Interview with Filmmaker Joe Castro

Joe Castro is the creator/director/writer/producer and special FX artist for the recently released Terror Toons 2. He is well-known in the independent horror community as both a director and a special FX artist and has worked on films such as Terror Toons 1 and 2, Campfire Tales, Legend of the Chupacabra, The Jackhammer Massacre, Near Death, Wishmaster 3, Maniacal and many, many more.

We recently had the chance to chat with the enthusiastic and very genuine Joe Castro about his craft(s), his films and his upcoming appearance at the SiliCon Convention in San Jose, California.


Fatally Yours: Hi Joe and thanks so much for chatting with us! You’ve been a long-time horror fan since you were pretty young. What was your first experience with a horror film and how did it make you fall in love and pursue the genre?

Joe Castro: I grew up on a goat ranch in Helotes, TX…. Well when I was 7 years old, on a Saturday afternoon, my father, Martin Castro Jr., sat me down in front of the TV and said “watch this son…you’re gonna like this”. And he was right! It was Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster! My dad was so cool he truly knew what was good for me. Sadly, he passed away 10 years ago. Since that glorious Saturday afternoon I knew I wanted to work in the field of Film and Special Effects.

FY: Your father sounds like a great man! Has your family always been supportive of your film career?

JC: For the most part yes. I practically destroyed the living room floor, the front porch and the barn with my movie magic & SFX “antics”.

FY: What is something your family did that helped you to pursue your filmmaking dreams?

JC: When I was 12 (1982), my mother, who was a high school teacher and my father, who was a TX rancher bought me a state of the art JVC home video camcorder. It was the first of 2 cameras ever on the market offered to the public. On my parents modest income that was 2 months of their full paychecks.

FY: So, with that present in mind, what were your favorite pastimes growing up in Texas?

JC: Running around butt naked with other guys on my high school water polo team in the locker room. LOL! Well that and getting them to take their shirts off for me so I could photograph them and put them in my home splatter movies. These guys were very willing to take of their shirts so I had plenty of exposed flesh to put knarly wounds and gore make-up on for my extravagant death scenes. I have hours and hours of bizarre and fantastic home splatter movies that showcase this work well…we had a lot of innocent fun.

FY: That sounds hot… did you spend a lot of time testing out these kind of special FX?

JC: I spent ALL my time creating SFX.

FY: When did you decide to leave your Texas home and go to California to follow your dreams?

JC: When I was 19, a year after I graduated from high school, I was invited by a fellow pen pal and FX artist, Jerry Macaluso, to come to LA and work in the horror FX shop he had started with friends. So my high school friend, Chris Olivia and I packed a U-Haul and drove to Hollywood, CA. Three months later Chris moved home and I stayed in LA.

FY: Tell us a little about your first recollections about being in California and about your first big break.

JC: I don’t think I’ve had my “big” break yet. I’m still trying to achieve that actually. My partner and Executive Producer, Steven Escobar, tells me he feels my big break happened when I was young and won the national Monsterland magazine FX contest. Joe Dante picked the winner (ME) and I was flown to LA to meet and rub elbows with the who’s who of horror in Hollywood. This is how I first became introduced to Brinke Stevens who stars in Terror Toons 2.

FY: What a great experience! If I’m correct, you started doing special effects work before directing. What made you interested in trying your hand at directing?

JC: Well actually I started directing the same time I started doing FX because I truly feel my career started when my parents bought me the video camera. Fact: you can purchase one of my splatter home movies on the DVD released of Terror Toons 2.

FY: Yes, I loved that one of your first films, Blood Thirst, was available on the TT2 DVD! (More on that later!) If you had to choose between either directing or doing special FX work for the rest of your life, which one would you chose and why?

JC: That is a tough question actually. Do I have to decide right now? LOL! No really ummm…I can say that I would choose directing . Why? Because over the past few years I have moved into other genres of film that are quite gratifying; comedy, drama, melodrama…etc.

FY: Tell us how you came up with the “sick and silly” premise for TERROR TOONS!

JC: Terror Toons is a concept that was inspired by a wicked cartoon cat sticker that my friend Mark Villalobos and I saw on the back of a car while driving to a movie set just outside of LA.

FY: I have to tell you, I adored Terror Toons 2, but why did you decide to a second one?

JC: I created the sequel for Michael E. Kovacs. He loved the first Terror Toons and wanted to pay, Executive Produce, for a second one…so I jumped at the chance to do so. He spared no expense and even allowed us to film in his beautiful home…Thank you Michael!

FY: For the eager fans out there, the question is will there be a third Terror Toons?

JC: YES there will be a TERROR TOONS 3. We are shooting the first footage at the end on July 2007…get ready! It will be the most Sick and Silly of them all…promise! I can’t say right now but I have a huge star that has agreed to participate.

FY: Can you tell us about any other upcoming projects you have in the works?

JC: A comedy TV series and an apocalyptic horror epic. It’s a secret.

FY: We’ll keep it hush-hush! Out of your earlier films, is there one that stands out as being the most fun to work on or one you are most proud of?

JC: The original Terror Toons…because it involves so many of my close friends and The Jackhammer Massacre. I met some really talented peeps on both of these projects…but recently I directed a full blown comedy The Young The Gay and The Restless. I had way too much fun. So we will defiantly do that again.

FY: Your high school short film, Blood Thirst, that is included on the special features of Terror Toons 2, is amazing! It shows that at such a young age, you already had a good grasp of special effects. How did you achieve the effects in that film?

JC: Before I answer, I just want to take a moment and let you know that I am answering these questions, eating a bowl of cereal, listening to my favorite music, while sitting at a desk that was giving to me by my great friend Jerry Macaluso…and I am so grateful at this moment…for my life and I am deeply touched that you asked about this film. Thank you for the kindness and the kind words about Blood Thirst. I just got up from the desk and ran over to the living room floor, laid down on the carpet with our 2 dogs, Buster & Missy and kissed their tummies. I’m Looney! Okay I’m sane again. As a youngster, I used to watch movies on VHS over and over again, most of which were given to me by my awesome 3rd cousins Eddie and Ernest Perez. They were like almost 20 yrs. older than me and way cool. They are the older brothers I never had (so are Michael Kovacs, Jerry Macaluso and Roy Knyrim). They would take me to see all the “Dead” films and Italian Splatter epics on the big screen in downtown San Antonio, TX! I saw The Deadly Spawn at the movie theater called the Aztec 3; it was a gang infested downtown movie theater. Take a guess what the other film was on the bill: Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. Ok, well I would dissect the scenes from these films shot by shot and re-create them. I would construct the props and execute the FX as best to my ability. That was my FX school. Self taught.

FY: That’s amazing and it’s so nice to see a filmmaker still enthusiastic about their earlier work! Fans will get a chance to meet you at the SiliCon convention in San Jose, California in October. How did you become involved with the convention and what do you have in store for us there?

JC: I contacted the festival via Myspace and asked to participate if there was room to promote Terror Toons 2. Also, I love doing make-up in public and they asked if I would participate in an FX panel…I plan on creating/applying FX make-up for a full scale Fulci Zombie for all at the convention to witness.

FY: Joe, it certainly was a pleasure talking with you and we look forward to seeing you at SiliCon!

JC: Likewise as well! I plan on having a great time and hope others will join in the freak’n’ fun as well!

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

When a comet passes Earth, all the machines suddenly take on a mind of their own…they come to life and set about slaughtering the planet’s population. Everything from cars, trucks, lawnmowers and electric knives go on a bloody rampage. A few good folks over at the Dixie Boy truck stop, led by Billy (Emilio Estevez), hole up and try to survive the killer machines and the big rigs circling the truck stop as they plan their escape.

More comedy than horror or sci-fi, Maximum Overdrive is enjoyed to the fullest extent if you know what to expect. Sure, it’s cheesy and nonsensical, but it has killer big rigs!!

When the movie first came out, it was slammed by critics across the board, but with good reason. Maximum Overdrive has humongous plot holes, bad acting, horribly annoying characters and bad writing. This is odd, because it was adapted from Stephen King’s short story Trucks by King himself. Besides writing duties, King also made his directorial debut (and, unfortunately, his last…King would never direct again).

With all these counts against it, you might be wondering how on earth I could ever recommend anything so poorly written and acted? Let me tell you, it’s all about the action sequences and its fun, no-holds-barred feel. From the opening sequence of a draw bridge going up of its own accord and tossing cars one on top of the other to an ATM machine with an attitude problem, Maximum Overdrive delivers!

It also doesn’t shy away from the blood and gore, something that almost got it slapped with an X rating at the time. A soda vending machine attacks a group of baseball playing kids, torpedoing its cans at full speed toward their little bodies. A steamroller goes after said kids, flattening one in the process. There are plenty of scenes of people getting run over, plus electrocutions, people getting gunned down and so on.

Let’s not forget about the explosions either. It seems that the shady owner of the Dixie Boy kept quite an arsenal of weapons at hand, including a rocket launcher. We get to see plenty of huge trucks go kablooey! Countless other explosions, fireballs and daring escapes populate the movie and keep it fun (also keeping our minds off glaring plot holes).

The action is backed by the soundtrack, composed entirely of AC/DC songs. AC/DC was handpicked by King to be featured exclusively on the soundtrack and their music complements the film’s fun and wild tone wonderfully.

As mentioned before, Maximum Overdrive has its problems. For one, it features acting that is mediocre to grating, with notable actors including Emilio Estevez as an expressionless “hero” and a screechy and annoying Yeardley Smith (voice of Lisa Simpson on The Simpsons). Nothing much more should be said of the acting, with the only thing worse being the characters themselves. Having no sympathy for anyone really makes you root for total destruction by the machines!

Also, the story is full of plot holes. For example, big rigs and other cars have a mind of their own, but one characters’ car never misbehaves. While the story has a strong start, it quickly sags when the focus shifts to the self-propelled big rigs circling the Dixie Boy. The dialogue and interactions between the characters seem pretty ridiculous, but you could also chalk that up to all the hammy acting (one of the most cringe-worthy being when a waitress wails at the machines, “WHO MADE YOU?!? WE MADE YOU!!”).

Surprisingly, King does a pretty good job at directing, and the direction actually ends up elevating the film rather than taking away from it. There are some nice shots here that emphasize the creepiness of big rigs and other equipment operating on its own. I also loved the scene where a young survivor is pedaling through his corpse-strewn neighborhood.

If you’re hankering for a good old fashioned smash ‘em and bash ‘em up flick (where the smashing and bashing is for the most part done by big rigs) that’s all fluff and fun, grab a few beers and your friends to settle in with Maximum Overdrive. If nothing else you can make a drinking game out of it and chug anytime you hear any variation of, “Who made you?!”

Available on Amazon!

Black Sheep (2007)

In the New Zealand horror comedy Black Sheep, Henry Oldfield (Nathan Meister) returns to his childhood farm 15 years after his father’s death and another traumatic incident that left him with a severe phobia of sheep. His older brother Angus (Peter Feeney) now runs the sheep farm, and has been doing illegal experiments and genetically engineering sheep. Meanwhile, two hippie animal liberation nuts, Grant (Oliver Driver) and Experience (Danielle Mason), are intent on breaking into the laboratory where Angus and his scientific team conduct their experiments. Grant steals a large container that holds what appears to be a fetus of a sheep in a toxic waste sludge, but clumsily drops it while running away from the scientists. Suffice to say, Grant gets bitten by the evil little fetus-lamb, and it goes on to spread its vile disease to other usually placid sheep, turning them all into bloodthirsty killing machines. Henry, Experience and farm hand Tucker (Tammy Davis) all team up against the gore-hungry sheep, but they have far bigger problems. It seems that anyone who gets bitten by an infected sheep transforms into a giant sheep-human mutant. Also, Angus is not giving up his experiments or his precious sheep without a fight. Can Henry and the gang save the rest of New Zealand from the spread of the baaaaaaaad sheep?

I caught this fun summer flick at a fairly small and packed theater, and let me tell you, the audience’s reactions were one of the best parts! I got there early, so I got to see people’s reactions as they trickled out of the first showing…smiles, giggles, high fives…this was looking good! And as I left the theater that evening, I was doing the exact same thing…smiling, giggling and high fiving!

Now, this flick definitely isn’t perfect and does have its flaws, but for an entertaining popcorn movie in the heat of summer it works just fine.

The films first 30 minutes are its strongest, introducing some uproarious comedic elements, one decidedly creepy and gruesome scene and a gaggle of goofy characters. I especially enjoyed the evil head scientist (played by Tandi Wright) and all her delightful wickedness. Perhaps it’s just me, but I though Peter Feeney, who played Angus, had a very Bruce Campbell feel to him. Either way, he played a dastardly villain and was a lot of fun! Nathan Meister as Henry and Danielle Mason as Experience also did spectacular jobs with their characters, as both their characters changed the most.

Director and writer Jonathan King shows us some truly beautiful vistas of New Zealand, and even manages to pull off the shaky cam technique quite well. His direction is sure and steady, and while he doesn’t show us any fancy footwork, he really doesn’t need to. With a premise like “killer sheep run rampant” one doesn’t really need artsy camera work, now do they? With the script, King nails some comedic scenarios early on, but the jokes run out pretty quickly after the first half. The second half of his story follows the trail of dismembered corpses strewn about by the infected sheep. After the jokes run out, King unwisely falls back on gore, leaving a sagging storyline in its wake.

Speaking of the gore, it is unmistakably present, with throats ripped out, legs and arms chewed off, large bites taken out of people, skinned sheep, heads being blown off, nasty human-to-sheep mutations/transformations and a pit full of decomposing and bloody animal remains that our intrepid heroes fall ::splat!:: right into. Gorehounds will be happy, though the film never goes as far as Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive (aka Braindead) or Bad Taste, both of which Black Sheep has been compared to. All you skeevy sleazemongers will be sad to see no nudity on display, though there are two displays of “inter-species erotica” that might tantalize a few out there (it’s a movie about sheep…you didn’t expect that?).

The gore and special FX in the film look amazing. Luckily, no obvious CGI was used and everything looks all the better for it. One transformation from man to sheep was pretty cool (though some of it took place in the shadows) and it reminded me of the transformation scene in The Howling (still one of the best, in my opinion). Even the hulking sheep-man hybrid wasn’t done with CGI and it looked damn cool.

Black Sheep is a fun, breezy and creative film that is a breath of fresh air in a stale summer bloated with sequels, harebrained movies stuffed with empty calorie stars and PG-13 crap. Sure, it’s not perfect, but sitting in a darkened theater and sharing a horror comedy with an eager audience that loves the silliness transpiring on screen as much as you do is as close to perfection as I want to get.

Available on Amazon!

The Black Cat (1981)

I was excited to learn that Lucio Fulci had directed The Black Cat, based on the Edgar Allen Poe story of the same name. I figured it would be another Fulci film that just might stand proudly among the greats Don’t Torture A Duckling, Zombi and The Beyond. Unfortunately, I was sadly disappointed by the boring Black Cat.

The Black Cat tells the tale of Professor Miles (Patrick Magee), a man obsessed with communicating and talking with the dead. He sneaks into the cemetery at night like a common graverobber, seeking to record the voices of the deceased. He also has a black cat, whom he has some kind of psychic link to. Meanwhile, Jill (Mimsy Farmer) is a visiting photographer in the small town who is intrigued by Professor Miles’ experiments. When deaths that appear to be accidents start occurring, Jill believes Professor Miles’ black cat is to blame.

