose) backfires, he feels as though his life is ruined. Ten years later, the gang reunite for their class reunion. Little do they know that someone is waiting for them and ready to see that they pay for what they did. Is Scott back for revenge and will the old gang survive to tell the tale? It’ll be more gore for Class of 04.

To become a backer on the film:

Don’t Go to the Reunion Indiegogo

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Attention Filmmakers! Submissions Open For Oshkosh Horror Film Festival (OHHF)

Posted on May 23, 2013 at 2:35 pm by slasherstudios

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It’s that time of year horror fans and filmmakers! The Oshkosh Horror Film Festival is now accepting submissions! We will be playing there this year with our very own Don’t Go to the Reunion, so you should as well! Follow the link below to download a submission form. It is FREE to submit so you really have nothing to lose at all. They are wonderful supporters of indie horror and we hope to see you all there. Straight from their site: “The objective of the OHFF is simple: showcase independent horror. Both feature length and short films will be shown. There will be no awards for the films and no contests held. We are not a flashy festival (if you can’t tell by our site). The OHFF is a clear cut event to do nothing more than celebrate independent horror. If you have an ego, this fest might not be for you. Sincerely.” How awesome is that?! It’s going to be a bloody good time.

To submit your entry today:
Oshkosh Horror Film Festival

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Not Quite Horror: “The Sandlot” (1993)

Posted on May 22, 2013 at 11:43 am by slasherstudios

sandlot

Not Quite Horror contains reviews of films not traditionally considered horror films. By analyzing them as horror films (identifying the monster, discussing the shared worry for the audience and the main characters, and understanding the depth of horror available to the viewer), who knows? There’s more than one way to watch a movie.

The Sandlot (1993)

The Monsters: The Beast: a giant dog lurking just beyond the titular sandlot. Baseballs launched over his fence are lost forever. The children playing at the baseball diamond see him as a giant paw and hear his breathing.

Later, The Beast is revealed to be a normal, loveable dog named Hercules. After sandlot hero Benny (Mike Vitar) outruns the hound and wins back all of their baseballs, the Beast becomes a friend.

The Horror: Not all of the baseballs hoarded by The Beast are created equally. Not fully understanding its value, Smalls (Tom Guiry) takes a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth from his stepfather. When the ball is lost to The Beast, Smalls fears he has ruined his already shaky relationship with his stepfather forever.

The Shared Fate: Though our dreams have seemingly unlimited potential, our bodies, minds, and social standings constantly remind us of our physical limitations.

The boys playing baseball at the Sandlot have limited means to respond to The Beast. They lack the mental and social skills to communicate with The Beast’s owner. In fact, they’ve created a comically illogical mythology surrounding the dog.

Adults watching The Sandlot are transported back to a whimsical time where ballplaying friends could save your soul and every hijink ended with innocent humor. If they’re not careful, the movie can also take them back to being so small and young even a neighborhood dog can become an unstoppable Beast.

– I am indebted to Noel Carroll’s The Philosophy of Horror for his ideas on defining horror, as well as John Skipp and Craig Spector’s article “Death’s Rich Pageantry, or Skipp & Spector’s Handy-Dandy Splatterpunk Guide to the Horrors of Non-horror Film” in Cut! Horror Writers on Horror Film for a similar idea.–

–Axel Kohagen

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Kevin & Steve’s Slasher Movies: “Stitches” (2012) Review

Posted on May 22, 2013 at 12:19 am by slasherstudios

stitches

Kevin: “Stitches” begins with a young boy named Tom who is celebrated his birthday party with his “friends.” I use this term loosely as these kids are hell on wheels. His mother has ordered a clown to perform at his party. Tom and his friends tease the clown endlessly when their teasing goes a little too far and the clown ends up dead. Six years later and Tom and his friends are throwing another birthday party when Stitches the clown comes back from the dead to seek his revenge.

Steve: The first part of the film really does has it all. We are given some high end cinematography, jokes that the actors can actually pull off and a great clown death. Who could ask for more? This beginning portion of “Stitches” can really hold it’s own and could be a short film if viewed by itself. Luckily for all involved, the film keeps rolling with the same humor and amazing deaths scenes. The score fits in perfectly and the production value is level with many bigger budget films.

Kevin: This is the kind of slasher that is about five times better than it has any right to be. So often at Slasher Studios we have been mourning the loss of the “fun slasher.” Well my dear readers, if a fun slasher is what you want…a fun slasher is exactly what you get here. At 85 minutes, it never its pacing never drags and is filled with such a maniacal glee that even the hard core slasher snob will find something to enjoy here.

Steve: This flick has a little bit of everything to offer the fans of horror. We invest money and time into films and so often we feel let down or unhappy with or even worse…no emotion at all. But thats not the case when Stitches the clown is on the screen. This is a fun slasher that knows it’s a fun slasher and the editing plays right into this realm. And if you are a fan of blood, then again, Stitches will not let you down. Bucket loads of blood all over the floors and walls will quench your thirst in this perfectly timed movie.

Kevin: The performances are all top notch with a special kudos Ross Noble as Stitches who plays the clown with a demonic glee and Tommy Knight as Tom who is so sincere and sweet that you actually care about his future. The rest of the cast performs well and it’s interesting to see such a bunch of misfits interact. Oh…and the deaths?! The cherry on this slasher sundae! Easily some of the best gore I’ve seen in years with the bitchy girl Sarah getting her just desserts involving an umbrella and another boy dying to…wait for it…”(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight.” Classic. Ladies and gentlemen, my new favorite slasher!

Steve: I’m definitely looking forward to another viewing of Stitches. At first, the idea of a European killer clown didn’t sound exactly thrilling, but this was exactly what I needed. The story was well written and paced and the FX were outstanding. The crew on this set really knew how to create some great visuals by not only giving the audience the gore, but also a laugh as well. Go find this today. Go!

To buy Stitches on DVD or Blu-ray: Stitches

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Slasher Studios Exclusive: “Don’t Go to the Reunion” Clip – Scott Talk

Posted on May 21, 2013 at 10:17 am by slasherstudios

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Slasher Studios is proud to present to you the very first clip from our very first slasher feature, “Don’t Go to the Reunion.” In this clip, former friends Erica (Stephanie Leigh Rose) and Jessica (Hannah Herdt) discuss the horrific prank they pulled during their high school years.

Plot synopsis:
Scott Rantzen (Brady Simenson) is a horror movie loving misfit who is teased by the popular students in school. When a date with the very popular and very beautiful Erica Carpenter (Stephanie Leigh Rose) backfires, he feels as though his life is ruined. Ten years later, the gang reunite for their class reunion. Little do they know that someone is waiting for them and ready to see that they pay for what they did. Is Scott back for revenge and will the old gang survive to tell the tale? It’ll be more gore for Class of 04.

To become a Don’t Go to the Reunion backer:
Don’t Go to the Reunion Indiegogo

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Slasher Studios Podcast: Direct to Video Horror

Posted on May 18, 2013 at 2:58 pm by slasherstudios

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On this week’s episode of Slasher Studios Podcast, our hosts Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz will be discussing their favorite horror movies that deserved a theater release but were shunned direct to video (or direct to dvd). Keep an eye out for these underappreciated horror films and join them live May 20th at 10PM central to find out what makes the cut. Click on the link below to listen in live or to check out a previous episode.

Slasher Studios Podcast: Direct to Video Horror

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Strong Atmosphere & Performance Raise Mediocre “Mama”

Posted on May 16, 2013 at 11:52 am by slasherstudios

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Have you ever purchased a movie simply because of who starred in it? That’s the story with me and “Mama,” and I must say… I wish I’d rented it.

When a strained businessman (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) murders his wife and takes his young daughters out to a seemingly abandoned cabin to kill them and himself, the girls are suddenly saved by an unseen force: a force that drags the father to his death.

Five years later, his brother Lucas (also played by Coster-Waldau) discovers that his endless search efforts have paid off… Young Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lilly (Isabelle Nelisse) have been found… But they have been away from civilization for so long, they crawl around like animals and react violently to human contact. Months later, a selfishly-motivated psychologist secures custody for Lucas and his girlfriend Annabel (Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain of Zero Dark Thirty and The Help). Unlike Lucas, Annabel wants nothing to do with the girls, and they feel the same way about her. But when an unseen force attacks Lucas, putting him into a coma, she is forced to accept the responsibilities of a mother. Annabel slowly realizes that someone – or something – has come for the girls. Something that is growing increasingly jealous of Annabel’s growing bond with the girls.
The movie is not bad… It’s just dull. It’s oozing with atmosphere, but the atmosphere is more depressing than creepy, and when the horror finally hits, it’s wrapped up far too neatly and without enough struggle to truly make Annabel’s journey feel worthwhile.

Despite the lackluster film she is headlining, Jessica Chastain proves fully capable in the horror genre. She proved a strong dramatic actress in her scene-stealing role in “The Help” (for which she got an Oscar nomination) and as the determined, hard-headed lead in the excellent “Zero Dark Thirty.” Here, she’s no slouch, proving yet again that she’s one of the most versatile actors working today. Her character is, quite frankly, a self-centered bitch, and Chastain is not afraid of being unlikeable at first. Regardless of the movie itself, she never seems to choose anything other than genuinely interesting roles. The young girls, Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse are good too… Shockingly good for their ages. Coster-Waldau is good, but gets precious little to do.

As stated above, the atmosphere is strong, but depressing… And the ending is a plate of scrambled eggs… It’s a well-made film, just not a particularly exciting or fun one.

–Joshua Dean

2.5

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“Desperate Dolls” Premieres With Brand New Teaser and Indie-Go-Go Campaign

Posted on May 15, 2013 at 1:51 pm by slasherstudios

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Slasher Studios had to privilege to work with actress Stephanie Leigh Rose on Don’t Go to the Reunion and we are pleased to see that she is sticking with the horror genre with a brand new film entitled Desperate Dolls.

From the press release:
Desperate Dolls is a feature-length, female-driven horror movie written and directed by Darren Callahan (BBC, SyFy, Under the Table, Children of the Invisible Man). Set in Hollywood in 1968, it is the story of three young actresses with hand-picked nicknames who become entangled in a web of murder, hypnosis, and ghosts. Considered a smart take on retro exploitation films, the film will have flashes of sex and violence, but keeps focus on a strong, classic style with chilling scares.

Callahan references films like The Shining or The Ring, or even Carnival of Souls or Night of the Living Dead, as works that pass the test of both dramatic soundness yet not skimping on shocks. Influenced by the works of John Carpenter, Ti West, Dario Argento, David Lynch, and Roger Corman, as well as grindhouse/Drive-In fare, Callahan is known for a mix of high art and low pulp. It is a project intended to deliver everything a horror fan could want.

A wealth of talent is involved in the project – all first choices for cast and crew. The film stars Alyssa Thordarson, Stephanie Leigh Rose, Emily Bennett, G. Riley Mills, and Stephen Spencer. Produced by Darren Callahan, Stephanie Leigh Rose, with John Klein under a new company, Doll Films, there’s a solid business underpinning to a significant creative endeavor. Also contributing are production designer Ashley Ann Woods, cinematographer J. Van Auken, and editor Mike Molenda. Principal photography is a fourteen-day production in August 2013, filmed in Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California.

