The Bunny Game (2010)

The terror you witness on-screen of The Bunny Game is real. Let me clarify…it’s not just realistic…it actually happened. It’s like watching a snuff film, only no one really died during filming (as far as we know). The actors weren’t merely acting, but they were subjected to most everything you see on film. Ballsy actress Rodleen Getsic gives a graphic blowjob, pees in public, is shaved bald and is actually branded in the film, not to mention the preparation that went into her role as an emaciated, drug-addled prostitute. Getsic fasted for over a month to prepare for her role! As you probably have guessed by now, The Bunny Game isn’t your ordinary horror movie. In fact, it feels more like a brutal snuff film coupled with avant-garde performance art.

The film is about a hard-knock prostitute named Bunny (Getsic) who trolls the streets of LA turning tricks and snorting coke whenever she gets the chance. This prostitute certainly doesn’t have a heart of gold, but nonetheless you feel pretty bad for her as you watch her engage in graphic sexual acts, get high, get raped and get robbed. Things go from bad to worse when she is picked up by a trucker (Jeff F. Renfro) who takes her out to the desert and brutalizes her for days on end.

While the plot might make it seem like just another torture flick, let me assure you that The Bunny Game is anything but. Is there torture? Well, yes, but it’s more the nasty psychological kind that sticks with you for days, rather than straight-up blood and guts. And the intense psychological wringer that the film puts both the victim (Getsic) and viewer through makes the film seem that much more realistic, which, believe me, will further raise the audience’s anxiety! And after all the things the cast (namely Getsic) went through, it is no wonder the film feels so authentic!

Director Adam Rehmeier, who co-wrote the film with actress Getsic, says the film wasn’t written with a strict script (there is very little dialogue) and most of the performances came organically from the actors. They were just sorta let loose on one another and given license to go as dark as they could…and, boy, did they ever go dark! Not only were the performances spontaneous, but so was the camerawork. Most scenes were filmed in only one take (usually unheard of in a film), which only adds to the immediacy and realism of the film.

The film also has a very voyeuristic feel, which adds to the snuff-like, performance art quality of it. The shaky camera angles, the constant zooming in and out and so on really make you feel like you are right there with the characters. And no matter how hard you try and get away (or look away), you just can’t.

Despite its shocking brutality, there isn’t that much blood and gore, if that’s what you’re hoping for. Most of its terror comes from psychological torture. Bunny is just as mentally broken down by the trucker as she is physically abused. He locks her up for days and submits her to all kinds of torment – stripping her down, humiliating her body, flashing a spotlight in her eyes, chaining her up, taking her for walks on a leash, shaving her head, etc. And that doesn’t even begin to detail the physical and sexual abuse he perpetuates against her. It is this kind of damaging psychological horror that is most effective, at least in my opinion. Anyone can do gross-out blood and guts, but it takes real talent to get into the audience’s brains and truly disturb them.

Congratulations are in order for director/co-writer Rehmeier and co-writer Getsic, because they have crafted a hauntingly unsettling film! It may be intensely difficult to sit through, but at least it looks stunning and isn’t just a point-and-shoot affair. There are even some beautifully dynamic shots in the film that momentarily relieve you of the brutality on-screen. It is filmed completely in black and white, which gives it a monochromatic and artistic look.

However, even the way the film is shot echoes the manic madness of the film, for juxtaposed against the gorgeously framed shots are choppy, disorienting edits, frantic shaky cam shots, voyeuristic zooms and more to make the viewer experience even further discomfort. Even the music, which features chaotic metal in the first few scenes but devolves into a creepy score as the film progresses, adds heightened emotion to scenes that are already difficult to watch…And just when you think you can’t possibly take anymore the next scene comes up to further test your limits.

I can only use “disturbing”, “unsettling” and their derivatives so much to describe The Bunny Game, but hopefully by now you get the point. This film definitely isn’t for most people, but if you like challenging films that push limits, you should give The Bunny Game a view. It’s probably the closest you’ll ever get to a snuff film!

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Bunny Lake is Missing (1965)

In this stylish and tense ‘60s British mystery, young mother Ann (Carol Lynley) has just moved to London to be with her brother Steven (Keir Dullea). Her young daughter, Bunny, goes missing after Ann drops her off at her first day of school, but no one even remembers seeing the child. Steven is overprotective of Ann and immediately blames the school, but when the police become involved Detective Newhouse (Laurence Olivier) can’t seem to find any evidence to show that Bunny ever existed.

I’d heard of Bunny Lake is Missing on and off for years, but never checked it out before now. I’m not sure why I waited this long, because it’s a fantastically tense and well-done thriller that still holds up to this day!

The audience is continually held in suspense because we’re never quite sure whether Bunny is real and missing or if she is just a product of Ann’s imagination. Director Otto Preminger does a fantastic job of keeping us in rapt attention as Ann tries to retrace her steps to prove that Bunny is very much a real person. The mystery is heightened by the shadowy black-and-white that gives it a noir feel and the stunning chiaroscuro photography (I especially love the sinister and suspenseful sequence at a doll shop that changes everything!). All in all, the film is beautifully filmed and additionally gives us a nice peek at ‘60s London.

The acting by Carol Lynley as Ann is brilliant. She is continually standing up for herself, asserting that she isn’t crazy and that Bunny really does exist, but she does this with just a shred of doubt so that the audience isn’t quite sure it can trust her. Keir Dullea was also great as the concerned brother who wanted to blame everyone but Ann. He had great intensity in the role and it was hard to take my eyes off him whenever he was in a scene! The legendary Laurence Olivier did a serviceable job as the detective, but this character didn’t seem like much of a challenge for him and his performance feels phoned in. That’s okay, though, as the real star of the show is Lynley and all her frenetic and frustrated energy as Ann!