I would tell you more, but I was too busy fast forwarding through the oodles of extreme close-ups fixed upon people’s startled eyeballs.

I think the most disappointing thing about The Black Cat was that it was only loosely based on Poe’s tale and hardly resembles it at all (except for the end). Instead, we get a killer cat that stalks people and appears and reappears at will. Sure, it causes an impalement, a couple to die from gas poisoning, a woman to burn alive and lots of scratches, but the film plods along and is unusually subdued for Fulci. It even seems devoid of his usual panache and relies way too heavily on the close-ups of eyes to signal tension between characters.

This subdued approach let me down big time…it seemed to lack the shocking images of The Beyond and Zombi as well as lacking a tense storyline like Don’t Torture a Duckling (probably my favorite Fulci film). The story meandered, went nowhere and doubled back, losing me along its uneventful journey.

The acting and the characterization were also off as well. The acting is nothing special with the exception of some performances that were so outlandish it felt like they were falling into parody. Example: when a woman’s house went up in flames, she ran directly to a room engulfed in fire and tried to beat at it with a pillow. Her stupidity is rewarded as she goes up bigger and brighter than a Roman candle. This unbelievable action is only one of several instances where the characters’ kooky actions just don’t make sense. Many a time I was left rolling my eyes and reaching for the fast forward button.

I think had I been in a lazier mood, The Black Cat could have been a little better, but as it stands I still think it is a film that falls very short of the standard Fulci set with some of his other films. The Black Cat may be worth checking out if you are a Fulci completest, but anyone else is recommended to check out other, better Fulci films.

Available from Amazon!

Witchboard (1986)

Ouija boards have always freaked me out and to this day I refuse to mess around with one. If they do work, who knows what might be lurking on the other side, biding its time for someone stupid enough to let it through. Witchboard, a lesser-known ’80s gem, utilizes this fear to create an entertaining and exciting movie that still manages to feel fresh after 20 years.

Jim and Linda are hosting a party in their apartment. Among the guests there is Brandon, Jim’s ex-best friend and Linda’s ex-boyfriend. Things are tense between Jim and Brandon, and things further escalate when Brandon whips out his Ouija board and enlists Linda’s help to contact a spirit of the young boy named David. Jim scoffs and mocks the Ouija board and the spirit that Brandon contacts, agitating the spirit and causing Brandon to storm off in a huff, leaving the Ouija behind.

The next day, Linda is drawn to the Ouija and attempts to contact David herself. It works, and soon the spirit is being quite friendly towards her and even helping her find a lost ring. Things take a sharp turn into “uh oh” territory when Linda gets overly agitated at Jim, starts cussing heavily and, oh ya, people start dying. The spirit of David becomes more and more violent and Linda becomes more and more obsessed with the Ouija board. Brandon and Jim must band together to stop the spirit before Linda falls under complete possession.

Witchboard is a rare film out of the ME! decade that doesn’t rely on the overdone boobs ‘n’ blood formula. It actually takes the time to craft some believable characters, gives us a love triangle that doesn’t feel forced and even has some atmospheric dream sequences, not to mention stylish camera work, that are both reminiscent of Italian horror films. With these strong elements, it creates one heck of an entertaining flick.

The character development alone, even with characters who die, is worth noting. Unlike most horror movies, we actually get to know the characters and they aren’t treated like bland cardboard cutouts. The characters explore various themes like love, friendship, motherhood, hate and so on, and thanks to writer (and director) Kevin Tenney the themes fit naturally and realistically in the film.

The acting is great, especially from Todd Allen playing Jim. Allen plays Jim as goofy but with a chip on his shoulder, and through the film his many layers are revealed. Tawny Kitaen not only has the best name ever, but is also pretty adorable as Linda, even though she does have a few fits of overacting. Brandon is played by Stephen Nichols, whose background in soap operas definitely shows. Still, his performance shouldn’t be dismissed by a few instances of silly overacting. The chemistry between the three leads is what really sells the film, as well as the development of each character.

