Kevin & Steve’s Horror Movies: “The Taint” (2010)

Slasher Studios*Kevin & Steve's Horror Movies

taint

Kevin: In “The Taint,” much like “Cabin Fever,” the water is tainted. The tainted water is turning the men of this small town into raging misogynistic monsters who want to kill and rape woman. Can our underdog of a hero, Phil, save the town and the woman of it before it is too late for everyone?

Steve: This is definitely a see it to believe it film. We can go on for days talking about the male nudity, gallons of gore, and overall “offensiveness” of the film, but if you haven’t witnessed it yourself, you just wouldn’t understand. Director, Drew Bolduc, takes on some very sensitive issues and will offend many people (abortion and the American Flag to name just two) so if you are a highly sensitive person, you may want to steer clear. But, if you are a fan of creative cinema, this one is worth a look!

Kevin: “The Taint” is a surreal mix of some of the wildest gore you’ve ever seen complete with lots and lots of ejaculating penises and some of the niftiest gore I’ve seen all year. To say this movie isn’t for the easily offended is putting it mildly. “The Taint” puts even the most gross out Troma films of the 80’s to shame. Whether or not that is a recommendation is completely up to the viewer but I was shocked how much of a good time I had with this movie. Despite a second act that is a bit too repetitive for its own good, the film is rarely boring and when it works….it really works. I was giggling like a child at the over-the-top bodily fluids and the copious amounts of gore and nudity.

Steve: The editing was fun and fast paced at times and the overall production value was boosted by the solid camera work and effects. The acting held its own as Bolduc took on two roles and was the standout star of the film. He will be a favorite amongst movie goers with his funny monotone lines and persona. This was a great addition to the Troma family and Slasher Studios is looking forward to what Bolduc cooks up next.

Share:

Not Quite Horror: “Best in Show” (2000)

Slasher Studios*Not Quite Horror

MV5BMTQ5OTc0NDU1MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzk1OTI3._V1._SX475_SY703_

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.

“Best in Show” (2000)

The Monsters: Meg and Hamilton Swan (Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock). The perfectionist yuppies cannot accept their dog Beatrice for what she is. The movie begins with them fussing over her to a dog therapist. When Beatrice is in the Westminster Dog Show, they nearly murder each other to provide Beatrice with her Busy Bee, her favorite toy. When Beatrice is disqualified for bad behavior, the Swans abandon her to start over with a different dog.

The Horror: Beatrice, though adorable, cannot be more than a dog. She cannot save the marriage of her owners, and she cannot contain her canine playfulness during her judging. She cannot stand up to her owners and, when they realize her limitations, they abandon her.

The Shared Fate: American culture emphasizing individuality, but how easy is it to identify with poor Beatrice? We may pretend to be in charge of our lives, but we often find our very existence determined by underqualified perfectionists who project their own anxieties onto us. We are asked to do thing we are incapable of by coworkers, loved ones, and even strangers. And, like the Swans, these people somehow convince themselves they are stressing us out for our own benefit.

— 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

Share:

Indie Horror Review: “Profile of a Killer” Cuts On More than One Level

Slasher StudiosProfile of a Killer

1396017_547355245342874_956674511_n

Out on DVD just this past summer, Profile Of A Killer has hit the scene with a warm welcome. As a huge fan of Indy cinema, I can proudly say that I have become the latest to embrace this thriller flick. The film hits on all cylinders and does a great job of jumping right into the story, grabbing your attention and never letting go. The cinematography, the acting, the writing and the direction all come together to make a cohesive project.

Taking place during a Minnesota winter, skeletons start showing up around Highway 61. The killer, who is soon given the “H-61 Killer” nickname, kidnaps a profiler, Saul, and brings him back to his hideout. Demanding that the Saul performs one last profile, the H-61 Killer continues his madness and the body count rises. Can Saul help save the tone or will the murders continue?

From start to end, the look of this film is outstanding. The camera work and use of lighting really gave a huge boost to the production value. The effects work on the skeletons are also worth noting. Very realistic and creepy. Also realistic, are the performances by the very talented actors. Young and old, these stars shine with every line delivery and add credibility to the film.

The story itself was well told and intriguing. As a huge straight up slasher fan, I was surprisingly taken in by this mystery-thriller. It was out of my norm, but I really did enjoy it. It was not boring, nor did it feature that amateur look that is far too abundant today. I see this film doing great things and you should see it too. The DVD is available on Amazon for purchase and rental here: Profile of a Killer (DVD)

Share:

Deck the Halls with Winter Slashers

Slasher Studios*Horror

blackchristmas

Another Halloween has come and gone and we are getting ready to jump into the wonderful world of winter slashers here at Slasher Studios. Which brings us to the question, why aren’t there more winter slashers? With the exception of the delightfully cheesy “Shredder” and a few other 80’s slashers like “Iced,” how many winter slashers can you name. Even something like the awful but entertaining “Black Christmas” remake has a wealth of atmosphere. Something about seeing Christmas lights and blood on the snow that makes the gore fan in all of us light up with cheer. Movies like “Silent Night Deadly Night” and “Don’t Open til Christmas” are entertaining for their sleaziness but this slasher fans has never found either particular film to be very fun. The question I have for you slasher fans is what would you like to see in a winter slasher and why do you think winter slashers aren’t more popular? Let’s have a slay ride this Christmas and see the blood bath begin..

