Author: Slasher Studios

Wisconsin based production company specializing in the world of slasher films. Films released to date include the slasher shorts Teddy, Popularity Killer, Blood Brothers as well as the slasher features Don't Go to the Reunion, Dismembering Christmas, & Irrational Fear

Hypnotically Skin Deep: THE NEON DEMON (2016) Review

Slasher StudiosNeon Demon

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Jesse is a young teen who dreams of making it big in the world of modeling. Moving to Los Angeles, she believes she has a chance. But she slowly begins to realize that the world of fame and beauty is much darker than she thought. As more begin to praise her for her beauty, the further Jesse follows the path of darkness in not only herself, but in the world she’s entered.

This new drama/horror film is presented by Nicholas Winding Refn who brought the beautiful thrill ride that was drive. This time around, Refn stays with the beautiful drama, but adding in horror to the mix. The film itself isn’t entirely horror, but instead it’s a drama that follows the path to horror along with the character Jesse herself. The film is gorgeous too look at with the bright neon colors, and the craft of lighting, but also the chilling and at times beautiful score by Cliff Martinez. If this wasn’t an independent art film, and had been a script adapted for modern audiences, this could have a super predictable film. While the story is more less been seen before, it’s much more serious in the fact that we follow our lead character so close in her changes and her world that we really get a grasp on everything she’s experiencing. When the final act comes around and it becomes a full-on horror film, the shift is just pure shocking and we are left thinking, what in the hell is happening. It’s not that it’s random, but because we can’t believe it went as far as it does, despite the fact that we’ve been following the path to this from the get-go. To me, the ending was perfectly dark and disturbing and should have ended with the bathroom scene. That would have been a huge punch in the gut, and an even darker way to end it. However, everything after the bathroom scene fall into the category of very over-the-top and just plain silly.

Elle Fanning delivers a beautiful and haunting performance as Jesse and does a marvelous job of showing Jesse’s gradual changes through the film as we see her change before our eyes. It is this performance that genuinely shows she has a great future ahead of her (even though her breakout role in Super 8 already did show this). Jena Malone’s performance as the mysterious Ruby who befriends Jesse provides her best performance yet. Malone perfectly captures the mystery of this character and keeps us guessing whether we can trust her or not.

Neon Demon is a beautiful film in every aspect in terms of script, cinematography, score, direction, and acting. I wish I could say I loved the film, but sadly, the silliness of the film’s ultimate ending really hurt this one for me. But when it’s all said and done, it’s a wonderfully crafted film that true film lovers will appreciate.

–Cody Landman

3teddy

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Deep, Deep Trouble: THE SHALLOWS (2016) Review

Slasher StudiosShallows (2016)

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In hopes of reconnecting spiritually when her deceased mother, Nancy visits a hidden beach in Mexico and spends the day surfing. Unfortunately, she ends up in the feeding ground of a large Great White Shark. Suddenly, Nancy finds herself stranded on a large rock in the ocean, not very far from land, but the shark has no plans on letting her leave.

In wake of the cheesy and not even remotely serious shark films we’ve seen on the small screen, and following the disaster that was Shark Night, we are given a new shark film for the big screen. This film, directed by Juame Collet-Serra, is a thrilling survival film that breathes new life into the shark horror subgenre. It’s definitely not a body count film like most shark films, although there are a few deaths. This is purely a single person survival story. For the most part, the shark is kept hidden throughout the film until well towards the end. This doesn’t ruin the film in any way. Although I do have a problem with CGI shark, and especially the horrible CGI dolphins. Sure, it was a small budget film, but I was hoping for better. That aside, the scene with the shark are very intense.

As for us being stuck on a rock with our main character the whole time, it works just fine, because she really doesn’t stay on the rock the whole entire time. She tries to use her wits to try escape, but fails several times, and thanks to the short running time. The thrills are there but what I felt the film was lacking was dramatic depth, it had a little bit thrown in, but they could have given our lead character much more background in order for us to see her become stronger. Instead all we get is that her mom died, and as a result she drops out of medical school. Had it shown how genuinely her mom’s death affected or some other type of event, the drama could have been used to make the character of Nancy, while very likable, but more rounded. However, my biggest complaint comes in the final action sequence in which Nancy faces off with the shark. It does have all the ingredients to make this sequence thrilling, but at the end of it, it had me groaning with how far fetched it was in the sense that no one would think of doing the things her character did. I just find it hard to believe that humans are that smart, and it just made the character seem slightly less realistic.

Blake Lively carries the movie perfectly. I admit, I thought she was a very lame actress on Gossip Girl, but as her actual filmography grew, the more she’s come to impress me. She can easily play the strong female lead with ease, and with the little dramatic scenes she does have, she does make you feel for the character. Oh, and she has great chemistry with her seagull companion Steven Seagull.