Along with a well-written script, director Kevin Tenney (most famous for Night of the Demons) excels at creating a visually enticing film. Along with cinematographer Roy H. Wagner, Tenney crafts some impressively stylish scenes. I enjoyed the eerie dream sequences, the first of which gave me a real jolt! The sharp camera work keeps the plentiful jump scares feeling fresh while lending a whole other level of creepiness to the proceedings.

To lighten up the film, Kathleen Wilhoite appears as the flamboyant and wise-cracking psychic Zarabeth, who appears shortly only to quickly be impaled on an especially sharp sundial. We also get some silly jokes from Jim. For the most part, though, the tone of the film is serious and suspenseful.

Due to budgetary constraints, there isn’t that much gore save for some blood, a slashed neck and a hatchet to the head. I was glad that actual  story was interesting enough to hold its own and didn’t need to rely on gore for cheap thrills.

My only real complaint was the addition of a subplot that involved a detective (played by Burke Byrnes) following Jim around. It didn’t feel like it fit into the story and really hampered some scenes.

Despite that minor quibble, I felt Witchboard was a hidden delight. In the era of excess, it managed to be restrained, subtle and still knock my socks off with its well-developed story and characters. If you want to see an ’80s movie that is original, suspenseful and different from all the boobs ‘n’ blood slashers, check out Witchboard.

Oh, ya, and if you still want boobs ‘n’ blood, it’s got an unforgettable shower scene!

Available from Amazon!

Terror Toons 2 (2007)

For fans of kooky and creative low budget movies, Terror Toons 2 is a wild and crazy ride! The fun begins with little Tiffany Saunders, who is having her twelfth birthday party. Her friends and family arrive to stuff their faces with cake and watch her open presents. Meanwhile, in cartoon land, Hansel and Gretel decide to play in the woods against their mother's warnings. They come upon a house made of candy, end up stuffing their faces and puking, and are forced to go inside to find help. Instead, they find a witch (played by Brinke Stevens in a delightful cameo) who wants to eat their tender flesh to the bone. When she gives them poison and a rat to "make them feel better," they mistakenly mutate into Terror Toons!


Back at the Saunders, Tiffany receives a Terror Toons DVD (Devil Video Disc) in the mail with no return address. She puts it on and soon all hell breaks loose! The house and its inhabitants are in a strange hellish cartoon dimension and are forced to play deadly games like "musical scares" with Hansel and Gretel. One by one, the party guests start dying gruesome deaths by electrocution, by a giant Acme-type mallet, by cooties, by tickling, by "playing doctor" and so on. It's up to Tiffany's older sister Tina, her boyfriend and his two friends to stop the Terror Toons, which means going into Hell itself to chat with the son of Satan and take on superhero personas to kick ass!

I will be the first to admit that when I first received Terror Toons 2, I wasn't looking forward to watching it. Boy, was I ever wrong! Though this definitely isn't everyone's cup of tea, I thoroughly enjoyed the frenetic pacing and the silly and cartoonish feel of the film.

Joe Castro is definitely one of the most creative and imaginative independent filmmakers with his creation of Terror Toons. The candy-colored splatter coupled with the zany mix of animation, live action, creature FX and other special effects is unlike anything I have ever seen! Terror Toons 2 is like Saturday morning cartoons for gore-hungry grown-ups! The wildly colorful sets and costumes, the Looney Tunes sound effects and the grue-drenched death scenes all have a funhouse-feel that add to the wacky atmosphere of the film. If you are looking for a serious, character-driven horror movie or a typical slasher with lots of T&A, look elsewhere, because Terror Toons 2 is all about manic-paced silliness!

The performances are all a bit over the top, but they all fit into the feel of the film. The real stand-out in the film is Emma Bing as Tina. She is completely natural in front of the camera, and reminds me of a younger Amanda Bynes. Also, Fernando Padilla and Tina Mahler both do a fantastic job playing Hansel and and Gretel, especially with the costumes they had to wear. I loved every second they were onscreen!

