SyFy's Alice miniseries (2009)

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass have always fascinated me and I’ve always wanted to take the tumble through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole to explore Wonderland. So when I heard an adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classics was being done by the SyFy Channel, I was excited…as well as a little nervous. We are all familiar with SyFy’s uneven record when it comes to their films, but trailers for Alice actually looked pretty interesting and promising. And you know what? After catching the miniseries on SyFy the past two nights I was left pleasantly surprised! Alice has a great vision and gives the Alice in Wonderland story a marvelous modern twist!

Writer/director Nick Willing has modernized Alice, making the titular character a woman who chases after her mysterious love interest, Jack, after he gives her a mysterious ring and is shortly thereafter kidnapped by the sinister White Rabbit organization. She ends up falling through the looking glass and ending up in the strange world of Wonderland. Here, The Queen of Hearts rules with an iron fist and is kidnapping humans so they might be drained of their emotions, which are then used as liquid currency among the populace. The Queen uses the humans’ bottled emotions to control her populace and make them complacent. As Alice tries to hunt down the man she loves and return home, she encounters many different personalities that try to help or hinder her quest. On her side are Hatter and The White Knight, as well as “The Resistance” that wish to stop the Queen. Against her are The Queen of Hearts, her minions called “Suites”, evil Doctors Dee and Dum and many others who seek the ring that Alice possesses. Can Alice find Jack and return to her own world or will she lose her head in the process?

This was a delightful adaptation of a classic! I especially enjoyed the clever placement of characters from the original book and how they were updated for this modern take. For example, The Caterpillar is actually an old man (wearing a green coat that closely resembles the original Caterpillar’s skin) who is a leader of The Resistance against the Queen. We even get the flamingos from the book, but this time they are mechanical flying machines that look like a flying Vespa. The infamous Jabberwocky even makes a memorable appearance in its full glory! I loved the modern take on all the characters and appreciated how Willing kept them in the story while still twisting their appearances and characters.

The world that Willing has created is absolutely stunning – from the Queen’s casino where humans are being drained of their emotions to The White Knight’s fallen kingdom and everything in between, Alice is a visual treat! Sure, the CGI is a bit hokey-pokey when Alice is falling towards Wonderland or when they are riding the motorized flamingos, but none of it really affected my overall enjoyment of the miniseries and overall, I think they did a pretty decent job with all the special effects. I thought the Jabberwocky was especially impressive!

The story has a lot more going for it than one would think, too. With corrupt corporations, a wicked Queen, refugees and humans being basically milked of their emotions, not to mention all of the emotional turmoil Alice goes through with her family history and her long-lost love betraying her, this is one story that has quite a bit going on. Yet, it never once feels convoluted or weighed down. On the contrary, all of these different aspects make it feel more cohesive and seamless. Willing did a fantastic job updating the story for modern audiences and adding many pertinent, modern-day issues to it. Plus, he also kept the original humor and absurdity that laced Carroll’s original work.

Of course, the acting assisted in getting me invested in the story. Caterina Scorsone was fantastic as a modern-day Alice, kicking butt and taking names. She also showed the perfect amount of vulnerability without ever losing her edge. Kathy Bates was perfectly cast as the hot-headed Queen of Hearts, Andrew Lee Potts was adorable as Hatter (and a bit more helpful and even-keeled than Carroll’s Mad Hatter), Matt Frewer was entertaining as the cavalier yet confused White Knight and all the other actors did equally amazing!

I had my hesitations about watching SyFy’s Alice, but Willing has created a delightful yet dangerous Wonderland that’s all grown up. I dare say it might even turn out to be better than the wildly overblown look Tim Burton is going for in his adaptation (I still love you, Burton!). So have your own tea party and try to catch a repeat of the miniseries when it plays again on SyFy or when it is released on DVD!

Check it out on Amazon!

Book Review: The Dark Verse, Vol. 1 by M. Amanuensis Sharkchild

The Dark Verse, Volume 1: From the Passages of Revenants is a collection of 26 fantastical short stories from the darkly imaginative mind of author M. Amanuensis Sharkchild. Sharkchild’s stories were first featured on his self-produced podcast “The Dark Verse” where he would release a fantastically horrific story every two weeks.

The podcast developed quite a following and led to the stories being collected into The Dark Verse Volume 1. This is a beautifully black-bound book with a silver foil cover and black dusting that contains some of the most bizarre and engaging stories I’ve ever come across. The tales tell of distant dimensions and unbelievable beings all the while oozing with an otherworldly atmosphere.

Each and every one of the stories drew me in with the eloquent and sophisticated writing of Sharkchild. Delving deeper and deeper into the great unknown, Sharkchild conjures visions of horrifying monsters and mysterious worlds beyond our own. He creates a window that peers into the black abyss, and the result is that things from the unknown start to look back.

Some would be quick to point out the similarities between Sharkchild’s esoteric style and H.P. Lovecraft’s writings, but though they appear similar I would argue that Sharkchild has a very distinct and unique way of unveiling his mysterious stories. I will say that like any good horror author, Sharkchild’s stories will leave you unhinged as you get a glimpse of the strange species that permeate his imagination and have scrawled themselves into this book.

For example, in the short story What the Flesh Cannot Keep the “Haunter Behind Space” is described by the poor mortal who sees it as “eyes that covered every surface, the souls within them, and the vulgar, detestable complacency of existence that saturated every ounce of its being”. Of course, seeing such a creature would prove fatal to any mortal…

One of my favorite stories is The Changing of the Feyth, told in two parts, about feyths, which are regarded as demigods in their realm. The feyth protagonist describes his race as such: “Our flesh is ash gray and its texture is that of leather. Our eyes are as black as coal and our teeth are as sharp as swords. Our ears are large and so are our noses. We grow to be tall as giants, but our bodies always keep the same slenderness, no matter what our strength or what we consume. Our only master is the Almighty of Shadows…” The story is about how one feyth turns against his brethren and is filled with bloody battle, ghosts and even fairies.

In the story titled Between the Corridors, a small child is haunted by the “Midnight Apothecary”, a nightmarish vision that invades his very mind. It perverts childhood innocence and memories of balloons and ice cream with a menacing and sinister parasitic creature that invades the child’s mind and won’t let go until he relinquishes it.

The book is filled with excellent stories such as those mentioned above, so it is hard not to talk about each and every single one as there is not a bad one in the entire collection. For space sake, I’ll have to keep it down to those mentioned above with hopes they give you a general gist of the fascinating tales told by Sharkchild.

All of Sharkchild’s stories are inhabited by grotesque yet sometimes wondrous beings who have managed to break forth into our own world. These unimaginably horrific monsters populate these short stories, and Sharkchild’s writing brings them to startling and shocking clarity. His stories exist on a different plane, a dimension where unspeakable horrors lie in wait, ready to assault and invade our own existence. These are tales that could reduce you to madness as you marvel at their complex simplicity. Horror lies in fearing the unknown, and boy, does Sharkchild ever have a grasp of how to scare us!

Besides the articulate and intelligent way Sharkchild tells his stories, I must also comment on the overall aesthetic of the book, which is absolutely gorgeous. The outside of the hardback book is wrapped in a faux leather with silver foil stamping adorning it, as well as black dusting on the edges of the pages. Its presentation is impeccable, but only gets better when you open the tome, for inside is stunning artwork by John F. Stifter. Truly, this is one of the most beautifully books I’ve ever reviewed and Armored Books did a fabulous job with its design. This book, though no doubt well-read, will adorn my bookcase for a long, long time.

The Dark Verse, Volume 1: From the Passages of Revenants is an elite collection of fascinating and frightening stories that is sure to impress any horror aficionado who is looking for more peculiar tales rather than the standard slasher/zombie/vampire/serial killer novels that tend to permeate horror fiction. Its high quality is a rarity and I, for one, will treasure this book for a long while.

Order it on Amazon!

Book Review: Dark Lullaby by Mayra Calvani

Dark Lullaby is a modern-day dark fairy tale, but not like your typical Disney happily-ever-after BS. Instead, this dark tale is like traditional folklore from Eastern Europe, dark, unsettling, mysterious and shocking. The supernatural villain in this book is unlike anything I’ve ever heard of or seen before in the horror genre, creating an aura of exotic mystery along with the distant setting of Turkey.

The tale starts with Gabriel fresh out of a three year relationship with Liz. The two remain close friends and have met up at a local bar for drinks and philosophical discussion of good vs. evil. The alluring and mysterious Kamilah soon joins them, and Gabriel is entranced by her beauty as well as her discussions on human nature. Liz gets a bad feeling about Kamilah, but Gabriel soon falls head over heels in love with her. Though he can’t deny there is something unsettling about her, he just can’t seem to get her out of his mind.

Though his twin sister, Elena, is having a stressful pregnancy across the pond in Europe and Gabriel is supposed to be at the birth in a week, he agrees to go with Kamilah to her home land of Turkey for a little R and R at her family’s cottage deep in the woods. When he arrives with Kamilah in Turkey, he feels cut off from both his sister and Liz and begins to feel more unsettled by Kamilah’s petulant child-like behavior and unnerved by several strange occurrences. Gabriel begins to believe that Kamilah wants harm to come to both Elena’s unborn child and Liz. Is Kamilah someone…or something…truly evil and what are her true intentions?

Though author Mayra Calvani has written many books over a wide span of genres, this was my first encounter with the woman’s writing. Though I felt that the opening pages of the book, where Liz and Gabriel are having a philosophical debate, were a bit weak, I was soon transported into a frightening story that had a tendency to crawl under my skin and squirm long after I put the book down.

The foreboding atmosphere of the novel was really helped by the location of exotic Turkey. It really felt like the family cottage of Kamilah, surrounded by primordial forest, was straight out of an enchanted fairy tale. Then there were the quaint, cobblestone streets of the local town and the dazzling blue of the Black Sea in the distance to add to the location’s mystique. All the supernatural events that occurred to Gabriel after their arrival in Turkey felt very apropos in such a mysterious locale.

I also thought the intriguing characters added a lot to the story. Gabriel, with all his talk of reason, is a very emotional man at heart and during his trip with Kamilah his emotions are used against him to draw him further into her tangled web. Kamilah, though a whiny brat, knows how to get her way and has a very dangerous presence. I also liked the subplots involving Elena, suffering anxiety and a sense of dread during her last few weeks of pregnancy, and Liz, suffering psychological torment at the hands of an unseen assailant. Other characters stood out as well, including a Turkish witch that tries to warn Gabriel what Kamilah really is and a young boy and his abusive father whom Gabriel feels a special connection to.

As for the scares, there are many scenes that will give you chills! One that hits you hard is close to the beginning of the story where Gabriel thinks he sees something horribly strange…Kamilah’s feet on backwards! Other favorites include creepy scenes in the Turkish woods when Gabriel follows the sounds of babies crying to some very disturbing trees, an unexpected attack from a swarm of bees and a stunning finale.

Dark Lullaby is a quick-paced, fun summer read for when you need a good chill! Its basis in Turkish mythology makes it unique and the splendid setting of Turkey doesn’t get much more exotic! The supernatural tale has plenty of nightmarish imagery to keep you up at night, but the “thriller” aspects of the story make it a good read for horror fans and non-horror fans alike! There is just enough romance and intrigue to interest those who aren’t necessarily horror fans, but also enough supernatural elements and scares to keep the spooky kids entertained.

Buy it on Amazon!

Jack Be Nimble (1993)

Jack Be Nimble is a pretty obscure 1993 New Zealand horror film starring Alexis Arquette (back when “she” was a “he”) that deals with evil foster families, deaths by hypnosis and a psychic sister who has a rather icky relationship with an older, equally psychically-gifted man. It is a very dark and solemn film that really doesn’t have much of a strong plot, instead focusing on the odd characters scattered throughout and its somber atmosphere.

The film begins with two young siblings witnessing their mother have a nervous breakdown. When their father comes home, the mother has split, and the children are placed in an orphan’s home. Soon the siblings are separated as the little girl, named Dora, is adopted by doting parents, while little Jack is adopted by a cruel farming family. As Dora grows up with kisses, presents and lots of love, Jack grows up being mercilessly abused by his foster father, mother and four sisters, both mentally and physically. The two never stop thinking about each other, and eventually Jack builds a kind of hypnosis machine and dispatches of his cruel family, setting out on the road to find his sister. His sister has also developed psychic abilities and is able to pinpoint where Jack is. With the help of an older psychic, whom I suppose becomes her boyfriend (such awkward sex scenes…), she finds Jack and the two set out to find their biological parents. Yet, Jack harbors a lot of hatred for them, and Dora fears what he might do with his hypnosis machine. Also, Jack is being trailed by his four sisters, who are out for revenge for what he did to their parents.

Where to even begin with this odd little flick? I suppose the first thing I noticed was the somber mood throughout. This is a dark film that unflinchingly deals with child abuse and the ensuing psychological damage that occurs. It could also be seen as a study of nurture vs. nature, with two siblings being reared in extremely different circumstances. It is definitely not a “fun” horror flick and carries its grim tone throughout. The tone is almost otherworldly, like it was lifted straight out of a Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale.

Adding to the fairy tale-like atmosphere are the almost-caricatured characters of Jack’s evil family – from brutish father to uptight and cruel mother to the silent yet menacing four sisters. I also liked the use of chiaroscuro throughout the film. Deep, dark shadows dominated the first part of the film, only to be juxtaposed with lighter, brighter colors later in the film. Most of the film carried with it a bleak atmosphere, though, and utilized the contrast of light and dark to show just how black the darkness really was.

Story-wise, the plot wasn’t that developed, and it felt like writer Garth Maxwell (who also directed) was a bit all over the place with the psychic/telekinetic/hypnotic powers of the lead characters. Nonetheless, the result was intense interactions between the two siblings. Actors Alexis Arquette and Sarah Smuts-Kennedy, who played Jack and Dora respectively, had a great chemistry and really gave the roles their all. I was surprised at how intense and serious Arquette could act, considering I only remember him from The Wedding Singer and Bride of Chucky. And Smuts-Kennedy (poor girl, doesn’t she have a separate stage name?) was equally good as Dora, even in the intensely awkward sex scenes she had to do with the creepy older guy.

The film isn’t that gory or bloody, but the deaths were very satisfying to watch, especially since most of the victims deserved it. Jack’s hypnosis machine was especially intriguing, but it wasn’t explained much. I think he, like his sister, had certain telepathic abilities but needed the machine he built to channel them. Anyways, I really enjoyed seeing him getting payback against his family in rather satisfying ways. The ending when they must face the four sisters was pretty tense, with someone’s grisly death being somewhat unexpected and a bit of a letdown. And the strange last scene just seemed really unnecessary, like out-of-nowhere unnecessary!

Jack Be Nimble is a very odd, off-kilter horror film that feels more of like a twisted fairy tale rather than a straight-forward horror film. Despite its flimsy story, I was nonetheless intrigued by the characters and their abilities. Add in some evil people you can enjoy watching die via hypnosis and telekinesis and you’ve got yourself an overall satisfying, if not weird, horror flick! If you are looking for something completely different with a grim, somber feel to it, you should give Jack Be Nimble a look!

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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!

Available from Amazon!

Interview with "Little Erin Merriweather" Director David Morwick

David Morwick wrote, directed, edited, produced and acting in the recently released film Little Erin Merryweather (read our review). Little Erin Merryweather is a very different kind of horror film, combining a slasher storyline with a fairy tale feel. It was made independently and impressed us with its different approach to the slasher subgenre.

Fatally Yours was lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with David about himself and this wonderful and unique horror film he created.

Fatally Yours: David, thank you so much for this interview opportunity! I enjoyed Little Erin Merryweather very much! As I understand, this was your first feature film. Beforehand you were most well-known for your modeling, even though you are a classically trained actor. What made you want to switch to filmmaking?

David Morwick: First of all, thank you for this opportunity. I am so glad you enjoyed the film. I’ve been at this a long time going back to when I was a little kid doing theater in Boston. It’s funny, my family is a big sports family and I myself participated in a lot of sports growing up but secretly I loved acting and movies. So after my soccer games, my Mom would take me into the Boston’s Children’s Theater. Living in Massachusetts, the modeling for me was the closest thing I could get to being in front of a camera plus my Mom had done modeling. I eventually started landing roles in independent shorts. So it wasn’t so much a switch as it was a progression.

FY: Why did you decide to do a horror film as your first film?

DM: Actually, horror wasn’t my first choice. I love films of the 70’s, classics like American Graffiti were a great source of inspiration to me, because it is so character-driven and all about the acting. Great performances, especially from Richard Dreyfus and Cindy Williams. Richard Dreyfus went on to do one of my favorite horrors of all time, Jaws and Cindy Williams obviously went on to huge success and fame with one of the most historical TV sitcoms of all times, Laverne and Shirley. But it’s great to see her in some of these old classics like American Graffiti or Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation. So, it wasn’t so much horror films that inspired me but films of the 70’s. I think my film is probably a throwback to that decade.

FY: You had acting experience before Little Erin Merryweather, but how did you handle the tasks of writing and directing? Had you any experience with those two elements?

DM: I have. Growing up, I used to write a lot of short stories. I think if one is a writer, they are also part director. In other words, you have to see the scene in your head first before you put it on paper. When I was writing this script, I would get on my feet and act out all the parts. So in a sense, I was directing as I was writing.

FY: How hard was it to direct AND act…as well as being the writer, editor and producer? How did you juggle all your roles?

DM: Well, I think a lot of actors are directors. In fact I think some of the best directors are also actors, e.g. Robert Redford. Let me say that you have to be one determined, tough cookie to take on something like this which I am. But writing the screenplay and visualizing the whole thing beforehand helped out a lot.
To be honest with you though, the tougher part for me has always been dealing with people in the movie industry. My parents brought me up to be a nice guy. I wish I could say the same for people in this industry. (laughs)

FY: Little Erin Merryweather is like a cross between a slasher and a fairy tale. It has a very whimsical feel combined with a mysterious story. Can you tell us what inspired the story?

DM: Yes, so many of these horror films have too many twists and turns and you mentioned earlier, these kind of silly Scooby Doo endings. I wanted something straightforward and creepy. If anything, the movie is sort of a sad fairy tale. I never set out to make something horrifying like The Exorcist. I just wanted to tell a unique story about a troubled girl and have it be classy. I always wanted the audience to know who the killer was from the beginning. Too many of these films are about “who did it” with a lot of blood thrown in and not enough about a character and his or her backstory. Keep in mind this is all from her point of view which I thought was different.

FY: Even though the film is very high quality, I understand it had a limited budget. How did everything come together for you to be able for you to make this film?

DM: The simple answer is my family, a few solid friends who believed in me. My Mom, Dad and my three sisters are an incredible gift to me. And even though we had a limited budget, I never thought that was an excuse not to aim high. Keep in mind, if you really look at this film, it is much more than a slasher. People that are looking for blood and T & A, this will go right over their heads. But, I think enough people out there get what the film really is.

FY: All of the actors do a fantastic job in the film (yourself included). How did you find them and what was the auditioning process like? Was it always assumed that you would play the lead character?

DM: Well thank you for saying that. I agree. I think for an indie horror, the performances are strong. Usually in these types of films, there is usually no character development just girls with their shirts off. (laughs) I made sure that all of the actors, including me, had theater backgrounds. Vigdis, myself, Brandon, Marcus, Liz and Jillian were all trained on the stage. So I stuck close to New York and Boston for casting the actors. I actually didn’t plan on playing the lead because most of the roles I have played have been much more menacing and dark. But, for the character of Peter, I wanted him to stand out from the other guys and have him be more sensitive and layered. I saw that as crucial for him being the protagonist. I also wanted him to be blonde where the other guys had a darker look. So physically, I was better suited for that part and emotionally in the end, I knew I could pull it off the best.

