Under That Spell: THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW (1988) Review

January 5, 2017 Slasher StudiosSerpent and the Rainbow

Last night I watched “The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)” for the first time. This movie is directed by the late Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream) and inspired by the book of the same name by ethnologist Wade Davis. The cast includes Bill Pullman (Independence Day), Cathy Tyson (Mona Lisa), Zakes Mokae (Waterworld) and Paul Winfield (The Terminator). I’ve had the DVD of this movie in my collection for a little over a year now. Wes Craven was and will always be my favorite (horror) director. May he forever rest in peace as his body of work will live on and be passed on to generations to follow.

For the most part I’ve heard great things about The Serpent and the Rainbow. I didn’t know a lot about this movie beforehand – besides the fact that it’s about “voodoo”, so I almost went in completely blind. As a result, I ended up only liking this movie. The storyline is compelling enough and the Haiti setting was an added value. The acting performances are convincing. Bill Pullman was great as the lead character. Wes Craven did an excellent directing job here. The creepy hallucination scenes were visually and effectively well crafted. The soundtrack in this movie was superb. It’s obvious that Wes was trying to step on original ground with this movie and I applaud him for doing that. With that being said, I did have my fair share of issues. The first hour has some painfully slow and dull moments. I can only blame the pacing for this. The movie felt way longer than the intended 98 minutes running time. It’s hard to believe that the original cut of the film was three hours long! I can honestly see myself forgetting about the content of this movie within a week or two.

This isn’t my favorite Wes Craven movie by all means and I don’t think I’ll re-watch this a lot of times. This doesn’t take away the fact that The Serpent and the Rainbow is a good movie. It’s watchable and has rightfully developed a cult following since its release, but I’m on neither of the love/hate sides.

–Ferdi Akkulak

26 Days Remain To Claim Exclusive IRRATIONAL FEAR Backer Rewards

January 2, 2017 Slasher Studios*Irrational Fear

We now have just 26 days left to make it happen for the latest horror feature from Slasher Studios! Our IRRATIONAL FEAR Kickstarter is up and running and we have some killer rewards for you slasher fans. Many of these awesome rewards, including screen credits & limited edition props, will ONLY be available through this campaign. We can’t make this movie without your help and we know this is going to be our best film yet!

What’s Irrational Fear?
Slasher Studios is teaming up with LA Horror to bring you a slasher style feature that is unlike anything Slasher Studios has ever done before. Titled IRRATIONAL FEAR, the film centers around six therapy patients are brought together at a secluded cabin to confront their strangest fears. Little do they know, these fears will certainly be the death for some of them. Who will make it out alive?

IRRATIONAL FEAR will feature anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to see in a supernatural style slasher film. Brutal, gruesome deaths that will blow you away, fun characters, and a killer setting will help make this a true fear come true.

If you dug our previous films DONT GO TO THE REUNION, DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS & 2 JENNIFER, you are sure to have a bloody good time with IRRATIONAL FEAR. We can ONLY make this film with your help so become a backer today and make sure to share the word.

Become a backer today and support indie horror:
IRRATIONAL FEAR KICKSTARTER

Open Casting Call Begins for IRRATIONAL FEAR

December 16, 2016 Slasher Studios*Irrational Fear

We are pleased to announce our opening casting call for our latest slasher IRRATIONAL FEAR begins today. With our film currently on Kickstarter, we will be raising funds to make the film through the end of January. Filming is to commence during May and will take place in north-eastern Wisconsin. Below are currently the roles we have open for casting. If you are interested in any of the roles, please send us an email at [email protected]. It’s going to be a bloody good time!

Open Roles:

HELEN (age range: 40-50)— Middle aged, alcoholic housewife. Helen is the kind of woman who realizes her best days are behind her as she turns to the bottle for a trip down memory lane. Hates her husband as she believes she gave up her best years for him. Has a fear of being in or around water.

JAKE (age range: 13-18, if looks younger)—- Preteen boy. Blonde hair, blue eyes, Jake looks like the poster child for a whitening toothpaste commercial. Outgoing and charming, he hides his insecurities by closing doors on his emotions.

NATE (age range: 40-50)— Jakeâ€™s father. Much like his son, he is obsessed with personal appearance and order in life. He is a high profile lawyer who has taken this weekend off to be with his son, something that he never lets his son forget. Heâ€™s slick and sophisticated with a George Clooney type style.

KELLY (age range: 30s)— Thirtysomething tough, wilderness girl who has grown up around the area and knows the ins and outs of the land. Sheâ€™s not afraid to get dirty but she has a softer side after she lets her guard down.

CAMERON (age range: 16-24, if looks younger)– Teenage jock, muscles are larger than his brains even though he normally means well. Tries to appear smarter than he actually is but it normally backfires on him. Heâ€™s a sweet guy who tries to do what he can to help out others. His biggest fear is choking and he obsessively cuts up his food into the smallest pieces â€œjust in caseâ€.

Kickstarter Begins For Slasher Studios Latest Feature: IRRATIONAL FEAR

December 15, 2016 Slasher Studios*Irrational Fear

Everyone has something they are afraid of that they know cannot possibly hurt them. With our third horror feature we ask..what if these fears could kill them? Slasher Studios is teaming up with LA Horror to bring you a slasher style feature that is unlike anything Slasher Studios has ever done before. Titled IRRATIONAL FEAR, the film centers around six therapy patients are brought together at a secluded cabin to confront their strangest fears. Little do they know, these fears will certainly be the death for some of them. Who will make it out alive?

If you dug our previous films DONT GO TO THE REUNION & DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS, you are sure to have a bloody good time with IRRATIONAL FEAR. We can ONLY make this film with your help so become a backer today and make sure to share the word.

To become a backer simply click on the K below:

Three Sign On to Share Their IRRATIONAL FEAR

December 15, 2016December 15, 2016 Slasher Studios*Irrational Fear

Our official IRRATIONAL FEAR Kickstarter is now live and we are thrilled to announce our first three killer cast members for our upcoming slasher feature.

Playing the role of Dr. Sanders in Irrational Fear is Charles Chudabala. Dr. Sanders is the man in charge of the therapy group and the one helping our crew overcome their fears. Charles has already built up an impressive resume of horror (including the upcoming Ugly Sweater Party) and we are thrilled to be working with him on this project.

The wonderfully talented Leah Wiseman will be playing the role of Taylor in Irrational Fear. A childhood friend of Zach (Baker Powell Chase), Taylor is a headstrong college student looking to overcome some of her own fears. We couldn’t be more excited to work with Leah after Dismembering Christmas and we know she’ll kill it with this role as well!

Also returning to the Slasher Studios family, Baker Chase Powell (Dismembering Christmas) will be playing the role of Zach in Irrational Fear. Zach is an ambitious & motivated Psychology major with a few hidden fears of his own. Will he be able to overcome his fears or will his fears become the death of him?

Make sure to like the official Facebook page for more updates and become a backer on the Kickstarter today!

Playing Dead: PET (2016) Review

December 3, 2016 Slasher StudiosPet

A man runs into a girl from his past that he used to have a crush on. At first she thinks heâ€™s harmless, but he soon grows to become really obsessive. Eventually he kidnaps her and locks in her a cage beneath the pet shelter he works at. However, the man soon begins to realize that the woman may be harboring a secret that can help her escape.

Pet is the definition of psychological thriller. Throughout the film itâ€™s a constant a mind game between the two characters. The film starts out as a stalker film, but eventually it switches gears and become a COMPLETELY different movie entirely. For the most part, the movie takes place in one location, and it uses its one location very well. This is due to the fact that you are so focused on the two characters and the growing tension that you almost forget that this girl in a cage for much of the movie and that theyâ€™re both in this Saw-like room in a basement. While the major twist is revealed fairly soon into the movie, itâ€™s still shocking but it keeps you gripped throughout the film to see what happens next. It also throughout the film that we gradually get more and more information and background of these characters. Initially one will think that there is no development whatsoever, but thereâ€™s plenty of filler in the middle. The film has elements of Hard Candy and Silence of the Lambs; both extremely well-done psychological films, and this film lives up to both of them (although it wonâ€™t be as acclaimed or remembered as those two). Some moments seem to drag a little bit, but right before you are about to tune out, something screwed up happens. The writing by Jeremy Slater is solid, and Carles Torrens provides great directions to keep us engaged and wrapped up with these two characters and their setting.

Dominic Monaghan makes a great comeback since his performance on the show Lost and shares great on-screen teamwork with Ksenia Solo who play off of each other extremely well. Both actors do an amazing job of presenting the different layers to these characters and the change in personas as the film progresses. Jennette McCurdy turns in a fine enough performance in the short time sheâ€™s in it. Sheâ€™s the logical best friend to Ksenia Soloâ€™s character who basically tries to get her to see reason. McCurdy provides some sassy and often dark moments really well, and itâ€™s a shame sheâ€™s not in it as much.

Pet is probably the best psychological film Iâ€™ve seen in a while and I highly recommend to everyone loves films like this, or the two films mentioned above, and seeing two very solid performers playing off each other in very intense ways.

–Cody Landman

Positively Possessed: INCARNATE (2016) Review

December 2, 2016 Slasher StudiosIncarnate

After losing his wife and child in a car accident, a man with abilities to enter the minds of possessed victims faces his biggest challenge yet when a young boy fall victim to a demon.

Going into Incarnate, I went in with really no expectations. I figured it was just going to be another possession movie that I’d seen numerous times. It is this, but it is also self-aware (a character refers to The Exorcist) and tries to set itself apart from other films in the possession genre. It’s not a great film by any means, but considering the string of recycled garbage of possession films we’ve gotten, it’s one of the more entertaining ones I’ve seen in a while. This is due to the fact that it jumps into the story right way. Right in the opening sequence is when the kid gets possessed and we get enough insight of him and his mother to form a strong enough picture. From there, we are introduced to our lead and what he can do, and then bam he’s assigned to this kid. We don’t get the gradual creepy possessed-kid crap that every other movie like it has. This demon knows what it wants to do and it’s not playing scary games to creep or gross others out.