To become a backer on the sure to be hit horror flick:
Desperate Dolls Indiegogo

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Kevin & Steve’s Horror Movies: “Transylmania” (2009)

Posted on May 15, 2013 at 1:10 pm by slasherstudios

transylmania

Kevin: Until last year, Transylmania was known as the lowest grossing wide release movie in the history of box office tracking. Just how badly did it do? It grossed less than $370,000 on a budget of $22 million and prompted a major lawsuit. But…is the movie really THAT bad? Did it deserve the box office slaying it received? Let’s dig into the horror comedy and find out.

Steve: Even after sitting through this film, I’m still trying to figure out where all of the $22 million were spent. There were no big name actors to pay, so i know they saved money there. The production value was actually pretty good, but I would have wanted a better look and lighting if I had that kind of money to spend. The sets were indeed great through. The castle and the decor was well planned and executed and it was obvious that the set decorator was on top of her game, so I can understand a lot of money being put into props, etc. Not sure how much was spent on marketing, but as expensive as that can be, I’m sure they sunk a good chunk of that $22 million into that.

Kevin: Transylmania began as Dorm Daze 3, a sorta lame American Pie in college knock off series that still featured a few decent jokes, when a little movie called Twilight came out. Of course the filmmakers had to jump on the vampire bandwagon and the movie got its new name and new marketing campaign. A horror “spoof” in the lines of Date Movie and Epic Movie this was not. We can all be thankful for that. Whatever problems this movie has (and trust me, there are MANY problems) a lack of ambition isn’t one of them.

Steve: I think the biggest problem is the sad fact that this movie is just not funny. A couple laughs here and there, but overall, the jokes really didn’t land. The Rusty character, played by Oren Skoog, gave me the most laughs, but it was more because of his look and facial expressions than the jokes and delivery. This was actually the problem with most of the actors. Overall, the cast was not terrible and I really did like a couple of the actors, such as the underused, James DeBello. Having already been a fan of him in Cabin Fever, I was looking forward to his character, but felt let down in the end.

Kevin: It seems weird to complain that a comedy has too much plot but that is the case with Transylmania. A group of college student spend a semester abroad in Romania and hijinks ensue. Except they really don’t. The film feels flat and very little is ever in jeopardy with the characters. At just 97 minutes, it is at LEAST 15 minutes too long and the ending drones on endlessly. A few good laughs here and there (the first act of this film is by far its best) but you will forget it the second you are done watching it.

Steve: This film has some fun and valuable attributes, but after all is said and done, this film falls short of what it needed to be. Wasn’t that funny, it wasn’t that raunchy, and wasn’t that memorable. Too bad because I was really in the mood for some laughs and fun quotable lines.

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Not Quite Horror: “The Watch” (2012)

Posted on May 15, 2013 at 1:03 pm by slasherstudios

The Watch (2012)

Not Quite Horror contains reviews of films not traditionally considered horror films. By analyzing them as horror films (identifying the monster, discussing the shared worry for the audience and the main characters, and understanding the depth of horror available to the viewer), who knows? There’s more than one way to watch a movie.

The Watch (2012)

The Monster: Aliens. Lots of them, by the end of the film.

Despite the comedic nature of this film, the aliens in The Watch are frightening enough for any extraterrestrial fright film. They are an amalgamation of Giger, Signs, and Pumpkin. They have pronounced spines and mouths built for killing.

The Horror: Even with a solid cast, the comedy in The Watch never finds its footing. Because the special effects for the aliens are much stronger than the humor, there is a moment at the end of the movie where, for less than a minute, The Watch is all horror and no comedy. The aliens are deadly, and they are swarming.

This moment is over soon enough, and the main actors save the day. Horror gives way to failed comedy.

The Shared Fate: Despite nudity and foul language, few things play it safer than ensemble cast comedies. Comedic actors are partnered together to show off their best bits. Each new movie is almost exactly like the movie before it.

How wonderfully apocalyptic would it be to see one of these films ruined by scary monsters? Particularly if the movie they ruin was wrecked to begin with?

Wouldn’t movie theaters be much happier places if hordes of alien monstrosities were waiting to rip apart the cast of the movie?

– I am indebted to Noel Carroll’s The Philosophy of Horror for his ideas on defining horror, as well as John Skipp and Craig Spector’s article “Death’s Rich Pageantry, or Skipp & Spector’s Handy-Dandy Splatterpunk Guide to the Horrors of Non-horror Film” in Cut! Horror Writers on Horror Film for a similar idea.–

–Axel Kohagen

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Tales From the Set: The Making of “Don’t Go to the Reunion” (Hannah Herdt–Jessica Thompson)

Posted on May 12, 2013 at 1:35 pm by slasherstudios

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Hannah Herdt–Jessica Thompson

I’ve always been such a huge fan of Slasher Studios, so of course, when Kevin mentioned “Don’t go to the Reunion during a break while we were shooting “Blood Brothers,” I’d been excited about the project ever since. When I finally got to read the character descriptions before I taped my audition, I really loved the character of Jessica, so I’m extremely thrilled I got to bring her to life, and I hope I did her justice!

Working on this film was one of the best experiences I’ve had, and some of the most fun I’ve had in ages! Most of this is due to the amazing cast and crew that I had the privilege of working with. (Also, getting to stay for a week at the house we were filming at and getting to really get to know everyone really made this a great experience.) The crew was so great at whatever they happened to be doing, and some of the most professional people I’ve ever worked with! Paul was amazing behind the camera, not to mention has some killer dance moves, Dave is one of the smartest people I’ve met and just fantastic with all that equipment that I have no idea what it even does, and of course Alex doing great with the sound, and Cody, at his many many tasks! Also, we can’t forget our lovely AD and behind-the-scenes photographer Zach, and the amazing John Pata! I’m so glad to have met them and I’d love to get to work with them in the future! Then, there’s the amazing cast! At first I was very intimidated by all the talented people, but they were so great to work with!

Our amazing leads, Stephanie and Spencer really know their stuff, they made every scene seem so effortless, and I also think I learned a lot about my own acting by working with them. Steph especially had lots of great advice and always told me what I needed to hear. I also got to meet some other extremely talented actors! Tawnie and Brady were so fun during the school scenes, Nick was hilarious on and off camera (I actually had to cover my face during one of our scenes because I was laughing too hard!) and Hayley was just a sweetheart and was perfect in her role! Then of course I got the joy of working once again with the amazing Matty and Mike, who always do a great job, it was so nice to get to see them again, and also my good friends Jerry, and Marla, as the authority over at “Hamilton High” which was more frightening than any serial killer! I also have to thank my wonderful friends Mary, Taylor, Cassie, and Hannah Jaye for coming along to be extras! (And although I didn’t get to see much of Johnathon, Kaleb, or J.R. I look forward to seeing their amazing performances in Oct!) And thanks to you-know-who-you-are for being very patient while I put a bunch of makeup on your faces… and bodies.

But of course, I can’t talk about the cast and crew without mentioning the masterminds behind the whole project! I can never say enough about how much I respect and admire Kevin and Steve! Kevin has such a passion for the genre, that’s very rare to find these days, and he’s the best person ever to go to if you want to know anything about horror! This was also the best script I think he’s ever written; the twist at the end even had me guessing! And Steve is just such an amazing director! He knows exactly how he wants the film to look, and how to get us to deliver every time. (He’s also extremely patient about answering the zillions of questions I always have!) Without these guys, there’d be no film, and I also wouldn’t have had this amazing opportunity, so thanks again, guys!

I have so many amazing memories from this shoot, and I’m so grateful I got to take part. I really felt like I was part of something amazing! I can’t wait for the finished product, so we can see how all of our hard work paid off! From start to finish, so much dedication was put into this project, and I think all of our love for what we do is really going to show! See you guys in October!

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