Share:

31 Days of Horror: Day 31: “Halloween” (2007)

Slasher Studios*31 Days of Horror

In 2007, musician Rob Zombie decided to do the unthinkable. He was going to produce, write, and direct a remake of John Carpenter’s classic slasher film “Halloween”. Horror fans were in an uproar. How could he remake one of the greatest horror movies ever made? How could he turn Haddonfield into a town of white trash and disease? How DARE he give Michael Myers a back story? When the film opened on August 30, 2007, horror audiences were as ready as lynch mob to hang Zombie. The film grossed nearly $30 million opening weekend but somewhat poor word of mouth had the film top out at $57 million. So, looking back on the film four years later, is it the cinematic abortion that horror movie audiences proclaimed it to be? Not. At. All.

Rob Zombie’s Halloween is quite simply brilliant. I am one of the few horror fans out there that prefer Rob Zombie’s “Halloween” to John Carpenter’s “Halloween”. I know, it’s blasphemy and I will go down in horror hell for saying such a thing. But I personally love the back story that Zombie gave Michael and feel as though everything about the film (from the acting to the directing to use of music) is just about perfect. This is the rare remake that actually takes chances and dares its audience to actually FEEL something. For what it is worth, I’ll take this over the limp and uninspired “Friday the 13th” remake any day.

Share:

Slasher Studios Podcast: The Final Chapter of the Horror Movie Challenge

Slasher Studios*Slasher Studios Podcast

Image-1

In October, Slasher Studios will be featuring a horror movie each day. Play along at the Slasher Studios Horror Film Club.

This week:

Day 25: A franchise you don’t like
Day 26: Worst sequel
Day 27: Favorite OR least favorite Stephen King movie
Day 28: A great zombie movie
Day 29: A movie you refuse to watch
Day 30: One you need to watch, a.s.a.p.

Listen in live or check out an archive: Slasher Studios Horror Challenge: The Final Chapter

Share:

31 Days of Horror: Day 30: “Trick r Treat” (2007)

Slasher Studios*31 Days of Horror

Anthology horror films seem to be a dying breed. Gone are the days of Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt and in are the days of supernatural horror and torture porn. Good anthology horror films are some of the hardest horror films to make. It is hard enough for a good filmmaker to come up with one captivating story let alone three or four, or, in the case of Creepshow, five stories. So it is with this in mind that I dig my teeth into Warner Brothers’ long delayed Halloween themed anthology horror flick Trick r Treat. Is it a delicious treat for slasher maniacs everywhere? Or is it an apple covered razor blade? Well…let’s see…

“Trick r Treat” begins on Halloween night in Warren Valley, Ohio, a young woman named Emma blows out a Jack-o-Lantern in front of her home despite a warning from her husband Henry. She has a tragic surprise for not obeying the Halloween rules. Next (or earlier, you really have to see the film to know what I mean), the virgin Laurie buys a Little Red Riding Hood costume with her sister and two girlfriends as they invite some guys for a party. Meanwhile, the glutton Charlie destroys many Jack-o-Lanterns on the street. When he arrives at the house of the high-school principal Steven, the boy discovers how much the disturbed man respects the dead and the traditions of Halloween. Meanwhile four teenagers invite the outcast Rhonda to join them in their journey to an abandoned rock quarry where a tragic accident with the school bus with eight troubled children happened thirty years ago. They play a prank with Rhonda but when the mean Marcy blows out the last Jack-o-Lantern in the spot, they need the support of Rhonda to escape from the damned place. Laurie sees a stalker that follows her; while walking through the woods to the party, she is attacked and she finally has her initiation. Earlier, the lonely Mr. Kreeg lives alone with his dog Spite and is visited by a scary trick-or-treating creature named Sam.

Wow..that was exhausting. If it sounds confusing or overly complicated, believe me that it’s all part of the fun. Trick r Treat is a delicious throwback to the comic book style anthology films of the 1960’s and 1970’s. For those of you who want their gore laid on thick with extra nudity, you are going to be disappointed. Those who want a good old fashioned horror movie with a lot of twists and turns are going to be much more impressed. From the acting (top notch in just about all the stories) to the spot on directing, to the breathtaking cinematography, just about everything in this movie works. It is the Halloween classic horror fans have been waiting years for.

To order Trick R Treat: Trick ‘r Treat [Blu-ray]

Share: