Of Darkness (2006)

Last night I popped into my DVD player a screener I had received, called Of Darkness. I wasn't expecting much, just another low to no budget horror flick. Was I ever in for a surprise!

After their grandfather's death, brothers Brian (Frank Nardi) and Jeff (Dallas Scott) haul his old chest down to the basement for storage. Jeff, the younger brother, drops his end and their grandfather's belongings spill on the floor. As they pick up the items and place them back in the chest, Jeff finds an old, creepy book that looks as if it is bound in human skin. Brian explains that their dear grandpappy was actually a practicing Satanist. Jeff scoffs at this statement, but Brian insists that it is true. After the lone light bulb in the basement begins flickering, the two hurriedly race back upstairs.

Later that night, the boys take advantage of their mom being out of town. Brian heads off to party all night, while Jeff has his friends Tank (Eric Austin), Mac (Brendon Boyes), Wallander (Dominic Fera) and Tank's little brother Charlie (Adam Montgomery) over to hang out. The older boys harass the gullible Charlie by telling him the horror movie they are watching is real. Soon, Jeff brings out his grandfather's book and the boys egg Charlie on to open it.

When he fearfully opens it, it contains images of torture, possession and other nasty drawings little boys should not be filling their heads with. By opening the book, Charlie and the boys unleash a malevolent force that takes the form of darkness, terrorizing the boys and overtaking them one by one!

Clocking in at a quick 20 minutes, this film creeps up on you and gives you a big kick in the behind (in a good way of course) that most horror films can't acheive in 2 hours time! It features kids as the leads for once (no wild 'n' crazy teens here) and a simple yet excellent story that really terrifies!

This film is so well done that I wouldn't be surprised if it is turned into a feature length film. The production values alone make it look completely pro. The camera work is clean, seamless and complements the action. Of special note is the lighting, an important factor in a movie about the darkness. The lighting helps create an ominous atmosphere, especially when lights begin to go out in the house and the film becomes darker and darker.

The acting alone is phenomenal. Even though most of the cast is relatively young, their acting chops are impressive. I would look out for each and every one of these actors in the future because their performances are so believable and realistic. As actors, they are able to make their terror the audience's terror; quite a feat to achieve!

The story is very simple, as the tagline states, "Be Afraid of the Dark." There is hardly any gore (until the end, when Brian discovers the carnage left behind by the darkness), but this film doesn't need it. It is scary enough when the kids are pulled into the darkness one by one by some unseen evil presence. It is the simplicity of the story that makes it so terrifying. The darkness (or what the darkness contains) is swallowing these kids up and though we can't see them being torn apart, we hear their horrific screams.

The film works on one of the basest fears, the fear of the dark and the unknown. It's the fear of the dark that paralyzes so many people, young and old. Of Darkness uses this fear to terrorize the audience. It's simple yet effective horror that chilled me to the bone.

Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971)

Slow-burning movies are usually my style; I love a good, tension-filled build up. Let's Scare Jessica to Death, from 1971, is a very slow movie, but just doesn't contain the suspense needed to sustain it.

Jessica has just been released from a mental institution. To help her recuperate, her husband has sold all they have in order to buy an old farm house out in the middle of nowhere. Their friend Woody is with them to help them build their new lives. After an icy welcome from the old townsfolk in the nearest itty-bitty town, the trio proceeds to the large and elegant farm house.

Immediately upon arriving, Jessica begins to hear voices and thinks she sees someone sitting on the balcony. She tells herself to act normal or else her husband will still think she's crazy. Inside the house, a squatter named Emily is discovered. She has no place to go, so Jessica insists that she stay with them. Emily has an eerie resemblance to a photograph of the infamous Abigail Bishop. In 1880, Abigail supposedly drowned in the farm's lake, though her body was never found. The story goes that she still haunts the area as a vampire.

Jessica is continually tormented by voices in her head and the images she sees. She doesn't know what is reality and what is in her head. To make matters worse, her husband and Emily are making googly eyes at each other the entire time.

We see what Jessica sees - a body floating under the water while Jess is out for a dip, a girl dressed in a white dress that appears in the cemetery, Emily's close resemblance to Abigail, the vampire-like cuts on the elderly townsfolk's necks...and of course the constant whispering voices. Are these things real or all they all in Jessica's head?