Now, I don’t want to spoil the ending for anyone, but it’s a doozy! I certainly didn’t see it coming, though as it gets nearer to the conclusion it becomes a vague possibility. The reveal is perfectly timed so when it does happen you are left momentarily shocked and then immensely satisfied. The ideal way to end a film, no?

I was surprised watching Bunny Lake because of how tense and intense of a film it is – especially since before watching I’d heard claims of its campiness. However, I found no evidence of camp, but just a straightforward thriller that kept me on my toes. Though it is regarded as a cult classic, I believe Bunny Lake is Missing deserves a much wider audience and would fit in nicely with other classic psychological horror.

If you are into classic horror mysteries with plenty of twists and turns, I highly recommend checking out Bunny Lake is Missing, an underrated psychological thriller.

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Contact (2009)

 

In this gorgeous and grim short film from director Jeremiah Kipp, two lovers (played masterfully by Zoe Daelman Chlanda and Robb Leigh Davis) score a drug from an underpass drug dealer and have an unpleasant and increasingly horrific trip back at their apartment.

From eerie opening scenes showing an older couple setting the table and waiting for a guest (I never thought setting a table could be so creepy!) to a beautifully framed shot of the couple as viewed through a window, Contact oozes sinister style.

From the beginning, it’s apparent the lead characters are going to be taking a strange journey, a la Alice in Wonderland. The drug dealer, played by B-movie cult figure Alan Rowe Kelly (who also produced), reminded me a bit of the Mad Hatter and the whimsical, old-fashioned bottles the drugs were stored in reminded me of the “Drink Me” bottles Alice encounters in the Lewis Carroll story.

There is a sense of foreboding and unease throughout the short, which only builds when the couple takes the drug. Dialogue is very limited, creating an even more surreal atmosphere, which is further developed with the freaky visuals of faces melding together and then stretching apart. The direction by Jeremiah Kipp and cinematography by Dominick Sivilli is stunning. The movie is filmed in black and white, giving it an artistic look, and Kipp creates a claustrophobic, paranoid atmosphere of confusion and vulnerability.

Besides the beauty of the visuals and the tension they create, the actors should also be commended for their terrific performances. As mentioned earlier, there is hardly any dialogue, so it’s up to the actors to portray their emotions and what they are going through solely through body language and facial expressions. Zoe Daelman Chlanda gives an absolutely amazing performance, filled with horror and vulnerability, and commands her screen time.

Contact is a stunningly sinister short film that is probably one of the best anti-drug films I’ve seen! It perfectly captures the horror of being trapped in a trip and the repercussions of drug use on family members. Reach out and make Contact today!

Watch the film on IndieRoar.com!

Fear(s) of the Dark (2007)

Fear(s) of the Dark is an animated anthology featuring black and white shorts of varying artistic styles. The result is simply stunning and there is no doubt that fans of animated horror and comic books will dig this amazing French film.

The stories all deal with different kinds of horror, from classic Cronenberg-like body horror to the horrors of growing up and relationships to the overarching theme of the anthology – fear of the unknown.

The film begins with a wrap-around story by Blutch featuring a scary old man dressed in period clothing walking a pack of menacing dogs. Between segments he ambles across the rugged countryside and decrepit city, loosing his dogs on unsuspecting people. This wrap-around segment is just beautiful to look at and is artfully rendered in what looks like charcoal. Out of all the segments, this was my favorite aesthetically. It has such texture and wonderful depth! Plus, the old man is frighteningly and hideously scary!

The style of most of the stories was simple black and white line drawings, so don’t be expecting too much fancy animation (with the exception of the wrap-around story mentioned above). Yet, even though the animation was simple I really enjoyed each and every one of the stories. They were each different, both in style and in narrative. My favorite of the tales was probably the last segment, about a haunted house of sorts, by Richard McGuire. The use of lighting (which was mainly candlelight) here really helped the narrative and created a tense atmosphere. I also loved Charles Burns’ tale of a humanoid insect that burrows under the skin of its captor’s girlfriend. The gaping wounds and body horror associated with the story reminded me much of Cronenberg’s films.

The only portions I wasn’t too fond of were the interspersed segments where people talk about what they fear (both irrational and rational fears) against a background of abstract black and white shapes. These segments just made me feel like I was sitting in on a psychiatrist’s appointments having to listen to people’s strange neuroses! I really feel these took away from the stark beauty of the rest of the stories.

All in all, though, Fear(s) of the Dark is an exciting, unique and beautiful anthology of stories fit for anyone who appreciates animation.

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Experiments in Terror 3 (2008)

Experiments in Terror 3 is a collection of horror shorts covering a wide variety of time periods and sub-genres. From silent slapstick to avant guarde, there are six shorts (plus one extra) and within these is something for anyone looking for something slightly off-kilter than the usual horror-fare.

The short films in Experiments in Terror 3 are on the surreal, hallucinogenic side, offering glimpses into the dark unknown and into the very blackened heart of evil. Let me introduce you to each of the six short films contained in the collection…

First is the clever The Psychotic Odyssey of Richard Chase by Carey Burtt. Made in 1999, the film utilizes Barbie-type dolls, stuffed animals and sets made out of construction paper to tell the true story of cannibal-killer Richard Chase, “the Vampire of Sacramento”, who believed he needed to drink blood to stay alive and killed many people (and animals) to sustain his “need”. The way Burtt decided to tell the story with dolls instead of actors was really effective. It was creepy the way the innocence of toys was used to tell the story of such a twisted individual as Chase. I really got a kick out of this inventive short!