The Shallows, despite its disappointments, is the shark film we needed to revive the subgenre. It’s beautifully directed, acted, and thrilling. Let’s hope we can get more shark/aquatic horror films like this, and less like the SyFy channel crap we’re getting too used to.

2.5

–Cody Landman

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Slasher Short Review: NIGHT OF THE SLASHER (2015)

Slasher StudiosNight of the Slasher

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A young woman scarred literally from an attack by a killer seeks revenge. In order to do so she commits all of the major horror sins in order to lure the killer to her.

This short film was written and directed by Shant Hamassian, and perfectly uses a solid blend of comedy and horror. The direction is thrilling and fun, with the opening shot feeling very Tarantino-ish, and some POV shots resembling Carpenter’s Halloween. But what I loved most about Hamassian’s direction is the excellent quick cuts during the killer’s attack, and the score is chilling and really sets the mood. The script contains a great amount of wit and thrills. It plays seriously at some points, but then has instances where it does a fine job of poking fun at slasher films. For instance, the mask of the killer is a jab at the William Shatner from Star Trek mask used for Michael Myers (won’t give it away, but it’s perfect). The only real dialogue is from the male character who arrives at our lead’s house. This role is played by Scott Javore who’s credited as “The Bait”. He’s witnessing the behavior of this girl and his reactions seem to mimic what we as the audience are thinking and feeling. Not only this but comedic timing is on point. The killer is played by Adam Lesar and it’s evident that he did his homework studying the movement of famous slasher killers like Michael Myers and Ghostface, and he nails it. Finally we have our leading lady in Lily Berlina. In her mostly silent role, Berlina plays Janelle with great poise. She does an excellent job of using her facial expressions and body language in place of dialogue. There are moments where you’re laughing at her behavior and then suddenly rooting for her. I do think that even though it is a short film, it should have been slightly longer in order to develop Janelle a tad bit more, but it doesn’t hurt the film that terribly.

Night of the Slasher is a fun short film that Hamassion does a great job of paying tribute to horror and adding a fun touch with his direction and adapting this script to the screen. I’m very curious to see what he can do with a full length film at this point.

–Cody Landman

3teddy

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From Worst to Best, Slasher Studios Revisits SCREAM

Slasher Studios*Picking Favorites

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It’s been five years since the release of Scream 4 so I figured I’d take a look at my ranking of the series and see if anything has changed. Truth be told, it has. This ranking isn’t going to be a popular opinion for sure and I want to get it right out in the open that I at least “like” each installment of the slasher series. It’s just that I happen to love two of the installments while merely “liking” the other two” Here it is…feel free to let me know what you think! Happy slashing everyone.

4. Scream 4 (2011)
Scream 4…what a five years it has been. When this sequel was originally released, I went back again and again and again to support what might end up being the last film in the horror franchise. I loved it and I wanted more. Watching it now, a half decade later, I find it to be a bit of a missed opportunity. The old characters, our “Woodsboro trio”, aren’t given nearly enough to do. The new cast, well, they are okay but they also aren’t given much to do. This is the kind of sequel that seems to hedge its bets right when it should be breaking all the rules. Side note: Allison Brie is fantastic as Sidney’s publicist Rebecca BUT….think of how great this could have been if she’s been Gale’s publicist trying to rebrand her for the social media public of 2011? Once again, it’s fine, but still a missed opportunity.

3. Scream 3 (2000)
Scream 3 is the kind of movie that has a lot of great ideas mixed in with a few mediocre ideas. The film spends far too much time with Sidney away from the group, alone in the cabin. The supernatural “visions” of her dead mother are also silly and out-of-place in the world of this slasher series. That being said, Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers has never been better. Given a bitter rival to play against, played by a deliciously witty Parker Posey, she shines in every single scene that she is given. Overall, I think Scream 3 is a fun film that’s actually a bit underrated. It isn’t perfect but the stuff that works, pretty much any scene with Posey, makes it a lot better than it has any right to be.

2. Scream (1996)
Scream made horror movies scary again with a brilliantly constructed plot. One year after the death of Sidney Prescott’s (Campbell) mother, two students turn up gutted. When a serial killer appears, Sidney begins to suspect whether her mother’s death and the two new deaths are related. No one is safe, as the killer begins to pick everyone off one by one. Finally, something the horror genre was missing: a good old fashioned murder mystery. The performances all around are first rate from Neve Campbell as the vulnerable to Courteney Cox as the bitchy journalist willing to do whatever it takes to get a story Gale Weathers to David Arquette as the sweet, slightly dimwitted Deputy Dewey to Drew Barrymore’s doomed Casey Becker.