Sounds pretty, killer, right? Well, something got lost in the telling of this tale and I was bored to death. The characters themselves annoyed me, mainly Jessica. She already seemed pretty kooky to start with, which didn't lend much credibility that the events around her could possibly be real. I felt sorry for her and didn't relate to her at all. Her husband came off as an asshole sleazeball, especially when he gave into Emily's wiles. The character of Emily came off as a stoned hippie chick that resonated no malevolence whatsoever. As for Woody, I think he was just there to showcase his amazing 70's porno 'stache.

I wish they would have gave us a little more about the girl in white, who turns up dead at the end of the film. I also wish they would have done away with the horrible, distracting soundtrack! This movie left a lot open-ended, and while I am all for this in many films, this one left me wanting more questions answered.

It all comes down to what I want in a horror film - I want to be creeped out, grossed out, shocked, and above all, scared to death! Let's Scare Jessica to Death just didn't do it for me...

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The Ghost of Mae Nak (2005)

I love Asian horror - favorites include Tale of Two Sisters, Ju-On, Ringu, The Eye, Suicide Club and Battle Royale. The Ghost of Mae Nak just didn't work for me though. Don't get me wrong, the film is shot beautifully, but it just doesn't pack a punch like my fave Asian films do.

The beginning of the film introduces us to the ghost straightaway. Mak is having nightmares of a pale woman with a black mouth and black oval-shaped hole in her forehead. She's pretty freaky, but Mak is too happy engaged to Nak to pay too much attention to his realistic nightmares. Mak and Nak are to be married in a week, so they buy a run-down house in a section of Bangkok. Upon moving in, Mak's nightmares get worse and strange things begin happening. Anyone who causes the couple misfortune meets a bloody end. After Mak is put into a coma by a hit and run accident, Nak discovers that their new house was once Mae Nak's house.

The legend of Mae Nak is an old one in Thailand, in which Mae Nak was so in love with her husband (also named Mak) that her spirit survived beyond the grave to be with him. Now she is looking out for the best interest of Mak and Nak, another couple that has found true love - or is she? Things take an ominous turn as Nak discovers more and more about Mae Nak's vengeful ways.

Again, this wasn't by any means a horrible movie, it was just so-so. I think they showed Mae Nak way too soon in the movie, which made her much less scary. Also, the story was a little confusing at times, especially the back story of Mae Nak. I usually love Asian horror films, but this one lacked the strangeness and creepiness of most. The twist at the end was just tacked on for shock value, and it wasn't even effective, just hokey.

I did enjoy the scenes that showed Thai life and customs, like Mak and Tak's wedding and the bar scene that featured a hardcore band! I guess it just didn't feel like a horror movie, more like a Discovery Channel special on urban Thailand. It lacked any kind of creepy or ominous atmosphere, though it did have its share of cool death scenes. My favorites included a guy who is sliced in half by a glass window pane and another clumsy guy who manages to light himself on fire and get skewered on a barbeque.

I would skip this film unless you want some insight into Thai culture or want a very tame Asian ghost story with a heavy romantic angle. Good effort, but this movie just doesn't cut it alongside such creepies as Ringu, Ju-On, Tale of Two Sisters, etc.

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Masters of Horror - Sick Girl (2006)

Last night I watched the Masters of Horror episode Sick Girl, by Lucky McKee. Having just watched The Woods, I was pretty excited to see more of Lucky's work (especially since I love May!).

Angela Bettis (who played May in May) stars as Ida Teeter, an entomologist. This girl loves bugs! Seems she is also having trouble getting a date, as all the girls she's into (yes, she's lesbian) think her pet bugs are icky. She perks up after receiving a strange specimen from Brazil. The aggressive insect is one she has never seen before, and she names it Mick. Before she can examine it at the lab, it escapes. Ida also has to deal with her uptight landlord, Lana Beasley, who hates her bugs and lifestyle.

Things finally start to go right when Ida meets Misty, a doe-eyed, pixie drawing artist. The two move quickly, and Misty moves in with Ida after only a few days of knowing one another. Unfortunately, it seems as though Mick has been living in the pillow that Misty sleeps on and has taken a liking to biting Misty's ear.