Next is Satan Claus, a nightmarish fairy tale created by cult director J.X. Williams in 1975. The short is told in a very surreal way and tells the story of a young boy who is left alone on Christmas Eve by his neglectful parents and summons “Satan Claus”. This hallucinogenic orgy may only be three minutes long, but it is nonetheless one of my favorites of this collection. Williams made this short, cobbled together from other films, to get back at a theater owner he worked for and who owed him money. When he didn’t pay up, Williams showed Satan Claus before a children’s film and many angry patrons demanded the theater owner refund them for the “traumatizing” experience! Everything from the washed-out appearance of the film to Satan’s otherworldly Hell and even his garish appearance reminded me of a Rob Zombie music video in the best possible way!

An excerpt from the full-length feature film Loma Lynda is next, titled “The Red Door”. This is a nasty, grim scene that shows an evil old scumbag belittling and then raping a young woman before her alter-ego gets revenge. Shot in HD, this film looked professional and slick. The disturbing subject matter along with the dark characters reminded me of a David Lynch film. I especially liked the odd music used as well as the blacked out eyes of the girl’s alter ego. Though this was one nasty piece of work, I can’t wait to see the full-length film from filmmaker Jason Bognacki (it is currently still playing in film festivals, but should be released on DVD soon).

In Ben Rivers’ Terror!, he deconstructs the horror genre by splicing together countless scenes from different horror movies like Friday the 13^th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Burning, The Beyond, Halloween, Zombi and many more to show the genre conventions of horror. He follows the structures and clichés of horror films, showing similar scenes from different movies and how they all add up to the big, messy finale. Though the beginning is a bit slow and repetitive as Rivers shows all the similar “set-up” scenes used again and again in horror, this really makes the viewer take a hard look at our favorite genre and understand why we love it so, even if it is sometimes predictable. Besides, you’ll have a ton of fun playing “Name that Horror Movie” with each clip shown and the bloody finale is well worth the wait!

After the first four stellar shorts, the remaining two are a bit of a letdown. Born of the Wind is a cheap 1961 film about a scientist that falls in love with a mummy princess he has resurrected, but its slow pace and amateur production make it hard to sit through. Then there is 2007′s Manuelle Labor, another silent film that tries to mimic the style of ’20s vaudeville. The story, about a sister that gives birth to a pair of hands, just feels like its trying too hard to be cutesy and artsy and comes off just plain boring.

There is also an extra short in the “Extras” portion of the disc, entitled It Gets Worse. It too is shot like a silent film, but features plenty of lowbrow gags to overcome its slow pace.

All in all, Experiments in Terror 3 is a fine collection of varied styles of horror. It has something for everyone, and though my favorites included the first four films, I’m sure that even the silent films will find some fans! It is usually very difficult for horror fans to find such a diverse collection of shorts, but Provocateur Pictures has indeed assembled some shorts that are definitely worth your time!

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The Black Pit of Dr. M (1959)

Full of dark shadows, creeping fog, howling wind, ghostly apparitions, mental patients, disfigurement, death and murder, The Black Pit of Dr. M (aka Misterios de Ultratumba) is a masterpiece of gothic filmmaking that deserves far more attention and praise than it has received.

Dr. Mazali (Rafael Bertrand) and Dr. Aldama (Antonio Raxel) have sworn a pact that states whomever dies first must figure out a way for the other to experience the afterlife while still being able to return to the flesh. When Dr. Aldama dies, Dr. Mazali conducts a séance to remind his friend of their promise. Dr. Aldama speaks through a medium to Dr. Mazali that in precisely three months at 9 pm he will fulfill his promise and show Dr. Mazali the afterlife, but at a horrific cost.

Meanwhile, Dr. Aldama’s estranged daughter Patricia (Mapita Cortés) is led by the ghost of the late doctor (her father!) to the mental hospital where Dr. Mazali works. Patricia falls for Dr. Mazali’s young intern (Gastón Santos), while Dr. Mazali becomes entranced with the pretty girl. All the while, time is quickly passing and leading to the fateful night when the doctors’ pact will be realized.

One night, a mental patient (Carolina Barret) of Dr. Mazali gets exceedingly violent and hurls a bottle of acid in the face of an orderly named Elmer (Carlos Ancira), horribly disfiguring him. When the same mental patient turns up dead in Dr. M’s arms, he is blamed for her death and convicted of her murder. All the way to the gallows he believes Dr. Aldama will fulfill his promise and save him from death…but at what cost?

Mexican director Fernando Méndez crafts astoundingly atmospheric visuals and writer Ramón Obón spins a dizzyingly suspenseful story, both creating an unforgettable film with The Black Pit of Dr. M.

The visuals of the long halls of the arcane mental hospital, the dense fog, the Doctor’s villa and the dark shadows will strike you first. There are certain shots that are framed to perfection, including one scene that features the starkly back-lit gallows, which rival any of the classic Universal horror films for their gothic mystique.

Secondly, you will notice that the story of intrigue builds upon itself and never leaves a dull moment. Not only that, but time is adequately taken to properly develop the characters as the story unfolds. While the gorgeously gothic visuals help grab your attention and establish the dark mood of the film, it’s the compounding storyline that keeps building that really sets this masterpiece apart. It really has a bit of everything, from the ghostly visits of Dr. Aldama to the deranged mental patient to the disfigurement of Elmer and the strange love triangle between Dr. M, Patricia and the intern. It may sound a bit overwhelming at first, but both director Méndez and writer Obón skillfully weave an engaging story.

The actors also add to the high quality of the film, doing an amazing job of bringing their characters and their inky motivations to life. Rafael Bertrand is wonderful as the titular Dr. M and is easily the Mexican equivalent of Vincent Price! I also enjoyed the beautiful Mapita Cortés as Patricia. She added a real spark to the film. Even the woman who played the violent mental patient, Carolina Barret, did a fantastic job with her character. Though she had no dialogue, her facial expressions and body language artfully portrayed all the mad emotions in her character. All of the actors’ passionate portrayals of their characters, coupled with the mysterious atmosphere and intriguing story, helped create an unforgettable film.

Unless you aren’t a fan of old black and white movies (and if you’re not, you are truly missing out), there isn’t one negative thing I can say about this film. From the opening death bed sequence to the grand, horrifying finale, The Black Pit of Dr. M had me hooked. Its stark chiaroscuro cinematography coupled with its intriguing story set in the fog-shrouded villa and mental hospital will leave you in awe.

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Last Man on Earth (1964)

With the impending I Am Legend film starring Will Smith looming close on the cinematic horizon, I felt it necessary to go back and watch other films that were based on Richard Matheson’s legendary book. My first pick was Last Man on Earth, starring Vincent Price.

Last Man on Earth is a bleak and desolate picture shot in black and white that George Romero himself has claimed to having inspired Night of the Living Dead. Its hopeless atmosphere coupled with Price’s strong performance has made it a cult favorite even though it was quickly dismissed at the time of its release in 1964.

Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) wakes up day after day to the same monotonous and lonely routine. Each day he wakes up is just “another day to live through,” according to him. He is all alone in a post-apocalyptic world. Everyday he drives through debris-filled, utterly lifeless streets, looking for supplies to sustain him and dumping corpses into The Pit. You see, three years ago a plague infected the entire human population, turning them all into vampires. Everyone, that is, except for Morgan (he is immune because of a run-in with a vampire bat). Now he spends his days fortifying his home, driving the empty streets for useful supplies and dumping dead bodies of vampires into a fire pit. The days may be Morgan’s, but the nights belong to the creatures of the night. When night descends, Morgan must be safe inside his house or risk being torn to bits by the shuffling and zombie-like vampires!

The film stays fairly true to the book, but it lacks the sense of dread that pervades Matheson’s story. Matheson initially adapted the script from his own book, but the producer handed it off to William Leicester to beef up. Matheson was furious at this development and very unhappy with the way Leicester adapted it. He insisted his name be pulled off the credits, replacing it with pseudonym Logan Swanson. If you’ve read Matheson’s book, it does feel like something is off and not quite right about the script. Though the script stays fairly true to the events in the book, there is a certain sense of isolation and horror that appears to be missing.

One thing that isn’t missing or lacking is Vincent Price’s performance. Price captures the heartbreak, hopelessness, longing and loneliness of the last man on earth in a very subdued, but no less affecting, manner. He tones down his usually hammy performance to give us one of his best performances ever.

From watching Last Man on Earth, it becomes pretty obvious that it was, in fact, one of Romero’s influences for Night of the Living Dead (as was Matheson’s book). Both were filmed in black and white (though color stock was widely available at the time) and feature an austere and grim look, both visually and philosophically. They share a very similar tone, but Last Man on Earth just lacked a certain something.

Also, the infected undead in Last Man on Earth, with their slow, shambling walk and hunger for the kill, act more like zombies than bloodsuckers. Still, they can’t stand garlic, sunlight or mirrors and only a stake through the heart will kill them. Every night they attack the house where Morgan lives, yelling at him to “Come out!” but they don’t have the brains to break in. While these nightly ghouls aren’t very scary in our day and age, they purposely aren’t the most horrifying thing in the film. The most terrifying thing is being the “last man on earth,” an outsider, a minority and all alone. There are so many different levels to that particular fear and so much social commentary that could be found in this film…

Yet, I just couldn’t bring myself to really like this film. My main complaint was with the pacing. Though you cared a great deal about what happened to Dr. Morgan, there was far too much time spent on flashbacks of his (and the world’s) past. The focus should have been on the terror at hand as opposed to what happened in the past or explaining how the plague occurred. These flashbacks bog down the film and make its already slow/subtle pace even more meandering. The ending, where we discover the fate of the last man on earth, almost makes up for pace. Almost, but not quite. I’ll be very interested to see how they end the new I Am Legend film…

Last Man on Earth is a close adaptation of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, but it fails to capture the complete spectrum of desperation, loneliness and hopelessness that the novel horrifies the viewer with. Still, it’s definitely worth a look for Vincent Price’s excellent performance, the desolate world it portrays and its deeper outlook on humanity.

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The Bad Seed (1956)

For those of you following along at home, you know I’m not a big fan of kids or the whole “parenting” experience. Kids just creep me out and imagining one growing inside of me…ugh…it gives me the willies. Other people can reproduce all they want (though it would probably be a better place if most of the population DIDN’T), but you won’t see me cradling a newborn anytime soon.

My repulsion of children is probably why I love evil kid movies so much. There’s just something so inherently EVIL about kids – their grubby and germ-infested hands, drooling mouths and overall utter lack of hygiene are one thing, but the fact that kids are supposed to be these angelic innocents and, in fact, usually AREN’T is what is so disturbing about them. So, naturally I couldn’t wait to check out 1956’s The Bad Seed, which features Patty McCormack as an 8 year old who is rotten to the core!

Little Miss Rhoda Penmark (Patty McCormack) is the picture of 1950’s perfection. She always minds her P’s and Q’s, curtsies to teachers and guests, always keeps her room tidy, her prim and proper dresses are always spot-free and her tightly braided pigtails never have a hair out of place. She is the perfect little lady and is adored by everyone. Well, almost everyone. When her doting military father, Colonel Kenneth Penmark (William Hopper), must go away to Washington D.C. for a while, Rhoda and her mother, Christine (Nancy Kelly), are left to their own devices. Christine begins to suspect that Rhoda is not the supposed innocent that she pretends to be. When fatal “accidents” start occurring, Christine becomes more suspicious of Rhoda, until she is torn between her love of her daughter and her moral obligation.

I found that The Bad Seed has definitely held up all the years since its release, though it may not be for everyone. Before being turned into a movie, it was originally adapted for stage from a book. The whole film does have a very “play-like” feel to it, like how the actors enter and exit and how it is mostly set in the Penmark’s living room. Yet, it wasn’t until AFTER I watched the film that I learned of its roots in theater and I hadn’t noticed any of the similarities to a stage play while watching the movie, so this certainly didn’t affect my view of the film.

Even though the film is over two hours long, it had more than enough story to keep me interested the entire time. To some it might seem to drag on, but I found it to be a delightful and engaging film. It is dialogue heavy, and it being 1956 when it was released, doesn’t feature any bloody deaths. Still, the increasingly strained relationship between mother and daughter, the escalating criminal behavior of Rhoda and a few twists and turns on “nature vs. nurture” kept me glued to the screen.

The intriguing story was supported by excellent acting. Patty McCormack does an amazing job as the blond-haired, blue-eyed but truly evil Rhoda. At first I thought she was overplaying the sugary sweetness of her character, but as the film continued I could see that the saccharine performance only helped to more clearly juxtapose her character’s black and rotten core. I would not want to get on this child’s wrong side! Nancy Kelly as Rhoda’s mother, Christine, also does an amazing job. Her portrayal of Christine’s mental deterioration is impressive. Her range of emotions, starting at happy at the beginning of the film and nose-diving toward depressive towards the end, is quite a spectacle to watch. You can really sympathize with her increasingly desperate situation. She definitely convinced me not to have kids (as if I needed convincing!).

If you don’t mind dialogue-heavy, black and white films, The Bad Seed is a delightful film in the “evil child” subgenre of horror. If you’ve ever found yourself carefully avoiding playgrounds and edging away from beaming parents and their newborns, you’ll find a lot to love with The Bad Seed.

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Spider Baby (1964)

Spider Baby has been a long sought after, but extremely rare film to find. If you were lucky enough to see it, it was probably on a horribly transferred, scratchy VHS bootleg. Luckily, the good folks over at Dark Sky Films, bless their souls, have restored, remastered (under supervision from director Jack Hill) and released a special edition of this fantastic film.

Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told, is about the Merrye clan, who live in isolation in the middle of nowhere in a large and creepy mansion. The Merrye children, Elizabeth (Beverly Washburn), Virginia (Jill Banner) and Ralph (Sid Haig) all suffer from a rare genetic disease that makes its victims regress, first to a childlike state, but ultimately to a cannibalistic and savage state. They are cared for by the loyal chauffeur, Bruno (Lon Chaney, Jr.). The children like to play games, but it seems all who enter their gates ends up dead. When greedy distant relatives and their slimy lawyer descend upon the Merrye house, they get more than they bargain for as they realize the Merrye family will stop at nothing to protect their secret.

This 1964 film is one that definitely deserved to be given a special release. Everything from the fantastical story to the stellar acting makes this a cult classic with good reason. I couldn’t put it better than Dark Sky Films’ when they describe the film as “Luis Bunuel meets The Addams Family meets The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” The surreal atmosphere combined with the morbid comedic relief and the few shocking scenes of brutality tie in very nicely with the overarching theme of family loyalty.

The story, written by director Jack Hill, is fantastical and entirely engaging. Hill creates memorable characters set amidst a very gothic setting (cob-web filled, derelict mansion complete with hidden passages). Throw in a tragic disease, evil relatives and multiple murders and you’ve got quite a story! Everything works in this film!

The actors must be given due credit for imbuing their characters with life. The legendary Lon Chaney, Jr. is amazing as the loyal and steadfast caregiver, Bruno. Any fans of his will delight in seeing him in this, dare I say, sweet role. It is also a treat to see Sid Haig in his early years as the child-like Ralph. Jill Banner as Virginia and Beverly Washburn as Elizabeth also do an amazing jobs as the young Merrye women. There is one creepy scene where Elizabeth plays “Spider” with her Uncle Peter and then attempts to seduce him…if that scene doesn’t give you the willies, then there is something seriously wrong with you!!

The film’s black and white print looks amazing and its restoration was carefully supervised by Jack Hill. The special features aren’t too shabby either and include a feature-length commentary with writer/director Hill and actor Sid Haig, a slew of featurettes including “The Hatching of Spider Baby,” “Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein,” and “The Merrye House Revisited,” a still gallery, an alternate opening sequence and extended scenes. All this makes the special edition of Spider Baby one to definitely buy.

I must disagree with those that call this a “B-movie.” There is absolutely nothing subpar in Spider Baby. This was even my first time seeing this film, and I was blown away at how engaging it is and how much I liked it! From the delightful animated opening scenes (complete with Lon Chaney, Jr. singing the theme song) through to the explosive end, this Spider certainly had me wrapped up in its web!

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Castle of Blood (1964)

Exquisitely creepy and essentially gothic, Antonio Margheriti’s Castle of Blood is the perfect moody film for dark, stormy nights. Heck, I watched it while the sun was still shining and it still made my apartment feel like a dank, dark crypt. Much like Mario Bava’s classic Black Sunday, Castle of Blood is full of foggy cemeteries, beautiful damsels in distress, cursed ghosts and a very gloomy yet suspenseful atmosphere.

Journalist Alan Foster is planning to meet with great author Edgar Allan Poe at a pub. When he arrives, Poe is regaling a group of men with one of his fantastical tales. After the tale is finished, Poe goes on to tell Alan that his tales are based on truth. Poe’s friend, Lord Blackwood, agrees with him and he and Poe challenge the scoffing Alan to stay at a supposedly haunted castle overnight. It is a special night, the night of the dead, where the ghosts of the castle supposedly come back to reenact their last moments on earth. According to Blackwood, no one has ever been able to last the entire night in the castle.

