October Horror Challenge: 31 Days of Horror

Slasher Studios*31 Days of Horror

happy halloween_2011

October is right around the corner horror fans and you know what that means: lots and lots of horror movies, pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING, and Halloween! To celebrate the month that every horror fan waits for year round, we will be watching a different horror movie every day for the entire month. What’s even better is that YOU get to join in on the fun! Every single day we will be reviewing a different horror movie at Slasher Studios Horror Film Club and we want you to help us talk about our favorite horrors. Below is the list of horror movies we will be checking out. Feel free to talk about each of them on the day they will be reviewed. It’s going to be a gory good time!

October 1–Poltergiest
October 2—-Demons
October 3–Popcorn
October 4–Night of the Scarecrow
October 5–Billy Club (Oshkosh Horror Film Festival)
October 6–Nail Gun Massacre
October 7–Jack-O
October 8–Curse of Chucky
October 9–Tourist Trap
October 10-Warlock
October 11-Hell Night
October 12-Hard to Die
October 13-Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
October 14-The Gremlin
October 15-Deadly Blessing
October 16-The People Under the Stairs
October 17-VHS 2
October 18-Warlock Moon
October 19-Killer Party
October 20-the Witches
October 21-Deadly Friend
October 22-Village of the Damned
October 23-Link
October 24-Humongous
October 25-Offerings
October 26-Night of the Demons
October 27-Silent Night
October 28-Hell High
October 29-The Convent
October 30-Halloween
October 31-Trick r Treat

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Blu-Ray Review: Halloween 35th Anniversary Edition

Slasher StudiosHalloween (1978)

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In a Slasher Studios first, reviewer Joshua Dean reviews the brand new Blu-Ray of Halloween in its 35th Anniversary Edition. Thanks Joshua Dean for the review!

It’s 2013… a year ending in “3,” so, like years ending in “8,” it’s time for yet another edition of John Carpenter’s classic suspense thriller, “Halloween.” Ever since Anchor Bay came along, Halloween has been released no less than 13 times (more if you count alternate covers, seasonal slipcovers, etc) between VHS, DVD, UMD, and Blu-ray. Three of these releases have been anniversary editions. First, the widescreen 20th Anniversary Edition VHS. Second, the 25th Anniversary Edition DVD (which featured a host of great extras, but badly compromised presentation of the film itself)… and third… the pointless (though admittedly attractive) 30th Anniversary Commemorative Set, which was nothing more than a compilation of the three (at the time) best releases of the film, paired with a few already-available bonus discs. Bear in mind, this is not including the countless VHS/Beta releases by Media, a VHS release by Blockbuster, and a Criterion Laserdisc, before Anchor Bay existed. Now, the time has come again for an anniversary release. The difference here, though, is that this time, they got it right. For the most part, that is.

For this 35th Anniversary release (exclusive to Blu-ray), Anchor Bay has hit a home run. They’ve packaged the disc in an absolutely gorgeous digibook package with newly commissioned artwork (and yes, actual artwork, not photo-manipulation studio crap) and included a few new extras focusing primarily on the one person who has generally eluded the bonuses over the years: the film’s star, Jamie Lee Curtis. But we’ll get to that later… right now, let’s focus on what matters: The guts of the Blu-ray, so to speak.

THE PICTURE: Anchor Bay’s original 2007 Blu-ray release of “Halloween” was generally considered a good release, but was never considered to be without faults. Some of those faults were attributed to the low-budget nature of the film itself, such as somewhat soft, waxy shots scattered throughout the film. Also, the master used was never meant to be seen in HD, as it was created for the 2003 DVD of the film (which had stripped the strong, spooky blue hues from the final act of the film). The 2007 disc did feature a tweaked version of said master, with several notable improvements… however, the colors were oversaturated for most of the film… and ironically, scenes that were meant to be heavily saturated… looked nearly colorless. Anchor Bay has set out to rectify this issue with this new edition of the film. Bringing in original cinematographer Dean Cundey to personally supervise and approve the new transfer (from the original film materials), and getting Carpenter’s approval for the new master, they’ve created a presentation of the film truly worthy of its deluxe packaging and label. To put it bluntly, this release makes the 2007 edition look flat-out BAD. The film no longer looks waxy and oversaturated, but wonderfully filmic and beautiful. The image is crisp and clear, featuring a natural-but-unintrusive film grain, and the daylight scenes feature a more subdued, gloomy and overcast look that, while not quite *looking* like Fall in the midwest, manages to feel *exactly* like Fall in Illinois. And for all those who missed the creepy blue in the film’s final act, take pleasure in knowing it has been restored, and looks better than ever. In a word, the film looks perfect. I truly cannot imagine “Halloween” looking better than it does here.

