Today at Slasher Studios we are celebrating three slasher films all revolving around April Fools Day. As Hollywood tends to work in pairs and sometimes more, all three of these slashers were released in 1986. Paramount won the title use of April Fools Day and the other two films had to settle with the “lesser” titles Killer Party and Slaughter High. Either way, enjoy the following artwork from the films and let us know which one is your favorite.
For a limited time only, you can receive an exclusive Dismembering Christmas t-shirt with Don’t Go to the Reunion DVD bundle back. The pack is just $25 and includes the size t-shirt of your choice, Don’t Go to the Reunion DVD, as well as an 11×17 poster for Dismembering Christmas. This bundle back is ONLY available until May 31st so make sure to order yours today!
Yesterday I’ve watched [REC] 4: Apocalypse (2014) for the first time. This was my latest DVD screener I received from my job to review. I have not seen any of the previous [REC] movies before, but I heard that the final installment (4) is a direct sequel to [REC] 2.
However I’m trying to judge [REC] 4 as a standalone film, instead as a sequel. I have watched [REC] 4: Apocalypse and its a pretty extreme and intense Spanish horror movie. I was really impressed and surprised by it. The directing by Jaume Balagueró was really tense. The acting performances were rock solid as well, with the highlight being Manuela Velasco (Ãngela Vidal) who gave a tour-de-force performance. This movie came very far with such a simple storyline. Horror and action were blended together perfectly. The first half of the film was more about setting up the story and characters which was interesting to see. The make-up effects on the zombie creatures were fantastic. In fact, the zombies in this film scared the hell out of me because they were so unpredictable. Too bad there wasn’t any found footage angle in this sequel.
It could’ve made for a more claustrophobic viewing experience. I can see why fans of the [REC] franchise were left cold with this fourth entry, but I personally liked it. It makes me wanna go back and watch the other three [REC] movies as soon as possible. This movie also taught me that Spanish horror movies are a tad more effective and realistic than American horror movies. The plot twist at the end of the film was pretty unexpected. [REC] 4: Apocalypse will definitely please horror fans with its share of bloody and gory scenes. The story is simple, but the execution was well done. If this is indeed the definitive chapter of the [REC] series, than they did a great job ending it properly. Recommended!
Wanna read some more reviews of mine? Visit Ferdi’s Movie World and you can find plenty of more!
–Ferdi Akkulak
Yesterday I watched Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan for the first time. I have seen all previous installments of the Friday the 13th franchise. For this eighth entry I had very low expectations. Mainly because of the really bad things I’ve heard about it.
Well I’ve seen it and its definitely not the worst installment of the franchise. I was surprised by how engaged I was throughout watching this sequel. The characters were out there. Some were really likeable and fun while others were simply awful and atrocious. The acting was alright, some of the actors stood out while others fell flat. I liked Jensen Daggett as Rennie, a very down to earth and refreshing final girl in my opinion. Kane Hodder was once again AMAZING as Jason Voorhees. The opening sequence was fantastic and while most part of the film takes place on a boat, I still enjoyed it for what it was. The death scenes were good not great, some of the make-up effects looked very cheap and plain bad. It took a long time for them to actually get to Manhattan, and when they did we only get to see like 10 minutes of footage… That was pretty disappointing. The directing was pretty solid however, especially the scene in Times Square. I still think this movie has lots of problems. Mainly the script, editing and pacing could’ve been much better. The story was nothing special, some of the aspects were interesting however. The soundtrack is fun and the final act is great.
Definitely not one of my favorite installments of the Friday the 13th franchise, but also not one that deserves all the hate its getting. In my opinion Part III is still the worst of the franchise. Jason Takes Manhattan is cheesy and over the top and filled with some hilariously bad one-liners, but its worth watching for the deaths, the amazing Kane Hodder and New York alone.
Wanna read some more reviews of mine? Visit Ferdi’s Movie World and you can find plenty of more!
–Ferdi Akkulak
Filmmaker Joshua Hall brings you a new tale of terror with the upcoming vampire film “The Dark Collective.” The horror-action film is billed as a “Lost Boys” meets “Lethal Weapon” type tale but can only be made with your help. They are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise funding for the film and it sounds like it’s going to be a gory good time. Support indie horror and check it out today! Below is the plot synopsis for the film as well as the official Facebook link and Kickstarter link where you can find out more and become a backer.
Plot:
Peter Madison is rough and tough cop who carries the badge with pride but suffers from post traumatic stress disorder that has him popping pills just to stay sane. When we start the story his Captain has already given him several warnings for police brutality and he is on his last leg.
His partner Matthew Hill is an older, very strict, by the book police officer and family man. He is the father of two boys and has a wonderful wife. While his personal life is storybook perfect, his work life is the exact opposite. He can’t stand having the loose cannon Madison as his partner and he complains and complains to his captain, sadly for him, his complaints just aren’t being heard. This frustrates him even more so when Madison decides to take the law into his own hands.
While responding to an ordinary noise disturbance, Madison and Hill come across some very freaky and unusual individuals. This routine complaint call quickly turns into a fight, which leads to a blood bath and much bigger problem for our boys in blue.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDarkCollective
Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1832858619/the-dark-collective
On Saturday I watched Annabelle (2014) for the first time. This was my latest DVD screener I received from my job to review. Annabelle is both a prequel to and spin-off of The Conjuring (2013) and was inspired by the real doll Annabelle. Upon its release I wasn’t really looking forward to this movie as much as some were. The trailers looked fine, but I didn’t have much confidence in the movie. The terrible reviews it got weren’t helping either. I ended up not seeing it in theaters.
Well I’ve seen it now and I was really disappointed by it, but I can’t say I’m all that surprised. Annabelle is nowhere near as good as the far superior The Conjuring, this ‘spin-off/prequel’ was obviously trying to bank off a popular gimmick. Considering how well it did financially at the box office, the makers definitely succeeded. But I can’t say the same about the actual movie. The story is interesting to follow but it never tries to be original or break new ground. There are a couple of well executed and genuinely scary moments, but also a whole lot of cheap jump scares. The acting was okay, I liked the performances of Annabelle Wallis (“Mia”) and Alfre Woodard (“Evelyn”). The soundtrack was pretty good. For a movie titled “Annabelle” you would expect that it would almost entirely focus on the doll itself, but that was definitely not the case here. The doll itself was pretty much in the background the entire time…
Its a shame to see a horror movie unabashedly borrowing elements from better horror movies like Rosemary’s Baby and Insidious. Annabelle is very predictable and overall its just not frightening, haunting or even remotely memorable to be in the same league as The Conjuring. It barely gets a pass from me… I’d say its worth a rental at most. Instead of watching Annabelle, watch The Conjuring. Already seen it? Then wait for the sequel!
Wanna read some more reviews of mine? Visit Ferdi’s Movie World and you can find plenty of more!
-Ferdi Akkulak
The film follows Jay (Maika Monroe), a young, friendly, and genuinely happy girl. One night Jay goes on a date with a young man and the two end up having sex. Upon doing so she gets knocked out. When she awakens, it is revealed to her that “it†has not been transferred to her. She is told that “it†will continue to haunt her unless she passes it on. However, if the person who currently has “it†is killed by it, the person prior will also die and continue down the line. Jay then begins to find herself being stalked by mysterious presences. She then enlists the help of her friends in order to help escape the curse.
It Follows is written and directed by David Robert Mitchell. I’d read a great amount of buzz about this film and I became extremely excited for it. The film did not disappoint at all. The story is an extremely cool concept. It takes the idea of sexual activity and the diseases along with it and flips it. The film is truly terrifying in that there is so much that is left unknown. We only get a vivid idea of what “it†is, but we are left just as clueless as Jay. It is because we are left with this unknown feeling that help make the film extremely terrifying. The whole film kept me on the edge of my seat with many intense and scary moments.
I won’t reveal any of these moments because they have to be seen in order to be felt. The presences that Jade sees are much more terrifying than I expected, a lot of this is due to how they are presented. Again, I won’t reveal exactly what makes them terrifying, because again, it has to be seen to understand. It is essentially something almost out of someone’s nightmare (ironically Mitchell was inspired to make the film because of a nightmare he had).
We are also given a group of VERY likable characters. Jay is an extremely likable lead and we really become connected to her and hope she makes it out okay. She is also played amazingly by Maika Monroe. Monroe is truly a discovery and a very talented actress whom I hope to see more of in horror. Hell, more of in general. The friends that the character Jay has are also extremely likeable. They come off a realistic and they are hands down the most dependable friends I’ve seen in a horror film. More often than not, the friends will believe the lead is crazy and don’t believe her. Here, they stand by Jay throughout the whole film and do what they can to help her.
Each of the actors provide great comedic timing with some of their lines, and you can really feel the chemistry amongst the group. Just a brilliant cast and performances. One thing that I just marveled at during the film was the EXCELLENT score. I cannot stress enough how amazing it is. It’s so perfectly used in the scenes and also what makes the scenes so chilling. It gave me the same feel as the scores of Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street and some of Texas Chain Saw Massacre combined with Suspiria.
Luckily I was able to catch an early screening of it at the Fargo Film Festival a whole week before its actual release. The producers did a Q&A after the screening and revealed that a lot of their inspiration for the film as far as its atmosphere and tone and filming style came from classics like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Scream. This I agree with wholeheartedly, I could totally sense elements of each of these films in it. Which also added to one of the reasons I genuinely loved the film. It Follow is easily the best original horror film I’ve seen in a LONG time. It is genuinely scare, has some good laughs, great characters and story, and solid performances. It is a film that will definitely stay with you after you see it.