FY: I loved how you featured a female killer as opposed to the typical male killer. Why did you decide to do this and how did you pick Vigdis Anholt to play Erin?

DM: Great question! If there is one thing I am not crazy about in the horror genre, it would be that unfortunately I find a lot of these films to be anti-female. I have heard theories defended by fans that these women are really heroines in these films. Frankly, I think that’s a lot of bull. A lot of these women seem to be tortured, punished and the usual “they had it coming to them”. They are almost always exploited particularly with nudity, blood and gore. So I may have pissed off a lot of male viewers by not engaging in any of the latter. I am glad that I wrote a great part for a woman who is front and center. Vigdis Anholt is a brilliant actress who I trained with in New York. I always had her in mind for the role of Erin.

FY: I really dug the Red Riding Hood theme the story focuses on. Of all the different fairy tales out there, why did you pick this one to focus on?

DM: Well, all these films have a man with a hockey mask or a nylon stocking on his head, etc. I wanted to create an iconic getup for a female. Little Red Riding Hood was the perfect way to go given that character was so sweet and unassuming.

FY: The illustrations that show Little Erin Merryweather’s story are very well done. Tell us what inspired you to include the “tale within a tale” and a little about how you came to work with illustrator Kelly Murphy.

DM: Kelly I had actually gone to high school with. She was and is an incredible talent. When I was writing the script, I thought it would be really different to write a story within a story. The book that the killer is making is actually the movie unfolding itself in front of the audience. I thought this would be very creative and original to do.

FY: How did you come up with the rhyme that accompanied the illustrations?

DM: That was tough. Both Kelly and I worked on that. I wanted all of the rhymes to have a metaphor/double meaning, just like most fairy tales. Most fairy tales/nursery rhymes concentrate on the number three (3). Three little pigs, three blind mice, etc. The three guys in our film were viewed as three wolves to her (Erin). One was too gullible and the first to go, the second was too proud, therefore he was the next to go and my character lives in parallel with the fairy tales – he’s the sensitive and smart one, the one that’s paying attention.

FY: The film looks amazing and there are some very visually stimulating shots, like the opening scene with the college student being stalked through the woods or the finale in the library. You and your DP Michael Marius Pessah did a great job. What influenced the look and feel of your film?

DM: Michael Pessah is a very gifted DP. He wanted that red cloak to jump off the screen and look vibrant. He really gave the film a European look in places. He really knows his stuff!

FY: The isolated, snow-covered college setting of the film gives it an even eerier feel. What made you pick this particular setting for the story?

DM: I thought New England with its white picket fences, stone walls and woods is made for a fairy tale. I envisioned all of my locations while I was writing the scenes.

FY: The film was completed in 2003 but hasn’t seen a wide release until recently. Can you tell us a little about how you found a distributor and why the film took so long to get released on DVD?

DM: Well, the internet is a mixed blessing isn’t it. What I mean by that is that technology has moved so fast that there’s a lot of misinformation out there. The film was actually completed in 2005. We had a very rough cut screening in 2003. The film wasn’t even finished but I wanted to get some audience reaction. So the film was far from complete in 2003 contrary to what is portrayed on some web sites. Like most indie films, you can expect to take a good five to six years to make it. In some cases, even longer. Melanie Backer is one of the best producers reps in the business and she sold the film for us. Foreign distribution, TV and cable are on the horizon.

FY: What were some obstacles you had to face during the production and how did you overcome them?

DM: Raising money of course was the major obstacle and a lot of people came and went. I think they might regret it now, since the film has been sold. (laughs) But really, my parents, sisters and my dear friends, Jim, Vigdis and Jon and Jason, got me through this.

FY: What is your favorite memory from making the film?

DM: My Mom watching Vigdis and I act in the diner scene. This scene is one of the best in the film, one of the most intimate. It was great just having my Mom watch Vigdis and I do what we love best, ACTING.