Alan begrudgingly agrees to the proposition and the three take a two hour carriage ride to the isolated and seemingly abandoned castle. Poe and Blackwood drop Alan off and tell him they shall return at dawn to see how he fared. Alan opens the creaky iron gates of the castle, creeps through an overgrown cemetery and is spooked by a little black cat before heading into the dark castle. Here he does some exploring and finds that he is not alone. A woman named Elisabeth appears and soon she and Alan have fallen in love. Trouble is, Elisabeth is a ghost and soon the other inhabitants of the castle appear. Alan starts to wonder if he is going mad but soon discovers that the apparitions are after more than his sanity…they want his blood!

For fans of old, black and white, atmospheric haunted house movies, Castle of Blood is a must-see. If, on the other hand, you need constant gore and action to keep your attention during a movie you may want to skip this one. The first 10 minutes alone show Alan just making his way into the castle and poking around. I love these kind of movies, though, the kind that are full of creaky doors, black cats, overgrown cemeteries, eerie fog, nefarious mysteries and murders!

The acting is quite well-done, though perhaps a bit over-dramatic for today’s audiences. Still, Barbara Steele shines as the doomed Elisabeth Blackwood and Georges Riviere is excellent as the unbelieving Alan Foster. The rest of the cast does a spectacular job as well and each character helps create a foreboding atmosphere as the movie progresses to the finale.

Margheriti’s direction is excellent. Everything is in the chiarcoscuro style and very Gothic-inspired. Scenes of rolling fog in between gnarled trees and broken tombstones look gorgeously creepy and the cramped, dark corners of the castle are truly claustrophobic. Margheriti builds on the dread with each scene and really delivers at the end.

The Synapse DVD release of Castle of Blood has previously unreleased scenes, such as a lesbian scene, a nude scene and a few extra scenes that add further explanation. These scenes were so rare to find that the only prints that existed were French. Therefore, you will notice that when these scenes pop up they have French audio with English subtitles. After getting over the language switch, you’ll find that these never-before-seen-scenes add a lot to the overall movie. Synapse has done a great service to movie fans by adding these “lost” scenes back into this film.

Castle of Blood is a must-see for fans of old haunted house films. The Synapse DVD is highly recommended for its restoration of “lost” scenes, but I recommend seeing this film any way you can!

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The Psychomanteum (2007)

Have you ever fallen into a fevered dreamscape where blackness threatens to crush you but at the same time everything seems tightly stretched? Where images swirl and eddy in the inky black pools of your subconscious as you try to grasp at any sense of reality? If you’ve experienced any of these disorienting symptoms, chances are you’ll be very familiar with the nightmarish vision of The Psychomanteum, a short avant-garde film by Dave Holt.

The surreal film won’t be for everyone, but for those that enjoy intense imagery and avant-garde filmmaking, The Psychomanteum is spellbinding. The film concerns a young, troubled woman on a dark journey. We see into her violent past, her vicious encounters with several people, intense appointments with her psychiatrist and a look deep within her psyche. Everything is a jumble of intense, nightmarish visuals until the end of the film, where we come to understand the method to the madness, so to speak.

The Psychomanteum is a rich and visually hypnotizing film, one that had me glued to my seat for its entire 25 minute run-time. Filmed entirely in black and white, it doesn’t feature much dialogue, instead utilizing an eerie score that leads us further and further into darkness. The film’s grainy and scratched look gives it a more sinister and fragmented feel, much like the main character’s mind. The brief flashes of images and intense visuals add to the disorienting feel of the film.

Filmmaker Dave Holt has crafted a film of transfixing power from the hidden darkness found deep inside each and every one of us. Each scene carries a strong visual that has been lovingly shot. Each image, no matter how fleeting, is beautifully composed. The film can best be compared to a piece of art, with each haunting scene invoking a multitude of emotions. If Holt set out to create a dark vision of beauty, he had decidedly accomplished that goal with the jaw-droppingly stunning Psychomanteum.

The Psychomanteum is definitely not for everyone. It lacks a straightforward plot and other conventions of a standard movie that most people are used to. Still, if you want to see art within a nightmarish horror film that plays upon emotion with striking visuals, The Psychomanteum comes highly recommended. Just don’t get too mesmerized by its eerie, dark charms and tumble into its nightmare world forever…

Psychomanteum’s Official Site

13 Tzameti (2005)

13 Tzameti is a startling film from start to finish and feels like a touch of Hostel with obvious film noir influences.

While fixing a man's roof, a poor young man named Sebastien (George Babluani) overhears a conversation about a mysterious job that has a very large pay off. When the man dies, Sebastien chances upon a letter that contains a ticket and instructions for the "job" in question. He seizes the opportunity and follows the instructions to an isolated location, not realizing what he is getting himself into. With cops hot on his trail, Sebastien is thrown into a dark underworld where men bet on the lives of others.

The film is captured in black and white, its starkness echoing the nihilism of the subject matter. The audience is immediately thrust in Sebastien's shoes as we experience everything through him. Like him, we are confused yet intrigued as he follows the detailed directions, only to be terrified at where they land him. Alongside Sebastien we discover the high stakes that this particular "job" entails to win the cash prize.

Writer/director Gela Babluani has created a film that is full of tension, dripping from the screen like the sweat from the brows of the players. Like Sebastien, we know very little in the beginning and things seem pretty normal. The tension begins to mount when he realizes what he has become involved in and from that point on never lets up. Actor George Babluani does a fantastic job portraying his character's many emotions, from desperation to confidence to fear and remorse. Babluani was perfectly cast as Sebastien, evoking both innocence and menace. For a film built on the emotions and reactions of characters, Babluani definitely pulls it off.

The film uses music sparingly, again focusing on the tension created by the characters' emotions and reactions. Without music there to cue emotions, my response to the film was more visceral and realistic. The atmosphere became even more foreboding and tense. The no frills approach to music also matched the simple, straight-forward camera work and the plain black and white it was shot in.

