The horror fans have voted in round one of the Christmas Horror Challenge and we are ready to move on to round 2. Only four movies remain. Remember, you can vote once per hour so vote early and often. Round 2 closes Sunday night at midnight when we head into the final round of the challenge for YOU to decide the ultimate Christmas Horror movie!
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On this week’s episode of Slasher Studios Horror Podcast, Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz will be discussing their favorite horror movies of 2013. Show starts at 10PM central. Don’t miss the gory fun.
To listen to the podcast live or to check out an archive:
Slasher Studios Podcast: Best Horror Movies of 2013
Bad Milo
The comedy found with Bad Milo! is just my cup of tea. The actors all have impeccable comedic timing as I found myself laughing out loud numerous times. The awkward comedy reminds me a bit of the The Office during the good years and it is so refreshing to actually like the characters and want to be involved with there life. The funny moments play a nice contrast to the horror aspects when Milo does his thing. There were a few bloody scenes and one in particular that will make any man cringe…
Billy Club
Billy Club, directed by the creative Wisconsin natives Drew Rosas and Nick Sommer, is one of the top indie films for 2013. With the duo trying to follow up their first feature, Blood Junkie (Rosas directed and Sommer acted), they had big shoes to fill. Although Blood Junkie his hard to compete with, Billy Club came through in a big way. The look of the film is outstanding and the acting can hold its own against many big budget films of the year. The killers wardrobe and weapon of choice will help set this film apart from other run-of-the-mill horror villains.
The Conjuring
This film by James Wan is one of the best looking films of the year. The cinematography and lighting choices added not only suspense, but substance as well. The film is filled with great camera work that really adds to the production value. The effects were creepy and well done, not taking me out of the film for a second. This great looking film was luckily paired with a great story and fantastic acting. If you are searching for that one film this year to give you goosebumps, you have found it in The Conjuring.
Curse of Chucky
Though the film starts with a slow buildup in the first act that results in two off screen deaths, 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!
Evil Dead
Words cannot simply describe the experience of watching “Evil Dead†(2013). For a remake, it feels more like a sequel than anything and I really mean that as a compliment. This is the rare movie that stays true to the original while adding a strong new story, likable characters, and more blood and gore than you will likely see all year. It is relentless in its terror and atmosphere and actually made me feel uneasy at several key moments. If this film had to be cut to receive an R rating, I can’t even imagine what the original NC-17 version looked like. Not everyone is going to come out of this film with the same admiration that I had for it. Those that like their horror “fun†may feel a bit drained by the entire experience but I left the theater shaking. Yes, I found it to be THAT good.
Maniac
The reincarnation of the 1980 Maniac is told in a modern setting with an interesting and risky technique. A technique, by the way, I applaud. The film is shot mostly for the killers POV. Not sure if this was a way to capitalize on the success of found footage films that put the audience in the position of character, but all in all, this worked. The viewers are given disturbing looks through the eyes of Frank, played by Elijah Wood. This helps not only ramp up the intensity, but also helps with the suspense and surprise factor.
Stitches
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.
V/H/S 2
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!
Warm Bodies
Bravo to Jonathan Levine for creating a zombie film that broke out from the ordinary. The undead craze has saturated the market with dull, paint-by-numbers zombie films. Although there have been a few exceptions over the past few years, Warm Bodies was able to bring us horror fans something to interesting and powerful. The idea of zombies having an inner monologue and the ability to live again was fascinating and intriguing. Warm Bodies is able to keep the audience engaged with witty dialogue, cool effects and a unique story to warm even the coldest heart.
You’re Next
I consider myself a hardcore slasher fan, I try to go into every slasher movie I see with no expectations. After two years of hype, Adam Wingard‘s “You’re Next†was no exception. I saw only one trailer and managed to avoid all tv spots. I went in as fresh as I possibly could hoping to dig into the gory goodness. After a fairly mediocre opening, things weren’t looking so hot for the slasher. But then something interesting happened, I started to fall in love with the movie. Starting around the “dinner table scene†I found myself laughing along with the arguments and delicious black comedy as it was something I could relate to. The pitch black comedy (the dead mother line, the “Who is the fastest runner?†debate, etc) was totally on mark for me, and I loved the deaths (no CGI, hell yeah!). It was nice to see a slasher in which we were given a final girl who made the right decisions and managed to stay smart throughout. The ending especially had me smiling in all its macabre madness. It’s not a perfect movie but I had a damn good time with it.