FY: Do you have any advice for independent filmmakers?

DM: Don’t listen to anyone, just trust yourself. I had more people who supposedly knew what they were talking about in regards to filmmaking and the industry, trying to give me advice. A lot of that advice didn’t pan out (laughs). I had so many obstacles to overcome. It’s amazing how many people want to see you fail (jealousy, etc.) or will try to discourage you. So if you are an independent filmmaker, you need to develop a tough skin. Don’t take this industry too seriously.

FY: What are your plans for the future? Do you have any other projects you can tell us about?

DM: To get involved in quality projects, no matter how big or small. That could be film or theater. My interest is not in being a “star” and never has been. A lot of that has very little to do with the craft of acting and filmmaking. I guess that is why in a lot of ways I prefer theater. No matter what, I love to work so I know I will be busy in both.

Thanks so much for this opportunity, Fatally Yours!

FY: Thank you David, and we look forward to whatever is next for you!

Little Erin Merryweather (2007)

Little Erin Merryweather is an original and unique horror film that blends a slasher flick with fairy tale elements. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the film, from the cinematography to the acting to the script and story.

The film opens with an eerie rhyme about a little girl (Jillian Wheeler) and what her father (Josef Wille) does to her while reading his favorite fairy tale to her…and a brutal murder of a college student on a snow-covered campus. The boy is stalked through the woods by a red-hooded killer, attacked, gutted and has his intestines replaced with stones.

From there, we meet Peter Bloom (David Morwick, who also wrote, directed, produced and edited), a writer for the college newspaper who finds out about the murder in all its grisly detail. He is also a psychology student in Dr. Paula Sheffield’s (Elizabeth Callahan) class and lately they’ve been studying serial killers. Peter is convinced that the school has a serial killer on their hands and tries to convince his two buddies, Teddy (Brandon Johnson) and Sean (Marcus Bonnee), who also work for the paper, to do an investigative report on the homicide. The bumbling police officer (Frank Ridley) is doing a horrible job tracking down the killer and soon, more males are murdered by the same modus operandi. Peter decides to take matters into his own grubby little hands and enlists the help of his professor, Dr. Paula, to compile a serial killer profile and figure out the significance of the stones.

Meanwhile, Peter has a crush on Erin (Vigdis Anholt), who is in his psychology class and works at the library. She seems like an intelligent, nice and pretty girl, but there’s more to her than meets the eye…

Can Peter figure out who the killer is before he is next?

From the title of the film and from the way the story unfolds, you know that Erin Merryweather is the killer. There’s no big reveal at the end or any silly Scooby-Doo-like twist…just a very straight-forward, creepy story.

The major appeal of the film comes from its fairy-tale-like resuscitation of a creepy nursery rhyme that is like a spin off of Little Red Riding Hood gone horribly, horribly wrong. Accompanying this back story are beautiful illustrations (done by illustrator Kelly Murphy) that show places within the story that slowly fade-in to the real live location. The setting of the snow-covered, isolated campus also helps to up the creeptastic ante.

Another plus is the superb acting in the film. David Morwick and Vigdis Anholt both do a tremendous job in the lead roles. Elizabeth Callahan also does a great job in her role as the psych professor. I was very impressed with the quality of the acting in the film and hope to see more of both Morwick and Anholt in the future.

The script is intelligent and doesn’t insult you by crafting throw-away, unbelievable characters or situations. Penned by Morwick, (who amazingly shared the duties of a lead role, directing, writing, editing and producing) the script is tight, believable and has absolutely no plot holes. Most horror films nowadays are written with just boobs and blood in mind, but not so with Little Erin Merryweather. Morwick takes the time to develop the characters, make the audience care about them (even the killer) while managing to keep the film full of tension.

The film does have its jump scares, but it mainly relies on suspense and tension as opposed to being “scary.” Erin’s transition from sweet, shy library chick to dolled-up psycho killer is definitely a shock to see and definitely satisfying. Just don’t expect to see gore in this film – most of the death scenes are either obscured or happen off-screen. There’s not much of the red stuff flying around either, but I’m definitely not complaining. Subtle horror is much more my cup of tea.