13 Tzameti is definitely NOT another Hostel - there are no T & A shots, no gore and the only torture is mental, but it has similar themes and issues. It deals with the haves and the have-nots, the wealthy looking to spend their money on the next big thrill and the exploited lower classes. I enjoyed this social commentary and was rooting for Sebastien the entire time, even when things got a bit twisty at the end in typical film noir fashion.

The less you know going into this film the better. I had only read a synopsis of 13 Tzameti and watched the trailer, but I still think that gave too much away. The whole atmosphere and mood of the film is much more effective and enjoyable if you go in blind.

13 Tzameti is an intense, gripping and tension-filled film, one that will have you wiping the sweat off your brow as you go along for the ride.

Available on Amazon!

Mercy (2006)

Mercy, a black and white feature film from director/writer Patrick Roddy, takes a very avant-garde approach to the horror film. Its decayed and stark urban setting makes it feel very film noir, while it’s pacing, slowly unfolding story and almost surreal imagery make it feel more like an avant-garde art film rather than a horror film. Let me put it this way, Mercy is a surreal film with a film noir twist and a sharp horror edge.

John Mercy (Gary Shannon) is released from a 25 year stint in prison. His assigned parole office tells him where he’ll live, where he’ll work, and, most importantly, what he is NOT allowed to do. No weapons, no drugs, no alcohol, no visitors to his shabby hotel room and so on. Though John is out of prison, he is not a free man. His parole officer makes a point of telling him, “I still own you.” John’s room at the hotel he’ll be living at even looks like a jail cell – stark and small. His job at a factory is just as dreary and repetitive. It seems that everyone is against him, from his parole officer to the hotel manager. Even the pimps, drug dealers, addicts, hookers and Bible-thumping preacher that live on the streets of his run-down neighborhood seem out to get him. His only repose comes from a postcard that reads “God’s Country,” with a picture of the Montana wilderness on it. John longs for the serenity and freedom of the country that he knows is impossible for him to have. Nonetheless, John keeps on trucking and believes he has paid his dues for past mistakes. He just wants to start over and put the past behind him.

His days are repetitive as he adheres to his state-prescribed routine – wake up, go to work, come home, daydream about wide open spaces and fresh air, go to the bar and repeat.

He meets Eve at the empty bar close to his hotel. She’s a blond aspiring actress and they begin meeting regularly at the bar. They soon begin a relationship, but not before strange things start happening to John. He begins having visions and nightmares of a woman with a slit throat. This woman begins haunting him, day in and day out. He also begins seeing his last name carved into the strangest places – behind the dresser in his hotel room, on a gravestone and on a wall. One day, he wakes up to find himself missing a tooth. His torment doesn’t end there though, as he begins mysteriously losing more and more body parts. First, a bloody mouth with a missing tooth, then a missing pinky finger, then an eyeball…Is John crazy? Is something from his past coming back to seek revenge? Or is his new love, Eve, the one to blame for everything?

Technically, this film is beautifully shot. The stark black and white it is shot in gives John’s world a dark, sinister feel. Director Patrick Roddy certainly excels at crafting fine shots, with every frame being nearly perfect throughout the film. The austere shots evoke a sense of isolation, loneliness and a pervading sadness. Most of the film is dialogue-free, with a haunting score to set the eerie and sad mood of the picture.

The acting by Gary Shannon as John Mercy is what really stands out in this film, though. His eyes carry a sad, far-away look, and that one look speaks volumes more than dialogue ever could. Kudos must go to director Roddy for finding such an amazing actor to play the broken John.

While Mercy is an interesting, beautifully bleak and brilliantly acted film, it still suffers from dragging on a little too long. The scenes of John’s repetitive life are there for a reason, but get downright boring for the viewer the bazillionth time we see them. Art film junkies and film students who are used to slow pacing and symbolic scenes will no doubt appreciate the film, but I don’t think many horror fans will have the patience to see this one through to the end.

If you enjoy surreal films with a film noir twist and a slight horror edge, I recommend you check out Mercy. If you can’t stand subtlety or a film with a slow pace, though, I recommend you skip it. Either way, Mercy is an interesting film that will most definitely find a cult audience.

Anesthesia (2006)

After watching this 6 minute short, I never, ever want to go under the knife. Anesthesia is totally cringe-worthy and had me covering my eyes for most of it. It is not even gory, it just made me so uncomfortable that I literally was squirming in my seat!

A woman prays before going into surgery. Once on the operating table, she tells the nurse to keep her cross necklace close by. The nurse administers the anesthesia, but to the woman's horror she can still see, hear and feel what is going on. Her eyes are wide open, but she cannot cry out to the doctors or even move. The doctors prepare for surgery, taping her eyes shut and pulling a sheet over her head to expose the area to be operated on. The surgeon lifts the scalpel as the woman screams in her own head, pleading God to take her away from this agony...

This is definitely the most intense short film I've seen in a long time, and deserves much praise. The director, Adam Kargman, knows how to build tension to a fevered pitch until you don't want to watch what will happen next but have to, like when you pass a really horrendous accident on the freeway. Kargman makes you feel the horror and agony that the patient goes through. Coupled with the many "accidents" happening in hospitals all the time and based on the real-life phenomenon of "anesthesia awareness", this short sure makes me squeamish about being anesthetized.

Kargman wanted the film to be technically accurate, so in preparation he interviewed countless surgeons and anesthesiologists, read many medical texts and observed a surgery firsthand. The film was even filmed in a lab at a real hospital. Dorie Gray, the actress who plays the patient, portrays her role in a very realistic manner. Her performance really made me feel her pain and unbearable terror. The film is shot in black and white, adding to the very creepy, moody and timeless feel. All of this hard work definitely shows; Anesthesia looks and feels very real.

Anesthesia was an official selection for both the Newport Beach International Film Festival and the Phoenix International Film Festival. It was the winner of the Best Student Short at the San Fernando Valley International Film Festival and a nominee for Best Cinematography and Best Actress at the Terror Film Festival in Philadelphia.