Misty starts behaving very oddly, finally culminating in getting her and Ida kicked out of their apartment by Lana when Misty taunts her. Misty is mean and unfeeling; a completely different person than when Ida first met her. Misty goes on to kill Lana (in a scene where I actually jumped) and acts even meaner to Ida. A truly chilling scene is when Misty starts screaming at a weeping Ida. Anyone who has ever been in a relationship where the other person dramatically changed after moving in together will be freaked out by this scene.

Ida figures out that her buggy pet Mick is a special insect that eats mammals and can change the DNA of those he infects...is she too late to save her love Misty?

This episode is a little slow and spends half the time developing Ida and Misty's relationship. Yet, as a director, this is how Lucky works. He likes to focus on his oddly charming characters. This is definitely a plus in my book! Angela Bettis does a great job playing a nerdy scientist and I enjoyed Jesse Hlubik as her friend and co-worker, Max. The rest of the cast does a fine job as well.

I enjoyed this episode for all its charming qualities. It's a fun commentary on moving too fast in a relationship and just fun all around! If you are a fan of May or other films by Lucky McKee, you must check this episode out.

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Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

What better way to spend a chilly Saturday night than to have some friends over for pizza, Pacifico and a viewing of Cannibal Holocaust? There is no better way, believe you me...

The movie begins with a report on an intrepid documentary film crew who entered the Amazonian jungle in search of cannibals. No one has heard from them in more than two months so noted anthropologist Professor Harold Monroe is sent to look for them. He finds them alright, mounted on some kind of altar with their camera equipment and their bones picked clean! He also finds two warring cannibal tribes, but succeeds in getting along with both, thus avoiding becoming dinner.

After he obtains the film crew's film footage, he hightails it back to New York City where he is invited to show his findings on television, because the public has a right to know what happened, dammit! From that point on, we are treated to the documentary crew's film footage (a la Blair Witch Project) and it ain't pretty. It seems the film crew would do anything to garner fame and success, even terrorizing peaceful Amazonian tribes to get dramatic footage. They stage some pretty grisly scenes for their precious documentary, blaming it on rival tribes in the footage. In the end though, the tribes show their stuff to prove you don't mess with cannibals!

This was definitely a brutal movie, more brutal than Cannibal Ferox. There are numerous animal deaths, including the stabbing of a muskrat, the shooting of a pig, and the chopping up and general disassembly of a turtle. These are all real, mind you, and not for the squeamish. The animal deaths are much more violent and explicit than in Ferox. Ye be warned...

Holocaust also has much more violence towards women. In a ritualistic tribal punishment, a woman is taken far from the village by one man, then raped, then raped with a sharp knife, then raped with a torture device that can be compared with a softball studded with nails. She is then bludgeoned to death. In another scene, the males of the film crew take turns raping a native while the others hold her down. Then, in perhaps the most iconic scene of this film, the woman is shoved onto a pole so that the pole extends out of her mouth.

The members of the film crew finally get their just desserts when they are surrounded by the cannibalistic tribe. One guy gets severely beaten, strung up, has his genitals chopped off, then gets hacked to bits. The lone woman of the crew is beaten and viciously raped by several members of the tribe. The rest of the crew is finished off in a spectacular bloodbath.

The end of the film leaves us with a question - who are the real savages here? The cannibals and their primitive way of life or the film crew and Western civilization? There is some social commentary here, and it does make one think...which is a good thing, darlings!

The film was directed by Ruggero Deodato and came out in 1980, a year before Cannibal Ferox appeared. It is an intense, grueling, disturbing film that feels very real at times. I highly recommend it to those that like to watch very controversial films, films with lots of "ewwwwww" moments, gorehounds and, of course, those that hold a special place in their hearts for cannibals.

Please be warned, though...it is an extremely graphic and serious film.

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The Woods (2006)

The Woods was quite a pleasant surprise, though the film did have its problems. The film, especially the answer to the mystery, is predictable and some parts are a bit baffling. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the film very much.

In the 1960s, Heather (Agnes Bruckner) is dropped off at an isolated all-girls boarding school by her unfeeling, selfish mother (Emma Campbell) and doormat of a father (Bruce Campbell). Heather is sent here because she tried to burn down her own home. Her mother is exasperated with her behavior and wants to be rid of her. Heather is taken in by headmistress Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson) and given a special test, which contains many strange markings and symbols, to obtain a scholarship. Heather just blows it off, but to her surprise, she passes the test and is given a scholarship.