1. Scream 2 (1997)
Although at times I feel as though I am in the minority, I truly believe that “Scream 2” is the best film in the Scream franchise. This is that rare sequel that takes everything that works about its predecessor and manages to take it to another level. The deaths are suspenseful, the characters are charming and likable, and the twist ending works better than it has any right to. I also truly believe that this is some of Craven’s finest directing and the “cop car” scene is a hide-your-eyes-behind-your-fingers chiller of a scene. More than that, this film is just a hell of a lot of fun from beginning to end.

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Christmas in July Countdown: FREE DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS DVD With T-Shirt Purchase

Slasher Studios*Dismembering Christmas

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We want to celebrate a Christmas in July with the slasher fans out there, so we now have a killer deal! From now until July 1st, purchase a Dismembering Christmas t-shirt and you’ll receive a FREE Dismembering Christmas DVD with your purchase (regularly $15). This special will only last until July 1st so make sure to get yours soon. Once these shirts are gone, so is the sale!

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DVD Extras include:
Audio commentary with Actor/Director Austin Bosley
Audio commentary with Writer/Producer Kevin Sommerfield
Cast/Crew Bloopers
Fly on the Set: Making Of Dismembering Christmas
Theatrical Trailer
Teaser Trailer


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Abortion Horror Thriller BLESSED ARE THE CHILDREN Set To Terrify Audiences in 2016

Slasher Studios*Horror

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CWM Entertainment’s horror thriller “Blessed Are the Children” brings to the screen a new and altogether different film experience designed to scare the wits out of you and make you sleep with all the lights on. With finely drawn characters and a focus on atmosphere and suspense, “Blessed Are the Children” is certain to be THE horror event of the year, harkening back to films such as “Halloween”, “Psycho”, and “Deep Red”.

In the film, Traci Patterson (Kaley Ball), an adrift 20-something who’s still reeling from the death of her father and her breakup with an abusive fiancé (Jordan Boyd), discovers that she’s pregnant. With the help of her friends, Erin and Mandy (Arian Thigpen, Keni Bounds), she decides to terminate her pregnancy, but quickly after leaving the clinic, she begins seeing and hearing things – shapes in the corner of her eye, strange noises in the middle of the night, and ghoulish figures stalking her every move. Is it simply guilt or are Traci and her friends in grave danger?

Rounding out the cast are David Moncrief, Cheryl Abernathy, Jennifer Wilder, and Michael Kinslow. Chris Moore (Perversion, The House of Covered Mirrors) directs from his giallo-tinged screenplay. Scheduled for the film festival circuit in 2016/2017.

Like the official Blessed Are the Children Facebook page to stay up-to-date on this exciting new indie thriller.

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Warren For a Good Scare: THE CONJURING 2 (2016) Review

Slasher StudiosConjuring 2

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When the film opens, we find Ed and Lorraine Warren in the Amityville Horror house, where Lorraine has a horrific visions and wants to swear off any more cases. It isn’t long before the Amityville case becomes considered a hoax, resulting in many disbelieving the Warrens. In England, a single mother and her children become the target of an entity whose prime focus is her 11-year-old daughter. Hesitant, Ed and Lorraine investigate the case, encountering the supernatural in ways they never experienced.

The original film is one of the few to really scare me during my theater experience, I was startled numerous times, and my heart was pounding through a great amount of the film. While there are things in the sequel that are improved on in the sequel, there are also things that I feel didn’t quite work. For one thing, I was not impressed with the length at 2 hours and 15 minutes. I can’t say it wasn’t boring, but I found myself thinking that it needs to wrap up already. I can understand that they really wanted to develop the characters this time around, and they certainly did, but I felt they went a tad overboard. The family was really likable and you felt sorry for them, but there is only many “aww” moments you can use before you start thinking “okay, we get it, we’re supposed to feel sorry for them.” Had it shaved at least 20/25 minutes off, it would have been more satisfactory.

What I did like about this film is that it really gave focus to Ed and Lorraine’s relationship as well as them as people, while still giving plenty of time with this new family. In a moment where Ed plays music for the family in hopes of cheering them up, as cheesy as it was, it was a genuinely nice moment that really made you love the characters, and you can sense the love between Ed and Lorraine just from the looks they give each other (thanks to fantastic performances by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson). Though what semi-hurt the film for me was that the scariness felt much to familiar. While there were some nice and creepy moments, I felt this film relied way too much on jump scares that have been done to death in other supernatural films. The use of cgi and special effects were also something that didn’t work for it. Any actual scary moments in this film were done completely without this. For example, there was a scene with Lorraine and this painting that gave me the creeps and had me on edge. Small moments like this can do a lot. As for the story itself, it was still engaging and I enjoyed how it toyed with how people perceive the paranormal has a hoax. In a twist towards the end involving how the haunting is happening, it felt really far-fetched, but hey, if that’s what happened in the real case, who am I to question it? I should also add that is amazingly filmed and uses many filming techniques to make certain scenes scarier, one involving a hallway in Ed and Lorraine’s house gave me huge chills (even if it reminded me of another particular movie involving a hallway).