Highly recommended if you get a chance to check it out!

Rooms for Tourists (2004)

One of the few exhilarating and truly terrifying movies I've seen all year, Rooms for Tourists is a tension-filled indie flick from Argentina that sticks with a simple story but delivers big scares.

Five girls get off a bus in a tiny, seemingly deserted town to catch a train to Trinidad. They've arrived a little too late as the train has already departed and are stuck in the town overnight until the next train arrives in the morning. The town has a creepy vibe, and as they pass by a church, they see that most of the townsfolk are attending an exorcism. The town preacher, Horacio, is praised by those they meet, but as they see him perform the exorcism, the girls are more than a little freaked out. At the train station, they meet a kind man who explains that he lives with his brother in a large house and they rent out rooms to tourists passing through. The girls accept his offer of room and board for the night, and head to his isolated house. They get to know each other a little more, as they were all strangers when they disembarked from the bus. Each of the girls gets her own room, and they all rest before dinner. The house has a strange vibe, though and one of the girls, timid Elena, has horrible visions about a masked man butchering women. At dinner, the girls find out that a special guest will be joining them - Horacio, the preacher from town. He lectures them a bit on morals and the evil of relativity before everyone drifts off to bed. A sudden scream wakes everyone up, and they discover one of the girls is missing, leaving only a pool of blood behind. Utter panic ensues, in which they realize that all the windows are barred and all the doors are locked. They are trapped in the house, but not alone. They have a masked killer to contend with, as well as not being able to trust the two brothers. When the lights go out, them must stumble around in the dark to try and find a way out, as one by one they get picked off by the menacing killer.

A simple story, yes, but one that packs a wallop! This movie is shot entirely in black and white and was supposedly made for under $3,000, so it does look very low budget, but it doesn't hinder it. In fact, the gore actually looks better here in black and white than it would have in color. The depiction of hacked up flesh and bone is so realistic and the film so grainy, that it almost feels like a snuff movie. The opening scenes alone give us a dog and its owner getting their skulls bashed in, a woman being burned alive, lots of chopping of flesh and lots of free flowing blood.

The acting is even pretty decent...I actually cared for each of the girls. They each had their own personalities and weren't just cardboard cutouts with boobs. It reminded me of another horror movie with a great cast of women that had to fight against the odds...The Descent, another top favorite of mine from this year.

The story, though simple, was very well written and had a few interesting twists and turns. As the girls discover more and more about the house they are in, they also discover more about themselves and each other, finally realizing that each one of them shares a deep secret.

The ending of the film is brutal and shocking...no one could have seen that coming. Just when you think everything is peachy keen, BAM! the filmmakers bust you upside the head.

The film also has some strong pro-feminist views, as the audience roots for the girls in light of their situation. For the most part, the girls are strong, intelligent and put up a good fight. Their enemy is portrayed as evil and a monster, not the girls. Some have claimed this is a misogynistic movie, but I cannot disagree more with that statement. It definitely questions some religious views, but it doesn't seek to "put women in their place" (like most sorry excuses for horror films do these days).

A definite must-see for horror fans, Rooms for Tourists is a gory ride down memory lane as it inevitably brings back memories of old school horror cinema a la The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Track this one down, because I assure you it's completely worth it.

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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

I have finally gotten around to viewing one of the great-great-great ancestors of the horror genre, the great German Expressionist film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Amazon.com says that Caligari is:

A milestone of the silent film era and one of the first "art films" to gain international acclaim, this eerie German classic from 1919 remains the most prominent example of German expressionism in the emerging art of the cinema. Stylistically, the look of the film's painted sets--distorted perspectives, sharp angles, twisted architecture--was designed to reflect (or express) the splintered psychology of its title character, a sinister figure who uses a lanky somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) as a circus attraction. But when Caligari and his sleepwalker are suspected of murder, their novelty act is surrounded by more supernatural implications. With its mad-doctor scenario, striking visuals, and a haunting, zombie-like character at its center, Caligari was one of the first horror films to reach an international audience, sending shock waves through artistic circles and serving as a strong influence on the classic horror films of the 1920s, '30s, and beyond. It's a museum piece today, of interest more for its historical importance, but Caligari still casts a considerable spell..

The amazing style of this film first lured me in with its funhouse-feel of its design. A very eerie, stylized funhouse, that is.

The film begins with Francis and Alan - bestest of friends, even when in love with the same girl - heading to the town fair. There, they see Dr. Caligari's exhibit of a "somnambulist," Cesare. Cesare can tell the future, and when Alan asks how long he will live, Cesare says, "until dawn!" OK, HERE is where the movie really grabbed me. I was like, "Oh no he didn't!!"

Of course Cesare's prophecy comes true, and Francis is convinced that Dr. Caligari controlled Cesare to commit the murder. Soon, Francis' love, Jane, is kidnapped by Cesare. The townsfolk chase Cesare thru the fantastically nightmarish scenery until he releases Jane but he continues to run. Cesare finally is caught when he drops dead with exhaustion. Meanwhile, Francis has been watching Dr. Caligari...after Cesare is discovered, Caligari makes a run for it, with Francis tailing him. They end up at an insane asylum...and it gets so good after that, I won't spoil it!

Even though this was a silent film, it was very well done. I was yawning a bit towards the beginning, but after I got used to reading the titles and after the story started moving along, I was fully engaged. Yes, it is a grainy black and white SILENT film. Yes you have to read. Yes it is a little slow in places. It is one amazing film, though. I still cannot believe it was made in 1919 (and released in 1920)...absolutely superb! The orchestra that provides the music throughout the entire film is excellent, perfectly conveying the mood and atmosphere. The set design and art direction are just amazing...the story is completely engaging...

This is a definite must-own for horror fans!

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