THE SOUND: Now… here’s where things get a little messy. The disc features a new 7.1 Dolby TrueHD sound mix. Personally, I think the mix sounds amazing. Every note of music, every line of dialogue (including background lines that were previously crushed and rendered unintelligible by music and sound effects), and every sound is crisp, clear, and immersive. The thunder in the film’s second scene literally made me jump. This is a very well-constructed soundtrack that complements the gorgeous transfer nicely. Now… purists beware, the packaging lists an “original mono” track, and while the disc does include a mono track (but does not make any “original” claim on the menu itself), it is *not* the original theatrical track. Instead, it’s a downmix from either the 7.1 track or the previous 5.1 track from the 1999 and up DVDs and the 2007 Blu-ray (all of which included the original track, adding insult to injury). While this is definitely a good track, it is not what the packaging claims it to be. Why include a mono mix if it is not to preserve the original sound, and what’s more… why claim it is the original track when it is plainly not?

THE PACKAGING: Now, here’s the fun stuff. Anchor Bay has created an absolutely stunning package. A digibook with gorgeous artwork by Jay Shaw (www.kingdomofnonsense.com) finished with orange foil text and embossing, several rare production photographs by Kim Gottlieb-Walker (www.lenswoman.com) featuring stars Curtis, Donald Pleasence, and P.J. Soles as well as director Carpenter and producer Debra Hill, an intriguing essay on the film’s history and power by Stef Hutchinson, and as a nice little treat, a title page that appears to be practically made for autographs. The packaging alone is enough of an extra for me.

THE EXTRAS: Concerning he supplements on the disc however, it should be noted that over the years (and countless releases of the film), everything that is to be said about Halloween… has been said. Several documentaries and a Criterion commentary by Carpenter, Hill, and Curtis have accompanied the various DVDs and previous Blu-ray… this edition of the film is more a “celebratory” edition rather than an “informative” edition. If you are looking at this disc for information on the making of the film, forget it. The extras that are offered, however, are great fun, and are meant to entertain rather than inform.

– Audio Commentary by John Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis
This new commentary track reunites the two most prominent and famous figures behind the legendary film. While there are a few interesting bits of information about the production, this track is purely for the fun entertainment value. Hearing Carpenter and Curtis reminesce, compliment each other, and more often than not, bicker over Curtis’ strong reverence for the film and her and Carpenter’s memories not quite agreeing with each other, is fascinating. Curtis is apparently still frightened by several scenes of the film, and Carpenter cannot help but laugh at her (as well as call her out on being a minor control freak, which she fully owns up to on another included supplement). The sibling-like love between them is strong, and makes the listening experience an enjoyable one.

– The Night She Came Home!!
This hour-long documentary by Kelly Curtis and her husband John Marsh, follows Jamie Lee Curtis and Sean Clark for the 2012 Jamie Lee Curtis HorrorHound Weekend charity event in Indianapolis, IN. Narrated by a very candid, but loving Curtis, the film features various staff and volunteers from the event, as well as attendees who went to meet Curtis, as well as Halloween legends Tom Atkins, Tommy Lee Wallace, Nick Castle, Nancy Stephens, and more. It’s a fun look at Ms. Curtis first (and only) appearance at a fan convention and her dedication to making as many fans happy as she can.

As for *new* extras, that is all. However, also included is a short “On Location” featurette featuring co-star P.J. Soles and writer/producer Debra Hill, the film’s original theatrical trailer, several TV and radio ads, and the NBC network scenes shot for the film’s TV debut in 1980. Now, while these additional scenes are encoded in HD, they are simply a rip from the 1999 DVD and are in standard definition quality.