As stated above, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farming knock it out of the park with their performances in this one and really bring much more humanity to Ed and Lorraine, the chemistry is extremely believable, and their own performances are perfect and feel genuine. However, it is newcomer Madison Wolfe who provides the best performance of the film as Janet, the prime target of the entity. In moments where Janet is showing grief, loneliness, and helplessness Wolfe really knows how to break hearts and make you want to comfort her. But in the moments where she plays off possession, it really came off as scary and shocking to where she could give Linda Blair a run for her money. The behavior is just intense and you are in disbelief that not only a child, but this newcomer could pull off something as grand as this.

While the film didn’t provide the scares and horror I felt during the first film, and it runs an excessive length, it is still a satisfactory sequel with an engaging case story, characters, excellent cinematography, and performances to make it a worthy sequel and entry in the supernatural genre.

–Cody Landman

3teddy

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DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS T-Shirt Blowout Sale! Now $10, While Supplies Last

Slasher Studios*Horror

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We are clearing out the very last of our limited edition Dismembering Christmas shirts with a huge blow out sale. From now until June 13th, all t-shirts are currently only $10 instead of the regular price of $20. We have limited quantities and limited sizes so make sure to get one while you still can. Please note: This is only while supplies last. If we run out of shirts before the 13th, the sale will end early. Show off your slasher pride today!


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International Horror Preview: “Evil Selfie” (2016)

Slasher Studios*Horror

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We are bringing you a slice of international horror here today at Slasher Studios. Check out the details below for information on a brand new film from international horror filmmaker, Eros Bosi. Sounds like a bloody good time to us.

About Evil Selfie:
Two years after his directorial debut with the vampire movie “Circondato dalle tenebre” (“Surrounded by Darkness”), Italian independent filmmaker Eros Bosi is back with a new ironic horror tale entitled “Evil Selfie.” Shooting on the short horror film took place between March and April 2016 in Terni, birthplace of the director. The film was made in collaboration Luca Alessandro & Luigi Nappa ( authors of the short Ways of seeing) and Alex Visani ( producer of The Pyramid ). The special effects were made by Pasquale Miele. The artistic team includes the same Eros Bosi, Diletta Vedovelli, Chiara Palombi, Maurizio Bolli and the famous television host Gene Gnocchi. The plot tells of an engaged couple who travel to the countryside. They are seemingly unaware that a girl died under mysterious circumstances at this very place. You will realize its spectrum through a selfie. Looking for the film to be slashing soon, scheduled for release later this year.

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Writer/Director Austin Bosley Slashes Up IndieGoGo with THE PRODUCER

Slasher Studios*Horror

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Last year, we released the holiday horror slasher DISMEMBERING CHRISTMAS. It marked the first time in Slasher Studios history that we worked with a new director on a project. That director is Austin Bosley and he is back with an all new horror film that is sure to please fans of the genre. The film is titled THE PRODUCER and it needs your help to become the dark indie thriller of the year.

What is The Producer?
The Producer is a horror movie about Ashley, an independent filmmaker who lives with her grandfather and delivers pizza as her day job. She works with her best friend Taylor, who does what she can to help Ashley produce her movies, but their crowdfunding campaign is failing miserably.

Enter Damien, a local legend of sorts who has somehow wormed his way into the world of low-budget filmmaking on a level that Ashley just can’t seem to reach yet. Damien lends a helping hand and hooks Ashley up with contact information for the producer who funds his films, sending Ashley down a path she isn’t sure she can follow.

Austin is currently running an Indiegogo campaign in order to raise funds to shoot the film. We’ve read the script here at Slasher Studios and it’s a damn good one. So become a backer today and help support indie horror. Want to check out Austin’s first feature film? It is available for sale below and also available to rent in HD over at our official Gumroad digital store.

Happy slashing everyone!

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Seven high school seniors experience a holiday of horrors when they realize their rented winter getaway has an unexpected visitor. DVD includes two commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes bloopers, and making of featurette.


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VHSART-Edited

Seven high school seniors experience a holiday of horrors when they realize their rented winter getaway has an unexpected visitor. Limited edition VHS includes specially designed clamshell “big box” VHS tape, mini poster, and signed (out of 50) cover art.


Dismembering Christmas VHS Options




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