The direction (again by Morwick – what a multi-tasker!) is stunning, especially the opening scene with the little girl, any of the scenes in the woods, and the opening kill scene. The stark white snow makes a perfect backdrop to the killer’s blood-red cloak. Just like Morick’s acting (and writing), I hope to see much more of his direction in the future.

Little Erin Merryweather is a new release that should definitely be seen by more people, ones that appreciate a wondrous, whimsical slasher when they see one!

Available from Amazon!

Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973)

Can you remember when your innocence was lost? Did it happen all at once or did it happen more gradually? Most of you probably haven’t heard of Lemora: A Child’s Tale of the Supernatural, that was originally released in 1973, but this film about the loss of innocence and what “growing up” really means is one that deserves to be seen!

In the South in the late 1920s or early 1930s lives a girl named Lila Lee (Cheryl “Rainbeaux” Smith). Her gangster father kills her adulterous mother in a jealous rage and Lila is sent to live with a pious reverend. Lila is raised by the reverend to be a God-fearing lady and she is also part of the church choir. One day, Lila receives a mysterious letter from someone named Lemora (Lesley Gilb), who says her father is on his deathbed and wishes to see her. Lila slips quietly away in the night and catches a bus to go find her father. During the ride through the dark forest, the bus is beset by wild and bloodthirsty people (who by all appearances look like zombies). Lila escapes, only to be stuck in a cell-like room when she arrives at Lemora’s home. She soon meets Lemora and her pack of gypsy-like children.

Things begin to get stranger and stranger, as Lila notices there are no mirrors in the house, her father is nowhere to be found and black-hooded men do Lemora’s every bidding. Lemora is more than loving towards her, but when Lila figures something isn’t quite right, she tries to flee. Can she make it out through the woods that are populated with the bloodthirsty zombies? Can she escape Lemora’s black-hooded minions? Most of all, can she escape the draw she feels towards Lemora?

Lemora: A Child’s Tale of the Supernatural is a lush, Gothic fairy tale for adults. The theme of the loss of innocence is predominant throughout the film, but there are many other themes and layers to this intelligent and engaging film.

Directed and written by Richard Blackburn (who also stars as the reverend), Lemora is a film appreciated by few but one that deserves a much larger audience. The book Fangoria’s 101 Best Horror Movies You’ve Never Seen says, “Combine Alice in Wonderland and Night of the Living Dead – and throw in a vampire element – and you have Lemora…”

With Lemora, Blackburn has created an enchanting yet frightening film that shows the perils of growing up as a young woman. Lila Lee is presented as wide-eyed innocence personified until she leaves her “safe” environment of her home/church. In her first encounter with the outside world (just outside her house as she tries to catch a ride to the bus station) she is lasciviously propositioned by a man. As she continues her journey to Lemora’s house deep in the woods, all the men she comes across are lewd and vulgar. The zombies in the woods are the most base representation of men; they are interested only in her flesh and devouring her whole, literally!

The dangers only increase when she reaches Lemora’s house, which appears at first to be a safe haven. Lemora appears to be kind and caring, but we soon find out she is no better than the men that Lila met on her journey. There are heavy lesbian overtones (when giving Lila a bath, Lemora comments, “What an exciting figure you have.”). Lemora wants Lila to submit to her and to stay with her forever. Lemora makes it seem that if Lila becomes one of her kind, she will have power and will no longer have to put up with panting paramours. Will Lila’s innocence be lost?

Lemora is not only a beautiful and mesmerizing film that has a dream-like atmosphere, but it also has many layers of meaning to it. It is very original and deserves to be seen. Synapse Films released the film on DVD in 2004, complete with an uncut and uncensored widescreen transfer that was approved by Richard Blackburn, along with commentary from the director, Lesley Gilb and producer Robert Fern, a still gallery and the original shooting script. The film was released in 1973 and was a drive-in and late-night television favorite. Though it is only rated PG, Lemora offers a uniquely odd look at the coming-of-age tale.

Available on Amazon!