–Cody Landman
At Slasher Studios we like to spotlight up-and-coming horror films that we think are working checking out for all the horror fans out there. Today we are taking a look at The Nightmare Man, a new film written and directed by Jason Harlow, that has mere hours left on Indiegogo to raise funds. This sounds like a killer movie and for fans of Slasher Studios, they even have some Don’t Go to the Reunion & Dismembering Christmas signed posters as rewards. Check it out below and remember to keep supporting indie horror!
From The Nightmare Man creator:
Hello, my name is Jason Harlow, and I am the writer/director of The Nightmare Man. With The Nightmare Man, my team and I want to make a film that is not only original and unique, but also 100% serious in tone and remarkably terrifying. We’ve already assembled an insanely talented cast and crew; all we need now is the funds to get this thing rolling.
We are looking to raise $13,000 to help cover the cost of special effects, post-production, catering, transportation, and locations, as well as the many other grueling costs we may be faced with over the course of the production of this film. Donations begin at just $1 and any donation of $50 or more will result in your name being listed in the closing credits! If you want to be a part of a ridiculously memorable supernatural horror film, here’s your chance.
The film follows a man named Jonathan Nelson, who has spent his last few weeks suffering from insomnia. He soon begins to have trouble distinguishing the difference between dreams and reality after having a series of disturbing dreams orchestrated by a creepy figure known as THE NIGHTMARE MAN.
Become a backer: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-nightmare-man-feature-horror-film
Like The Nightmare Man on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenightmaremanmovie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W93vRJa40a8
Katharine Isabelle is back with a vengeance! 88 follows the story of Dwen a young women who is seeking revenge on the people whom she thinks brutally murdered her boyfriend. With nothing but revenge on her mind she ultimately puts herself and those who try and help her in dangerous.
88 comes to us from director April Mullen and stars horror icon Katharine Isabelle who takes on the lead role in this gripping thriller. 88 was actually the first film I saw of 2015 and I must say it is a shockingly brilliant thriller. Running at just 88 mins it was exciting from start to finish.
The film introduces new ideas for the audience and makes you think about new and interesting concepts which before you may not have thought about. The ideas and themes which are raised in this film should alone be a credit to it as it makes it more than just your average revenge thriller.
There were moments in the film where the tension is so high you can’t take your eyes off the screen. Katahrine Isabelle is mesmerizing as always and another reason why your eyes will be glued to the screen.
There are many scenes of awesome gore effects and blood splatter that makes this film brilliant for gore fans out there but doesn’t overuse the gore factor. Without giving too much away, one shockingly moment that got me finds Gwen (Isabelle) in a motel bathroom pulling back a shower curtain. That scene stuck with me for some time after the film ended mainly for the fact it was so unexpected.
As the film reaches its suspenseful ending, I actually didn’t want the film to end as I felt that it was completely brilliant in every way. However, the ending might be a bit of a let down for some people in its predictability but, for me, I loved it! I thought the ending (although I kind of seen it coming) was still unexpected in many way. That I gasped at the end tells you that I enjoyed the film.
Overall, I can not recommend this film enough horror fans, crime film fans and thriller fans across the board anyone will like this but as with most films it will not be for everyone.
88 received a US DVD and Blu-Ray release from Mulenium Entertainment in January 2015 with a Canadian Release expected for March 2015. The film makes its world premiere at Glasgow Fright Fest this Friday.
–Ross Wilcock
Today I watched Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988). This was the first Friday the 13th installment I had ever watched, I saw it on VHS a few years back. Now that I’ve seen Parts 1-6 and reviewed all those already I decided to give Part 7 another spin so I could write a review for it as well. In my honest opinion, I think ‘The New Blood’ is one of my personal favorites of the Friday the 13th franchise. And not only because it was the first installment I had ever seen. There is something about this well thought out concept that is inventive yet original. Especially it being the 7TH installment in a long running franchise, I have to say I’m very impressed.
It is a very fun and entertaining sequel with some very good death scenes. (although there is an obvious lack of gore in them, which we can blame the MPAA for!) The characters are well written and very straightforward, one of the many aspects I loved of this sequel. Lar Park Lincoln was absolutely amazing as Tina Shepard. Great performance and one bad-ass and resourceful final girl! Also really loved the late Susan Jennifer Sullivan as Melissa, probably one of the best bitchy characters in horror movie history. She’s truly memorable! Also loved Susan Blu, Diana Barrows and Kevin Spirtas in this sequel. Kane Hodder makes for a frightening and surprisingly human Jason Voorhees, quite possibly my favorite Jason! The telekinesis aspect in this movie is quite great. The soundtrack, directing and dark humor are also very outstanding. I wish the running time was a bit longer but I can still recommend this classic 80’s slasher sequel to everyone. It’s not perfect but it damn sure is enjoyable to watch every single time.
Wanna read some more reviews of mine? Visit Ferdi’s Movie World and you can find plenty of more!
–Ferdi Akkulak