Overall, this is an absolutely stellar release of the classic film, and fans of the film will love the stunning, reference quality presentation of the film. Despite not including the more informative extras from prior releases, I am proud to say Anchor Bay has finally delivered a true deluxe collector’s edition of the night HE came home!

Video – 4/4
Audio – 3.5/4 (would be 5 had they included the original mono track)
Extras – 3/4
Overall – 4/4

To order your Blu-Ray: Halloween (35th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

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Dead of the Class: “Bloody Homecoming” Review

Slasher StudiosBloody Homecoming

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When a group of friends get denied access to their Freshmen homecoming by a group of older students, they decide to throw their own party. However, when the football star, of the group, Billy, tries to attack one of the girls, the friends lock him up in a closet where is he accidentally killed in a fire. Three years later after two banned Homecomings, the friends are now seniors and the return of Homecoming has arrived. But someone is trying to crash the celebration. The friend’s receive threatening messages in their lockers believing it’s sick joke. But on Homecoming night, the friends find themselves being stalked and slayed by someone wearing a fireman’s outfit. Is Billy back for revenge? And who will survive this Bloody Homecoming?

Bloody Homecoming is a very fun 80s style slasher that many slasher fans (myself included) has desired. This is the film the Prom Night remake should have been. We are given a group of characters that are very funny and likable. Especially Jaclyn played by Randi Lamey, Jaclyn is the one with the sharp tongue and not afraid to step up to the plate. We are also given Wade, the lovable and funny gay character played by Branden Lee Roth. And although he is not one of the leads, we get a few comical moments from Janitor Fred played by Jim Tavare. Finally, we have our Final Girl, Loren, played by Lexi Giovagnoli. She’s the kind-hearted character who’s the friend to everyone. While Loren is very likable, she’s really not given much to do when it comes to the final act. Along with our likable cast, we have some very nice kills and plenty of blood. To top it all off we have a couple of good chase scenes (let’s face it, many slashers severely lack them these days). Bloody Homecoming resembles some classic 80s slasher films like Prom Night, Happy Birthday to Me, House on Sorority Row, and My Bloody Valentine. We have the over-the-top acting, gnarly kills, the “back for revenge” subplot, and a very hysterical final act when the killer is revealed.

If you miss what a true slasher really is that is all about fun rather than just gore, Bloody Homecoming is highly recommended.

–Cody Landman

3.5

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More Chuck For the Buck: “Curse of Chucky” Review

Slasher StudiosCurse of Chucky

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What follows is a brief, spoiler free review. If you love Chucky as much as I think you might, don’t like ANYONE give away the twists in the final act.

If ever there was a fan boy horror movie on Chucky, “Curse of Chucky” would be it. With references to all of the previous entries in the franchise, this film is a delight from beginning to end. As “Curse of Chucky” begins, we meet the lonely Nica (played by Fiona Dourif in a wonderfully understated performance) as she is living with her mom in house in the middle of nowhere. Her mother wants to keep her sheltered from the rest of the world as Nica is confined to a wheelchair. One day, the two receive an anonymous package in the mail with a doll inside. The doll is Chucky and he is ready to play. When an unfortunate “accident” causes her mother’s death, Nica’s greedy relatives are back to claim the house and sell it to make a few extra bucks.

After the rest of Nica’s family arrives including her bitchy older sister Barb (nicely played by Danielle Bisutti) with her daughter Alice (Summer H. Howell), it is up to the family to survive the night to keep from becoming Chucky’s latest victims. And victims many do become with a bloodbath that results in a few grisly deaths that had me smiling.

Though the film starts with a slow buildup in the first act that results in two off screen deaths (don’t worry, like I said, the film does get bloody), the film nicely comes together in its second act to become one of the best made for video horror movies of recent years. To go on and tell you what REALLY works about this film would be to give away way too many of the devilish surprises. Let’s just say that fans will cheer in delight as the film hits its final act as there are in jokes, references, and homages to just about anything and everything Chucky has done in the past. The backstory might not be fulfilling to some and there might be some leaps in logic, but this is the rare horror sequel that actually appears to be trying to add something new while being faithful to what came before it. If you are a Chucky fan, you owe it to yourself to check this one out. Also, make sure to stay after the end credits for one treat of a scene that will leave audiences howling. Thanks for returning Chucky, you were missed. Now, let’s see some more Chuck!