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.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
The Monster: Meaninglessness. The characters of the animated special drift from one holiday activity to another without connecting to anything truly meaningful. Charlie Brown’s frustration grows. He challenges his classmates to feel more deeply by presenting them with a scrawny tree, but they cannot see the holiday spirit within.
The Horror: Heroic Linus Van Pelt seems to be only one of Charlie Brown’s friends to recognize their holiday pageantry has lost connection to the cultural traditions of the season. Without his recitation of Bible verse, the entire holiday – and, by extension, the entire holiday special – would have been nothing more than distracting amusement.
The Shared Fate: Charles Schulz worried about meaninglessness, too. Without his voice, who will speak up?
Christmas is not the only victim of meaninglessness. Who will speak for the dead when Halloween’s mouth is stuffed full of candy and distracted by naked flesh? Who will remember American history when the Fourth of July is drunk and distracted by ‘splosions?
No tradition is perfect, but history grounds reality with something more substantive than flashing lights and a regular routine. Charlie and Linus rallied to keep their lives real, but seem too silent now.
— 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
It’s time for another tournament slasher fans! We have selected eight horror movies and you are invited to participate in round one! You pick one horror movie in each of the four match up below. On Friday, four movies will move on to round two. The winner of the Christmas horror challenge will be announced on Christmas Day.
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Doll Killer. Ever heard of it? Well, not many have and there are some reasons for that. This is been a “lost” film from 1987 and has just recently resurfaced. The story behind the film is in many ways more intriguing then the film itself, so lets jump right into this adventure.
Not knowing anything of the Doll Killer before watching it, I needed to do some research. Seems as though this movie had just one copy in the world…a VHS copy. And this copy was also owned by the widow of the late director who lived in Mexico. She had posted an ad on Craigslist looking for a person to remaster the tape and covert it to DVD. After a few years and many unanswered emails, filmmaker, Dustin Ferguson, finally made contact with the owner of the tape. After a few difficulties, he was able to take possession of the film and eventually showed the world, Doll Killer.
Can the film live up to the amazing story of how this film found distribution and made it’s way to my computer? No, it can’t but that’s still no reason to dismiss it. It has many problems that are typical from SOV horror of the era, mostly the cinematography and acting, but the passion of the filmmakers from ’87 and even the ones who brought it to life now, is beaming through. It is as low budget as it can get, but as we always say, “Support indie horror!” Have fun with this one. If you enjoy flicks like Video Violence and The Basement, you are sure to have a gory good time with this one.
Kevin: It’s Christmas Eve 2005, the Mason family is enjoying Christmas dinner when a very large and very angry Santa Claus (wrestler Bill Goldberg) comes down the chimney and kills them all. A few of the death highlights include Santa stabbing someones hands to the table with steak knives, a sharp pole that impaled through a young woman’s head, a head set on fire and then drowned in eggnog, and a man pushed into a glass case. Sound like your kind of slasher? What if I said that the actors dying in this opening scene were none other than James Caan, Fran Drescher, Chris Kattan, and Rebecca Gayheart? Let’s just say that by the time Santa grabs a leg from the table and smashes into Drescher head as she pleads, “I’ve been good!â€, the movie had officially won be over. The first five minutes of “Santa’s Slay†delivers more genuine laughs than most Hollywood comedies deliver in their entire running times. Does the rest of the movie live up to the potential of this incredible opening? Well, not really but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Steve: Just as Wes Craven created an amazing opening scene in Scream, David Steiman was able to direct a memorable first scene in Santa’s Slay. This has all the makings of a stand alone, award winning short film. Great actors, funny and well delivered lines, and of course amazing deaths! If for no other reason, you must watch this movie for first few fast-paced minutes. It seems to go by in a flash, but you know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun!
Kevin: Believe me, “Santa’s Slay†is just as goofy as it sounds and just as fun too. You want a killer Santa murdering the naughty citizens while Robert Culp challenges Santa to one last game of hockey to decide who rules the world? Well, this is the movie for you. It has too much plot by half and not all of the jokes work but damn if this movie doesn’t work it’s ass off to do anything and everything for a laugh. I admire that in a low budget slasher. Even if the rest of the movie doesn’t live up to that terrific opening scene.
Steve: The production value of this film is high up on the ladder. The cinematography is done very well and the acting throughout the film is believable. The effects are fun and the deaths are not only inventive, but also interesting enough to keep your attention throughout the 78 minute flick. The story has a great look for a lower budget film and although the setup is top notch and is hard to follow, the rest of the film is still a fun watch and is great for that late December viewing.
Last year we slashed up our own list of some of our favorite, and least favorite, Friday the 13th final girls. Today, we have a second opinion as Andrew Beirl attacks the original Friday 8. Agree? Disagree? Post your comments below and we hope you had a bloody good Friday the 13th!!
1. Ginny (Part II)- Hands down, the best final girl in a Friday the 13th movie. She is smart, resourceful and likable. Ginny using her Child Psychology background to trick Jason was a interesting idea, if only she had knocked the head off the table. Her final chase scene is one of my favorites of the series.
2. Trish (The Final Chapter)- A lot of people only seem to remember Tommy killing Jason in The Final Chapter, but Trish does her fair share of damage to Jason. She will protect her little brother at the expense of her own life. She goes down as the most realistic final girl, her fear is so believable.
3. Megan (Jason Lives)- Megan is a wild card when it comes to Friday final girls. Some love her to death, others think she is too “free-spirited” to be a final girl. I see a lot of “Paula should have been the final girl!” For me, Paula was too meek. Sissy, however, would have made an equally fun final girl. Now, I loved that Megan wasn’t the usual final girl. She was sassy, sexy and just along for the ride until everything goes down. Then she’s not afraid to take a boat motor to Jason.
4. Tina (The New Blood)- If I had made this list 5 years ago, Tina would have been further down. I have been coming around on Tina. I always felt the psychic powers were unfair, but then I realized almost every final girl had help in one form or another. She does deliver a good performance and the telekinetic showdown is fun.
5. Alice (Original)- I love Adrienne King. She is so sweet and energetic. If you ever have the chance to meet her at a con, do it. She’s a ball. As far as Alice, she’s a serviceable final girl. My only real issue is the amount of times she knocks down Mrs. Voorhees and runs away. It gets repetitive.
6. Chris (Part 3)- I’ve always seen Chris as shrill and kind of annoying. Her final chase scene is great, but the rest of the movie she just comes off kind of spoiled. I wish we could have had the original dream ending where Jason beheads her, I think part of the reason I am ambivelant towards Chris is that lame dream scare ending.
7. Pam (A New Beginning)- Dull as toast. She has nothing that really makes an impression except a wet white shirt. Her character doesn’t really have much of a personality and it’s a little creepy how touchy-feely she is with Reggie.
8. Rennie (Jason Takes Manhattan)- Jensen Daggett seems like a fine actress and she is a lot of fun on the documentaries about the Friday series. Unfortunately, she is saddled with an extremely dull character with a confusing psychic connection to ghost child Jason. She really does nothing except throw a bucket of toxic waste at Jason. Plus, she is the cause of Mrs. Van Deusen’s death, driving the police car into a vision of Jason as a child.
During what should have been a routine flight, two sisters find themselves involved in a plane crash. The sisters, as well as a few other survivors exit the plane to find they have crashed onto a dark area. Armed only with a camera and its light, the group sets out to find help. Along the way they find themselves being hunted by vicious creatures
Area 407 is another found-footage horror to the already overcrowded subgenre. The film is basically a found-footage version of Jurassic Park 3. It starts out introducing the characters on the plane where it’s identified that it takes place on New Year’s Eve. And of course right after everyone yells “Happy New Year!â€, the plane crashes. The remainder of the film follows the survivors making some of the dumbest decisions that ultimately get them killed by the creatures. On top of the dumb decisions, these characters are so annoying, however the stewardess and air marshal were at least moderately tolerable. The most annoying character being the little girl, whom I could say is a combination of Emmanuelle Chriqui’s character from Wrong Turn combined with Dakota Fanning’s character in War of the Worlds. Not only does the script feature dumb characters, but it features some of the worst dialogue I’ve ever heard, where they have characters stating the obvious over and over. Don’t expect to get a full glimpse of the creatures until (as always) the final shot. And even then the CGI looks like something from a Sy-Fy film. I will say however, that this could very well have been a premise had it NOT been for the found footage and had just been a regular film (with better characters, acting, dialogue, etc.)
When it comes to the acting, no one stands out at all. Every performance is either over-acted, or way too wooden. It doesn’t help either that the actors don’t even try to make the best out of the horrible dialogue they are given. There is an instance when they are calling to someone for help and they don’t sound even the slightest bit desperate for help. One character yells “people are dead.†(notice I put a period instead of an exclamation point).
To be fair, the premise was semi-interesting and would have been better suited as a non-found footage film and given a better writer and actors.
–Cody Landman