My only complaint with the film is that it dragged a little toward the middle and the rest of the film felt stretched out. I feel like it could have been tightened up a considerable amount and shortened. It runs under an hour and a half, but it feels like it goes on much longer than that.

One major perk of the DVD is the amount of special features the disc comes packed with. It includes the short Terror Toons 1.5 that plays before the movie, an uncut "Dr. Carnage and Max Assassin" Terror Toon, an uncut "Hansel & Gretel" Terror Toon starring Brinke Stevens, Behind the Scenes of TT2 Gore, a slide show, commentary with writer/director Joe Castro, producer/editor Steven Escobar and actress/stunt coordinator Tina Mahler, a Terror Vortex and, my personal favorite, Blood Thirst, a short film Castro made with his buddies in high school. The special effects that Castro managed to pull off for Blood Thirst were absolutely amazing considering how young he was. It's a very fun, blood-drenched short to watch!

Even though I wasn't expecting to enjoy this film, it thoroughly delighted me! If you are looking for a cartoonish kaleidoscope of gore that is zany, maniacal and unabashed, Terror Toons 2 is your ticket to an LSD-laced Looney Tune trip!

Buy Terror Toons 2!

The Bet (2007)

A woman lies in a dingy hallway between two apartment doors. She is bound and gagged, with confusion clouding her eyes. Debris clutters the derelict hallway as she tries to figure out why she is there and how she got there. Suddenly, the left hand door opens and the woman is dragged into a man’s apartment. He drops her on the floor, and continues watching television, where two puppets are delivering the news. After exactly one minute, he picks her up by her ankles again and drags her back into the hall. Door number two opens and another man carries her into his apartment. She goes back and forth between the two apartments every minute. At each brief apartment visit, we learn more about the woman and her mysterious past as well as the two men and exactly what "the bet" entails.

For a low budget short film clocking in at only 19 minutes The Bet looks absolutely amazing. The film quality is so great that when I first put the film in the DVD player, I thought it was a big-budget production. Director of Photography Kurt Rauf did an amazing job as the film actually looks like it was shot on 35mm. The mood of the film is immediately set by the low lighting and dark, grimy look of the film. The foreboding atmosphere is intensified by the eerie and punctuated score. What makes this film even more incredible is that The Bet is co-writer/director Michael Dunn's first film! If this is a taste for what's to come from this filmmaker, I'll be the first in line for his next film.

The acting in the film was top-notch, with Lou Diamond and Walt Turner doing an amazing job with each of their characters. As the bound and gagged woman is shuttled between apartments, the layers of each character unfold, revealing more and more about the two. Diamond and Turner do an excellent job of portraying their characters' depth in the short amount of time. Courtney Gardner-Stavros, playing the woman who's fate is in the hands of the two men, conveys pain and confusion without having to say a word. Even the two actors (Mat Planet and Shannon Sarver) who give life to the puppets on the newscast do a tremendous job.

Director Dunn says that the idea for the film came from his wife's reoccurring nightmare. From there, Dunn wrote a short story based on the nightmare and went on to co-write a screenplay with Chris Smith to turn into a short, low-budget film. Dunn and co-writer Smith have crafted a well-paced, intelligent, eerie and intriguing short film. The mysterious hallway and its two gambling inhabitants, flashes of the woman's past and the ending all point to a far "bigger picture" perspective. Though the film's fantastic ending is open for interpretation, it contains a supernatural element that led me to believe the two men were much greater and more important than they first seemed. They hold the key to people's fates and gamble with human souls. I will leave it at that, because I don't want to give too much away, but it has an ending that left me awestruck.

The Bet just had its world premiere at the CineVegas film festival on June 13th. Look for it at other film festivals soon and go see it if you have a chance.

The Bet comes highly recommended as "a sure thing" from yours truly!