To back track a little, our main character’s abilities and his theories are pretty neat and a cool insert to the story. Think of it like Inception, and the possessed victim is trapped in their dream-world, and the demon is holding them back from â€œwaking upâ€. His job is to go in and â€œwake upâ€ the possessed victim. It throws all the religious junk out the window and throws in science instead (Tom Cruise would be proud). So thatâ€™s the gist of it, and I thought it was pretty cool. There isnâ€™t much scariness or really scares for that matter here. Only one jump scare that I recall, everything else is more thrilling enough to keep you interested. However I will say that at point a kinda-sorta plot twist was revealed and I thought that was how the movie was going to end (and I would have been pissed cause that was awful), but it never happened. The writer does have fun though playing with the audience (at least with me), in psyching them out for how it is going to end. Think of it like the movie 1408 and itâ€™s psych-out endings. The final ending I was satisfied with because of how it played out. Some may not agree, but oh well.

Aaron Eckhart does very well with the lead role, heâ€™s not exactly top-notch in it, but he doesnâ€™t treat this like itâ€™s a mere paycheck film. Carice van Houten and David Mazouz do well enough with their mother and son roles, but nothing admirable. Apart form Eckhart, I loved his two assistants played by Keir Oâ€™Donnell and Emily Jackson. I seriously wanted more scene with these three characters. The chemistry the three had together was fun and very sibling-like. And the assistants as characters were very down-to-earth and caring about each other, Eckhartâ€™s character and the people they help. The weakest link here is Catalina Moreno who works for the Vatican and convinces Eckhartâ€™s character to help the boy. She provides a very bland performance and not much else. Though it doesnâ€™t help that she had no real character development or character arch herself.

Incarnate isnâ€™t a great film, but it is a short and to the point possession horror film that doesnâ€™t really seek to scare, but definitely to entertain by bringing something a little different to table and being self-aware. The cast provides fine enough performances and likable characters, and overall itâ€™s a decent way to spend an hour and a half.

–Cody Landman

Slasher Studios Teams Up With LA Horror To Bring You IRRATIONAL FEAR

November 30, 2016 Slasher Studios*Irrational Fear

Irrational Fear will slash up Kickstarter on December 15th where YOU can be a part of the horror experience and earn some killer rewards. Look for more updates on the film soon and make sure to like the official Irrational Fear Facebook page as well as follow the film on Twitter!

Irrational Fear Facebook
Irrational Fear Twitter

Entertaining “Evil”: OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL (2016) Review

November 28, 2016November 28, 2016 Slasher StudiosOuija: Origin of Evil

About a month ago I watched Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016) in theaters. This is the prequel to “Ouija (2014)” – a movie that Iâ€™ve also seen in theaters and reviewed. I didn’t hate that movie as much as most people did, but upon a second viewing I noticed that it hasnâ€™t held up so well. My current rating for Ouija is a 6.5 out of 10.

When a sequel was announced I didnâ€™t know what to expect. I didnâ€™t have much faith until Mike Flanagan was announced to write and direct. The trailer unveiled that weâ€™d get an origin story – which is a better idea. I was holding my breath for the reviews and they turned out to be fantastic. The movie sits on a Rotten Tomatoes Score of 82% Certified Fresh whereas Ouija could only muster up 7% Rotten. As a result I absolutely loved the prequel! The story was more compelling this time around. I actually cared for the characters and they didn’t feel one-dimensional.

The acting performances were outstanding. Annalise Basso was nothing short of amazing in this movie! Elizabeth Reaser pulls off a great performance and deserves more recognition for her non-Twilight roles. I also liked Henry Thomas (who played Elliot Taylor in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial) in this movie. Doug Jones was genuinely terrifying as Ghoul Marcus. Young actress Lulu Wilson stole the entire movie. She’s the perfect combination of cute and creepy. Mike Flanagan did an excellent job in the writing/directing department. I loved the â€˜â€™cigarette burnâ€™â€™ aspect and the overall 1960s retro vibe throughout the movie. There were a few jump scares, but it’s worth mentioning that 90% of this movie purely relied on creating suspense that produced an effective result. Other aspects that I loved were the soundtrack, hair, make-up and costume design.

I can only name two things that I didnâ€™t like. The CGI wasn’t fitting with the time era of the 1960s and that bothered me in some parts. The third act felt rushed and should’ve been longer. There is a brief scene after the credits that ties into the first movie. Ouija: Origin of Evil is an eerie and well crafted throwback horror movie that offers both style and substance. Highly recommended!

–Ferdi Akkulak

Almost Gone: Final Cast & Crew Signed DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS Posters

November 26, 2016November 26, 2016 Slasher Studios*Dismembering Christmas

We have an extra special treat for you slasher fans just in time for slasher season. We have just FOUR (two of each) special edition Dismembering Christmas posters left. These posters have been signed by the entire cast of Dismembering Christmas and once these are gone, they are gone for good. Both posters are 11×17 in size and $15 each or purchase both posters for $25 & receive a limited edition still & signed Dismembering Christmas card FREE.