3.5

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Not Quite Horror: “Happiness” (1998)

Slasher Studios*Not Quite Horror

happiness

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.

Happiness (1998)

The Monster: Within Bill Maplewood’s (Dylan Baker) troubled mind, a battle rages. His self-destructive loathing is at war with his desire to become a sexual predator. When he offends and is revealed as a criminal, he must answer difficult questions from his son.

In a film with an obscene phone caller, adulterers, and a murderer, Bill Maplewood still manages to make stomachs turn. His slow preparation and obsessive planning before the crime make viewing uncomfortable, to say the least.

The Horror: In spite of his unspeakable awfulness, Bill Maplewood could not be more mundane. At times, Dylan Baker manages to provide charm to a character whose actions make him horribly upsetting. In short, Bill Maplewood could not be more real if he existed.

The Shared Fate: Unfortunately, there are hurtful people in the world who use their averageness to mask their crimes. Few films spend as much time with the abuser as a mundane citizen.

Happiness is a clear reminder we won’t always see bad things before they are connected to our lives. At over two hours of running time, it forces audiences to live with this threat for much longer than they would like.

— 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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Indie Horror Showcase: “The Diabolical” Review

Slasher Studios*Indie Horror

The Diabolical, the second feature length film by Ryan Callaway, is the newest indie film to try to break out and find an audience. Shot on a small budget in South Jersey, Callaway wore many hats during production just like indie filmmakers often do. As writer, directer, editor, and also a producer on the project, his passion for this movie is evident.

The movie tells the tale of a young girl named Micah. After a series of unfortunate events, Micah loses her family and is taken in by her less than accommodating Uncle Tom. Not before long, poor Micah begins to hears voices and witnesses strange happenings of the paranormal kind. Is there something evil after her or is this all just a young girls imagination?

The acting seemed a bit forced as many lines were monotone and had that scripted feeling, rather than a natural flow. But, as a whole, the production value was very solid for a shoe-string budget passion project. The locations obtained were great, however a little more time with art direction was needed. Cover up the bare bedroom walls with some pictures or posters and you can turn your locations into something totally different and more eye appealing. The story is written and executed fairly well but my one concern is the running time. Only a few minutes short of 2 hours, The Diabolical runs a bit too long for my taste. Cutting a few scenes all together and trimming up a few more to make a tighter cut could really benefit the film. The sound was recorded well and the music did evoke a creepy and uneasy feel that really helped to add the suspense.

The film may have had some issues here and there, but all films do. After all is said and done, Callaway produced what he wanted and in indie filmmaking, that is all that really matters. So, if you are a indie film supporter and don’t mind the extended running time, keep an eye out for The Diabolical.

2.5

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“V/H/S/2” Crackles With Originality, Dark Humor, and Loads of Gore

Slasher StudiosV/H/S/2

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When the first V/H/S came out, my expectations were through the roof. I adore horror anthologies and this seemed like the shot of adrenaline that the found footage genre needed. To say that I was disappointed with the film would be putting it mildly. I flat out hated two of the five segments and I put the film down as having the WORST wraparound story ever assembled in an anthology horror. When it wasn’t terrible, it was predictable and trite. Now, less than a year later, we have the rushed found footage sequel “V/H/S 2” (original title being “S-VHS” which is more creative than anything found in the first film). Does the sequel avoid the mistakes of its predecessor or does it belong on a shelf need in a horror fan’s basement away from all humanity?

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“Tape 49/frame narrative” Rating: 2 out of 4
In the wraparound, we follow two private investigators as they search through an abandoned house looking for a missing college student. Without giving too much away, I will say that this segment, like the wraparound in the original, is completely pointless because it is predictable from the moment they enter the house exactly what is going to happen. Unless the original, at least the characters here are likable even if they aren’t given much of anything to do. Overall, the weakest segment of the bunch and I’d advise the filmmakers of the next sequel to do away with the wraparound altogether. It feels lazy and just a way to add some minutes to the running time.

“Phase I Clinical Trials” Rating: 2 1/2 out of 4
A man is sitting in a doctor’s office after having had eye surgery. A camera is placed into one of his eye sockets to work as a functioning eye for him while he recovers. He is told by his doctor that everything the “eye” sees will be recorded and monitored for research purposes. Little does he know that he this will not be an experiment that will end well. He begins to see the undead as well as other strange visions at night. He is joined by Clarissa as she explains it all to him about his condition as she knows exactly what he is going through since she had a somewhat similar operation done. A bit predictable as it follows the typical “new body part comes to life” horror cliche but it works thanks to some nifty special effects and an “operation” scene that had me cringing.

“A Ride in the Park” Rating: 3 1/2 out of 4
A biker goes for a ride in the park (hence the title) only to be attacked my blood thirsty zombies who want to eat him for dinner. I’m going to leave the description at that in order to avoid giving away the bloody treats of this segment. Want to see a killer birthday party attacked by zombies with more blood and guts than in just about any zombie movie of the past few years? Dig it! This one is deliciously warped with a twisted sense of humor (I love seeing the zombies try to eat things that are obviously not meant to be tasted). One of the few segments that I honestly wished was a little bit longer. Zombie fans, eat your heart out.

“Safe Haven” Rating: 2 1/2 out of 4
A news crew is sent to investigate and do a piece on a strange Indonesian cult that is ruining their “family” out of an abandoned warehouse. This “family” is unlike any you have ever met and while they are friendly at first, they have a surprise for the head of the news crew as they have special plans for her in the immediate future. Do they plan to use her as an offering or something much, much worse? An interesting segment that is loaded with some creative death sequences and some solid acting by its leads. What prevents it from being a favorite is a running time that is far too long (at 30 minutes at least 5 of those count have been cut) and an ending that made me laugh out loud. No, it is not meant to be funny.

“Slumber Party Alien Abduction” Rating: 4 out of 4
A few months ago, I picked Detention as my favorite film of 2012. I had many readers write in calling me a “moron” or a “stupid asshole” for picking such “mindless trash” (their words, not mine) as my favorite film of the year. A dozen watches later and that film still puts a smile on my face for its sheer audaciousness and originality. Much like “Detention,” “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” plays as a big FU to the conventions of the horror genre. A group of kids are having a sleepaway when some weird things begin to happen through the camera on their dog. No, I am not making that up and I am also not making up how much damn fun I had with this segment. Creative effects and lighting go a long way here and while the ending seems a bit too mean spirited, it definitely didn’t wreck my enjoyment of this slumber party.

Overall, “VHS 2” is a much better all around experience than “VHS” was. The characters are more likable, the stories are better paced, and the concepts and ideas are stronger with some creative execution. Not all segments will hit home with all viewers but you gotta appreciate the effort. I’m ready for VHS 3!

To order VHS 2 on Demand:
V/H/S 2 (Watch Now Before It’s In Theaters)

3

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Slasher Studios Visits “Crystal Lake Memories”

Slasher Studios*Slasher Studios Podcast

6574friday-the-13th-jason-mother-s-head-3b-final-paint

Attention Jason fans! On this weeks show, Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz will be reviewing the 7 hour horror documentary Crystal Lake Memories, all about the Friday the 13th series. Airing at 2:30am, we are watching all 7 hours tonight before the show. Click on the link below so listen in live if you are still up or check out an archive of the show later.

Slasher Studios Visits Crystal Lake Memories

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“Don’t Go to the Reunion” Slashes Up UK Theatrical Premiere Date

Slasher Studios*Don't Go to the Reunion

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We are proud to announce the official theatrical premiere for Don’t Go To The Reunion in the UK. It is a one night event only and will be part of a double feature with the original classic Halloween. The event will start at 11pm and will end roughly at 1:45 am.

Saturday the 16th November 2013
At the Grosvenor Cinema in Glasgow, Scotland UK.
Don’t Go To The Reunion 11:00pm – 12:10 am
Halloween (remastered 35th anniversary print) 12:15 – 1:45 am

More details such as ticket booking will be updated as soon as they are announced. A HUGE thank you to Ross Wilcock for arranging this!

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