Heather soon befriends strange outcast Marcy (Lauren Birkell), and makes an enemy of the popular girl, Samantha. Heather soon begins to hear strange voices that seem to originate in the woods that surround the school. She has nightmares of a student that attempted suicide as well as visions of girls in old fashioned garb being chased through the forest. She learns that many years ago, three girls appeared out of the woods and were taken in by the school. The other students tormented them and it was discovered that they were witches. After being mercilessly chased through the forest and beaten, the three witches gain control of the other students through witchcraft and chop the headmistress to bits with an ax.

When Heather's friends begin disappearing and strange things occur, she wonders what evil is at work in the school and the woods and sets out to uncover the mystery.

Again, this movie has some flaws, but I still enjoyed it. The small details used throughout, like leaves in the teacher's hair and vines that permeated the school grounds inside and out, really add to the mysterious atmosphere. I also like the fact that the cast was mainly female. The actors all do a good job, especially Patricia Clarkson as the icy headmistress and Lauren Birkell as Marcy. Bruce Campbell's portrayal as Heather's father is very different than what most people are used to seeing him in, but, it's Bruce Campbell and I think he makes anything more enjoyable just by his presence.

There are some definite creepy moments in the film, but hardly any big scares. I prefer a pervading creepiness to cheap, jump scares, though, so it works just fine for me. The ending is a bit of a mess and I wish Heather's powers were used more in the film, but the strong acting, characters and eeriness won me over in the end.

Lucky McKee is the director of this film, and he also directed the quirky and disturbing May. I loved May, and while The Woods doesn't have its black humor, it is still a very fine film by McKee. If you are a fan of May, or enjoy atmospheric horror, I would definitely check The Woods out.

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Cannibal Ferox (1981)

On the recommendation of Warren over at 150 Days of Sodom (check his site out if you haven't already; it's great!), I decided to view the infamous Cannibal Ferox.

I had always thought of Cannibal Ferox as the ultimate in gore and torture, so I shied away from it for so many years...until now! I could not be held back any longer from its grisly allure.

Does Cannibal Ferox live up to the hype? For me, a first-time watcher of these exploitative cannibal movies, it certainly did. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, perhaps because of my low expectations going into it. Nonetheless, I thought it was a well made and entertaining film.

The story is simple...in New York City, both the mob and police are out to find a couple of guys (Mike and Joe) who have skipped off with a considerable amount of the mob's dough. Meanwhile, three college kids (siblings Rudy and Gloria and their friend Pat) are in the Amazon, trying to disprove that cannibalism exists for Gloria's thesis. They venture deep into the Amazon jungle to try to find a small village no one has heard of but could prove their theory.

They run into Mike and Joe deep in the heart of the jungle, who tell them they have been attacked by cannibals. Joe has been injured and their guides have been killed. After deciding to stick together, the group stumbles upon the village and the carnage left there. It seems the only villagers left are the old people and the younger children. The group decides to take refuge in the village's huts to try to care for Joe, who is now dying. Joe tells Gloria and Rudy that Mike has lied to them about being attacked by cannibals. The truth is, Mike and Joe were after precious emeralds that the villagers possessed. When they wouldn't hand the emeralds over, Mike tortured and killed some villagers while most of the male villagers were on a fishing expedition. Now, the male villagers could return at any time!

After learning this information, Gloria and Rudy try to get Pat to get out, but find that she has left with Mike. They flee, but are soon captured by the returning male villagers. Now, the villagers seek retribution for what was done to them and to their village...

This is an exploitation gem! Yes, it is extremely violent and some parts are difficult to watch. There is mutilation, castration, decapitation, humiliation, cannibalism, shots of real animals being killed (something I DO NOT condone but is still shocking and disturbing) and so on. The animal deaths were very difficult to watch, just because I knew they were real. Even for standards nowadays, this film is still pretty brutal - just watch for the castration scene(s) and the scene where Pat is hung on meat hooks by her breasts.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. It really kept up the tension, even though it did switch back from the Amazonian jungle to New York City every few scenes. I was very impressed with this film, and wouldn't mind adding it to my DVD collection.

If you haven't checked this film out yet and can handle excessive torture and real animal deaths (even I had to cover my eyes a bit), then get this movie! It's worth it...

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